CONTENTS SOUTH TEXAS CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
WWW STEAMMAGAZINE NET
“EL DIABLO 54” ORIGINAL ART BY RICARDO RUIZ
OCT 2014 VOL. 3 ISS. 7
ENTERTAINMENT
ART
17 NEW BRAUNFELS’ RAILROAD MUSEUM
3 2ND ANNUAL ART SHOWCASE
18 3RD COAST FOODIE: BREWSTER STREET ICE HOUSE
MUSIC
12 RICARDO RUIZ: TELLING STORIES WITH PAINT
20 LUCKENBACH DANCEHALL
ALWAYS IN STEAM
8 JUDAS PRIEST REVERBNATION SPOTLIGHT: 9 JOHN GARZA BAND 11 BROKEN DUCKFEET 22 STEVEN JAMES
COMICS 6 NEW MOVIES 11
CD REVIEWS 7 QUICK READS 5
Ayers Street Music 3433 Ayers St, CC TX 361-960-2760
We Carry All Your Musical Needs www.ayersstreetmusic.com
PUBLISHER RUSTY HICKS EDITOR TAMMA HICKS COMICS EDITOR ALLENE HICKS STAFF WRITERS RICK BOWEN, DALE MARTIN, TAMMA HICKS, JON-PAUL JONES CONTRIBUTING WRITERS J MICHAEL DOLAN, DEREK SIGNORE, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS ALLENE HICK, RUSTY HICKS, JON-PAUL JONES TO ADVERTISE WITH US 361-904-4339 SALES@STEAMTX.COM SEE US ONLINE AT WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET WANT YOUR CD, BOOK, OR SHOW REVIEWED? HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SUBMISSIONS@STEAMTX.COM
ALTERNATIVE WEEKLY NETWORK STEAM Magazine is published monthly by STEAM Magazine South Texas Entertainment Art Music in Corpus Christi, TX. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Views expressed within are solely the authors and not of STEAM Magazine. Typographical, photographic, and printing errors are unintentional and subject to correction. Please direct all inquiries to: submissions@steamtx.com
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THE MOST IMPORTANT
OCT 2014
THING J. Michael Dolan (:29) What’s the most important ingredient in your record, video, screenplay, website, small business, big corp or dream project? What's the most valuable component or precious commodity? What must you have in order for the project to succeed? What’s the one thing your project will not survive without? Answer: Your inimitable POV. Your unique, specific talent. Your divergent life experiences. Your courage, in the face of doubt. Your distinct, accumulated knowledge. Your creative spirit and deeper wisdom. Your own personal brand of crazy genius. Your true love and unwavering confidence. Your many years of practice and persistence. Your failures, setbacks and disappointments. Your exclusive contribution that no one else on earth has or could provide. “Art is the most intense form of individualism the world has ever known.” ― Oscar Wilde
YOUR AMAZING COMEBACK J. Michael Dolan (:27) "What If I Screw Up?" You're going to. Guaranteed. You're going to lose money, lose fans, lose customers, lose confidence, make BIG stupid mistakes, embarrass yourself in front of your friends and family, and be forced to start over. However, what's more important is how you fix it. What's your recovery plan? Your rescue mission? Your Mea Culpa? Truth is, after the big fail, you should be stronger, wiser, more experienced, and a lot closer to where you want to go. In fact, if you're smart, the choices you make after your big screw-up should put you ahead of the pack. And ahead of the pack is where jaws drop and hits happen. It's also where extraordinary projects live. That's where you want to live too. My uncle Norman used to say, “It’s not about the losses and failures we have in life, it’s all about the amazing comeback we make!”
Billie Holiday
“I’m always making a comeback, but nobody ever tells me where I’ve been!”
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www.theawkwardyeti.com | www.lunarbaboon.com INSIGNIFICANT
BATWING
VOICES
DAVID RAITT & T HE BAJA BOOGIE BAND BLUES A ROCKIN’ (COLLEGE ROAD RECORDING) David Raitt began his partnership with the Baja Boogie Band from Pescadero, in the lower Baja, Mexico, in April, 2012 and summer 2014 saw the release of Blues A Rockin’ a collection of twelve tracks that reflects the fun and good times this five piece band have been having ever since. Bass player and northwest native Dave Hutcheson produced the album at Collage Road recording studios in Spokane focusing the sound around Raitt’s easy going vocal style.
The album kicks off with five original tunes, beginning with the swinging ‘Aint That The Way,” then the 60’s pop soul infused title track. Guitarist Johnny Knapp opens “Baja Boogie,’ with a gritty riff and the band slides into an easy shuffle infused with Latin percussion that is their signature sound. Raitt gets low down as he reveals his heartache on the slow twelve bar ‘Control.’ The band further explains their good time Baja philosophy during the slipper funk of ‘Not All There.’ The band then revs up BB King classic ‘Buzz Me, ‘ before Chuck Swanson adds greasy Sax to Raitt’s horn fueled soul burner ‘With You Darlin.’ The playful cover of ‘Use Me,’ with its Grateful Dead vibe shows why the band is a party favorite. Raitt does deliver the goods on soul standards OV Wright’s ‘Rather Be Blind,’ and Little Richard’s ‘Directly,’ living up to the reputation of his family name. WWW.BAJABOOGIEBAND.COM
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CD
Rick J Bowen
twitter.com/RickJBowen
REVIEWS
CALICO THE BAND RANCHO CALIFORNIA (CALIFORNIA COUNTRY RECORDS) The stars aligned in 2012 when three A list musicians from the San Fernando Valley, Kirsten Proffit, Manda Mosher, and Aubrey Richmond joined forces to create the new trio Calico. The groups name refers to the sound they emanate “California Country,” a brew of three strong voices blended into one and mixed with influences of traditional country, pop sensibilities and rock energy set to the backdrop of acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, and a spot on rhythm section. Imagine Crosby, Stills and Nash playing Hank Williams songs with Mick Fleetwood and John McVeigh.
