Comments on: The Perils of Penelope, The Dangers of Dirk http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/ Josh\'s blog on life, his TV series and everything in between Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:22:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Jim Brennan http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3530 Jim Brennan Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:02:12 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3530 Dirksen was the luckiest man alive in show business! He happened on to the punk scene at exactly the right time and place. This is doubly true of Penelope Houston. Both these people were the antithesis of the Punk aesthetic. I used to go to the Mab to see the only true S.F. Punk band that ever played there, namely, "Crime." That whole Mab scene was like going back to high school, with its circle of "acceptable" bands and in-crowd dynamics. The only significant people to perform there were those such as Devo, Johnny Thunders, Nikko, The Ramones, and others just passing through and looking for a SMALL payday and some exposure to the middle class, affected clientele (read "money"). Dirksen was the poor man's Bill Graham, but had none of Graham's pinache, style, or acumen. If I had to come up with one word to describe the hat-trick of the Mabuhay, Dirksen, and Penelope Houston, that word would be, JOKE! Believe me, nobody's ever going to remember any of them! Good riddance! Dirksen was the luckiest man alive in show business! He happened on to the punk scene at exactly the right time and place. This is doubly true of Penelope Houston. Both these people were the antithesis of the Punk aesthetic. I used to go to the Mab to see the only true S.F. Punk band that ever played there, namely, “Crime.” That whole Mab scene was like going back to high school, with its circle of “acceptable” bands and in-crowd dynamics. The only significant people to perform there were those such as Devo, Johnny Thunders, Nikko, The Ramones, and others just passing through and looking for a SMALL payday and some exposure to the middle class, affected clientele (read “money”). Dirksen was the poor man’s Bill Graham, but had none of Graham’s pinache, style, or acumen. If I had to come up with one word to describe the hat-trick of the Mabuhay, Dirksen, and Penelope Houston, that word would be, JOKE! Believe me, nobody’s ever going to remember any of them! Good riddance!

]]> By: Josh Kornbluth http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3520 Josh Kornbluth Mon, 17 Apr 2006 01:08:17 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3520 Wow -- an expert witness! Thanks for writing in, Keith! Wow — an expert witness! Thanks for writing in, Keith!

]]> By: keith rendel http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3519 keith rendel Thu, 13 Apr 2006 07:15:08 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3519 Stumvbled across this... I opened and ran Nightbreak from 1983-1985. I was long gone by '92 but it probably was where Penelope played a show in 92. It wasn't exactly a storefront. It had been various bars since at least '75...It is currently an internet coffee cafe...Nightbreak was probably best known for many Chris Isaak shows early in his career-they of course featured former Avenger Jimmy Wilsey... Keith Stumvbled across this… I opened and ran Nightbreak from 1983-1985. I was long gone by ‘92 but it probably was where Penelope played a show in 92. It wasn’t exactly a storefront. It had been various bars since at least ‘75…It is currently an internet coffee cafe…Nightbreak was probably best known for many Chris Isaak shows early in his career-they of course featured former Avenger Jimmy Wilsey…

Keith

]]> By: Josh Kornbluth http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3518 Josh Kornbluth Sun, 05 Mar 2006 08:43:14 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3518 Hey, Matt: It's interesting that I looked nervous while I was sipping coffee; I was actually feeling incredibly relieved that the interviews were over and now Penelope and Pat were doing their thing. Just goes to show that for a guy like me, relaxation needs to be graded on a curve! ... Pat: So great to hear from you! You and Penelope did a beautiful job, as always. And I think you're right about the Nightbreak: I don't remember the name, but it was a storefront and "Nightbreak" sounds right. ... Gil: It sounds like you've been at a lot of amazing gigs! As for the I-Beam: no, that wasn't where I first saw Penelope (see above), but it <i>is</i> where I first saw They Might Be Giants live -- another life-changing experience. And Julie: I'm beginning to believe that everything meaningful in the world is not-too-distantly connected to you and Ziggy! Hey, Matt: It’s interesting that I looked nervous while I was sipping coffee; I was actually feeling incredibly relieved that the interviews were over and now Penelope and Pat were doing their thing. Just goes to show that for a guy like me, relaxation needs to be graded on a curve! …

Pat: So great to hear from you! You and Penelope did a beautiful job, as always. And I think you’re right about the Nightbreak: I don’t remember the name, but it was a storefront and “Nightbreak” sounds right. …

Gil: It sounds like you’ve been at a lot of amazing gigs! As for the I-Beam: no, that wasn’t where I first saw Penelope (see above), but it is where I first saw They Might Be Giants live — another life-changing experience.

