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CULTURE CLASH (Be a Better Human)

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galveston music FROM OUR EDITOR: “Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea winds blowin’.” Those beginning lines of the classic Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb song reflect on the memories of a young soldier heading for the Vietnam War. He remembers the sounds of our island. In this issue, we explore the musical sounds of our island home. The music of our island is rich and diverse - from the basso love funk of Barry White to the dreamy fuzz of El Lago and all points and side alleys in between. We are fortunate; we can hear music blasting from the doorways and small venues downtown. We lay witness to music at amazing venues such as the Grand Opera House and the Old Quarter Acoustic Café. Music drives parties in the barns and fields on the west end. Many of us choose to participate in music by jumping into a drum circle or getting onstage at one of the various open mics around town. Perhaps it is the ‘sea winds blowin’ and ‘sea waves crashing’ that provide us the rhythm that drives our music. Whatever the reason, music is a beautiful part of living on the island. Get out and listen. READ, ENJOY and PLEASE SHARE!

Write us an email or shoot us a comment any time online: CultureClashGalveston.com facebook.com/CultureClashMag CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com Jamie Schubert Editor

COVER ART, “Island Vibrations” by Joshua Duke. Josh is an artist of many talents. Here you can get a glimpse of his two-dimensional work. He has crafted an island of pure musical joy. When he is not putting pen to paper, he is jamming in his theatrical rock band, SONS OF NEPHILIM. Learn more about Josh and see his art at www.niftythrifty.art *This magazine is NOT printed on recycled paper or with soy-based inks YET! But we are working on it. Help us get there, advertise or sponsor us! Email for more details CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com. 4

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table of contents Vol. 2 Issue 2 (January / February 2019)

FEATURES 16 Escape to Galvatraz 19 LIVE at the Old Quarter

Music is the Answer

PUBLISHER Janese Maricelli-Thomasson LAYOUT & DESIGN JanMar Agency

CONTRIBUTORS

Be A Better Human 8

magazine

Bob Hackett • Pat McGrew Jamie Schubert • Leslie Whaylen

DEPARTMENTS Find Relief

CL AS H

EDITORS

28 People of Galveston

CULTURE

Express Yourself 12 The Traveling Musician 14 Galveston’s Open Mic

8 25

#TBMG 22 In the Key of Gtown

Nellie Cornett • Bee Cregar Joshua Duke • Scott Edwards • Jacob Ellis Ellie Gao • Christopher Smith Gonzalez Robert Kuhn • Julian Jimenez Dan Marks • Tanner Price Julia Salinas • Catherine Stroud

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Coolture 25 Original Galveston Musicians 26 Crystal Beach

27 Pulse Calendar of Events

CultureClashGalveston.com facebook.com/CultureClashMag cultureclashgalveston@gmail.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Please mail check payable to JanMar Agency 1625 23rd St., • Galveston TX 77550 In the amount of $24 Note “Culture Clash” in memo line

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Make music and make memories. Create the love and light in the world. Jam out on any of the various open mic nights around town. FIND OUT WHERE ON PAGE 14

LYDIA PLUMBER. Photo from Scott Edwards - From the HeART Gallery

be a better human

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CULTURE CLASH (Be a Better Human)

Find relief from maladies with

MELODIES By Ellie Gao

MUSIC IS EVERYWHERE AND ANYWHERE IN OUR DAILY LIVES. WE LISTEN TO THE TUNES ON THE RADIO. WE SING ALONG TO ONE-OF-A-KIND TELEVISION SHOW THEME SONGS SUCH AS THE OPENING TUNES FOR “FRIENDS” OR “THE BIG BANG THEORY.” MANY OF US PLAY INSTRUMENTS, TAKING THE ROLE OF MAKING MUSIC INTO OUR OWN HANDS.

Furthermore, if you look among the youth nowadays, I can most certainly guarantee that you will see several people with headphones listening to Spotify. Not many people realize how prominent music has become in our lives, and even fewer people know that it can have some remarkable benefits to our health.

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This proves to be an incredible tool for students because music can reduce their stress levels, anxiety, and improve their memory. All these factors, combined together, seamlessly produce a healthier lifestyle and facilitate better studying sessions.

NEED SOME THERAPY? In addition, music therapy has experienced a rising popularity as a treatment for mental and physical issues. Several hospitals have music therapists who aid in patient health. Studies on children with autism who received music therapy showed an improvement in their social and communication skills. Knowing there is an increase in children with autism in today’s world means there are more uses for music therapy.

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STUDIES CONFIRM BENEFITS Numerous studies have shown music does indeed reduce stress and anxiety. College students are well known for feeling stressed with classes, studying, exams, and more. Many students benefit from listening to music while doing homework and studying. Research has also discovered music improves our memory. A study was conducted with stroke survivors where they listened to music and experienced an improvement in their memory and focused attention. The rhythm and melody in music contribute to our brains being able to form patterns that enrich and boost our memory.

