Days of Lore

Something’s shocking
The first time I heard Jane’s Addiction, I was sitting in the back of a tiny white Honda Civic, speeding down a winding road to some kegger/bonfire/piss-in-the-woods party that we Red Bluff High folk liked to partake in on weekends (if you’ve seen Dazed and Confused, you pretty much know what life in the RBC was like).

The guy driving had a reputation for being a little crazy behind the wheel. I had no control of the situation. I was uncomfortable. And I was being forced against my will to step outside of my comfort zone and listen to this guy named Perry Farrell.

Now, 17 years later, Perry Farrell is again making me feel a bit uncomfortable. This time I was sitting on a couch, watching a college football game—something every red-blooded American man likes to take in on weekends. Again, I was outside of my comfort zone, but it reached a new level when I saw Farrell alongside 50 Cent and Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland doing a promo ad for ESPN’s upcoming coverage of the 2007 NCAA football season. That’s a perfect choice, I thought. I’m sure football fans lovvve watching the scrawny, flamboyant Perry Farrell strut across their flat screens as they belch, swig beers and shove their paws into a bowl of nachos.

The new dance machine
Speaking of scrawny, flamboyant rockers, I’ve been digging this band out of France that calls itself Fancy (pictured). Led by vocalist Jessie Chaton (who sports the raddest Afro I’ve seen in years—Cedric Bixler’s got nothing on this guy), the band takes the sleazy glam of Slade and adds some dance-pop effects with over-the-top hand-claps and synthesizers. What can I say … I’m a sucker for hand-claps.

The band just released its first album, Kings of the Worlds, along with a single and video for “Seventeen,” directed by Marco Dos Santos, mustachioed DJ and artistic director for über-hip Paris dance club Paris-Paris. And visit the Fancy boys at www.myspace.com/welovefancy.

Olden days are here again
The Wiyos are not so scrawny. And not so flamboyant. But the Brooklyn three-piece is pretty damn fun. And they’re coming to Chico to give us a little taste of vaudeville that should appeal to those who appreciate all things old-timey, as well as hipsters and hippies.

The band is playing tonight (Oct 18) at the Grilla Bites on Cohasset Road. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., but The Wiyos can be seen earlier bouncing around the Thursday Night Market, where they’ll play a series of 15-minute sets throughout the evening.

Police get their tool
After months of going back and forth between the City Council and members of the community, it only took a couple of hours for councilmembers to finally decide that the “disorderly events” ordinance was a good idea, as they passed it 6-1 at this week’s special meeting (see Downstroke for the full story).

I talked to Monstros booker Brent Blacklisted—he, along with René Stephens (who books shows at 1078 Gallery), has been instrumental in trying to inform people and at the very least question the validity of some of the proposed ordinance’s language.

Blacklisted had a very even-keeled response to the council’s decision, explaining that even though the ordinance passed, he feels satisfied that the city and police know there are some people (even, to an extent, Councilman Scott Gruendl, the lone dissenter) who think it still needs some work.

“I’m skeptical,” Blacklisted said, “but I don’t feel like this is the end of the world. I think if police use it sparingly and for what its intent is, it can be helpful.”

Wouldn’t it be ironic if cops were to use it to break up a City Council meeting? I’ve been to a couple that could be considered disorderly.

Put on your Fancy pants