THE RETURN OF ASIA!! 

 
One of the most fondest memories of my senior year in high school was the much anticipated debut album of the supergroup called ASIA. A lot was riding on this album back in 1982, as it was the one of the first albums released on Geffen Records after John Lennon's untimely death and Peter Gabriel's Security was still a few months away.

ASIA was primarily a brainchild of Brian Lane, manager of YES after things weren't going too well with that band when they released a album called Drama without original fonding members Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman. Instead singer /producer Trevor Horn, also of Frankie Goes To Hollywood fame and keyboardist song writer Geoff Downes took over the roles fresh from scoring a hugh hit with "Video Killed the Radio Star"  when they were known as The Buggles. That song was used to launch the first broadcasting day of the MTV network. So Brian, realizing that Yes was kaput for the early eighties got in touch with other musicians that were of higher caliber and possessed stronger musical playing capabilties than your average head banging joe who was regulated to nothing more than playing standard three chord arrangements in such low maintenance bands such as AC/DC, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys or Twisted Sister. He retained guitar player Steve Howe and Downes to have a sitdown with former ELP drummer Carl Palmer and former Uriah Heep/Family/King Crimson/U.K./Roxy Music bass player singer songwriter, John Wetton and it was off to LA to record with producer Mike Stone and thus, a legend was born.

 The debut album paid off, giving some infamy to AM radio staple playing singles such as "Heat of the Moment" and "Only Time Will Tell" while FM radio lurched onto longer tracks such as "Sole Survivor" and "Wildest Dreams." They even retained YES Album cover painter alumni, Roger Dean to keep the tradition going (Dean will be appearing himself as a subject of a panel next Thursday at San Diego Comic Con International.).

 Like other teenagers, this album had a tremendous impact on my life -it inspired me to want to be just like Geoff Downes and so I saved up a shitload of cash from my all three of my paper routes and bought myself a Sequential Circuits Pro One Monophonic Synthesizer just so I can learn that opening twiggy chord riff that opens up "Only Time Will Tell" and had my hair all poofed out. Soon I was hanging out in shopping malls and walking up to every electronic organ store and sneaking in behind every organ salesmen to jam my fingers on those cheesy keyboards just to snake off that riff.

 Then I would get chased out by mall security. Sometimes by other girls who had mistaken me for Geoff Downes himself- but that's a another story for another time.

 But something strange happened- by the time the band released their second effort Alpha - the novelty sort of wore off. The singles, "Don't Cry" and the "Smile Has Left Your Eyes" were just lackluster compared to their previous effort and therefore led to a series of cancellations on their first ever stadium tours. Their third effort, Astra didn't even warrant a tour and one by one members started to drop out of the band. At first, Wetton was fired by the label for public drunkeness and saying mean things about Howe (I know this by public account from someone I know who has worked with Wetton) and briefly replaced him with Greg Lake (ELP) who did a show in Japan with them for a MTV special but was allowed to come back to record Astra. Then all of the sudden all the other bands had begun coming back to life. King Crimson reformed. Yes reformed with their biggest yet, "Owner of a Lonely Heart". Although ELP hadn't reformed yet , they eventually would in the late eighties. Downes didn't really have anywhere to go, so he has for the past fifteen years or so, kept the band of Asia going - replaced Wetton with a better singer named John Payne and released a score of remarkable albums (better and more mature sounding) named Aqua, Aria, Arena, and Aura (notice a pattern there? All titles begin and start with A), keeping the base of operations mostly in Europe with a few shows here and there in America, mostly on the east coast.

 I finally had the pleasure of meeting Downes a few years back while the band was touring for Aura (rare, since I hadn't seen them when they had toured behind Alpha), having gotten permission to go backstage through a few of Payne's friends. I got to tell Downes that he was my teenage idol and Downes was proud to reciprocate by buying me a beer and allowing me to hang with the band at the Rainbow Bar & Grill 'till 4 in the morning. Ex AC/DC drummer, Chris Slade (you see, what goes around comes around) was a freakin' scream with his Angus Young anecdotes.