Their debut album Rancho California, released September of 2014, features eight new songs and two inspired covers that were honed in the trio’s two years of nonstop touring. The opening track “High Road,” reflects the mystique of traveling the dusty roads searching for the dream of the old west. Their winning formula of trading vocal lines and a combined full throated chorus is on full display for ‘Dead Reckoning,’ a tale of a love that floated off course. The rollicking “San Andreas Shake,” name checks west coast towns whose romance pulls at a wondering heart. Pop and old time country are fused together for the swirling ‘Fools Gold,’ a bittersweet tale of California dreaming. The ladies experiment with rock a billy on the swinging ‘Beak you Heart,’ featuring some hot lead guitar from Steve Burns. The big showcase track of the album is the anthem ‘Runaway Cowgirl,’ a finely crafted vision of the American dream with soaring harmonies and dynamic melodic runs from Richmond’s fiddle. This is the type of tune Nashville should be begging for. The trio gives us a dulcet reading of ‘Wayfaring Stranger’ personalizing the classic folk song, and then dig deep in to country roots for the lilting ‘Lone Ranger.’ The lush depth of Calico’s vocal prowess is displayed during the mournful ‘Never Really Gone.’ The album closes with a joyful take ‘You Aint Goin’ Nowhere,’ a fitting tribute to one of the first “country rock,” bands from California, The Byrds who had a hit with the tune in 1968.
TOO SLIM & THE TAILDRAGGERS ANTHOLOGY (UNDERWORLD RECORDS) There come a time in every artist life when it is time to take stock on all you have done. After three decades of working the highways and byways of the northwest ,recording eighteen albums, garnering a legion of fans and winning a place in Hall Of Fame of three regional blues societies, Tim ”Too Slim,” Langford made his way to Nashville TN. In music city Langford forged a partnership with Grammy winner Tom Hambridge who produced his last studio album Blue Heart in 2013. The
WWW.CALICOTHEBAND.COM
pair has joined forces to assemble a two disc album Anthology; released June 2014 as a collection of thirty one select songs from Too Slim’s storied career and three new songs. The swamp rock tune ‘Wishing Well,’ boldly kicks off what can’t really be called a “Greatest Hits,” album but rather a set of favorites, milestones and magic moments. The two other new tunes, a four on the floor rocker ‘Little Gun Motel,’ and the piano ballad ‘Big Ole House,’ are woven seamlessly into the fabric of Too Slim’s discography. Langford’s signature take no prisoners slide playing, genre fusing songwriting and the many incarnations of his power trio The Taildraggers are well represented in the song selection. These tales of blues, hard times and heartache range from full tilt rockers like ‘Wash My Hands,’ a light hearted cantina song ‘Mexico,’ to R&B groover with horns ‘She Sees Ghosts.’ Disc two gives us a bit more depth as Langford chose to includes several songs from his solo album Broken Halo, on which he played all the instruments and showcased his acoustic guitar, mandolin and dobro skills. Two guest vocalists are also featured with the iconic Curtis Salgado leading the congregation on ‘Everybody’s Got Something,” and Jimmy Hall confessing the blues while Too Slim rips during ‘Good To See You Smile Again.” WWW.TOOSLIM.ORG
SHOW INFO:
CONCRETE STREET AMPHITHEATER, CORPUS CHRISTI TX LAREDO ENERGY ARENA, LARADO TX FUN FUN FUN FEST, AUSTIN TX
ONLINE: FACEBOOK / YOUTUBE / WEBSITE: JUDASPRIEST For four decades Judas Priest have been at the forefront of Heavy Metal inspiring a genre that at times was only embraced by the hard core. Following 2012’s Epitaph tour it appeared that run was coming to an end, a forty year journey come to completion. As with many things though, time, and a new sense of purpose have rejuvenated the band as they look to tour a new album and ‘Redeem’ their throne. We had a chance to sit down with new guitarist Richie Faulkner to discuss what the future holds not only for Judas Priest fans, but for the band itself.
STEAM: The common perception after the Epitaph tour was that it was the bands swan song. KK Downing quits the band and you come on as his replacement. Was there ever a time early on when it looked like the band was done for good? JP: When I joined the band it was kind of the beginning of the end, they were planning on starting to wrap things up. You have to realize that this isn’t a bunch of young guys, they had been doing this for forty years. The feeling we all had was that this is the beginning of the end, the last stretch of the band. There was certain areas where we turned it back and touring was one of those areas as we decided to keep the tour stateside. I think the band has a new lease on life with the new material we released. It’s inspired us to go out and play the new songs. We’re going to try and push on as far as we can but for sure Epitaph was the last world tour.
STEAM: As the newest and youngest member did you ever feel you had to leash your talents to pay tribute to the classic look and sound of the band? JP: Since the day I’ve joined the band it’s been rather inclusive down to assisting the design of the leather and stud outfits that we all wear on stage. I knew inherently musically what to do so they sought after my input on the material. It also helped that the new material was familiar with the tone of what had been done before so that helped lift any personal restrictions I might have put on myself.
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STEAM: What are the
challenges in playing with another guitarist on stage? STEAMMAGAZINE.NET JP: I think I was always
turned onto twin guitar bands like Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden so it felt natural for me. There are always different dynamics based on the character of the other player and style of the band but as I was a lifelong Judas Priest fan it was all engrained into me already. I’ve almost been playing with them since I’ve been playing guitar if that makes any sense.
STEAM: Redeemer of Souls comes off as a very live sounding album most notable with less sound effects applied to the vocals. Was this the plan originally, to give fans a live album akin to your awesome live shows? JP: I think the band needed to take a step back with this album. The one before was a concept album with massive production and here, this time around, we wanted to strip it down and let the music do the talking. No concept, just honesty. It was a lot of fun to make so much so that I wouldn’t write off another Judas Priest album in the future as well.
STEAM: Limiting the show dates of this tour must have been tough, especially with the band wondering how the new material would sound at some of the great overseas venues. JP: These things have a tendency to evolve as well. So while we aren’t touring abroad just yet we’re just figuring things out as we go. We won’t tour Texas for six weeks like in the past, so it’s not that kind of schedule, but we’re thinking about different locations to perform outside the current makeup.
