Anthony Castillo
Slow Motorcade
By Geordie Pleathur
(SugarBuzz Nation)
SugarBuzz Magazine
"HAVE AND HAVE NOT" Geordie Pleathur discusses Progressive Politics, Mott, Liberty, and Glitter Pop With Activist Songwriter, Disc Jockey, and Ageless Glam Dandy, ANTHONY CASTILLO, of SLOW MOTORCADE!!! (All photos of SLOW MOTORCADE by Carol Sheridan....)
“Our President is now complicit in torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against the peace,” (-Cynthia McKinney)
"Naturally, the common people don't want war ... but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country." (-Hermann Goering)
"They'll take your back and leave your shirt..." (-Chrissie Hynde)
"...You begin to conform, you begin to get the privileges of conformity. You soon come to believe what you're saying, because it's useful to believe it, and then, you've internalized the system of indoctrination, and distortion, and deception, and then, you're a member of the privileged elites who control thought and indoctrination. That happens all the time, all the way to the top. It's a very rare person, almost to the point of non-existence, who can tolerate what's called 'cognitive dissonance'-saying one thing, and believing another. You start saying certain things, because it's NECESSARY to say them, and pretty soon, you believe them, because you just have to...." (-Noam Chomsky, "Manufacturing Consent-Noam Chomsky And The Media; A Primer In Intellectual Self-Defense")
"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them, yourself." (-Andy Warhol)
"To stand in silence, when they should be protesting, makes cowards out of men." (-Abraham Lincoln)
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." (-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)
"Powerlessness and silence go together. We...should use our privileged positions not as a shelter from the world's reality, but as a platform from which to speak. A voice is a gift. It should be cherished and used." (-Margaret Atwood)
"Every last tissue of belief in the Democrats should, by now, be shred and cast aside. The Democrats are no less the corporate bailers and militarists than the Republicans. They hand trillions to the banks and brokerage firms; they dissolve union contracts and send the workers to the dogs; their unmanned drones bomb Pakistan, killing and maiming innocents and displacing tens of thousands; they sell the same lies about the wars-that they have to do with terrorism, or democracy, rather than oil and other resources-as their predecessors; they fund the very enemy that they claim to fight; they keep up the same contracts with Blackwater and its successors; they vote for the same war funding; they carry out the same secret renditions; they sanction and continue the same spying on U.S. citizens; they exonerate torturers and war criminals from the previous administration..." (-Michael Rectenwald;Citizens For Legitimate Government)
Known in Hollywood Glam circles as, "The Male Joan Jett", power-pop politico, ANTHONY CASTILLO, needs no introduction to regular readers of SugarBuzz Magazine, or longtime habitues of the Sunset Strip, or the Silverlake glam, pop, and rock'n'roll scenes. Many remember him from his stints in Black Cherry and Spiders N Snakes. His all-star, Hollywood, glamour-pop, supergroup boasted some of the most fantastic talents who ever pounded the boards of the Tinsel Town club-scene, including the astonishing drummer, Thom Sullivan; current Bangles bassist, Derrick Anderson; the legendary, purple haired, swashbuckler, Joe Hutchinson, currently of the Cold Blue Rebels; David T. Walsh, Brian Walsh (R.I.P.), John Napier, Carl DeMarco, Francois Perez, Jack Atlantis, Curtis
Florczak, Probyn Gregory, from the Brian Wilson Band, who played on their album, Kenneth Andrew from the Japanese band, Casino Drive; Sten, from the Love Razors, etc., etc., etc.
Fans of Chapman/Chinn-the Sweet-the Babys-Mott-Cheap Trick style, 70's arena rock, with Raspberries/Generation X/Candy/Professionals style punk guitars, and sticky, bubble yummy, Buddha Records catchiness, might choose to seek out this sensational, kult- klassic, long-player by SLOW MOTORCADE, called, "SEX, DRAGS, AND ROCKNROLL". I've no idea why they never toured with Buck Cherry, Green Day, the Pretenders, Rancid, or somebody like that. They made world class, socially aware, honest rock'n'roll, and starred several guys whom you would think, had the connections, to score a big league contract, major tour, or top-name entertainment lawyer, but it was not to be. Had their timing been even a smidge better, perhaps, they could have teamed up with TSAR, a similar, powerhouse, arena rock and glitter pop outfit, with great taste and bad timing. Of course, Clear Channel's radio monopoly, and the Big Three Media Corporations have done much to shut down independent venues/control the ticket business, tighten and restrict radio playlists to State Radio approved Top 40 garbage-pop, with mega-chains and new technologies, killin' off all the little record stores, and ruining rock'n'roll, replacing artists of conscience with glorified Target commercials, and "journalists" on the pay-roll of intelligence agencies, and by over-paying censorious misinformation blow-hards
millions and millions to baffle blue collar people into voting against ourselves. The television and radio lie to us, twenty four hours a day. The only people who seem to have any money left, or anything to celebrate, this year, aside from our merest survival, are the oil barons, Big-Media's propaganda pipeline, the hedge-funder white collar mafia, the tele-spies, and the police-state's undercover agents, who are paid, excessively, to infiltrate peace and worker's rights organizations and demonstrations, to "justify" brutal police violence, authoritarian news spin, and random declarations of, "unlawful assembly". The only class of people who seem to have any surplus to buy gifts with, are indeed, the crooked executives, "security contractors", and the infotainment industry, who "earn their pay" by glamorizing salaried hit-men, mercenary war-profiteers, occupation armies, torturers, etc., OR those warpig-wanna-be's, who are happily employed by the weapons manufacturers, bankers, government, and/or military. The rest of us are just barely scraping by, scrambling desperately, to pay our jacked-up rent, hold on to our minimum wage, part time, jobs for global corporations, and remain indoors.
