Friday, tomorrow, November 20th, will be the day I turn 27. The 27 Club, also known as the Forever 27 Club or the Club 27, is a name for a group of influential rock and blues musicians who all died at the age of 27, sometimes under mysterious circumstances. We all know that Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones and Kurt Cobain died at 27, but there are good and plenty more where they came from. Happy birthday Max! –Gee, thanks a lot…

Here’s a list that I compiled of deaths at 27. Some names might appear twice, but don’t blame me. (I’m standing on the brink of death here…)

Alexandre Levy, Louis Chauvin, Robert Johnson, Nat Jaffe, Jesse Belvin, Rudy Lewis of The Drifters, Malcolm Hale of Spanky and Our Gang, Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, Alan Wilson, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Arlester “Dyke” Christian of Dyke and the Blazers, Jim Morrison of The Doors, Ron McKernan of the Grateful Dead, Roger Lee Durham of Bloodstone, Wallace Yohn of Chase, David Michael Alexander of The Stooges, Pete Ham of Badfinger, Gary Thain of Keef Hartley Band and Uriah Heep, Helmut Köllen of Triumvirat, Chris Bell of Big Star, D. Boon of the Minutemen, Pete de Freitas of Echo & the Bunnymen, Mia Zapata of The Gits, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Kristen Pfaff of Janitor Joe and Hole, Richey James Edwards of Manic Street Preachers, Fat Pat, Freaky Tah of Lost Boyz, Sean McCabe of Ink & Dagger, Maria Serrano Serrano of Passion Fruit, Jeremy Michael Ward of De Facto and The Mars Volta, and Bryan Ottoson of American Head Charge, Andrew Cunanan, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Clifford Allison, Jesse Belvin, Lyman Bostock, Andrés Escobar, Reggie Lewis, John Nemechek, Michelle Parma, Kristen Pfaff, Bobby Sands, Freaky Tah, Pat Tillman, Louis Chauvin, Nat Jaffe, Rudy Lewis, Malcolm Hale, Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson, Arlester “Dyke” Christian, Linda Jones, Roger Lee Durham, Wallace Yohn, Dave Alexander, Peter Ham, Gary Thain, Helmut Köllen, Chris Bell, Jacob Miller, D. Boon , Alexander Bashlachev, Pete de Freitas, Mia Zapata, Richey James Edwards, Rodrigo Bueno, Sean Patrick McCabe, Maria Serrano Serrano, Jeremy Michael Ward, Bryan Ottoson, Valentín Elizalde, Orish Grinstead, Lily Tembo, Jonathan Brandis, Steve Olin, Henry Moseley, William Henry Lane “Master Juba”, Joseph Merrick “The Elephant Man”, Ghazi bin Faisal, Lea De Mae, Pope John XII and Robert Brooke to name a few…

Puede que a los menores de 30 años el nombre de Mia Zapata no les suene absolutamente de nada, pero cualquiera que estuviera mínimamente interesado en el grunge conoce su caso, al menos de oídas. De hecho, muchos de los grupos de riot grrrls la citaban como influencia.

Con 27 años, la que fuera líder de The Gits fue violada y asesinada cuando volvía a su casa en Seattle. Hasta el pasado mes de enero, el caso Zapata estuvo suspenso. Ahora, gracias a las pruebas de ADN, se ha podido detener al autor del crimen.