STEAM: While some genres of music go in and out of popularity, Heavy Metal unfortunately always seemed to have a bad connotation surrounding it, that it poorly influenced the youth listening to it. With music so easily accessible in this digital age where music fans can easily discern there tastes with the click of a button, is this the best time to be making Heavy Metal music? JP: Some people see file sharing as damaging music while others see it as creating a fully accessible environment. To be honest I think it is a good time to be making metal. In the 90’s some bands shied away from the tag because it wasn’t favorable but from the point of view of
creating music it’s great. For the first time it creates a level playing field where the tools to market the band are at your disposal and it falls on you to be successful. Not only do millions of people have access to your music but now they have the conduit to put out there music as well. You still have to be different, to set yourself apart from the rest, but that always separated the best from the herd.
STEAM: Has your youth come into play to assist the band become more vocal throughout the social networks at
their disposal as you grew up through the era of their launch? JP: I think so. I think that the band saw the value of social media and my youth and use of such definitely helped but we also wanted to make sure not everything made its way online. It’s important for the band to keep some sense of mystique. We know we have to keep people involved and interested but leave them wanting more. We recognize the value and I think it reflects in what we post. By: Derek Signore, Sound Magazine
SPOTLIGHT
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A Q&A with John and Stan STEAM How did you get into music?
JOHN Funny story, pretty musical family I
come from a big family I’m the 7th child out of 8, so that big of family they kind of keep everybody entertained, the radio was always going. My older brother, Larry Garza, was pretty intense musician in his own right. For me he was a guitar and vocal idol of mine, and he was my brother. To me he was the next best thing to John Lennon that I’ll ever have and I mean bottom line is I wanted to be him when I grew up. He create a lot locally and kind of never really got his dew, life happens and it did to him in a weird way, but it didn’t take anything away from his charisma, he’s a very charismatic guy. Very good looking, kind of had that Kris Kristofferson look about him. He was a real funny guy and I really admired his personality so it wasn’t this band or that band or whatever, I mean I definitely have all those influences, but I think the reason I have such a love for music and performing has everything to do with my big brother. STEAM Are you still really close? JOHN Unfortunately, he is not with us he passed away quite some time ago. STEAM I’m sorry. JOHN No, that’s ok; we’re talking right? But before that happed he got to see me perform, to witness that I won a Grammy, and
By Tamma Hicks, STEAM Mag
that I traveled and performed all over. I got do everything that he truly wanted to. STEAM Ok, so you brought it up. When did you get nominated and win your Grammy, you were really young weren’t you? JOHN Yes, I was in my mid 20’s (laughs) That was the Chris Perez Band. Chris as you may know is Selena’s widower. He and I co-founded the band and I fronted it. There was a lot happening all at once and to be real honest it was a big explosion of talent that came onto the scene; Ricky Martin made his blow-out crossover, Christina Aguilera, Britany Spears, and Eminem we all hit the scene at the same time and it was sink or swim and it wasn’t an easy surf (laughs) We survived and did our thing in and out of the studio for about 15-years. We got to play with Santana, Mana, Better than Ezra, and a lot of others in a wide variety of venues. STEAM Stan, tell me about the guys in JGB. STAN Kelly our guitar player is a cancer survivor and another reason for a charity emphasis. He has been through a lot and it does him, and us, good to give
Band Members: John, Stan, Kelly, & Pete FOLLOW US ONLINE: www.johngarzaband.com Reverbnation / Facebook / YouTube: johngarzaband
back. John is just john. I think being awesome comes natural to him. Our drummer Pete is one of the nicest individuals I have ever met. I have to work hard at it just be almost OK. But hanging with such a good group of guys had to help, right? STEAM What inspires the music you write? JOHN To be honest inspiration is in the eye of the writer. Some people have formulas, but I don’t. I do the lion’s share of writing, but this is a band and a band effort is what we do. Any of
us can bring in a song and we’ll all work on it; total collaboration. This is a good group pf people! STAN: Our wives let us indulge out passion for music and if we can touch a sick kid. Make someone smile or raise a few bucks for a charity it makes it a worth wile hobby. I guess this is our "card night" which is fine most of us aren't very good at cards anyway. STEAM Do you have a CD/songs recorded? Are you planning on going into a studio? STAN: All our music is free to our fans. Our app on iTunes or Android is probably the easiest way to keep up with the songs we have out. Some are professionally done at Loop Studio; others we may throw together ourselves and release or come back to later to redo if they feel like they need.it JOHN Once we finish our current project we’ll be able to do more shows. We just want to make sure fans have the ability to take something home from a show. STEAM What are your plans for touring? JOHN We play at festivals all over, but it’s been about a year since we had a show here in Corpus Christi. STAN Most of the gigs the band does has a community or charity tie in. The band members are all dad's and have busy lives but can find the time to share their love. Most of our timed is spent at Dylan Ely’s Loop Studio under engineer Roman Gardiner, he is a great help.
From Mother Earth Living, by Victoria Pitcher
Coconut can combat influenza viruses, fight bacteria that cause cavities, expel lice, improve digestion, reduce inflammation … the list goes on. Hailed as the “tree of life,” coconut’s health benefits are many, but it is coconut oil that stars in many practical uses. From a stain remover for fabrics to a preshave balm, try these 10 handy household uses for coconut oil. 1. Chef’s Secret: You can up the health
ante of many dishes by replacing vegetable oil with coconut oil. Use it in stir-fries, brownie recipes, pie crusts or even fry with it.
2. Hair Helper: For a rich hair treat-
ment, combine 2 tablespoons each melted coconut oil and raw honey with 1 large egg yolk. Whisk together and apply to dry hair, covering completely. Let sit as long as you can. (To kill time, queue up a movie or tackle a closet cleanout project.) Rinse with warm water when ready.
3. Coconut Kiss: To make a soothing lip balm, melt 4 tablespoons grated beeswax and 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a glass bowl over simmering water, stirring frequently. Once melted, remove container from heat and add 5 to 10 drops of an essential oil of your choice. Pour into a tin and apply to lips once cool and solidified.
