Bootsy Collins And Jim Vitti In Conversation At The Grammy Museum - Funky!

Oh, Bootsy Baby! My brother, Paul, and I got the chance to go listen to one of the greatest dudes on this (and any) planet the other night at The Grammy Museum when Bootsy Collins was there to talk about the funk with his recording engineer and friend, Jim Vitti, and Grammy Museum director, Scott Goldman. I have to be honest and admit that I really wasn't at all in the mood to go to this on this particular evening, because my dear Mom had just been admitted to the hospital and was awaiting surgery, and I was freaking out about it. But we figured it doesn't do any good to pace around worrying, so off we went to try to not freak out. It was the right choice, and one that has made me feel better about it all ever since.

Goldman introduced the legends by saying, "Our guests tonight have been bringing the funk for decades," and that's a fact. Collins has been on the front lines of funk (inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 1997!), leading the way since his time in James Brown's band, on to the Parliament Funkadelic, and on to his own solo career with Bootsy's Rubber Band until right now.

The night opened with a funky video about Collins, narrated by Iggy Pop, that showed just exactly how this inventor of "Space Bass" came into being. Producer Nile Rodgers was there getting the claps started for his friend Collins, who came out in a sparkly top hat and sparkly everything, really, with Jim Vitti, who bears a close resemblance to Mr. Whipple these days, the guy from the Charmin commercials. No one would know that he has engineered and produced some of the funkiest albums of all time. But he did.

Their story starts in Detroit, where Vitti snagged himself a gig at United Sound Systems after coming home from 'Nam. He always loved music and technology, so he began learning and training his ear from the back end, by listening to master tapes. He worked with Bob Seeger, which sent him on his way. Meanwhile, Collins got booted from James Brown's band, saying, "We got sent home for being a little crazy ... he fired us for getting HIM high!" to which everyone gathered there to listen cracked up at.

Collins came to Detroit to be in the band for The Spinners, but knew that wasn't ever going to happen - not a good fit. But THEN he heard about George Clinton and thought, "What is this Funkadelic? I need to meet this mug!" He went to Clinton's house, and knocked on the door of what he said was like The Addams Family house, thinking, "This is the kind of scary I like - 'cause I was tripping too!" There were black lights on and incense burning in the dark, and he saw Clinton in a white sheet in the corner of the room like a ghost, "With chicken feet on like Foghorn, Leghorn!" That meeting let Collins know he was in the right place, saying, "That's who I want to be working with, he's out of his mind!" Soon enough they did begin working together, and that's when he met Vitti.

The Funkadelic would "steal gigs", meaning they'd ask to sit in with some band, and then just totally take over the gig. The energy the band created was unparalleled, and Goldman asked Vitti how they managed to capture that energy on recordings. Vitti answered that he had drawn the shortest straw, as no one else wanted to work with Clinton because he was crazy, but "I just fell in love with the guys!"

He dedicated himself to it, working for hours and hours on just the drum sound. They gave an example of that, playing the P-Funk track, "Funkentelechy" that had the whole room bobbing their heads along, and sharing a soul brother handshake at its end, while Collins' wonderful wife, Patti, danced along in her chair. You couldn't help it.

"This does not sound dated at all," commented Goldman correctly. It's as fresh as the day they recorded it in 1977, and kids today would totally think they just discovered the latest thing upon first listen. Collins' brother, Catfish, was also in the bands, and Vitti's voice caught talking about all the fun they had had, and how much he misses Catfish Collins, who passed away in 2010.

Looking back on their times together, Vitti said, "We were working at the speed of light, it was non-stop. It was like herding cats to get them on the same page, and it was always chaotic." Collins had been giggling while listening, and to this commented, "ALWAYS chaotic." - and you could tell that's just how he liked it.