 Now, a friend of mine involved with the Inside Out Music recently e-mailed me with the news of that their label just signed a contract with Asia. Needless to say, I was estatic! My favorite label and one of my favorite bands of all time! It was the perfect match- sort of like the muscial equivalent of a Reese' Peanut Butter Cup! So I called the label's US division in Pittsburgh and asked them that I would happily give out postcards or stickers touting the new album, Steel Nation (hmm, a little break in tradition. I wonder why?)at this year's San Diego Comic Con. Well, they don't have them ready yet since the album isn't coming out in late August- but they know who I am through my friend at the label and said they will be sending other papaphernalia out to me to give out at my table.

Well I told them that I would get the word of mouth going anyway, so here:
 
http://www.insideout.de/indexx.php?arg=ARcTBEtBQUyHAQ

So click on that to hear 30 second samples of all ten tracks.
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Yeah, so I had a free time on my hands today.
 
My books haven't arrived. I wonder what's the hold up?
 
Let's go over some more  of these freebies I got on FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.
 
Yesterday was the crappiest of the bunch. Today I have two of the outstanding ones to talk about. Actually, make it three:
 
 Gemstone (and not Gladstone- that now defunct Arizona publishing house that I said yesterday. You see how senile one gets at forty) has outdone themselves this year with a flip book in reminiscent of the 'old Ace Double' paperback series featuring Mickey Mouse on one end and Uncle Scrooge on the other. Reading these two reprints make me ponder why I didn't pursue more Carl Barks material in the past. It's of the equal par of a meth sniffing giddy feeling, the sort you feel after re-discovering the brillance of Will Eisner's the Spirit in the DC Archives collections (of which I'm already two volumes behind on - a new comic con resolution to hopefully recify) . The obsolute startling revelation for me reading this book was that this was the sole Mickey Mouse story that Carl Barks has ever done as editor, John Clark explains that Barks had never felt comfortable drawing Mickey Mouse as he did with Donald Duck. That's a shame, because I felt that the "Riddle of the Red Hat" was absolutely riveting and Barks had such a firm grip on Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy's charactizations and mannerisms- a sense of high tension never seen before in a Mickey Mouse short.  And on the flip side, we have the Uncle Scrooge story "The Second Richest Duck" - which is unbelievably one of the most enjoyable comic book stories I have ever read. Uncle Scrooge cohorts Donald and his nephews to embark on this crazy harebrained mission halfway around the world to South Africa to settle a bet with another self made multi-milloniare duck thought to be missing has resurfaced to  see who is the richest.  Needless to say, egos entwine and the wager winds down to a deadly contest of thrills and skills of who has the biggest and longest ball of string. I was reading this while I was waiting for a bus to take me home from work, nervously popping in cigarettes in and out and I must have at least waved off three rush hours buses so they wouldn't interrupt me.  This stuff is the stuff of legends and it certainly lives up to the hype that I've heard Maggie Thompson, editor of Comics Buyer's Guide tout so often. It's surreal that I have a better appreciation for it now that I'm struggling with my forties.
 
  Beckett Comics did an outstanding job on their freebie as well with their sample offering of The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty. It's a western, believe it or not- although you wouldn't have guessed it by the title, but it comes at a good time in my life when I'm just crazy about HBO's Deadwood and a sudden craving to be checking out some Sergio Leone's spagetitti western DVDs. It's a western with some Brother Grimm elements, some fantasy elements and some horror elements. It sort of reminds me of this big book I bought from Mojo Press called Weird Business - it's a heady brew that packs a wallop of a tale and the storyline, the artwork, and the quality instantly makes me yearn for more. But it wasn't until I finished reading the book that I realize that an old correspondance buddy of mine, Jeff Amano was involved with the cover and was the CEO of the Beckett's comic book line. I first heard and communicated with Jeff when I sent out a submission packet of the Deposit Man to him back in '95 or '96 when he was self publishing a excellent book called Taoland that was years ahead of its' time when Jeff was experimenting with computer graphics. We wound up Christmas Card buddies for a while. 
 
