End of Silence

A city appointed task force has proposed new rules for new or remodeled homes on lots in 48 neighborhoods near downtown. Naturally, M1EK’s against it (check out the lively discussion from February and MJL had several other posts on the issue, including this one). KUT did a story yesterday about the proposed rules. There’s a hearing on Thursday at 6pm at City Hall downtown.

I don’t know about anyone else, but if I need more than 2,300 square feet for my shrine to Slayer. And if I can’t build on more than 40 percent of my lot, how am I going to hide the bodies?

The Criterion Collection edition of Dazed and Confused will be released tomorrow. Like most Criterion DVDs, it’s got tons of cool extras for the rabid fan or film geek. Wiley, one of the cast members who still lives in Austin, linked an recent interview he did to commemorate the release.

The film’s set on May 28th, 1976. Apparently, some people have a tradition of watching the movie on Memorial Day weekend. It’s attained quite a cult following over the last 13 years since its release. I remember kicking myself for not saying something to Linklater back in ’92 or ’93 when the film was casting/shooting. He used to come into the Sound Warehouse at 49th and Burnet to buy CDs. I was 20, looked young, lived in a neighborhood where a lot of the shooting was taking place and had really long hair, a shoo-in as an extra (or so I like to delude myself). Damn missed opportunities. By the time the film was released, I was living in New York. I saw it in a theater in midtown Manhattan at an afternoon showing. There was hardly anyone else in the theater.

The number of actors who’ve continued their careers and go on to do other things is quite impressive: Matthew MMilla Jovovich, Adam Goldberg, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Joey Lauren Adams, the list is endless. The Austin Chronicle did a collection of articles on the film’s 10 year anniversary and the party to celebrate it a few years ago.

When the flickr/Google Maps Memory Maps craze hit and disappeared last spring, a few of us fiddled with Movie Memory Maps. I did one with a few of the locations from Dazed and Confused. I know, too much time on my hands.

Photo from the Criterion Collection website

Photo courtesy of Brent via Flickr

The Austin Chronicle noted last week that the 33-story Frost Bank building won’t be the colossus of the downtown Austin skyline for much longer. There are two projects slated for that side of Congress within a few blocks of each other. The Fifth & Congress project is farther along, if I’m not mistaken. The other project would take up most of the block between 2nd and 3rd.

As Kelso notes, this’ll mean demolishing the current building that houses Las Manitas along with Tesoros and Escuelita Del Alma. La Peña and Copa are safe because of their historic building status. I’ve heard mention that one or another was an old blacksmith shop and also something about an early train station on those spots. Las Manitas may move into the La Peña location if this deal goes through. Tesoros owner already runs another location elsewhere, so it’s not too big of a hit. Escuelita is searching for other options. We can’t really afford to lose any daycare facilities in an already strapped market, so let’s hope they find a suitable alternate location. It appears that demolition wouldn’t happen until the spring, so you still have time to get your last meal at the current location. None of this is an absolutely done deal yet.

Clifford Antone’s death has spawned a fair amount of talk about Austin’s music legacy around here. The late 70’s – early 80’s blues scene that he fostered is probably the most well-known Austin music legacy. Equally important to a lot of people is the early 80’s punk scene in Austin.

My love affair with Austin began, in part, because of bands like Big Boys, Scratch Acid, Butthole Surfers, and The Dicks. That’s why I’m excited to see that Scratch Acid is going to play a show at the Touch N Go Records 25th Anniversary in September in Chicago along with several other legendary bands that have called the label home.

Road Trip!

P.S. Google let me down. I couldn’t find an album cover shot of either of the first two LPs. I’ll have to break out the camera when I get home tonight and dig them up.