#jigging for huge bass

[ttheatre-trashh]

Read me yap about original kids ride the cyclone :333

for any more info about this show!! Look through the tag here

Dream of life. Jane doe walks on stage, and is kind of crumpled over, and slowly makes her way to stand up with stiff movements. This is the only song I have a recording of. As she slowly stands up, Jane doe lifts her head.

She has an echo effect added to her voice, and it sounds amazing. 

The Karnak is honestly hilarious, I loved his comedic timing. I can’t tell if he also had the echo effect, or if he was just an amazing voice actor. Sometimes he would mess up a line, but very quickly turn it into a robotic stutter, which was pretty smart. Love this guy. 

For virgil, they projected a projection of him onto the backdrop curtain. He was so silly I loved himmm. There was a fun transition from tiny rat form to anthro bass player. The bass solo was also great obv. 

Uranium suite was incredible. Ocean has almost this Disney channel main character voice? Idk but it’s so good. 

Mischa was slacking the whole time duh. Pulled out his phone at some bits. Ricky looked bored out of his fucking minddddd. Constance is just the sweetest ever I will kill for her. Noel is amazing and I love him. Like the pure SASS and EVERYTHING about him. Ricky the whole time stared into the audience like “kill me now”. We made eye contact a few times it was nice haha

After Uranium Ocean is kind of like,, calm but freaking out?? She kicks Karnaks box a few times throughout the show, including here. There are fun lights flickering and sound effects. Her voice is squeaky and cracky when she panicked or whatever. Again, karnaks comedic timing is amazing. 

What the world needs was so good. Oceans voice is amazing, the choreography was so snappy and swishy and sassy, very ocean. They hold up signs that spell out OCEAN, and in the flip side of them there’s a picture of ocean. Everyone was on point, and oceans delivery of every line was perfect. Like, the pure disgust she has when she goes “and a transformer movie” like babe has a personal vendetta against transformer movies.

I cannot stress enough how on point the choreography was, during the whole show, but like, I’m obsessed with the choreography of this song. There was a lot of hand flicking of that makes sense? Some fun little kicks.  There are tiny clips of it in some of the promo. 

After wtwn, ocean is freaking out. Karnaks delivery is perfect “blah blah blah needs a unanimous vote” oceans face drops. Long pause. « from each. And every. Member of the choir.”  

When ocean says she “loves” Jane, jane reaches out her arms and runs to hug her, but ocean dodges her and Jane doe just ends up almost running  into a wall. When she says she loves Noel, he just looks at her like “bitchgetthefuckawayfrommeew” and does his gay little pose. 

(E, the actor for Noel, uses they/them, so if I use those I’m talking about the actor) The play was so cute. After Noel said his line, ocean started crying and screaming and her and Constance were whining “NOOOEEEELL WHY DID YOU SAY TAHTTTTTT!!???” “UGH you always ruin these things!!!”  And stuff haha. It was great. 

Noel’s monologue was incredible, he fell to the floor during the dramatic bit about wanting to feel, goddamit.

 “I wanted to wake up,” fake throwing up for a second “in my own VOMIT.” huge grin. “Missing TEETH!” 

Noel goes behind the curtain/projector screen that they have on stage and starts singing. At about “I write poems to burn my firelight,” he comes out in Monique costume. Monique was so cool, she had fishnets, the iconic black wig, and a dress just like kholbys iconic one, but there was a little bow in the front,  and the skirt had strips of ripped fabric on the skirt. 

Again, the choreography of this song is amazing. everyone had chairs, and it was very leg-y? If that makes sense? But like in a “sexy” way, not an “Irish jig” sort of way.  Super snappy and clean cut. vocals are amazing, obviously. Ricky is kindof ominously standing in a corner with a beret and a cigarette playing the accordion. 

For the kiss, Monique and Constance danced together, then Monique and Ricky. Then Monique slapped Ricky, and Mischa comes over and they kissed. Adorable. 

The ending was so good, like the final « if I could have just one dream/if he could have just one dream/id be. That fucked. Up GIRL./HEY ». Mwah. Chefs kiss.

Every story’s got a lesson was so silly. Constance nailed the improv scene. This Ocean just. Needs to be in control. All the time. But like?? I’m making her sound bad but I felt bad for her because she wants everything to go her way but she’s not great at expressing that in a positive way. Any way, Constance gets excited at the end, like, « so I go out and do all. The. Drugs. 😁😁 » her little « BATH SALTS FOR EVERYONE!!! 😃😃 » 

Anyways. Mischa. 

Spence is literally an amazing mischa, he was so good. He started beatboxing really badly into the mic before he started talking about feeling, and the audience laughed. His accent was on point, and he spoke really naturally. Like, it didn’t feel super forced unlike some other Mischa’s I’ve heard (all Mischa are amazing some are just better accents yk)

This song is awesome was so fun. He had a tight white undershirt under his button down, which kind of just added to the silliness of the song instead of just being shirtless, yk? He had a chain and hat, duh. 

Everyone had these massive light up glasses, and Ricky was wearing a robot mask. It was so silly and I loved it. They did the iconic thing where they held onto Mischa’s unbuttoned shirt and made us flow to look like wind blowing

Omg. Talia. So this was so good. 

He awkwardly yet confidently re buttons his shirt, which the audience laughed at but I was like “yall stop that this gets emotional” but I think I’m just a bitch lol. 

The Talia monologue was incredible. Just, yes. Delivery was amazing, everything. I cried. A lot.  Mischa scrolled on his phone when something new appeared in the projector, like the photos and stuff. They used the curtain/backdrop as a projector screen, and there was the footage of Talia and Mischa. The wedding stuff and romance and shit. 

It was so sweet. I don’t have anything special to say about it, the monologue was just amazing. I completely broke down. 

For Talia, oh god. This was genuinely of the best things I’ve ever seen live. Spence’s voice is amazing, and again, I sobbed through this whole song. 

Everyone had the traditional costumes, and the girls had the big skirts, with the projections of Talia on them. I wasn’t sure if they were gonna do that, but it was beautiful. They also had the projection on Mischa’s chest at the end, when he’s belting. I completely fucking lost it.  

And then there’s the iconic nischa hug.  My heart. 💜 oh my god. 

MY FINGERS HURT (I LOST MY FIRST COPY OF THIS??? I HAD TO RE TYPE THIS???) BUT @noelgruberfr and @knockoff-conlon FEEL FREE TO FINISH THIS !!!

[prac-ticalproblems]

suggestion based off your post asking for suggestions: what do you think all their favorite albums would be. mind you they’re in the late 1960s so like it would be an album they liked so much they would save up and buy the record. lord knows music was an arm and a leg for 10 tracks. I’m thinkin engie might be into Johnny Cash, definitely bein into At Folsom Prison and probably also Townes Van Zandts self titled album when they came out in 1969. Scout would probably be a Chuck berry fan. I can also see him knowing how to dance to 40s big band music because his ma used to dance with him in his brothers in the living room as kids but he would be embarrassed about that one. Soldier would HATE the Beatles. and I have no idea about everyone else.

You. You get it. I’m gonna squeeze you. /pos

I love this ask so much I am going to do 60’s AND make it regional and Historical! Because we are syncing brain waves rn. (With a little bit of karaoke headcanonz)

1960’s music w the mercs

Medic - I believe that Medic is a very chaotic music lover. He has a background of classical in some way, with his fascination for it in the game and it’s bled outward into loving loud booms and the thrill of it speeding up.

So maybe some early forms of rock? Especially if it’s Peggy Peter’s. He sings like shit though.

Heavy - I’m not going to lie, this immediately came to me. Heavy loves pop. Heavy loves a bouncy little jig that he can play while cleaning Sasha. He probably got it from his sisters. I also believe that he has a very strong sense of political beliefs about his country so pop that has a message.

Definitely Edita Piekha. 100%. Lovely vocals from the gods. A little rattling, but He is a perfect bass.

Scout - HE WOULD LOVE CHUCK BERRY. That man hums ‘My Ding-a-ling’ as he showers. Absolutely.

He has Sex Bomb tattooed, but I’m sure his favorite Tom Jones song is actually It’s Not Unusual. He screeches when he sings instead of singing higher.

Demo - I see him being into much older songs for his age (he’s like nearly 30) just because of the way his mother raised him. I think he’s got an older soul than he thinks. So 1940’s swing and soul. Strong believer that he has more than a few albums that he cherishes, but most of them are from his mom.

He cries every time he puts it on though, just to let the feelings out. When he’s drunk, he sings terribly, when he’s sober? Probably still a little bad but he doesn’t know his range and doesn’t care if he’s tone deaf.

Pyro - I have personal ideas about Pyro that makes me think he is a huge Jimi Hendrix fan. I refuse to explain or elaborate as I will be here all day.

All Along the Watchtower. He bounces whenever it’s played.

Sniper - Jazz. I know it’s an easy answer, but it’s also THE RIGHT ONE. I think he’s very much a “nod his head and listen” type of music lover as a posed to “can’t stop moving” sort of guy.

He also probably prefers wordless music, for focus, and lyrics in music when he’s alone. (He is dancing in his room when no one’s around.)

Soldier - FUCKING HATES THE BEATLES. I’m almost tempted to say the only thing he listens to is music about WAR. But he’s probably into punk music. But I’m sure he fucks up and listens to anti war songs instead of actual war songs. So he’s accidentally listening to ‘hippie music’. No one has the will to explain it to him.

His favorite song is probably Gene Stridel - What do you win when you win a war. But only when he’s more self aware, more aware of his situation. It comes and goes. Soldier refuses to sing the song, ever. But it’s close to his heart, even if he sometimes doesn’t know why.

Spy - secretly a hippie. Definitely into Yé-yé, a type of french-ized version of British pop/exotica (like THE BEATLES.) He shows Soldier his music taste and it sends him into a rage. I think he takes pleasure in it.

Especially Baroque Yé-yé. Very Spy feely. Also Scout’s mom has probably shown him some Josephine Baker, and he likes it. Sings in a snooty little voice but it sounds pleasant enough. He thinks he’s the best singer in the team. (it’s heavy)

Engineer - GOD, you’re so right. Johnny Cash is the most fitting for him. I feel like he’s definitely a music sharer and taker. He carries songs from the people who he loves around with him. I think his mom loves Tammy Wynette and it’s crossed over to him.

Rip, you stupid fuck, you would have loved Poor Man’s Poison. He probably does that thing where they end off words in country with like a howl, instead of just ending the sentence.

[fishingblaze]

Fishing Gear Must Haves Right Now Every Angler 2024

Taking a lover fishing is more than simply a pastime for them; it’s a way of life. If you want to increase your chances of getting a big catch and truly enjoy the subtleties of fishing,

you must have a proficient device. See which essential fishing gear are valued by seasoned anglers in this essay to ensure that you are ready for an exciting day on the water.

Certainly! Let’s dive into greater detail about the vital fishing gear for 2024.Fishing Gear Must Haves

Livetarget Hollow Body Frog: This revolutionary frog lure is designed for fishing in weedy or lily pad-stuffed areas. Its hollow body permits it to float, making it impossible to resist bass and different predators.

The practical look and realistic action make it the pinnacle of desire for topwater fishing. Remember to paint it slowly throughout the floor, mimicking an actual frog’s movements.

Sunline Super FC Sniper Fishing Line: A first-rate fishing line is important for achievement. The Super FC Sniper, crafted from fluorocarbon, offers tremendous sensitivity, low stretch, and amazing abrasion resistance.

The triple resin coating ensures clean casting and minimizes line memory. Whether you are finesse fishing or going for huge recreation, this line won’t disappoint.

Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Pliers: These durable pliers are necessary for any angler. The needle-nose layout permits for specific hook removal. and the tungsten carbide cutters slice without problems via monofilament.

fluorocarbon, and braided strains. Plus, they arrive with a sheath, lanyard, and carabiner, so you can always keep them handy.

Remember, a nicely-rounded fishing setup additionally consists of other objects like a sharp fish fillet knife, insect repellent lotion (to keep pesky bugs away), sunscreen (shield your skin during lengthy hours on the water),

A basic first-aid kit (for minor cuts and scrapes), a transportable fish lip grabber and scale (to measure your trap appropriately), an LED headlamp (for nighttime fishing), hook files (to keep sharp hooks), and fishing gloves (for dealing with fish and defensive your hands). Happy fishing and tight strains!

Exemplary Fishing Rod and Reel Alliance

A fishing rod and reel combination that works reliably is the center of an angler’s arsenal. Select a medium-heavy power rod with fast-acting response to cover a range of fishing styles.

When combined with an even better reel, this combination creates the structural core of your fishing gear, providing the sharpness and durability that are thought to be essential for a variety of species.

What do I need for fishing gear?

What you’ll want for a hit-fishing experience:

1. Fishing License

Why: Required by means of regulation in most locations to modify fishing and defend fish populations. Where to Get It: Local natural world organization, online, or at some carrying goods stores.

2. Rod and reel

Types Spinning rod and reel: flexible and first-rate for novices. Baitcasting Rod and Reel: Offers greater manage, higher for informed anglers. Fly Rod and Reel: Used for fly fishing, which desires specific styles of fish. Considerations: period, electricity, and motion of the rod based on the kind of fish and fishing surroundings.