  Oni Press allowed people to sample a issue of Andi Watson's Love Fights. I used to scarf up any Oni Press Title when I had money to do so. I was led to believe that when Oni first started out that they were a imprint of Dark Horse comics- but like defectors from Marvel to form Image, I guess the same applied to Dark Horse refugees to form Oni. But I like their ideas and concepts that nearly all their titles were nothing more than one shots or four issue limited series. I assume all that changed with Queen & Country, and now I guess this is a on going series also. It's a charming person to person dramedy set wthin a super-hero culture. Reminds me of a lighter side of George R.R. Martin's Wildcards series where you're a nobody or you're not chic if you're not endowed with super powers. Very cinematic and it's storyboarded like a episode you would catch on Adult Swim. The flip side has a eight page rough penciled preview of Everest: Facing the Goddess by Greg Rucka and Scott Morse. It didn't really do much for me.
 
And the rest tomorrow. Plus your cards and letters. If I can find them.     
 
  ~
 
Coat
 

LET FREEDOM REIGN AROUND YOUR NECK...

What is it with the world's obsession with capturing renegade cripples? Now that we've located a Osama Bin Laden aide and it turns out that he's nothing more than a wheelchair bound paraplegic? Didn't Israel a few months back also lodged a cruise missile at a handicapped equipped van killing some Palentstine leader who was being forced fed through a tube? So this is who we're on the lookout for the past few months out in the desert- some schmuck navigating his way through crevices of craggy mountains on a remote control wheelchair just for being shown on a videotape laughing alongside Osama when he received news about the planes hitting the towers on 9/11?

It's a glorious euphoria getting off on our Dr. Strangelove kicks.

I got a feeling that the October surprise that has the nation spellbound with dog drool will most conveniently occur during the Democratic convention or just right before the November election (if our shadow schmoes in the oval office funded by the the average pillaged taxpayer allow one to happen) will be the ballyhooed apprehension of Osama Bin Laden..........'s coffin. That's right. Osama will be arrested or at least his coffin will be substituted and escorted in handcuffs because this is what Ashcroft likes to do...arrest wooden characters since they're stiff as a board. Because they're all a bunch of sleazy Pinnochios as far as I'm concerned. I can see the CNN headline footage now...troops on live television surrounding a gravesite or a hole in the ground and ordering it whoever is down below to come up with their hands up and to our shock and dismay - a wooden crate suddenly emerges- it offers no resistance and surrenders peacefully while gives them that 'plank' look. It would be fucking like be something out of a Monty Python sketch. Lately, I've been feeling that Osama is nothing more than a twenty-first century version of The Piltdown Man. Don't ask me why.

Switching subjects-

'Tis the day before the receiving of the new Deposit Man issue from the printers. I'm sort of excited and I'm full of skeptical dread too.
I'm now getting cold feet and the apprehensive cynicism is beginning to materialize that maybe I should've postponed it for another convention. But I had obligations, not only to myself in getting things out on a timely manner, but trying hard not to let down a sponsor in getting the word of mouth out on their product as well- so I guess I'm going to have to roll with the punches on this and hope that the concluding chapter really pays off for the mini-series, because I've got this gut wretching feeling that the third book will satisfy and reward each reader who has stuck through it by sucessfully wrapping up the loose ends to a logical conclusion while still maintaining the cryptical bedside manner.

Since I write these scripts three or four years in advance, I have yet to go back and alter a few scenes here and there to make sure that the themes explored are fresh and current before the final draft is mailed to Canada. And that's one goal I aim to do before boarding that Amtrak for the San Diego Comic Con next Wednesday (BTW: my table in the small press area is R 12): is to bang out yet another rewrite of ACT III for Larry to start drawing AND at the same time, have Oliver read the script simultaneously so we can cut down on the debates (although they're sort of unavoidable) as we're putting in the dialogue.

Today is a good day at work as well, as I got two paychecks to deposit in the bank, one has overtime on it and the other is my vacation check- but I have a bonus third check to deposit from selling off some shares of stock. Plus, I have to pinch myself from dreaming that some stupid credit card company (partly owned by some Saudis by the way) was stupid enough to hand me over a platinum card with a $5,000 limit!!