America really IS becoming a "CHINESE DEMOCRACY!" Axl was RIGHT
AGAIN!!! Basically, anyone who saturates them self in mass-media, can't help, but become brainwashed by it. All these carefully choreographed, fake, television debates between a super conservative, elite host, another conservative, and three rightwing fascists!!! That's what they pass off as "fair and balanced". Those with careers in mass-media? Forget it. It's Sieg Heil, all the way to the bank, 'til doomsday. They gotta finance their circle's wasteful and decadent lifestyle, by perpetuating the status quo, and spreading the misinformation and Orwellian doubletalk. Obama the Peace Prize recipient is bombing peasants in foreign lands this Christmas, and what for? There's no real distinction between these sold-out political parties, anymore. Obama's "Going Rogue", just like Palin, McCain, and Bush Co. Even supposedly liberal "Vanity Fair" is publishing lavish puff pieces on behalf of Too Big To Jail THUGS R US execs. It's shameful. Our heartbreaking DEMOCRAT President has perpetuated these sham wars "on drugs" and "on terror", which were only ever wars on human rights, and the poor, while presiding over the largest "redistribution of wealth" in history, bailing out all those Wall Street billionaires, AND allowing Congress to make the purchase of unaffordable health insurance mandatory, under the guise of "reform".
In spite of all that soaring campaign rhetoric, the sold-out, phony, Democrats all sound just like Rumsfeld, nowadays, don't they? The only thing that gives people who voted for Obama any hope at all, might be the perverse political theatre of Cheney's ongoing, daily, FOX MISINFO. TV
attacks. Otherwise, it looks an awful lot like it did when Dubya and Dick were still in office, doesn't it? Above the law liars and oligarchs. Warrantless wiretaps, escalating more wars, suppressing torture-evidence, continuing to legalize torture, whitewashing past government misdeeds, refusing to sign landmine treaties, drilling for oil in protected places, arresting protesters, beating up homeless people, foreclosing on another house every six seconds, sending all the living wage jobs abroad, to slave nations. Limbaugh, O'Reilley, Beck, and Evil Dick might enjoy heckling President Obama, from their smirking box seats, like the grumpy, old men on the "Muppet Show", but I don't know why they bother. The current administration's done nothing but perpetuate their own, very savage, neo-con, rich get richer, permanent war economy, and black contracts, escalating violence, destabalising whole regions, even sanctioning rape and torture, s'long as you work for Halliburton, or one of Uncle George's good ole buddies. All the Democrats are Republicans, nowadays! Those chickenhawk, hate-radio, blow-hards might bark all day long, in between cigars and martinis, but
whatever those fat, steak inhaling, pillheads bellow to the contrary, there is NO LIBERAL MASS MEDIA in America. Let me state the obvious, just one more time. There is NO SUCH THING as a LIBERAL MASS MEDIA, in America. TWO MAINSTREAM PUNDITS are no match for an around the clock disinformation juggernaut on every channel. Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow, TWO VOICES, who work for MSNBC, which is owned by G.E., hardly qualifies as a "LIBERAL MASS MEDIA". Bill Moyers is retiring from PBS. How many college educated baby boomers can actually afford to subscribe to "The Nation" or "Z Magazine"? Not many Americans really know to follow the investigative journalism of Amy Goodman, Glenn Greenwald, Naomi Klein, Jeremy Scahill, and Matt Taiibi, but we're all absolutely saturated in the right-wing propaganda. Tv "reality" sluts. Justin "King Of Sucks" Timberlake. Nick Lachey. The Pussycat Dolls. Rah-Rah war parading, corporate-branding, deceptive green-washing, and product placement. This is also, why the establishment-media is so vindictive when demonizing bloggers/citizen journalists/fanzine publishers, and indymedia. Those are the only places where you'll hear an anti-war message, or "news", that's not exclusively from the perspective of the big business, global elites. DIG: www.zmag.org
Otherwise, we are conditioned, around the clock, brow-beaten from birth, in this corporatist culture, to sanctify war, blindly worshipping the secret society rich white men in suits, their property and ivory towers, Wall Street, tycoons, the cops, the ruling class elite. It's like our whole country has Stockholm
