Vickie Fastlane

Here is some footage from our June 12th cabaret at Connie's Ric Rac. Vickie and I are so in love right now.

Cabaret Classic

Greatest Hits

Remembering them again.

Purr, Pull, Reign Benefit

On August 19, the people gathered to shower me in the month before the birth of Purr, Pull, Reign.

Downstairs at World Cafe Live, Lefty Lucy's birthplace, it seemed to be the appropriate setting for my maternal send-off.

It was a night for the ages. The Sons of Thunder were in rare form, with the addition of my two back-up singers, The Truth. We had some amazing guests including Tribe of Fools, the always intruding and inherently rude Dickie Fastlane, The Lefty Lucy Dancers, and my big-time crush and living legend, Martha Graham Cracker with her Cabaret.

The sparks were flying between us in our first meeting on stage. I am the meat and potatoes, and she is a spicy, yet fanciful fruit salad. Together we made a delicious meal. More photos to come!

Setlist:
Theme
Party in my Pants
Hit it
Chairman Mao
Shalamon

The Truth and the Half-Truth

• When Doves Cry
  

Bored
Push That Rock

Dickie Fastlane

• Be Afraid
  

The Beautiful Ones

Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret:

• Don't Cry for me Argentina

• Computer Blue

• Darling Nikki

• Nothing Compares 2 U (w/Johnny)

Jagged Little Teeth/ The Golden Handshake
Love is the Message
Cat/Rat/Dog
More Than Words/ Take me with U (w/ Martha)
Encore:
Sensual (But Not Sexual)
I Would Die 4 U

Purr Pull Work Out!

Fitness is a cornerstone.

My 6 lady dancers have really whipped me into shape. And now you too can bring them home, metaphorically speaking.

Email me: johnny@johnnyshowcase.com to get a copy for only $10.

Workin' It Out

Probability Study For the Show

As I've mentioned Rumi Kitchen has been helping me out a lot lately with some legal issues regarding Purr, Pull, Reign my upcoming pro gig for this year's Fringe Festival.

Today he put together a couple of charts that were very illuminating for me and I wanted to share them both with all of you.

Remember...

I've been on a bit of a hiatus here on the blog. A lot of emotions these days with the divorce.

I thought I'd look back and see how far I've come in my feelings. This was Easter:





Actually things haven't changed much as I look at this.

Oh the sweet lilac agony.

Oh Vickie Fastlane--
How do I get you alone?
Shall I gather like dew out your window in the morning?
Shall I purr in the sunlight as you pull me to your royal reign?

Animals of my Emotions IV: Mystical Dragon

For Chris Wrenn, a major donor

Season blossoms
Do you feel it all around you?
Wicked awesomes
Do you want to let it mount you?
It is now that I think of you, oh Mystic Dragon
I long to view you, bathing by a waterfall or meadow's brook,
When you don't think anyone is watching
Like Kevin Costner in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
And I am Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio,
Averting my maiden eyes when discovered
Mystic Dragon, in the throws of summer
Breathing the fire that melted winter
Breathing life into the citrus plants of all my
Inner emotional desires
Dragon, I have pictures of you
Ones you can't recall or don't seem to remember
I am up in a tower, and you are my protector
I send my flowing locks down
To weigh upon your scales (play on words)
And then, I see a single tear
Trickling down the eye of you, dragon
And I see that you are crying...
And I say why, why, why are you crying, Dragon?
Is it because you are the ancestor of the Lizard
And they are significantly less interesting by comparison?
Is it because your flamey breath has been forever unflamed?
Your scales scaled down? Your giant razor claws
Dullened to thorny bits of nothingness in the ether?
Dragon you are safe with me.
I will be your knight in shining armor
Together we will fly through the wilderness of morning
My armor nestled between your dorsal spines
Then you clean me with your forked tongue
And your fire...
And your fire...

I've got lumps in my artistic soup...

I have recently been spending a lot of time reading in my new car. It helps me clear the mind. Since Bonnie took the Taurus I am leasing an 85 corrola with option to buy. Getting away from the business of our humdrum lives is important for artists. Today I was reading Another Helping of Chicken Soup for the Artist's Soul. I really want to take myself to the next level. To be a star. But I find myself wicked indecisive. You know?

