"The Graves" Cast & Crew Screening

The other night I went to the cast and crew screening of "The Graves." It was great to see everyone from the crew again. It was even better to watch the movie with an audience on the big screen.


"The Graves" has it's share of blood and violence but what really hooked me were the "cat and mouse" scenes set under the hot Arizona sun. The production, sound, cinematography were top notch and the acting from Clare Grant and Bill Moseley were excellent. I don't want to make this a "spoiler" so you'll need to buy a ticket and check it out for yourself.


If you have not checked out the official "The Graves" website and "The Graves" myspace, do so now! It's so cool to see Calabrese featured as part of the cast as "themselves" along side Bill Moseley and Tony Todd.


Calabrese music has been featured in indie horror movies before but this is the first time we are featured in a film, it's about time!

[Pictured Above]
Brian Pulido (Writer, Director) with the Ronald Brothers (The Producers) on stage introducing the film and giving thanks to the cast and crew.

The release date is currently set for 2010. Eternal Entertainment will also be releasing a music video for the movie featuring our song "Vampires Don't Exist". No release date set for that video but stay tuned!

-Jimmy

Zombie Beauty Pageant - Phoenix Comicon 2009

Bobby and I had a great time as judges for the 2009 Phoenix Comicon "Zombie Beauty Pageant". We were honored to be invited as "celebrity" judges. We didn't know any of the details when we arrived and I was wondering if they were going offer us the microphone to give our scores and heckle the contestants but it was a pretty low key job. We just sat back, cracked jokes, laughed, and enjoyed the show.

After picking up some coffee at the Kwiki Mart Bobby and I pulled into the parking lot of the Mesa Convention Center. I was pleased to see that 10pm on a Thursday night the parking lot was full. The event was a rather large affair with a stage, P.A., and spotlights. For some reason, I had imagined the Pageant would be held outside or in a small stuffy conference room.


The other Celebrity Judges were:

Dean Lorey - Writer: "Jason Goes To Hell", "My Boyfriend's Back" (zombie comedy), and "Arrested Development". Dean was a very funny guy. He told me about his newest book kids book, Nightmare Academy" which sounded like a Harry Potter type of story.

Nicki DeAndrea - "Phoenix NewTimes"Music Editor. I didn't get to talk to her but she did tell Dean "Calabrese is a really great band", so she's alright in my book.

Vyle - Owner of Curioser and Curiouser and Bizarre Noir. She's a very nice lady and very much a character. She just oozes personality. I have not been to her stores yet but from reading these reviews I'm heading down there to check it out.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/curiouser-and-curiouser-phoenix


Brian Pulido (Creator, Writer, Producer of comic books and films) was the Mystery Guest host this year and was right at home working the stage cracking jokes and testing the audience with his vast knowledge of Zombie trivia.



When Hell is full the dead will walk the stage.


Andrea Beasley-Brown (The Midnight Movie Mamacita) showing off the prizes.


The prizes looked pretty cool too; Todd McFarland collectables, Hellboy collectables, some gift certificates (can't remember from where), Lady Death Comics and other stuff I can't remember.


The Arizona Ghost Busters rounding up the Zombie Contestants to announce the winners.

And the winner of the 2009 Zombie Beauty Pageant is................


Heather, who immediately took a bite out of Bobby after this picture was taken.

Congrats!

-Jimmy

Shrunken Head Kids Art

For your viewing pleasure here’s some artwork from Andrew Ritchie that we never ended up using.

He first came up with a “Natural Geographic” image but I asked Andrew to make it less serious.

Since we are on the subject, Andrew also created a Cthulhu design that we used for a sticker and button.

-Jimmy

"The Jerry Lee Lewis of Drumming" - Davey Calabrese

After band practice the other night, I took out the hand held recorder and cornered "The Jerry Lee Lewis of Drumming," my brother Davey Calabrese and hit him with some hard questions. Here's that ambush interview, transcribed word for word, enjoy....

Jimmy - I'm sitting here with my brother Davey Calabrese, and I have a few questions for you, you dirt bag. I know when you started playing drums, but when did you first stand on your drums?

Davey - I did it at the Clubhouse with the 3 Bad Jacks, do you remember that? A long time ago, I did that.

J - Did you practice that move?

D - Two times with Bobby.

J - Why don't you just sit behind the drums? Why do you feel you have to dance and interact with the audience?

D - It's fun-er that way. (Laughs)

J - What's "fun-er" about it?

D - It's less boring, I like to see the reactions of people.

J - What kind of reactions?

D - The good reactions of, like, excitement. I like excitement.

J - What do you do to make them excited?

D - Rock out. Which means a lot of head banging and singing along. High fives and a lot of devil horns. That's what I do.


J - When did you first start painting?

D - My senior year of high school, in my art class.


J - Why do you like painting?

D - Because I like having a goal, putting it down and seeing something awesome. Does that make sense? Having an idea, laying it down on the canvas and doing it until you feel it's great. And then you're done.


J - Does painting relate to drumming at all?

D - Yeah, you have to have a lot of practice in order to be great. With recording and live you have to give your best performance you can give.


J - What's it like playing music with your brothers?

D - It's cool.

J - Why am I cool?

D - 'Cause you're funny. (Laughs)

J- I'm funny, how am I funny? Do you think I'm funny like a clown?

D - Yeah. (Laughs)

J - Do you think I'm a joke to you?

D - (Laughs)

J - Bobby and I like to tell people that you learned to play drums by us yelling at you. Is this true?

D - Yeah (Laughs)


J - What was the early days like playing drums?

D - Hard, 'cause it was confusing on how to do things.

J - Who was more mean to you, Bobby or me?

D - It's 50/50. (Laughs)

J - What do you remember that we did to you?

D - Trying to get me to play slower and yelling at me. (Laughs)

J - Why do you think people enjoy music and art?

D - Because it's beautiful. It's an expression of one being.

J - Wrong.

D - What? (Laughs)

J - No, I don't know. Why do you like music and art?

D - Because it makes me feel good.

J - Seeing someone else's self expression makes you feel good?

D - Yes.

J - So what kind of music are you listening to now?

D - Danzig and Tiger Army, a lot of rockabilly. A variety of things.

J - What do you like about Danzig's self expression?

D - I like his toughness.

J - You like how he takes his shirt off to show you his muscles?

D - Yeah (Laughs)

J - So are you really into all this horror stuff? Are you really into it or are you just doing it 'cause me and Bobby are into it and you want to be like us because we are awesome?

D - (Laughs) It started off like that but then I started watching and listening and then I liked it.

J - Why did you like it?

D - Because it made me feel good. (Laughs)


J - What about horror and mutilation and monsters and scaring people make you feel good? Do you have some type of psychological damage?

D - (Laughs) Possibly. I like monsters. (Laughs) Yeah, I like monsters.

J - Do you feel like a monster Davey?

D - Yeah (Laughs)


J - So tell me how else Bobby and myself have influenced you?

D - Clothing and hair. Leather jackets and your hair.


J - What did you use to do, before you became cool?

D - (Laughs) Um, a lot of nothing. (Laughs)

J - Why do you wear sunglasses at night? While you are driving a car? It seems like some sort of hazard.

D- (Laughs) I don't.