"Bootzilla" was played next, and the two old friends shook hands, nodded and mouthed along with it. "I love watching you listen to this!", said Goldman, adding, "That bass is SICK!" - and again, he was not wrong. A trust had grown between Vitti and the band, and this song showed that it could be done. "They knew I had their best interests at heart. I love people. I love musicians," explained Vitti to much applause. "We were the craziest," said Collins, and Vitti perhaps felt the need to add, "I was the only straight one in the room!" They shared the story of how on "Knee Deep" Vitti wanted Collins to play the drums, for the 15 minute rock opera that he was sure he'd have to go back and fix, but Collins performed perfectly, shouting, "The Funk will always prevail!"

They spoke about the hand claps on P-Funk albums, and said that they created a monster, because it was on everything after that - to the point that people would call United Sound wanting to rent the "Hand clap machine" because they were always so perfect - but they were real. They told of how Collins was always experimenting with pedals and guitar things, and things like plugging his bass in through a Mu-Tron for "Chocolate City" - giving it that Funkadelic sound. "I was evolving into a monster, and monsters turn on you. Look at that Frankenstein mug!" ... everything that comes out of Collins' mouth makes you smile - almost as much as his music.

"Atomic Dog" was played next and got the whole room rocking. We learned that this classic had the bass and drum tracks backward, as they simply flipped the tape over and played it backwards when they recorded. Whatever they did was awesome, because every single person in there was dancing in their seats. (Note: I played it for my six year old friend the next day and he thought it was THE coolest thing ever! Timeless.) Goldman next opened it up for questions, and one person asked how Collins came to work with Buckethead. Collins answered that Buckethead had sent him a tape of himself sitting on a bed and playing with a bucket on his head, back in the '90's. He freaked Collins out just enough to say, "I want to work with HIM!" - and so they did. There were a couple technical questions from the heads that go deep at these events, and then Goldman asked the two friends what they had learned from their experiences together. Vitti answered, "I always say I've never worked a day in my life. The studio is where I wanted to be. Find something that you really love, get passionate about it, and you'll never work!"

The friendship between these gentlemen is as touching as it is unlikely from the covers of their individual books, especially back in the day, but you can tell it is real and lasting. It was surprising to hear that they had actually NOT seen each other for all of these years since those recording days, until getting back in touch about 4 months ago. They seem so easy and comfortable with each other that you assumed they'd been hanging out all of these years, but nope. They're going to do more music together now, and Collins summarized it all by saying, "It's beautiful when you find that person that helped you long ago, and nobody's tripping. We love each other." It really was beautiful to behold.

There was an after-party held at The Prank a few blocks away, but no one thought Collins and Vitti would make it there, as the line to meet and greet after the event stretched all the way around the current Backstreet Boys exhibit, as everyone wanted to say hi and get a photo with the absolute hero that Collins is. Finally, we looked up to see Bootsy and Patti Collins making their way upstairs, along with Mr. Vitti and his wife. I got to talking with Patti and it came up that we almost didn't come because we were concerned about our Mom in the hospital, and this angel of a woman took me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes, saying, "Your mother is surrounded by angels. She is going to be fine." It moved me so much that she would even care, and then we were joined by Bootsy and my brother, and I felt a calm come over me, powered by the faith and love exuded by these beautiful people.

I'll never forget Collins telling me the last time I saw him at an event that he always wore star shaped sunglasses, because he wanted the young kids he meets to see themselves reflected as stars. That touched my heart so much, and cemented this "Mug" as one of my most highly revered. Patti Collins even texted the next day to check in about Mom, and once again assure me that God is great, and things will be o.k. That is the kind of people that they are, and while they are certainly the funkiest - they are also the kindest.

Whatever I can ever do to assist in their Worldwide Funk efforts, and their Bootsy Collins Foundation, that seeks to get an instrument in every hand that wants one - I am IN. Thank you to the Grammy Museum for having us, to KC Mancebo for the invite and the party, and to Bootsy and Patti Collins for making us feel so much better about this world, knowing that people like them are in it.

Bootzilla! (also the name of the Collins' wine label! Get some!)

* Photos by Paul Gronner Photography

Diamond In A Rhinestone World - The Costumes Of Dolly Parton At The Grammy Museum

This country is so divided and has such a hard time agreeing on things these days, but one thing everyone can get together on is that we all love Dolly Parton. The wonderful music and acting icon is a true national treasure, and now through March 31st, her fans can see her stage and film costumes up close and personal in the excellent exhibit showing at The Grammy Museum, Diamond In A Rhinestone World - The Costumes Of Dolly Parton. 