And Julie: I’m beginning to believe that everything meaningful in the world is not-too-distantly connected to you and Ziggy!

]]> By: Matt Pamatmat http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3517 Matt Pamatmat Sat, 25 Feb 2006 18:03:59 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3517 It was great to see good ol' Dirk Dirksen, and interesting to learn more about The Avengers, The Mutants, Fried Abortions, etc. I found it funny when Penelope and Pat played, and you could see Josh in the background nervously sipping coffee. It reminded me of the great Mtv show that was almost too weird to survive (it didn't) called Oddville (I think?). On Oddville, if that's the name, the host nervously watched as strange acts and musicians did their thing, from Ween to carnivalesque sideshow stuff. It was great to see good ol’ Dirk Dirksen, and interesting to learn more about The Avengers, The Mutants, Fried Abortions, etc. I found it funny when Penelope and Pat played, and you could see Josh in the background nervously sipping coffee. It reminded me of the great Mtv show that was almost too weird to survive (it didn’t) called Oddville (I think?). On Oddville, if that’s the name, the host nervously watched as strange acts and musicians did their thing, from Ween to carnivalesque sideshow stuff.

]]> By: Pat http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3516 Pat Wed, 22 Feb 2006 17:36:06 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3516 ...btw, I think the show on Haight street you refer to must've been at the Nightbreak?... …btw, I think the show on Haight street you refer to must’ve been at the Nightbreak?…

]]> By: Pat http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3515 Pat Wed, 22 Feb 2006 17:35:02 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3515 Hey Josh- Thanks for having us on the show! Penelope is on tour with Avengers in Italy as of this entry, so she'll need a tape for her archives, but I really enjoyed watching it with my friends out here in televisionland. Keep up the good work. Hey Josh-

Thanks for having us on the show! Penelope is on tour with Avengers in Italy as of this entry, so she’ll need a tape for her archives, but I really enjoyed watching it with my friends out here in televisionland. Keep up the good work.

]]> By: Gil http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3514 Gil Tue, 21 Feb 2006 05:51:11 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3514 I really enjoyed that, Josh. It was great to see Dirk, and the two documentaries he mentioned sound very interesting. I've been wondering what became of Ness Aquino, who owned The Mab. As an Avengers fan, Penelope's interview was the highlight. I was kind of expecting a brief mention that the Avengers opened for the Sex Pistols at Winterland. Was the I-Beam the club on Haight St. where you first saw Penelope playing folk music in the late '80s? I really enjoyed that, Josh. It was great to see Dirk, and the two documentaries he mentioned sound very interesting. I’ve been wondering what became of Ness Aquino, who owned The Mab. As an Avengers fan, Penelope’s interview was the highlight. I was kind of expecting a brief mention that the Avengers opened for the Sex Pistols at Winterland. Was the I-Beam the club on Haight St. where you first saw Penelope playing folk music in the late ’80s?

]]> By: Julie Bernstein http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3513 Julie Bernstein Tue, 21 Feb 2006 03:41:44 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3513 Josh, I was so excited to see that Dirk Dirksen was on your show tonight, because Ziggy and I hired Dirksen-Molloy to film our wedding! (Ziggy knew them since they filmed the Mime Troupe shows.) And they did such a good job, I got them to film two of my concerts as well. Another score for you getting a premiere song performed on your show - keep up the great work! P.S. I know you're touring in SoCal, but you wouldn't be coming back for Daniel Handler's premiere of Four Adverbs tomorrrow night by any chance? I bought tickets to it as a direct consequence of seeing him on your show. :-) Josh, I was so excited to see that Dirk Dirksen was on your show tonight, because Ziggy and I hired Dirksen-Molloy to film our wedding! (Ziggy knew them since they filmed the Mime Troupe shows.) And they did such a good job, I got them to film two of my concerts as well.

Another score for you getting a premiere song performed on your show - keep up the great work!

P.S. I know you’re touring in SoCal, but you wouldn’t be coming back for Daniel Handler’s premiere of Four Adverbs tomorrrow night by any chance? I bought tickets to it as a direct consequence of seeing him on your show. :-)

]]> By: Gil http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3512 Gil Tue, 21 Feb 2006 01:53:29 +0000 http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/2006/02/20/the-perils-of-penelope-the-dangers-of-dirk/#comment-3512 Hi Josh, I talked to Penelope last month about the taping. Looking forward to tonight's show! Hi Josh,

I talked to Penelope last month about the taping. Looking forward to tonight’s show!

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