Lo que pocos tal vez conozcan es la relación entre Nirvana y Mia Zapata: el mismo año en que Zapata fue asesinada, Nirvana publicaban In Utero, en el que aparecía Rape me, una canción que en seguida fue criticada por asociaciones feministas que no veían más allá del título (una vez más a vueltas con la censura en nombre de una corrección política mal entendida). Incluso la MTV prohibió al grupo tocar esa canción en directo en la entrega de premios de la cadena. Kurt tuvo que dar explicaciones hasta la saciedad sobre la canción. Como en Spin Magazine, donde explicó que en realidad la canción quería dar a entender el mensaje contrario. De hecho, poco después de la muerte de Zapata, los grupos de Seattle se reunieron para dar un concierto benéfico con el que recaudaron más de 70.000$ que se invirtieron en contratar un investigador privado para resolver el caso de Zapata. Entre los grupos participantes, además de Pearl Jam, Bratmobile o The Posies, estaban también Nirvana. Es más, en su álbum Incesticide, el grupo incluía la siguiente advertencia: “si eres racista, sexista u homófobo, no queremos que compres nuestros discos”. Más claro agua y en botella.

A quien quiera saber algo más sobre la vida de Mia Zapata, por cierto, le recomiendo esta web en la que se puede obtener bastante información sobre el documental que el pasado año Kerri O’Kane grabó sobre The Gits.

Quienes me leen desde hace tiempo se habrán dado cuenta de que ésto no es nuevo: es de abril, pero ha “desaparecido” del blog en  el que colaboraba y sólo he conseguido rescatar unas cuantas entradas que iré publicando poco a poco.

El 7 de julio se cumplen 15 años del asesinato de Mia Zapata, la vocalista del grupo de Seattle, The Gits. Ese día y varias otras fechas del mes, se estará proyectando en algunos teatros de Estados Unidos el documental que lleva el mismo nombre que el grupo y fue dirigido por Kerri O’Kane. “The Gits” fue realizado en 2005 y hasta ahora sólo se pasaron algunos fragmentos en el Seattle International Film Festival y el SXSW.

Trailer

Mia Zapata fue violada y asesinada cuando caminaba hacia su casa, entre las 2 y 3 de la mañana, después de visitar una amiga, que insistió para que se tomara un taxi pero no la convenció. Tenía 27 años. El autor del crimen, Jesús Mezquia, cubano de 49 años, fue descubierto recién una década después por un estudio de ADN y condenado a 37 años de prisión.

Jesús Mezquia – Foto: Ken Lambert, The Seattle Times

El día que se leyó la sentencia se pasó el video que pueden ver abajo y el fiscal solicitó que se le diera a Mezquia una condena más larga de lo normal y pidió que los presentes que estuvieran de acuerdo levantaran la mano.

Foto: The Seattle Times

Video que se pasó el día de la sentencia

Links:

Sitio web del grupo The Gits

Página del documental The Gits

this is the story of a great american rock and roll band. cut tragically short.

Kerri O’Kane (dir.)
The Gits ••••
Liberation Entertainment 

I discovered The Gits by chance, totally unaware of their story, and immediately fell in love. Raw, melodic punk, fronted by a woman who sounded like the lovechild of Joan Jett and Bessie Smith, I hadn’t heard anything like them. Ever. A little research later, I realised they were more than just an amazing band, they are a chapter in musical history.

Kerri O’Kane’s bittersweet film is one of the most important documentaries of the last decade, a no-frills, down to earth record of a band that changed the world for many people. The Gits were on the cusp of mainstream success, after years of support and loyalty from the Seattle underground, but it was an acknowledgment suffered rather then enjoyed. On July 7th 1993, frontwoman and poet Mia Zapata was raped and murdered by an unknown assailant. The bittersweet beauty of O’Kane’s film is that it is a journey of grief, tragedy and justice. When O’Kane began the project, the crime was an unsolved mystery. As filming commenced, the case was kept alive by an extended community of family, fans and fellow musicians, who raised money for legal fees and campaigned to keep the crime in the media spotlight. Released on the 15th anniversary of Mia’s death, the film documents not only the devastating loss of such a beautiful, talented being, but also the discovery and conviction of her killer over a decade later.