3. Fishing Line

Types Monofilament: Good for beginners, easy to cope with. Braided: stronger, more touchy, however, may be more tough to manipulate. Fluorocarbon: Nearly invisible underwater, top for smooth water fishing. Strength: Choose based totally on the size of the fish you’re concentrated on.

4. Hooks, sinkers, and bobbers

Hooks: Various sizes and patterns (e.g., J-hooks, circle hooks) depending on the fish. Sinkers: Weights to assist your bait sink to the desired depth. Bobbers: Float at the water floor to indicate while a fish bites.

5. Lures and bait

Lures: synthetic baits designed to imitate the movement of fish prey. Types encompass: Spinners: Create flash and vibration. Jigs: versatile; can be used in numerous conditions. Crankbaits: Mimic small fish, remarkable for overlaying big regions. Live bait: worms, minnows, or insects, depending on the fish species.

6. Tackle Box

Purpose: Keeps all of your devices prepared and without issues handy. Features: Compartments for specific sorts of tackle, lengthy-lasting, and portable.

7. Hand Tools Pliers for casting off hooks from fish.

Scissors: For lowering lines. Knife: For cleaning fish or cutting bait.

8. Safety Gear

Life Vest: Essential in case you’re fishing from a boat. Whistle: For signaling in case of emergency. First Aid Kit: For minor accidents.

9.Fishing Net: Helps in landing fish.

Cooler: To preserve your capture sparkling. Sunscreen and Hat: Protects from sun exposure. Sunglasses: Polarized to lessen glare at the water.

10. Clothing

Weather-appropriate: Dress in layers; a waterproof jacket if needed. Footwear: non-slip shoes or boots, particularly if fishing from a deep or rocky shore.

11. Fishing Regulations

Check neighborhood policies: size limits, seize limits, and particular regulations for the location you’re fishing in. Having the right gadget could make your fishing a lot more fun and a success. Do you have a specific form of fishing or location in mind? This can assist in tailoring the tools even more!

For MOre Detail Please visit FIshingblaze.com

[largemouthbassnation]

Fishing Muddy Water For HUGE Bass Took a trip out to a lake that is know for some big bass, and that's exactly what I got. Fishing started out slow, but as soon as I figured out where they were I was ... source

[ouroutdoorsports]

Best Kayak fishing sport in world

Pi-AS BAY, PANAMA

If you want to  enjoy in the winters and in need to experience a high class getaway, then this place is a fantastic one. Here both type of fish, big as well as small fish are available. Small ones you can catch near the shore and big ones of course out in the sea especially the Blue Marlin and Sailfish. Apart from fishing, there a lot number of hotels and bars to attract more and more tourists. So, Panama is a great place to visit for sure.

2)  Colorado River

The  Colorado  river  , or the Rio Colorado, in Costa Rican  is a distributory of the San Juan River  which flows 96 km (60 mi) towards the Caribbean  in the northern parts of Heredia  and Limón  Provinces. The   surrounding  habitats  are protected as part of the second largest rain forest  preserve in the country, the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge.

The river is a well known tourist destination, particularly for fishing   for tarpon  and snook  The Colorado River is considered one of the best places in the world to catch Atlantic tarpon

This location for fishing is the most popular one in South America. The beautiful river of Costa Rica is not all to be missed. Suitable in the summer weather, this area is worth remembering especially in case of fish fights. It is literally like a tug of war kind of experience while catching fish here. The Rio Colorado Lodge is a resort that remains open for tourist for the whole year. So, an adventurous story is on the cards people

3)  Hatteras Island

Hatteras island , reconnect with family and friends, and yourself, through a variety of recreation. For example, you can fish right from the beach or take a charter boat out to the deep blue water of the Gulf Stream. Learn to harness the wind on a kiteboard or take lessons in leisure on paddleboards with your crew. There's little in the way of franchises and fast food but don’t confuse “doing without” with “going without.” Instead, think of soulful coastal restaurants and interesting mom-and-pop shops. While your setting will be a bit more on the untamed side of nature, accommodations are as modest or modern as you like. The beauty of Hatteras is that you can easily reach all the other OBX hotspots, but call a simpler and quieter part of the barrier islands your home away from home.

https://kayakfishinsider.com/ highlights winter on Hatteras Island, with businesses that are open and activities that are occurring during this special season.

Hatteras fishing is serious business especially for the anglers. People visit this place for other reasons like beach fun and shopping but the fishing feature attracts them the most. This location is famous for off shore fishing. This location is most suitable in winters between November and December. It is considered one of the best fishing spots on the Atlantic Coast and is famous for Yellow fin Tuna and Mahi Mahi. The weather condition is the perfect out here to make your trip even more satisfying and successful. You just have to charter a boat and you are ready to get an amazing off shore fishing experience. The fish is caught here with lures and chunks by flying-fishing technique which is very fascinating to watch out for.

4) Lizard Island

Lizard island is situated in  Australia's  which is most exclusive destinations. Lizard Island is situated 132 nautical miles in  north west of Cairns Queensland. The island covers an area of 1013 hectares and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and pristine reefs in the world. These reefs are absolutely teeming with marine life - several species of clown fish, green turtles, giant clams, rays, amazing coral formations and hundreds of species of colorful  tropical fish await you at Lizard Island. Lizard Island boasts 23 pure white beaches. Lizard Island is the ultimate remote Great Barrier Reef experience. For those wanting to visit the Great Barrier Reef in Australia - it does not get any better than Lizard Island. LIZARD ISLAND HISTORY Lizard Island holds great historical significance concerning both Aboriginals and Europeans. Ltd James Cook, along with Sir Joseph Banks, named the island 'Lizard Island' after discovering many large sand monitors upon their first visit to the island. Just over 100 years later the island was inhabited by beache-de-mer fisherman. Watson's Bay on Lizard Island is named after one of these fisherman. The story of the escape of Watson's wife through the Great Barrier Reef from Lizard Island while sitting inside the cut-down boiler from a sunken ship has become one the most prominent tales of folklore from the pioneering era of Australia's history. Lizard Island in Australia is a very different or you may say kind of unusual Island. It is quite accessible for the tourist to reach the Island as the flights to this place are connected to all airports in Australia. This is the best fishing location especially in the season of September to December. The fish found here is the Black Marlin and you need to change your style of fishing for these local gliders. The island is situated on The Great Barrier Reef. It is quite an unforgettable holiday destination due to its fishing, beautiful view and luxurious resorts. All in one package deal! So, if you are a professional fisherman or a first timer, the fishing experience at the Lizard Island will make your day worth remembering.

5) Martha's Vineyard,

. Martha, vineyard has one of the best fishing spots since 70 years from now. You need to explore the natural beauty of the Island. This location is famous for plentiful of fully grown Striped Bass, Bluefish,  and False Albacore and also known as one of the best fishing spots. Mostly medium sized fish are find here a Massachusetts island, sits in the Atlantic just south of Cape Cod. A longtime New England summer colony, it encompasses harbor towns and lighthouses, sandy beaches and farmland. It's accessible only by boat or air. Vineyard Haven, on the eastern end, is a ferry port and the island's commercial center. Oak Bluffs has Carpenter Gothic cottages and an iconic carousel  of fully grown Striped Bass, Bluefish, Boneto and False Albacore and also known as one of the best fishing spots. Mostly medium sized fish are find here. It is situates in middle of the migratory route and natural bait is massive here which is the favorite food of fish.  Experienced fisherman and the locals out there mostly use casting poppers and parachute jigs to get an amazing experience of fishing.

6) Kailua-Kona

Is a town on the west coast of Hawaii Island . Hulihee Palace is a former royal vacation  from the 1800s, is Hawaii’s oldest Christian church. On Kailua Bay, reconstructed that ched houses at Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark mark King  Kamehameha Is residence. Colorful coral lies off Kamakahonu   Beach. Kailua Pier has boat moorings If you are planning a trip to Hawaii in the coming summers, then you got to visit this amazing fishing spot. Hawaii is the world’s top deep sea fishing destination and it is the capital of sports fishing as well. It is surrounded by five huge sized mountains. Here you will find a wide variety of fish like Tuna, Marlin, Wahoo and many more. .Apart from this you can find the amazing Pacific Blue fish weighing around 300 pounds approximately. Fishing across the sea is in itself an marvelous thing to explore.

7) EAST CAPE-BAJA,MEXICO

The East Cape Region extends from several miles east of San Jose del Cabo along the Sea of Cortez, to north of Punta Pescadero, Los Barriles and Rancho Buena Vista. All are names long popular with fly-in fishing diehards; but perhaps not so familiar to many others. That’s changing as more people discover this region where quiet hideaway hotels coexist with new restaurantsThe Real Baja”, is a terribly bumpy dirt road that runs for about 50 miles along the Sea of Cortez coastline. Blue and black marlin are plentiful from June to December, and the area explodes as the fishing resort crowd moves in. Roosterfish, yellowtail, wahoo and tuna are also abundant. Whatever your expectations, rest assured, there are miles of isolated coastline, pristine waters and an ample array of sports and activities for every taste, from diving to boardsailing.  It remains popular for almost the whole year but the peak time is from May to November. Marlins found here are really huge in size and shape nearly around or more than 1000 pounds. This is a very affordable destination to visit which can turn out to be very productive, fun and rewarding as well

Kailua

, also known by its post office designation Kailua-Konato differentiate it from Kailua located on the windward side of Oʻahu island, and sometimes referred to as Kona in everyday speech, is an unincorporated city (Census Designated Place) in Hawai County, Hawaii, United States

8) Betty Lake and Bob Lake

are accessible from the Hessie Trailhead in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The lakes are located half a mile apart in the open tundra of an isolated offshoot in a gorgeous alpine valley. Visitors will enjoy light crowds and pristine landscapes on the hike to Betty and Bob lakes: Betty Lake is located just 9 miles away from Netherlands which is quite near. It is one of the best fishing locations in the whole of United States of America. You may find here a wide variety of cutthroat Trout which means there are full chances to get a bite! It is situated at the beautiful landscape of Indian Peaks Wilderness. It is basically a kind of hilly area with mountains and trees and shrubs all around. Suitable weather is mainly between June and July.

9) Chalk streams

are rivers that rise from springs in landscapes with chalk bedrock. Since chalk is permeable, water percolates easily through the ground to the water table and chalk streams therefore receive little surface runoff. As a result, the water in the streams contains little organic matter and sediment and is generally very clear. The beds of the rivers are generally composed of clean, compacted gravel and flints, which are good spawning areas for Salmonidae fish species Fish found here is the famous Trout which is available plentiful here. Spring season is the best season to go for fishing in this area and it is totally within your budget. So, if you want a beautiful fishing experience then it’s a must visit.

10) JEROME LAKE, ALASKA

It is also called Fair man Lake .At this fishing location you will find the Trout fish in large numbers. The view of this location is breathtaking and of course very photogenic. The late fall season is the most suitable for fishing here as it is the migration time. So, get your fishing rods and reel ready to catch Trout fish as many as you can.

11) Montauk, New York

Montauk  is a village at the east end of the Long Island peninsula. It’s known for its beaches, like Ditch Plains, with its strong Atlantic surf. At the peninsula’s tip, Montauk Point State Park is home to the 1796 Montauk Point Lighthouse. A museum in the keeper’s house displays historical documents signed by George Washington. Camp Hero State Park, once a military base, has WWII bunkers and a radar tower. Fishermen generally find smaller fish here as their fins get rub by the sandy shores of Montauk but these also weigh more than 40-50 pounds.

12) ASCENSION BAY, MEXICO

It is a long established fact that for fly fishing, Ascension Bay, Mexico, is the number one fly fishing destination in the world for catching Permit on the fly: moot point, done deal  Going further, did you know that Ascension Bay, Mexico, has an incredible,  The months are from February to June, you will find here Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit. Fishermen who love the flat angle style, this spot will give you the best experience by using the famous flying-fish technique. Due to excessive or plenty of water, you got to get some dry clothes with you. Fisherman Lodge is situated in an international wildlife park and UN Heritage Site; known as the Sian Ka'an National Park that spans some 1,300,000 acres of prime inflatable fishing flats. Ascension Bay is ranked as one of the finest fly fishing locations in the world and offers outstanding fly fishing opportunities; in its pristine flat; and mangrove-lined shores with a backdrop of the lush green rainforest.

[whileiamdying]

Tales of Ike and Tina Turner:

The world’s greatest heartbreaker

Tina Turner performs on stage with Ike and Tina Turner in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1971. Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferbs.

— BEN FONG-TORRES     Published  14/OCT/1971

Walk into what, from the outside, looks to be another well-paid, well-kept home in suburban Inglewood, California, and you’re hit: a huge, imperial oil painting of Ike and Tina Turner, dressed as if for a simple, private wedding, circa 1960, modest pompadour and formal mink. A thriller? The killer, honey…

Also in the foyer, under the portrait, a small white bust of John F. Kennedy. Next to him, the Bible, opened to Isaiah 42­ – A New Song to the Lord. The smell is eucalyptus leaves and wet rocks; the sound is water, bubbling in one of several fish tanks and, over in the family room, splashing, programmed, is a waterfall.

Two trim young housekeepers stir around the kitchen; dinner is cooking at 4p.m. Ike is asleep upstairs, and Tina is out with a son at football practice. But you cannot just plop down somewhere, adjust yourself, and be comfortable. Next to the waterfall there’s a red velvet sofa, designed around a coffee table in the shape of a bass guitar. Or, in the blue room, the blue couch, whose back turns into an arm that turns into a tentacle. Above that, on the ceiling, is a large mirror in the shape of a jig-saw puzzle piece, and against one wall is a Zenith color TV, encased in an imitation ivory, whale-shaped cabinet.