Anyway, I was reading this book and found that Rumi Kitchen, my spiritual adviser, happened to contribute to this particular edition. What he wrote really touched me. I wanted to share with you my online community of friends:

What is art?
by Rumi Kitchen

Art is pretty much whatever anybody says it is, and an artist is similarly anybody who says he is one. This leaves any definition of "artist" and "art" so vague as to be meaningless. Does the act of creation, be it ever so humble or idiosyncratic, suffice to allow one to lift the laurel of "artist" to his brow? Anybody can call himself anything, but the test is whether or not you actually are qualified. A plumber would not dare to call himself a plumber unless he were qualified in the opinion of others to do plumbing, and had experience and credentials to prove it, and actually got paid good money for his work. You can't just call yourself a college professor or medical doctor and expect anyone to take you seriously. You need to have something to back it up. The term "artist," unlike "electrician," or "dog trainer," neither conveys qualification, nor is it specific enough to shed much light on what a person may actually do.












I stopped reading at that point. A policeman informed me that I can't park my car at Target after hours.

A Haiku:

If you could plant doubt,
Would you germinate it first
In a paper towel?

New York City, winter 2008

Dearest Michael,
You are my greatest influence. You taught me to sing with all of my heart. Your sound is tattooed to my soul. I am forever thankful for your song. "And when the groove is dead and gone You know that love survives, So we can rock forever, on" Thank you. Purr, Pull, Reign will be in your honor.

Love, Johnny

Mystic Ticket

Introducing Mystic Ticket, the new side project from Johnny Showcase and Rumi Kitchen. Mystic Ticket focuses on a mainstream Euro-pop sound. Their debut single, "Forget about the World" exposes a rare honesty and gutteral optimism that soars over a vintage Casio growl. Look out for their European Tour in 2010.

Loved and Lost

It is better to have loved and lost, they say
Than to have loved and never lost at all.
I keep churning that in my head,
And spreading it on the toast of my heart.
Oh Bonnie...
You've touched me in so many ways
Most of them uncomfortable
And intrusive,
But I'll never forget you.
Also, I'm in love with someone else.

Love, Johnny

Animals of My Emotions III: Vigilant Spider

Vigilant Spider
Your legs are so long
Vigilant Spider
You make me feel strong
You terrify me, but your
Teeth are so tiny
You'd never bite me
Plus, you'd never have the heart
Vigilant Spider
You silent hunter
Seductress, pious arachnid mystic
Entrap me with your mantra
Enwrap me with your contra
Can't you see I want to please you?
Your venom and my denim
We could be a team, spider
Will you watch me while I'm sleeping, spider?
Will you? Will you protect me from
My arch-nemesis Dickie Fastlane
And his adder's tongue
And Bonnie's bristling chin of remembrance past?
Vigilant Spider
Your abdomen bears an appandage
The silk that you extrude
To suit my every mood
And lasso me with sticky bolas
If I was your mate
Would you eat me, spider?
Would you flood me with your digestive
Enzymes to liquify my love?
Or would you recognize me
When I do my courtship ritual
Your web is an orb
Weaving dreams in my stratosphere
Of my mind
Vigilant Spider

Behind the scenes of Purr, Pull, Reign

A Midsummer Night's Dream

June 12 was a beautiful night. The band was happening, the crowd cheered wicked hard, I looked like a million dollars.

You can check out the pictures.

June 12 was also the debut of the first song by Mystic Ticket, Rumi Kitchen and my mainstream side project. We played The Rat, The Cat, The Dog, a song dedicated to the man who trained his animals to portray world peace.


The man who trained the rat,
To sit on the cat, to sit on the dog
Said that we can live together,
We can live forever

He took us all down by the riverside
He said "Oh Baby, don't you run and hide.
"I got that thing that turn the whole world on
"And soon the whole world gonna sing my song"

Reached into his pocket and he took out a rat
And then he put right onto a cat
Then he put the cat on top of a dog
And then he said, "Good God! Good God!



June 12 also featured a surprise appearance by my big time crush Vickie Fastlane, who is absolutely gorgeous. She must have snuck out of the house while Dickie Fastlane was performing his piece "Bluehair" at a local senior center.

It was a riveting performance of "Alone" by Hearts. I could tell that there was desire in her eyes. It make me long for Purr, Pull, Reign where we are discussing a kissing scene with director Adrienne Mackey.

