News

June 24, 2003

Hi All,

WOW! What more can be said about the MERMAID PARADE? Leading up to the day itself, the insanity was unbelievable. Sponsors pulled out. The truck company wanted a $1 million dollar insurance policy!?!? The VW stretch's chassis bent and cracked. The rain got worse every day leading up to it. One thing after another went wrong, right up until 3 minutes before we got started. But our team was not to be denied.

No flatbed? We rented a small truck. (Plan was to put the drummer, TEXAS CLAMP, and equipment on top of it.)

RAIN? We moved TEXAS INTO the truck, along with the equipment.

SHOCKS from the microphones and amps? The amp shocks "aren't enough to kill ya," says PRINCE HAL, and "We won't use the mics," says JOHNNY LAW, "WE'RE JUST GONNA ROCK!"

AND ROCK THEY DID!

I'm still getting calls and e-mails from people who either were there or heard about it saying that BANANA FISH ZERO and the OTTO's SHRUNKEN HEAD float were the best. And EVERYONE agreed it was no contest when it came to MERMAIDS. NO ONE topped ours, (especially as we had the most w/o tops).

From the MIGHTY AFRODITE on top of the truck (BOB driving) in her mermaid fin that demanded she had to flop around (her feet weren't accessible), accompanied by the always dancing LISA LIGHTNING; followed by BANANA FISH ZERO (TEXAS in the truck, JOHNNY LAW in his speedo, and PRINCE HAL in blue body paint and a very large sea shell, strategically placed - until it fell off halfway thru the parade along with most of the paint); our team of PINK SNOW (PORN ROCK), JEA (The DRIVE), TOBY and LULU (J. LAW's family), OLGA and ANNA (HAL's & TEXAS' better halves), LIZZIE (GIG LIZZY) & BARBARA (costume designer), JAIME (bartender - CONTINENTAL), CHEROKEE & PETE (too many bands to mention), ADARAH (belly dancer), LUNDO (LUNDO), RYOTA (photog - NY WASTE), AMY & STEPHANIE (make-up assts.) rocked the crowd with their enthusiasm. Then the 1963 Black/black RIVIERA owned & driven by STEVE PANG (OTTO's SHRUNKEN HEAD) with NELL (bartender - OTTO's) hanging out one window, the JOLLY WOOD (my flag, designed by MARIE - BEADQUEENNYC) hanging out the other window and last, and way most certainly, NOT LEAST (if you saw them you know what I mean - nudge! nudge! wink! wink!) sitting in the trunk with their fins hanging out, XAN (bartender - MOTOR CITY BAR) & MELISSA (a denizen of the MOTOR CITY BAR [along with the rest of our team]). And, of course, the RAIN! Oh yeah, and me in my umbrella hat trying to maintain formation (yeah, right!). We had a GREAT time and I can't wait 'til next year!

Also a BIG GIANT THANK YOU to all our sponsors: OTTO's SHRUNKEN HEAD (538 E 14 St., NYC), LOOT newspaper (JOY RYDER-sales dept.), NY WASTE (LUCKY LAWLER, editor, publisher, etc...), GIG LIZZY STUDIOS (30th St., above DOWNTIME), TONY & TINA COSMETICS (YANA CHUPENKO - sales & marketing) RARE (416 W 14 St.). And MARIE - BEADQUEENNYC.com - who designed and made my flag and OTTO's Banner).

Again, THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this happen, everyone who was out there at CONEY ISLAND - in the rain - cheering us on and all the people at CONEY ISLAND (TYLER, JENNIFER, DICK & all the others) who put the whole thing together.

DON"T MISS IT next year!

I'll have photos on the website by the end of the week (I hope!).

NY Waste Articles	F Wood Newsletter Archive	Mighty Afrodite News Articles	F Wood Stemway Articles
June 24, 2003 Hi All, WOW! What more can be said about the MERMAID PARADE? Leading up to the day itself, the insanity was unbelievable. Sponsors pulled out. The truck company wanted a $1 million dollar insurance policy!?!? The VW stretch's chassis bent and cracked. The rain got worse every day leading up to it. One thing after another went wrong, right up until 3 minutes before we got started. But our team was not to be denied. No flatbed? We rented a small truck. (Plan was to put the drummer, TEXAS CLAMP, and equipment on top of it.) RAIN? We moved TEXAS INTO the truck, along with the equipment. SHOCKS from the microphones and amps? The amp shocks "aren't enough to kill ya," says PRINCE HAL, and "We won't use the mics," says JOHNNY LAW, "WE'RE JUST GONNA ROCK!" AND ROCK THEY DID! I'm still getting calls and e-mails from people who either were there or heard about it saying that BANANA FISH ZERO and the OTTO's SHRUNKEN HEAD float were the best. And EVERYONE agreed it was no contest when it came to MERMAIDS. NO ONE topped ours, (especially as we had the most w/o tops). From the MIGHTY AFRODITE on top of the truck (BOB driving) in her mermaid fin that demanded she had to flop around (her feet weren't accessible), accompanied by the always dancing LISA LIGHTNING; followed by BANANA FISH ZERO (TEXAS in the truck, JOHNNY LAW in his speedo, and PRINCE HAL in blue body paint and a very large sea shell, strategically placed - until it fell off halfway thru the parade along with most of the paint); our team of PINK SNOW (PORN ROCK), JEA (The DRIVE), TOBY and LULU (J. LAW's family), OLGA and ANNA (HAL's & TEXAS' better halves), LIZZIE (GIG LIZZY) & BARBARA (costume designer), JAIME (bartender - CONTINENTAL), CHEROKEE & PETE (too many bands to mention), ADARAH (belly dancer), LUNDO (LUNDO), RYOTA (photog - NY WASTE), AMY & STEPHANIE (make-up assts.) rocked the crowd with their enthusiasm. Then the 1963 Black/black RIVIERA owned & driven by STEVE PANG (OTTO's SHRUNKEN HEAD) with NELL (bartender - OTTO's) hanging out one window, the JOLLY WOOD (my flag, designed by MARIE - BEADQUEENNYC) hanging out the other window and last, and way most certainly, NOT LEAST (if you saw them you know what I mean - nudge! nudge! wink! wink!) sitting in the trunk with their fins hanging out, XAN (bartender - MOTOR CITY BAR) & MELISSA (a denizen of the MOTOR CITY BAR [along with the rest of our team]). And, of course, the RAIN! Oh yeah, and me in my umbrella hat trying to maintain formation (yeah, right!). We had a GREAT time and I can't wait 'til next year! Also a BIG GIANT THANK YOU to all our sponsors: OTTO's SHRUNKEN HEAD (538 E 14 St., NYC), LOOT newspaper (JOY RYDER-sales dept.), NY WASTE (LUCKY LAWLER, editor, publisher, etc...), GIG LIZZY STUDIOS (30th St., above DOWNTIME), TONY & TINA COSMETICS (YANA CHUPENKO - sales & marketing) RARE (416 W 14 St.). And MARIE - BEADQUEENNYC.com - who designed and made my flag and OTTO's Banner). Again, THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this happen, everyone who was out there at CONEY ISLAND - in the rain - cheering us on and all the people at CONEY ISLAND (TYLER, JENNIFER, DICK & all the others) who put the whole thing together. DON"T MISS IT next year! I'll have photos on the website by the end of the week (I hope!).