Rock Heals

What happened to Rock Heals?

jamiegp — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:50:59 +0000

Well, we haven’t been publishing Rock Heals for a few years now — despite a couple attempts to restart it. And maybe it’ll come back some day…

But in the meantime, our previous software install was full of security holes (see “not doing anything with the site for a few years”) and our host told us we better ship up our shape because we were becoming a security risk for their servers (and therefore all their customers). Whoops!

So a little birdy helped us with a quick-and-dirty transition to a standard WordPress platform that’ll keep the content available for those who know and love it.

Cheers.

And thanks, birdy.

Week 134 Came To Party

jamiegp — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:00:50 +0000

beer, money, crotch… that about sums us up
photo from Gina Myers (of wick awesome Lame House Press), lover of beer, money and presumably crotch — though not that one specifically
Wheeze gotz poetry from Michael Haeflinger (from Ohio but in Berlin and writing wherever he is day to day); musicz from Spoon and BBC Radio 1; and event-announcin’ from Atomic Pop and there DIY Vinyl Toy Show. Who’ze hiding the mambo sauce?
And that picture? That’s what happens when Justin Sirois‘ new book comes out. The one that we talked about last week. The one available at motherfuckin’ Target, yo. Don’t sleep on it. And if you are in NYC get yer bottom to the Zinc Bar this Sunday (March 9) when the Secondary Sound Book Tour Juggernaut comes to your town.
Dollar dollar bills, y’all. (No really, look, they are singles… that’s how we roll in the high stakes poetry world)

DIY Vinyl Toys Show at Atomic Pop in Baltimore

jamiegp — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:00:30 +0000

We have been caught up in the sweep of graffiti-kid vinyls for quite a bit now… and then Atomic Pop came along and made buying them a local community service and so our addiction bloomed.

Go check out their show of Baltimore Artists vs. the various do-it-yourself blank forms that have been coming out for the past year or so.

I know I’m looking forward to Brian Ralph, Nolan Strals, and Ben Claassen III — not to mention barako’munny from Kevin Sherry (right, photo by Rachel Whang) and tons more.

Vinylmore
Friday, March 7, 8pm
(show runs through March 31)
@ Atomic Pop
1234 Falls Rd, B’more
www.atomicbooks.com

Here’s a CityPaper story about the show. And click the poster for a bigger view where you can actually read all the designers’ names.

Oh, Haven’t You Heard?

jamiegp — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:00:20 +0000

Michael Haeflinger
I’ve done cartwheels over subway cars,
spotted rashes on pocketed handkerchiefs,
tanned the daylight, ground
the sky into manure / I’ve
lit the match on the wood end,
forced it through the bottom
of the candle, pedaled
with my hands, steered with my nose
and fell over, once into a streetsign,
once, a guitar broke
my fall / I’ve coasted the Brown Line
hanging on a lawn chair, ate
at a dinner table on the S42,
brought a van load from Cincy
to D-Town to Illinoise to Leipzig
to Berlin and I could unload six more /
I’ve put more quarters in jukeboxes
than Fountain Square, burned
twenty-four hours with the blink
of somebody else’s eye,
ridden a horse backwards
into town, gave up on mountains
but reconsidered ocean,
chopsticked public parks, pierced
hundreds of unpopable eggs, dirt
sledded over calendar pages, broke
bones to pass time, I’ve crept across
traffic faster than others walked /
stopped myself with calves,
went over the bar at people
walking by, counted all
the ankles in the world, twice,
spanked the lunch
out of a dog, pushed a cat
around while sleeping,
played the same song twice,
used lots of names in vain /
I’ve made omelets of couch
cushions and mints / I’ve unscrewed
the light bulbs in the sun
and shook them for signs of life /
I’ve cleaned my fingernails
with ink, black
and blue / let it be heard /
let it be heard, o! /
let it be heard

Song of the Week is More than Just “I Summon You”

jamiegp — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:00:10 +0000

Whilst tracking down our intended song of the week, we came across these amazing videos from BBC Radio 1 called the “Black Cab Sessions.” Here’s our fave, the guy from Spoon playing, “I Summon You.” I wish he was playing “Jonathan Fisk” but since I beg I shall not choose.

