“Giant Ants Ate the Blues Player,” an entry on Undead Backbrain

“Giant Ants Ate the Blues Player,” an entry on Undead Backbrain


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Giant Ants Ate the Blues Player
Kaiju Search-Robot Avery has discovered that Bakersfield, California country blues player Hank Ray is making a movie about giant ants.





Taking the classic truth-in-advertising approach to titles, it’s called Giant Ants Eat Bakersfield. It will be about 30 minutes long and the director hopes that it will be available online after a run at the Kern Country film festival. He’s billing it as:

The first Country Music Horror Film ever! It’s A Musical And It Has Giant Ants Eating Bakersfield.




Apparently, filming began about a year ago. Hank commented to Avery: “I filmed this all over Bakersfield. We almost got busted filming on the roof of the old BUCK OWENS recording studio. The film is not finished, and I sort of put it on the shelf. I have had some really good feed back lately so I will start on it again this weekend. Yours was the best feed back so far. I will keep you updated.”

So Avery’s enthusiasm for no-budget independent monster flicks may have caused a potential renaissance in the Bakersfield Giant Ant film industry.

Below is a conceptual image for the film (NOT the real advertising poster), which Hank bodgied up from a classic poster from one of his film’s inspirations, the greatest giant ant movie of all time — Them!




According to Hank, the giant ants are a metaphor for the way the New Country music has come in and taken control of the Old. Now that’s a metaphor that hasn’t been explored in giant monster films before this. He told the Backbrain:

Well, Bakersfield used to stand for an underground or rebellious response to Nashville country Music. When Buck Owens passed away a while back, I went to his funeral. I later wrote some songs about that and one was called “Giant Ants”. It was as though corporate music was like giant ants that took over country music and Bakersfield was one of the things the corporate ants ate. I suppose I am a nut.

Here are the lyrics of Hank’s song on the subject:


ACT ONE SONG:
The old country music is gone

The old country music is gone
You know it never had a chance
The old country music is gone
Corporate music killed it just like giant ants.
Corporate music came to call
Like some giant ants they killed it all
I’d like to hear more like Clarence and Hank
But big corporate music owns all the money in the bank
The old country music is gone
You know it never had a chance
The old country music is gone
Corporate music killed it just like giant ants
America has sold it’s music out
They forgot what Bakersfield and Nashville was all about?
Watch ‘em on TV become a Nashville star
I can’t believe it’s gone this far.
The old country music is gone
You know it never had a chance
The old country music is gone
Corporate music killed it just like giant ants.

The film is meant to be a take-off of those really old B-moster movies where the monsters are so fake that they are cool. Like the tree monster and some of the ones on the old Star Trek.

Anyway, I went to Buck Owen’s ranch and made a mini film of Buck’s son’s band BUCKSHOT for Brighthouse. It showed on cable. That’s how it started. I have others that are helping — Dr. B.L.T., a local song writer, and some local hot-rod club members. My friend Ron Ramos, who almost got pinched on the Buck Owen’s studio roof, helped a lot.

The reason we had to get on the roof was, the studio had just sold, so we made a sign — like the studio was still open and put it on the marquee . Then we took a giant ant off an old pest control truck and painted it with rubberized undercoat, so it looked better. After that I bought some fake human skulls at the holloween store in Bakersfield and some dry ice for smoke.



One night I was wrestling the ant under the giant Bakersfield Arch sign at Buck Owen’s Chrystal Palace. It was so bizarre a sight that the 99 Freeway slowed to a crawl above the Palace.

A lot of the film footage got ruined when I spilled beer on it at a local honky tonk where I’d been filming.

Ah, the unique difficulties that come with country music monsterdom!










Below is a clip of Hank singing a song about a mastodon:

Woody’s Dream


Good luck with the film, Hank.

Source: Hank Ray via Kaiju Search-Robot Avery
Hank Ray’s Journal
Hank’s MySpace page (where you can hear more of his music)

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Published: Apr 19 2009 / 10:03 am
Category: Big Bugs, Film, Giant Monsters, Kaiju Search-Robot Avery, Music, News

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3 Comments
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Avery

04.19.09 / 10am
A country musical with giant insects?! I can’t wait to see more from this cool little big bug flick! It looks like a blast. Hank’s a great guy too! Lots of fun!

Giant Ants Ate the Blues Player

04.19.09 / 10am
[...] Original post by Undead Backbrain [...]