This retrospective of Parton's greatest fashion moments is the first time these costumes have been on display outside of Dollywood, Parton's theme park in Tennessee, and seeing them so closely really shows how otherworldly Parton's physical being really is.

You can't believe how tiny Parton's waist is, especially when topped off by one of the world's most famous - and biggest - racks. Her costumes have obviously all been custom made, as no one on God's Green Earth has this holy physique. It's like ... just WOW.

The demure little yellow outfit from 9 To 5 is there, as is the bawdy Madam glitzy red get-up from The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.

Stage costumes are displayed next to looks from Parton's films and videos, making the viewer realize just how many things Parton has been in that you forgot about. Like Rhinestone, with Sly Stallone! You see the very young Parton, all country girl purity, all the way to right now Parton with all of her shiny glamour ... and you can't help but love every single look.

We had a hard time choosing a favorite, but I loved the little, colorful suits that looked like Nudie's style ... a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. Parton's music was playing throughout the gallery, getting you into the mood - and then sticking in your head all day. I even teared up listening to Parton sing "I Will Always Love You" live in London, and we left this show both humming and loving Parton even more.

The added bonus on this trip to the Grammy Museum is an exhibit dedicated to Johnny Cash's historical concerts at the Folsom and San Quentin prisons, where Cash played for the inmates.

Jim Marshall's classic photos make up the majority of the gallery, and they have what is probably the most famous picture of any musician, the one where Cash flips off the camera right to its face.

You've seen that shot a million times, but you probably haven't seen the "San Quentin" lyrics written in Cash's own hand.

The sign that welcomed Cash to the prison was there, underneath a screen playing the actual black and white footage taken at the event. You're very aware of the weight these special shows had, especially in the photograph of the gymnasium at Folsom where the prisoners enjoyed Cash and his music while armed guards watched from within a cage above the crowd. Heavy.

They don't make them like Parton and Cash anymore, which makes these shows all the more impressive and awesome in the true sense of the word - filled with awe. The Grammy Museum itself is a treasure, and there's always something interesting to see, or a program to honor every single genre of music. You could spend the entire day going through the Museum's archives of past shows and events, a virtual who's who of every note of music every played, basically. I urge you to go and experience it for yourself, and before March 31st if you'd like to see the Parton collection. And you do.

And Dolly ... we will ALWAYS love you! Thank you.

Love On A Train

I was coming back to the Westside from downtown L.A.with my brother and by the time we neared our stop, the train was nearly empty. I turned to ask him something, and noticed this couple fast asleep across the aisle from me. It was so moving ...  I asked Paul to take a photo.

They are Los Angeles. I don't know their story - and didn't want to wake them to ask - but it was such an L.A. story without words that I wanted to remember it, even if I felt a little invasive taking their picture. Were they coming home from a long day of working several jobs? Were they riding the train because they didn't have anywhere else to go? Were they O.K.? It seemed as though they were, as long as they had each other for support. It looked like the definition of love and comfort to me ... and I wish them nothing but well. And more love.

*Photo by Paul Gronner.

KRS-One Live At LA Live - Boogie Down!

Oh, man. Last night we got to see KRS-One (Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone) play the Novo Theater at L.A. Live in Downtown L.A. ... and it was awesome. Old school Hip Hop heads packed the place, but the crowd was really all ages. Youngsters are appreciating the rap pioneers, and it's good to see. Heavily male, my friend, Christina, in her blond ponytail and I were clearly the sore thumbs in the room, but we didn't care, and yelled our approval from right down front. It was even cooler that this hero even made the tickets only $5 USD! Anyone could go. Music for the People!