What the fuck is wrong with these people? And I must be equally fucking nuts enough to accept it. And if I act now, I have another card issued by Disney or a card in which Disney has lent it's mouse likiness to it that has another $2,000 limit- but the cash advance is only $400.00. I suspect there is a cash limit on the BIG card - but I'm going to call to find out.

I just need them for the con in addition to my other two cards- but I promise myself that I'm going to pay them off and ditch em once I get back- - - hold on, maybe on second thought I may be needing to finance the third book with something - Hey, I should keep one around for safekeeping, just in case.

I want to touch briefly on my FREE COMIC BOOK DAY booty- not to be an ass about it, but some comics are not worth it even if they are free.

Take IDW's one for example: A sampler of most of their TV licensed properties that includes THE SHIELD, CSI, and 24. I'm not one to toot the TV SHOW COMIC BOOK BANDWAGON- it's just a waste of my personal time after I was duped into collecting the Topps X-FILES for the sheer collectability. I think I have two or three copies of the first issue and seen it grow to be worth about $50 only to see sink like a stone to be about $5.00.

The only good purpose these books do is whet your appetite for more ONLY WHEN THE SHOW IS ON HIATUS - otherwise what's the point? You have thirteen episodes in a given season if you're a cable pro such as the SHIELD and twenty two or more if it's a network show. In the case of CSI, jeez, you already have two spin-offs that air twice a week- isn't that enough caffeine for the junked up tv viewer? Is there any merit to all this other than to oogle at a artist's likeness of a certain favorite actor or actress? And 24 is just not adaptable to the medium - it just simply looks and reads like crap, like as if you walked in on the middle of something - but then again, that's what people say about my work too. Never understood the value of this side of the genre. However, there is a original seven page sample story of Steve Niles' 30 Days of Night (would you believe I saw someone in Ralphs' today proudly displaying this series on a t-shirt?) which I heard just got optioned by Sam Raimi to develop and direct before he begins his next Spider-Man movie.

This is also why I'm not attracted to too much Dark Horse product- they also go ape shit over licensed television and movie properties like Planet of The Apes (or used to when the Burton movie was in vogue) Buffy, Angel, and I swear that nearly half their entire line is devoted to those sweaty light sabering masturbating fan blownuts of Star Wars !! So wouldja' believe that their free offering this year is none other than...SURPRISE!!- a STAR WARS CLONE WARS SAMPLER rather than a free book of Hellboy - a orginial property that seemed to have done well for them at the box office.

I've never been exposed to the Cartoon Network's Clone Wars five minute shorts on which the contents in this issue is based upon- I've been tempted to pick up a bootleg copy at a convention or two- but piracy hasn't been gelling with me of late now that a entertainment company is signing my paycheck, but nevertheless, I wish there was some explanation or some summary of what's gone on before this story other than saying that the events of this story take place five months after the battle of Geonosis. What the fuck do I know what took place on Geonosis? Someone should enlighten me- and not alienate me if you want to gain a new reader to the fold. Other than that, the story is straightforward- just another typical fending off of a tyrannical empire on a poor old planet drenched in a cartoony look.

I'll get back to you on the good freebies next time -

Which just happen to be:

Oni's Love Fights by Andi Watson

Slave Labor Stories

About Comics Wild About Comics featuring the DNA Agents, Crossfire, etc;

Image Comics Summer Special

Gladstone's Uncle Scrooge & Mickey Mouse

Beckett Comic's the Ballad of Sleeping Beauty.



~

Coat

HATEFUEL!! Volume 2

I'm not usually one to air my personal dirty laundry- but I want to demonstrate what a bitch it is to put one little measley product and what it takes to metamorph into a crank while putting out one. Shoving shit down collaborator's throats without a thread of remorse constantly me leaves me with delayed product and therefore always leads to poor distribution.