Topics about America » Archive » Giant Ants Ate the Blues Player

04.20.09 / 2am
[...] After Armageddon created an interesting post today on Giant Ants Ate the Blues PlayerHere’s a short outlineKaiju Search-Robot Avery has discovered that Bakersfield, California country … America has sold it’s music out [...]

Hank Ray with Bakersfield Royal Family Part 2

Hank Ray with Buddy Allen Owens (Buck Owens's son. This photo was taken by BLT at the Buck Owens post office unveiling in August of 2008.

DATA FROM ANSWERS.COM :
"Singer, songwriter and guitarist Buddy Alan, born Alvis Alan Owens, is the son of country legends Buck and Bonnie Owens. While growing up in Bakersfield, California, he listened to country and rock & roll and formed his first rock band, the Chosen Few, at the age of 14. He switched to country music by his late teens and in 1965 moved to Arizona with his mother and her new husband Merle Haggard. That year he also sang for the first time at one of his father's Christmas concerts.

Buddy Alan's first single, a duet with Buck called "Let the World Keep on a Turnin'," was released by Capitol in 1968 and made it to the Top Ten. That same year, he also recorded his first solo single, "When I Turn Twenty One," written by stepfather Haggard; this one made it to the Top 60. By 1969, Alan had spent a summer touring with the Buck Owens Show and was working at a country music nightclub. That year he released two more singles and also recorded his first album, Wild, Free and Twenty One. He then joined his father's All American Show and continued touring the country. His popularity grew, and he starred in his own shows and made regular appearances as a soloist and musician on Hee Haw for the next seven years. Alan again made it to the charts in 1970 with the single "Santo Domingo." In late 1970, he and Buckaroo lead guitarist Don Rich recorded the popular "Cowboy Convention," and Alan was named Most Promising Male Artist by the ACM. From 1971-1975, Alan continued to release modestly successful singles. Alan was signed to Capitol Records for eight years, but despite his initial promise as a performer, he never made it to the big time. Alan left the music business in 1978 to attend college in Arizona. He then went back to radio as Buddy Alan Owens and became the music director at two local stations in Tempe, Arizona. He was voted Billboard's Music Director of the Year four years running during the late '80s and early '90s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Music Guide"

"Riding The Reading Rail-Road", A Night Of Historic Country Music with Lloyd Reading:

"Riding The Reading Rail-Road", A Night Of Historic Country Music with Lloyd Reading:

Lloyd Reading came to the Buck-a-room Recording Studio and played many of his classic tunes and we filmed an hour long interview there about the old Black Board days in Bakersfield. Lloyd talked about the dust bowl days and when he fist met Buck Owens.


Dr. BLT, Lloyd Reading and Hank Ray pose for a photo after a long night of song writing and interviewing Lloyd on the old Black Board Days.


Below: Dr. BLT presents Lloyd Reading with a CD of the song "Playboy Lloyd" which chronicles Lloyd's old band "The California Playboys", co-written by Dr. BLT and Hank Ray.


BELOW: DR. BLT and Lloyd Reading write a song together about the old Black Board Days.




Lloyd Reading - "Bakersfield sound Legend"
By Hank Ray, for Bakotopia.com .
I consider myself really lucky to have met and played music with the great Lloyd Reading.

Not only is he a great singer, guitarist and songwriter, but one of the nicest fellas you’ll meet.

Lloyd has the voice of Ralph Stanley and writing skills of Hank Williams Sr.

Lloyd is also a great source of information on the early days of country music and has toured and played with many of the greats, including Bob Wills.

Country music historians consider him a living legend and an important part of the early country scene, and one of the founding fathers of the “Bakersfield sound” or “Bakersfield twang” as it was still considered country swing back then.



Lloyd Reading was born on June 2, 1919 in Oklahoma. As a teenager, Lloyd got the itch to pick the guitar and has been “picking up a storm” since 1933. Relocating to Bakersfield in 1938, during the Dust Bowl era, he began singing at the original Blackboard Cafe in Bakersfield that same year as part of the Bob Manning Trio.

According to some sources, The Bob Manning Trio, with Lloyd on the flat top box, was one of the first bands to play live country music in Bakersfield, since the area was mostly comprised of horn-oriented swing bands.

Later in his career, Lloyd played with the Rocky Mountain Cowboys near Visalia from 1940 to 1950 - that’s 10 years of honky tonkin’ (“honky,” the early1970s derogatory term for Caucasians, comes from “honky tonk,” slang for bar with live music, libation and girls). After a decade with Rocky Mountain Cowboys, Lloyd then toured with important musical figure Jelly Sanders for two years in the same area. But Lloyd’s crowning achievement came while forming The California Playboys, a group he led them and toured with for 40 years.



