Sophie’s Bar documents the time I spent working as a day shift bartender on New York City’s Lower East Side in the mid 90′s. I hand printed this small book and have sold it at Sophie’s and through various art press book stores over the years. It’s still dear to my heart. The bar symbolizes a piece of the New York City of years gone by that I have fond memories of. I also have fond memories- in some cases, if not fond, at least strong- memories of the men I served during those shifts. I listened to stories about their youthful exploits, sexual conquests, and sometimes their anger and bitterness about how their lives had ended up as they watched the world around them change. Each evening at around 7 pm, I’d watch as the vibrancy and confidence of these men became subsumed and eclipsed by the young drowd that trickled into the bar. Until finally, by the time I left at 8, all that was left of them was the stereotypical vision of silent old men drinking steadily at the bar. In my memories and in this book lives the other side of these men; most, if not all, of whom are now dead.
Singing Club: Ali Smith, Chris Maxwell, and Marcellus Hall
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Check out the other members of the Singing Club: Marcellus Hall and Chris Maxwell.
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I was in the band Speedball Baby for nine years. It was quite a ride. We recorded numerous albums, included our major label release, mostly out of a recording studio that was owned at the time by guitarist Matt Verta-Ray down on Ridge street on the Lower East Side. That meant the available hours were 24/7 and the inspiration was followed as it came. It was a pretty magical time.
Touring with Speedball took me to amazing places I don’t imagine I would have visited otherwise. The story of our strip search and near arrest at the Croatian border was documented in an article in the now defunkt Jane Magazine.
I had the good fortune of getting to sing with my old friends Matt Verta-ray and Jon Spencer on this, their debut album as Heavy Trash.
See more at http://www.heavytrash.net/
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The songs of Steve Almaas, the voice of Ali Smith, along with luminaries such as producer Chris Maxwell, have come together to create the second Steve Almaas & Ali Smith album,` You Showed Me’. Voices blend in harmony, a steel guitar answers a musical question, the slide guitar comments, while bass, drums and rhythm guitar lock in tight. Devotion, but no surrender… This is music that makes love and war. Together, Steve Almaas and Ali Smith take a shared love of harmony and songcraft and put their personal stamp on modern American music.
Minneapolis born and bred, Steve Almaas began his musical career as one-third of the seminal punk rock band, The Suicide Commandos. Upon arriving in New York City, he became part of the thriving post-punk scene that included The dB’s, The Bush Tetras and The New York Rocker. His next musical venture was an exploration of the sources of the music he loved: Beat Rodeo was an acclaimed amalgam of country, punk, soul and rock and roll. These elements continue to fuel the music he makes today.
New York native, Ali Smith is a respected author, photographer and graphic artist. Her first book, Laws Of The Bandit Queens, was published in 2001. Ali’s musical roots lie in the delta blues drenched punk of former band Speedball Baby and the sweet, demented, lullabies of the Oubliettes. These days she can often be found lending her vocal talents to artists such as Marcellus Hall and Shonali Bhowmik.
Together, Steve Almaas and Ali Smith take a shared love of harmony and songcraft and put their personal stamp on modern American music.
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http://www.parasol.com/labels/parasol/parcd102.asp
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The Oubliettes is the “love child” of me and Speedball Baby guitarist, brother, ex husband Matt Verta-Ray. We think of it as lullabies for evil babies.
The single pictured above will be coming out on a French label in 2010.
Ali Smith and Matt Verta-Ray
Watch the video for Angel Baby made by Toby Amies and Darry Logan:
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Oxygen Television visited our Laws of the Bandit Queens book release party in New York City and ran a really cool piece about what it means to “be a Bandit Queen”. The party was an amazing event, with many of the women from the book attending and the legendary band ESG setting up and playing in the living room of our generous host’s brownstone on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. For people who love the band, it was the most intimate and incredible way possible to see them perform. Once in a lifetime!
Funds raised from the party went to benefit Count-Me-In for Women’s Economic Independence.
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