It would have been very easy for O’Kane to rely upon the tragedy of Mia’s horrific death for artistic purposes, using her as a Messianic punk rock saint and relying on tearjerk tactics to make an impact. Instead, she has honoured history by maintaining Zapata’s memory through plain truth and honest filmmaking. A treasure for fans, the documentary is made up of early video footage and artwork, in-depth lyrical discussions, and an abundance of frank interviews from Zapata’s family and friends, the surviving trio of Gits, and fellow musicians such as Joan Jett, Kathleen Hanna and members of 7 Year Bitch. From the bands’ beginnings living in the affectionately named Rat House, a communal building where local punk bands lived like one big family, to their growing fame and dedicated following both at home in Sub Pop Seattle and in Europe, ‘The Gits’ is not a weepy ode, but a celebration of the band as a whole and the legacy they have left.

O’Kane has captured The Gits for what they were: true, free-spirited punks, neither posing nor imitating but living life and creating beautiful music. While Mia’s death is addressed and confronted, it is not anger or grief that pervades the film but rather the poignant and lasting effect she had on everyone around her. O’Kane has immortalised her not as a tragic, female victim but as an example of how wonderful humans can be. ‘The Gits’ is not just a film for fans, it should be mandatory viewing for everyone old enough to work a DVD player; a poignant, sincere reminder that life, music and love are positive, powerful gifts that should be celebrated and honoured every day.

Charlotte Richardson Andrews
US release date: 07/07/08; UK release unconfirmed

Watch the trailer…

March 21 – April 19 Aries
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that as we ease into the Independence Day three-day weekend, Gotham city dwellers have the unalienable right to honor the Birth of our Nation by viewing a buncha explosive political films – a mix of the wacky and the weighty in contemporary America presented by the fine folks at Rooftop Films. There will be food, drinks, live music, and an incredible view of the fireworks on the pier at Solar One (23rd St. at the East River). All audience members must be at the venue by 6pm; doors open at 5pm. Such a bargain! Only $30 for a fabulous night, presented in partnership with New York Magazine, IFC.com, and Solar One. Quoth the organizers, In this crucial election year, we present films on a range of topics, stressing the importance of history and offering irreverent looks at our heroes, making a case for a re-evaluation of who we are as Americans and who we want as president.

April 20 – May 20 Taurus
Hey, where the hell is Matt? Seriously, if you haven’t seen this viral video hit, just sit down right now and dial it up on los internets. Matt is a self-described 31 year old deadbeat from Connecticut who decided in 2003 to travel around the world and record himself dancing. In 2006 and 2007, Stride Gum bankrolled two more trips in which Matt traveled to all 7 continents and danced with people in 42 countries who had contacted him about his original video. The results are sweet and endearing. Matt’s website tells the whole story, with journals, maps, and FAQ.  Matt even shares some of the best emails he’s received out of thousands. “Are you doing anything on these trips? How about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and saving some souls” writes one irate video observer. To which Matt responds, “Right! Jesus. Totally slipped my mind.”

May 21 – June 20 Gemini
Celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence by seeing at least ONE independent film this weekend in the tradition of our founding fathers. You know they would have approved. We told you last week about Alex Gibney’s new film Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson which opens today, July 4th. Also opening today is The Gits Movie, produced by Jessica Bender and Steve Moriarty and directed by Kerri O’Kane. The Gits were one of the many brilliant bands to be birthed out of the Seattle scene that launched Nirvana and others back in the 1990’s. On the brink of huge success, 27-year-old lead singer Mia Zapata (said to be descended from Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata) was brutally murdered. This movie reminds us of her beauty and spirit and undeniable talent. Viva Zapata!

June 21 – July 22 Cancer
And speaking of Seattle, the book of the week is Gina Arnold’s Route 666 ~ On the Road to Nirvana, published in 1993 by St. Martins Press. Arnold writes about her complete and total love for music starting from her school years to her professional career as a Bay area music critic. Anyone who’s felt the siren call of rock & roll reaching into their drab suburban home can relate to this fascinating and joyous book. It doesn’t matter one bit whether or not you have followed the Seattle scene or know Mudhoney from Soundgarden. It’s a book about loving music and following it to the ends of the earth. If you can relate to that… you will enjoy it.