“I was fortunate enough to have Joe Holley - Bob Wills’s left handed fiddle player - for seven of the 40 years in the band,” remarked Lloyd.

Although Lloyd was never in a band with the great Bob Wills, he did meet the man known as “The King of Western Swing” many times while touring, and often shared band members.

Now at 89, Lloyd Reading still performs at many local venues, but considers Trout’s nightclub in Oildale his home away from home.

Our local legend takes the stage during most Thursday and Sunday night jams at the Blackboard stage inside Trout’s. On Monday and Tuesday nights he attends Green Room song writing sessions in the basement of of the historic club, where I had the pleasure of meeting him for the first time. Lloyd is always more than happy to share his experiences with a stranger.


Above: Lloyd Reading (left,) and Hank Ray (right,) during a writing session at Trout's - 2008

I hope to play music with him again soon and perhaps we can get another interview for Bakotopia! You can find Lloyd at Trout’s Blackboard and Green Room for jam session, shows and festivals. Lloyd got a standing ovation at this year’s Bakersfield Music Festival (Buck Fest), and was also honored at the recent Bakersfield Music Awards at Trout’s.

Lloyd Reading, in his own words:

“I’ve been doin’ this music since I was 14. I had a band in Visalia in 1952 and had the band for 47 years, The California Playboys. I did all the Bob Wills stuff. I grew up with that music in Okalahoma. I had Joe Holly in my band for eight years before he passed away and we did all that stuff. I always followed that trend, because I grew up with it."

“I’m going into the studio soon with my grandson, Mike, as engineer and I have a lead fiddler from the Fresno area comin’ down. She does all the Bob Wills stuff ... those long, drawn out notes. We’re going to get those recordings started and give them to Joe Streep. Yeah, I came here in 1938 and left and came back, and I’ll be here until I die. I am proud to be here.”

A NIGHT AT TROUTS' WITH SOME ELVISISM

TROUTS & The Blackboard Stages of BAKERSFIELD
July, 11 2008 at FRIDAY! "ELVIS PRESLEY" Tribute! Don Rose - LIVE from LAS VEGAS! - 7pm
805 N Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, California 93308
Cost : $15.00 advance - $20.00 at Door
Don Rose returns to the Blackboard Stage @ Trout’s Nightclub - Bakersfield with his world class tribute to ELVIS PRESLEY! Don’t wait, get your tickets now! Call (661) 399-6700 for tickets and information.
Don did a great show at Trout’s, very energetic and very Elvis® . It was karaoke on steroids. Don was a great crowd pleaser and even signed some boobs after his set.
“Don started performing his Elvis® show a few years after Elvis® passed away, sing mainly for his own enjoyment in the basement of his parent's home. He was eventually talked into performing for some friends in the living room, and thus his performance career had begun. He started with tapes through college and progressed to his own band. He has since made his career as an entertainer not only doing Elvis®, but also with his own show group, The Don Rose Revue.
He has performed his Elvis® tribute all across the United States and Canada. He has toured in Germany and Switzerland, and played in showrooms of major Cruise lines. He now makes his home in Las Vegas where he spends about half the year - the other half on the road, playing major Casinos, doing corporate and convention work, along with concerts and one-niters.”






After the ELVISM, The Blackboard Playboys: Don Kidwell, Annie Kidwell, Mark Year, Johnny Barnett & Pat “Banny” Banister were on the Blackboard stage for a great night of music!






The Playboys did some great country tunes and Rockwell made a surprise appearance and rocked the house with a country medley reminiscing Jerry Lee Luis and Elvis with a Dwight edge!




Lloyd Reading came in to enjoy the Blackboard Playboys and was really tuned in when they cut loose on some Bob Wills tunes!


Lloyd and Rockwell


Lloyd watching the Playboys do some Bob Wills!

FOURTH OF JULY 2008, Buck's Red, White and Blue Guitar

Bakersfield Sound Underground published a new entry entitled "Buck's Red, White and Blue Guitar song released with others "live" to benefit Buck Owens Wellness Center" on 7/3/2008 10:30:43 PM, written by drblt.


Buck's Red, White and Blue Guitar song released with others "live" to benefit Buck Owens Wellness Center

"On July 4th, 2008 from about 8 am to 10 pm, me and Hank Ray will be on the patio at Starbucks on Rosedale highway near Calloway, in Bakersfield, Californian, performing my own new, original song, Buck's Red, White and Blue Guitar (featuring the deft guitar skills of local guitarist, Hank Ray), "live" (among 19 others on the CD) and signing autographed copies that will be sold for the benefit of Buck Owens Wellness Resource Center. 50% of all profits will be donated to this organization." (From Bakersfield Sound Underground).


