The Hollywood Christmas Parade and the party that took place in a sketchy motel

A parade that was once a Hollywood staple is now nothing more than a hang nail in Hollywood. The parade usually attracts well over 50,000 people, this year was reduced to maybe 10,000 or maybe less all around the parade route. So how did some of Big Wheel mag's people even show up to cover this? We get a call from some old school Hollywood Punks that said hey we are gonna have a party with booze at this thrashed on place that is on the parade route, you want to show up and do a story? While we were on the phone we looked up the place on the net and saw the review below and immediately said, yes, you can expect us. So as soon as we parked on one of the side streets and headed to Sunset boulevard we saw the brigades of lawn chair wielding housewives and their kids jockying for the opportunity to sit in the street and throw candy wrappers everywhere.

As you can see the excitement for the parade was building right before the parade was to start. Actually the level was just as lackluster all the way through the parade. The most excitement seemed to come when the cops would get a call on their radio and we would follow them around to see what they were doing. One of the radio calls they responded to to was a group of men cheering too loud?...we had to see this one, it turned out to be two guys wrestling around over a warm beer.

Now onto the review that led us to this evenings festivities. This is the actual review and nothing has been edited. We can only assume from the expression that this guy was from Australia.

Disgusting, unsafe and rude staff‎ at Hollywood Center Motel
This place is the worst residence I have ever stayed in (including some pretty dodgy places in India for a fraction of the price). Before checking in, I asked the man on the desk if I could see any photos or view a room. He dismissively said no even though there appeared to be noone and nothing else taking up his time. I decided to check in anyway (naive now I know!) and was then told I would have to pay extra to use a credit or debit card. On walking into the room we were hit by a musty dank smell that I struggled to cope with but my girlfriend talked me into staying. After coming back from a quick trip to the grovery store to get some ice, I found my girlfriend already asking for a different room as she had found urine stains on the toilet seat. An unapologetic woman then comes out with a towel, rubs around the seat and says it is now fine. Having seen the other room we decide we're leaving, despite it being now nearly midnight. The smoke alarm in the room was also dangling down, unconnected.

The desk attendant though refuses to pay back the full amount demanding a 20 dollars usage fee for the 30 mins we were there before my girlfriend spotted the urine stains. I told him I had taken photos (which I had) of the disconnected smoke alarm and asked him if that was legal. When I told him, I would pay but that I would also inform the local regulator of his hotels safety failing, he just shrugged his shoulders. I had no choice but to pay because otherwise he would not refund my card. I have checked google and tripadvisor for other reviews on this place but no one has even stayed it seems (all smarter than me no doubt!) This place is the worst residence I have ever encountered on my travels (including some pretty dodgy places in India!) -end of review

Totally absent was all the so called A-list celebrities from the parade in years past. The only people they could dig up with any name recognition was some city politician types YAWN.

Thankfully we were able to take refuge in the motel room from the boredom of the parade that had gaps of sometimes 3 blocks between a band, float or animal. They may have gentrified Hollywood, but this parade was may need the same gentrification they did to Hollywood and Highland.


The true A-Listers in everyone's book finally showed up, The Fire Department.


                   

                 

 See more photos of the Hollywood Christmas Parade and the motel HERE



-R. Hood-

Sun- Nov 30, 2008 – Sisters of Mercy w/ others – House of Blues Anaheim – Anaheim, CA

Music play list for the week ending November 30, 2008

Top 25  - In no particular order -

Bobot Adrenaline - School of Americas
Gwar - The Salaminizer
The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk
Generation X - Youth Youth Youth
Crucial Cause - No Words
Stab City - Wolfpit
Petra Haden - Thriller
Nihilistics - Black Sheep
Jane’s Addiction - Of Course
Jerry Lee Lewis - Mean Woman Blues
Anti - My Smile Is a Mask
Bang Sugar Bang - Machine Gun Song
Tiltwheel - Al Quint is an Emo Pussy
Thin Lizzy - Running Back
The Adicts - Who Spilt My Beer
Go Go's - This Town Is Our Town
The Gears - The Last Chord
The Skulls  - Victims
7 Seconds - Sour Grapes
Bad Brains - The Regulator
Bayonettes - We're Doomed
Marvelous Darlings - The Swords, the Streets
William Devaught - Be Thankful for What you got
The Ramones - All Is Quiet on the Eastern Front
The Underground Railroad to Candyland - Living in a Straw

The above list are some of the top played songs amongst our staff this week.

 

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D.O.A. Northern Avenger

One thing that is certain is that if there was a nuclear holocaust of the entire world, the only things that will be left will be the roaches, Cher and luckily Joey Shithead and DOA –this is a band that will thankfully never go away. Another album has just emerged from the band who will take on any issue that stands in their way.

Many of us may have loss count of how many albums they have put out in their career, yet this latest one follows the lineage of recording that DOA fans expect. Northern Avenger represents the band’s 30th anniversary which says a lot for just about anything in life lasting that long. Joining Joey Shithead on this recording is Randy Rampage on bass along with Tom Jones on drums. While some bands try to “reinvent” themselves on every record and some do it with disastrous results, DOA leaves the formula intact and just keeps the trilogy going with new stuff that is cut from the same cloth.

The second track on the record “Golden State” is a musical commentary on how messed up California really is. That song is followed up by a song, “Devil’s Speedway” that will lyrically surprise the listener with the NASCAR references. Of course the album gives up the Ska Punk sound with “Poor Poor Boy” that really breaks the album up in sheer entertainment value like you find on their recordings to keep you off guard. The 15 tracks on Northern Avenger will tackle many relevant issues going on today, just like they did back in 1978 with the song “Disco Sucks.” The entire production is of the caliber that fans expect without question from DOA and this one keeps pace with all the past. Joey’s gravel laced vocals can be heard up front, all backed up with the even mix of guitar, drums and bass. Like was said before, when a band has a formula that works and works well there is no reason to mess with it.

Just like all the band’s previous efforts you just keep playing their records over and over…and this one will be no different. For extra credit, get a hold of Joey Shithead’s book, “I, Shithead: A Life In Punk”, this will be a book that will give you some additional insight into this band and ongoing legacy.

DOA MySpace:  http://www.myspace.com/doapunk

Sudden Death Records:  http://www.suddendeath.com


 

Sat- Nov 29, 2008 – Y.A.P.O. w/ The Convicts, The Dritbags,
Rompe Cavesa & Los Mad Muhados – Anarchy Library – Downey, CA

Sat- Nov 29, 2008 – The Mentors w/ The Mantors,
Media Blitz, Drencroms,
COP, RabidxDogs & Hostile – The Mutant House – Chino, CA

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