Paul's 40th Birthday Video

A little late to the party here, (literally). Fans of Paul and Storm have probably seen this already, but I was fortunate to be asked to be in Paul's 40th birthday greeting video. You'll see me, along with some much more notable geeks in the video. And don't forget to stick around for the Kevin Murphy portion at the very end. (NSFW because of language, just letting you know). Enjoy!

Paul's 40th Birthday Video from Paul and Storm on Vimeo.

I Like Star Wars

This week, I was a co-host/guest on Paul and Storm Talk About Things for 5-10 Minutes (On Average). It was a lot of fun, went by too quick and made me feel important. If you'd like to hear me talk about myself and other things, tune in here.

Thanks to Storm for making the magic happen.

My Theme Song

Ever since we started our podcast, Nora has had her own theme song. It was created by our friend D. Verada for the show and eventually became the theme song of our podcast.

Well,not to be outdone, my friends Paul and Storm were nice enough to create a short theme song for me personally. I've always wanted a personal theme song and now I have one that I can not only use when I enter a room, but gives a nice overview of what I do for a living. You can hear my theme song here.

Thanks Paul and Storm! And if you are a musician and want to take a stab at a theme song for me, bring it on!

WootStock Art

WootStock Official Poster Art
Originally uploaded by jawboneradio.

A quick post here to talk about Wootstock happening Oct 19, 20 and 21st in SF and LA. My friends Paul and Storm are putting on the event with the help of Wil Wheaton, Mythbusters Adam Savage and a bunch of other cool guests. My involvement? Not much, really. Except I was able to design this totally awesome gig poster and T-Shirt for the event in the style of one of my favorite artists, R. Crumb. If you're anywhere near the area, definitely do make it to the second SF show or the LA show. Thanks to the aformentioned celebs for allowing me to share a bit in their coolness

Monkey Shines on ABC! Rare Promo Painting

Monkey Shines Promo Painting
Originally uploaded by jawboneradio.

For those of you who didn't know, Jonathan Coulton, Paul and Storm had a very short lived sitcom on ABC in the mid 80s called "Monkey Shines". The show was cancelled midway through the pilot and all parties involved thought that the show was erased from existence.

That was until last week, when the opening credit sequence surfaced on YouTube and renewed interest in the project.

I was a big fan of the show and tend to be a packrat with things I enjoy. So during a visit at my parents house this past weekend, I went to the basement and found this rare Monkey Shines Promo Painting that ABC had in their marketing for the show. The painting was to be used for an alternate opening credit sequence that was scrapped after Family Ties did a similar opening sequence. I've uploaded it to my Flickr account for all to see. It's great to be a part of this revival. Hopefully we'll see a reunion show soon?

Neil Gaiman + Coulton + Paul and Storm = Awesomeness

Almost missed this truly creepy Halloween treat, but thanks to Paul (of Paul and Storm) I am sharing it all with you. Fun!

Rufus Amos Adams x2

Round 3 of the QuickStop Entertainment Song Fu Challenge went up over the weekend. The challenge? Write a song in the style of a country ballad with the name "The Ballad of Rufus Amos Adams". Both masters, Paul and Storm and The Rifftones came up with their own respective versions of the song and yes, both are earworms, which is good news for all music lovers.

Over the weekend, I created two new images for each song. A few notes about each. For the Rifftones version, I had a different mind's view of the image. I wanted it to be more cartoony. more fanboyish. As I started to draw, I felt it more appropriate to do a full on painted portrait of Rufus. Something struck me as funny about a total loser dork with his own painted image. So I decided to go more realistic in the end, and it stilll kept the original flair of what I was looking to accomplish.

Originally, I planned on drawing two images that complimented one another like I did for Round Two. But as I listened to Paul and Storm's song, I felt it was more fitting to match the mundane with the mundane. So I opted to do an ID card for their version of Rufus. Those who are familiar with my art know that I have done this once before for Coulton's song "Re: Your Brains." But not a lot of people had seen that image, so I thought I could do a little recycling.

Anyway, the songs are up and votable now. So go do your part and vote today!

Song Fu Challenge 2 Images: Dance Crazes!

The new Song Fu challenges are up at QuickStop and also new images for the masters have been done by me -- with the exception of Jonathan Coulton's who is resting comfortably after welcoming a new addition to his family. Congratulations Jonathan!