The other songs we will be performing, some of which are from the CD, include more original Dr BLTunes paying tribute to the United States and to the American heroes of country music.






"From Bakotopia" : "You don't have to wait until the sun goes down to get a bang out of your July 4th weekend. I'll be releasing my new July 4th song, Buck's Red, White and Blue Guitar, and Bakesfield's own guitar legend-in-the-making, Hank Ray who plays on several songs from the limited edtion CD, has written one, and co-written another, will join me on the guitar. Maybe I'll even talk him into performing a couple of his own originals. "



50% of profits will go towards Buck Owens Wellness Resource center. Find out the details at:



Bakersfield Sound Underground



http://www.bakersfieldsound...

FLLOYD READING INSPIRES BLT AND HANK COLLABERATION

"Lloyd Reading was born June 2, 1919 in Oklahoma. Came out to Bakersfield, California in 1938 during the Dust Bowl. Sang at the "Blackboard Cafe" in Bakersfield in '38 thu '39 as part of the Bob Manning Trio. First group to play country music live in Bakersfield. Before them it was "Horn" Bands. Played with the "Rocky Mountain Cowboys" near Visalia from 1940 to 1950. Played with Jelly Sanders for two years in that area. Formed the California Playboys, for 40 years. Had Joe Holley, Bob Wills left handed fiddle player for 7 years in his band. Now at 89 years old he still performs at many local venues. Considers "Trouts" Nightclub as his home away from home. Anna Reading is the daughter of Lloyd Reading"







HERE IS A QUOTE FROM DR. BLT FROM THE BAKERSFIELD UNDERGROUND:

"Before Buck and before Merle, there was Mr. Lloyd Reading. He's the most accessible living legend from the earliest of the Bakersfield Sound generation. At 89 years of age, he's the man the younger generations of Bakersfield Sound-rooted artists are turning to for mentoring and for inspiration. I hope to interview him for an article I'm calling Reading between the Lines. But, in the meantime, my good friend, and one of Bakersfield Sound's fastest-rising underground underdog stars, Mr. Hank Ray, and myself, would like to introduce him through a song. It's a song we wrote and recorded in a period of about 20 minutes in the BuckarooM. It's for you, Lloyd. You rock! The future of the Bakersfield Sound rests in your guitar-pickin' hands! "

Playboy Lloyd
Dr BLT featuring Hank Ray
words and music by Dr BLT and Hank Ray copyright 2008 Nu Bako Sound Recordings


PHOTO BY BLT:
Media

Playboy Lloyd
brought the Sound to this town
before Buck and Merle
before them boys were around
Playboy Lloyd
when it comes to Kern
well, you wear the crown

Playboy Lloyd
you're my mentor, man
accessible to the youngsters
and their nu sound bands
building bridges to the future
all across this land

you were a child of the dustbowl
played the Blackboard in those days
with the Bob Manning Trio
man yourself a name
playin' Trout's every Sunday night
upon the Blackboard stage
Playboy Lloyd
still alive
and on your game

Playboy Lloyd
brought the Sound to this town
before Buck and Merle
before them boys were around
Playboy Lloyd
when it comes to Kern
well, you wear the crown


Permalink: blog.bakersfieldsoundunderground.com/2008/06/28/playboy-lloyd-new-song-from-the-buckaroom-pays-tribute-to-local-living-legend.aspx

Dagney's Coffee Shop Bluegrass Jam

Dagney's Coffee Shop Bluegrass Jam was today. It was a great jam with pretty much an even distribution of instruments. The coffee shop people were very nice and a lot of patrons came in a listened. The Bakersfield Californian sent a photographer over to do a sound-slide presentation on their web page. Unfortunately I was to busy wrestling with my old banjo tuners to get the players names, but they were to involved in picking to do much interviewing. I came over with Lloyd Reading, whom used to play the old Blackboard in the late 1930.

Here is the notice:

Hey folks,
Just a reminder up the upcoming Dagney's Jam this saturday at 2:00 p.m. We held our first Dagney's Jam last saturday. I really had a great time and even though the jam was small the tunes and the music were great. Thanks to Dagney's for opening up their doors for this jam. We are not sure at this point if this is going to be an every saturday jam or every other saturday. Come on down and enjoy the tunes or help make the tunes. Jeff Russinsky will be hosting the jam and you can call Jeff @ 364-1553 or 324-7604 for more info.