A Mad, Mad World

For the 2012 Accordion Babes calendar project I had a photographic concept, sure to be fantastic, creative, intriguing and, for which I needed bones. Death was too busy to volunteer for the photo session but one of his younger brothers said yes. Now, younger bro’s day job is working as a chiropractic office skeletal model but he dreams of a career on screen. He jumped, well more like lurched, at the opportunity.

I picked him up a a day before the photo shoot and he stayed with us a couple nights. GDub captured his intense personality in wonderful black and white. Then I worked with younger bro on wardrobe and posture — slight irony there.

My idea was to use him as a supporting actor in a period tableau. I had done historical research, gathered props and costumes. Photographer John Clayton and I had had a pre-shoot meeting to discuss lighting, mood days before. We were prepared.

We thought.

On the day of the shoot John and I started to set up the shot but it simply wasn’t working. We tried several variations but, in a nutshell, younger bro is small in stature, very slight in build. On film he appeared even smaller — not Danny De Vito (5 feet) but no Liam Neesom (6 feet four inches) either. The character of “Death” needs some, I’ll say it, size. I know, I know. Plenty of male actors are shrimps but I’m not a shrimp and I simply didn’t look right next to a diminutive set of bones. I had to make a directorial call and gracefully explain to younger bro that it was simply a casting issue, nothing personal.

I’ve had some tough decisions as a director but cutting Death’s little bro out of a scene was a rough one. Would younger brother accuse me of height discrimination? Would Death be annoyed, insulted? Grim Reaper repercussions?

Happily, younger bro was cool with the decision. He was into the process and understood the part about doing what’s best for the shot. And besides he was having big fun hanging in a photo studio–way more exciting than an adjustment room.

John Clayton and I quickly re-worked the scene and ultimately got some fab shots. Not what I had envisioned but, hey that’s the creative process — roll with the punches. (I’ll post photos as soon as I get them.)

Younger bro came home with me afterwards. He was totally jazzed about the experience. (Cue large sigh of relief.)

Here’s a snap of him relaxing on our patio post shoot.

I brought him back to his day job today. He is very open to future opportunities.

Share

I’m off to help with the Cotati Accordion Festival float in Petaluma’s annual Butter & Eggs Day Parade. Several accordion babes will be with me on the float, Amber Lee, Renée de la Prade and Lishka Arata.

We’ve got spectacular blue skies.

Share

This is going to be good! A night filled with fabulous music by talented, rockin’ accordionistas.

Renée de La Prade, Amber Lee, Yeti, Skyler Fell, Roxanne Oliva & the Sweet Pennyroyals and yours madly, the Mad Maggies.

Friday night, January 7, 2011
Show starts 9:30
Sleeping Lady Cafe Fairfax, CA
$10 gets you in the door. The 2011 Accordion Babes CD & Calendar will be on sale for $15.

Share

On December 11, 2010 Studio E presented an Accordion Babe Cabaret at Aubergine after Dark in Sebastopol, California. We shared the stage with Vagabondage, Tara Linda and Roxanne Oliva‘s Bellows of Bedlam. Great crowd, great venue, fab lineup!

Drummer, Dan “the Man” Powers sat in with us for our set. Dan is also a videographer and caught the evening’s fun on tape. This is one of the tunes we performed.

I really do share the stage with the finest musicians this side of the Volga River

Share

Squeezin’ Greetings

We’re back in action here at Mad Maggies Central after a short hiatus while GDub and I took a 10,000 mile train trip across Canada. More about that later. (It was spectacular!) But now we are ready to kick up some dust and we’ve got two fun shows this weekend at which to do just that.

December 10 – Friday night – Smiley’s Saloon in Bolinas.
We’re playing all night long starting at around 9pm so come early, stay late.

December 11 – Saturday night – Aubergine After Dark, Sebastopol
Studio E presents this Accordion Babes Cabaret featuring four fabulous accordionistas and their bands.

