These are friends of mine. We've also played music together. Let me fill you in on the details.

This is Dr. Bloodhammer. He is an evil super-villain who used to inhabit Denny and Lee's Magic Studio in Las Vegas, NV. He appeared during several shows I played there over the years to taunt the audience, spray them with blood, and then demand that I play various cover songs. One of these events was captured on video, which is on permanent public display here. Dr. B also appeared at my old Vegas residence on Sweeney Ave. during my last Las Vegas show, so he apparently haunts that space now, or perhaps haunts both spaces simultaneously, or worst of all: any space he wishes. He exploded violently from my pantry, spilling soot, ash, and other toxic mire, just as the show was coming to an end. Thankfully, we were able to ward him off by playing La Bamba.

This is Dennis Ryan of Pawtucket, RI. He plays drums for several bands, one of them is the band Deer Tick. Dennis is incredibly friendly, kind, and above all talented. His La Bamba drum solos are legendary... He played drums for me on my US Tour with the Deer Tick Band in May/June of 2007. My own tunes never sounded better and I'd tour with Dennis again at the drop of a hat.

This is John McCauley of the band Deer Tick, our star. I first saw John play when he was on tour with Viking Moses, and I was amazed by his musicianship, professionalism, and presence. When he came back through Vegas we played together and John invited me to tour the East Coast with him (which I did), proving also, that he is a man of his word.

Ally (Sapien-Unna) was the first person to ever express interest in playing music with either Joe Kendall (see below) or myself. Since this time she has been my drummer, bassist, and mandolin player. She played with me live on the call-in radio show "Phoning it in," as well as a year of live shows. She also plays in a Las Vegas band called "Jaz and the Notes."

Jack is a dog. He's not a pug. He is being held by Ally in the picture above. He is one of my good friends and he sang on the *Las Vegas Club* song called "Larry's Great Western Meats Theme of Revenge (Reprise)" from the album called Whiskey Flats.

Nathan Fairbanks is a longtime friend and musician. He recorded at least 7 albums with his band called "DEEF," which was once voted by spin magazine as the 5th worst band in America, before launching an equally charmed solo career. I have played shows with Nathan and he has played guitar and sang along on a song called "The Funeral of Enkidu."

I met Joe in High School through my friend Seth Barkan (see below). Back then, we used to play racquetball at the YMCA and go on New Mexico/Texas road trips with about $40 dollars between us. Later on we played music and once dedicated an entire Summer to improvising soundtracks to 16mm films. Joe has played guitar and bass on some of my recordings but most often plays keyboards, mandolin, bass, guitar, harmonica, or bell piano during my live shows. He is also the man behind the man behind the man of *Las Vegas Club* who's new album "Whiskey Flats" will be released by Not Not Fun Records in the Summer of 2005. This is 3 of Joe Kendall side by side in a space chair. This photo was taken (thrice) in the backyard of Joel Black's old home in Eagle Rock, LA. It was Summer time, and Joe and I were visiting Southern California to record a "vacation album."

This is Joe Kendall's oldest/wisest brother named Matthew James Kendall. He will always be remembered as the voice of false-german from the song "Hyperkeratosis," on the "Animal Diseases" LP. He also played electric guitar on several Boom!!Box recordings I made over the years. He currently lives in Las Vegas, NV where he teaches History to Highschoolers. Don't mind the blood.

My brother Jesse and I met up with Joe Kendall in Europe in August of 2003. In Ireland, Joe aided in the birth of a robotic bull from the neck of an otherwise healthy albino bull. I think he was drunk.

Britt and Amanda (along with Joel Black) founded and maintain Not Not Fun Records. They were so kind as to release my second album, a seven inch, and offer plenty of encouragement along the way. Long before there was a NNF Records Britt and I were fearless pen-pals. By "fearless," I mean that we feverishly sent boxes of mix tapes, homemade CDs, pictures, tape letters, trash and other crazy shit back and forth. Britt and Amanda also founded Weirdo/Begeirdo and I am still shocked that they asked me to record there debut album "So, I'm dude in this equation?" in my bedroom/studio. I played some drums, chord organ, and kazoo on that album and also sang along somewhat.

This is my brother Jesse. I play music in his band. It is called "The Jesse Smigel Band." Despite his interest in music he has yet to release any official recordings (bootlegs are circulating however....) or played a live show that I know of. He has lent his voice to several of my recordings and some songs by Joe Kendall (*Las Vegas Club*). When this photo of my brother Jesse was taken we lived together in a house built in 1944. Jess is admiring himself in the mirror after a GWAR concert in which he was sprayed with green alien sputum. He must have been eating it because even his tongue shows green.

Joel Black. Say that name. For several years Joel held down the coveted title of "everyone's drummer." He was kind enough to play with me in some of my earliest shows and on the entire west coast tour in the Winter of 05'. When we were on that tour together Joel said something that I had always known in my heart to be true, but had never vocalized: If you are eating natural peanut butter it should be the chunky kind (preferably with oil on top), but if the brand is Skippy or something it better be smooth and creamy.

Miller is my immediate neighbor. He has spent many late afternoons jamming on guitar or saxophone in his front yard with the sun to his back. Miller LOVES music. He usually makes up phrases or just plays along with the radio. When we became friends he gave me food from his garden, and I gave him some home-brewed Belgian Wit Beer in return. He gave my brother some smoked turkey neck, so my brother fed his dogs. We share little things we make, so Miller made a saxophone solo for my "Full Grown..." album and I gave him a copy of the album that I made by hand. Thanks Miller.

I have know Seth "fingers" Fylnn Barkan since we were in the second grade. Joe Kendall and myself used to record songs at Seth's house when we were in high school. Seth has always been computer savvy and was the first guy I knew to have a digital recording studio in his bedroom. Seth recorded the song "Cat Piss (Urinary Calculi)" from my Animal Diseases CD in what he called the "TWHI Studios." More recently Seth did all the calligraphy on this site and on my "Lovers & Drunkards" 7"!! Seth also wrote an amazing book of poetry about video games (amongst other things) called "Blue Wizard is About to Die." I believe it was the best selling new poetry book of 2004 so hunt this thing down. I will be selling it at live shows, you can get it from Seth's publishing company, or there's always Amazon.com.