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR DOSE OF MUSIC? Music can reduce stress, lower anxiety, improve memory, and help develop social and communication skills. Next time you feel like giving your health a boost, give music a try. It has shown us its potential in being beneficial to our health. SOURCES: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/music-and-health https://autismsciencefoundation.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/music-therapy-may-help-childrenwith-autism/

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CULTURE CLASH (Be a Better Human)

Music is the answer,

EVEN FOR JUST A MOMENT By Bee Cregar

MY HEART HURT, I MEAN PHYSICALLY HURT WHEN I FOUND OUT LEMMY WAS DEAD. WHO KNOWS WHAT WONDERS AMY WINEHOUSE COULD HAVE PRODUCED HAD SHE NOT DIED WAY TOO SOON. Now, flashback to high school, sweaty gym dances, flashing lights, mad moves, and awkward first kisses. Five years ago, an acoustic mix strummed from a guitar being played on the sand, melodic Colbie Caillat’s song “Bubbly” carried on the wind, down an aisle of seashells and surf crashing in the background. The sounds ushering me to my wedding vows. Ok, what do all those things have in common? Music, it permeates so many of our souls. We all can remember that very moment we heard a specific song. Music wraps itself around most of our precious memories be it pain or pleasure.

What brought me to DJ’ing was my love for music, all music. What took me from it was that loss of love. That empty place that remains when the music dies inside of you. I have played small house parties to the Roxbury, wakes to weddings, boat christenings to TV talk shows. What I learned from all of those things, is the intimacy of the music. How special it makes ... everything! It taught me DJ’ing is not about playing what I want to hear. It is not about playing deep cuts and showing you my musical knowledge. Forcing you to listen to music you may never hear, or for that matter care to find. It is about playing what you want to hear. 8

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BEE CRAGER. Photos provided by artist.

SPINNING DISCS When I started DJ’ing, it was not supposed to be anything but playing music for my friends for fun. What it turned into was a full-on business. I was DJ’ing three to four nights a week, and anyone who has ever done it will tell you: That’s the grind.

CULTURE CLASH (Be a Better Human) GETTING BACK INTO THE GROOVE Not too long ago, I had the privilege of playing a friend’s birthday party. I volunteered to do it because it seemed like it might be fun. I hadn’t played out for some time, I knew I would be rusty, that my mixes may not flow. But after all, I was doing it for fun. When I “retired,” I sold my system. But I held on to my controller, and, of course, my laptop. My husband, my sound tech, hooked up a 15-inch speaker we bought from Amazon, and daisy chained a 10-inch speaker borrowed from the gym where we train. I had a card table from Walmart as my rack. A far cry from a set up that could expand to play a rave with lights and a bass thump that blew the roof off. As soon as I played the first song, the smile on the face of the birthday girl gave me that familiar warm tingle, ah there it is. Guests arrived, heads bobbing in time to their favorite pop songs from the 80s, feet tapping, bodies swaying. Yeah, this is what I have missed, that rush you get when you see individuals turn into a collective group all caught up in a single moment of joy. CREATING HAPPINESS As a DJ it is your job to get them and hold them there. Each song building on all those memories of happiness attached to music they love. Songs they grew up with. Songs they got married to, songs they said good-bye to. Songs that healed their broken hearts. And songs that transported them no matter where they were at that moment, to some better place. It went off! “Turn it up!” Something I’m proud of, after so many gigs, is the best thing I gave was not my mixing, not any of the technical stuff. What I brought was an ability to fall in love with the crowd and connect with them. Give them what they wanted to hear. When I closed out the night with my traditional “Last Dance” crooning disco by Donna Summers, the partygoers and the hosts were so thankful and excited. I left feeling high.

REVIVING THE PASSION I attended an event recently. The first thing I heard when I walked in was the DJ. The music was blown out, the mixes were jagged, the drops missed, and the dancers although ready to dance, couldn’t move to the unusual tempo choices. My husband and I went to go check out the setup. I was shocked. The DJ was not even able to view the crowd, to see the people he was playing for. He was carelessly talking to someone, and just sliding songs back and forth. First, it made me sad because of the missed opportunity for both the DJ and the guests. Then it just made my ears hurt. I was disappointed and even a little angry. He’s a DJ, doesn’t he love the music? I left with a new fire in my belly. I woke the next morning to requests from others to DJ some gigs for them. I said “yes” but only to volunteer. At this time in my life, DJ’ing and music are not my livelihood. Music is my passion, and DJ’ing is something I can do for my friends because it’s fun. To have just for a moment, an opportunity for a whole room to fall in love. C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N U A RY/ F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9

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Yourself C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M â€¢ J A N U A RY/ F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9

MATT CASH. Photo courtesy of Scott Edwards - From the HeART Gallery

express

Self expression is essential. Here Matt Cash pours out his emotion at a local open mic session. BIG LOVE TO Scott Edwards for the photo. Express yourself and let Culture Clash Galveston help. Send us your pics!

CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)

The Traveling

Musician ROBERT KUHN. Photo courtesy of the artist.

By Robert Kuhn

Santo Nuno de Atocha is the patron saint of illness; particularly those who are crippled, travelers, or prisoners. Here’s to the traveling musician. “Music is an illness” some say. Music is love. Santo Nuno, shine light upon the dark road ahead, we need to make it to the next town by tomorrow night. I think it’s funny that the Catholics put travelers in the same group as cripples and prisoners; the down but not out. “Mother thinks the road is soft and lovely,” said the Old Quarter’s late great Townes Van Zandt. It’s a romantic stream delivering dreamers and wanderers to paradises of imagination and destiny destinations. Purple Chisos and Sangre de Cristo Mountains; the Continental Divide cordillera on the rapidly approaching horizon at dawn; Brooklyn until morning; Love’s Truckstop yoga and water ritual, salty sunflower seed amphetamine, more coffee please, I’m willin’ and we need to be in the next town by tonight. One of the sad and beautiful parts of the musician’s life is that they can’t play in the same town every night, especially when the town is as small as Galveston. I mean, you can, but attendance will dwindle. So the musician looks for other work or becomes a traveler. His value increases. He becomes a messenger delivering the ancient harmonic 12

melodies and frequency stories passed on to him in the oral and instrumental tradition from his predecessors. He adopts and adapts them. They become his own music and sonic stories. He drinks from the vein. He learned the rite and is invited to share it. He is paid with survival. His toll is the road. Miles and miles and he gets to play the music. Once the road has accepted the musician, he is expected and obligated to play the music nearly every night. The music is his gift to others and as it feeds him and blesses him on every occasion, his instrument and him grow closer and tighter; smoother and better with each hour of working, playing, practice. He learns the songs. He learns the ropes, the venues and refuges; the bars and towns that encourage this type of behavior; oasis of thought, culture, art and music that sustain the traveling minstrel troubadour. They are thirsty for

the songs and contraband he carries. They bring him in, care for him, then send him on his way to the next stop where he is received and put on stage again to play the music. Passed on, put up, and put down with the best that every place has to offer. That is enough. The location and scenery changes, but each stage eventually becomes same and the music is all. The music is the medicine and the narcotic. It takes care of him. “May you sing for the king and the fisherman’s friend,” Shinyribs said. And may Santo Nuno deliver you back home to Galveston someday where you can park the van, walk to the beach, wash all that road off, and take a nap. La Izquierda! Some people say Galveston is the end of the road, but some people say it’s a beginning. I guess it’s the same. Es Iguaaal.

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CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)

GALVESTON’S open mic circuit

FOR AN UP-T COM O-DATE, OF L P IVE M LETE LIS T USIC VEN Galv CHECK OUT UES esto : n Galv eston Music S cene Music S cene .com

By Tanner Price

If you walk anywhere downtown, you’re bound to find art galleries, showhouses, music halls, and dance clubs filling the city to the brim with color and soul any time of day. Perhaps you’ve had the chance to experience some of Galveston’s Bohemian culture along its very own Postoffice Street, home to the enchanting From the HeART Gallery, Mod Coffee House, and The Grand 1894 Opera House. If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting these marvels yet, do yourself a favor and swing by! Here’s the very best this city has to offer in the open mic music circuit. Whether you want to climb onstage and jam out with your band, sing (or shriek in my case) to classic rock, blues, and country hits, or sit with a fiddle and drum and play a folk song with a friend, have we got a selection for you! SANG A SONG AT SOUND BAR This list starts off with the most accessible open mic night in Galveston. The Sound Bar on Mechanic Street has local free karaoke every night of the week from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. As someone who lost his karaoke virginity a few weeks ago on stage to 14

Don McLean’s “American Pie,” the experience was exhilarating, and I’d recommend it to any lover of song or adrenaline junkies like me. If you’ve still got stage fright, go a few rounds at their bar and forget all about it. The drinks are so good, you’ll down enough and think you sound like the next Johnny Cash or Bon Jovi in no time. LISTENED TO FOLK AT OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE A fan favorite around town is the rustic Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe on 20th Street. It’s a cozy little downhome bar that’s easy to miss, but boy am I glad I didn’t. I don’t think I’ve ever walked into a bar and been as instantly comfortable and relaxed as I was in there. The dark and colorful lighting coupled with the gorgeous folk-centric decorations and furniture made it feel like you could step into that bar and completely disappear

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Photos provided by Scott Edwards - From the HeART Gallery

FOR ANYONE WHO HASN’T BEEN LIVING HERE FOR TOO LONG, IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT GALVESTON IS A PRETTY DAMN ARTSY PLACE.

CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself) from the outside world for a restful couple of hours with a few beers and some good music.

Jamie Maricelli,

JamieMaricelli.com 281-923-1628

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I had the pleasure of listening to Eric Miller from Ocean Creek, Texas, perform some original folk songs about his travels and life experiences. I could have listened to him for much longer after he stopped. Old Quarter has what they call Songwriter Nights for Open Mic, where musicians can perform their own music on stage every Wednesday and Thursday night from 8 p.m. to midnight, unless there’s a scheduled show. FIND SOME SATISFACTION AT SHARKY’S TAVERN Now here’s a place any local Galvestonian ought to know. The iconic Sharky’s Tavern on 25th Street is a high-quality pizza joint with cheap drinks, great seating indoors and outdoors, and a killer stage setup for musicians to come up and treat listeners to jams of their own choosing. Old songs, new songs, cover songs, originals - Sharky’s has it all. The bar’s Facebook page is overflowing with videos of live performances and crowds of people dancing hand in hand to the local flavor of the evening. They have live music from 8 p.m. to midnight every night, with open mics on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

REALTOR ®

FROM MY EXPERIENCES … This is by no means an exhaustive list of every music venue in town, but these three are definitely up there at the top. If you’re looking for a good place to dip your toes into Galveston’s local music scene or you feel like cannonballing straight off the deep end, start here. Have fun, drink responsibly, and be sure to tip your local musicians. C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N U A RY/ F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9

CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)

Escape to Galvatraz AND SET YOUR MUSICAL TALENTS FREE By Julian Jimenez GALVESTON ISLAND IS COOL. I’M BIASED YOU MIGHT SAY. WHEN YOU’VE LIVED HERE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, OF COURSE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ISLAND PRIDE, RIGHT? But live here for any amount of time and you’ll see it too. Its vibe throws island culture into a blender, shaken and stirred with one part vacation, one part subversion, and garnished with a uniquely DIY flavor that flourishes when your connections to the mainstream are separated by literal bridges. I remember how, back in high school, classmates would call the town Galvatraz, lamenting how they were stuck in such a lame town. But there’s a certain level of pride that you can only tap into once you start searching for that core of what makes island life so great. I asked a few local musicians what it is that keeps them coming home here.

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BLAST DAD & GNAR WORLD ORDER. Photo from Facebook

ERASMO. Photo from Facebook. Read his exclusive in our March 2018 issue.

“It’s more intimate than a lot of other places,” said DJ Ellis, a musician with Blastdad and Gnar World Order. “As far as the DIY goes, we’ve tried to cultivate a good community. It’s kinda off the beaten path. It’s that seclusion from the outside world I find inspiring.” I love it,” said local rapper Erasmo. “It’s funny, man. Sometimes, I play shows in front of thousands of people up in Houston and different cities. But I love being in Galveston because all my friends are here. I just have way more fun. I always feel comfortable here. It’s my hometown.” It’s the kind of thing you have to stumble on to really understand. Whether guided by the details of posters plastered on lampposts or teased by the crashing of cymbals echoing through the alleyways on warm summer nights, that pulse of the music scene is a huge part

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CULTURE CULTURE CLASH CLASH (FEATURE) (FEATURE)

EL LAGO. Photo from Facebook

KINKSHAME. Photo from Facebook

of what makes Galveston so special. Maybe it’s being battered by hurricanes, or just because the island has soul. But there’s a true camaraderie when it comes to how the independent musicians of the island establish themselves. “It’s ever-changing,” said Blaine Lunz of local band Kinkshame. “It seems we always go from place to place on the island. For a while, we’ll play at the VFW. For a while, we’ll play at Old Quarter. We have a really tight-knit group of friends and everyone supports everyone. That’s really great. In other cities, other bands might be scowling at you like, ‘Who are you, what are you doing here?’ Here, we have a smaller group of people, but we work together to make things happen.”

It’s kind of surreal about how authentic that drive to create can be, and on the island it’s something that stands untainted because of its size. It’s a small town, to be sure. Many would say that we can’t compete with bigger cities like Houston. That to make things work as an artist, you must get off the island as soon as you can. But Lauren Eddy, vocalist for local band El Lago, sees how a small-town vibe can work as more of a benefit than you would think, compared to more recognized cities.

“

Austin is not the promised land of live music that people seem to think it is.

