This is how a scrappy underground music scene helped shape Houston Theater.

I opened a strange email a few weeks ago. It regarded news about a Houston underground music reunion. The recipient list was itself a blast from the past, one that predates the concept of group email. The reunion is to take place in Houston's warehouse district at a venue once called the Axiom which was formerly Harvey's Lounge, aka Catal Hyuk, and then once again the Axiom and also previously Cabaret Voltaire III. The latest email in the thread was to tell us that the location is at risk because the theater company currently occupying the Axiom abruptly shut down. This was disappointing news of course, but also strangely cyclical.

Three of the reuniting bands were part of an Axiom event years ago, an amateur production of Rice & Weber's Jesus Christ Superstar. The show came about from some caffeine (or booze) induced late night conversation which led to the inevitable conclusion that Fleshmop's hefty hairy and exceptional singer, Jay Maulsby, must be Jesus. Once a thing like that is decided, everything else simply needs to fall in place. It wasn't long before all the bums on Lexington were involved.

A lot of effort went down on 2100 Lexington, especially in the body of Dave Dove. The cast, however, was from all dark corners of the city, including the KPFT Metal DJ Bill "the Master" Bates, the Joint Chiefs who included the tremendously powerful Leesa Harrington on drums, and Bliss Blood in a surprise role.

It turned out that Bliss Blood was a big JCS fan. She was a late entry to the affair. Her band, the Pain Teens, were on a higher level back then so no one thought she'd want to be involved in this piddly stuff. But she did, so she took the small but important role of whipping Jesus. One time, the actress playing Mary Magdalene couldn't make a rehearsal and Bliss filled in. She knew all the lyrics to Everything's Alright and had a beautiful voice for it.

So anyway

This is how a scrappy underground music scene helped shape Houston Theater.

While us slackers were sacrificing time to a non-lucrative endeavor based on a bit of Broadway Musical history with which at least half of us weren't previously familiar, Jay was keeping in touch with his old high school buddy, Jason Nodler, who was busy with the non-lucrative business of studying play writing at NYU. Jay was telling Nodler that he needed to hightail it back to Houston on account of the creative vibe, while Jason was sitting around Washington Square Park thinking this Hou-stoner kid must be nuts.

But Jason was in to the idea of rock theater, his mind warped by the likes of Bob Dylan and Pere Ubu.

Then this came out in the Public News. Jay mailed a copy to Jason.

The headline read "With Superstar, Houston Musicians Make Better Theater Than Local Theater."

That was what it took. Jason came home. The next year the newly found Infernal Bridegroom Theater produced its first play, In the Under Thunderloo, which was performed at the Axiom (although the venue might have been under a different name by then). It starred Carolyn Wonderland and many of the characters you can still associate with the IBP crew.

This is not to take any credit away from IBP and the fourteen years of innovative theater production they accomplished. IBP's successes are all its own.

Last year, IBP created their final grand scale work, a collaboration with indie hero Daniel Johnston called Speeding Motorcycle. This work brought national attention to IBP from the New York Times, Pitchfork Media, and No Depression among others. Strangely enough, I witnessed Jason developing Speeding Motorcycle here in Chicago during his brief residence.

Speeding Motorcycle,

is a musical

performed at the Axiom,

a part of this circle we are chasing

back to this email thread
where uno dude from the Cinco Dudes suggested some Axiom Reunion Show Awards such as "Most likely to have a heart attack," "Smelliest drummer," and "Best Axiom memory real or imagined." Immediately I thought of the KISS Hoot night that was spawned from the excitement around JCS. Cinco Dudes rocked the house as a mariachi band singing Yo Quero Rock 'n Roll A Noche y Todo Los Dios. Toby Blunt played accordion.

Then I thought of the memory I hold dearest from the Axiom.

Really I am not a nostalgic person, still a part of my heart resides at the back door out on the street where we hung for the short run of JCS.

The last time I felt the pang of this strangely lonely memory was playing with the IBP band at a fund raising gala held earlier this year at the Axiom. We played right on the spot where JSC was performed. That back door was right behind me. A fun talented group of people were right in front of me. The future looked bright. Still does, I hope.

For all the great people of IBP, in hopes you rise again

and for

If you have a JCS memory why not share it here?


JCS promo shot courtesy of Julie Grob. Top Row: Moi, Jay Maulsby, Clay Embry, Fleshmop Ben (peeking over), Joey Salinas, Heavy Metal Guy whose name I can't remember! Middle Row: Faith, Johnathan Sage, Bo Morris, the Reverend Dave Dove, Brett Needham, Bill Bates. Bottom Row: Brandon Holbrook, I can't remember this kid's name but he was a great baritone, Diane Koistinen

Above photo courtesy of Axiom Flicker Site. Top Image: Jesus (Jay Maulsby) comforted by yin/yang wearing Diane Koistinen, Faith ? and Molly ? Middle Image: Three Priests played by Diane Koistinen,??, and Brandon Holbrook Bottom Image: Jesus discusses with apostles -scrawny me on left followed by Johnathan Sage, Bill "the Master" Bates and on Jesus' right dear Andy Nelson and a Heavy Metal vocalist whose name I can't remember. The Sprawl Horns - Clay Embry, Dave Dove and Bo Morris lurk behind.

Scanned Public News courtesy of Jay's sister Eve
Axiom image courtesy of J.R. Delgado
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