Reverend Horton Heat Tour Update - September 1998

Howdy cats and kittens. I am so glad to have you read once again.

I guess it's been since we were on the Warped Tour that I wrote an update. Oh well, we've had some great gigs since then. And aaahh...that's all I can think of to say right now. Kind of sad...mental block. O.K. No B.S., the Warped Tour was fun, o.k.,o.k. But, someone said to me "Yeah, I guess you guys are not used to getting stuff thrown at you!" I mean to tell you...I don't know how to take this. Ha. Ha. In my career of bringing rock-a-billy and swing to punk-rock clubs, I've been hit by shot glasses, wet T-shirts, beer bottles, bullets (thrown, not from a gun...thank you Jesus), and a lot of items that, if they hit me correctly, could kill me. Jimbo's bass has round holes in it the size of the top of a long-neck beer bottle. Like an arrow through Custer's heart. Stuck right in the bass! Anyway...isn't it funny that anyone could get used to having stuff thrown at them? But, how do I take this? Like I'm some old guy who doesn't know that at punk-rock shows, people throw stuff. Please! But, we appreciate being asked to be on the Warped Tour, and, we made some new friends and some good memories.

And remember folks, throwing stuff is really about as punk-rock as hitting a young girl. It's chicken. I think it would be more punk-rock if you hit a bouncer and got your buttocks kicked. Rich kids are the ones who throw stuff. Mommy and Daddy pay for their little punk image. Mommy and Daddy pay for that beer they just threw, therefore, it's easily taken for granted by the former country club brat (who is now punk-rock). Please friends, don't take beer for granted. And, stop it with that attitude!

So, after the Warped Tour, I went to London for a radio and press tour. It was a great little trip. The hotel room they got for me overlooked Kensington Palace. You know, where Lady Di lived. I mean to tell you that this Texas hick was living the high-life! And, the people at our label over there think we could have a hit song! I'll believe it when I see it. Ha. Ha. But, it was very refreshing to meet all of the nice people at Universal in London and the writers and DJs'. We are going back to Europe in October and we're really excited. It will be good to see some old European fans and friends. Special thanks to David and Marcus for their great work. See you guys in October. On the flight back, the airline showed the movie "Titanic" just as we were flying over the Atlantic. It was kind of creepy.

After my London trip, we did weekend tours to various places. Let's see...what else?

Oh yeah, Jimbo got his drivers license again after over ten years without one. Cool...huh? And, that reminds me. It's time for Jimbo's Book Club!

Here are Jimbo's current picks -

  1. "Blood Lust - Portrait of a Serial Sex Killer" by Gary C. King - The story of Dayton Leroy Rogers, Oregon's mild-mannered businessman by day, vicious serial killer by night. Eight pages of shocking photos. Sometimes Jimbo worries me. Ha. Ha.
  2. "The African Adventurers" by Peter Hathaway Capstick - Spine-tingling stories of the greatest African game hunters from the worlds' most famous hunter and strory-teller. Man-eating lions and leopards terrorizing whole villages! Cool! Nature Boy Jimbo Wallace got his nickname because he can watch nature shows for hours on end. Scott likes them too.

So, here I am. I am currently writing this in my hotel room at the Hotel Congress in Tucson, AZ. This place is very cool. My room is straight from the thirties. With all the furnishings -- old bedspread on an old iron bed, old phone without even a dial, old radio cranking out Sinatra and Nat Cole (no TV -- thank you Allah), and old dresser and night-stand, I'm sure this room looks just like it did back when John Dillinger's gang had rooms up on the third floor. This place has a classic vibe that won't quit. However, there is a real vitality provided by the young and artistic-types who hang out here and eat, drink coffee (as well as the harder stuff) and well...just be artistic damn it! Anyway, these rooms really take me back in time and our gig tonight is right downstairs at Club Congress. We've been playing here since about 1990 and I love it.

We've had good gigs this week in Lubbock and Albuquerque. After the show tonight, we leave for San Diego, where we have a gig tomorrow night.

Oh yeah, if everything goes as planned, we are going to record and release a single on 7-inch vinyl in the (hopefully) very near future. It will be on our own or my own label. So kids, get those turntables out and get 'em working...it's back to vinyl!

So, that's about it. We are going to be in the West until early October. Then we go to Europe for a week and a half in October. Then we'll do a tour of the East coast that will end up in Houston for New Year's Eve. But if I don't talk to you before then, kick me. Just don't throw anything...I'm not used to it!

Gotta go. The radio is blaring "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie" by (I think) the Andrews Sisters and I gotta rock!

Your friend,

The Rev.

p.s. Look for a new movie called "Home Fries" with Drew Barrymore that will feature about four R. H. H. songs.

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