• Vagabondage – Emchy is Ms. October 2011,
• Tara Linda and friends – Tara is Ms. September 2011,
• Roxanne Oliva‘s Bellows of Bedlam – Roxanne is the 2011 calendar cover girl,
• The Mad Maggies – Mad Mags is Ms. July 2011

This show starts at an early 7pm and you will want to be there from the beginning! Only $5. All ages. And the 2011 Accordion Babes Calendars with CD will be available for the very special price of just $10!!

On the Radio! Before the Saturday 11 show several of us accordion babes will be chatting and playing live on “Our Roots Are Showing” hosted by Steve Delap and Robin Pressman on KRCB, radio – 91FM. Tune in between 1-5pm. Live stream or on the airwaves.

Share

October 8 – Friday night – 7-9PM – KOWS, radio – 107.3 FM. GDub and I will be chatting and playing live on Arnold Levine’s show, Tommy’s Holiday Camp.

Arnold has been featuring an Accordion Babe a month which is way cool and supportive.

I plan on bringing some of what rocks my musical boat. Don’t know how the evening will wend. There’s a live online stream. Check us out. See how we are doing.

Share

The 2010 Cotati Accordion Festival was two days of squeezin’ bliss and a chance to hang with friends and fans and make new ones. I’m collecting all the photos and video and will be posting asap.

Meanwhile …

Death really, really liked this artwork and insisted that I get a snapshot. The owner was kindly accommodating. (Andrew if you email me your tattoo artist’s info I’ll be sure and give proper credit.)

UPDATE 8/30/10
Thanks, Andrew! The artist is Jeff Rassier at Black Heart Tattoo in SF.

And you can hear my pre-festival interview on KSRO here:
Mags on KSRO

Share

We play the Cotati Accordion Festival this Sunday at 1PM.

This two-day festival is one of the very best local live music events. Don’t miss it!

We have new beautiful t-shirts that we will be selling along with our CDs. So come by and say hi before or after we play.

And the new 2011 Accordion Babes Album and Pin Up Calendar will be available.

Gates open 9:30
Single day rates at $17 ($15 Advance)
Two-day rate of only $25
Children under 16 (w/ adult) are FREE!
Buy tix online.

Share

I’m happy to be one of the babes in the new, upcoming Accordion Babes Pin Up Calendar and CD for 2011.

I knew I wanted to go “classic” pin up, black and white, round toe pumps, gams, nice naughty. Photographer John Clayton (claytonshot.com) loved the idea. We shot in his home studio on June 25th in the afternoon. We kept it simple, one outfit, one backdrop so we could concentrate on getting the right twist to the body, the right expression etc. I am particularly fond of his lighting which captures the vintage feel perfectly.

In the process I discovered that there are b&w lovers and those that much prefer color. Do you have a preference?

Ultimately editor Renée de la Prade chose color for the calendar. John gave that color shot what he called a “kodachrome” look. You can see the shot in both b&w and color and the other shots here in our gallery: Mad Mags Does Vintage Pin Up.

The 2011 Accordion Babes Calendar will be available to the public beginning on the weekend of the Cotati Accordion Festival, August 21 & 22. Note: The Mad Maggies play Sunday 8/22 at around 1PM.

Of course I’ll be talking the calendar up once I have them in hand. It’s going to be a real good one judging by the sneak preview I got to see. 13 squeezebox goddesses!

Share

This is so cool. We “West Coast Accordion Babes” now have our own internet radio show — The Accordion Babes Radio Hour — courtesy of Uncle Ozma of NeverEndingWonder Radio. Stream it live on Wednesdays 7pm, Sundays at noon and Friday 4am.

More info from the Never Ending Wonder Radio website:

“The Accordion Babes Radio Hour is the only radio show anywhere that features the music of women accordion players exclusively. You’ll hear traditional folk melodies, contemporary experimental numbers and everything in between!”

“OPENING THEME: Cabbage Rolls & Coffee by Big Lou’s Polka Casserole
CLOSING THEME: ellemenope by Salane & Friends“

Share