MUSIC
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Two of the bands in the Star-Bulletin Rock Showcase are The Crud, above, and MVA, below. Crud members are, from left, Justin Vincler, Rob Petersen, M.W. Moore and Star-Bulletin copy editor Ben Henry.
|
|
Behind the notebook
IF I asked you what you thought we newspaper folk were like, you would probably describe a cigar-chomping editor barking at reporters for missing out on the oh-so-coveted "scoop," often in relation to some sort of misunderstood hero who happens to wield superhuman powers.
Some might conjure images of Robert Redford and clandestine meetings in the bowels of a parking garage with a mysterious, trench-coat-clad unnamed source.
Others might think of a geeky bookworm, red pen in hand, who plays Dungeons and Dragons in between conjugating verbs.
Yet, for some reason, none of you would probably answer "rock star."
Perhaps you should think again.
Well, yeah, it's pretty rare that copy editors hear -- at least outside of our heads -- thousands of screaming fans every time we find "its" improperly used as the contraction for "it is." Most of us don't have to deal with dozens of groupies mauling our vehicle as we drive off to cover a City Council hearing. For us, the rush of the stage is replaced with the panic of making our daily deadline.
But some of us still know how to get out there and rock.
Me, I'm a mild-mannered copy editor by night. But by late, late night, I play in a rock band called The Crud. We've been together for almost three years now, playing our repertoire of original music all over Honolulu. We're even planning a little West Coast tour for later this year.
There are others like me who also harbor a thirst for the stage. One up-and-coming rock band, MVA (which, in a nod to covering the police beat, stands for "Motor Vehicle Accident"), features two Star-Bulletin photographers, Richard Walker on bass and Jamm Aquino on guitar.
Then there's Star-Bulletin features writer and veteran musician/singer/songwriter Burl Burlingame, who has been playing with the Honolulu Blue Devils for five years.
With so many bands in one newsroom, it was only a matter of time before we put together a showcase for Star-Bulletin talent. These bands and others with ties to this newspaper will be appearing together Saturday at the University area's famous watering hole.
Also playing at Saturday's show, which will be emceed by our "In the Mix" columnist Jason Genegabus, will be Mad Theory, featuring Star-Bulletin marketing research analyst Anthony Buhain on rhythm guitar and background vocals.
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
The guys in MVA are, from left, Andrew Grant, Star-Bulletin photographer Jamm Aquino, Jayson Simons, Tony Blazejack and Star-Bulletin photographer Rich Walker.
|
|
Guitarist/songwriter Jeff Sanner, a creative artist with the Star-Bulletin, will be playing with his band, Ekto Gamat. (Some of you might be familiar with Sanner's previous bands, teradactyl and Space Catalog.)
And Lorenzo Trinidad, son of Star-Bulletin editorial cartoonist Corky Trinidad, will play bass with his band, the Malcognitas.
So if you're looking for a night of unbridled rock -- not to mention some of the most grammatically correct lyrics this side of high school English class -- come on down to Anna's and enjoy the show. And don't forget your red pen.
Ben Henry has been a copy editor at the Star-Bulletin since 2000.