4. Well Seasoned: To season a cast-iron pan, coat liberally with coconut oil. Put the pan in a cool oven and turn it to 300 degrees. Leave in oven for 30 minutes after it reaches set temperature. Let pan cool in oven after turning it off.
5. Face Freshener: Wash your face with oil — yes, really! Coconut oil works wonders on the skin and can help draw out dirt, oil a n d
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other toxins. To use, mix 2 teaspoons coconut oil with 1 teaspoon castor oil (use more coconut oil for dry skin; less for oily skin). Massage into skin and apply in a warm, wet washcloth to your face until it cools. Wipe away and repeat if necessary.
6. Odor Eliminator: For an easy-tomake homemade deodorant, mix 1/4 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup cornstarch. Add 6 tablespoons coconut oil and mix in with a fork. Store deodorant in a small glass jar.
7. Stain Remover: Mix one part coconut oil with one part baking soda for a natural stain remover for upholstery and carpets. Apply to stain and let sit for a few minutes before wiping away.
8. Coconut Cream: For a simple, nourishing whipped body lotion, put 1 cup of solid coconut oil and a few drops of an essential oil of your choice into a mixing bowl. Mix on high until soft and feathery. Store in a container with a tight -fitting lid.
9. Furniture Polish: To make wood
furniture really shine, combine 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, 4 tablespoons distilled white vinegar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a reusable spray bottle and shake well. To use, spray on wood furniture and wipe away with a clean cloth.
10. Insect Repellent: Naturally repel insects with a mixture of 8 ounces coconut oil and 40 to 50 drops peppermint essential oil. Apply to skin and enjoy pest-free outdoor living.
Excerpted from Mother Earth Living, a national magazine devoted to living wisely and living well. To read more articles from Mother Earth Living, please visit www.MotherEarthLiving.com or call (800) 340-5846 to subscribe. Copyright 2014 by Ogden Publications Inc.
SPOTLIGHT
IN THEATER’S THIS MONTH
STEAM MGAZINE IS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH REVERBNATION TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON ARTISTS ALL OVER THEWORLD. THIS MONTH WE ARE FEATURING BROKEN DUCKFEET FROM NEW BRAUNFELS TEXAS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT FOR AN UPCOMING SPOTLIGHT OPPORTUNITY LOOK FOR STEAM MAGAZINE OPPORTUNITY ON REVEBNATION. Broken DuckFeet. Sometimes as few as two and as many as 6. They come from everywhere and we all know and come to realize that if we are not having a good time, our audience will not have the experience that they came out to enjoy. We love music and that is the spark you see on stage.
STEAM: What inspires the music you write? BDF: I write all the time. It is something I do DRACULA UNTOLD HORROR NOT YET RATED LUKE EVENS, SARAH GADON, ZACH MCGOWAN STORYLINE Follows a young prince who, when the lives of his wife and child are put in danger by a bloodthirsty sultan, risks his soul to save them, and in the process becomes the first vampire. IN THEATERS 10/10/14
Friday, October 3 Annabelle
Horror
Not Rated
Gone Girl
Drama
R
The Good Lie Friday, October 10 Addicted
Drama
PG-13
Drama
Not Rated
Dracula Untold
Horror
Not Rated
The Judge
Drama
Not Rated
Alexander and the Terrible, H... Comedy Friday, October 17
PG
Fury
Drama
Not Rated
The Book of Life
Romance PG
Men, Women & Children Friday, October 24
Drama
Ouija Friday, October 31
Adventure PG-13
Nightcrawler
Thriller
Not Rated
Not Rated
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361.290.7143 WWW.BRONSBEACHCARTS.COM
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STEAM: How did you come up with the name? BDF: When we began this project, we knew that a bands name was very important. It had to stand out from all the rest. There are so many bands that use the same name over and over and we did not want to fall through the cracks with a common name. Broken DuckFeet came to me as I watched some ducks on stage whom seem to be dancing to the music while we performed. But later on I realized that the name meant far more than just words put together. Broken, for the fact that we are all broken in life and search for understanding, Duck equals all that is happy and joyous in life, one of the first gifts we receive as children is usually a tiny yellow rubber duck. Feet, because we should all take the time to get up and dance as often as we can.
STEAM: We really enjoy the camaraderie we see on stage, so how did you band together this group of musicians? BDF: There are many musicians that play with
in private because if I can't feel the emotion of the song, its just not worth it. all my songs are written from a real life experience either directly affecting me or someone in my life. I want the songs to mean something.
STEAM: Do you have a CD/songs recorded? Are you planning on going into a studio? What are your plans for touring? BDF: We have a release out, titled Broken, which consist of several songs all written and arranged by myself. we are working on many new songs and plan on a radio release of a song featuring, Flaco Jimenez, the King of Squeeze box. At the current moment we are working on a tour with a notable band, which has toured the entire country and beyond. Wish us luck on that. We have some great fans of our music who frequently come out just to hear out original songs. Such as Drinking Beer with Jesus, Baby Goodbye and Good Old Country Music. if you can't make it out to one of our shows, feel free to follow us on Facebook and ReverbNation at BrokenDuckFeet.
13 grackle. That thought just got into my head and one day while I was driving around that it felt like I’d seen these same birds when I was growing up. So I formed this theory in head that grackles live for a long time, and if anything lives long enough they will develop societies with businesses and have neighborhoods, and establish brotherhood organizations like the Shriners. Of course if you have a group like that you’ve got to wear the hat and put on the pants and the jackets to show your membership. What I’ve been doing with the grackles is painting partridge like you’d hang in the halls of a building like the Masons Lodge or something. These are like the past presidents of the club and each one has a story. They might be a small business owner or car salesman or librarian or an accountant and they all have their own personal history behind them. The title of the piece usually gives you a clue or a hint about his particular story. I did one recently called “El Mi Amore” and his fez has a big heart and says El Mi Amore in metallic lettering and a big ruby heart pendent on his sash. There was a song when I was a kid where the man sang “me llaman el hombre de un amor mil“ (they call me the man of a thousand loves) and he was just bragging, so male birds are just braggers and show offs, so I’m pointing out their strongest features.