There were several openers, none of whom made much of their time aside from having people all over the stage filming them. The exception was Mike Xavier, who finally got the crowd into it, most all of whom refused to "Make some noise" until it was time for KRS-One. For good reason. The skill level was so starkly superior when the South Bronx legend took the stage, it was almost embarrassing, but hey - you gotta start somewhere. Backed up by B-Boys and B-Girls (!), KRS-One tore the place up, and the happy crowd's enthusiastic reactions confirmed that REAL Hip Hop and Rap is alive and very well, thank you. I mean, just look! BDP!

We had a blast, with strangers passing j's and shouting along to all the classic lyrics. KRS-One did a fun Hip Hop test, where he rapped O.G. lyrics from all the pioneers of the genre, and would stop and let the audience finish the phrase ... and nearly everyone passed. The music is extra great, of course, but you could also just sit and listen to KRS-One give his super-smart speeches, truly exemplifying the term "Spitting Knowledge". This cat (aka "The Teacha" - for good reason) is so wise, and ultra hip to all the hypocrisy in the world. He spoke to how Racism is in illusion, because Race is an illusion. That we are all one (like I also keep saying). That phones are government tracking devices, and he reminded everyone that when they type "LOL", to be sure to REALLY laugh out loud. To remember the humanity in us all. That "Hip" is your mind, and its knowledge, and "Hop" is the movement. Honestly, we could have just soaked up the wisdom all night, but we both had to work early, and get back to Venice before the big Lyft crowd made its exodus.

When we walked outside, we were bummed to see a dude being held on the ground by like four guards, as we'd just talked inside about how great it was that everyone was together in such harmony at a Rap show. It felt gross, and people were hurt, because stretchers were being called for. We got the hell out of there. Just as our Lyft driver pulled up next to the EMT's that had arrived, we spotted the street dog carts, and remembered that we still hadn't eaten. We bribed the driver to wait with the offer of his own dog, and placed our orders (*FYI - the hotdog carts now take credit cards!). All of a sudden, multiple LAPD cars and officers descended on the scene, and the hot dog cart ladies took off running, in a panicked cart race that might have been amusing, had it not been so serious to them. Yeah, they could get a ticket for being there and vending, but it was really more about these times and ICE. We were left not knowing what to do, as our driver already had his dog, we were waiting for ours, and hadn't yet paid the ladies. So we ran after them, and that's how we got the lowdown. Ugh.

It was a kind of surreal end to the night, and also illustrated things that KRS-One had just talked about. That this land we were enjoying a fresh hip hop show on was really Mexico, and we just took it from them. "There can't be a New Mexico, without Mexico. This IS Mexico!" And we watched terrified ladies take off running because they were scared they were going to be kicked out of their ancestors' former home. And be walled off away from here. As I said in yesterday's Blogtown post, echoing the poster at Venice & Abbot Kinney ... "Together we are stronger than any wall."

KRS-One knows this, and urged us all to get on board with that vibe, if we weren't already. The events that unfolded while the man was still performing only put exclamation points on the whole thing. Listen to this dude any chance you get. Stand together. Look out for each other, at all costs. And Boogie DOWN while you're at it. Like Emma Goldman said, "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your Revolution." Good thing we can do both.

Beyond The Streets To The Venice Pavilion - Welcome 2 Venice!

One of the best parties ever was held last Sunday at the Beyond The Streets art exhibit in downtown L.A. ... but it was exactly like Venice, only not in Venice. A recreation of the Venice Pavilion had been constructed using old photographs to get it as real as possible, and they did an awesome job. I showed someone photos the next day, and they were like "Whoa. It's exactly the same, but cleaner." Yep. It was like a time machine landed us right back in '90's Venice, complete with almost all of the same people too. It was one of the best Summer kick-off parties ever, hosted by our excellent friends at Juice Magazine.

Juice had a party the night before, so it really was a proper Dogtown Memorial Weekend - and one for the books. It was a hot, sunny day downtown, and folks were in the mood to let loose. There was free beer and food to help with that, and art and skating enough to satisfy even the most hardcore.

Old friends caught up all day, and new friends were made. There were some people I hadn't seen pretty much since the Pavilion was bulldozed over in 2000, and some that I'd seen just the night before, and everyone agreed that it was the most awesome thing every to all be back together in the Pit ... even if it was a fake one, it was as real a time as we've all had in a long while.