(Tina, later, will say: “Ike did the house. It was Ike’s idea to have the TV in the whale shape. I thought, ‘Oh wow!’ I felt it was gonna look like the typical entertainer’s house, with the stuff not looking professional. But everything turned out great. I’m very proud of it.”)

It is very personal, but there are all these mail order touches. The neo-wood vertical frame with four bubbles to hold color pictures of the Turners’ four sons. The JFK bust. On the wall, over a mantel, a large metallic Zodiac sunburst, with no clock in the middle. Also, a Zodiac ash tray atop the guitar-shaped table. (Ike showed his refurnishing job off to Bob Krasnow of Blue Thumb Records one day last year, and Krasnow remarked: “You mean you actually can spend $70,000 at Woolworth’s?”)

Atop a white upright piano complete with gooseneck mike, there’s the gold record – not “A Fool in Love,” or “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” or “I Idolize You,” but, rather, “Come Together,” the single on Liberty, their seventh or eighth label in ten years. And next to that, some trophies—a couple that the kids have earned, and a couple that Tina has earned. To the sweetest wife and mother, Tina Turnaer. Love’s Yea. Ike Turner and Your Four Sons. Another, larger one, Olympiad, with a small gold-plated angel holding a torch above her, hara-kiri:To Tina Turner. The World’s Greatest Heartbreaker 1966. Love Ike Turner.

Tina’s not back – half an hour late­ – and now I’m down to the sunlit bookshelf in the corner. A neat junior edition of encyclopedias. A couple of novels – Crichton’s Andromeda Strain; Cheever’s Bullet Park. But the main line appears to be how-to’s, from Kahlil Gibran and astrology to a series of sharkskin suit-pocket hardbounds: How to Make a Killing in Real Estate, How to Legally Avoid Paying Taxes, and How to Scheme Your Way to Fortune. Atop the pile, a one-volume senior encyclopedia: The Sex Book.

***

Someone once called Tina “The female Mick Jagger.” In fact, to be more accurate, one should call Mick “The male Tina Turner.” After all, in 1960, Ike and Tina and the first of God knows how many Ikettes began doing their revue, and, as Tina tells it, “Ike used to move on stage. He was bow-legged and bow-hipped and when he moved from side to side, he had an effect he used to do with the guitar, and I used to do that, ’cause I idolized him so. Before I fell in love with him I’d loved him. We were very close friends. I thought there was nobody like Ike, so I wanted to be like Ike. I wore tight dresses and high heels, and I still moved, and that’s where the side-step came from.”

Philip Agee, who was 17 when he first saw them in 1960 in St. Louis, became such a fan that he has put out a book on them – for a seminar course in printing at Yale. Tina Pie is a collection of the colorations of Ike and Tina’s romance and career, tawny browns and flashy reds and moanful yellows and hurtful blues. Silkscreening the act through the dark years and into the fast ones, with even remembrances from Tina’s mother, or various of Phil Agee’s friends and fellow-worshippers.

“Tina came out and up on the stage. Nobody screamed or fainted. We were just real glad to see her. She always wore sparkling dresses and very high-heeled shoes with no backs and holes in the toes. Sometimes she was pregnant, singing with her stomach stuck out, stomping her high-heeled shoes with stiff legs. They would sing special songs when you asked them. Everybody liked ‘A Fool in Love.’ ‘Staggerlee’ was my favorite. When Ike started slow, ‘When the night was clear and the moon was yellow, and the leaves came tumbling down…’ by the time ba-da, ba-da, ba-doo ended, everybody was out on the floor. During their breaks the jukebox played again. Tina disappeared and the men sat at card tables near the stage drinking with their blonde girlfriends. When the men started playing again, Tina appeared for the second show. By 11 it was over. Pat’s dad picked us up and drove me home. We went every Tuesday while they were in St. Louis. “Tina Turner’s part Cherokee and so’s my Mom, so so am I.” — Kathy Klein

By 1966, there was more practiced flash. You learn what works. The Ikettes came storming out of the wings in a train formation, in mini-skirted sequins, haughty foxes thrusting their butts at you and then waving you off with a toss of their long whippy hair. Tina came out, eyes flashing until she became a fire on the stage. And across Broadway, there’s your Motown act, the Marvellettes in their matching long evening gowns or the Tops in pink velvet, doing soul-hula, singing through choreographed smiles. Tina spitssex out to you. And Mick Jagger:

Before that breakthrough tour with the Rolling Stones in 1969, Ike and Tina had worked with them in England in 1966. “Mick was a friend of Phil Spector,” says Tina. “And the time we cut ‘River Deep Mountain High,’ Mick was around. [This is at Gold Star, Phil’s favorite studio in Los Angeles] I remembered him but I never talked to him. He’s not the type to make you feel you could just come up and talk to him. Mick, I guess, thought the record was great, and he caught our act a couple of times. Mick wasn’t dancing at the time…he always said he liked to see girls dance. So he was excited about our show, and he thought it’d be different for the people in England.

“I remember I wasn’t mingling too much – Ike and I were having problems at the time, and we stayed mad at each other – but I’d always see Mick in the wings. I thought, ‘Wow, he must really be a fan.’ I’d come out and watch him occasionally; they’d play music, and Mick’d beat the tambourine. He wasn’t dancing. And lo and behold, when he came to America, he was doing everything! So then I knew what he was doing in the wings. He learned a lot of steps and I tried to teach him like the Popcorn and other steps we were doing, but he can’t do ’em like that.He has to do it his way.”

“River Deep Mountain High.” To hear that song for the first time, in 1967, in the first year of acid-rock and Memphis soul, to hear that wall falling toward you, with Tina teasing it along, was to understand all the power of rock and roll. It had been released in England in 1966 and made Number Two. In America, nothing. “It was just like my farewell,” Phil Spector says. “I was just sayin’ goodbye, and I just wanted to go crazy for a few minutes – four minutes on wax.”

Bob Krasnow, president of Blue Thumb, knew Ike and Tina from their association with Warner Brothers’ R&B label, Loma, in 1964. He was an A&R man there. “Spector had just lost the Righteous Brothers,” he recalls, “and at the same time, Ike was unhappy,” having switched to Kent Records.

“Spector’s attorney Joey Cooper called and said Phil wanted to produce Tina—and that he was willing to pay $20,000 in front to do it! So Mike Maitland [then president at Warners] gave them their release, and they signed with Philles.

“Watching Phil work was one of my greatest experiences,” says Krasnow. It was indeed a special occasion. Only “River Deep” was cut at Gold Star; the other three Spector productions were at United. (There was only one Philles LP ever made with Ike and Tina, which was finally re-released last year by A&M.) And Ike didn’t attend.

“Dennis Hopper did the cover on that LP. He was broke on his ass in Hollywood and trying photography. He said he’d like to do the cover. He took us to this sign company, where there was this 70-foot high sign for a movie, with one of those sex stars – Boccaccio ’70 or something. And he shot them in front of that big teardrop. Then the gas company, had a big sign, and Hooper took them there and shot them in front of a big burner.”

On stage, there may be reason to compare Tina Turner to Mick Jagger; Tina, in fact, is more aggressive, more animalistic. But it is, indeed, a stage:

“I don’t sound pretty, or good. I sound, arreghh! Naggy. I can sound pretty, but nobody likes it. Like I read some article in the paper that Tina Turner had never been captured on records. She purrs like a kitten on record, but she’s wild on stage. And they don’t like a record like ‘Working Together.’ I love that record. I love that River Deep Mountain Highalbum, but nobody likes me like that. They want me sounding all raspy…I have to do what Ike says. “My whole thing,” she once said, “is the fact that I am to Ike – I’m going to use the term ‘doll’ – that you sort of mold… In other words, he put me through a lot of changes. My whole thing is Ike’s ideas. I’ll come up with a few of them, but I’m not half as creative as Ike.”

***

The world’s greatest heartbreaker drives up in her Mercedes sedan and strides in, all fresh and breezy in a red knit hot pants outfit, third button unbottoned, supple legs still very trim at age 32,charging onto 33. (“Everyone thinks I’m in my forties, but I was only around 20 when I started. Born November 26, 1939,” she says, very certain.)

Tina’s hair is in ponytails, tied in brown ribbons; she is wearing brown nail polish and red ballet-type slippers. Here in the living room, of her $100,000 house, she is trying to paint a portrait of the offstage, in-home Tina Turner. There are four bedrooms, she says, four baths, and, let’s see now…13 telephones.

Additional phone cables are employed in the closed-circuit TV system, a system like the one in Ike’s studios less than a mile away. There, Ike can sit in his office and push-button his way around the various studios, the writers’ room, the entrances, the hallways. Just recently, he was laughing about the time he punched up the camera scanning the bedroom in the private apartment he keeps there, and what did he and the people around him (Tina was at home) see but some heavy fucking going on, one of his musicians and a groupie. And everyone’s lapping it up, and finally, when the sideman is caressing one of his nightstand’s firm-nippled breasts, Ike’s bodyguard springs out of the office, and the next you see him, he is piling into the bed, over most of that same station…

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But later. Tina Turner is trying to paint a picture here. “I just got rid of the housekeeper. I get housekeepers and they sort of do just things like vacuuming and dusting, and nothing else is done—like the mirrors—and I’m a perfectionist, and that would never be. People think I’m probably one of those that lounge around, but I’m always on my knees—I do my own floors ’cause no one can please me. When I was in the eighth grade I started working for a lady in Tennessee keeping her house; she more or less taught me what I know about housework.”

Tina also tries to do most of the cooking, even if she usually does report to the studios around 4 PM to do vocals. She also likes to do gardening. “Every now and then I get out and turn the dirt…but now I’ve started writing, and Ike, every time I turn around, he says, ‘Write me this song.’ So I went out and bought some plants and when I was in the hospital I got a lot of plants that I really love, and I sort of take care of them like babies.”

“Ike is a very hard worker,” a friend is saying. “He’s such a driver. Last winter Tina was sick with bronchial pneumonia, 104 temperature, in the hospital with her body icepacked to bring the temperature down. And Ike was visiting, and he was going, ‘You get out and sing, or you get out of the house!'”

Tina doesn’t discuss such things, even if her talk is often punctuated by references to Ike as the manager, the brains, the last word; despite his back-to-the-audience stance on stage. But in Tina Pie, Phil Agee’s book, there’s a piece of conversation backstage between Tina and one of Phil’s friends: Pete: I thought maybe you wouldn’t be here tonight. Tina: No, I never miss a performance. The doctor came to the hotel today, brought a vaporizer and that helped it a lot. I haven’t coughed anything up today – so I was kind of worrying if it was okay. I always go on. Whatever’s bothering me – I don’t care how bad it is­ – I drop it when I go on stage. I hadn’t coughed up anything today. You know that kind of hypnosis – I don’t know what it’s called – where you induce yourself into a trance? (Tina’s friend): Self-hypnosis. Tina: Yeah, that’s it. I hypnotize myself, and I forget the cold and stuff.

***

“Dope?” Bob Krasnow repeats the question, only in a softer voice. “Let me close the door a minute.” (A few weeks before, I asked an ex-Ikette about Ike Turner and sex. “Sex? Oh, my god, that’s another volume,” she’d said. “I’ll have to get a cigarette on that one!”)

Krasnow: “Tina is so anti-dope I can’t tell you. She’s the greatest woman I’ve ever known, outside of my wife. She has more love inside her body than 100 chicks wrapped up together. And she’s so straight, it’s ridiculous. “As for Ike…Ike was not into dope at all until three, four years ago. One night in Vegas we were sitting around and got started talking about coke. He didn’t care about it, and I said – and Ike, you know, is like 40 or so – and I said, ‘One thing that’s great about coke is you can stay hard – you can fuck for years behind that stuff.’ That’s the first time Ike did coke.”

Krasnow can’t help but continue. “That night he made his first deal – bought $3,000 of cocaine from King Curtis, and he bought it and showed me, and I laughed and said, ‘That’s no coke; that’s fucking Drano!’ Since then, he’s learned.”

What – to lighten up on drugs?

“No – to tell what good coke is and what bad coke is.”

Krasnow worked with James Brown at King for years before he joined Warners and signed Ike and Tina to Loma. His evaluation: “Ike is 10 times a bigger character than James Brown. And they’re both fucking animals. How can I put this? Say, whatever you can do…they can do 10 times as much. And Ike – he’s always putting you to the test.

“What I like best about Ike is also what I hate: He’s always on top of you.”

“I find him one of the most fascinating people I’ve met,” says Jeff Trager, who did promotion work at Blue Thumb. “If he knows you he can be real warm, and do whatever he can for you. There’s just no limit to Ike Turner. He’d carry around $25,000 in cash in a cigar box – with a gun. He’d drive around town, man, sometimes to Watts, sometimes Laurel Canyon, in his new Rolls Royce to pick up coke. And he is real sinister-looking.”

“In Las Vegas,” says Krasnow, “I brought some friends into the dressing room, and Ike pulled out this big .45 – just putting them on. Another time he came into the front room at Blue Thumb and threw $70,000 on the floor, in cash, and dared anyone to touch it. Just to blow everybody’s mind.”

