Ron English and Jack Medicine are friends. Jack Medicine and Velvet Rut are friends. Now we are all friends.
WHO IS RON ENGLISH?
Has he really done all the the things people say he has? One thing for sure is Ron English is certainly one of the most controversial artists to emerge in the 1990’s. English is nothing if not a big picture, high concept iconoclast. English considers himself a folk artist. To understand what he means by this one need look no further than his pirated billboards. Since the early ’80’s he has spent countless hours turning out his Illegal Billboards for the cost free enjoyment of a delighted public, he has even racked up one second degree felony for some officially unappreciated billboards in Texas.Beyond his billboard activities, Ron is known as a BRILLIANT PAINTER. He is the father of AGIT-POP, a hybrid of Pop Art that is fueled by a more personal, hands-on socially responsible attitude. His work is loaded with the iconography of his generation, exploring the range and power of a deeply American symbology using pop imagery as a metaphor.Ron has also reinvented Modernism in his own image and attitude in a series called REVISIONIST MODERNISM. Ron has an incredible knack for making things his own, and in no place is this more evident than in this series. By ”putting some English on it”, Ron not only reinterprets the original , he breathes new life and a new vitality into the work that holds it’s own against the tide of postmodern critique.
For more info:
http://www.popaganda.com
WHO IS JACK MEDICINE?
Jack Medicine is a singer/songwriter with over ten full length self-released records ( one collection called Strangling Prior Object with Soft Skull Shortwave in 2000) but is best known as a member and writer in The Hyperjinx Tricycle (3 releases) (1999-present) with Daniel Johnston and Ron English. He is also a founding member of The Electric Ghosts with Daniel Johnston. (2006)He started writing songs at a very early age (8) but truly honed his song-writing craft while living in Brooklyn and working in New York’s Lower East Side for over ten years.
His current projects include Songs In English and a new project with genius alternative music producer/composer Mark Kramer (Ween, John Zorn, Sonic Youth, Bongwater, etc.) (With English and Johnston) called The Hyperjinx Four as well as a album of New York inspired songs to be released in 2008 called The Sound and The Flurry with his Colorado based band The Manitou Mustangs.He has written music for all genres from television to concept records from children’s music to special DVD releases.
For more info:
http://www.electricghosts.com
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Electric_Ghosts
WHO IS VELVET RUT?
Formed in 2001 in Southern Colorado, the power trio consists of Jack Kennedy, Michael Kimbrell and Craig Haughton. They perform at various venues including Clubs, Weddings, Private Parties and Sponsored Events. Music styles range from Neil Diamond to Sublime and everything in between. Playing mostly one hit wonders from the 60’s to present they try to break the mold of the average cover band. When not gigging they are working on several projects such as soundtracks for film and commercial music applications.
They have worked with Watt Imagination, Yamaha and currently they are involved in “Songs In English”, an collection of songs written by Ron English and Jack Medicine. Check out their current CD, “Audiosis” available at iTunes.
For more info:
http://www.velvetrut.com