July 23 – August 22 Leo
Some Sunny Day ~ The Golden Age of Sheet Music opens next Tuesday, July 8th, and will run until August 15th at the Pelham Art Center, 155 Fifth Avenue, Pelham, New York. The exhibit of two dozen pieces of sheet music, with cover art ranging from Art Deco to Art Nouveau to Cartoon and C&W illustrations, represents a range of popular music from the 1920’s to the 1940’s. The collection is on loan from music historian and record producer Teri Landi, with contributions from the collection of Dr. Albert Andresen, and was co-curated by Elizabeth Saperstein. Meet the simultaneously erudite and swingin’ Ms. Landi at the opening night reception next Tuesday at 6:30pm.

August 23 – September 22 Virgo
Have you believed for lo these many years that because you’re of the Jewish persuasion you’re totally unable to get your religious groove on with rosary beads? Thanks to Brooklyn designer and Nice Jewish Girl Carlen Altman, may I assure you that is no longer the case. Altman makes these mitzvah beads by hand and offers a variety of styles, even providing a glow in the dark option for the more adventurous amongst us. Such a bargain!

September 23 – October 22 Libra
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Or so it is said. You’ve only got two more months to catch Star Trek The Experience – an exhibit so old (10 years) that its website doesn’t even work in Firefox! Seriously though this popular attraction closes its doors forever on September 1 at the Las Vegas Hilton so get yourself over to Sin City pronto before that happens. Where else can you hoist a few in Quark’s Bar and Restaurant? View Spock’s coffin from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan? Take a thrill ride called the Borg Invasion? And get married on the Bridge by a starship captain, with witnesses who are Klingons? Get there now before these options are forever closed in our galaxy.

October 23 – November 21 Scorpio
Another Seattle mention! Holy Space Needle! I give you KEXP: Where The Music Matters. This station started back in 1972 with only 10 watts and in 2000 became the first radio station to offer uncompressed CD-quality audio on the internet 24/7. Check them out; support them; stream them; enjoy them! No icky guys in suits tell these folks who to play and who not to play.

November 22 – December 21 Sagittarius
Find yourself a labyrinth at the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator. The site’s stated vision is to activate and facilitate the transformation of the Human Spirit. Labyrinths date back to prehistoric times. They are believed to help quiet the mind and help the user to enter a meditative state. They are a metaphor for the journey of life.

December 22 – January 19 Capricorn
French fries…..mmmm! It is believed that no less an august presence than Thomas Jefferson first served these tasty treats in 1802 at a state dinner, but they really didn’t become popular until the 1920’s after the first World War. May I reveal to you that one of the best places to get really great french fries is – yes, believe it – the Hard Rock Cafe. Doubt me if you must, but go to one and order them and you’ll see exactly what I mean. They’re located worldwide; find a location here near you.

January 20 – February 18 Aquarius
Here is a fun computer trick for the next time you’re bored at work – Visit the Read at Work website, which was launched by the New Zealand Book Council to encourage people to read. The cool thing is that it looks exactly like a Windows desktop screen with all the reading material filed into folders. Poetry, novels, short stories are all here at the click of your mouse and no one will be the wiser.

February 19 – March 20 Pisces
She totally out-shangris the Shangri-Las. I’m speaking, of course, of Denise James. Her 2004 release It’s Not Enough to Love on Rainbow Quartz Records is as close to heavenly as an album can get. Sometimes we’re lucky enough to receive an entire album in which every single song is a nugget of perfection and not one of them is superfluous or doesn’t fit in. This is grown-up girl group music. This work of art was produced, of course, by unsung hero and way-beneath-the-radar musical genius Matthew Smith, a long time denizen of the storied Detroit scene. Smith is a songwriter, musician, and producer who should be far more famous than he is. He’s also the mastermind behind the psychedelically delicious band Outrageous Cherry.