FLOG! Entries for Larry Reid - April 2011

Charles Peterson: Taking Punk to the Masses opens May 14 with special guest Peter Bagge

LarryR

Charles Peterson: Taking Punk to the Masses exhibition at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery opening Saturday, May 14 with special guest Peter Bagge.

April 28, 2011 - Seattle, WA. As the Northwest's grunge generation examines the implications of their misspent youth, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is pleased to present "Charles Peterson: Taking Punk to the Masses." Inspired by the recent Fantagraphics book, Taking Punk to the Masses: From Nowhere to Nevermind, published in association with the acclaimed Nirvana exhibition at EMP, Peterson's photography show will focus on the seminal musicians and social milieu that evolved into a global youth movement. The show opens on Saturday, May 14 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM with a reception for the artist and a guest appearance by extraordinary Seattle cartoonist Peter Bagge, who chronicled the grunge counterculture in his comic book series Hate.

Charles Peterson's cinematic approach to photography captured the unrestrained enthusiasm of Seattle's punk environment throughout the 1980s and 90s. His exhibition will include influential early bands like the U-Men and 10 Minute Warning (with future Guns N' Roses member Duff McKagan), as well as audiences at local venues. Peterson's work is central to both EMP's Nirvana exhibit and the companion book, which documents the grunge scene from its inception with images, artifacts and oral histories provided by many of the participants (including Fantagraphics Bookstore's resident curator). His photography is the subject of several books and has been celebrated in galleries and museums worldwide. The exhibition at Fantagraphics Bookstore will give audiences an opportunity to see this remarkable artist in his formative period.

Peterson will be joined by legendary cartoonist Peter Bagge signing copies of the recently released Hate Annual #9 comic and Yeah! collection. Bagge's influential comic book serial Hate went beyond satire to help establish the attitude and aesthetics of the grunge era. In the latest issue, Hate protagonist Buddy Bradley returns to Seattle from his home in New Jersey so his wife Lisa can look after her ailing parents, once again mimicking the experiences of his readership. Making its debut is the Yeah! collection. Originally serialized on DC's imprint Homage, Yeah! tells the tale of an intergalactic all-girl pop group trying to make it big. Collaborating with artist Gilbert Hernandez of Love and Rockets fame, Bagge again hits his mark. According to Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's, "Reading Yeah! is a bit like reading my life story, as told in an alternative universe."

Adding to the atmosphere, Fantagraphics Bookstore's retail partners, Georgetown Records, will mount a related installation of vintage Seattle punk posters, records, and ephemera, alluding to a boutique record store of the grunge era. Russ Battaglia of Fallout Records & Skateboards fame will spin period platters. (Fallout was the site of an early Charles Peterson show, and a frequent hangout for artists and musicians.)

The evening will conclude with a concert at neighboring Mix nightclub with Bagge's pop combo Can You Imagine? featuring musician/producer Steve Fisk. The group highlights harmonies by Michelle Plaitis, Sue Merrill, and Rachel Frost, reflecting the imagined music of Yeah! They'll be joined by the return of the Capillaries, fronted by gifted cartoonist and musician Matthew Southworth (who will also be on hand at the bookstore to sign newly minted copies of the collected Stumptown from Portland publisher Oni). Also on the bill is Wormburner from Hoboken, New Jersey — Bagge's home prior to his move to Seattle. (New Jersey is also home to Buddy Bradley and Yeah!)

The festivities on May 14 coincide with the colorful Georgetown Art Attack featuring visual and performing arts presentations throughout the historic industrial arts corridor. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) Open daily 11:30 - 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.

Listing information

CHARLES PETERSON: TAKING PUNK TO THE MASSES

Opening reception Saturday, May 14, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Special guest Peter Bagge premiering HATE ANNUAL 9 and YEAH collection

Concert by Can You Imagine?, Capillaries, and Wormburner follows at Buddy & Jay's Scrap Metal Emporium (AKA Mix), 6006 12th Ave. S.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.)
Seattle, WA 98108
206.658.0110
Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM
www.fantagraphics.com

Georgetown Art Attack Brings Peter Bagge and Charles Peterson Together at Last

LarryR

The Georgetown Art Attack has become one of the region's most provocative cultural outings, as adventurous residents explore the delightfully rustic industrial arts corridor and discover aesthetic treasures at every turn.