Syndrome, sympathizing with our own Mister Burns oppressors. The cops love to kick everybody's asses for protesting, and demonstrating for worker's rights, but where would those same cops be, without THEIR union? These aren't thoughtful individuals. They constantly rely on their own, COP UNION, to rush to their aid, whenever cameras catch them doing their dirty work for the bankster elites, but they help to deny other workers, who make even less money, and who have even less benefits, the same basic rights to organize worker's unions. It's crazy. Our nation's regressed, since Bush and Cheney and John Woo undermined the Bill Of Rights, and Geneva Conventions, and Orahma's fully endorsed their thoroughly undemocratic, classist, authoritarian, imperialistic, and inhumane policies, hasn't he? No ANTI-WAR voices are allowed to be heard by the corporate media. Dan Rather blurted out that the three buildings that fell in NYC looked like controlled demolitions, and did a story on Dubya's military record, and was banished from the airwaves. Phil
Donahue was an INSTITUTION, but G.E. fired him, for being inclined to report the truth, as well. Instead of Donahue, or Edward R. Murrow, they give us Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, Carson Daley, and all those rightwing bullies. Welcome to the land of tyranny, lies, and mediocrity. "Let's get it started/Let's get it started in here..." UGH!
If we're so "free", why do we have just five percent of the world's population, but twenty five percent of the prisoners? Why do we have to piss in a cup just to wash dishes for minimum wage? Why is there still a senseless prohibition on Pot? Why are government employees reading your e-mail, and taping your phone calls? Why are protesters arrested and criminalized, for speaking-out, under Obama? If we're so "brave", why are law officers using tasers on children-how "brave" is that? Why are cop tasers being used to routinely brutalize, and dehumanize, pregnant ladies, soccer moms, the elderly, ministers, and college students who were already handcuffed, face down, on the pavement? IN AMERICA? Why are your "representatives" being allowed to stand idly by, without passing legislation to repeal these BILL OF RIGHTS undermining Patriot Act/Fisa Acts, or outlawing these undemocratic taser torture devices? In
Pittsburgh, they bussed in 3,000 robo-cops to beat up 100 teenagers. How free. How brave. Where are our civil liberties? The government no longer even bothers to officially deny it's ongoing torture programs. Here's more Brittney Spears-here's Guitar Hero, here's some more "Dancing With The Stars". Now Shut Up, and keep telling yourselves nothing's gone wrong, people. What Michael Moore calls, "weapons of mass DISTRACTION". The really sad thing is how few Americans are even aware that poor people are being killed by our military, and that this man we all worked so hard to elect has not been able, or willing, to stop the war machine. Millions of people worldwide, who cried authentic tears of joy upon his Inauguration may never cast votes again, we're so demoralized, by the punishing fact that our votes don't seem to matter. We all believed we were voting for peace. For an end to the tyranny of the tiny elite. For the restoration of the Bill Of Rights and Geneva Conventions. No Dice. Same as it ever was...but getting steadily worse.
Dapper songwriter, Anthony Castillo, was speaking out against these inhumane, immoral, occupations when Bush, and the Clear Channel hate-jockeys, and FOX TV were all outlandishly targeting the Dixie Chicks, and he's STILL opposing them, under the current administration. It's cold outside-the millions of wrongly criminalized, American Homeless, are gonna have a rough night, tonight. 'Christmastime, but no one's got the spirit. Everybody's broke, everybody's pissed. The last presidential election gave us all false hope that the Democrats would be CHANGING Bush policies, but now, we're all sleepily, waking up, one by one, to the grim truth-that the Democrats are governing JUST LIKE the Republicans.
There's been no CHANGE, at all. American morale has just been devastated by these war-pigs, bankers, billionaires, spies, and torture-mongers, who own our elected officials. SugarBuzz decided it was time to chat with this stylish and provocative, rock'n'rollin' human rights advocate, Anthony Castillo, about
good music, the rock'n'roll counter-culture, and the erosion of dignity, living wages, and human rights, in this country. He kindly took time to answer some inquiries regarding the state of "Sex, Drags, And Rock'n'Roll" in America.
