TexKitty
- Name: kitty
- Gender: Female
- Location: Austin TX US
| Total Posts | Last Post | Last Seen | Joined |
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| 4303 | 07/03/08 18:19:04 | 07/03/08 18:19:04 | 09/19/05 |
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POTM
ORLY
WAT
RIP my friend Biscuit
I'm pretty bummed right now. I
disappeared from the Austin music scene some time ago and then went completely off the map (music, art, rabblerousing) about four years ago. How I missed the
news, I do not know. I didn't miss the news of Clifford (Antone) passing away, but Biscuit? HOW? How could I have missed the news of his death?
Lately, I've been feeling that old itch again. You never completely escape the Austin music scene. People come and go, but spirits linger. I guess I'm feeling more disappointed in myself than anything else. I decided it was time to look up my old friend Randy "Biscuit" Turner again and see how he was doing, thinking maybe he might be ready to get back into the music scene again. So, I Googled his name and the first page of results brought shock to my senses. Biscuit had died in 2005, not quite a year before Clifford did.
At first I thought some jerkwad took him from us. After all, Biscuit was a wild, in-your-face kinda guy. But in a good way. He brought people together. As one of the founders of the Austin punk rock scene, when he and his band the Big Boys would play somewhere, none of that skinhead bullshit was allowed. Queers could be queers without worrying about getting their asses kicked. After all, Randy was one of us and he didn't put up with that crap. There were a small handful of black punk rock fans around at the time and they were just as welcome at the Big Boys shows as a family member would be.
Biscuit was known for doing some pretty interesting art work. He had a knack for just throwing something together. He did performance art before it was called performance art. I had THE best times with him when we'd run into each other on The Drag (what we in Austin call Guadalupe Street near UT campus), often both of us on skateboards. I remember sharing with him my first foray into doing something wacky and calling it art. I had acquired a bunch of plastic pink lawn flamingos.
I got an idea and went with it. I picked up some black faux fur at a local Five & Dime type store and some Elmer's glue. I cut the fur into strips, gluing some to the heads of the flamingos. Voila! Punk Flamingos! The connection, of course, did not escape Randy one bit, both of us being fans of John Waters and Divine. I later switch things up and cut porkchop sideburns for some more flamingos and patches of the faux fur for the tops of their heads, a la Elvis style. I drove around town, seeking out eclectic-looking homes, especially those with yard decor; when I spotted a place that caught my attention, I'd cut the engine to my car (a loud VW Bug) and coast to a stop, get out, grab a flamingo from the back seat, plant it in their yard and then drive off.
It was Biscuit who had inspired me to do that, after being present for his defacing of a bunch of Barbie dolls. He also inspired me to move from playing hard rock to punk. Punk was pretty easy. Three chords, you're golden! I started out by playing along with Ramones records and then went off on my own. I founded the short-lived girl-group PMS and was in the middle of writing a song dedicated to Biscuit when the group fell apart.
Oh, the wonderful memories... what ones I can remember from the 80s. That was my decade of decadence and debauchery, after all. Tequila and Shiner Bock were two of my best friends. Biscuit wasn't one of those best friend kinda guys. He was like a younger uncle, who was always there to listen or to relate a funny story.
My old friend, whom I had lost contact with some time in the 90s, I learned about an hour ago, had passed away in 2005. Typical of hard-working musicians and artists, Randy didn't have health insurance. So when he was diagnosed with Hepatitis, he didn't have access to medical care. His body was found at his home when a friend, who would check on neighbours on the street, stopped by to see Biscuit, wondering why he hadn't been seen in a few days. He had passed away from massive digestive problems or something along those lines.
Randy, I hope that there really is an afterlife and I know you'd understand why I lost touch with everyone. I needed some time to myself, to heal. I'm truly sorry that I wasn't able to attend your memorial. I read that it was, other than the tears of sorrow for our loss, a real blast, in typical Biscuit style - just how you would have wanted it. You always will have a special place in my heart, brother. I'll never forget you and your calming way, your wry little grin that alluded to there being some fun artsy idea in your head.
Peace out, Biscuit. With lots of love and tears (yeah, I know it's that self-pity shit),
your little sis,
kitten
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crazee cat ladie
06/12/08
Adore that avatar!
Original comment »
crazee cat ladie
06/09/08
chickluu
06/08/08
kittycat17
06/08/08
chickluu
06/06/08
kittycat17
05/24/08
Original comment »
kittycat17
05/23/08
bbb1970AMX
05/19/08
Denny,I enjoy hearing from you thanx..........Meow!
bbb1970AMX
04/29/08
I am on a mission to find his name to thank him.I bought some restores from him on dabay.(awhile back)
Denny
Original comment »
bbb1970AMX
04/27/08
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