Two years ago, I tried to in a aimless effort to beef up production on the Deposit Man books. I have this phobia about 'winning' a space at a convention (it's a popularity contest, believe me) and having nothing new to show for it. I want to show people that I'm constantly plugging away at finishing the opus that I embarked on more than ten years ago and not slump slugging away in a fold out comfy chair with my dick waving at the DVD player. So, I wanted something brand spanking new to display at APE 2002 even it was a cheap little doodad to make at a Kinko's (which it was) - so I had Larry illustrate the first ten pages of the Deposit Man & The Last Great Gate of Mortality Act One as a pre-opt ashcan, including a essay about what it was like to be alone in the house with a dead man (my ex-roomie, Jarod Robbins had a massive heart attack at the age of 32) and Larry also contributed a few pin-ups of future characters that will be appearing in the Playgod mini-series, most notably the Caramel Princess which is my nod to Josephine Baker in the proposed Henry Miller/ Deposit Man team-up issue.

Shortly after the Deposit Man Survival Guide to the Afterlife was released, My former editor and inker SG and I were beginning to develop a communication problem somewhat of a egomanical nature. The pissing contest yielded these results: first, SG wasn't keen on the idea of me firing him as editor and bringing my roommate's sister, Rebecca to proofread and edit the next two books simply because I considered SG to be an inadequate editor after spotting a shitload of spelling errors in a few other titles he was associated with; Rebecca had a degree in teaching, so I entrusted her grammer skills to get through some errors . Secondly SG suffered from this rather strong dementia that he had somehow had a hand in the creation of the Deposit Man just because he had talked Larry Nadolsky into illustrating the first one-shot, The Deposit Man Kaleidoscopic Medicine Freak Show- when in actuality, Larry was a mutual acqaintance of both of us through a fair and reasonable guy named Jay Allen Sanford, publisher of Re-Visionary and Revolutionary Press who got the ball rolling on recommending to both Larry to both SG and I in separate communiques.

So, our egos were coming to a complete deadlock and you can slowly begin to tell through these series of e-mails that things were starting to boil to a bicker. This is only the first chapter of many entertaining and amusing cyber slung salvos. Just little hidden cheap shots here and there to help set the mood.

We open on a scene: a friend and action figure supplier to the now defunct Rookies & Allstars named Mark Caupano forged an alliance with me to toot the horn of independent comic strips on a website to feature the Deposit Man- I suggested to SG that he bring some east coast blood to the mix and in the inventory that he mailed me, some of the characters' appearances had already been seen in previous comic books. Here SG is trying to warn me of a certain legality.

You know, I was going to go on about my free comic book day booty- but I realized I had to finish reading them all in order to give them a fair unpartisan look - it would maybe help if I got around to finish them tonight.

In the meantime:

COAT-
DON'T SAY ANYTHING TO MARK THAT WILL UPSET HIM, BUT
I CHECKED OUT THE SITE, AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
IF IT STAYS LIKE THAT, I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE THE RIGHTS TO DONNA MIA, WILL EITHER FIND OUT
ABOUT THE COLOR COVER, OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. BUT I
JUST THOUGHT I SHOULD INFORM YOU, ORIGINALLY OF THE
SITUATION. BESIDES, WE DISCUSSED THIS SEVERAL TIMES,
AND YOU ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD BE TAKEN DOWN. I AM
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE SITE, ONCE YOU HAVE ALL
THE BUGS OUT. TRY TO GET THINGS DONE WITHOUT ANNOYING
MARK, BUT MAKE SURE HE KEEPS IN MIND THAT WE ARE
ULTIMITELY TRYING TO PUT $ IN HIS POCKET. AND BEING
TOO MUCH OF A PERFECTIONIST CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS.

SG.....

My replay in parentheses:

<< Yeah Scott, I realize that. Didn't you read what I said in the last couple of e-mails? That's why I'm telling you to send more stuff. If Mark has to go in just to take out those Donna Mias, just to put up that one new cover/thumbnail, the entire site will have
to come down. AND I NEED THE SITE UP AND MY DEPOSIT MAN 5
page previews up until at least APE is over, because I
need the links for electronic press reviews. It's either have it up now or not have it at all. Just don't tell Mario it's not on there. Technically, we're not selling anything because we don't have the
shopping cart on line yet. So it's really doing no harm to anyone. Once we have twenty to thirty projects on line, it will eventually be forced out.