SUGARBUZZ: What do you do for fun, nowadays?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: 'Ride my vintage Schwinn Sting Ray bike along the Venice Beach Boardwalk. 'Go to as many Nostalgia Drag Race events as I can afford to attend. 'Go to cool concerts when they happen. 'Go to lots of movies, new and revival. 'See some live theater. Hit some art openings. Hang out with a few choice friends. Like everyone does, I spend way too much time on You Tube looking at cool vintage rock videos.
SUGARBUZZ: Tell me about Barely Pink...
ANTHONY CASTILLO: The pop band from Florida, we did a gig with. We played one of those L.A. Poptopia festivals, and they had come all the way from Florida, to play. We were on the same bill, I think we played after them, but they hung around and caught our set as we had also caught theirs. They rocked pretty well, more than most of the L.A. bands did. So we come on, with our “arena pop” thing, big guitars, big drums, big choruses, and I guess they really dug it. Because after we got off stage, they came right up to us, to tell us how much they liked it, and how they didn’t expect to see anything like what we did, at a power pop festival. Later on, I found out that they wrote a song about their trip to L.A., and they mention us, as well as Baby Lemonade, in the song. Very cool guys and a good band too.
SUGARBUZZ: Ever see Rock City Angels?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: No, were they good live? I saw Electric Angeles, they were good.
SUGARBUZZ: What can you tell me about Imperial Drag?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: My friend, Eric Skodis, was the drummer in that band. He plays the big band tuned 26” kick drum type of style I love. They were a good band. Ex-Jellyfish members, how could you go wrong?
SUGARBUZZ: What should all Sugarbuzzers know about Alex Sanchez?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: He is one brave brother. He’s an ex-gang member turned peace maker. He got out of gangs, and has dedicated his life to stopping gang violence. He’s in jail at the moment, on a trumped up charge. There is a coalition of folks down here in L.A., working to get him out, so he can continue his vital work. He was recently, unjustly, denied bail. Go to www.wearealex.org or freealexsanchez on Twitter, to find out up to date info. on his case, and his work.
SUGARBUZZ: Have you read the Killer Kane book, "I, Doll...", yet?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: No, not yet, but I want to get it. His widow just did a book signing for it at Book Soup, in West Hollywood, that I couldn’t 
make.
SUGARBUZZ: What did you think of Vickie Blue's film, "Edgeplay"? Are you excited about the mainstream Runaways bio-pic? Isn't Joan producing?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: If "Edge Play" had gotten the permission to use Runaways music, it would have helped make it better. But it’s hard to make a documentary about a band, when you can’t even play a note of their original music. The interviews were just great, though. Jackie Fox still is one! And Cherie has gotten better with age. I’m just glad Vickie got it out well before Sandy passed on. I wish Joan had taken part in it. I take a wait and see attitude when it comes to bio-flicks-in general, but my expectations are even lower with rock bio-flicks. I’ll go-in not expecting much, and if it’s good, then it becomes a real treat. If Joan is indeed producing, then maybe that will increase the chances of it being good by a little bit.
SUGARBUZZ: How is that Hollywood biker band with Bruce Duff and the guy from Street Walkin' Cheetahs?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Angus Kahn… pretty funny really. Not great, but fun to see, now
and then. It’s a heavy rock thing. Not Metal, but cartoon big rock, good players--and Derrick is a great singer. I love watching my buddy Andy Baker play drums! I know all of those guys, so it’s fun. Not life altering, but fun.
SUGARBUZZ: What is Texacala Jones up to, these days?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: I have no idea, I wish I knew. I thought she was great! The Horse Heads were a really cool band, in their prime.
SUGARBUZZ: Favorite Radio Shows?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Do you mean music or politics? I only listen to non-commercial radio. Or as the Replacements put it, “Left Of The Dial.” I haven’t gotten into the on-line radio thing, yet. I’m lucky to have a Pacifica Network station here in L.A., so I listen to KPFK a lot for Democracy Now, and lots of other public affairs shows. As well as health and music shows. I listen to a lot of Classical music on KUSC and KCSN, or Jazz on KJAZ. Or sometimes the weird stuff on KXLU. I really like this 60’s, 70’s music show on KXLU done by a gal called Taylor 2000. She plays a lot of stuff I’ve never heard, mostly on the mellow side, and she’s young too. I always like it, when a young person dives full on, into a specific genre, and she most certainly has.
SUGARBUZZ: What do you remember about Hello
Disaster?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: I remember I really liked them a lot, when I saw them. I saw them a few times, and I really dug it, every time. They sounded and looked great! They sort of had a Sham 69 vibe, that I really loved.
SUGARBUZZ: Where is Alice Starr, now?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: I didn’t really know him, so again, I have no idea.