Check out more Black Cab Sessions at the site www.blackcabsessions.com including that Okkervil River guy we love playing a Big Star cover.
Oh intended song of the week, you must wait seven more days!

Week 133, May Leap Day Be With You All Year ‘Round

jamiegp — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:00:50 +0000

Download and fold your very own Chris Toll mini-chap — I’m Having Some Shape-Shifting Problems. It’s free free FREE. But wait, there’s more… He’s thrown in an extra poem — an outtake in fact — ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SPECIAL OFFER.
Meanwhile, if you’re in Baltimore, or close to it, this Saturday (March 1), you’d be a DAMN FOOL to miss Justin Sirois‘ Book Release reading at the i.e. reading series — get the info below.
And meanwhile meanwhile, enjoy our song of the week from Liam Finn. Or more aptly, WE DARE YOU NOT TO ENJOY IT.
ALL CAPITALLY YOURS,
Rock Heals

Load-Out in the Rain (outtake from I’m Having Some Shape-Shifting Problems)

jamiegp — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:00:40 +0000

Chris Toll
A budget analyst
cleats the blues
and pleats the lies
that dress the pie chart
who plots to murder me.
My shopping mall
stands on a bridge
and studies the heedless river.
Three chords knock me down
and three chords pick me up.

+++
Get the chapbook I’m Having Some Shape-Shifting Problems below.

Chris Toll Mini-Chap: I’m Having Some Shape-Shifting Problems

jamiegp — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:00:30 +0000

We’ve quietly published a little chapbook series (“big package, mini chaps”) for a couple years now… They’re self-binding books made from one sheet of paper with this “folded eight” technique that’s downright magic. We always wanted to share them on the web — but couldn’t find a way to give proper instruction. Hopefully the below is a start.

Without further ado, snag yourself Chris Toll’s great chap from the link. Print. Fold. Enjoy.
Get I’m Having Some Shape-Shifting Problems (659k)

Note: Turn off the “fit to margins” setting (if your machine defaults to that) when you print it out… or it will fold all wrong. Speaking of which:

How To Make Chris Toll’s Book at Home

We’ll start rolling out the back catalog soon… so look out for chaps and mini-comics from Greg Fuchs, Dan Nester, and more.

Sirois Book Launch Reading in Baltimore

jamiegp — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:00:20 +0000

Come celebrate the release of homme de Narrow House Justin Sirois’ new book, Secondary Sound, at the i.e. reading series this Saturday (March 1) where he’ll read with a couple Rock Heals faves — Gina Myers and Ken Rumble.
Here’s a link to the i.e. reading series site for more info.
Here’s a link to buy the book at Target(!) because we love that you can buy Secondary Sound from Target… but you should probably go to the publisher’s site for it (BlazeVox) and follow it’s link to Amazon. Then Geoffrey will get a cut(?) and use the dough to put out more great books.
Here’s a blurb on Justin’s book — take that search engines!
An absurdist media firm hires a pirate to “create the most alluring ringtone known to man” – while the author takes a secondary role as this digital scallywag plunders and pillages his way through the book’s vexing text messages. Presumably the first manuscript of both poems and fiction to be licensed with creative commons, Secondary Sound questions the legal limits of electronic sampling, asks why zombies and pirates are so in vogue, and pushes the limits of poetry (and hopefully makes it fun again).
&nbps;

Song of the Week from Liam Finn

jamiegp — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:00:10 +0000

You should be hearing this song everywhere soon. It’s the bridge from “The Music of Winter” to the “Music of Spring.” It begs licensing for the next indie-cum-Hollywood breakout. It’s just a fucking great song.
Here’s the honest-to-God video they made for it (who does that anymore?). But take a moment later to track down some of the diverse live performance recordings out there and go get the recorded version for ongoing personal fulfillment.