The challenge this time around was to create a song based on a dance craze inspired by a famous inventors invention. Sound confusing? It was, sort of. But the challengers came out punching. The Rifftones offered up "Do The Ballpoint" and Paul and Storm served up a muppet-esque "Me Make Fire". These images are also different in the fact that they were deliberately designed to compliment one another. Probably not a big deal for most other people, but it's a neat thing for me. So that's what counts.

Go on over and give your vote to the most deserving.

Moon Art

On the heels of the announcement of my new art project, I also found some time to sneak in some new art for both Coulton AND Paul and Storm. Mike "Spiff" Booth, of WOW Machinima video fame, requested art for his iPod for the Song Fu Challenge songs "Always the Moon" and "Cruel, Cruel Moon". I hadn't planned on creating new art for the songs, mostly because I was jammed to the gills with other work. But I found some time to answer Spiff's request and you are all better for it. Here are the new images for the songs. Feel free to put these on your iPod as well.

ON EDIT: To round it all out, I added one last image...an illustration of the Rifftones song "Moon Shines".

ON EDIT 2: The Moon Shines image was blogged by Bill Corbett at the Riffttrax blog today. Check it out, I was compared (sort of) to John Kricfalusi! Also, WTBU video was linked as well!

I Must Issue A Retraction

Five Neat Guys
Originally uploaded by jawboneradio.

Over the past week, and on our latest podcast, I was a bit harsh on the city of Cleveland. I may have used words that could be construed as offensive to those Clevelanders with a more sensitive constitution. The words "lame" and "loser" -- maybe even "homosexual" -- could have been used to describe the denizens of this fine city.

But I must issue a retraction due to the overwhelming support that the city of Cleveland showed last night at the Jonathan Coulton/Paul and Storm concert at the Beachland Ballroom. Over two hundred thousand Clevelanders packed the small, over air-conditioned venue making it the most lucrative and sweaty Coulton concert to date. Apparently, the crowd could be seen from space with the naked eye.

All kidding aside, the show was great last night. Lots of people came. Merch was sold and more importantly, it demonstrated that Clevelanders can be cool and support cool things, with or without my berating.

I love you, Cleveland. Stay gold. And accept my apologies.

NOTE: Photo evidence of above stated good time can be viewed at this Internet Slideshow Creator.

And adding more proof of a great show, here is my video version of Paul and Storm's song "Live" in the style of Jonathan Coulton:

A Message For Cleveland Readers and Listeners...

Public Service Announcement for Clevelanders only: You know how people in this town are always saying that Cleveland is a hole and nothing is good here and all the good stuff is somewhere else in the world and we're all going die fire-y horrible deaths at the hands of our inept city management? Maybe that's just me, but I hear stuff like that a lot. So, in order to combat this general malaise with our fine city, I would encourage all of you in the Cleveland area to go and buy your tickets now to the Paul and Storm/Jonathan Coulton show this Friday, July 11th at the Beachland Ballroom. This is only the second time Coulton has been to our city. I was at the last show, and the attendance was weak at best. If no one shows at this performance, we have no one else to blame but ourselves for this city's lameness. Here's your chance to be at the kind of show that years from now, you'll look back and say "Man! I remember seeing these guys when they are the Beachland Ballroom." You get what I'm saying?

While, I'm on the subject of supporting cool things in Cleveland, you may also want to check out the Mercury Project this summer when they play out at the Ingenuity Festival. Editor's comment: I think the Ingenuity Festival is a great showcase and has a lot of potential to push Cleveland's tech scene into the forefront. But I personally feel a little bit better organization would do that event a world of good.

Anyway, end of rant. See you at the show. If not, you fail. Big time.

Song Fu Challenge VTAW's

So, there are some perks to being friends with Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm. One of the perks is that I sometimes get to hear songs before the general public does. As is the case with the Song Fu Challenge that is happening over at Quick Stop Entertainment. These guys are the Masters in the challenge and for Round 2, they upped the ante for the creative. Each Master was to write a song in the style of their competitor. So, essentially, Coulton would cover P and S and vice versa.

I was a bit afraid that that the competition would turn ugly. It's a very thin line between paying homage via parody and mocking someone's creative style. I, for one, didn't want to see my friends come to fisticuffs over a silly little contest. However, I felt torn to honor both their songs without favoring either.