SUGARBUZZ: What do you think of the Tony Visconti production on the Alejandro Escovedo CD?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Though I don’t own that disc, I know about it, and want to get it. I love Al’s voice. He’s a very talented fellow. I’m sure it’s good. After all Al had a band called Buick MacKane. So I see it as a natural fit. I'm close friends with Al's brother, Javier of the Zeros. The band they had together, True Believers, was very special. Those were some fun times we all had, seeing that band play. I met the both of them during the time when the True Believers were starting out, just after I moved to LA.
SUGARBUZZ: Project Censored-What are summa the top stories we never hear about in the Big-Media that are affecting us all, right now?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Oh, man, you really want
me to go there? Man, there are just too many. I highly, highly recommend that everyone that reads this, goes to www.projectcensored.org and look at just some of them, on their own. I say, "just some of them", because Peter Phillip’s, and his team up at Sonoma State, put out a book, each year of only the top 25 most censored news stories of the past year, but there are many more than just 25, per any given year. The one that really got under my skin was the “mysterious death of Mike Connell” who was Karl Rove’s election thief guru. How convenient for Rove, that Connell dies in a small plane crash, just days before he was to testify in an Ohio court case, looking into the theft of the 2004 presidential election, by team Rove/Bush. Yes, kiddies, Team Bush stole two elections, not just one. Check it out and see. For eight years, two full terms in office, the U.S. had a President that was never elected by its citizens. Chew on that one for a while. And if you’re stupid enough to blame that on Ralph Nader, I have some swap land, and a bunch of derivatives I can let you buy for pennies on the dollar. Ha ha ha.
SUGARBUZZ: Are you a Manic Street Preachers fan?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Huge fan! I saw then here this past September, just before I left for London to see the Mott The Hoople reunion shows, and they were great! James' voice was really good. And Nicky had such great energy. He’s a really good bass player. I saw them with Richey, which was awesome. But they’re still one of the best bands around, even without him. Though of course, we wish he was still here with us. I love the consciousness of their lyrics, and the point of view they have. They write some really wonderfully memorable pop songs, with some meaning to them. My kind of stuff to be
sure!
SUGARBUZZ: Please discuss your recent trip to London to see the Mott The Hoople reunion gigs.
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Wow, what a great thing it was to be a part of, truly one of the best weeks of my entire life. How’s that for starters? Mott week was such a special time in London, and in rock n’ roll history, in general. I got to see Mott four, out of the five, times they played. I would have seen all five shows, but I booked my flight too early, and they kept adding shows, so I had to fly home, the day of the final show. I’ll tell you that really killed me. Mott The Hoople is not only my favorite band of all time, but many other folks', as well. We came from all over the world, to see “our band” play together, again. It felt like a giant class reunion of Mott heads, that never went to school with one another, but we all had Mott The Hoople, in common. There were so many Americans there, that at times, it felt like I was still in the U.S. To get a feel for what I’m talking about, I
encourage everyone to go to www.morgan-fisher.com and watch the You Tube videos he has there under, “Hoopling.” Morgan Fisher (former Mott keyboard player) really added so much to the whole Mott week experience, by putting on side events, at the Troubadour Gallery, and the Regal Room. He gave us a meeting place to hang out at, before the shows, as well as, meet and greet, not just each other, but other great people, such as, Mick Ronson’s family, John Fiddler, Blue Weaver, Mick Bolton, Leee Black Childers, and Morgan, himself, to name just a few. I just wish Ariel Bender had made a showing. I hope he knows he was missed. It was the people, just as much as Mott’s great, majestic music, that made the week what it was, something that everyone that was there, now has in common. To illustrate that, I just saw Todd Rundgren perform the entire “A Wizard, A True Star” L.P., live. As I walked in the lobby of the Orpheum, a guy yells out, “nice shirt”, I look back, and we both had on the same Mott reunion concert shirt. We both smiled and gave each other the thumbs up, because we knew what we had in common a shared experience, instant kinship.
SUGARBUZZ: How was that Todd Rundgren show?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Really great! I love Todd. He’s a mega talent. On par with say, a Stevie Wonder, or a Brian Wilson. He can do almost anything he wants to with pop music. It was great to hear him perform my favorite record of his. It wasn’t Mott week, or even as great as the Sparks show I saw last fall, when Sparks performed two full L.P.s live, one being their best one, “Kimono My House”, but they also did a bunch of other Sparks songs after "Kimono". Both Todd and Sparks had great stage shows. But Todd stopped after "Wizard", no other Todd tunes. Still it was a real treat to see and hear. I think if he would have done some other hits after "Wizard", he would have really hit it out of the park, so to speak. So Todd comes in third behind the band he once produced.
