The Uncanny Art of Bobby Calabrese

Back when we first started the band we needed artwork but we didn’t know who to turn to. I remember seeing Bobby’s doodle drawings and thought they would be great to use for the band. So I took his notebooks full of doodles from high school and scanned them into my computer. I didn’t know what I was doing so I would line trace the images then color them with the paint bucket tool. I remember it would take hours to convert them into full color but it was fun. I still have a box full of Bobby doodles that I thought would be great to color for the band. I didn’t get much done before we ended up meeting artists online, like Big Tony O'Farrell and Andrew Barr, to fuel our horror rock image.

I asked Bobby what he remembered about his early doodle drawings.

“I suppose I was out of high school when I did those drawings, and if so, I was around 17 or 18.  The only thing I can remember is wanting to raise the level of awesomeness with the band.  At the time, we didn't have shit for art, so I took it upon myself to doodle around and see what I could come up with.  In high school, I was way into comic books and the idea of writing/drawing my very own series was a huge goal for me.  Looking back, i wish I kept up with it because by now I bet I'd be damn good!  Or completely delusional with crappy art.  Who knows?

So we started the band.  It was a great opportunity to blend two loves, music and notebook doodling, and I think it turned out pretty well.  Obviously, everything was colored in on Paintshop by you, Jimmy, making my quick and sloppy drawings into pretty cool and slightly disturbing art pieces! 

I had a weird style.  I drew a lot of inspiration for indie comics because the art seemed do-able and the story lines clicked with me.  Nothing was too over the top and there was no way I was gonna start drawing like the top dogs! (big boobs and burly muscles are, like, super hard to draw) So I picked my style, which seemed to be a mix between big heads and vague, dead eyes.  I liked it 'cause it purposely sloppy and somewhat appealing.  I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a certain "charm" I was going for, like Charlie Brown with seven fingers. (I had a hard time drawing hands)

 

I still draw this way -- a goofy mummy and an alien with a jet pack are in my Top Go-To Doodles.  I like to draw people with ripped up limbs, too, but there's only so much of that before people start questioning your sanity. Also, I remember thinking these were great!  As soon as we started hiring people to whip up Calabrese art I kinda backed off a bit.  If you want the best, you go to the best.  You DON'T go to the 18 year old hunched over a stack of paper in a poorly lit room drawing zombies in red Chuck Taylors.  Ha!”

 

 

Notes from the Road - Hollywood, CA @ The Knitting Factory.

We played a lot of great shows at the Knitting Factory before they closed and I have a lot of fond memories.

The first time we played the Knitting Factory in Hollywood was with Order Of The Fly, Murder Land and Back to Zero. It was our first taste of Hollywood. There’s something seedy and desperate behind the façade of the golden stars, plastic movie attractions and gift shops. Most noticeable when we leave the venue at two in the morning when the streets are littered with drunks, homeless, taxies and cop cars.

The Knitting Factory had 3 stages, a small bar room stage, a medium open floor stage, and a large stage that had a balcony. When we started playing there we played the medium stage (we never played the small girly stage). After playing several shows for Church Of The 8th Day promotions we worked our way into headlining the medium stage, our first time headlining in LA.

                                 

Backstage.

In 2008 we headlined the Knitting Factory for the first time, and it was one of my favorite shows. They gave us the VIP room upstairs with waters and pizza. And we played with some of our favorite bands Zombeast, Order Of The Fly, and Murderland. I think on the main stage they had some private rap party and on the mini-stage Peachcake played, another band from AZ whom we played with before at a VFW hall.

Zombeast!

The magical backstage.

 

Order Of The Fly

There have been several festivals where we got to rock on the main stage with bands like 13 Step Rebels, Koffin Kats, Rezurex, and Frenzy.

Logistically it was a pain in the ass to load in when we played the main stage cause we had to unhook the trailer in the small back parking lot then park the van in the underground parking garage, then walk all the gear and merch down the cramped back service hallways about 200 feet. No big deal for most bands, but when we’ve got 12 totes of merchandise it sucks.

Down that hallway I’ve seen fist fights, wasted drunk chicks, instruments get stolen and Nick 13 hanging out, just what you would expect.



A view from the stage.



When we played the medium stage we parked in the loading zone at the side of the venue. It was a perfect spot until we got a ticket for being parked in a loading zone.

I’ve seen many people get stupid drunk and kicked out of the Knitting Factory not sure if it’s - A. that’s just Hollywood. B. the venue gave off a stupid vibe. C. the other venues we play don’t care about retarded drunks.

Across the street at a booze shop.

                               

Also across the street.

                                 

Chapter 3

Beach Blanket Bloodbath continues...HERE!

Notes from the Road – Brookdale, CA @ The Haunted Brookdale Lodge

“BLOOD FEST II - The 2nd annual Blood Fest at the Haunted Brookdale Lodge! Including Live performances by STELLAR CORPSES, CALABRESE, TELL TALE HEARTBREAKERS, HERE KITTY KITTY and round two of The BIKINI BLOODBATH WRESTLING TOURNAMENT!!! Enter now for you chance at the $100 grand prize!! Must be 18 to wrestle. Show is all ages.”

I can’t believe it was November of 2009 that we played at the Brookdale Lodge, it seems like just a few months ago! I remember this show more for the location than anything else. They say the lodge was a vacation spot for Al Capone and the other mobsters of the 1920’s. The place was aging but it still held it’s charm.

Heading out to the lodge we foolishly followed the diabolical directions of the Garmin GPS. It took us through tiny twisting mountain roads with oncoming traffic passing us within inches. To make matters worse, a convoy of cars built up behind us 'cause I had to slowly maneuver the terror-roads.

Brookdale Lodge, a river runs through it – a river of death!

I waited for Frodo to come running through the doorway!

The room we played in did not have central heating, instead, it was solely heated by this fireplace. Did I mention it was a cold November night?

Davey sat next to the fire most of the night and talked with a guy who was the son of a Preacher who performed exorcisms, you know, a typical Calabrese fan. The guy also told Davey about the Lizard People who lived within the hollow Earth. Did I mention by the end of the night Dave’s pal spilled his beer all over the merch table? But he was a nice guy and bought one of the posters he ruined.

In the room next to us, a local paranormal group had set up cameras and sound recording equipment. They said they were trying to capture the presence of the dead, but I think they were actually trying to bootleg the show.

Did I accidently capture a picture of a ghost?

I was talking with the Paranormal group and they said they’ve made contact with a little dead girl who haunts the hotel. Fun!

I had a good time creeping around the lodge.

It’s in a book...the place must be haunted!

Here’s Dan from Stellar Corpses setting up the inflatable pool for the bikini jello wrestling contest.Good job, Dan!

A fan presented Bobby with a homemade “I’m in Twilight” t-shirt.

Lasers!

Stellar Corpses rockin it.

Our buddies Stellar Corpses tried to outdo us with their merch. Nice selection, guys.

We still win!