“Krasnow and Ike are both crazy,” says Trager. “Ike would storm into the office with a troop of people, six-foot chicks, a bag of cocaine. Really, really crazy. He always came in. He loved Blue Thumb, and he was always saying he’d come back. Krasnow says he couldn’t afford him now.”

Krasnow produced both their Blue Thumb albums and brought “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” to Turner.

“He hated Otis Redding,” Krasnow says. “He just didn’t think Otis had it.” The Ike and Tina version sold some half million copies. Blue Thumb was also a good showcase of Ike Turner’s fluidity as a blues guitarist, and of the flexibility of the Ike and Tina sound – from “Dust My Broom” and “I Am a Motherless Child” to the stark raving “Bold Soul Sister.”

Ike Turner, who places “River Deep” up next to “Good Vibrations” as his two favorite records, says the Spector production didn’t get airplay because the soul stations said “too pop” and the white stations said “too R&B.”

“See, what’s wrong with America,” he told Pete Senoff, “is that rather than accept something for its value…America mixes race in it. Like, you can take Tina and cut a pop record on her – like ‘River Deep, Mountain High.’ You can’t call that record R&B. But because it’s Tina… But I can play you stuff like Dinah Washington on Tina. I can play you jazz on Tina. I can play you pop on Tina. I can play you gutbucket R&B on Tina like we have on our Blue Thumb record…really blues. I can play you that stuff, then I could play you the Motown stuff.”

Ike and Tina had a showcase at Blue Thumb, but no cross-market success. “Bold Soul Sister” went to number one at KGFJ, the black station in L.A., but Jeff Trager remembers, the program director at light, white KRLA refused to play it. “No matter what. I asked him, ‘What if it went to number one?’ and he said ‘I don’t care; I’ll never play it.'” Whether too R&B or what, the program director at KFRC, the Bill Drake station in San Francisco, wouldn’t play “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” which Krasnow, its producer, called a “pop record.” KFRC had to be forced – by its sales – to put the song on the playlist.

What finally carried Ike and Tina through was the 1969 Rolling Stones tour, where the revue broke out with “Come Together,” in its own raw style, Tina snake-snapping across the stage, punching out the John Lennon lyric. Raves everywhere, and the mass magazines were stung to attention. Playboy and Look ended up using the same phrase to characterize Tina’s entrance: “like a lioness in heat.” Vogue did a photo spread. And Ike and Tina got booked into Vegas and both Fillmores. Liberty Records began talking big money, so big that even Krasnow encouraged Turner to go to them as an exclusive artist. “We didn’t have a contract, anyway,” says Krasnow. “It was just on a piecemeal basis.” That’s when Ike refurnished his $100,000 home and began building his lavish studios. Tina is sitting in the “game room” of the studios. The move to interpreting white rock and roll, she says, was quite natural. “We went to a record shop in Seattle, Washington, and someone was buying ‘Come Together,’ and I said, ‘Oh, Ike, I gotta do it on stage, I love that record.’ That’s the thing I think of – the stage – because it’s action, you know. And ‘Honky Tonk Woman,’ that’s me. And then people came to us and said, ‘You gotta record that song, it’s so great.’ And we said ‘What’s so great about it; we’re doing it just like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones,’ and they said ‘No, you have your own thing about it.’ So when we cut the album, we were lacking a few tunes, so we said ‘Well, let’s just put in a few things that we’re doing on stage. And that’s how ‘Proud Mary’ came about. I had loved it when it first came out. We auditioned a girl and she had sung ‘Proud Mary.’ This is like eight months later, and Ike said, ‘You know, I forgot all about that tune.’ And I said let’s do it, but let’s change it. So in the car Ike plays the guitar, we just sort of jam. And we just sort of broke into the black version of it. It was never planned to say, ‘Well, let’s go to the record shop, and I’d like to record this tune by Aretha Franklin’…it’s just that we get it for stage, because we give the people a little bit of us and a little bit of what they hear on the radio every day.

“My mother – her radio was usually blues, B.B. King and all. But rock and roll was more me, and when that sort of music came on, I never could sit down. I’ve always wanted to move.” Tina gave a slightly – shall we say – different account to Changes magazine: Tina: I guess ‘way before the Stones asked us to tour with them, Ike started to get into the hard rock thing, dragging me out of bed to listen to this or that, and at 4 o’clock in the morning. Ike: She didn’t like rock. Tina: Finally, he said ‘You going to have to sing it, so you may as well like it.’ So I started to listen to rock.

***

“They are really making it now,” says Krasnow. “Really. Everytime he plays a place – like last week, Carnegie Hall – it’s sold out a week before. And everybody’s raving about the show.”

But there was a time…”I got pissed at him ’cause we worked our asses off to get him on the Andy Williams Love show. We had dinner afterwards, and I said, ‘This is it! You’ve made it, man!’ He was back playing the bowling alley the next night. I kept saying, ‘Why play for $1,000 a night when you can get $20,000 now?’ I mean, he was just touring himself out.” Ike himself says, “It doesn’t matter to me; we’ve got a living to make.” Recently, he has relaxed the road pace, from six nights a week all year to two or three nights a week. Ike and Tina are now regularly on TV – on variety shows, talk shows, and specials; they were in Milos Forman’s Taking Off and Gimme Shelter, and they helped celebrate Independence Day this year in Ghana. Soul to Soul. And what is now apparent is that in Africa or in Hollywood, in bowling alleys or in the Casino Lounge of the Hotel International, the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, with the Ikettes and the Kings of Rhythm (nine pieces plus Ike) is pretty much the same show: The band member doing the introductions and shameless album plugs; the Kings warming up with a couple of Motown-type power tunes, followed by the Ikettes singing “Piece of My Heart” or “Sweet Inspiration,” then Tina running on, churning through “Shake Your Tail Feather,” then saying a hearty hello and promising “soul music with the grease.”

***

Tina’s recitations and spoken paeans – and Ike’s wise-ass, not-quite-inaudible cracks, are all pre-greased…Mama don’t cook no dinner tonight, ’cause Daddy’s comin’ home with the crabs…

When Tina sings, “I been lovin’ you…too long…and I can’t stop now,” bossman Ike invariably croons, “‘Cause you ain’t ready to die…”

The Otis Redding song is the show-stopper. Back in ’67, Tina was simply breathing heavily over the instrumental passage; by ’69, she was touching the tip of the microphone with both sets of fingers oh, so gently. Now, of course, it’s a programmed gross-out, with Ike slurping and slushing and Tina rigid over the mike doing an unimpressive impression of an orgasm while Ike slams the song to a close, saying “Well, I got mine, I hope you got yours.”

In 1969 it was a solid salute to sex as a base for communication. Now, the subtleties gone, it’s just another request number to keep the crowd happy. “We cut the song,” says Tina, “and Ike kept playing the tune over and over and I had to ad lib, so I just did that – just what comes into your head. So we started doing it on stage. How could I stand on stage, I felt, and say ‘Oh baby, oh baby, uhh’—I’m just going to stand there, like an actress reading the script without any emotion? So I had to act.

“What I did on the Rolling Stones tour was only what had matured from the beginning. I don’t think it can go any further, because it’s, as they say in New York, it’s getting pornographic. I agree, because like now Ike has changed words, which makes it obvious what that meant when we first started doing it. I was thinking it meant sensually but not sexually.

Sometimes he shocks me, but I have to be cool. Sometimes I want to go, ‘Ike, please.’ I start caressing the mike and he goes, ‘Wait ’til I get you home,’ and I feel like going, ‘Oh, I wish you wouldn’t say that.’ Everything else I feel like I can put up with, but not that. But like I can’t question Ike because everything that Ike has ever gotten me to do that I didn’t like, was successful.

“I think in the early Sixties it would have really been out of bounds – like, I probably would have been thrown off the stage. But today, it’s what’s happening. That’s why I can get by with it.”

***

From Tina Pie, this strange crossfire: “… It could be nice but it would probably turn out awful – especially with that dirty ol’ Ike hounding me. I sat through the first half of the second show with him and he kept telling me he want to give me a fit and just ’cause he had Tina didn’t mean he couldn’t want me, too. He’s got the greatest skin going but that’s about it. -Melinda, New York City

Melinda Who? -Ike Turner, New York City

***

Tina is giving me a tour of Ike’s new main studios – the master control room with the $90,000 board featuring the IBM mix-memorizer (a computer card gives an electronic readout on the mix at whichever point the tape is stopped), a second studio marked STUDIO A (Ike Turner’s, can you guess, is STUDIO AA), a writers’ room, business offices for his various managers and aides, a playroom furnished with a pool table, Ike’s own office, and, inevitably, Ike’s private apartment suite.

Again, it is disgusting, flowers chasing each other up the wall, a Cinerama mural of a couple in embrace next to the breakfast table and refrigerator. Again, sofas, of Ike’s own design, with hard-on arms. White early American drapings and chairs, and a draped, canopied bed so garish that Tina turns to Ike and says, “Can I tell ’em what we call this room? We call it ‘the Whorehouse.'”

There’s a double-door air closet at the entrance to Ike’s private quarters, where he spends so many nights, “because of all the work to be done.” This is the Trap. You bust into Bolic Sound, and all the doors are automatically locked, leading you down the hall, into the stairwell in front of the apartment. The only way to open the door there is by dialing a secret telephone number. And the only word that can get to you will come from above you. Ike’s got a TV camera there, too.

Ike Turner has moved around from label to label for 10 years. Ike and Tina began with “A Fool in Love,” which Ike cut with Tina when the original singer for his composition didn’t show up at a date. That record hit in 1960 and was on a midwest R&B label, Sue. It was followed by “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” but the head of Sue delayed its release so long – that he sent the master back three times, said Ike – that he split in 1964, going to Warner Bros.’ fledgling R&B label, Loma, for a pair of live LPs recorded in Ft. Worth and Dallas by “Bumps” Blackwell, now manager of Little Richard.

1963 to 1966 was a dark period for the Revue – they made what they could on the road, and they had no hit records – and Loma records were hard to find. Ike then took his act to Kent, a label he’d worked for in earlier days when he traveled the South scouting and recording, on a cheap Ampex tape recorder, bluesmen like B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf. This time around, he managed a hit for the Ikettes, “Peaches and Cream.” But, he said, “They tried to steal the Ikettes. They sneaked around and tried to buy the girls from under me.”

Then it was Spector, won over by Ike and Tina’s work as a substitute act in the rock and roll film, T’N’T Show. But after “River Deep” bombed, said Ike, “he got discouraged and went down in Mexico making movies.” Phil recommended Bob Crewe as a producer, a single didn’t hit, and they moved to an Atlantic subsidiary, Pompeii Records. “We were lost among all of Atlantic’s own R&B stuff,” Ike said, and that’s when he ran into Krasnow. With no contract ever signed with Blue Thumb, Ike actually made a deal with United Artists/Liberty in mid-1969, before the Stones tour, through their New York-based R&B label, Minit.

“Spector gave Ike an absolute guarantee of hits forever,��� says Bud Dain, then general manager at Liberty. What Minit promised was a $50,000 a year guarantee “plus certain clauses – a trade ad on every release, sensitive timing of releases – but Minit was a mistake. They defaulted on the contract, and Ike was free to break the contract.” Then Ike and Tina toured with the Stones, and the next time Ike talked with Liberty, Liberty was talking about $150,000 a year guarantee, for two albums a year. Ike signed in January, 1970. “The first LP was Come Together, in May,” said Dain. “Now Ike wanted to build his own studios. The option came up again in January, 1971. The album sold well, but we couldn’t exercise the option unless he’d sold 300,000. And he only had one album out that year. But he needed $150,000, and Al Bennett [president at Liberty] believed in him. We gave him the money.”

With the second advance, Ike’s studios were well underway, and he got another hit record, the single on “Proud Mary.” “Then he came in – he needed another $150,000. He got that in June. So there’s a total of $450,000 in advances.”

And that’s why United Artists may yet be Ike and Tina’s final home. Ike Turner must produce those two albums a year, and UA has no choice but to promote its ass off.

***

Ike’s head is on one woman’s lap, his knee-socked feet on another’s. His thin frame is blanketed by a trench coat, a sleeping bridge across the sofa in the dressing room. Tina has her back to them. She’s working her hair into shape for the second show this Friday night, and Ike’s getting the only rest he’s gotten all day. And after the second show, he’ll jump off the revolving stage of the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, then back to the nearby San Francisco Airport to return to his studios to cut instrumental tracks the rest of the night and into the day, then back up to San Francisco and to the Circle Star mid-Saturday evening. In the hallway, after the second show Friday, he stops long enough to give you a solid shoulder grab – a football coach’s kind of friendly gesture – and a warm hello. He turns to the zaftig lady photographer nearby, glancing right through her tangle of cameras and giving her the onceover. He asks if maybe she wouldn’t fly down with him. “What? You got a boyfriend?”

“This is the critical point of our career; I can’t lighten up now,” he says, and is off to the airport. At 2:30 in the morning, Tina – who doesn’t return to L.A. with him – shows up at a banquet room in her hotel for a photo session. The photographer’s assistant asks, “What’s your advice for people getting into the business?”

Tina, at 3 a.m., is serious: “Have some kind of business knowledge.”

In the dressing room between shows, she had said, “I’m glad I got Ike, ’cause I would’ve quit years ago. I probably would’ve worked for promoters and not get paid. Our policy is to have our money before we go on stage. Even if it’s for the President.”

