Recollections of the iNewsletter™ and the future of other things.

Back in the olden days when Nancy Vandal had just begun it's long and ultimately fruitless rock and roll journey we went to some lengths to disguise our inherent lack of ability with an array of smoke and mirrors publicity guff. The prime mover in our arsenal was a mailout newsletter called The Vandal's Voice which in time mutated into a zine/comic and more recently a DVD. In it's earliest incarnation it was a hand written labour of love, photocopied into mass existence, slotted into a pile of DL envelopes which were then carefully addressed by hand whilst referencing a list of names neatly written by JJ LaMoore in a small exercise book. People could also order NV cassettes which we would duplicate ourselves and mail out as well. Check out this blast from the past as a reminder of a time gone by.

Oh - What we would have given for some kind of automated database and a streamlined system that would easily enable publishing articles, news, comics and tour dates instantly and cheaply to the entire world. And imagine if those same people could access your music from the comfort of their own home without getting off their arse. These were but crazy dreams back in 1994 when coal powered guitar amps and moshpits consisting entirely of dinosaurs were the norm.

Props for our homies.

Nancy Vandal historians may well recall the time we collaborated with our State-side brothers in arms and fellow hair metal devotees Your Mother. It was back in the summer of 97/98 and led to a short, shambolic [and truth be known - shit] Australian tour that hit such iconic Aussie rock and roll land marks as some Mildura football oval and the Iron Duke Hotel in Alexandria. 

The YM guys were polite young fellas - and thought it rude to enter our fair country without lavishing us with gifts. Namely the gift of some fucked up 28 Days Later-strength flu which annihilated half the touring party - including my good self for several hallucination and vomit filled days.

But it wasn't all hallucinations and vomit. I still fondly recall them brazenly questioning the sexual orientation of Mildura's local football team, tearing through Judas Priest's Free Wheel Burning and generally being splendid company as we rather sheepishly hosted them on the sad and sorry "tour" we'd cooked up. We've kept in occasional touch with them since then however like Nancy Vandal, they succumbed to popular demand and stopped performing.

Which is not to say they haven't been busy little beavers. Frontman Craigums has focused on mundane shit like writing a book on his antarctic travels and winning an international air guitar competition.  Also - he and non-aging YM drummer Brad formed another band called The Love Songs who continues to rock as hard as a sackful of KK Downings which brings us to the point of this nostalgia laden post.

The more you buy the more you save!

More all new Xray Studios branded apparel and accessories can now be purchased at the Xray Zazzle Store - Including the above pictured Xray Zombie tie! Perfect for the high flying business man wishing to bring some undead flair to the office.

Check out the full range here...

He was a Sk8r Boi...

I'm currently setting up a Zazzle store for Xray Studios. It's similar to Cafe Press but they're not as stingy with what you can do on a free account and have a nicer interface. PLUS it has a few extra cool items you can sell - including skateboards!

So given that zombies happen to totally rule - I made a zombie one. Check out the embiggened version after the ol' jumperoo...

The Return of Sgt Kole!

Panzer tank and tiny forehead fans rejoice - He's back!

Yes - I have uncovered another long lost comic featuring heroic Sgt Kole and his crazy WW2 adventures. As explained in a previous post, Sgt Kole was created by my good pre-teen self back in the early 80s. I've sat on the property for the subsequent 3 decades waiting for DC or Marvel to make the first move but I will wait no longer.

Using the lucrative stage of the world wide web Sgt Kole is finally finding it's audience and with Hollywood slowly turning every single comic known to man into a film - surely the Sarge's time will come soon. I'm encouraging ideas in the comments section re casting and plot as I believe it will create industry buzz.

Check out the comic after the jump....

Not a laughing matter.

Did I tell you about the time I successfully pitched a concept for a Behemoth / Job For A Cowboy tour poster? Well I did - for realz!

Working within the death metal parameters is quite limiting for one so inclined towards the liberal use of toilet humour as myself. But work within them I did - and the end result speaks for itself. A scene of utter hopelessness and agony without a shred of wit or irony. Huzzah!

What is funny though is that what you see above is not the final version. I was asked to cover up the main dudes naked buttocks presumably as it makes metal heads uncomfortable to see such shocking imagery. Once covered up - on with the flesh ripping!!

Ahh disciples of satan - you so crazy!

Things certainly were different before all these changes.

Right on Rik! So as you can see I've like totally redesigned the blogspace. What's more the old Xray Studios website has now been superceded by the blog 100% - all professional like!! For the moment this only works properly when you go to www.xraystudios.com as opposed to xraystudios.com but I'll be sorting that shit out pronto.

It was a bit of an effort making these changes and I approached the necessary html editing with the same level of confidence a hairdresser would with a bomb disposal job. Yet by carefully adapting some webmaster geniuses work to include my own graphics and info it has turned out ok.

Please enjoy the new look, Roxette style.

This is what I thought of you 2009...

A collection of things that tickled my fancy this in the 2009. Some old, some new. Check 'em out after the jump...