Josh "Bagel" Klassman had the best birthday party ever, as this jam fell on his day, and was also the release of a book of his photographs that Adidas Skateboarding put together (perhaps in a bit of penance for their earlier claim that they were "Defining Venice". No, THIS kind of day helps define Venice.), called It Wuz All A Beautiful Disaster. And it truly was.

This day wasn't, however. It was the best. A punk rocking set from The Shrine (a new favorite band now featuring Corey Parks from Nashville Pussy on bass!), and an even harder one from Excel set the tone and created a pit of skateboarding moshers. Super extra fun, and everyone just felt happy to be there (though like the old days, someone did have to be taken away in an ambulance - then the party went right back to raging after wishing him well). Metallica's Robert Trujillo was there mixing and mingling, and you name a skate hero and they were probably there.

Juice Dan was the M.C. for the day, and Juice Terri held down the Juice booth, and both accepted lots of love all day for the support and love they've given the skate community, Venice and international.

Skating was front and center, and you got wall rides from Christian Hosoi, Tuma Britton, Bennet Harada, and all the O.G. cats that gave Venice its name in skating. Everyone was tripping all day on how weird (and cool at the same time) to have picked up the Pavilion and transported it to a parking lot in downtown L.A. ... though an ocean breeze would have been most welcome. Maybe we can keep it and bring it back home? (Though I'm hearing a low buzz about unearthing the original again ... why not?)

Though the Pavilion pop-up was the place to be, there was also ridiculously sick art inside to be seen at the Beyond The Streets extravaganza back inside - and get yourself a little break from the relentless sun. Celebrating street art in all its forms - and beyond - the cavernous warehouse had room after room of mind-blowing art from legends of the genre, beautifully curated by graffiti historian, Roger Gastman.

The show opens with an entire wall of spray paint cans, illustrating the importance of this material in street art's history.

There was a "Cosmic Cavern" of all glow in the dark colors, that would have been fun to hang out in a bit while altered. Grooovy.

There was a room dedicated to the female street artists, repped largely by the Guerrilla Girls.

There were old school works by Basquiat, Keith Haring, Chaz Bojórquez, and Kilroy! ... all the way up to the latest stuff from the latest artists like ... you name it.

I loved an old man by Swoon (and I always swoon for Swoon) ...

Shepard Fairey work always has to be in this conversation, and his Andre The Giant pieces were well represented.

Slick showed up with his L.A. Hands, showing off Southern California in a nutshell.

Famed tattoo artist Mr. Cartoon created a funeral home installation insisting that "All Dawgs Go To Heaven". I sure hope so.

All souls need saving, some more than others ...

Another installation that was one of the heavier ones showed a bomb aimed at a wall of condoms, and when you looked inside of the bomb, it had a drive-in theater full of cars watching the world explode. It was as cool as it was gnarly.

The space was HUGE, and so were some of the pieces. The scale is not just beyond the streets, it's beyond impressive.

There had to be a C.R. Steckyk III wall, and there was. Topped off by a shark created from license plates.

"Trash Records" was an installation that exactly replicated the kind of record store we all know and love ... and miss.

Faile showed up with an enormous mausoleum that would not be out of place in an old European cemetery - or Vegas.

Much like the We Rise show that is located just a couple blocks away (and was just extended through June 10th - GO!), I've shown you a lot here, but I haven't barely scratched the surface with how much there is to see in this show (that goes through July, so get here also!). It's massive - and truly a spectacle to see.

There won't be an awesome Juice party when you go, and that is really what made this event SO special. Sure, it's the art and the skating and the memories and the cool, but what really makes something real is the people that know and love a place. Like the Pavilion. Like Venice itself.

It was an incredible day, with incredible people doing incredible things, and we were all lucky to be there - and we knew it. I think anyone that was there felt a real tug on their heartstrings, and a renewed internal vow to keep Venice real, to keep it special, to keep creating art and music and a new generation of skaters. Deeply heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in such an honestly epic day.

Love forever. Venice forever.