Nobody I'd Rather Straighten It With

So inspiration sometimes comes from the damnedest places. For me, of course, inspiration usually comes from the damnedest places.

I was humming a rockabilly ditty to myself a few days ago and thought, "Wait a minute. I know that song. What the hell is that song?"

Sherman, set the wayback machine.





It's moments like this when you realize just how far back your roots go. Joey the Saint's roots go back to 1984, and the movie Top Secret, starring Val Kilmer. Who, incidentally, sang all the songs in the soundtrack.

I loved this movie. I especially loved every minute of the concert footage. And I remember, because I had just started my first band, how hard people laughed at this scene, and thinking how great rock and roll and humor go together.

I also remember my mother explaining to me how damned dirty this song was. Which is why I brought it to the band at practice last night.

If Eddie Wilson was my first rock idol, Nick Rivers followed him closely. (Nigel Tufnel is running a distant third.) I like to think that, if I'm doing it right, Joey the Saint fuses the two. Admittedly, it's kind of weird that my major rock idols are fictional movie characters. Their impact on my fragile adolescent psyche should tell you something about the power of facade and the inherent duality of show business. But I digress. Of course.

"Straighten the Rug" is on the set list for the 19th. I'd better work on my backspin.

See you there.