ARMADILLOS, QUEER ICONS AND HOLLYWOOD'S MAN OF THE MOMENT COMES HOME.
Brisket's headed to Austin! PLUS -- Why you've never heard of The Armadillo Groove Emporium.
PRIDE MONTH
So June is Pride Month in Austin, and we’re leaning into this at Happy Heat because once again, one group of Texans is telling another “you are less than me.” People in power are picking on vulnerable minorities. The Human Rights Campaign says during the last session, conservative Texas lawmakers accounted for more than 20% of the 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in state legislatures. Bills banning puberty blockers and targeting drag shows passed, along with legislation limiting participation in college sports by trans athletes. Most measures died in committee, either too extreme or poorly drafted — bills filed with the principal goal of providing a platform to demagogue. Which serves a larger agenda, according to the Texas Tribune.
The bills came during a legislative session in which some conservative lawmakers, emboldened by the growing acceptance of Christian nationalism on the right, pursued legislation they believed could create a national model for infusing Christianity into the public sphere.” The Texas Tribune, June 2, 2023
That’s why we’re pushing back — because Austin always has, and to commemorate this history, Happy Heat’s releasing three limited edition prints from iconic (and soon to be iconic) artists covering 50-plus years of political expression. They’ll be available first at Gay Heat, the Happy Heat Road Trip #3, which flows through Still Austin in late June. The official Gay Heat gig poster will drop in partnership with FSG — more on that soon! In addition, we’re also re-printing a limited run of The Dick’s iconic Commie Kiss.
Dicks lead singer Gary Floyd attacked the religious right head-on in the 80s, crafting a drag persona that in his words was intentionally “not pretty”. Floyd created his own gig posters, and eventually found local artist Carlos Lowry. Together they put out some of the genre’s most iconic protest art.
Floyd passed away earlier this month, and to honor his legacy we partnered with The Austin Chronicle to sneak-peak our upcoming pocket doc on the band.
Jim Franklin’s “Crossbreeding” highlights a dip into the ‘60s, as Franklin is perhaps the defining artist of Austin’s counterculture. First as he created gig posters for the Vulcan Gas Company, then as one of the co-founders of The Armadillo World Headquarters.
We caught up with Jim to talk a bit about Pride month. Franklin, in his words, is an artist who happens to be gay.
What do they say? One of the first things you learn is bigotry? Well I learned in the junior high school lunch room. The milk carton had “homo” on it, short for “homogenized” and someone made a comment. I tucked that away — oh this can be dangerous! I didn’t know anyone else in my hometown who was gay, and in Texas in the 60s if you’re gay you’re living right on the edge of violence. So I just tried to stay out of the roadway. I didn’t mind being without a lover publicly because I didn’t want to be beaten up because of it. I also didn’t want to be labelled, you know, people introducing me as “the gay artist, Jim Franklin.” I just wanted to be Jim.
I saw some of the Vulcan Gas Company crowd in a coffeeshop in Galveston, where I grew up, and I realized we were of the same mind. Beatniks. The guys invited me up, let me sleep on their couch, and I really thought I was just gonna be here long enough to find a ride to New York. Then I started connecting with all these artists that were here.
Someone got busted for weed, and needed a poster for the benefit to cover their legal expenses. I drew an armadillo with a matchbox full of pot — that was five bucks’ worth at the time — lighting a joint. It became the instant hipster’s mascot.
No! That was all Eddie Wilson. I wanted a shorter name. I’d been drawing gig posters for the Vulcan Gas Company for two years, and hated that I always had to spell out the whole club name when everyone called it either “the gas company” or “the Vulcan.” So I wanted to call the new club “The Armadillo Groove Emporium”, which I could shorten to “AGE”. It’s perfect symmetry! The Armadillo’s a prehistoric animal that’s been here forever. It’s old. It has age. Then I went out to California to design an album cover. When I came back Eddie had already put up the sign: The Armadillo World Headquarters, a title Bud Shrake suggested as a nod to the building’s past as a national guard armory.
The armadillo’s my cosmic metaphor. It can be anything I want at any time. A handy thing I can use in my art to make any point I want.
Well, that drawing’s had two titles — cross breeding and in-breeding— which I felt was the perfect representation of what was going on at the State Capitol. The people there were dinosaurs with poor vision. As is the armadillo. So it’s fooled into thinking it’s found someone suitable to mate with — the same species, if you will.