Just before the Stones tour, Ike and Tina were booked for the Ed Sullivan Show, in September, 1969. “And he got his money in front,” says Jeff Trager. Most promoters say 50 percent deposit, the rest after the show. “So Sullivan comes up to Ike before the show, and Ike hasn’t got his guitar with him, and it’s showtime. Sullivan asks where his guitar is, and Ike tells Ed he needs ‘the key to the guitar,’ the key being the money.” Sullivan paid. “You have to protect yourself,” Tina is saying to the two women on the sofa with Ike.

Road manager Rhonda Graham, a stern, curt white woman, is seated nearby, in front of a rack full of Tina’s costumes and shoes. “In the early Sixties we went through that. If you don’t know these people, some of them just take the gate and leave.”

“Three, four years ago, they were playing a club,” Trager recalls, “and Rhonda had a cigar box at the door. And one dollar would go into the box, one dollar to the club. At Basin Street West he got cash all the time.” But if you are black and in the music business, you get burned until you either quit or learn. Turner learned, through all the different labels and beginning in the late Forties.

In junior high, he says, he’d decided to devote himself to “giving people music sounds that they could really dig, and pat their feet to. I’m not a very good speaker, so I try to express myself when I play.” Turner told Pete Senoff: “I started professionally when I was 11. The first group I played with was Robert Nighthawk, then Sonny Boy Williams. This was like back in 1948-1949. I went to Memphis in about 1952. That’s where I met Junior Parker, Willy Nix, Howlin’ Wolf. I was just playing with different groups all around – playing piano. From Junior Parker, I left Memphis and went to Mississippi, where I met the people from Kent and Modern Record Company. That’s when I started scouting for talent for them. That’s when I started recording B.B. King, Roscoe Gordon, Johnny Ace, Howlin’ Wolf. We were just going through the South and giving people there $5 to $10 or a fifth of whiskey while we recorded over a piano in their living rooms.

“I wrote 32 hits for that firm, but I didn’t know what a songwriter’s royalties were. I didn’t know nothing, man. They were sending me $150 a week, which was enough to keep me very happy in Mississippi, but not enough for me to get away to find out what was really going on.”

Right after high school, Ike had formed the first Kings of Rhythm; their first job was in Lulu, Mississippi, and each King got 18 cents for the night’s work. One time, they went to Memphis and recorded “Rocket 88” at B.B. King’s label. It was a local hit. “But some dude at the record company beat me,” Ike said, “and I only got $40 for writing, producing, and recording it. And the lead singer took the band from me and went on his own.” Ike went back to Memphis, gigging around. After the record company job, he went back to his hometown, Clarksdale, reformed the Kings of Rhythm, and ended up in St. Louis. From 1954 to ’57 he played all around the city. One night, 17-year-old Annie Mae Bullock went to see Ike’s show. She had moved to St. Louis two years before to join her sister. “She’d been telling me about Ike Turner, who was like a legend in St. Louis – you know, his picture and name spread about the newspapers. I went to this club to see what it was all about. I remember Ike was on top of the piano like Jerry Lee Lewis and the band was walking, and everybody was moving. Well, I’ve always sung and one night I asked Ike if I could sing and he said okay, but he never called me.” Annie Mae went out again, another night in 1957, to the Club Manhattan. On a B.B. King tune, with Ike on organ, the drummer went to the audience and set the mike in front of her sister – “teasing, I guess. She said ‘No,’ so I grabbed the mike and started singing. Ike looked up all surprised, like, ‘Oh wow, she can really sing.'”

She became a regular, singing on weekends, until she cut “A Fool in Love” in 1960, and the demo became a hit. By that time, they’d been married – “in 1958,” says Tina, “one of those house things, little preacher things, sort of quiet, saying, ‘Okay, let’s do it.'” – and Ike changed Annie Mae’s name to Tina. “He’s always looking for something different in a name,” she said.

Bolic Sound, the name of the studios, is taken from her maiden name. Tine was born in Brownsville, Tennessee, and grew up in Knoxville. They way she stretches her limbs on stage, she looks tall, and her high cheekbones give her a proud Indian appearance. But she’s only 5’4″, and as for Indian blood: “It’s in the family, but I don’t know where or from what tribe. My grandmother really looked like an Indian, though. She was maybe one-fourth Cherokee.”

Tina never studied music. Of course, she learned some from church – in Knoxville, she went to Baptist church and sang in the choir and, in high school, she sang some opera. But mostly she remembers a baby-sitter taking her to “sanctified church, a religion, they call it holiness – it’s where they play tambourines and dance, but not just dancing – dancing like godly to the fast music, sort of like today. I remembered the excitement of the music; it inspired you to dance.”

***

“Before Ike,” says Tina, gingerly feeling hotpants, “I didn’t – I never owned a record player. I listened to songs on the radio, but I never knew the artists went out and performed. I never connected the two. It’s like you’re dumb, you don’t know how they make movies. I never knew…I just thought I’d be singing in a church the rest of my life and marry.”

The dumb kind travels the world and meets royalty. And her innate sensibility shows through. In Ghana: “I went to see where they kept the slaves before they brought them to America – and it was very interesting and touching. They kept the women on one side in a room this big [about 20 by 30 feet]. The only light was three holes at the top, and only the sea light came in. A lot of them got diseases from the dampness of the sea; it formed a sort of crust on the wall. They had to live in all that filth; there was no bathrooms, no nothing. Like just women over here and men over there – the men in a much larger room – and they’d open the door so they could ‘multiply,’ as they called it—in all that filth. It was really something to see where you came from – where it all began.

“I knew nothing about NY-kruma…is that how you say…Nkruma – none of that. I never did much reading. Everything I could have learned in America in two years, I learned in a week’s time. But I went out and toured, going like 100 miles out of the main town. I got a chance to see how the real people live. Huts, no electric lights, no windows. They lived down in the fields.

“But I never go out a lot. Never saw the Statue of Liberty, which I’d really want to – especially since I’ve seen the Eiffel Tower. But I never feel like it; you get in the habit of sleeping all day. But there isn’t a whole lot to see in America. We tore all our historical things down. Like there’s no Indians, no real Indians for you to go out and see.

“Every now and then I read. Like for instance I took time to read what I wanted to about astrology, and I took time to read up on the health food thing.”

Tina is trying to move away from meat, and her kids “are doing vitamin pills, wheat germs, and sunflower seed flour. But I like a good steak now and then…

“I read the Jacqueline Kennedy, the Ethel Kennedy book. From the very beginning I never paid any attention to the political end of America. So then when President Kennedy became president, I became interested, because for some reason I liked him. Every time they said the President’s going to speak, I watched. Something about that family – they’re real people. I don’t know what it is – lively, life-like.”

Ike and Tina played Hyannisport once – “a very small, really cute town for a married couple that’s not interested in the city life and wants to live an old-fashioned sort of clean-cut life” – and got an invitation from Ethel to visit the Kennedy estate. “You could feel there was a real family. Like my family, it’s too late now. Sure, it’s my family, and they know, but I’d like to have been able to teach them things before they reached the age of 13 where…you know how kids question things, why say it this way or…that’s what they do, automatically know that this is the right way and why, not just because I say it is…But you start from the root. Because my oldest son, he’s really prejudiced, and I don’t know why, because we’ve always mixed, being entertainers. And Greg’s got this thing, ‘Ahh, wow, mother, she’s white…’ None of the other kids are like that, but he’s really…”

***

Ike is playing his new sides in his office, and everybody’s moving, just so, head nodding, lower lip out a little, legs maybe churning a bit, and this photographer is sitting there, tapping both feet lightly on the floor, and Ike strikes an accusatory pose: “See? See? You white people – You have to move from inside! Man, white people put black people off beat clapping so long…” Which is not the way the Turners usually talk about their audiences. “Okay,” says Tina. “In the beginning we worked the chitlin’ circuit, and now we go back, and it’s really terrible. They really don’t listen now, because they feel like, ‘Well, we knew you first.’ Black people seem to be like ‘We know what Ike and Tina can do’…like at one of our gigs, a guy right down front kept passing a cigarette the whole time, anything to distract from what’s going on stage. Instead, with a white audience, they sit and listen, and you have their attention. Or they leave. But they never start walking around or start a fight.

“Like I’m not shameful of my people or anything, and I’ve had a lot of people come and say, ‘Mama, when you gonna grow out the hair?’ ‘Where’s the natural?’ I told them, ‘I’m black, you can see it.’ I don’t have to wear a big wooly head of hair. I like straight hair, I wear it, I feel myself, you don’t see me walking around trying to be white…

“Ike could do this better than myself, but have you ever noticed that when black people go to a dance, they dress the complete thing, the high-heeled shoes, the purse. But the whites, they just wear something they’ll be comfortable in. All right, so I think that the black person a lot of times doesn’t go to see what is there, he goes to be seen. And like you find in the middle of a number where you’re really trying to climax your show, someone gets up and walks straight across right in front of you – a woman most likely, or a man dressed with a hat that’s tilted and all the colors, and the flaps on his shoes, and you know, they don’t think a lot about being entertained. They want to do the entertaining.”

***

“I knew there had to be a time for us. I’d go and catch shows that people said were great that did nothing for me. And I felt our show was much better. And I knew we had to get some records out, but I didn’t feel that it was going to be the records. I felt it was going to be timing. I didn’t know that the timing would be a change in the world, but I thought it would be a certain time, like maybe the 70’s. But all of a sudden, remember when they used to call longhairs beatniks? Okay. Now they call them hippies. The hippies came and more of them came and more and more. They took over San Francisco, they took over the highways, they just took over. That was the beginning of the change.

“They changed minds; they said, ‘Well, why?’ and everybody else said, ‘Yeah, why?’ And that’s who accepted us. They felt like ‘why dress up, for the acts.’ ‘Why is it that a woman can’t wear short dresses or whatever?’ You understand what I’m saying? And here I was that they could say, ‘Here is Tina Turner, here is the Supremes. Why is it that Tina Turner isn’t as good as the Supremes? Because you’re of this – would it be – ‘culture’? No – you would say that the Supremes could play for a more sophisticated audience, but Tina Turner couldn’t. And the hippies would say ‘Why?’ So everybody got into the ‘why’ bag and I sit right down in the middle. And sayin’ that this girl and their act is just as good as these other people; it’s class. Really, they just got polished down, and for the other set of people.

“I never did like James Brown. I always did like Ray Charles. He was my only influence, because I always liked to sing more or less like men sing, and sound like they sound. Like he and Sam Cooke were my influences.” What Tina likes, and what she aims for when she choreographs the Ikettes – is action. “I let an Ikette wear an Afro once,” she says – “Esther, the little short one, because it fit her personality and she wanted to. But I’ve found that long hair adds to the action of our show. Esther was on television with a natural, and she said, ‘Why is this, I don’t look like I’m doing anything.’ The difference was the difference in the action. We went on stage once, and I wore a fur dress and the Ikettes wore leopard furry dresses – but you gotta work harder, because there’s no swing. Every time I wear a chiffon dress, everyone says ‘What’s wrong with you tonight, Tina? You weren’t moving.’ The chiffon hides the action.”

Before any given date, Tina will run the Ikettes through rehearsal, “all day and all night and they eat at the house. If I’m training a new girl, we rehearse every day from 2 to 6 for two weeks, like a constant grind, because there’s a lot for her to learn and she’s still going to forget when she gets on stage, because once the music hits you and the audience and the stage and the lights, a different thing comes over you. But now with an old set of girls, I don’t have to call a rehearsal, I’ll say in the dressing room, ‘Hey, let’s put this step in or change this routine.’ It’s a matter of like driving somewhere, someone gives you directions – you go so many blocks and turn left – that’s how I get it over to them.”

Friday night at the Circle Star, the Ikettes were by themselves, each packaged in silver micro-minis, combing out their hair and laughing insults at each other, like dormitory girls. The Kings of Rhythm were into the first of their usual two-number set, and the Ikettes, right on time, were adjusting their sequin chokers and ready to put on their medium-heels. As one, they laughed about the bad old days.

***

Various ex-Ikettes had said how difficult Ike and Tina were, how selfish they were, how stingy (one ex said Ikettes got $30 a night if they were within 50 miles of L.A.; an extra $5 outside – this in ’68 and ’69 – “and we paid our own rent; they just paid transportation”).

Another girl spoke about a fine system – $10 for a run in an Ikettes’ stockings; $25 for “laughing too loud” – even if it happened off-stage, in a hotel room. She also spoke of Ike putting down their singing and hiring local session singers for his albums. When they were called in for a session, she said, they weren’t paid – except for “Bold Soul Sister.” The Ikettes, she said, wrote the song, but didn’t get credit – “only $15 each for that session.”

And the turnover. “They give excuses like, ‘Lots of girls have to get married.’ But most of them just can’t take their baloney. Of course when you leave you have a bad attitude. I was so naïve – Ike’d holler on stage, and it was hard to concentrate on what you were doing.” But, she admitted, it was good training – not unlike boot camp. And there’ve been plenty who’ve served – including Bonnie Bramlett, in 1965 – and another soulful white singer, Kathy MacDonald. Ike found her at the Fillmore West and wanted to sign her as a solo artist, and she sang on “Come Together,” but she stayed with her job in the chorus behind Joe Cocker. “It was very common to get approached by Ike,” said one former Ikette. “He’ll just approach anything in a skirt. He’d be shrewd about it, buy you things and make you think twice about it. Tina may know all this, but she tries to act like she doesn’t. They’re not as happy as they put out front.”