SUGARBUZZ: Have you ever met Michael Des Barres?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Yes, a few times. What a character, he has "rock star" in his DNA. I really like the guy. He’s a very charming fellow. And he still has a great voice. I wish he would perform more. I would go see his kind of rock god ego star front man thing any day of the week. "Shoe Gazer" is not a name you would ever tag on that guy.
SUGARBUZZ: What made Traci Michaelz such a beloved figure on the Hollywood rock scene?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Wow, everything, is that an answer? Even with the Kabuki, heavy glam guy image, Traci was one of the most real, genuine, honest, loveable, and down to Earth people I have ever met in my life. You don’t meet many people in L.A. with an ever present image like the one Traci had, that are as unpretentious as Traci was. He was a guy you were always, and I mean, always, happy to see. He was always fun to be around. Plus, for me, it was nice that he was such a big Slow Motorcade fan. He loved "Sixteen Forever" the most. I really miss that guy. It’s just not right that he passed on, so young. It makes me sad and angry at the same time. Life can be really unfair, at times. He was a really excellent drummer, as well.
SUGARBUZZ: Ever see Julliette Lewis and the Licks?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Yes, once, maybe twice. They didn’t really do it for me. But they weren’t horrible.
SUGARBUZZ: Do I understand you're working on a solo album?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: I started to, but I put it aside, at the moment. I just need to get inspired again, to get back into it. It’s all in my head. I just need to get back to it. It’ll be a really good record, once I do it. With the talent pool of friends that I have to draw from, it almost couldn’t suck. I feel good about the tunes, too. It’s just a matter of finishing them, and getting the bread together. I’m not one of those song writers, who writes just for the sake of writing. I wish I was. I have to have an outlet for it, or be really inspired. But I’ll get back to it, if for no other reason, than for the music that I do have done, that I feel strongly about.
SUGARBUZZ: What were some of the highlights of the Slow Motorcade experience?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: We had some good shows. The recording of the record here in Venice at the Lincoln Lounge studio, working with Steve Refling, was a total joy. I love working with Steve. Though, I prefer to play live, the recording of "Sex, Drags, & Rock n’ Roll" was the best. Steve made it so.
SUGARBUZZ: Why isn't there any Slo-Mo concert footage posted on You Tube?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Because no one ever shot any, how lame is that?! I’ve thought of doing the still photo slide show thing to some of the songs, just to get them up, and out there. But I’m very computer challenged, so I would need someone to help me with it big time. I still want to do it, at some point.
SUGARBUZZ: What current bands are you digging?
AHONY CASTILLO: To be honest…not many. I know there is some good stuff out there, but I just haven’t heard it…yet. I like a lot of instrumental surf and non-surf bands. I go see my pals, the Black Widows, and Slacktone, any time they play, if I can make the gig. Also, I go see the Insect Surfers, and many others. As much as I love that type of rock n’ roll, I just wish more chicks were into it. It’s always a "sausage-fest", which is too bad, because the music is so great. As far as I’m concerned, Manic Street Preachers, and Cheap Trick, are still vital bands, though they may not be “new” bands. The latest CD by Cheap Trick, called, “The Latest” is a very good record. Check it out.
SUGARBUZZ: Some books every rocker should read...
ANTHONY CATILLO: Geez...we could go on a long time, on this one, so I’ll just scratch the surface, on this. I’m not a poetry or classic lit guy, or really a big fiction guy. So I tend to gravitate to non-fiction, history, 
biographies, that sort of thing. I think the lyrics to my songs bear this out. Here are just a few: “Please Kill Me, The Uncensored Oral History Of Punk” by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain is great, even thought they never mention the Fleshtones in it, even once. “How To Talk Dirty And Influence People” by Lenny Bruce, because Lenny was a real punk. “The Conquest Of Cool” by Thomas Frank, so you’ll know what you’re up against. “No Logo” by Naomi Klein, because it is the bible against the corporate takeover of the world. “A Peoples History Of The United States” by Howard Zinn, because it tells you the other side of history, our side! I’ll throw a grenade into the list, with “XXX, A Woman’s Right To Pornography” by sex positive feminist author, Wendy McElroy, I loved that book. “Diet for a New America” by John Robbins, because how we eat does make a difference. Read anything by Michael Parenti, Chris Hedges, or any great revolutionaries, especially by women and people of color. And if you have favorite bands and there are books out on them, get them, and find out what made then tick. I guess the key is to just stay curious.