So, I've heard both songs ( and you can too!) and I have to say, they are both brilliant in their own ways. Earlier this week, I posted the image I created for the "Super Secret Song" by Paul and Storm. The song is called ""Live" and it is a syrupy-sweet take on a Dr. Frankenstein type who builds his girlfriend/monster out of spare parts. Out of all the Visual Things A Week I have ever done, this has to be one of my faves. It comes pretty darn close to exactly what I saw in my head while concepting. That's a rare thing for me. So I'm especially proud of this one.

Coulton's take on Paul and Storm is so very over the top, I felt that it needed a equally over-the-top image to go along with it. I'll let you hear the song on your own, suffice the say, it's pretty sophomoric and full of intestinal distress humor. The art was inspired by Mad Maddest Artist, Don Martin, (whose treasury I just read through a few weeks ago and which I highly recommend) and the original Ren and Stimpy Art by John Kricfalusi. I had a lot of fun drawing this one and this too came pretty close to my vision - minus some female fans who were to be placed near BDF's rear end. I think it's better without them.

Overall, the songs are wonderful, completely different and fun. And I think it's pretty neat that I was able to create two distinctly different visual images that match each song pretty well. I feel that fans will have a hard time deciding who they will be voting for in the Master Round of this challenge. In any event, I want - scratch that - I NEED to hear both artists do their own versions of the songs. That would rock.

As Seen On Rifftrax

Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm are living the geek dream. Not only do they get to travel around in a magical bus playing musics for people in buildings all over the country, sometimes cool people are among the people in the building. Take for example this past weekend in San Diego, when Bill Corbett of MST3K fame joined in on a sing-along. Afterwards, the group (which included former Jawbone guest, Mike Nelson and his wife, Bridget) hung out and imbibed spirits at a local pub.

What does this have to do with me? My artwork for Paul and Storm's "Dejected Arrr" tee (available here) ends up at the Rifftrax blog. Unfortunately, it's not credited. But I'll take what I can get. Thanks to Dan for heads up.

UPDATE: I have been credited! Thanks Conor!

Failing At Rock Band

I love this video. I guess it's because I'm waiting patiently for my chance to play this particular song with these guys on Rock Band. The funny thing is these guys play real music in front of real people for a living. I can only live vicariously through my friends via a video game. But I'm okay with that. At the very least, it saves me money on gas.

Nugget Man

Nugget Man
Originally uploaded by jawboneradio.

More art for musicians. This time for Paul and Storm and their wonderful song, "Nugget Man". I feel this is one of their best produced songs. I love it to death.

Lame Monster Party

Lame Monster Party
Originally uploaded by jawboneradio.

I was asked by my good buddies and musical heroes Paul and Storm to help them celebrate the Halloween Season by drawing a visual response to their song "Lame Monster Party" (one of my stealth faves). Here is the result. If you haven't heard the song yet, what are you waiting for? Enjoy Damnit!

LOLCoultons

Paul and Storm are hilarious. Plain and simple. You want proof? How about this take on the meme, LOLcats called LOLCoultons.

I have to lose some geek cred here. I didn't know what the hell anyone was talking about when they said LOLCats until I drew one for the last round of Monster By Mail. And even then I got it wrong. Now that I know what it is, I can laugh heartily and enjoy these FUR YEERZ TU CUM. In fact, here is mine:


IS I COOLZ NOW?

Also on a related note, ApeLad is starting his new art project concerning the origin of LOLCats. Huzzah!

UPDATE: I was told I got it wrong the first time so here is my second attempt.

Is that better?

This. Rocks.

Jawbone #140: Inside the Muscian's Studio with Joco, Paul and Storm

This past week, we had the honor of meeting musicians Paul and Storm and longtime friend of Jawbone, Jonathan Coulton. This was the first time we have met sans the virtual wall of the internets between us. We saw them perform live at Wilbert's Food and Music, and then after the show, we sat down at their hotel room and talked Second Life, the wrap of the Visual Thing A Week, Homestar Runner, fried gizzards and much, much more. Also, I talk about our harrowing driving experience right after the left the interview. Listen in and enjoy the music.

RUNNING TIME: 43:03
SHOW NOTES:

Links:
Jonathan Coulton
Paul and Storm
Wilbert's
Second Life
Homestar Runner

Music:
The Future Soon
Strip Club Daddy
A Talk With George
Mr. Fancy Pants
Baby Got Back
W's Duty
Hip-Shop
Ballad of the Sneak

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