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”

“Austin is not the promised land of live music that people seem to think it is. There’s a lot of music, but there are some things about those circumstances that make it very, very hard to be a musician,” said Eddy. “You can have really disappointing

CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)

It is, of course, a double-edged sword. The familiar trope of the starving artist is common for a reason, after all, and the city has a duality between its tourist-catering tastes and its more independent, away-from-themainland vibe. While there are independent artists carving out their own space in the sand, it’s difficult to maintain a foothold among the more vested beach bars and clubs. “The cover music scene in Galveston is such a huge thing. These guys play Tom Petty songs all night long and get paid $1,000, and I’m out here trying to scramble $400 for three bands, a sound guy, and a light guy,” said Clark Hauser, of India Tigers of Texas. “These big places come in and try to capitalize on the culture, but all they end up doing is choking the culture out of it.” Luckily for me, I don’t think that’s going to hit the island for a while. Between bouncing through all the garage shows and dancing front row at loft party music jams, there’s something about the energy that drives the independent music scene of the island that’s pure. It eschews the safe, the easy; swirls with the strange; and oozes out between your fingers when you try to grasp it. We’re not too cool for ourselves. We just try to have fun. You really need to be in it for the ups and downs. And if it all fades away to dust? “The music scene here didn’t hinge on us. It was here before we got here, and it’s gonna be here after we leave,” says Eddy. “Galveston’s always gonna have entertainment. It’s a place where people like to come and let loose, and music is a part of that. I don’t think it’s gonna go away. It might change forms or whatever, but it’s not gonna go away.”

“

there is something about the energy that drives the independent music scene of the island that is pure.

INDIA TIGERS IN TEXAS. Photo from Facebook

shows because you’re forced to play all the time, and it becomes sort of watered down. You don’t necessarily have a base of people who will support you, like what can happen here. Galveston is so personal, we have such tight circles of friends that are still open to other people from out of town. There’s more room, more space to do your thing here. Other places can push you to have a ‘strategy’ performance, like you’re auditioning for “The Voice” or something, so you have to dress a certain way and have showmanship. In a smaller town, it gives you permission to be you; you don’t have to try so hard to be an individual.”

”

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CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)

E IV

AS SOON AS YOU WALK IN THE OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFÉ, THE PATRON SAINTS OF TEXAS SONG WRITING STARE DOWN FROM THE WALLS. From paintings, pictures, album covers and posters, Townes, Blaze, Guy, Lucinda, Lightnin’ all watch over the revered Galveston venue. Just like any good Texas songwriter, the Old Quarter has moved around a bit, faced its share of hardships and survived where no one would have imagined a fountain of originality and music could thrive. Despite hurricanes, floods, fires, leaks in the ceiling and the hundreds of other more mundane challenges that come with a live music venue, the Old Quarter stage continues to host some of the most talented songwriters and musicians in Galveston and in the state of Texas.

R E T U A R AFE Q O L D STIC C alez U nz From Wednesday to Saturday night every week, the newest owners can be found arranging chairs, filling coolers full of beer ACO Christopher Smith Go and adjusting the sound system. “The Old Quarter has always been By

a beacon for me when it came to great music,” said Joel Mora, the new owner of the Galveston venue. “When I was younger and playing in a punk band, the Old Quarter was the only venue that I knew of in Galveston County that specialized in original music. Everyone else wanted four hours of covers.”

With each band he books and with each ticket sold for the many soldout shows of the year, Joel tries to keep that tradition going. Mora, and his wife Angela, aim to keep the Old Quarter a beacon to new and established songwriters. The Moras bought the venue almost two years ago when they heard Rex “Wrecks” Bell was ready to retire.

Photos courtesy of Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe

“When he said he was closing the doors, I knew that couldn’t happen,” Mora said. “There really is no other place this side of Houston that has consistently brought the caliber of performers that the Old Quarter does. I wanted to continue that for many more years to come.” Wrecks originally opened the Old Quarter in Houston in 1965 at the corner of Congress and Austin. In his 20s then, Wrecks wanted to provide a space for songwriters to come play their original creations and for young musicians to work on their chops. Soon enough Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Lightin’ Hopkins, among many others, could be found on the Old Quarter stage. Van Zandt would record one of his most beloved albums, Live at the Old Quarter, there. Wrecks Bell would also go on to play on the road

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CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)

with Townes and Hopkins. The Old Quarter’s Houston location closed in 1979 while Wrecks kept busy playing music on the road. It was in 1996 when he decided to open a music venue again. He made the move down to Galveston and opened the Acoustic Cafe. But the name, Old Quarter, followed him down I-45 so he combined the two and Old Quarter Acoustic Café stuck. His old friend, Van Zandt, was one of the first to play the new Old Quarter Acoustic Café tucked away on 20th Street, just around the corner from the Grand 1894 Opera House. The little room on a side street in Galveston hasn’t lacked amazing performers since.

TOP: JANET AND WRECKS BELL MIDDLE: MARC TURNER AND ALEXANDER SMITH. BOTTOM: HAYES CARLL

Mora remembers coming to the Old Quarter in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. “The first time I played the Old Quarter I was in a punk band,” Mora said. “Wrecks disliked punk but we brought in a lot of patrons and we did original music.” As long as it was original music, then Wrecks was ok with it. All kinds of original, talented musicians have played under the watchful eyes of Townes, Hopkins and the others on the walls. “This is one of the first places I played outside of Fort Worth,” said Texas singer-songwriter Jason Eady. “It’s the history. There are so many things that have happened in this room.”

