Days of Lore

“Slaves to my torment / Scream to your heart’s content / Time and time again / Pleasure in inflicting pain / Power so intense / Trying to circumvent / Unadulterated battery / Manipulated reality / God is dead, I am alive!”
—Slayer, “Sex, Murder, Art”

ROASTIN', BRAH! My only experience with roasts is watching the New York Friars Club on Comedy Central, where a bunch of drunken, cigar-smoking old farts who couldn’t give a damn about political correctness drop gratuitous F-bombs and make fun of the sagging careers of celebrities like Drew Carey and Chevy Chase. I remember there were some good jokes about Abe Vigoda of Barney Miller fame, because he’s like 148 years old.

So when I heard there was going to be a roast of former CN&R Editor Tom Gascoyne, I had to check it out. But I must admit, I was more excited about getting to eat some free roast.

WHERE’S THE BEEF? I arrived to the Arc Pavilion and there were around 40 or 50 “like-minded” people sitting at tables taking in some suds.

I knew it was going to be a hell of a party when I saw Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey sporting a Rolling Stones tongue T-shirt under his tan suit. He was actually the funniest of the scheduled roasters. Former CN&R News Editor Josh Indar was pretty good, too. I told him to get raunchy up there, but did he listen? Noooo. In fact, there weren’t enough racial slurs and foul language to suit my taste, but what can I say? I just sat back and watched.

Tom, dry sense of humor still intact, actually ended up being the funniest of the bunch when he was giving his thank you speech. The low point of the night was finding out there was no roast; instead I was treated to Jim “Moondog” Dwyer sitting in his chair wearing women’s undies.

OH SAY CAN YOU KCSC Matt Kiser looked a little wiped out last Friday as he and other KCSC staffers loaded up another truckload of boxes. The place was pretty much gutted by Friday afternoon, even though the KCSC staff wasn’t given much time to get out of there, but hey, nothing stops for the Rec Center.

The student-run radio station’s move came a little sooner than expected as Chico State prepares for demolition of the Reynolds Warehouse on Cherry Street where the new recreation center will be constructed.

The station (now Internet-only) went off the air last month for the first time since its first broadcast on March 14, 1951 while leaks are fixed and new carpet is installed at the new Ivy Street location.

“In the meantime it’s sort of hell,” Kiser said last week.

Kiser said around 10,000 CDs and 20,000 pieces of vinyl, along with other equipment and 50 years worth of rock posters were moved last week by volunteers. Although the new space will be a bit tighter, Kiser said there will be more foot traffic and that they’ll be able to set up the equipment how they want. Eager listeners will have to wait until the fall before the station broadcasts again.

KCSC will be hosting its music carnival Sat., May 6 from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Crux Artist Collective. Check out www.kcscradio.com for more info.

BLACK-[Crow]LISTED Looks like there’s no more jazz at the Black Crow. The restaurant, which recently offed its Tuesday night jazz, has also cut off live jazz on Saturday nights in favor of rock cover bands.

Christine LaPado, CN&R contributor and member of local jazz trio NewmanAmiYumi, said it’s a venue that local jazz musicians have counted on for years.

“We were all surprised, because it just seemed like the Black Crow was ‘always’ there as a jazz venue,” she told me.

Well, now diners can stuff their faces while shaggy old dudes in Hawaiian shirts play that good time rock ’n’ roll at low volumes. Sounds like a blast.

MONARCH TO THE KINGDOM OF THE DEAD June 3. Senator Theatre. Slayer. Mastadon. That’s what I’m talking about.