6/12 Setlist:

Stache Intro
Party in my Pants
Crosstown Traffic
Hit It
Tempo: Hermit Crab
Ooh Baby Baby
Vickie: Alone
Shalaman
The Ladies of Summer: Flashdance
Let’s Go Get Stoned
Push that Rock
A Poem: Mystic Dragon
Chairman Mao
Cat/Rat/Dog
----------------
Sensual/Use Me
Theme

Purr Pull Craziness

Supermarket

So i saw Vickie Fastlane in the ACME this morning. I was in my way to the dairy section for a butter substitute, when I saw her by the protein bars. I really can't say too much about our conversation, because I know that my adversary is reading this as we speak. Long story short, she's going to try to make an appearance at Lefty Lucy next friday, if she can get out of the house. I don't like the way Dickie treats her, but she just seems helpless about the whole thing. She needs someone to treat her right. How can I get her alone? Come to the Ric Rac. I need your support for when I see her.

They say, "Johnny, how do you define your sound?

I say, "I'm real Emo.... It means emotional."

it's the mystic incantation of the alphabet
I get bored.
It's the systematic swelling of the hypocrite
I get bored.
Oh touch me on my shoulder
I get bored.
Oh touch me, I'm mama's little soldier
I get bored.

The Tao of the Ring

Johnny's coming in June

A reminder of all your old favorites...

I never wanted to be your weekend lover...

I only wanted to be
some kind of friend.

Animals of My Emotions: II. Yoo Hoo, Kangaroo

This poem is about my feelings
Yoo hoo, Kangaroo
I know where you sit
Propped up by a tail

Of deceit

I am not your joey, Kangaroo
I see your razor sharp toenails
They tear through me, and my emotions
I cannot hate you
But I am afraid to love you
Will you protect me, Kangaroo?
Will you? Will you be my protector?
Will you protect me? Will you?
Or will you punch me twice
In the privates and once in the face
Like Bonnie did when she left
And then hide in the bathroom, Kangaroo?
And then call her mother's house 7 times
And leave message after message, Kangaroo?
And then slash the tires of the Taurus?
Will you protect me from the leopards of loneliness
And her vicious tentacles?
Will you please just hold me right now, Kangaroo?
I see you move so fast
And your head is like
A bunny and a deer
Mixed. But you can also
Punch.
Yoo hoo, Kangaroo
This Poem is about my feelings.

Blogospheric

As you can see I have already created a new and more musically conducive atmosphere in which to bring you my deepest thoughts and dreams. I deeply regret the loss of my animal poll in the transition. In the world of information/technology sometimes these things cannot be helped.

I can report that The Hyena of Halitosis won the poll of most despicable animal with 60% of the public vote. Marla's Dream Whale followed with 30%.

It's Here

Johnny Showcase’s mission: to rock your sweet face off. Purr, Pull, Reign exposes the tortured soul beneath the mad genius of this “top shelf Rhode Island crooner”. Experience this underground sensation, take it to the next level, shower yourself in lilac agony. You will be formerly known as not blown away!


Coming to the 2009 Philly Fringe!

Getting into shape for "Purr, Pull, Reign"

Midsummer Night's Dream

comes upon the heels of despair. My divorce with Bonnie is still at full throttle. She has been having her lawyer crank call my house, doing perverted versions of my songs, like "Shit it, You're a Hack" and "Fingernail Sticking a Baboon". At first I think it is a fan, and I want to compliment them on at least getting some of the words right. Then I hear Bonnie's cackle in the background. And I know.

You got the Ford Taurus, Bonnie. You got half my butterfly collection. You get to have my sense of joy on the weekends and holidays. Why do you call me drunk at 11:30 in the morning? Don't you know I am sleeping?

Rumi Kitchen, my spiritual adviser (as well as legal representative in this case), has helped me with some breathing techniques for tranquility and harnessing. Also the words of Gary Wilson have been very comforting.

Animals of My Emotions

I. Hyena Hyena

That cloud looks like a hyena
I hate that cloud.
It is literally a box
In which I put all my doubt
Pseudo-penis swinger,
Big dicked killer,
Kill your brother?
What are you, America?

Sunset like a tarantula
I hate that cloud.
Hyena, hyena
Your legs are many
Your enemies are some of my favorite people
Like the lion mane,
Mainly awesome
I champion his soul
I punch you in a thousand faces

Hyena, hyena
Pontious Pilate sicko
Hyena Hyena,
What, you're still here?
Run away!
Disappear! Disappear! Disappear!
I've punched you one thousand times
In my mind's eye
Hyena, hyena

That cloud looks like a hyena
I hate that cloud

Class

Sometimes I wear my heart on my sleeve...