Coatster>>

coat-
i understand. i will send all i promised by the
15th. however, the reason for you sending your last package
was to get me a zip disk, so i can send you the marty
cover. since you sent everything but the most
important thing; i had to use your money order to
purchase a blank disk, so we can fulfil our
professional obligation. you also sent the package to
a-hole studios again. since i have never been unkind
to you or shown you disrespect, is this an indication
that i am mistaken about our friendship? can i also
assume that since you can't keep your word regarding
professional agreements, and since i can't get an
answer from you regarding my deal on all this hard
work i've been doing for the past 2 weeks, that this
is not an honorable deal i've become involved in?
i appreciate the fact that you sent me great stuff,
and you respond to everyone of my e-mails; however,
when you don't send important things you agreed to,
and when you evade important questions in my e-mails,
this doesn't make everything alright. by the way, when
i send the maximum 2 e-mails a day, and you respond to
them, and i re-respond; this doesn't constitute 6
e-mails a day. if you feel you can treat me the same way i treat
you, i have no problem hooking you up with my colorist
from continuity, and my friend in la, who draws and
paints like frazetta. if you just have no respect for me, and don't wish to reconsider, i'll just fulfill my obligation to you,
and you can be on your own in this venture. i'll realize that all this work i'm doing, and sending are just freebies, and i'll wish you good luck.

I think you are a great guy, but for some reason,
probably because of ann nocenti, you have a problem
with me. i hope we can resolve it, because you have a
lot to gain from continuing to work with me.



COAT-
JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW, I WASN'T TRYING TO HURT
YOUR FEELINGS. IN NY, WE FEEL IT'S BETTER TO BE
BLATENTLY HONEST WITH OUR FEELINGS, THAN TO BE
SENSITIVE, AND LET SOMETHING GO UNSAID. I JUST WANT TO
KNOW WHERE WE STAND, SINCE I HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR
POTENTIAL, AND I WANT TO BE SURE WHO I'M LETTING TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF IT.
THERE SEEMS TO BE AN EAST-WEST CULTURAL GAP IN OUR
RELATIONSHIP. SINCE I'M FROM THE WEST LIVING EAST, AND
YOU'RE FROM THE EAST LIVING WEST, THEORETICALLY, WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO RELATE TO EACH OTHER WELL.
UNFORTUNATLY, IT SEEMS TO QUADRUPULE OUR LACK OF
COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING.
I WANT TO BE FRIENDS, AND I WANT US TO MAKE LOTS OF
$$ TOGETHER, BUT IT JUST SEEMS SOMETIMES, THAT I'M
DEPOSIT MAN, AND I'M LIVING THE SURVIVAL GUIDE. I GET
THE GIRL AT THE END, BUT MY HANDS ARE COVERED IN SHIT.
I'M SURE I'M WAY OFF BASE, AND I'M HOPING YOU LET ME
KNOW THAT, AND WE CAN START OVER. IF NOT AS FRIENDS,
THAN AT LEAST WE CAN ACHIEVE SOMETHING IN THIS
BUSINESS TOGETHER. MY FRANKNESS IS NEVER MEANT TO
OFFEND, JUST AVOID FUTURE PROBLEMS.
AWAKEN...ATTACKING....SG..

SG also had these problems about women and was under the impression that our relationship was confident enough to unload our every little burden to each other concerning his about cross-country relationships- I already told him about a gazillion times that I thought they were dumb. Telling him that somehow didn't help in stopping him from telling me more about his overbearing woes pertaining to the opposite sex. I had absolutely no interest in having him purloin my shoulder to cry upon- but he soon kept persisting on bringing the subject up. There are some in the future batches in the next few volumes that are just whalloppers

(Whoa ! Where are you going with this? I only
addressed A_Hole Studios as a joke. You brought it up in a
e-mail and I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane. I
mean, you gotta admit, it's kinda catchy. It'll make
a great name for a company. And the zip disk, I
misunderstood, I thought your colorist needed
reimbursement for a disc. And by the way, Mark said
it has to PC compatable. Not Mac or Apple or anything
like that. I'm not pissed off about anything- I mean
I got into a hassle with Mark over things concerning
where the website was going and how long will it be
before getting it up and he was putting it up at the
same time as I was yelling at him. So don't go
jumping to any conclusions. And I'll get busy doing those
tapes of yours soon. I don't know when, but soon as
I get time.)