Among the many highlights of the May 14 Art Attack installment: Taking Punk to the Masses, seminal Seattle grunge photography by Charles Peterson, joined by cartoonist Peter Bagge signing copies of his new Yeah! collection and Hate Annual #9 at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery; a companion installation of vintage Seattle punk posters, records and ephemera at Georgetown Records followed by a concert with Bagge's combo Can You Imagine? featuring Steve Fisk, with the Capillaries and Wormburner from Hoboken, N J at the Mix; new work by Mark Takamichi Miller and students at the Miller School of Art; the Nautilus is celebrating its one year anniversary with a show of Kyle Abernathy's oil paintings, live music and a magician; a solo show of photomontages by Amie Stewart at Calamity Jane's; live music by Cold Cold Ground and guests at the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall together with a show of industrial jewelry by Sonja Albin at Lula B Lightning and "I Don't Know Shit" by mixed media artist Julie Trout at Frida Trailer Gallery; "Inky Spokes: Bicycle Inspired Art" by Aaron Asis, Deborah Scott, Greg Boudreau, Jethaniel Peterka, Nikki Mazzei, Soren O'Malley and Yvette Endrijautzki at All City Coffee; Krab Jab Studio celebrates a move to Studio 246 in the Origial Ranier Brewery complex, welcomes new member Sandra Everingham, and mounts a show by East Coast illustrator Jeff Menges with Mark Tedin, Julie Baroh, and Michael Hoppe; an opening reception for "One Act," new paintings by Michael McDevitt at Georgetown Arts & Culture Center; mixed media photographer Misha Hunting and experimental images by John Gerhard at Vecta Photo Studio & Gallery; Foto Bolivia, a group photography exhibition of daily life in the South American country at La Catrina; "This a Way and That," new works and limited edition prints by Mark LaFalce at Two Tartes Café; and, as always, much more.

Don't miss the colorful and boisterous Honk Fest West festival of unconventional marching band throughout Georgetown on the evening of Friday, May 13. So plan to spend your weekend in Seattle's outrageously unorthodox arts community. The Georgetown Art Attack is a monthly promotion of the Georgetown Merchants Association (www.georgetownmerchants.org). For a printable Art Attack map visit: www.georgetownartattack.com.

Roberto Clemente�s Cartoon Biographer Wilfred Santiago at Fantagraphics Bookstore

LarryR

As the Seattle Mariners embark on another season of despair and sordid revelations of players on performance enhancing drugs continue to grab headlines, cartoonist Wilfred Santiago reminds us why we love the game of baseball. 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente documents the unlikely career of the Pittsburgh Pirates legend. Clemente's inspirational rise from the barrios of Puerto Rico to the highest levels of our national pastime was heroic enough. Not content with the fame and fortune brought by his baseball abilities, Clemente became a tireless advocate for social justice and the plight of the underclass throughout Latin America.

Over the course of his storied career, Clemente overcame the racial discrimination of the era to win awards in nearly every category, including the World Series MVP in 1971. Despite his success on the field, Clemente never forgot his roots, returning in the off-season to manage and play with minor league teams on the impoverished island.

For all his staggering athletic accomplishments, it was his unflinching humanitarianism that cemented Clemente into our culture's consciousness. While visiting Puerto Rico in 1972, Nicaragua experienced a devastating earthquake. Clemente immediately began a relief effort, sending planeloads of supplies to the beleaguered country. When he learned these shipments were being diverted by corrupt officials, he boarded a flight to Managua. The plane, overloaded with supplies, fell out of the sky after take off. His body was never found. Clemente remains a hero throughout the hemisphere. He has been posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among countless others. Major League Baseball honors the player that best exemplifies his commitment to public service with the Roberto Clemente Award.

Clemente's cartoon biographer Wilfred Santiago will appear at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Wednesday, May 4 at 6:00 PM. His sensitive portrayal of this amazing story is rendered seamlessly with cinematic verve. Santiago will discuss his graphic novel with bestselling author Rob Neyer, national baseball editor for SBNation.com, followed by an informal reception and book signing. Please join us for this momentous occasion.

Listing information

Wilfred Santiago in conversation with Rob Neyer on 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente
Wednesday, May 4, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street. Seattle.
Phone: 206.658.0110

The Path to Nirvana

LarryR

Seattle's Experience Music Project is hosting festivities all weekend to launch their ambitious Nirvana exhibition and companion book Taking Punk to the Masses, published by Fantagraphics in association with EMP. The celebration begins with a private reception, followed by a members preview, this Friday evening with celebrity DJs including Fantagraphics friends Steve Fisk, Mark Pickerel, and Charles Peterson. Activities continue all weekend, including a panel on the origins of grunge at 2:30 on Saturday, with panelists including Peterson and former Fantagraphics frontman Tom Price, moderated by curator and the book's author Jacob McMurray.

The EMP exhibition focuses on Nirvana, while the book takes a broader view of Seattle's grunge counterculture, primarily through artifacts and oral histories provided by many of the principals of the movement. It reads like a chronicle of my misspent youth. (I'm quoted on Page 1 along with Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Wayne Kramer of the MC5, and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.) Every page reveals another fascinating step in an evolving punk subculture that would eventually alter the course of popular music worldwide. Who would've guessed at the time? Not me.