CC as an art major. After his freshman year he told me, “You know Pop you ought to go back to school and get your Masters,” and I asked him why should I do it now? And he told me about teaching at the university level and a few other good points. But I really felt it was kind of late for me to do that and so I just told him I’d look in to it. Then he tells me, “You better look in to it hard, because I already signed you up. I did all your paperwork, registered you, and you got accepted,” and hands me the letter. So that August I went back to school and three years later here we are. That is such a great story! I can’t think of a better way to end our talk. Thank you. www.ricardoruizart.com
I have to tell you – I love your imagination and your ability to come up with these ideas and run with them. I want to congratulate you on receiving your Masters of Fine Arts from TAMU-CC! Can you tell me the story of how you decided to go back to get your degree? Thank you, I just got that in May of this year. Well, I got my Bachelor Degree years ago and life kind of got in the way so that I couldn’t pursue my Master Degree. I ended up taking care of my mom, taking care of my sister, and then I met a girl, got married, and had kids. You know things just kind of happened and the next thing I knew 22-years had gone down the road. That’s when my older son started going to school at TAMU-
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TOP TO BOTTOM/LEFT TO RIGHT: EL COYOTE; RICARDO EXPLAINING HOW “EL MAS LOCO” GOT HIS TITLE.; EL JAVELINA DE DIOS MIDNIGHT; EL MERO MERO; RICARDO RUIZ TALKING ABOUT HIS PAINTING AT HIS STUDIO
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Troubadour Insights
San Antonio/New Braunfels/San Marcos/Austin ple.com and be sure to pick up a copy "My wife and my family used to wear these crazy pajamas that had horizontal stripes, and we called them the 'happy prisoners,'" Keen recently told the Nashville SceSinger-songwriter Radney Foster was ne. "I was working on this title, and thinking, 'I want able to use his social media followers something that is unique and sounds original.' But at the for the recovery of eight of his guitars same time, I wanted something that reflected how I feel recently stolen from a storage unit in about bluegrass. I've been listening to it forever, I love it, Nashville. But at this point, two of the and I feel I'm somewhat locked into it. Even my own instruments and a custom-made amplifi- songs sometimes are formatted, not instrument-wise, but er are still missing. Foster posted a list verse-chorus-wise, like that. So I feel like I'm necessarily of the 10 guitars and the Del Rio ampli- a happy prisoner of bluegrass. The new CD was profier on his Facebook page last month, duced by Lloyd Maines, who also produced Keen’s 2011 with serial numbers and background LP, Ready for Confetti. Maines' daughter Natalie lends information on some of the one-of-a- her vocals to a track, as do Lyle Lovett and Peter Rowan. kind instruments, including one of the Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins joins on fiddle and Danny two that has yet to be recovered, a black Barnes is on banjo, along with several other guest musiGibson J-30, which was given to him by cians and the singer's road band. For Keen, this project the RCA Nashville label when he was in has been a long time coming and one his fans are anxthe duo Foster and Lloyd. The guitar iously awaiting. was stolen in Houston and Radney kept www.martinsmusic.com police evidence tags on it, so he had all the info needed to identify it. The other guitar that has yet to be located is a 1977 Martin D-28. The first of the guitars that was found, the J-45, was thanks to someone in Dallas seeing Foster's STEAM PICKS FOR OCTOBER initial Facebook post and sending a text to songwriter Jon Randall in Nashville. ENTERTAINMENT Randall was near a guitar shop where he * WIZARD WORLD COMIC CON spotted the instrument. Within two AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, AUSTIN 10/2-4 hours of that first post, he updated his Facebook followers, writing, "All hail ART the power of social media! Six of the 10 * REMEMBERING BOB ANDERSON guitars have been recovered with your FLATBED GALLERY, 2832 E MLK BLVD, AUSTIN help, and I have a line on where to find SEPTEMBER 16-NOVEMBER 1 two more tomorrow." It’s nice to know that Facebook can be used for some- MUSIC thing other than letting everyone know * FLOORE’S COUNTRY STORE, 14492 OLD BANDERA RD, HELOTES 10/17 & 18 WILLIE NELSON & FAMILY; FAMILY what you had for lunch.
Sam Riggs is one of the rising stars on of ‘Outrun The Sun.’
the Texas music scene, grabbing fans with every concert and every new album. When his first video was released in late 2013, it gave his career a major shot in the arm and his CD a bump up the charts. ‘Outrun The With Dale Ma tin Sun’ was one of my favorite albums of Two Tons of Steel have 2013 and like many been entertaining Texas fans; I’m anxiously fans for almost two decwaiting on the followades and have performed up. Until then, we thousands of concerts in have a brand new vidmany different venues. eo, ‘Hold On & Let One thing they’ve never Go,’ filmed at Giddy done is pay tribute to one Up’s in South Austin. of their biggest influThe video was released ences, the King himself, in September via Sam’s Elvis Presley. Rockabilly YouTube page and has been a staple of Two instantly grabbed over Tons style for years and 2,000 views in the first many of their songs were 24 hours. The video is influenced by the early being featured on music of Elvis when he CMT Pure, on Rawgot his start on Sun Rechide & Velvet by the ords in Memphis. On notorious Texas music October 16 at the historic blogger Rita Ballou, Brauntex Theatre in and on a slew of heavy downtown New Braunweight radio station fels, Two Tons of Steel websites across Texas. will perform a ‘one-time’ The video features the only 90 minute tribute to kind of daring footage the music of Elvis. Tickets are just $5 at that Sam has become known for, in evethe door or $9 online at Brauntex.org. rything he does, both on film and off. Part of the popular ‘Greatest Hits Live’ Sam’s on stage prowess can be seen series at the Brauntex, Two Tons will throughout the beginning scenes donkick off the 2014-15 season. Other acts ning his fiddle chops, one of the many scheduled to appear are Phantom 46 instruments he plays. The vision for the performing a tribute to Foreigner, Stew- video came from Sam Riggs, Philip Guzart Mann & Statesboro Revue tribute to man and James LaMarr, and as Sam likes the Rolling Stones, Bret Graham tribute to keep things in the family, features to Johnny Cash, The Groove Hounds cameo performances from tour manager tribute to Heart and Seth James tribute Matt Renard portraying the bartender to Eric Clapton. See the full line-up at and manager Jeb Hurt portraying one of Brauntex.org. All shows start at 7:30pm the assailants when justice comes to and last until 9pm. General Admission town. Check out Sam in concert, see all tickets are just $5 at the door. tour dates at samriggsandthenightpeo-
r
NIGHT & FREE DANCE EVERY SUNDAY
Robert Earl Keen is doing things a * SAXON PUB, 1320 S LAMAR, AUSTIN 10/10 MALFORD little different on his next album; first of all, he’s exploring his bluegrass roots and giving the red-dirt format a break. “Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions” is set for release in February 2015 on Dualtone Records. Keen didn’t write any of the tunes, choosing to cover classics by his favorite bluegrass artists.
