Don't you hate it when your work schedule keeps landing you obligated on the very nights that some of your favorite bands are playing? Usually Iíve been pretty lucky in this area--shows conveniently landing on my nights off, but more recently Iíve had to miss the record release parties for two of my favorite local bands, Tribe 8 and Blue Period, I missed the worlds favorite band Radiohead when they recently touched down in SF, and tonight I'll be working when another favorite local act Zen Guerrilla opens for another interesting band that Iíve been playing a lot of The Delta 72, and then embarks on a tour with the headliners that will take them away from here for a few months and I havenít been able to catch them live once. And live is the best way to experience this trio from all the firsthand reports Iíve been given for several months running. Well, until they return from this tour with The Delta 72, their recorded efforts will have to suffice and let me tell you, that isnít such a bad thing to settle for. They have two available discs on Alternative Tentacles and their most recent release, Positronic Raygun is one hell of a white hot blistering trip through a rootsy traditionalist blues-based world of greasy roadhouse wailing. The huge guitar sound is a mournful to festering fury of massive sonic proportions and distortions. There seems to be a great deal of technique applied to the production of this band, because they immediately establish a definite sound or moody atmosphere that runs through the entire disc. Its hard to explain. Remember when the Jesus and Mary Chain first popped on to the scene, taking sweet pop song stylings akin to The Beach Boys and augmenting them with an assault of white guitar noise and feedback and droll dead-sounding vocals? It was like listening to Jan and Dean practicing in a metal shop. Well, Zen Guerrilla sort of take on a deeply traditional rhythm and blues based area of musical history with a touch of soul influences like Sam and Dave or Sam Cooke and apply a murky, dusty cavernous quality thatís unhinged and dark and spooky. The result is like a deranged and fast Creedence Clearwater Revival with a menacing spirit of harder more modern rock influences replacing the sweet country-rock harmonies and adding a certain desperation to drive it all home.

Each of the dozen songs on this disc are generally quite short by most standards, clocking in at two and a half to three minutes, which is a good thing when dealing with familiar elements matched with an unusual other-worldly sonic potency. Itís very primal sounding, the howling, yelping vocals and deeply layered guitar reverb arousing thoughts of music coming from a dark cave for exiled hillbillies just over yonder in the dead of night. To their credit, Zen Guerrilla tackle an american roots type musical style and turn it scary without it sounding self-conscious while doing so. Certain artists from the other side of the Atlantic, like Nick Cave or P.J. Harvey, fall into that category for their chilling attempts at pared down neo-traditional American Gothic forays with the Blues. I expect that Zen Guerrilla knows fully just how dark and grotesque some blues music is already and always has been traditionally ever since Leadbelly wrote songs about infidelity and decapitation.

Positronic Raygun is a pretty hard and fast romp for the most part except for the third and tenth cuts, which reveal another facet of this great bands ability. Cut number three, "Roachman" is merely a minute long and sounds like a memory or a dream soundtrack--ghostly Sergio Leone-esque western saloon style music delivering a mood then disappearing completely. Track 10, "Healing in The Water"is a beautiful, soothing respite from the hardness and pace of the disc, with itís lilting guitar and echoing harmonica. It sounds vaguely spiritual or gospel influenced and itís a beautiful peice of music, showing a glimpse of versatility that I suspect is just a hint of what this band has in store for us. I hope their show was good, Iím sure Iíll be hearing about it, and it is my particular hunch that we all will be hearing much more about Zen Guerrilla as one of San Francisco's best bands. Buy Positronic Raygun and see for yourself, something big is going on here.

Something else has been going on here in SF and it isnít so much big as it is bad, and thatís the unfortunate death of a gay man after he was attacked or bashed outside of the Loading Dock recently. It just made me think how very vunerable any human being is when they are under attack by just one person, let alone a gang. One serious blow was all it took, the resulting head injury from falling over backwards after struck was enough to take a man out for good. As a person who walks the streets alone at night with a certain regularity, this news was genuinely disturbing. Mind you, I am an aggressive walker, always keeping a quick purposeful pace, keeping up that "don't fuck with me I'm going somewhere" vibe, always being attentive to those behind me, in front of me and those I pass by, forever assessing each and every doorway and corner and dark spot and keeping an eye on all the auto traffic too for slow moving cars with numerous people and other suspicious signs of potential danger. I wonít even go into the whole issue of pedestrian safety, or maybe I should. Automobile driving halfwits donít even seem aware of the concept of people on foot, let alone cross signals governing their procession legally, right of way rules that all are taught as soon as we begin to walk, and keeping ones eyes on the road rather than on your fucking cell-phones or make-up and hair or the targeted object of your road rage. For those flagrantly disregarding pedestrian safety I have an old trick in my pocket to use when such an injustice occurs, and it is a sparkplug. With a good quick throw, that little auto spark plug can shatter a windsheild like that, for those who really deserve it. I can also run very fast, which you would have to do if your throw connects, because the police would probably arrest you for this act, even if the victim of suddenly impaired vision almost killed you by breaking a basic traffic law. Running fast is good, as are steel-toed boots for denting those cars that ignore your right of way, for often theyíre close enough to connect with a good body-damaging kick. That manoever Iíve executed frequently and effectively on those non-stopping right on red folks who donít think foot traffic exists. But back to the subject of bashings and violent hate crimes--some of my aggressive methods of dealing with the harrowing dangers of being a pedestrian are starting to sound a lot more applicable to possible attacks and insuring my own personal safety.

