Days of Lore

Till death do them part?!
My dad swears he’s going to sell his record collection on eBay. I swear I’m going to start pilfering them one, maybe three, at a time. He’d never know … well, I guess he knows now. Stupid, Mark! Stupid, stupid, stupid!

That’s OK, my mom is the one with all the cool 33 1/3s, 45s and 78s anyway—including the “butcher cover” version of The Beatles’ Yesterday and Today—and she told me that her records are going to me when she kicks the bucket. Why wait until then, I say. Doesn’t my mother want to see me enjoy them right now?

This magic moment is now
All right, my dad owns a few good records, too … a lot of Stones, some Simon & Garfunkel and one of his favorites, Jay and the Americans who, imagine that, just happen to be playing this weekend at Feather Falls Casino (a damn fine segue if I do say so myself).

Of course, the band is best known for the hit “This Magic Moment,” which I’d expect they’ll save for the end of the show. Jay No. 3 (the Americans are on their third singer) and his crüe will play twice (6 p.m. and 9 p.m.) Sat., Dec. 1, as a benefit for ARC with Swansea, Wales’ Badfinger. Come and get it!

I bet there’s a Badfinger record or two hiding in my parents’ collection, too. And one day … they will be mine. Oh yes … they will be mine … preferably sooner than later. Wink, wink.

This will not suck
How did this one almost get under my rock radar? The Supersuckers—one of the sleaziest, raunchiest, loudest, nastiest, filthiest rock bands around are playing at Nick’s Night Club (formerly Off Limits) Fri., Dec. 7.

For those who are not familiar, this is what you do: Go to store. Purchase two albums; Must’ve Been High and The Evil Powers of Rock ’n’ Roll. Listen on repeat from now until Dec. 7. Go to show. Order round of Dirty Birds for you and your friends (one shot Wild Turkey; one PBR). Repeat thrice. Walk to front of stage. Stand next to amplifiers. Dance. Jump. Scream. Yell. Repeat. Leave venue with a smile. Call cab for a safe voyage home. Drink two glasses of water. Take two Tylenol. Thank me later.

i dub thee Artember
This is a bit disturbing. Friends of the Arts executive director Debra Lucero explained in a recent e-mail that the City of Chico Finance Committee has made a recommendation to cut arts funding by 30 percent in 2008-09, which will go before the City Council at its Dec. 18 meeting.

Lucero is trying to rally some support, explaining that Butte County Library funding was spared (about $170,000) at the Finance Committee meeting, thanks to the help of a room full of supporters as well as a full-on mail and e-mail campaign. In what might be the sharpest contrast in the history of contrasts, Lucero said it was only her and local artist Winder Baker who held it down for the arts at the meeting.

Now it comes down to arts organizations showing up to the Dec. 18 meeting to explain how the cuts would affect them.

Party on!
Efforts are still going strong to get the “disorderly events” ordinance put on a ballot. Chico Citizens for Civil Rights is collecting signatures through Dec. 5, and if they get enough, councilmembers have said they’ll take into consideration the idea of revising the ordinance (see Editorial). To quote the late, great Rene Belloq: “Your persistence surprises even me.”

There will be a couple of shows this weekend where people can show their support, sign their names and hear some music. For more info go to www.myspace.com/votedown940.