MILLIGAN; 10/17 MILKDRIVE; SUNDAYS @ 5:30pm JOHN GAAR, * GRUENE HALL, 1281 GRUENE RD, NEW BRAUNFELS 10/9 UNCLE LUCIUS, 10/20 PAKE ROSSI * TAVERN IN THE GRUENE, 830 GRUENE RD, NEW BRAUNFELS TUESDAYS ZACK WALTHER & THE BLOOMS FOLLOW ROOTS & BRANCHES.
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a funeral in progress; the downtown area includes shops, cars, pedestrians, and a junk yard; while the freeway has enough cars on it to remind visitors of five o’clock traffic. The layout’s industrial area in- OCT 2014 cludes a train yard with wrecked and retired railcars. There are three different N scale trains running throughout.
Those of you, who visited the old Joske’s of Texas department store in downtown San Antonio, may recall the elaborate replicated Bavarian town Christmas exhibit on display during Yuletide. This exhibit is now at the museum and a must see. It includes an entire town as well as mountains and a castle overlooking the city. Additionally, there are beer gardens, pumpkin patches, farms, and shopping and business districts and features European HO scale trains which can run on overhead electrical lines, much like a streetcar.
By Arlene Rhodes, NBRRM for STEAM Magazine
Railroad Museum located downtown next to the railroad tracks!
What is a mother to do with children, a spouse and in-laws needing to be entertained and a tight household budget? If you are in or visiting the New Braunfels area, you go to the New Braunfels
The New Braunfels Railroad Museum is in the historic International & Great Northern(I&GN) train depot by the railroad tracks at 302 W. San Antonio St. It is a historical, educational, and entertaining destination dedicated to the preservation, research and exhibition of information and artifacts concerning American railroad history and focusing on South Texas. This museum has something for everyone! There is an authentic red caboose open for big and little kids to explore where visitors may sit in the “cat bird seat” and check out where the conductor and brakeman used to eat, sleep and conduct their business. There is a 1942 Porter steam engine and visitors may explore the cab, where ringing the train bell is cheerfully allowed. There is also a dining car that comfortably seats up to 48 and is climate controlled and is available for rent as an event venue for birthday parties, weddings, showers, and meetings. An N scale model layout of an entire city is on display in the Missouri Pacific boxcar. The attention to detail in this exhibit is unbelievable. The city is comprised of a ship channel with submarines, a seaplane, and oil tankers; the residential area has a church and cemetery with
Exhibits in the train depot feature a room full of model HO train layouts which are operated by docents for visitors as well as an interactive museum exhibit where children are allowed to use telegraphs, an old manual typewriter, candlestick and rotary phones in the station agent’s office as part of their visit to the museum. In the model HO train layouts, children love to see Thomas, James, or Percy travel through the tunnel under the Circus Midway exhibit which is nearing completion. There are also Amtrak and freight trains which travel throughout the city built by the New Braunfels Historic Railroad and Modeler’s Society whose members operate the museum. The level of detail in the layouts is unbelievable. There are woodlands, a cotton gin, a steam engine roundhouse, cyclists, and prisoners breaking rocks watched by police officers on horses as well as an elaborate circus train exhibit. These experiences make for great photo opportunities to send to grandparents of their visit to the museum. The museum has numerous events for children throughout the year: Kids’ FUN Day is held in the breezeway FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM the first and third Saturdays of each month. Children are given the opportunity to “run the train” and earn a Junior Engineer Certificate and the LEGO club is present and sets up their trains. Other events include Spooktacular every Halloween, Railroad Santa visits in December, and they hold an Easter Egg Hunt in the spring. Their Facebook page is very informative and constantly updated so it is a good source for what is happening at the museum. The Model Railroad Fall Train Show will be held Saturday, November 15, 2014 and Sunday November 16, 2014 at the New Braunfels Civic Center (375 S. Castell Avenue). The show features 8-10 Model Layouts in most gauges, a large LEGO Layout, over 300 sales tables, a silent auction, food court, door prizes and free tickets for children 12 and under to ride the Landa Park Railroad. This is the largest train show in Central Texas. Admission to the show is $7.00 for adults 18 and over, $2.00 for children 5-17 years of age. For more information, check out the website at WWW.NBRRM.ORG or call 830-627-2447.
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And You Can Take Us With You!
3rd Coast Foodie By STEAM Magazine
The Cuban
We all love Brewster Street
1724 N TANCAHUA
Ice House for their music but here at STEAM we love them for another reason as well, their award winning food and drinks. The food at Brewster’s is as good as it gets and if you haven’t tried it yet you’re missing out at one of the best menus in South Texas. You probably won’t find any live music during the lunch rush but what you will find at Brewster’s is prompt friendly service and their Blue Plate Special for only $6.99 is a deal with the devil. Award winning Chicken Fried Steak and your choice of two sides which include: Fried Okra, Green Beans, French Fries, Corn, Cole Slaw, Mashed Potatoes or Refried Beans. Instead of Chicken Fried Steak you can get grilled or fried Fresh Tilapia or Juicy Chicken Breast. Their menu is full Texas favorites and kids eat free on Mondays after 5pm.
