Mid City Meddler

By Muffy Junes

Driving Miss Muffy

The cab service in Louisville is lacking. I use this colorless adjective to demonstrate the passivity I imagine through the phone lines after speaking with a dispatcher for the second or third time. I've no doubt been assured a driver is on the way, I'm "number one!" in my area and all the other throw-away phrases the mysterious voices use to get me off the phone. I always get vengefully excited when I hear others share their bad cab tales because I have waited for hours at the mercy of a potentially paid service that never came through for me - lied to me, screwed me and didn't even buy me drinks.

See, putting this in print feels good, because there's no one person to blame. The phone voice passes the buck to the driver, who passes it on to another person who was supposed to have already picked me up.

Rise up, fellow cabbers!! Find your solution, as I have found mine. My original idea involved the cab company and an act of violence too politically incorrect to repeat. I nixed the plan because I'd get in big trouble. Plus, I'd have to use a cab for the getaway car.

Some people retain lawyers and tax advisors. I have a taxi dude's cell phone number.

Nowadays when I spot a rider-in-waiting, (crouched or leaning, anxiously rubbernecking, tapping toes and/or looking at watch), I nod sympathetically and clutch Jamie's business card like it's a chunk of gold.

I recently enjoyed a tape that Jamie gave me to listen to. I was immediately intrigued by the title, "stay high forever." Sounds good to me, so I gave it a twirl. It was hypnotic, melodic and very catchy. In fact, I was singing along with almost all the tunes immediately. Oh, yeah, the full title is "Krishnafest / stay high forever." It's live recordings of the maha mantra accompanied by modern instruments. I don't know who all the players are, but the tape says "with Mahatma Das & Rasa Manjari Dasi." The vocals are arranged beautifully. One song has a guitarist who sounds like Joe Satriani. The energy level is high and the mix does not betray the fact that these are, indeed, real live sessions.

I never would have expected that one could sing "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama" to so such varied riffs and rhythms. Usually, my cat Charlie bites me when I sing or play music, but even he got frisky and happy.

Be ye secular or non, chanting is supposed to be a health-bringing practice, even if it's one's own personal mantra...(royal flush, royal flush...)

Visit the Krishna House for your own copy of this music. The address is 903 Central Ave., across from Churchill Downs. There's a free vegetarian feast, yoga classes and scripture readings on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

I won't be there, 'coz my driver's busy that night.

Of course, you may lean more towards the sentiments of Drip. One of the songs off their new album, "Follow The Drip" is adamant that "you can't save my soul." But the name of that song is "Save My Soul," which makes me wonder if they really want someone to, but...

Hot out the door from Al Fresco's Place Studio, the new Drip CD is available at ear X-tacy for a mere $11.99. Bryan Hurst and Jeff Carpenter helped engineer and mix, along with the Drip boys: Drew Duvall, Brent Thurman, Mike Settles and Steve Creak. And heeeere's the official site: http://www.followthedrip.com. Hear for yourself, free songs are available in RealAudio and MP3 formats.

Pendulum is now in full swing. You may recall I mentioned them in a column last year, and they finally are in live performance mode. I saw them at Air Devils Inn on one of their regular Thursday night gigs. The crowd was very happy and groovin', especially when Mike was wearing nothing but low cut tight leather pants and a tattoo! The show is almost entirely original music, with the exception of a couple of cover tunes, including a slower, darker version of "Paint It Black".

The Marks are celebrating the release of their second CD, entitled Beer and Chocolate. Sounds gross, but I'm sure it's delicious. You can join the CD release party at Za's Pizza, Bardstown Rd., on December 11, 10 p.m. I'm looking forward to hearing it, the first one is a pleaser.

Tim Krekel a la carte every Thursday night ('til 11) at Maier's Tavern? News to me! And that's my night off, too.

Contact me with your band/Mid City info: 485-9677/ mufalata@iglou.com

Happyhealthyhappyhealthyhappyhealthy holidays!

(heart) Muffy