It's appropriate that Fantagraphics published this document. Comix played an important role in shaping the attitude and aesthetics of Seattle's grunge movement. I often compare Seattle in the late 80s and early 90s to San Francisco in the mid-60s. Like the hippie movement in the Bay Area, the Northwest had distinctive rock music, poster graphics, and fashion (or anti-fashion) sensibilities. We also had an army of talented and perceptive alternative cartoonists to disseminate the emerging scene, none more influential than Peter Bagge. The book establishes that many Fantagraphics artists, friends and future employees were central to the development of Seattle's domination of the counterculture of the era.

I commissioned this poster by Weirdo and Real Stuff contributor Ashleigh Talbot (formerly Ashleigh Raffloer, AKA Triangle-Slash) for a 1988 show I promoted with the U-Men, a legendary proto-grunge outfit. This bill included famed illustrator Ed Fotheringham's Thrown Ups featuring Mark Arm on drums. Mark and Ed are pictured prominently in Peterson's cover photo for the book. Both Mark and Tom Price of the U-Men would later work for Fantagraphics. Tom is playing guitar with the U-Men on the announcement for Peterson's May 14 show at Fantagraphics Bookstore below.

The Nirvana exhibition at EMP continues through 2014. To supplement the EMP show, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery will mount an exhibition of seminal work by accomplished Seattle photographer Charles Peterson opening May 14. He will be joined by Peter Bagge signing copies of Hate Annual #9 (featuring Buddy's return to Seattle) and the Yeah! collection. The show will be followed by a concert by Bagge's band Can You Imagine? featuring Steve Fisk on keyboards. You should just move to Seattle. OK?

For the Record

LarryR

Get ready to rock! This Saturday, April 16 marks the annual Record Store Day promotion. Our neighbors at Georgetown Records are celebrating with free vinyl, CD samplers and swag from labels like Sub Pop, Epitaph, Decca, and WEA, among many others. To sweeten the deal, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is adding a free comic book for every customer of Georgetown Records. Get out and support your local independent record store this Saturday and throughout the year.

Hare Raising Comix at Fantagraphics Bookstore

LarryR

The Easter bunny arrived early at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. Between now and Sunday, April 24 we’re offering a free copy of Usagi Yojimbo Color Special with each purchase of a Stan Sakai title. A real treat for comix fans of any age.

There’s a misperception that Usagi Yojimbo is only for young readers. I confess I’ve fallen victim to this notion myself. Then I picked up the stunning Usagi Yojimbo Special Edition. I found myself thoroughly enthralled by Sakai’s seamless storylines and flawless artwork. For those unfamiliar with this sublime saga, Usagi Yojimbo is set in 17th century feudal Japan and follows the adventures of a Samurai warrior rabbit. MAD cartoonist Sergio Aragones describes it as “…a mixture of fairy tale, adventure, romance, sword and sorcery, and humor, and all without breaking the rules of good storytelling.” I highly recommend the new slipcase Special Edition that collects the first seven Usagi Yojimbo books and includes exquisite extras like a cover gallery and a revealing interview conducted by editor Kim Thompson.

Drop by the store before Easter Sunday and treat yourself to a comic book. We’re open every day, 11:30 to 8:00 PM. Sundays until 5:00 PM. Sweet!

Comix, Music and More this Saturday in Seattle!

LarryR

While perusing the finery at the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall and imbibing in locally-brewed beer during this Saturday's Georgetown Art Attack, be sure to drop by Georgetown Records and Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. In addition to finding the world's greatest comix, the neighboring record store hosts a live ambient performance by Seattle experimental musician Rob Angus. I fondly recall Angus and his collaborator Jeff Grienke holding their own while opening for the Skeleton Crew — featuring legendary avant garde guitarist Fred Frith and cellist Tom Cora — in 1984 at my Graven Image gallery. In our current environment of forgettable and regrettable pop music, it's refreshing to find a provocative composer continuing to buck the trends.

Badass books, vintage vinyl, and live music! Don't miss it. See you this weekend.

Sensational Spring Sale at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery!

LarryR

Comix fans will delight at the 20% discount coupon at Fantagraphics Bookstore running in the current issue of Seattle alternative weekly The Stranger. You'll find a stack of the papers right inside the door of the store.

The coupon applies to all the fabulous new and backlist books from Fantagraphics as well as those of our comix-publishing colleagues. We just received a shipment of classic comic strip volumes from IDW including Bloom County, Polly & Her Pals, Barney Google, Terry and the Pirates, Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie, Rip Kirby, and L'il Abner. We have ample supplies of titles from Top Shelf, Drawn & Quarterly, First Second and others, not to mention terrific new tee shirts by Jim Blanchard, Basil Wolverton, and Jim Woodring. You'll even get an additional 20% off the books in our bulging half price room!

Drop by soon for bargain books and more at Fantagraphics Bookstore. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.