***

The current Ikettes, a minute before curtain call, put on happy faces. “The last time there was a fine was almost two years ago,” says Edna, and she proceeds to knock on wood. Esther “Bills” Jones and Jean Brown Burks (“Brown is my maiden name,” she emphasizes) join her, slamming their knuckles on their vanity table in unison and laughing. “Tell the girls you talked to that things have changed,” said Esther, who’s been an Ikette for three years. Edna dropped out for a year – she had TB – and rejoined, a year ago. Jean dropped out for two years after working two years. She’s been back six months.

Driving from her house to the studios, Tina talks about interviews. Her least favorite question is about the different Ikettes. “Lord knows how many there’ve been,” she says, evading another question by adding, “They leave for one reason or another.” Bonnie Bramlett, she says, “would have lasted, but we went to the South, and we had trouble down in Louisiana, guess she looked too white. We put a scarf on her and we felt she’d pass as ‘a yellow nigger,’ but they just sort of knew, and they blocked us and everything…But whenever I run into anyone like with a good voice that could be an asset to the group – if they can dance – I hire. I don’t worry about color.

“Yeah, I work with the Ikettes on their records because a lot of times they can’t always do Ike’s ideas – control the voice and all. Sometimes we have to use other outside voices for certain sounds…”

As for Ike and Tina and whether they’re a woosome twosome – it’s difficult to tell. Ike makes himself unavailable – by his pace – and lets Tina do the talking. When they do an interview together, invariably they disagree and chide each other. Posing for a photo, Ike is asked to embrace Tina; he does, and warns: “Better catch this quick; I don’t do this often.”

In the dressing room, while Tina talked, Ike slept. In the hallway, while Ike chatted, Tina was in seclusion.

Ike Turner spends most nights in his private apartment – “the Whorehouse,” – a mile away at his new studio, Bolic Sound, but Tina says she stays there whenever she can. And yet she’s upset now because Ike was talking to the telephone man the other day about buying cable lines, so he can hook up another remote camera from his office and watch what’s going on at home.

[iglovequotes]

Caught HUGE Bass At DAM With GIANT Jig (Afternoon Fishing)

[kayakfishers-blog]

10 ESSENTIAL KAYAK FISHING TIPS

There are not many encounters that adversary the feeling of stealthily floating over the water to some concealed spot couple of others visit, as you watch for any aggravation superficially to allude to the nearness of huge fish. Scenes like this are what have made kayak angling a famous interest. For prepared fishermen, and novices the same, the capacity to access spots speedboats can't, coordinated with the reasonableness of kayaking, and the matching of different parts of open air entertainment are gigantic draws. From the outset the wide assortment of apparatus decisions and starting expectation to absorb information of kayaking can appear to be somewhat overwhelming, however once you jump in, you'll see it is genuinely one of the most available exercises out there. Here are 10 fundamental kayak angling tips to enable you to begin.

KAYAK FISHING FOR BEGINNERS

Amateur FISHING KAYAKS

The best angling kayak is the one you possess. All things considered, as of late the innovation and plan of vessels being constructed explicitly for kayak angling have progressed significantly. Finding a pontoon fixed to fish will furnish you with a progressively pleasant encounter and give boundless potential to your new fixation.

Here are a couple of different highlights to search for in an angling kayak that will be gainful out on the water:

Raised seat position for expanded field of vision and throughout the day comfort

Different bar holders

Oar holder

Encased stockpiling, likewise alluded to as a dry bring forth

Deck stockpiling with bungee to keep things secure

GPS/fish discoverer mount for when you choose to include some gadgetry

Retractable pedal power propeller (discretionary sans hands drive accessible on some angling kayaks)

Picking A PADDLE

Picking the best possible oar is almost as fundamental as picking your kayak. When taking a gander at oars, you need a general length that enables you to arrive at the water easily yet not all that long as to be cumbersome. The prescribed length depends on an equation of your tallness, pontoon width, and paddling style, yet a decent beginning spot for the vast majority is around 250 centimeters (or roughly 8' 2").

Picking A PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE

Kayak angling is an action on, close, and maybe, if things don't work out as expected, in the water. You ought to consistently wear an individual floatation gadget (PFD), all the more normally known as an actual existence coat. Be that as it may, there are advantages to them other than keeping you above water. PFDs intended for kayak angling like Old Town's Lure Angler coat are sewn with large compartments that flawlessly fit little fishing supply bags for your go to draws, snares, and pioneers. Diminishing the need to destroy to shore, unstrap, and sift through a cumbersome fishing supply container.

DRESSING FOR SUCCESS

One of the most charming pieces of kayak angling is the way close it carries you to the components. This introduction additionally implies you should be aware of dressing fittingly.

In the event that you are angling in all the way open regions presented to sun and warmth, consider wearing a lightweight long-sleeve shirt, cap, and shades to limit introduction to brutal beams. You can likewise discover lightweight shell pants, neck gaiters, and gloves to expand insurance. Plunging any of your things in the water and returning them on is another extraordinary method to keep cool. Remember to pack water and sunscreen.

Is anything but a day in the tropics for everybody. A considerable lot of us are out meandering in virus water or potentially air temperatures. Regardless of whether the outside temp is mellow, an all-encompassing dive in virus water can prompt hypothermia. A wetsuit is a moderate and tough choice to keep you warm and could likewise be matched with a shell coat for expanded breeze security. At the exceptionally least, wear appropriate layers, for example, fleece or a manufactured material like polypropylene, alongside a water-repellent shell.

KAYAK BASS FISHING TIPS

Bait SELECTION

Bass are one of the most well known species for kayak angling. To target bass, you will need to assemble a fishing supply bag furnished with baits they can't help it. Start with a bunch of baits that will give you various introductions and enable you to arrive at various water segments. Have a top water draw to skitter along the surface; spinner or wrench traps to pull over your ideal water section; and a sack of wormlike delicate goads that you can fix in an assortment of ways, from plunging, to jigging, and even simply suspending. Figure out how to utilize your various sorts of baits and add to your tool compartment from that point.

Build up YOUR ROD QUIVER

It tends to be hard to tell what the bass are up to every day. Instead of gobbling up time changing your draws to and fro, have a few poles fixed up and prepared to fly. Bars in the seven-foot range function admirably for kayak angling. In the event that you are new to the game, a turning reel will be faster to get the hang of contrasted with a snare throwing reel.

Utilizing THE AQUATIC TERRAIN

An angling kayak gives the particular bit of leeway to go pretty much anyplace on the water. You can embrace banks, slide between tree stumps, or journey through lily cushions. You will extraordinarily build your prosperity by utilizing this favorable position and understanding where the bass will in all likelihood be. Changes top to bottom, land that squeezes the water body, halfway submerged articles, and the edges of sea-going vegetation, are for the most part extraordinary spots to begin.

Angling FROM A KAYAK

Throwing FROM A KAYAK

Your first time throwing from a kayak will most likely feel somewhat clumsy. The vessel is going to wobble around which may have you trust it is insecure and prepared to flip. It may sound more difficult than one might expect, however you need to make sure to unwind and believe your pontoon for what it was worked for.

Your kayak configuration has what is called starting and auxiliary security. Introductory soundness is the vessel sitting level in the water as you paddle around. Auxiliary soundness happens when the pontoon inclines, for example, when you make a sensational development. This is the soundness you need to trust.

At the point when we state unwind, we mean relax up the lower half of your body and let the pontoon move side to side beneath your midsection. Straightforwardness up on your throws while you are getting settled with this. Make pleasant simple throws. Work on remaining free in the pontoon and getting your bait to arrive delicately in the water.

On the off chance that your angling kayak has a wide stage configuration, similar to the Topwater we referenced before, you may one day feel certain to make standing throws, which is an incredible method to expand your observable pathway and throwing separation. On the off chance that you attempt this, make sure to remain with feet wide separated, twist your knees, and remain free beneath your midsection for indistinguishable reasons from above.

PADDLING SKILLS

Paddling is a large portion of the fun (and challenge) of kayak angling. Legitimate strokes will enable you to move successfully toward your proposed goals, particularly when confronting solid breeze or current. Right oar strokes likewise spare you vitality for the battle on the finish of your line.

The forward stroke is the stroke you will utilize more than some other. It gives the engine to take you where you need to go. Here are a couple of tips on the forward stroke:

Look where you need go.

Spot paddle edge in the water close to your toes, or to the extent agreeable without over-broadening yourself.

Enable the cutting edge to submerged in the water before pulling back on it.

When pulling the oar edge through the water, utilize your enormous muscle bunches in your middle instead of your littler muscle bunches in your arms. You can achieve this by winding your middle to move the sharp edge. Consider the manner in which you would turn to pull the beginning string on a garden cutter.

Except if you will likewise utilize a stroke to direct, you should cut the sharp edge out of the water around your hip to abstain from conveying it excessively far.

LANDING FISH

It's a remunerating feeling when a lively fish weighs down on your bait and your line sizzles off the reel as it takes off. With aptitude and some karma, the inescapable minute comes when you are prepared to arrive your fish. That is normally when you understand this last part is somewhat precarious in a kayak. We've all been there.

Reel until you have an arm range or less of line out from the tip of your bar to the fish. Put the pole in your grasp uttermost from the fish. While keeping strain hanging in the balance, draw the pole over your body, away, and somewhat up from the fish. Your free hand should now have the option to net or support the fish in the suitable way. Congrats, on your catch!

GO FISH!

Keep in mind, kayak angling is a long lasting interest, and individual experience will have the most exercises to educate. The people group is additionally an inviting one, and many experienced paddling fishers would be glad to share their insight. At the end of the day, get out there and fish! If you are looking for more information about kayak fishing visit fishing kayak reviews right away.

[cascadevacationrentals-blog]

Fishing the North Shore and Boundary Waters

Fishing near and on Lake Superior is to an angler what the Tour de France is to a cyclist. Likewise, fishing in or near the Boundary Water is the equivalent of traveling to Graceland for an Elvis fan.

In other words, we’re talking about some amazing places to go fishing.

From native brook trout swimming in cool, clear streams that flow into Lake Superior to pristine glacier-carved inland lakes with depths of more than 100 ft., there’s no shortage of opportunities when it comes to fishing in what our team at Cascade Vacation Rentals call our backyard.

So with the understanding, the varied fishing opportunities can seem overwhelming by their mere abundance, let’s break it down and focus on two types of fishing.

Option #1: Topwater Fishing for Smallmouth Bass

Topwater fishing is a simple concept. Your lure or fly (if you using a fly rod) stays on top of the water as you reel it in while pursuing fish. Rather than watching a bobber vanish to the depths or lazily bouncing a jig of the bottom, topwater fishing is all about working the surface. Most anglers use an imitation frog while fishing in this method, and often time the louder you retrieve the better. Topwater lures include the Hula-Popper, Heddon Torpedo or the Jitterbug. In fact, these are all classic and time-tested topwater lures. Smallmouth bass will mistake your lure to be a desperate frog and literally wallop it as it moves across the water. And then… hang on! Topwater magic!

Option #2: Charter Fishing on Lake Superior

Fishing on Lake Superior is at the top of many bucket lists for all levels of anglers. Because the “Big Lake” is so large, so deep and so powerful, many anglers opt to hire a guide or charter service when they go fishing on Lake Superior. There are charter fishing establishments in Duluth, Silver Bay, Tofte, Grand Marais, and Thunder Bay to assist with narrowing the scope of an otherwise huge body of water.

Fishing on Lake Superior is a far cry from fishing on a neighborhood pond. It involves specialized equipment including downriggers, strong (and expensive) fishing rods and reels and a very capable watercraft. If you don’t have easy access to all of the above, hiring a guide is the way to go.

Once you are on the water, however, it will all be worth it. Lake trout the size of small farm animals swim in these waters. So too do salmon, steelhead trout and a wide variety of prized Minnesota game fish.

Flashy spoons or deep-diving plugs work well in Lake Superior. The key to finding the fish is to get your lure deep, literally hundreds of feet deep if possible. Again, a charter captain is probably the way to go when fishing on Lake Superior, and we’re more than happy at Cascade Vacation Rentals to help point you in the right direction when it comes to finding a chartered fishing vessel.

To find more information on the NorthShore or perfect places to stay go to: 

Cascade Vacation Rentals

[doomedandstoned]

Lexington’s FORREST Astound with Musical Wizardry in ‘Final Frontier’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Art by Brittani Fuller

For the past few weeks, Doomed & Stoned has been treating you to the sounds of 'Final Frontier' (2019), the new EP from Kentucky's proggy instrumental post-sludge quartet FORREST, and today we get to hear the record in its entirety. It's a clever, even inventive, and electrifying spin that finds Forrest wrangling a rambunctious, sprawling sound like a veteran rodeo cowboy.

Here we have five exciting numbers that can certainly stand up as self-contained tracks, but for full impact you can't beat taking them as five consecutive shots (though you might end up just a bit tipsy by the end). There's the hot-to-trot opener, "Bubba"; the monstrous "To Lose a Whale"; the grave, but persistent doomer, "The Final Frontier (Dan II)," featuring some very tight drumming; the punchy, proggy crooner "The Intensity of Frenchness"; the folksy jig-turned-dirge, "Specialman," complete with some surprisingly warm vintage rock moments; and the vigorous album closer, "Vacation (...Don't Ever Come Back), which feels like a solemn car ride full of aching heads and reflection after a night of solid debauchery.

