Just wanted to tell you I have enjoyed your band and certainly your intellect.I'm refering to the silliness of the past week and those hyper-defensive kids. You are a gentleman, and a true supporter of Albuquerque's music scene. Both with your band's music and the bitchen badges you guys crank out. Levi, you rock! And it's all about the rock!

Thanks. Same here!
I don't really mind though...
tensions seem to run high when there is no real contact or accountability.
Whattaya gonna do, right?

Speaking of buttons, I'm ordering a screenpress tomorrow (if ebay still has the one I want) so we'll be doing shirts as well. I really do try to do my part for the scene; even if I don't think it is worth it sometimes. We are trying to go all the way pro with this merch bit, probably be all the way there next year.
Check out my rough draft of my personal design-deal LEVI ELEVEN: I MAKE ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

(I'm still working on it)
For anybody out there who has a skill and wants to contribute, I'm thinking of doing WORKGROUP as a loose collective-type deal: you know, the kind that everybody wants to do in this town and it always falls through? I'm hoping to be able to offer to bands the entire package: web sites, buttons, shirts, stickers, photos, fliers, etc. Anyway, keep it in mind, I'll be doing some recruiting when the whole thing is finished/ready...

...we'll see...

WORKGROUP BUTTONS

ROMEO GTH

I did think it was funny that they were insulting you and hitting on you at the same time. ...although those two things aren't always exclusive...

"what do you look like" ...I guess that line doesn't work? Good to know.

Your's and Mr. Pez's enthusiasm, drive and humor straight up rock! The July 31st show ought to be killer! and your poster is way cool (as is the self-depricating "I stole this...from NASA..." stuff.

Yeah, interestingly enough, most women will attest that confused, loudmouth, inappropriate banter is always a sure fire indication of tiny genitalia. I mean, I think I've indicated that I'm a music fan here. Would'nt common sense dictate that alienating a potental fan is not really good for the future succsess of their liitle band? And they wonder why the best they can do is playing for their parents on a Tuesday night at the Golden Worst. Ashtray. Oh well.

I was also amused that the review of their last show and response to that reveiw was written by them!

quote:

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Originally posted by joan dark:
Levi, you rock! And it's all about the rock!

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I concur. Especially with the Workgroup project you've got going on.

Joan,
You keep saying that you don't talk shit and that you are open minded, but that's all you've done so far is talk shit. Yeah, we've only played a few shows so far, but never a Tuesday night. You would be surprised of the response that we've had so far. We have been packing the bars. And what review are you talking about? I've never written a review of any show. I said thanks for coming out and that there was a good turnout (which was true). What's with all the hostilities? There are plenty of comments that I could be making, but am not going to because there is no point. Just be cool.

Thanks for saying I rock.
You folks rock too.
Don't fight in my house.

I've joined a little silkscreening collective here in Chi. and have been screening posters rather infrequently for myself and some other people's bands. it's a good time. I'm guessing that you're gonna be better at it than me, as I have no patience whatsoever, and I have a less than steady hand due to my coffee consumption and addiction to alcohol. But it's fun. I'm excited to see what you come up with as it's an entirely different medium than straight-off-the-laser printer.....

what kind of press did you get?
lk

No disrespect intended, Mr. Eleven. In fact I came here to your forum to get away from those little boys. I guess manners and decourm aren't in a stalker's vocabulary.

By the way, your website crushes!

The press hasn't gotten here yet, it's a fairly simple 4 color, 1 station deal. Should have it next week. We got it off ebay (the brand name escapes me right now, but it's a middle of the road one to start with). We had done a bunch of screens previously, but without the press it was pointless: we fucked up 4 out of every 5 prints. Rexx and my friend Stuart have a steadier hand than I do; Rexx especially has a smooth touch (he usually presses the buttons while I cut). I'll probably do more design and screenmaking and delegate the actual printing. Sabrina has been making shirts for herself with stencils for about a year, and will probably be doing more of a fashion thing than a band merch bit, and we will probably produce more of our own designs at first anyway.
We want to get onto stickers soon too, but we need a good line on the vinyl. As it is, we won't be able to beat stickerguy prices. My idea is doing a package deal: shirts, stickers, buttons, whatever. I think we can do a good deal on that, and I think people will pay for convenience (the serious ones anyway. Some folks have agonized over the 20$ for 100 buttons deal. I don't expect those people to order shirts at all)
Ever since I took control of the bands' budget, we've managed to keep on the profit side. Over 6000$ has passed through in the last 7 months, which is pretty good for an Albuquerque band working very part-time. We've been able to pay for 500 of our own buttons, 1000 stickers, a recording, screenprinting stuff, web site for 7 months, equipment and repairs, tuners, cords, fliers, etc., and still keep some. We may never be millionaires, or "make it", but at least we aren't paying for it. How many local bands can say that? I don't see any reason not to try and go all the way. We paid off the button machine in a month and I am confident we can do the same for the press. Besides, I really don't have any other skills... As my web site says, I have dropped out of some very well respected schools.
I've attempted every type of printing in the past and failed (my mother did it for years and did very well). But as soon as I let go of the over-worked-elaborate junk and started working on composition and iconography it just clicked. Working with the buttons really helped my work overall. Getting 7/8 of an inch to look good opens up all kinds of ways of looking at space. Sabrina's influence has helped too: very streamlined, almost zen.
The hardest part is my obsessive-compulsive tendencies (which get stronger the less and less weed I smoke) When I'm printing I take forever on each one, and then I choke. The people I'm working with just bust 'em out. Rexx and I can do 200 buttons in like half an hour now.
I'm sure whtever you are doing in Chicago kicks our ass. The line for pro solid work in Alb. in much lower...

...I'm starting to ramble now here, so I'll shut up. People will start to think I'm drunk.

Levi,

Count me in on teh workgroup if you need me. I make all of our crap too. I enjoy it very much. I bet I could even larn a thing or two.

So, did the screenpress come in? How's it going?

I took a lesson on fabric printing from the guy who runs the co-op that I print at the other day....that's night and day from printing on paper. I'm curious as to how that works out for you. Perfectly, I'm assuming.....

would you be interested, here are a few of the posters that i've screened.... http://www.gigposters.com/designers.php?designer=28342

It's in , and it's pretty cool.
I, and Sabrina and Rexx have already worked out about 20 designs.
all the colors are separated, and some are printed onto the tranparencies.
We need to make some choices.
...We don't have the screens yet...
Sabrina is a teacher now for APS, and has the line on the good art supply deals, so we are waiting for a chunk to come in.
We have a dozen shirts for practice, before we decide which company to go with.
It might be ...uh...American Something... I can't remember.
look at all your shirts, and all the ones that aren't "Hanes Beefy Ts" (we haven't ruled that out...) are what we are trying.
Still won't be for sale for a while I'd say.