CC TX 78401
361-884-BREW (2739) OPEN DAILY 11AM—2AM and they’ll abide, so let’s get to the food.
We started with the There were five of us Sesame Ahi Tuna appe- on this quiet Wednesday
Mexican Martini & Margarita
We went down to Brewster’s
the other night for some dinner and drinks and had a hell of a time. They greeted us with smiles and were quick to get us our drinks, which for me is always a good way to start out any meal. I ordered one of my favorite Texas cocktails, a Mexican Martini and no one does it better than Brewster’s. It’s nice and simple just how I like it, Cointreau, their special sour mix, fresh squeezed lime, a splash of olive juice & a jalapeno stuffed olive. Served in a martini glass w/ your personal shaker. The ladies ordered Margaritas and loved them for they were sucked down quickly. Their beer selection is filled with the usual suspects and lucky for me they are one of the few bars in Corpus with Guiness on draught. With a full bar you can pick your poison
them down with. Time for the entrees.
Sesame Ahi Tuna and Crab Stuffed Jalapenos
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tizer and the Crab Stuffed Jalapeños. Both were a good choice and were devoured quickly. The Ahi was seared perfectly and cut into sashimi and served with Asian coleslaw. The Jalapeños were Texas sized and stuffed tight with blue-fin crab. I’ve been to Brewster’s more than a few times and had tried all their apps. My favorite for a group of people is the Chip and Dip Tray including fresh made guacamole, salsa a warm silky smooth queso and a big warm basket of tortilla chips. Of course their quesadillas are pretty famous and you can’t go wrong with either chicken or beef, but give the “Wicked” hot sauce wings a try; just make sure you have a cold beer to wash
night, so we all got something different. The first dish was the Fried Avocado Salad. The avocado was stuffed with crab salad and underneath was a heaping pile of greens with tomatoes, cucumber and red onions. The salad was very delicious and fresh as it gets. The second dish was Fried Catfish with a pile of fries and coleslaw. The catfish was battered in cornmeal and golden fried to perfection. The fries are in my mind some of the best in town. Brewster’s Fish Tacos are a force to be reckoned with. Fried, grilled or blackened shrimp or Mahi with mango, pico de gallo, freshly sliced avocado and cabbage on flour or corn tortillas. The 10oz. hand cut Ribeye was absolutely grilled and seasoned to perfection. The
giant onion ring covered, juicy ribeye was served with mashed potatoes and grilled veggies, both were very tasty and accompanied the steak well. Our final entrée was the Cuban. A halfpound patty grilled perfectly and topped with pulled pork and roasted turkey, smothered in melted Swiss, a spicy chive mayo and accompanied by all the usual burger toppings. Brewster’s doesn’t mess around with their burgers and has a stake at best in town. The Cuban was stacked higher
than the beer that accompanied it and would fill the largest of appetites.
The food was pleasing to the eye and very pleasing to our bellies. Like I said the music isn’t the only reason to go to Brewster’s. The food and atmosphere is quickly becoming a legend around these parts and when I have family in town I take them to Brewster’s to show them what a real Texas icehouse is. Cheer’s Brewster’s keep up the hard work and we’ll be seeing you soon.
Fried Avocado Salad
Fish Tacos with Grilled Mahi Just before we dug in!
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ast month I did my first article on historic Texas Dancehalls featuring the Sisterdale Dancehall and Opera House. This month I headed north on FM 1376 for sixteen miles to a place made famous by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. This month I visit Luckenbach Texas. The only real comparison between the two dancehalls is the history and location. Luckenbach was founded in 1849. It hosted the Engel’s family house, the General Store that included a post office and saloon, and the dancehall. Public records shows that the dancehall was most likely built in 1886 a year before the Sisterdale Dancehall. The town grew because it was the only trading post that never broke their treaty with the Comanche Indians. The town hit its peak in 1904 featuring several small businesses and a population of 492 citizens. By the 1960’s the town was a ghost town and the last of the Engel family and post master put the entire town up for sale for $30,000 in 1970. It was purchased by Texas goat farmer Hondo Crouch and his friends Guich Kook and Kathy Morgan.
Hondo imagined the town as an old-west principality, naming himself as mayor. He was the personality of the town that attracted so many people to come visit. He hosted hug-ins, the Luckenbach World’s Fair, the Ladies State Chili Bust, and the Mud Dauber Festival. He had daily sessions of guitar picking, storytelling, dominos,
and cold beer under the five hundred year old trees. He passed away in 1976 before Luckenbach became famous, but the town still enshrines his vision and a statue outside the General Store honors him.
Unlike the Sisterdale Dancehall that went through great lengths to use original period products for restoration to be recognized by the National Historical Society, Luckenbach went through an extensive restoration in the 90’s modernizing the facilities. Luckenbach features several out buildings like the feed lot, beer saloon, bathrooms, hat shop, and outside stage in front of the beer garden. They are not original, but the construction matches up nicely with the original buildings. The dance floor looks like it has been refinished and the finish is showing signs of wear, but the floor looks like it is in great shape. The tables are classic wooden picnic tables and benches. The stage is large with plenty of room for the band to set up. I thought of Sisterdale as a fairy tale setting, and I feel like Luckenbach is the blue collar working class dancehall.
There is something to do seven days a week throughout the day and night. Sunday mornings start off with Sunday Outriders Service, then a free afternoon show, followed up with an evening acoustic jam session. Monday through Friday also feature evening acoustic jam sessions featuring different artists each
night. Friday nights the dancehall opens for a dance that may or may not have a charge depending on who is playing. Saturdays also host an afternoon show and evening dance, unless somebody is getting hitched.
I showed up at 2pm on a Monday afternoon. The first thing that caught my attention is the amazing amount of parking, I imagine this place gets packed at times. I also noticed the plush camping area along the South Grape Creek with the wooden walking bridge that leads to the saloon and dancehall. As I get out of my car I can hear someone picking away and singing. I head first into the General Store, it is full of Luckenbach gear with just enough room for two people to walk through an aisle that leads to the back. The back is the saloon and there was about a dozen people sitting at the bar with their backs turned to the bar listening to the man singing in the back of the room. The room is so small that there wasn’t room for me to
sit. There was an additional room behind the bar that was empty, and could probably sit another dozen people. There is a large beer garden with ample seating outside, and the bar has open windows to get your beverage of choice. Even though the musician was playing acoustic and not mic’d-up I could still hear him throughout the property.
