Tikis and Tiki culture, Atomic Kitsch, Postmodernism, Philosophy, Mid Century Modern, Music and Film making, Home recording, making stuff, Irish whiskey, and drinking exotic rum libations at my home bar, The Taboo Room.
Music
What I don't like would be a shorter list, but here's the BASICS:
The Clash, Killing Joke, New Model Army, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Sugarplastic, The Pogues, Tom Waits, Fiona Apple, Dead Moon, Flogging Molly, Brian Eno, Queens of the Stone Age, The Tossers, Stiff Little Fingers, Aimee Mann, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, BauHaus, The Buzzcocks, David Bowie, Devo, Dolly Parton, Elvis, Elvis Costello, English Beat, Ennio Morricone, Hank Williams 1&3, The Jam, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Strummer John Prine, Johnny Cash, The Kinks, Lucinda Williams, Macy Gray, Ministry, The Pixies, Portishead, Pretenders, Pink Floyd, Ramones, Rancid, Roxy Music, The Ruts, Sinead O'Connor, Skatalites, Social Distortion, Sons of the Pioneers, Soundgarden, The Specials, The Stranglers, Talking Heads, Tenacious D,Thievery Corp, Tom Jones, Tom Petty, Tool, Waterboys, Ween, Weezer, White Stripes, Wilie Nelson, Wire, X, XTC
And when I'm lounging in my Tiki Bar,, there's Martin Denny, Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, Yma Sumac, Al Caiola, Aqua Velvets, Lushy, Billy Mure, Combustible Edison, Cugat, Don Ho, Don Tiki, Dick Dale, Esquivel, Enoch Light, Jimmy Smith, Perez Prado, Tak Shindo, Tipsy, Ventures, Ape, Alfred Apaka, Earl Grant, Surf Trio, Satelite Trio, Satans Pilgrims, Boozoo Bajou, Dean Martin, Karminsky Experience, Kinobe, The Meters, Mo Horizons,
AND then there's those other times when I like, Ernest Ranglin, Eeka Mouse, Mikey Dread, Tommy McCook, Junior Murvin, Peter Tosh, Augustus Pablo, Jackie Mittoo, Lee Scratch Perry, Selector, Steel Pulse, The Upsetters, Yellowman,Madness, Bad Manners, Lambrettas,....
Then there's Wayne The Train Hancock, Dale Watson, Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Porter Wagner, Buck Owens,..and all that stuff.
Oh yeah, William Shatner too!
Movies
Down By Law, Straight to Hell, Big Lebowski,Maybe Logic, Donnie Darko, Bladerunner, Adaptation, O Brother Where art Thou?, All the Spaghetti Westerns, Clockwork Orange, 2001 Space Odyssey, Pulp Fiction, Mystery Train, True Romance, El Mariachi, Lost in Translation, Blue Velvet, Fargo, Life Aquatic, Rushmore, Dr. Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Being John Malkovich, Magnolia, Abott and Costello meet Frankenstein, In the Mouth of Madness, Easy Rider, Barbarella, Performance, Out, Pow Wow Highway, The Deerhunter, Lost Highway, Stripes, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Ed Wood, Fight Club, The Terminator, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Caddyshack, They Live!, Prince of Darkness, Mar's attacks, Pee Wees Big Adventure, Memento, The Matrix, Rear Window, Touch of Evil, Reservoir Dogs, The Shining, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, ...
Television
Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deadwood, The Simpsons, The Office, Flight of The Conchords, King of The Hill, Lost, Hawaii Five-O, Gilligans Island, Battlestar Gallactica
Books
Everything by Phillip K Dick, Most of Robert Anton Wilson, anything that helps me get my mind around Postmodernism, Ayn Rand, James Joyce, Jorge Louis Borges, HP Lovecraft, The Book of TIKI, Tiki Modern, Sippin Safari, Jim Thompson, William Gibson, Syd Fields Screenplay, Books for Dummies series, Skeptical Inquirer, Atomic Ranch
Heroes
Robert Anton Wilson, Fred Cole, Robert Rodriguez, Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch
About me:
I am a Tiki artist that works primarily with concrete. My work has sold from coast to coast, and has even shipped to a few foreign shores.
I make limited edition castings and custom hand sculpted Tikis in freestanding form, to wall hangings and framed plaques. I'm known for my infamous spitting fountain heads that are popular with water feature fans. I've made lamps, planters, mini ponds, waterfalls, etc.. If you can dream of a way to merge concrete and tikis, I can make it!
You can see and order my work at
www.tikisbyseamus.com
I enjoy packing up the van with everything I can carry to the various tiki events up and down the west coast. Vending at these events is a lot of work, but it's loads of fun meeting all the cool Tiki hipsters, artists, and collectors, and then kicking back in the evening for the entertainment and a few Mai Tais.
Besides the Tiki thing, I occasionally find an old house to remodel. My goal is to be able to specialize specifically in 50's and 60's ranchers, and midcentury moderns, and put them back together in away that is both authentic to the period, but tastefully updated with modern conveniences and technologies.
I've been in a few bands around Portland since the mid eighties. Most notable was Tribe of One and Hitting Birth.
I'm a jack of all trades in music(just like construction), but play guitar and drums primarily. I'm a home recording enthusiast, and have written, recorded, and produced a small volume of work, ranging in styles from folk to punk, to experimental, industrial, and electronic, the latter designed more for film and soundtrack. I'm very interested in low budget/guerilla film making, and though I haven't managed to get any of my own projects off the ground, I'd be more than interested in participating in someone else's, in whatever capacity I would be most helpful.
I also occasionally DJ parties and events, but haven't yet tried clubs yet. I have a large library of lounge and exotica, as well a a diverse collection of alt-indie-punk (see the music list below) that promises to keep party goers entertained for hours - sometimes entire weekends! I'm not the beat matching vinyl scratching type. Just an old school guy with a knack for good playlists and a strong ability to read a room. Feel free to contact me if you're looking for your not so average DJ.
I just recently moved back to Portland and am still getting settled in. I hope to find shop space soon so I can get the Tikis rolling off the assembly line once again. In the meantime hold tight, Hopefully spring, and better weather will find us all in better situations!
Who I'd like to meet: New friends, collaborators, and conspirators.
"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
It was nice meeting you the other night, Seamus! Sorry you couldn't stay for our set. We really hope you can make our set at Nana's Irish Pub on Friday, November 21st - CHEERS!