Poster proceeds will go to Equality Texas. We’ll also have voter registration tables. Along with good drinks from Still. Come hang with the tribe. Can’t wait to share more next week. But mark your calendars— June 26th at Still Austin in The Yard. Happy Heat Road Trip #3: Gay Heat.
ANOTHER OLD AUSTIN JEWEL SHINES THIS SUMMER
The Paramount Theatre’s kicking off its summer film series — a great way to escape the heat. The theatre’s even set up five dollar downtown parking for the screenings. Several films are being presented by Austin-based filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who was honored this week with his own star on Congress Avenue in front of the theatre.
GLEN POWELL’S COMING HOME
How exciting for Austin to sit center stage at an anointing.
The Hollywood Reporter dropped an in-depth profile christening Powell as one of America’s new leading men, blessed by icons including Tom Cruise and Jon Hamm.
“If you look up the definition of a movie star, it’s Glen. The smile, the hair, the tan, the muscles and he wants it and he loves it and he’s good at it.” Jon Hamm, Top-Gun co-star, Hollywood Reporter, May 22, 2024.
As we outlined two weeks ago in the Happy Heat Hit Man issue, Powell grew up here and landed his first film role in Robert Rodriguez’ Spy Kids 3. The profile from The Hollywood Reporter’s Lacey Rose is a fascinating journey through what happened after, from the highs of impressing the likes of Denzel Washington to the lows of blowing an audition for Friday Night Lights. The short version — overnight success took ten years of sweat. A few of the highlights, starting with why Powell’s moving back to Austin.
JUMPING OUT OF THE FISHBOWL
BLOWING THE FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS AUDITION
BOUGHT A HOUSE, BROUGHT HIS DOG, HEADED BACK TO UT
As for Hit Man? The New York Times wins the award for headline of the week:
Go see it with an audience at our preferred art house theater, the AFS Cinema, where it runs thru June 6th.
HOW TO TEST YOUR DRUGS
“Overdose deaths and fentanyl-related overdoses increased last year, the report found, with 486 people dying (in Travis County) of an overdose. So far, this year doesn't seem to be bringing much of an improvement, as the county recently saw an overdose surge that resulted in 79 overdoses and nine deaths in less than a week. Fentanyl was present in each of the nine deaths, county spokesperson Hector Nieto has said.” The Austin American Statesman, May 29, 2024
In our ongoing quest to keep folks alive, we’re gonna highlight a local institution —Planet K. Founder Michael Kleinman, who’s pretty much been giving the finger to authority his entire life, has once again decided to defy state law and provide FREE kits to test your drugs for Fentanyl. They’re stocked at every Planet K — along with free Narcan, and Jay from the Stassney store breaks down how it works.
Folks, we’re not saying “go use drugs.” What we are saying is far too many people die for no good reason. Check out Happy Heat contributor Kevin Curtin’s harrowingly detailed account from two weeks ago.
THIS WEEK’S HEAT
The Long Center’s Drop-In Music Series
Concerts every Thursday thruough August 15
RSVP every Monday for for free tickets and the artist reveal.
Next up, Tameca Jones on May 30th.
May 30-June 2
New episodes of Orphan Black, retrospective panels on Suits, Halt and Catch Fire, Norman Lear tribute script reading.
Brigitte Bandit at Cheer Up Charlies
June 1, 6-10.
Brigitte Bandit’s little mermaid 🧜♀️ @bigtitsbiggerdreams 🫧open drag stage returns
June 2, 12-7. Hotel Vegas
@Vixensofvolstead 💫 Brunch with the Vixens this Sunday
May 31, 2024, 11:30-1pm.
Twin Liquors Meet & Greet (Hancock/Allandale location)
Jason Momoa and Blaine Halvorson are visiting the @twinliquors Hancock location for a bottle signing of their @meilivodka
Stubbs, 7:30
Oof Tatata (Jason Momoa’s band performs)
May 30, Hotel Vegas, 7:30 -11:59
Live music, cowboy karaoke, mechanical bull
The Far Out Lounge, 6-10pm
Vendor market, live music
This Sunday! ♊️ Join us at The Far Out Lounge for the Gemini zodiac party, brought to you by @masmusicrecords and @howdygalspresents 🤗
Go see something, tell us about it, we’ll share more stories next week.
Let’s build something together. We’d be forever grateful for your help, and an easy way to do so is by subscribing to the Happy Heat Substack. What comes in goes right back out in artist commissions and live shows. To which you’ll get to come! For the first 100 subscribers, we are offering 20% off forever.