So a man is killed by an attacker hurling ant-gay invectives and one punch to the face and the most immediate answer to arise from a community meeting called to explore ways to protect ourselves in the future is a proposed whistle campaign? Whistles? Community outreach and education? Cutesy whistle posters and handbills with printed directions and instructions for use when faced with violence or opression? Whistle defense classes (okay...one two three--BLOW...great, okay again...one two three--BLOW--great, you did great! thank you!)? I just donít think itís going to be enough to really cut it when trying to stop some mad retardo-thug as he smacks you upside the head with The Club steering wheel lock from his getaway car.

I've toyed with the idea of weapons to guard myself against violent attackers and I have actually carried pepper spray on my person regularly until I learned that if you fend off an attack with it, youíll likely go straight to jail on assault charges, where the police may or may not use it on you while your attacker is left free to stalk your still-oppressed co-patriots. I have always caried a small pocket knife but never with the thought that it would ever be the thing that saved me from an attack. Perhaps it could come in handy to aid in my escape if taken hostage by terrorists or removing a slug from someone in a heroic do-it-yourself surgery, but pulling out a little knife when faced with an attacker would almost assuredly be counter-productive. Now a big knife or a machete might be different and to be legal must remain unconcealed, so a big hunting knife worn on the belt might deter an attacker but thereís no guarantee, and your chances of pulling a heroic West-side Story-type choreographed knife fight might require background as a part of a national theatrical touring company or at least some time in summer stock. Maybe wearing a satin tour jacket from Les Miseralbes might help but I hear that roving gangs will kill someone just for their Les Mis jackets or any other Andrew Lloyd Weber show satin tour jackets, especially in XL size. And donít forget fellas, a red hanky right pocket can take on a whole new gang-related meaning in certain parts of town.

All kidding aside, one of the more serious options for self-protection is a final step that many are unwilling to take, and that is carrying a small firearm. I personally like this option and have been looking into that possibility. Itís not altogether too difficult to get one, and I suggest consulting the yellow pages under Guns. Thereís a mandatory cooling off period law applied to the purchase of a weapon to insure that you arenít buying the weapon with the sole intention of promptly using it on someone right away, like the noisy neighbors, the cat-calling construction workers, the loud mouth juveniles on the subway, yourself, the boss who just fired you, the homeless, all of your c0-workers at the post office, yourself, etc. During the cooling off period they check your record out for criminal offenses and things that might indicate that you shouldnít be armed. Courses in gun safety and general gun use are recommended and/or required, varying from state to state. This is where it gets very complex--your gun must be registered and if you plan on carrying it on your person concealed like a TV cop you must apply for a special concealed weapons permit which are issued by the Police and I have a feeling that they are not very simple to get, which explains why most people carrying concealed weapons donít have a proper permit to do so. To get a gun for your protection and to carry it on your person, you will at some point find yourself in some technical respect, outside of the confines of the law. Armed Robbers and people who shoot others from a moving vehicle generally donít have the proper permits to carry concealed weapons either.

I imagine you can tell Mr Gun Shop guy that youíre plans are for home protection only and you can tip toe away with a smart little handgun after the waiting period. Címon, if two little boys approaching puberty can pull together a fucking arsenal of weapons in Buttcrack Arkansas large enough to shower an entire student body with bullets, any urban fag or dyke ought to be able to get a simple handgun if they try. Approach your favorite Leather Fetish Gear emporium and I bet theyíll negotiate a smart little custom made holster for you faster than you can say full body harness. After all, a gun is a real plausible area of fetish--it turns me on to know someone is packing heat--no lie. Then, some late night when you are walking alone and a small group of young men accost you and start calling you faggot and pushing you around with clear intent to leave you beaten within an inch of your life, pull the gun out and say "Think again." If the weapon doesnít scatter them from view instantly, fire a warning shot in the air or a foot or a leg or on the ground near their feet. A fair amount of practice at an official gun range is the least you can do for yourself as a proud gun owner in preparation for actual use. If the weapon doesnít stop them, they may be reaching for their own or perhaps crazed on PCP and posessing super-human strength. Shoot to kill then, trust your instincts. It probably wonít progress beyond the point of introducing your gun to the attackers.

I know, I know, there are all kinds of possible mishaps that could occur, dangerous "what ifs", resulting illegalities that may work against you, etc., for arming oneself for protection, but tell me, how safe does that whistle around your neck make you feel? How protected against anti-gay assaults does the SFPD make you feel? When a man is killed in cold blood for being gay, and legislation will not treat it or deem it a hate crime because sexual orientation does not constitute as good and plain a reason to consider the act hate motivated, yet a victims race does, how fucking protected does that make you feel? In the past Iíve discouraged friends of mine who were considering buying a gun for protection. Iím not so sure I can wholeheartedly support the more passive approach to protecting ones self anymore. I relish the thought of pumping a fag-basher full of lead far more than taking the Ghandi route and ending up with a whistle lodged in my fronal lobe, permanently disabled, full of forgiveness and hoping the best for my attackers quest for the love of Jesus behind bars, full rehabilitation and release as a productive member of society.

One final note concerning the Jonesborro Arkansas Middle School Massacre: A stunned nation is asking themselves, "Why, why did this happen?" I say itís easy to see. There hasnít been enough bloody, harrowing, victims-being-removed-from -the-site, emotionally cloying community-drawing-together-to-face-the-tragedy news hour footage on television in three years, or since the Oklahoma City Bombing. Those kids know what they want and in this case how to get it. Funny thing though, a friend pointed out to me upon the release to the media of the photos of the little darlings, that one of the two weapon prodigies, the one who hasnít said a word yet, as opposed to the one who cried for Mommy, is the spittiní image of Timothy McVeigh. Take a look for yourself.