The Airport Mesa Vortex in Sedona, Arizona 2000
The very first entry into Diary of a Damned Man
USA – Monday, November 19, 2001 at 08:26:15 (EST)
DIARY Pilgrim Entry (Oct 2001)
October was fucking nuts. If there is a possibility of seeing too many concerts, the month of October proved to be exactly that. It seemed like yesterday that I was in New York City for the first time. My gal treated me to the trip because she intended on going to the US Open. Needless to say since she was too exhausted from doing the town w/ Satan Boy it never happened. That was on Labor Day weekend. We met w/ Curran and Al at Earache Records to discuss the Mortiis promotion we planned for Halloween. That went well and the crew at Earache got us started drinking early that afternoon. We were staying at the Soho Grand Hotel, which was killer, the music was loud in the lobby and there was fresh coffee right outside our room. This came in handy to stimulate our systems a little. The first night we went to the Korova Milk Bar and then ended up having a nightcap at the Soho Grand Bar. The next night we hit the biker bars, Motor City and Maxwell’s, and later Hog and Heifers, where I almost got into a fight w/ a yuppie fuck who tried to pull a $20 out of my hand. When will these jerk off’s learn to hang in their own meat markets. The gawked at the girls dancing on the bar like they never saw topless chicks before. We hung out w/music journalist Gail Worley and also ate at some upscale restaurants but I’m sure the reader could care less where and what we ate.
A week after our return, the shit hit the fan. 9/11. But October came in and Susan and I went to a Weed-head ball ,The Black Crows at the Aragon Ballroom. Frat fucks were so drunk that they spilled their beer and beers of the other people that were trying to enjoy the blues based tunes of the band once known as Mr. Crows Garden. (The Black Crows were one of the first bands I was assigned to sinterview in the 80’s when I was a freelance).
On the 8th we saw Neil Diamond at the United Center. For a man his age I was surprised at how he commanded and worked the crowd. And to Mr. Diamond’s credit he really played up on the “Coming To America” theme. This was the most diverse crowd I’ve ever witnessed. Younger gals shook their moneymakers and blue haired old ladies barely containing themselves from ripping off their bras and tossing them onstage. My only complaint was I was forced to shared half of my seat with the fattest bastard in the place if not the whole city. This slob LITERALLY took up his seat, half of mine and half of his spouse’s. Hey doughboy, call Jenny Craig!!!
The following week was to be fun or fucked as we had an entire weeks worth of events to see with only one night off. Sunday 10/14 was Bjork who sold out the Chicago Opera in minutes. Good to finally see the tiny Icelander in the flesh. It was a very mellow night but we had fun and ran into Sinderella Pussie and Kittie Kildare formerly of Thrill Kill Kult in the lobby.
Monday the 15th was punk icon and legend Joe Strummer and his new band at The Metro. They put on an ass kicking show and even played some Clash as well as a cover of the Ramones, “Blitzkrieg Bop”.
Tuesday the 16th. Not to be outdone we had the long awaited sneak peek of the new Garbage material as they opened for the over rated band U2. I love the new Garbage record as it spans an array of diverse musical styling. The mainstream ball cap wearing yups had no idea who Garbage were for the most part. I even heard a lady ask if the singer was male or female referring to Ms. Manson’s new “Adrogony” Bowie-esque image. Garbage rocked the house a way a band like U2 has no clue on how to do. Unfortunately guitarist Duke Erikson blew an amp and the band spent about 10-15 minutes trying to remedy the situation. It was funny watching them fuss with a good sense of humor about the whole thing. Shirley tried to tell jokes, and Butch began pounding out a very familiar arena rock beat. It was Eric Carr resurrected from the dead as bassist Daniel Schulman busted in with the Gene Simons bass solo from the Animalize Tour of 1984!!! It was the same bit note for note. I doubt anyone else caught on.
Wed. the 17th was a welcome night of rest. But the following night Laura and Greg met up w/ Susan and I at the House of Blues to see Rev Luv. We proceed to have too much to drink being that we had to leave for Las Vegas the following morning at 430 AM!
We arrived at Midway for our flight and I was still slightly intoxicated, so why ruin a good thing, I decided to drink some nice jack and Coke on the flight. Las Vegas was about to give me a treat unlike another. Susan and I arrived early and caught the limo to our destination, the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. This was not just any hotel, it had an 11 acre water park complete w/ beach , great margarita’s, a wave pool, great margaritas, a lazy river to float tubes on (thanks Mrs. Clark) and some great Margaritas. Our room was a goddamn suite and had a huge hot tub which was going to soothe my aching joints from the walking I did on the strip. In the hotel was also a House of Blues and being Susan is a member of The Foundation we got to party at the top and over look the lights of the City Of Sin. My goal was to have one drink at every casino/hotel I walked past on Saturday and I did just that. I don’t suggest any of the 99cent margaritas because you get just that — a 99 cent margarita. By Sunday we were wiped out and we spent the day recovering and touring the Shark Reef at the hotel. Oh let me also mention that security had fun searching me in my leather glory leaving both airports in my travel. Hey, what gives, there’s no rag on my head!!!
On 10/23 it was time for the show I’ve waited for a decade to see. It had been 1987 since I last saw Alice Cooper, and he’s always been one of my favorite songwriters. Fuck it, stage show aside, Alice penned some of the mightiest rocker’s of the 70’s and 80’s. And he was playing at my favorite venue the House of Blues. Angsto the Clown joined us in the balcony and we rocked out. I can’t believe I still had a voice left from singing every song out loud. The Coop did almost the entire Nightmare record with the exception of Cold Ethyl. Alice still rocks like he’s in his 20’s and it was long over due. He remains one of rocks greatest. And I must also note that Eric Singer, on again off again KISS drummer, was smoking. Coop’s new line up and he got a chance to bang the hell out of his drums for a solo he so deserved to exude.
And finally the month closed out with Halloween. MK ULTRA and American Gothic Productions joined forces for The Halloween Ball at The Metro. I was Gene Simmons, Susan was Cruella Deville and we were there to push the new Mortiis cd on a room full of costumed goth rockers. The place was wall to wall and everyone wore costumes. Thanks goes out to the crew at Earache for supplying all of the giveaways and special thanks to Scary Lady Sarah for letting us join her for the promotion. Staffer and part time side kick Moe Wyoming guarded the table as I wormed through the crowd in my demon garb.
October is over and now we begin our Diary of a Damned Man from MK ULTRA. Welcome to my Parlor.
Colorado Springs CO 1999 up the mountain from the Golden Eagle Campground
Puerto Penasco 2000 Mexico John Cheney, Ike Erb, AZ and Jason Moss
Fuel 2002
MK ULTRA Relaunch promo shoot by Bob Bobber 2002
Ranallis 2002