SUGARBUZZ: What did Lords Of The New Church mean to you? Did you like the Wanderers?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: The Lords were such a big influence, and they are so under-rated. Yes, I love the Wanderers “Only Lovers Left Alive” LP. “Ready To Snap” off that L.P., is a 
truly great punk/pop anthem. I wish I could write ten of those, tomorrow. I think the thing that hurts the Lords legacy, is that they recorded in the 80’s. I don’t think of them as an 80’s band, or having an 80’s sound, like other bands of that era did. But there’s just something about the way recordings from the 80’s sound, as opposed to other decades. They have a sound that makes them sound dated, as opposed to “classic” like most 50’s, 60’s or 70’s recordings do. I think it’s the drum sound, most of all. The songs are all there, in any Lords record. I love Stiv’s lyrics a lot. In fact, I like everything that guy ever did. I love the Bomp record, “Disconnected” maybe the best of all. I saw the Lords, I think, three times, and I loved every show. Great band, the Lords, stylish, political, and fun, all at the same time. You just can’t beat that combination, in my book. I just wish Stiv had cleaned up his act, so they would have had a longer run, and most of all, so Stiv would still be with us to show us how it needs to be done. How the hell has Iggy made it this far?
SUGARBUZZ: Discuss what it was like to see Prince and the Time in concert...
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Oh wow, you’re really reaching back for this question. It was insanely good, the “1999” tour. The Time blew my head off! What an incredible live band that original lineup was. Not a weak link in that chain. Still to this day The Time is one of the best live bands I have ever seen in my entire life. Right up there with Mott The Hoople. I can hear people fainting, as they read that statement, but it’s so true. You see, The Time were the backup band for Vanity Six. They would play behind the closed curtain, while Vanity Six sang in front of the curtain. So when it came time for their set, they were all warmed up, and ready to just scorch the fucking Earth, with their stage show, and man, did they ever!!! They had the killer guitar sounds, clothes, songs, most of all, killer attitude. The Time were equal parts funk, soul and rock n’ roll. Did I mention how mind numbingly beautiful Vanity was at that time? She sang well, too. Oh, Prince was also on the bill. He was really good in his own right. But he was half way through his set, and I was 
still trying to wrap my mind around what The Time had just put me through. I never did fully recover.
SUGARBUZZ: Best live performers you've ever seen?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Well, I just mentioned a few of them: Mott The Hoople is at the top of the list. Also The Who, The Time, Jason and the Scorchers, Sparks, James Brown, Roxy Music, The Professionals, Red Rockers (before they went New Wave), Joan Jett, Tina Turner, Iggy, The Fleshtones, U2 (yes I saw then a long time ago and they were great), The Cult (on the Love tour), Replacements (at Al’s Bar), The Planets, Mike Monroe, The Godfathers, Still Little Fingers, The Jam, Queen (Before they cut their hair, Thin Lizzy opened). Can I stop now? I’ve seen some really cool shit, some of the greats. The other day I was thinking about the bands I’ve seen the most times, and they are Ian Hunter (solo and with Mott), Cheap Trick, and the Ramones. So I guess those cats must be good. I know I’m leaving some out that I’ll wish I had mentioned, but that’s a good start.
SUGARBUZZ: Favorite song writers?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: That’s an easy one. Ian Hunter, Ray Davies, Lou Reed, Pete Townsend, Brian Wilson, John Phillips, Eric Carmen, Bennie and Bjorn, Rick Neilson, Brian Ferry, Joni Mitchell and those guys in the Beatles were pretty good with a tune. Dylan is a great
song writer, as long as someone else is performing his tunes. I am not a fan of Bob the performing artist, at all. And what about Phil Ochs or Pete Seeger, see if you go down that path, then you start to branch off into folk and Woody Guthrie. That’s just a partial list. I have lots of sentimental favorites, like Wally Stocker of The Babys, Stiv Bators, David Johansen, Jay Ferguson, Eddie Cochran, Marc Bolan, as well as cats like Roy Wood and Nick Drake. So I run the gamut, as far as pop song writers go. Again, I’ll think of more names later, that should be in that list. But those are some of the heavy hitters. Of course, J.S. Bach is the greatest who ever lived, in any musical field. Jazz, Classical and World Music are completely separate lists, so I won’t even go there.
SUGARBUZZ: The other guys from SLOW MOTORCADE! WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Some moved away, some are still here, and we speak every so often. Derrick has done really well. He’s now the bass player in The Bangles. He’s still my bass player when I need him. I love that guy. I speak with Joe Hutchinson the most. You can’t help but like that cat. I’m not really tight with anyone else from the final lineup. I hang out with former bassist Carl DeMarco quite a bit. I e-mail Francois every now and then and we talk on the phone when we can work it out. We still crack each other up. I miss him. I wish he didn’t live so far away. We weren’t able to get together when I was in the U.K. for Mott week.
SUGARBUZZ WORD ASSOCIATION! Gimee one word to describe each of the following:
Naomi Klein: Vital!
