Tag Archives: Kickstarter

Check It Out: Don’t Fall in Love with Yourself: A documentary about Justin Pearson, Three One G and the San Diego Punk Scene.

My pals at the talented TurnStyle Films never cease to amaze me.

They are a collective group of hardworking music lovers who always manage to drop things equally interesting as unique.

I wish I could remember what show I was at when I saw Jon Nix last year, but he was full of excitement as he told me he was working on something he knew I was going to like.  As he started telling me about it, I immediately smiled ear to ear.  I knew this was going to be something awesome.

Months later, an announcement was made to the world that TurnStyle Films was working on a Justin Pearson documentary.  As a fellow punk lover, it is clear why I shared so much excitement when I first learned of the project.

The documentary is in the final rounds of finishing and TurnStyle is asking for help via a great Kickstarter campaign with plenty of great rewards including autographed books, vinyl, and enamel pins.

I think Jon and crew said it best on Kickstarter what this documentary is all about:

Don’t Fall in Love With Yourself is a documentary that explores the life of enigmatic musician and artist, Justin Pearson. From childhood tragedy and his roots in the San Diego punk scene, to his appearance on Jerry Springer and rise to cult celebrity status. An in-depth look at a career made out of blood, sweat and spit.

Much of the B-roll has been sourced from dozens of VHS & Mini-DV tapes recorded over the past three decades. Controversial and never-before-seen footage of one of the most interesting and unique musical movements is recent memory.

The film’s interviews include Justin Pearson, Dave Lombardo, Eric Paul, Gabe Serbian, Bobby Bray, Travis Ryan, Jeremy Bolm, Alexis Marshall, Jon Syverson, Molly Neuman & Becky DiGiglio and more.

I took a few moments to toss my support they way in hopes this campaign is fully funded.  This looks to be one of the best things TurnStyle has done to date.

Check it out:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jonnixfilm/dont-fall-in-love-with-yourself-finishing-funds?ref=project_build

Get Involved with Get Involved!

Recently members from Thursday, From Autumn To Ashes, Glassjaw, and Judge announced a new project in the works called Get Involved!
Inspired by their shared influences of punk, hardcore, new wave and metal, Get Involved! came together to create an entirely new group, unlike any of their previous endeavors.  Brian Deneeve (From Autumn to Ashes), Todd Weinstock (Glassjaw), Tucker Rule (Thursday), Lars Weiss (Judge) and Derrick Karg each bring a unique style to the band, resulting in a sound that’s dark and heavy yet accessible and memorable. With a release in the works to be dropped later this year, Get Involved! is asking for your help through their Kickstarter Campaign.  You all know how Kickstarter works.  Head on over and help out if you care to.  I know I already pledged $20.  I am stoked to see what this band creates!

Support music, support art, and Get Involved! Back Get Involved!’s Kickstarter Campaign now.  With just 2 weeks left, the band is just over 40% to their goal.  Help out if you can!!!

Donate For A Harvey Pekar Cause

Harvey Pekar left this world too soon in July of 2010.  Sadly he left nothing more than unfinished works and comics leaving for his widow Joyce Brabner to take control of many things for him including how the Cleveland underground comics icon would be remembered.

Recently she started a campaign for a Harvey Pekar tribute using Kickstarter.  In an attempt to raise $30k, a unique tribute sculpture will be created of Pekar and installed at the public library in Cleveland Heights.  The sculpture will actually be a desk that she and others want people to sit down and draw or write at.  The following was taken from the Kickstarted page:

A way to celebrate comics as art and literature at a Cleveland Heights public library. A literary landmark, a desk that’s always filled with paper and pencils for people to sit and write or draw comics at the same place where Harvey Pekar liked to work.

Mounted on the desk, a sculpted bronze comic book “page.” Stepping out from a panel, Harvey– using his semi celebrity to focus on the creative possibilities of the art form he opened up to so many people. On the reverse, gridded into bronze ruled “panels,” a giant slate storyboard that looksvery much the way Harvey always started his own scripts.  (He wrote and drew stick figures, just like Paul Giamatti in that movie.) Plenty of chalk and plenty of encouragement from a library that cherishes comics. At different times each year, a librarian can unlock the middle drawer of the desk and pull out copies of books that Harvey read as a kid that inspired him to write,AMERICAN SPLENDOR scripts, memorabilia and anything else that could inspire library patrons to be creative with comics.

The desk and statue will be mounted next to the library’s “Harvey & Friends Used Bookstore”* and facing the library’s ever growing comics shelves. Every so often a Kickstarter campaign runs over. If that happens, once all the bills are paid, the Estate of Harvey Pekar will use the rest of the money to add to the library’s no-white-gloves, read and enjoy(!) collection.

Donate a lot, or a little.  All of it is going for a great cause and idea.  I myself am aiming to donate $75 so that I may possibly receive one of Pekar’s vinyls.  Having admired the man for years, I think it would be so cool to have something that he might have listened to while writing his stories.

This is just the beginning.  Once the tribute has been created, Brabner is collaborating with Cleveland’s Jax Prints to create a 5 year scholarship for comic book writers who have not yet been published.

His legacy will live on.  Just wish I could have met the guy once in my life.  I actually used to live down the street from him years ago but did not know it until after I moved.  He’s one of the reasons that I do what I do.  He inspired me to be myself and not care about anything or anyone.  I will definitely be partaking in this fundraiser.

With 23 days left, so far just over $17k has been raised.  Where that is a nice chunk of change, there is still a ways to go.  If you consider yourself a Cleveland native or even a comic fan, do your part.