Photos courtesy of Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe

Many current songwriters can share stories similar to Eady. Hayes Carll famously got his start at the Old Quarter, where he jokes that Wrecks used to let him work the bar for free. Ray Wylie Hubbard makes a yearly pilgrimage to the island to play the venue as do many others - young, old, established and those on the rise. As a songwriter, you just can’t beat it,” Eady said. “You write songs hoping for a situation like this where you play and people actually listen to your words and it’s intimate. It’s kind of made for songwriters and you don’t find too many places like that.”

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#TBMG

THROW BACK MY GALVESTON Life on this barrier island is always changing. It may be a glorius place now, but a lot has happened to get us here.

Photo courtesy of the Nationaal Archief, the Dutch National Archives, donated in the context of a partnership program.

#OldSchool Barry White. Born Barry Eugene Carter, Sept. 12, 1944 here in beautiful Galveston, Texas. Send us your #TBMG stories, CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com.

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CULTURE CLASH (#TBMG)

IN THE KEY OF GTOWN By Dan Marks

GALVESTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MUSIC. Whether it was Lyle Lovett at the Grand reminiscing about the Island before Ike, listening to up and coming student musicians at Selena’s Blue Room, or getting all teary eyed over Lee’s “Something in the Way She Moos” at the Acoustic, we all have our own soundtrack to life off the coast of Texas. The tune in my head is “My Pony Boy”. It was first released in 1909, written by Bobby Heath and Charley O’Donnell. My Grandfather used to sing it to me when I was little. He was born just three years after the song came out, on a farm in northeast Missouri. Once out of high school, he moved to Long Beach, California. Quite a move. Long Beach was a Navy town at the time. He got a job as a cab driver, shuttling drunk sailors between the bars and the ships. In 1994, nine years before he died, I found myself working on a schooner out of Shoreline Village in Long Beach. I was hanging out in a friend’s neighborhood on Cherry Street, in the Spanish deli on Pine Street, and at the Blue Café somewhere in between. One of the acts that had played in the Blue Café was Carolyn Wonderland, a Houston musician I’d met long ago through my cousin. I had found this all very funny, and slightly coincidental, and relayed it to my Grandfather the next time I saw him. “Where on Cherry?” he’d asked. I wasn’t sure. Close to Second, I thought. “I lived on Cherry, not far from Second.” I hadn’t intentionally gone there. Was there some kind of genetic-geographic pull to Second and Cherry? 22

Up front, I didn’t live in California. I kept an apartment in Galveston, even when sailing the seven seas. My hangouts included OGC, renowned the world over for their jukebox. And when that went the way of the dodo, O’Malley’s Stage Door. Jeff used to have a big boom box on a shelf. No jukebox. No Muzak. The Door would, on occasion have live music. It was a small assortment of local talent usually reserved for the local holidays, like St Patrick’s Day. But the best thing about it was, location location location. More than once, someone from the Grand would come in with a handful of unsold tickets and start passing them out. And more than once, I would snatch one up. The regular drinkers and financial investors in the Door saw many an act for the price of a beer. One memorable night brought us to Luci Arnez, daughter of Desi Arnez and Lucille Ball. She sang a forgettable litany of songs. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, she feigned surprise as a giant projection of her father’s face lit up the screen. We couldn’t get back to our bar stools soon enough. Back at the bar, I told the story of my theatrical woes to the man at my right. He listened patiently, then told me he had just been diagnosed with

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CULTURE CLASH (#TBMG)

liver cancer. Not wanting to be rude, I offered to buy him a drink. He introduced himself as Claude Allen. Little did I know, he had once owned a dinner theater in town called The Golden Garter. But to pay the bills at that time he was a caricaturist at the Galvez. Claude and I talked a lot about what we had done, what we were doing, and what we planned to do. Both of us included writing in the conversation. Years later, I joined a writing group in town. One of the members had been left with a manuscript by Claude Allen. It was titled, “Pony Boy”. The book had a scene straight from my own youth, hanging out under railroad bridges while the trains went by. The adventures of youth.

Now, I can tell you that this is the closing of a circle with my own Grandfather. I can tell you that Claude and I were destined to meet and share stories. I could even tell you that I got ahold of a copy of “Pony Boy” and keep it filed away, in case he ever wants it back. But I won’t. Because this is about the music. I’ve asked people where they went Poster art and album cover art courtesy of the Nationaal Archief, the Dutch for live music in National Archives, donated in the context of a partnership program. Galveston back in the day. A few names pop up, usually of establishments long gone. The more common answer is, I went to Houston. That makes sense. Houston’s music scene rivals Austin, and has fed our entertainment and furthered the careers of our musicians. I usually think of the music in my life as a mile marker for what was going on at the time. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is a callback to The Old Galveston Club, no matter where I am. “Benny and the Jetts” was a night in the piano bar of the Buccaneer Hotel, showing off the Island to some old high school friends. “My Pony Boy” is the death of Claude Allen, a few years before and twenty years younger than my Grandfather. Thanks, Claude. This next song’s for you.

