For nearly twenty years, the much-beloved music magazine Roctober has featured work by some of the best underground cartoonists, exhaustive examinations of made-up genres such as “robot rock,” and an ongoing exploration of everything Sammy Davis Jr. ever sang, said, or did. But the heart of the magazine has always been the lengthy conversations with overlooked or forgotten artists. Flying Saucers Rock ’n’ Roll gathers the most compelling of these interviews. Eccentric, important artists—including the rockabilly icon Billy Lee Riley, the jazz musician and activist Oscar Brown Jr., the “Outlaw Country” singer David Allan Coe, and the pioneer rock ’n’ roll group the Treniers—give the most in-depth interviews of their lengthy careers. Obscure musicians, such as the Armenian-language novelty artist Guy Chookoorian and the frustrated interstellar glam act Zolar X, reveal fascinating lives lived at rock’s margins. Roctober ’s legendarily dedicated writers convey telling anecdotes in the fervent, captivating prose that has long been appreciated by music enthusiasts. Along with the entertaining interviews, Flying Saucers Rock ’n’ Roll features more than sixty images from the pages of Roctober and ten illustrations created for the book by the underground rock ’n’ roll artist King Merinuk. Contributors Steve Albini Ben Austen Jake Austen John Battles Bosco Ken Burke Mike Maltese King Merinuk Ken Mottet Jonathan Poletti James Porter "Colonel" Dan Sorenson Jacqueline Stewart “Jake Austen has the brains of a world-class scholar driven to illuminate previously obscure but vital arcana, the soul of a historian eager to bring the past roaring back to life, and the heart of a furious but funny rock ’n’ roll hell-raiser. As the majordomo of Roctober , fronting a posse of like-minded and equally passionate fellow travelers, he has picked up the mantle of that first-generation rock-critic giant Nick Tosches and at long last given us his answer to Unsung Heroes of Rock ’n’ Roll . Yes, Flying Saucers Rock ’n’ Roll really is a book worthy of being mentioned in that company, and it’s a must for any serious rock reader’s bookshelf.”— Jim DeRogatis , critic, author, educator, and co-host of Sound Opinions —the world’s only rock ’n’ roll talk show “With an awe-inspiringly integrated and thoroughly unassuming knowledge of all the nooks, crannies, and hidden corners of American popular culture, there’s no more appropriate cheerleader for musical humanity than Jake Austen, a polymath force of nature who’s been amazing me for twenty years. If any of the rest of us had just a hundredth of the energy, enthusiasm, and big-heartedness that Jake seems to show with every project he undertakes, the world would be a much better place—and a lot more fun.”— Chris Ware , cartoonist and author of Jimmy Corrigan—The Smartest Kid on Earth Jake Austen is an independent music writer and the editor of Roctober magazine. He is the author of TV-a-Go-Go: Rock on TV from American Bandstand to American Idol , the editor of A Friendly Game of Poker: 52 Takes on the Neighborhood Game , and a founder and co-host of the cult-favorite dance show Chic-a-Go-Go , which airs on Chicago Access Network Television (CAN-TV). Flying Saucers Rock 'n' Roll conversations with Unjustly Obscure Rock 'n' Soul Eccentrics Duke University Press Copyright © 2011 Jake Austen All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8223-4849-8 Contents ix.......................List of Figuresxi.......................Foreword
Steve Albinixiii.....................Acknowledgments1........................Introduction. Hi Yo, Silver!
Jake Austen11.......................Oscar Brown Jr.
James Porter31.......................David Allan Coe
Jake Austen Interview conducted by Jake Austen, James Porter, and Bosco63.......................Guy Chookoorian
Jake Austen77.......................The Fast
Jake Austen113......................Sugar Pie DeSanto
James Porter128......................Billy Lee Riley
Ken Burke190......................The Treniers
John Battles Interview conducted by John Battles, Jake Austen, Mike Maltese, Ken Mottet, and Dan Sorenson209......................Sam the Sham
James Porter226......................The Good Rats
Jake Austen Interview conducted by Jake Austen, Jacqueline Stewart, and Ben Austen246......................Zolar X
Jonathan Poletti277......................Appendix. Suggested Listening, Viewing, Surfing281......................Contributors283......................Index Chapter One Brother Where Are You? James Porter (1996) Oscar Brown Jr. Oscar Brown Jr. did it all. Though he thought of himself as a songwriter, Columbia Records and a few enthusiastic jazz fans convinced him he was a vocalist. He was a playwright, a poet, an activist, and when called upon he could don the hat of political candidate (including a quixotic run for Congress), TV host (Jazz Scene U.S.A.) , radio performer (appearing as a teen