Coatster

I UNDERSTAND.
I NEEDED THE ZIP DISK AND $20. ACTUALLY, I MENTIONED
THAT I WAS PAYING BACK THE COLORIST $ THAT I OWED HIM,
SOONER THAN I WOULDV'E LIKED TO, AND YOU OFFERED TO
COVER IT. THEN I TOLD HIM I'D GIVE HIM THE $20, SO I'M
OBLIGATED TO DO THAT ON TOP OF THE DISK I BOUGHT.
OBVIOUSLY A MISUNDERSTANDING. BUT YOU SEEM TO GLOSS
OVER MANY THINGS I FEEL ARE IMPORTANT. LIKE, ARE YOU
GOING TO EVENTUALLY SEND THE WALSH TAPE? WHAT DID YOU
THINK OF TOPO D'BILL? ETC...
WORK MY WAY LIKE A BULLDOZER....SG..
PS-LET ME KNOW HOW TO PUT THE IMAGE ON THE DISK. THE
COLORIST THOUGHT THAT THE 3 FORMATS YOU E-MAILED ME
WOULD OVERRIDE ANY PC/MAC CAPABILITY. IF NOT, LET ME
KNOW IMMEDIATLY, I'M SENDING THE STUFF FRIDAY, OR
OVERNIGHT ON MONDAY..S..

Yeah- hired help was cheap back in those days. If you all saw how much I was paying Oliver and Masekela- and how much money I'm losing on the new books.

Well it's better to stand to be counted as one who is in control of his or hers creative destiny

(What are you talking about?

The last e-mail I sent you implied no malice at
all ( no pun intended ), just letting you know how
things stand. I mean, I know what you're hinting at- but as
far as the Deposit Man goes, I needed to do those
two books with Mark for the presentation. Now that we
have three books under our belt- now is the time to show
it to other companies. Now that you have the books in
your hands. Talking about it with other companies at
your end should be a breeze. However, Mark wants to
be in on the deals and act as a liason. So we have to
include him in the deal- since I rely on his
Photoshop skills. And like you TOLD ME before, I guess we're all New Yorkers. )

I'VE GOT NO PROBLEM. JUST TRY TO RESPECT MY QUESTIONS
AND COMMENTS AS MUCH AS I DO YOURS. IF WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER SMOOTHLY, I WON'T HAVE ANY RESERVATIONS ABOUT
INTRODUCING YOU TO OTHER TALENT. WHO BY THE WAY, ARE
ALL READY AND WILLING TO WORK FOR YOU ON YOUR TERMS.
EVERYTHING I SEND FRIDAY OR MONDAY WILL BE HARD COPIES
FOR YOU TO SCAN. ANY THING I WANT TO ADD TO THE SITE
AFTER THAT, I WILL SCAN MYSELF AND E-MAIL IT.
YOU'LL GET 3 STORIES TO PUT UP, ONE OF WHICH I'LL
REWORK AND E-MAIL, LATER; YOU'LL GET 3 11 x 17
SKETCHES FOR THE 3 COVERS. ONE WILL BE BASED ON BJ'S
GATES OF DELERIUM PAINTING; AND YOU'LL GET THE DISK
AND THE TAPES....SCOTT.

One major beef that was beginning to fester and I surely contribute it to my current occupation at a record or movie studio is the unimitigated animosity I now hold towards bootleg pirating and this was one of the big pain in the ass in working with this guy was that he wanted to be paid off by making copies of my record collection. It was fine at first, but then the nitpicking and keeping the score on who owes this much and that much in trade was becoming more and more unprofessional each day. I was sick of helping tolose money for a few musicians that I've begun to spring up e-mail friendships with by making copies of their latest CDs by having it downloaded on Napster somehere.

Anyway, these were just the contributing elements that will make up a shitload of expletives that were to be exchanged back and forth. How it all went to Red Alert will be explained in a couple of days.
~

Coat