Congrats to Riley Logan (lead guitar), Charlie Overman (rhythm guitar, synths), Jared McIntyre, and Josh Summerville (drums) on this bold and distinct entry into the ever crowding swamp of sludgy doom! If you're anything like me, you'll find yourself binge listening this one on the daily. Final Frontier by Forrest releases on Wednesday, July 17th.

Give ear...

Final Frontier by Forrest

Peeking Under The Hood with Forrest

Photographs by Nathan Hampton

'Final Frontier' is an incredible effort, guys. What are some of your roots, musically and technically speaking?

For influences, I'd say Melvins, Deftones, Yob, and Mastodon.

I'm always interested to hear different band's experiences recording an album, especially when it sounds this damned good. Walk us into studio, if you would, and describe the whole she-bang for.

The EP’s got its fair share of progginess, but even the least doomy tracks on the record were recorded through old Sunn stuff and driven mainly by boutique fuzz pedals built by our friend Eric over at frost giant electronics -- he’s also in the band Switchblade Jesus. The production and engineering side of things was done by our good friend Will Chewning at Springhurst Recording studio. The environment was super chill, and this was the second time we’ve worked with him. We love it there. The artwork was done by Brittani Fuller.

I think it would be cool to give our readers some insight into the songs on the new record. Do you mind walking us through it?

Alright, Billy, so in regards to background on the tracks:

Bubba -- As far as thematic tie-ins, it's named after the character Bubba from the movie Forrest Gump. In fact, as you'll see, most of this EP's songs are either Forrest Gump themed or Star Trek: The Next Generation themed.

To Lose a Whale -- This song was originally going to be added to the end of the EP as a bonus track. However, once the song was finished we timed it's length and discovered it was roughly three-and-a-half minutes long, so we decided to add it as its own track. With this second song, while it does have a rather different sound than the rest of the EP, it still follows a similar formula to many Forrest songs, "Bubba" and "The Intensity of Frenchness" in particular -- the pattern being a heavy/catchy intro riff, a high, spacey post-lead thingy in the middle, and then a return to that heavy/catchy riff. The song was in part inspired by Gojira, hence the name, "To Lose a Whale." On the song "Flying Whales" by Gojira, their vocalist at one point screams, "I have to find the whales!" Riley and I were listening to it once and he goes: "It'd have to be pretty fuckin hard to lose a whale!" Beyond the Gojira reference, the sample in the beginning is from a scene in Star Trek: The Next Generation in which Data attempts to do stand-up comedy.

The Final Frontier (Dan II) -- Half the title is obviously a Star Trek reference. However, the second half is the song's original title, very simply "Dan II." There's a song off of our first EP entitled "Dan," named after Lieutenant Dan from Forrest Gump. In "Dan II" we took the bridge riff from the original "Dan" and turned it into one of the song's main riffs. The bridge section in the middle of the song, over which Riley takes a solo, was probably bit off the album which we all spent the most time obsessing over. That bridge section was inspired primarily by Yob. I can say with confidence, I think it's one of the sweetest doom riffs around.

The Intensity of Frenchness -- This is a reference to Captain Jean Luc-Picard, the captain of the Enterprise on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The song opens with a sample from the show in which Picard delivers his famous one-liner: "Make it so." The intro riff is also inspired by a French progressive rock band called Totorro. This is the third song on the record after "Bubba" and "To Lose a Whale" that follows the formula of heavy/catchy intro to weird, spacey post-lead riff and then back to a heavy/catchy riff. In this song, and in Bubba's case, they return to the same riff as in the intro.

Specialman -- This one's named as such because Forrest Gump is a special man. Maybe that's insensitive or something, I don't know. Regardless, this one's inspiration is sort of all over the place. The only thing I can say for sure is that the bridge section with the jazzy chords was written in an attempt to weave a doo-wop chord progression into a metal song, and I'd say it was done successfully. The song reminds me of the Melvins, in many ways -- the last riff of the song, the tones, and the way things are played; you know, dynamics and all.

Vacation (...don't ever come back) -- After the recording was finished, Riley described it as John Baizley and Mike Scheidt merged into one big, pretty, doomy thing. Something along those lines. It was heavily inspired by the Baroness song "Grad," and while I can't say for certain, I'd say the flute popped into his head either from Zelda or from Jethro Tull. The song gets its title from another Forrest Gump reference, in which Forrest is talking about his Dad leaving his Mom and him as a boy, and his Mom describing it to him as a vacation. I think Forrest asks something like, "What's a vacation?" and she goes when you leave and never come back. Something along those lines.

What kind of instruments, amps, and gear did you use in the recording?

Just for context, our standard rigs are:

Charlie (rhythm guitar): Epiphone SG for C standard tuning, an Ibanez rg7421 for 7-string A standard tuning, Egnater Tweaker 40 amplifier head, Way huge electronics Green Rhino, Frost Giant Electronics Massif, a 300-watt 2x12 with an Eminence Tonker and an Eminence Legend 1218. I also turned on a nano chorus occasionally.

Riley (lead guitar): Gibson Les Paul Studio, occasionally a Fender Strat, both for C standard tuning, Ibanez rg7421 for 7-string A standard tuning, Jet City JCA20HV which is a head they made in part with the Soldano brand. He uses a Laney 2x12, also 300-watts with two Eminence Swamp Thangs in it. As far as pedals for him, he was using a Frost Giant Electronics Soma Fuzz, a Leviathan which is a custom one off pedal he had made by a guy here in Lexington, which is an octave fuzz and a JFet boost. He uses an ehx canyon for a ton of the ambient parts as well. Along with a delay and chorus here and there.

Jared (bass): Squier Jazz bass for C standard, Epiphone Thunderbird bass for A standard. We tracked Jared through a DI, and then reamped him through an old Sunn Sorado head. We also used that head all over the record for guitar overdubs. For some parts Jared would use an old 90s Black Russian Big Muff as well as an EHX POG. I believe we ran him through an ampeg speaker cab, but I can't remember specifically. If you'd really like to know I can find out.

Josh (drums): Josh switches up his rig constantly, but at the time of recording he was using a drum kit with evans drum heads, and a mix of meinl, and Zildjian cymbals. He used Vic Firth sticks as well I'm pretty sure.

With the standard rigs out of the way, for the individual songs some little extra pieces of gear are:

For the song Bubba, we used pretty much only our standard rigs on this song, not really many overdubs. However, the spacey post lead section in the middle, Riley used an MXR Blue Box, an octave fuzz, to really thicken up those leads and add an extra layer to everything.

While it's probably one of the songs that strays most from doom in the traditional sense, much of To Lose a Whale was recorded through that old Sunn Sorado head guitars and bass included, along with the standard rigs of course. Josh also used some bongos on this track.

Mostly standard rigs were used for the bones of The Final Frontier (Dan II), however, we did lots of overdubs with the old Sunn head through an Emperor 4x12 loaded with Ted Webers. For this song I'd say it's also important to note we used exclusively dirt sounds from the amps for crunchy stuff and our Frost Giant Electronics fuzzes for the big fuzzy bits, i.e. most of the song. (laughs) Nothing in between, though. For this one, I put a Korg Ms-20 mini synthesizer with a bit of analog tape echo added over top of the very beginning of the song to thicken it up even more. It was a patch I'd been working on for a while, and I was glad to get to use it. Riley used his canyon pedal lots on this track, as well.

Once we transition into the clean bit right before the super heavy middle section with the same melody, Riley's tone there is his Frost Giant Electronics Soma turned on with the volume on his guitar rolled off, I think it sounds particularly amazing right there. When that riff gets giant and fuzzy over top of the fuzziness there's a Hammond organ droning and following the melody of that riff. When it goes back into the crunchy riff that was taken from the original Dan, we used that old Black Russian Big Muff for guitar overdubs when the whole band kicks in.

We used standard rigs for both Specialman and The Intensity of Frenchness, plus a banjo overdub on the middle section of the latter.

For the final track, Vacation (...don't ever come back), Riley used his standard guitar rig and his Leviathan for pretty much all the dirt. I didn't play guitar on this track and instead just did some droning on the Korg MS-20 mini synthesizer, as well as a Roland Juno-6 synthesizer. There's also a flute.

The Great Forrest Giveaway!

Forrest has some Bandcamp download codes for y'all and I do mean they have dropped the motherlode! Get 'Final Frontier' (2019) por nada while you can (redeem here).

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The First 4 Rod/Reel Combos You Should Own.

The First 4 Rod/Reel Combos You Should Own.

For a newcomer to bass fishing, picking out fishing rods can be a difficult endeavor because there’s so many out there! Each manufacturer will carry enough models to overstuff any boat’s rod storage and many of the rods may seem nearly identical to a novice. So where do you begin? Here I suggest the first four combos that beginning anglers should start with.

First, understand that not any one rod/reel combo can adequately and efficiently cover all of the bass fishing techniques popular today. To be a versatile angler, knowledge of several techniques is required. If you watch any professional bass tournament on TV, you will often see that the competitors have a wide range of rod/reel combinations laid out on the front deck of their boat. Plus you don’t see another 10 or more stored in their rod box. They have all of these combos because many techniques are performed best with very specific rod/reel setups. And there are soooo many techniques nowadays!

Second, understand where you fish, so you know which rod/reel combos will be most important. These you should purchase first. For example, an angler whose home lake is Lake Okeechobee, FL might want to first purchase a 7 ½ foot flippin’ stick because of the all the thick, shallow vegetation. Contrast that to an angler who fishes mostly spotted or smallmouth bass on clear lakes. There, a med-light spinning combo might be a good first purchase because finesse tactics are likely to be a large component of fishing strategies.

So keeping the above in mind, here are four rod/reel combos offering a range of variation that allows an angler to cope with a wide spectrum of fishing techniques. I offer these in no particular order:

7 foot, heavy power, fast action, premium graphite, baitcasting rod. Match it with a baitcasting reel having close to a 7:1 gear ratio. Rod sensitivity is really important with many of the techniques implemented by this rod, so purchase a rod made with a high grade, graphite blank. This rod can execute so many techniques extremely well that use lures/weights in the 3/8 to 1 oz. range. These would include spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swimbaits, Texas-rigs, Carolina-rigs, football jigs, swim jigs, flipping jigs, and beefy plugs/cranks/glidebaits. This rod can also be a substitute for a flipping stick, although it is has more flex than preferred.

7 ½ to 8 foot, extra heavy power, fast action, premium graphite, baitcasting rod. Match it with the same baitcaster as above. Again, sensitivity is vital here, plus so is the weight of the rod. High grade, graphite rods are more sensitive and weigh less, so look for rods made of this. This rod will handle the heaviest of lure presentations, starting at about 5/8 ounce on up from there. Techniques for this outfit typically include flipping, pitching, frogging, swimbaiting, and umbrella rigging.

7 foot, med-light power, fast action, premium graphite, spinning rod. Pair it with a spinning reel of a 3000 to 4000 in size. This rod is needed because baitcasting outfits are unable to effectively cast lightweight lures/weights under a ¼ ounce. Techniques used with this rod call for a high degree of sensitivity. Therefore like above, look for a rod made with a high grade, graphite blank. This outfit will handle all of the finesse techniques that are most often associated with very clear lakes/rivers. These include wacky-rigs, Ned-rigs, necko rigs, drop-shots, jigworms, and shaky-heads. This rod will also be able to cast lightweight plugs, crankbaits, and small swimbaits.

6 ½ to 7 foot, medium power, fast action, graphite composite, baitcasting rod.  Match this with a baitcasting reel having about a 7:1 gear ratio. It is not necessary to pay up for a high-grade graphite rod due to the techniques matched to this rod. Sure, “feel” is always important, but if money is to be saved by purchasing a rod with less graphite, this is the niche where it can be done without losing much. Heavily rely on this rod for lures in the 1/4 to 5/8 ounce range such as topwater plugs, jerkbaits, crankbaits, and swimbaits.

Every serious bass angler has more than four rod/reel combos, because they also have combos for very specific niches as well as duplicates of often used combos. The combos mentioned here provide a great foundation from which to build. How to build from here all depends upon each angler’s style of fishing and where they fish. That is why I go no further than those listed.

With the above four rod/reel combos, I can visit any lake/river in the country, and have an outfit that is very capable of implementing effective techniques for that particular fishery.  Take any of these away and a huge hole opens up, preventing the use of certain essential lures.  I highly recommend beginners to own these combos first, and try not to get lost in the jungle of rods that are out there!

The post The First 4 Rod/Reel Combos You Should Own. appeared first on Guide Outdoors.

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[fishinggearshop]

12 Tips About Saltwater Bucktail Jig

Prior to you check out the complying with ideas on exactly how to fish a bucktail in the surf, let's assess what a bucktail really is. It's a leadheaded jig clothed with hair from a deer. Does not need to be from a dollar deer, but bucktail sounds better than doetail or deertail, doesn't it?

Before the advent of plastics and synthetics, buoyant deer hair was the very best readily available material to place on the shank of a jig hook (hair from squirrel tails was/is huge on freshwater spinners, as well). Currently there are all type of soft-plastic bodies to put on jigs, either with or without bucktail hair. However a bucktail jig continues to be among the best and also most functional appeals for deep sea fishing in general, and also particularly for usage in for surf fishing, probably since it can imitate the food of many gamefish.