Miniskirt Mob: Adorable!
Gio Vitanza: Crazed!
Alice Starr: Missing
The Zombies: What a great singer! Colin Blunstone is even better live, than he is on recordings. He has not lost a thing vocally. (Sorry for more than one word.)
Mike Gravel: Decent
The Hangmen: So, so (Two words but the same word.)
Arthur Lee: Tragic
Motorcycle Boy: Drunk
Javier Escovedo: Deep
Dramarama: Jersey
Dennis Kucinich: Unflinching!
Steve Conte: OK
Iris Berry: Goddess
Jeff Drake: Friend
Paul Black: Stereo
Billy Bragg: Inspired
Carbon/Silicon: Disappointing
Ginger: Poppy
Spiders N Snakes: Embarrassing
John Waite: What a great fucking voice that guy has, I just love it!!! He’s so underrated. Go out and get the second (Broken Heart) and third (Head First) LPs by The Babys and hear what I’m talking about. This guy has a gift! (Sorry, no way to cut that down to one word.)
Jeremy Scahill: Incendiary!
Tinted Windows: Cute
SUGARBUZZ: Where can Sugarbuzzers purchase a copy of the pop masterpiece, Slow Motorcade's, "SEX, DRAGS, AND ROCK'N'ROLL"?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: CD Baby, and I think they can still get it through Not Lame Music. Downloads are available from Rhapsody and I-Tunes.
SUGARBUZZ: What did I neglect to ask you about?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Why we need to get over Obama?
We need to get over this guy right now. He sucks! And that means ending these illegal wars of occupation. ...Including Israel's apartheid control of Palestine, which is funded by US tax Dollars.
If we keep waiting around for him to give us “hope & change” the next 
thing you’ll know, it will be the end of his one term in office, and the “Hard Right Wing” will be back in power, again. I’m not attacking him from the Right like some Fox News nut job. I’m facing reality from the Left. We need to build movements to counter the corporate, Wall Street takeover of this country, and the world. We need to shrink the military budget, not increase it, like Obama has done. And that means ending these illegal wars of occupation. Including Israel's apartheid control of Palestine, which is funded by US tax dollars. We need to help bail out common folk, not rich fat cat bankers. We need Medicare for all, not a gift to insurance companies. Most important of all, we need to cut the US Co2 emissions by 50% or more, starting yesterday! Remember-this is coming from a Drag Racing/car culture guy, too. I'll gladly give up Hot Rodding, if it means the survival of the planet. In the end, our survival will depend on sacrifice. Obama is just business as usual, with a smart face, not a dumb ass face, like the one Bush has.
SUGARBUZZ: Anything Else?
ANTHONY CASTILLO: Go to www.blackagendareport.com to read some really insightful critiques of Obama policies. Also, go to www.rdwolff.com to better understand the U.S. and global economies. Like most people, my eyes used to glaze over, when people would talk economics. But Prof. Richard Wolff makes it easy to understand. He’s brilliant and funny at the same time. He wrote the book “Capitalism Hits The Fan”, and has it ever. This is important, because we need to understand what’s going on, so we can direct our anger and outrage in the right direction, Unlike what the “tea baggers” have done. Fox News wants us to be confused, so we won’t turn on the ruling class, which they are nothing, but a mouth piece, for. Please also check out www.350.org because like I said, only a movement will stop climate change, not any 
capitalist keeper of empire, like Obama, or any President. A good information source is www.radio4all.net We must support independent “left of center” media. This is a good one, because you can listen to some very important news stories you won’t get on “commercial media”, while you do stuff around the house, as opposed, to being tied down to reading a screen. Finding good, hard, independent journalism is key to staying informed. I have to mention Mike Ruppert's web site www.fromthewilderness.com
He wrote "Crossing The Rubicon" and "Confronting Collapse, the Crisis Of Energy And Money In A Post Peak Oil World" and a few other books. What's cool about Mr. Ruppert is that he lives here, in Venice, CA, and he's a rock n' roller. His band is called "New White Trash" and they aren't bad. Mr. Ruppert has a good voice, and writes songs dealing with things that matter.
We can still play records/CDs, rock out, play in bands, dance our asses off, whatever you’re into. But we also have to read the hand writing on the melting ice caps, and get to work…fast!
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak out and thanks to everyone who took the time to read my words.
HEAR MOTORCADE AT:
ROCKERS UNITE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS! YOU CAN DO SOMETHING!
http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=159823
https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1779
Get involved to halt these wars. Find your representative here, and tell them to co-sponsor Kucinich amendment to end these unjust, brutal, and dishonest occupations.
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
(-GEORDIE PLEATHUR)