When We Were Spud Crazy

by J.T. Dockery

Like the last blacksmith standing, I still engage in producing paper products. But I'm not afraid of computers. You're reading this, ain't ya? But when people say the book is dead, that's simply the moment a form starts to come back.


Speaking of returns from the grave, while I spent plenty of time hyping the original art exhibition in congress with the release of the thirty page excerpt of the graphic novel in progress, Spud Crazy, in collaboration with author Nick Tosches, I never came back around to file a report on how it all went down. Part of that lapse was due to the fact that I was kindly waiting for Colonel Phillip Jones to get it up on the web shop of the Institute's website before we all get old. But then I figured I have copies that I am selling, so I just made a page for it over on my own virtual plantation.


Look up yonder, party people. Gaze upon the front of the Institute 193, located at 193 South Limestone.



Two views from opposite ends of the space, the artwork was all single file, forming an L shape. Without intent, the 30 pages fit perfectly in the space. If I had done one more, the approach wouldn't have worked.


That's Sara O'Keefe with the beverage, with the headcoat floating behind her on the head of her husband, Trevor Tremaine. Lexington, KY music scene power couple of Hair Police and Resonant Hole fame (for starters). A couple of some of my most favorite folks.


Phillip chose to install the entire essay by Bob Levin from the book on the wall in vinyl. I had a quiet moment early on during the opening reception in which I felt pretty emotional reading Bob's fine words on the subject of yours unruly. But being my own self critic, the old head didn't get too big; the flipside of that goodly feeling was me looking with a cold eye at all the pages on the wall and muttering to myself, "Well, two or three of these panels are okay."


Sporting my birthday 45, a gift from Brian Manley, that's me standing with Hunter Carson. He was in town for the Harry Dean Stanton film festival, happened to swing by the opening, and opted to hang out with us. That was a real treat, and we became fast new buddies.


That is a sticker on the back of the envelope that contains the book from the show, with 193's head honcho's text.


The soundtrack disc by the Spud Imperials that comes with the book. I thought this might just be a novelty, but I really enjoyed the process and the end result of the music we made. As a matter of fact, I'm offering up an early draft of Robert Beatty's mixing/sequencing as a free bonus download for the masses. But to get the actual finished soundtrack, ya gotta buy the book. A variation on the Spud Imperials performed some themes from the soundtrack, with the added element of a Theremin, but, alas, no pictures of the performance.


All laid out: the book, the soundtrack, the envelope as cover.


Handsome, if I don't say so myself.


Good show, good book, good music, good times. Look at that lightning. Did I mention you can buy this directly from me?