12 Tips About Saltwater Bucktail Jig:

Lug a selection of saltwater bucktail jigs in a range of colors and also dimensions (weights).

Focus mostly on jigs with a round or bullet head form; these cast well and also sink quickly.

Utilize a thin size line when fishing a bucktail in the browse to keep control and also feel in what is commonly a turbulent setting. This also aids casting range.

1: Suit appeal dimension to the size of neighborhood bait that are prominent at the time you're fishing.

2:While lots of colors of bucktails are readily available, there's a good reason why a red head and also white body is an all-time fave, specifically when bucktailing striped bass in daytime hours.

3: Other top shade considerations consist of chartreuse bucktails and bucktails with sparkled touches, such as mylar or crystal flash, in the body clothing. 

4: The latter are especially helpful for blues and Spanish mackerel.

5: Differ your retrieve relying on the offered varieties. When fishing a bucktail in the surf, a fast get simply listed below the surface area is good for bluefish and also Spanish mackerel. 

6: A slow fetch along all-time low is usually best for stumble, multicolor trout, and striped bass.

7: When neighborhood bait is small, a plain bucktail without any enhancement may be best.

8: Soft-bodied trailers can make an appealing addition to a bucktail. Try a curl-tail version for stripers as well as flounder, and also a shad-tail variation for drum, speckled trout, as well as redfish.

9: All-natural lure is also a great enhancement to a bucktail; squid as well as fish stubborn belly prevail, the former particularly for flounder. Hard and also resilient are very important features.

10: Pork rind, currently difficult to find, has actually long been a preferred and also resilient jig trailer, and also is specifically helpful where bluefish prevail. Instead of pork rind, try strong synthetic (and scented) strip baits.

11: Fetch a jig right back to your setting, and also with the browse line if you're standing on the coastline. 

12: Fish usually follow a lure and strike when they think the victim is about to escape, so do not stop your retrieve too short.

There's no far better way to learn exactly how to fish a bucktail in the surf than to venture out there as well as do it as commonly as feasible. Ensure to have your angling license each time you go.

[largemouthbassnation]

Pond fishing BIG Bass Follow me on snapchat: peelindrag Instagram: peelindrag Fishing a new pond with swim jigs for some huge largemouth bass!

[grahambarclay-au]

The Best Artificial Baits and Lures for Bass

If you’re new to bass fishing or perhaps you’ve been at it a while and you’re just looking to take someone else fishing for the first time, there are a handful of baits that are almost guaranteed to get bit. But getting bit isn’t the only issue for someone with limited fishing experience; you’ll also want bait that can be cast and fished easily.

Throwing in those last two criteria starts to narrow down the list of potential candidates when looking for a bass fishing bait for a beginner to throw. This article will list down the best baits and lures you can use to catch bass. You can purchase them in marine shops or in tackle stores. 

Jigs: These are weighted lures that usually have some skirt that pulses in the water and attracts the bass. They can be used year-round, able to catch bass in everything from 50-degree weather to 90-degree weather. They can be used in shallow or deep water and are useful in a variety of environments, including everything from steep underwater banks to shoreline grasses. 

Crankbait: Crankbaits often look like small fish or crayfish. They have a lip on the front that causes them to dive underwater and wobble as they are retrieved. They work in almost all types of weather and can be used in a variety of depths of water. 

Jerkbaits: Jerkbaits sit on top of the water. By jerking the rod, anglers can give the jerkbait a lifelike action, making it attractive to the bass. They tend to work well in clear water, cold water, or when the bass is actively feeding on baitfish. They are useful in a variety of weather and conditions. 

Rubber worm: Rubber worms can be used in a wide variety of conditions, making them enormously popular with anglers. They can be rigged in various ways, allowing them to be used in both deep and shallow water. Conventional methods of rigging rubber worms include the drop shot, and weightless.

Rubber Prey Baits: In addition to the rubber worm, anglers also use rubber baits that accurately mimic the prey of the largemouth bass. This includes rubber crawfish, rubber salamanders, and rubber frogs. Like worms, rubber prey can be rigged in a huge variety of ways, making them useful in many different environments. 

Spinnerbait: Spinnerbaits have metal blades on them that rotate when pulled through the water. The rotating blades catch and reflect the light, which makes them look like baitfish to largemouth bass. They also have rubber skirts that flutter in the water, further attracting bass. They can be used in deep or shallow water, as well as in a variety of environments. 

Swimbait: Swimbaits are known for having particularly lifelike action. Their tail shakes when retrieved, and they also have a natural rolling motion. This is a deadly combination; these two actions create vibrations in the water that attract bass. They can be fished in a variety of depths of water.

So when is the best time to catch bass?

Bass are visual predators, relying on their keen sense of eyesight to help them identify and attack prey. They can see better in low-light conditions than most of the prey they hunt, which is one reason why early morning and evening tend to be particularly good times for fishing in your aluminium boat. Bass can ambush their prey without first being spotted.

[themousai]

Q+A: Flirting With Disaster

You released your first single  'Catastrophizing' since your 2015 debut album earlier this year in August, what was the reaction like to it after being quiet on the music front for so long? It was actually really good. A lot of people liked the new direction, the harder / faster sort of vibe. Which is exciting, as a lot of our new album will have a 'similar' sort of feel (but still it's really varied, the overall vibe is 'to the point - no bullshit, no filler').  

Can you tell us how the new music you're working on compares to your first album? It's a lot more direct, but still just as varied I think. I feel like there's not a single part or section in the new album that's 'just there'. It all seems like it fits, and has purpose. Lyrically it's a lot more black and white as well, which I really like. There's some really short and fast songs, and some tracks that have more depth and variances. I'm excited for people to hear this! I think if they liked our last record they'll really dig this one. But still, it's not written to try and appeal to anyone but ourselves (for better or worse!), but I like that - as it keeps it feeling honest. The moment you start writing music "because this type of song does well" it loses credibility and honesty.

You've managed to get support slots for some great international bands, with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus on 28th November and Mayday Parade on 6th December up next. What's been your favourite show you've supported on? I think the Pennywise show was probably my personal favorite, though mostly because it was our first show in about a year at that time. I also had the worst throat infection / cold at the time, so I couldn't hit a single vocal note and lost my voice after 2-3 songs haha, but fuck it - the crowd liked the energy so we fed off that.  

Chazz, you've been a part of the NZ music scene for a long time now. How do you think it's changed over the years? To be honest, we all have. Kev has been in it longer than I have. But anyway - things have changed heaps over the years. Crowds are different, shows are different. I guess at our age (playing punk rock) it's not like you really get a band following like you did when you were in your teens / early twenties. We aren't playing 'popular / radio friendly' music, so it's always sort of interesting playing live - not knowing what to expect from the crowd. I think the older audiences get it much more than the younger ones, and good riddance too - as the younger generations just stand there with their phones out rather than moving, which seems bizarre at a punk rock show. But that's just the way the world has gone. Back in the day the fans sort of would just become your best friends. I don't think it's like that anymore, it's more like "I saw a band live, they were good... Who were they again?" haha.

So how did Flirting With Disaster come about? I was chatting to Kev at a show, I think it was Snakes of Iron and The Rabble on K road many years ago. Kev and I always got on, and he suggested we started a 'Transplants meets boxcar racer' style project. I was in for that, so we asked our friend "Ash" to play bass and eventually got together and jammed and started writing tunes. A few months later, we asked Tony if he wanted to join the band as I've always loved his tunes / voice, so Ash switched to second guitar and tony started playing bass specifically for FwD.  

You've been teasing some exciting stuff like a new album and US tour dates, what can you tell us about the future of Flirting With Disaster that you're most looking forward to? Right now we are really just focusing on getting these new songs as good as we can. We are taking our time because we don't want to rush them out when we aren't 100% happy, but they are coming together quickly regardless. We actually had to say "ok, we have to stop writing new songs or we'll never get this album done" because we are on such a roll with music.  Though, Tony played me a new song he wrote the other day that's so good that I think we'll have to put that one in too. (track 16?).      

Quick Fire

The one song I wish I wrote is... For me, it was always either Green Days "American Idiot" or "21st Century Breakdown". The break in 21st CB, where it goes to that faster "Celtic Jig on Cocaine" style part blows my mind. I've listened to it about six thousand times.

Three things I can’t live without are... My Guitar, Music and unfortunately my phone (as it organizes my life)

If I could only play music in one genre for the rest of my life it would be... Punk Rock. All I've ever played, and all I want to.

Three adjectives that describe my life are... Impatient, Anxious, Busy. hahaha. Fuck knows.

If I held a world record it would be for... Something useless.

My first memory of loving music is... Probably sitting on my parents bed watching a live Queen show.

The song of mine that I am the most proud of is… Currently it's a song called "Rescue Remedy" off our new album. But this changes all the time.

My favourite venue I've ever played is… In Blackpool for "The Rebellion Festival", I think it was "Winter Gardens". Huge hall, massive stage!

The ideal environment for me to create music in is… A tidy recording studio / practice space.

If I could have any two bands open for me they would be… Green day and Millencolin? Or Eminem.

Disclaimer: all answers by Chazz Valentine

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Interview by Scarlett Dellow

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[audio-luddite]

Electrostatic Speakers.

They are out there. There are things I like and things I don't about them. Many years ago I thought they were the best you could have. And that is what I wanted. Full range from low to high no cross-overs, seamless sound. The large surface area couples almost ideally to the air in the room so converting electrical signals to sound waves is very efficient. Mostly true then and still today.

The down side is dipole radiation so the back wave bounces around and can cause weird effects. Some of those are very pleasant. Placement in the room is difficult. Another thing is limited low frequency response as the wavelength approaches the size of the speaker. Not so bad if you make them BIG. Bwah Ha Ha Ha!

Ironically they are the easiest to build from scratch. Mechanically they are so simple. I had a basic design from a 1970s issue of "Audio Amateur" and I was off to the races. Two sheets of perforated metal each with a thin frame of polycarbonate and a sheet of mylar with a conductive coating in a sandwich. A bit of work, some funky jigs and a lot of epoxy was all it took. I was turning out an 18" by 48" by 1/4" panel every week. I needed 6 of them.

The principle is very simple. You polarize the membrane with a thousand volts DC (more or less). Attach the outputs (high voltage) of an audio quality transformer to the front and back with the center tap on the polarized sheet ( think through a capacitor to block deadly levels of DC ) and physics does the rest. Execution is not so simple. I needed transformers and the logical source was out of a tube amplifier. More logic told me to buy operating tube amps and hook up the primaries to the speaker poles.

In the end I had two huge wood frames over five feet square, (not five square feet ) each holding three of my panels. I had a tube amplifier on station beside each frame operating as full range ES speakers.

It did not go perfectly smoothly. I found I needed to limit the width of the free membrane to prevent arcing so there was some trial and error. I almost blew myself up with the polarizing power supply. I had a hard time tracking down those tube amps too. But it all worked in the end.

And yes there was a severe roll off in the deep Bass, but a big woofer cabinet took care of that with a cheap used transistor amp. The cross over was a trick, but it all ran nicely. Audio nirvana was mine.

The sound was amazing. Thing is when you invest a lot of work and worry into a thing it does skew your opinions. There were flaws but I did not mind them so much. They were huge and imposing. That is the image of a hardcore audio nut isn't it? A chair, two huge speakers, wires all over the floor, and a stack of records. Been there.

OK why talk about this now? Two reasons. One is my last post was about a review of an amplifier and one of the speakers used in the test was the KLH 9. It is a full range electrostatic speaker from I think 1958. I think they started to make them again. Those looked a lot like my version 2 electrostatics. I thought about those for the first time in a long while.

Way back when I met a girl. I married her and we moved a couple times. I moved those big ass speakers once and promised never again. I took them apart and packed away the bits for the future. In the meanwhile I built a few simple small speakers in boxes and was impressed how they did not sound all that bad compared to the monsters.

Version 2 arrived after a few more moves when I decided to resurrect the beast in a reduced form. One panel per side rather than three. Simple frame, everything else about the same. Still sounded pretty good. There is always a but.

The flaws in the ES concept are several. Dipoles have equal output front and back. There is a lot of cancellation, and a lot of the signal is reflected about. The narrower the dipoles the worse that is. The membrane is like a drum skin and has a fundamental resonance very similar to a large drum. Bong! Dispersion of the high frequencies gives you a head in a vice sweet spot for listening. And finally the Bass roll off is inevitable, but you sort of forgive that as your brain is fooled by the initial transient. You still hear the drum it just does not rumble. Low pedal organs likewise do not work well. That is what subwoofers are for but they are far from perfect.

Finally they still take up a lot of room. You need to set them well away from the wall or they sound like crap. Looked cool though. Not unlike the KLH 9.

There are other things like having hundreds of volts of electricity around toddlers and related safety issues. Fabric covers only help a bit. So I put them away again and went back to box speakers. Once again not bad compared to the deadly lightning beasts. I also went back to a big transistor amp. I built it from parts left over from when Dynaco went under. I did not strictly follow the plans. And compared to my tube amps which I still had it was much better. Not just different, better!

This is a journey after all. You explore and learn things. What I thought then is obsolete. The really interesting thing is I am sure what I have now is actually much better than that old dream system.

This is supposed to be fun so be sure to enjoy the experience.