Continuing on FM 1376 for
the bat cave, a short drive away, and watch the bats fly out at sunset before heading over to the dancehall. Further Reading at: www.Jonny3Fingers.net
five miles will lead to highway 290 where a KOA campground is located. Going the other direction on Luckenbach Rd for about five miles will also lead to Highway 290 where Jellystone Park is located. Highway 290 also features several wineries that also include accommodations. For the ultimate week-end trip I would make reservations at one of these locations for Friday and Saturday evening. After work on Friday I would head out to the Luckenbach Dancehall for the Friday night dance. Then I would do a winery tour during the day Saturday finishing the evening off once again at the Luckenbach Dancehall. Taking in the Sunday Outriders Service before heading home. If it was summertime I might even visit
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STEAM With the recent success of The Shake
Down’s “Hold On” why did you decide to begin a solo career? SJ When I first moved to South Texas, I was playing as a solo artist under the name "Steven James." When I met the guys who ended up forming The Shake Down with me, we were actually called Steven James & The Shake Down. I still see some of those shirts around town too, ha. So anyway, we released our debut full-length album last fall as The Shake Down, and we recorded with legendary producer, Dylan Ely of Loop Studios in Corpus Christi. We toured hard on that album and I think this spring the guys in the band and I got burned out on playing those 12 songs night after night in clubs and bars throughout Texas, so we took some time off. My drummer left because his wife had a baby; my bass player took time off to raise his new baby girl, and Dylan, who became our manager, was on tour with the Backstreet Boys in Europe for three months.
Suddenly, I found myself on my own musically for the first time in about four years. So, I had these songs on the back burner that are a little more Southern Rock, or Texas Country Rock, as you could say, and I decided to get back in the studio and lay them down. You could say that really, I've come full-circle. I came to town as Steven James and now I've picked that project back up.
STEAM
What inspires the music you write? SJ You know, for the longest time I wanted to write about these big adventures and grand situations that I imagined and wanted to be a part of, but in the end, really wasn't. I wanted to be from New York, or L.A. so bad. But I think the best thing that happened to me was embracing who I really am and writing about that. I'm a Texan, born and raised. I songs about late nights, roller-coaster relationships and having a good time in the places you love. So that's really what I've gotten back to. This solo project is about my life, my feelings and my memories.
STEAM
Tell us about the new cd. Who did you record with and where? SJ Well, I don't know if you know my backstory, but I went to college in Austin after growing up in Houston. I played in a few bands there with my best friends and at some point or another we all grew up and went our separate ways. But while I was there, I recorded with a very well-respected producer there, Lars Goransson who owns Sounds Outrageous Studios, located in the South Austin hills. I did an album with him probably back in 2005 and it was an awesome
ONLINE: www.stevenjamestx.com Facebook, Twitter, & Soundcloud: StevenJamesTX
Seafood & Steaks
experience, but we hadn't talked since. About a year ago, I saw him comment on one of my friends' Facebook posts and I reached out to him. It was as if nothing had changed. Seven years later we were buddies all over again. So he started asking if I wanted to do some recording and at the time, The Shake Down was going really strong so I kind of held off, but then in May I found myself on my own with these batch of songs that I think are the best I've written in 20 years of writing songs. And if you've never been to Lars' studio, it's insane! He is a gear nut! The microphone I sang on was the one owned by the Rolling Stones and used on "Exile On Main Street" (one of my all-time favorite records). It was later sold off and used on Led Zepplin IV and some Bob Marley records. I was just tripping out thinking that I was singing in the same mic as Mick Jagger or Robert Plant. That's just the tip of the iceberg. He has all these amazing vintage guitars, organs and recording consoles that give his recordings a certain sound that I haven't found anywhere else.
STEAM
You recently played in Los Angles for a CD release party, where was that at? Do you plan on doing more tours like this? SJ We booked a show at Room 5 Lounge in West Hollywood which is a really cool, intimate spot in the heart of Los Angeles. But I'm sad to say they will be closing down soon. I was like "I just got to know you guys and now you're leaving???" They've been really good to me, but they will likely open another venue so it's all good. My plan is to play major Texas cities through most of the year and book shows in L.A. and Nashville every two or three months to keep up with the scene out there. I just went to Nashville for my first time about two months ago and it blew my mind! Everybody is on their GAME there. You can go to any bar any night of the week, and you'll hear a very talented, very professional musician (or five) playing onstage. And what I love is how everyone supports everyone else. Songwriter shows are popular there, where you'll have several people with guitars onstage at once and everybody just swaps songs. It's really cool. We keep adding shows, so I hope people will keep up with us on our official website, and Facebook and Twitter.
STEAM Is there anything that I have missed? SJ I would just like to thank all of the fans we've made so far along the way. We've only put two songs out so far, but the reception has been amazing, not just in Texas, but all over the world. We've been getting radio play in Paris, France; Cincinnati, OH; London, England; Baltimore, Maryland. It's just been insane. I hope people check back in with us because we've got more tunes and music videos we are going to release this fall and please don't hesitate to ask us to come play your city or play with your band. Hotel rooms are my favorite places in the world.
SHOW INFO: Oct. 4 - Derrick Tavern, Houston TX Oct. 11 - Lucky Lounge, Austin CD Release, Austin TX Oct. 16 Taco’s with Rich O’Toole, Corpus Christi TX Nov. 26 - Vino Mio, Corpus Christi TX
International Cuisine
Vegan/Vegetarian Fare Fine Desserts Absinthe Parlor Craft Cocktails
Beer & Wine
Outdoor Dining Thursday-Sunday Dinner 5-10pm
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STEAMMAGA-
Saturday & Sunday Lunch/Brunch 11am-2pm
112 S Fulton Beach Rd, Fulton TX
(361) 790-9626