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FEATURED ARTIST: CATHERINE STROUD

FEAR NOT THE MELODY Digital Drawing

www.catherinestroud.com

c00Lture 24

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CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)

Original Galveston Musicians By Nellie Cornett

INDIA TIGERS IN TEXAS (psychedelic rock)

GEORGE DOUGLAS LEE (classic rock)

MONDAY NIGHT GUYS (country)

G RAZOR (hip hop)

indiatigersintexas.bandcamp.com

Search in Spotify “Monday Night Guys”

MOTHER HARVEY (love punk) motherharvey.bandcamp.com

SONS OF NEPHILIM (theatrical rock)

www.facebook.com/pg/TheSonsofNephilim/

SHARK ATTACK (reggae dub surf) www.reverbnation.com/sharkattack

SPACE RHINO (metal)

www.reverbnation.com/spacerhino

THE LEE MARTIN EXPRESS (rock)

www.facebook.com/LeeMartinExpress

TO WHOM IT MAY (rock) www.towhomitmay.net

WHITE MOTH PROJECT (garage rock) WHAT FOLLOWS IS AN EARNEST ATTEMPT AT GATHERING AN INCLUSIVE LIST OF CURRENT ORIGINAL MUSICIANS IN GALVESTON WHO HAVE A URL TO SHARE THEIR WORK. PLEASE ENJOY AND FORGIVE US FOR ANY MISTAKES. GALVESTON’S VOICE IS SPECIAL AND WORTH LISTENING TO. HAVE FUN AND PERHAPS DISCOVER SOMEONE NEW!

thewhitemothproject.bandcamp.com

INDIVIDUALS ABE G ENCINAS (hip hop)

www.reverbnation.com/georgedouglaslee Search YouTube “ERASMO-ACE (feat. G-Razor)”

HAYES CARLL (folk)

www.hayescarll.com

JANETZ (blues) thejanetz.com

JOE PREMO (folk)

www.facebook.com/pg/joepremolive

JOHN “TEX” RENNER (folk)

www.youtube.com/user/TexRenner

JORDAN TYDINGS

www.reverbnation.com/tydings

KEVIN JEFFRIES

www.reverbnation.com/kevinjefferies

LYDA PLUMMER (country)

www.facebook.com/LydaPlummer

MARSHAL MARKS (electro pop) soundcloud.com/marshal-marks

MATT MEJIA (blues)

mattmejia.bandcamp.com

MICHAEL DEAN DANLEY (hip hop)

Search Spotify “Abe G In The South” by Abe G

airbit.com/DEANDANLEY1226

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2xyCgSHAZE

allmostbillgates.bandcamp.com

www.booschaaf.com

nelliecornett.bandcamp.com

www.reverbnation.com/britneydoyal/songs

www.reverbnation.com/leebrooks4

www.ellagoband.com

Search in youtube “Cafferon Eli”

galvestonsynergistproject.bandcamp. com/track/clouds-richard-roach

www.demrootsmusic.com

ROBERT KUHN (folk-rock)

galaxycattheband.bandcamp.com

catdaddyslick.bandcamp.com/releases CATHERINE STROUD (experimental indie folk) www.facebook.com/catherine.stroud.9

www.reverbnation.com/gnarworldorder

www.reverbnation.com/cherylbobbitt

ZACH TATE (southern rock)

Search youtube “Is this my world? By Private Numbers”

ZAK PERRY (rock)

BANDS EL LAGO (dream pop indie rock) DEM (reggae)

GALAXY CAT (jam band)

GNAR WORLD ORDER (thrash punk)

KALICO (psychedelic progressive rock) kalicoband.bandcamp.com

ANGIE EMERSON (indie folk) BOO SCHAFF (folk)

BRINEY DOYAL (blues folk)

CAFFERON ELI (soul/hip-hop)

CAT DADDY SLICK (electropunk)

www.robertkuhnmusic.com

SASHA FRANCIS (indie folk) zachtate.com

https://drelindo.com/drelindo

www.facebook.com/strongdrinks. shamelesskinks/videos/

RICHARD ROACH (blues)

DANNY KRISTENSEN (80’s pop)

KILLER WAIL (experimental folk punk rock) KINK SHAME (punk)

ORREN LEE BROOKS (folk)

www.facebook.com/pg/sashafrancismusic/

DAVID ANDRISEK (folk)

killerwail.bandcamp.com

NELLIE CORNETT (indie folk)

CHERYL CAYWOOD BOBBITT (rockabilly blues)

KEVIN ANTHONY & G-TOWN (country cajun swing)

www.reverbnation.com/kevinanthony

MICHAEL KAISER (experimental pop)

www.reverbnation.com/thezakperryband

www.youtube.com/user/daveawac

DRELINDO (hip hop) ERASMO (hip hop)

Search on Spotify “run up get done up Erasmo”

EVAK (hip hop)

evak.bandcamp.com

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Readers, let us know any omissions, additions or edits and we can adjust it for an online directory. Contact us at cultureclashgalveston@gmail.com. 25

CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)

Crystal Beach By Jacob Ellis Chords: D, C, G; capo: third fret

There’s an old town, down on the Texas shore, A soft spot on the map, you might have never seen before. There isn’t much to do there, and there ain’t much to see, But it’s got a gas station, mailbox, and a place called the Stingaree. We’d play chicken with barges, on the intercoastal canal, And you can’t put mayo on a chili burger, down at O.K. Corral. Barefooted and loose, running on the Dirty Pelican Pier, And late nights at Sharky’s, is for all the lovers around there. Winter time is quiet, but the summer is quite a zoo, Old man Kujawa got a lion there, and a tiger too. You’ll always find good times, at ole Decoux’s, But watch out for Tim and Jacob, man they’ll play a joke on you. They call it Crystal Beach, down near Highway 87, For some it’s the end of the road, and for others it’s heaven. To me it’s a good memory, of a place I once roamed, A small town down on the Texas shore, I still call home.

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pulse

January-February Calendar of Events

january Gabe Wootton Songwriter Series w/ Shad Blair / Ben Balmer Saturday, January 12, 2019 8 PM Old Quarter Acuostic Cafe 413 20th Street Admission: TBA Sailor Jerry’s Birthday Bash! Monday, January 14, 2019 2 PM - 12 AM American Dragon Tattoo Shop 4108 Seawall Blvd. Special on all Sailor Jerry Tattoos ArtWALK Saturday, January 19, 2019 6 PM - 10:30 PM The Postoffice District Postoffice St. & 23rd Admission: FREE A. Sinclair / EL LAGO Thursday, January 31, 2019 8 PM Old Quarter Acuostic Cafe 413 20th Street Admission: TBA DRUM CIRCLE Every Friday • 10:30 PM Jimmy’s on the Pier 9001 Seawall Blvd, Admission: FREE

february Children’s Art Classes Every Friday • 4 PM From the HeART Gallery 2111 Postoffice Street Admission: $20 GAC Mardi Gras Mask-Making Party Thursday, February 21, 2019 5:30 - 8 PM Galveston Art Center 2127 Strand St Admission: $12

CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)

SEE ART CATHERINE STROUD

“The Dot” 2014 Digital Drawing See it now @ CatherineStroud.com

Drink up BLUEBERRY MULE Double Shot of Stoli Blueberi, Ginger Beer, Agave, Blueberry and floater of Di Amore Quattro Orange Liqueur Get in NOW at Jimmy’s on the Pier 9001 Seawall Blvd.

Mardi Gras! Galveston Umbrella Parade Friday, February 22, 2019 Stand St. & Mechanic St. Admission: Must have an umbrella to get in free... FAT TUESDAY PARTY! Tuesday, March 5, 2019 Drunken Monkeyz 202 20th Street Admission: FREE

C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N U A RY/ F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9

e l peovpeston

CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)

l a g of

ic in G

s mus e o d t a h “W

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n to yo a e m n o t s e alv

Interviews and Photos By Nellie Cornett & Julie Salinas

Marshal Marks (below) “Music is a vital part of our cultural landscape. Each song produced in Galveston adds a voice of unique viewpoints, ideas, and emotions to the characteristic chorus of the island. Music makes up the fundamental identity of our community, and we should acknowledge it as such.”

Sharon Olson (above) “Music in Galveston means everything to me. It is kinda what shaped me and gave me wings so I could fly and move and do my own thing in Hawaii. Like with Shark Attack, that was one of the first reggae bands on the island, Citizen Change with Alex Orell and Flynn Donovan...yeah it was a great time and still is.” Michael Stuart Allison, featuring Mel Mo Black (above) “The Galveston music scene isn’t important to me at all. It is merely a means by which I can co-opt a community resource and make it about myself and my own agenda while masquerading as a contributor.” 28

C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N U A RY/ F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9

Kevin Barnes (above) “It’s a close knit family that empowers and inspires each other.” Cristos Pulido (below) “What does it mean to me? It means to me culture, fun, entertainment, and it is a good way for us to come together and meet, hang out, you know, and get away from all the normal everyday stuff. It’s a healthy escape.”

C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N U A RY/ F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9

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mention code word CULTURE CLASH for your chance to win a $25 Gift Card!

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