Local bastard

Teacher, my meth lab just exploded. What has the Grays Harbor County (Wash.) Sheriff’s Department been smoking? As part of an anti-drug program for Elma High School students, a sheriff’s deputy demonstrated just how easy it is to make meth by actually whipping up a batch right in front of them. In an interview with KOMO, Channel 4 news in the Seattle/Tacoma area, parent Teresa McCutcheon was quoted as saying, “I was really upset when my daughter had come home and said, ‘Mom, we learned how to make meth today in school.’” Audio from the videotaped demonstration has the deputy explaining the different stages: “Then you’ll have a little bit down at the bottom, the white stuff, and that’s your meth.” Contacted by the TV station, county Undersheriff Rick Scott defended the department’s use of the demo, “We talk about how methamphetamine is manufactured. I think there’s a big difference between how it is manufactured and how to manufacture it.” Sounds like Rick’s been hittin’ that demo a little hard lately.

Live Swedish hip-hop! Local deli Svengali John “Bustolini’s” McKinley is up to his old rock star tricks. Starting this Saturday at 8 p.m. with the honky-tonkin’ of Glen Earl Brown Jr. and the Dickens, McKinley will be keeping the restaurant open late for a series of springtime shows. The eclectic list of possibilities includes shopkeeper’s own metal project Massive Load, two Scott Derr-led combos—Terminal Wasteband and Lott Lyzzyrd—and “straight out of Stockholm,” actual live Swedish hip-hop from Sïc Täng.

Sid Vicious and I split a Bear Burger. Local Bastard got a letter this week from Bob Ramsdell of Magalia, who asked me if I realized that dead Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious was originally from Chico. The bastard in me suggested that Sid is actually from Red Bluff originally. Thinking about it, though, I wonder if Mr. Ramsdell was snowed by sometimes-local, and very British, CON-TRA-BAND vocalist Sid Locksley? Same name, British accent and punk-rock parody? Think about it.

And then there’s the other Sid. Local Bastard used to live across the street from the famed Electric Circus house, and after a few months of all-night hippie-rock jams followed by requisite morning-after front-porch amateur bongo circles, a once quiet distaste for “jamming” grew into a core value that I had tattooed on each bicep: “Those who can, rock. Those who can’t, jam.” With that said, it’s very surprising that L.B. finds himself endorsing local bluegrass/Americana musician Sid Lewis’ Jamming 101 Class this Saturday at One-Mile. Though the fun profile of Sid’s class that ran last year as a National Public Radio segment was convincing stuff, it’s Sid’s empowerment of countless local, beginning musicians to get on stage and do their own thing that garners the stamp of approval. Sid will bring the instruments; just show up with $15 for the class at 9 a.m. and you’ll no doubt be ready for your own gig by the end of the hour. Just stay away from the damn bongos—they’re not really instruments.

TO DO: Fri., 5/6, Men Against Rape and Sexism Benefit at Fulcrum with Gruk, Aubrey Debauchery, Birds of Fire, The Shankers & Zabaleen; Tues., 5/10, 7:30 p.m.: 2nd Annual International [Film] Shorts Festival at the Little Theatre (Ayres 106 at Chico State).

TO BURN: “B.Y.O.B.,” System of a Down (this is some furious shit, no joke); also “Hardcore Days and Softcore Nights,” Aqueduct (“Don’t ever ask me were I go…/ ’cause if you start askin’, I’ll pull this heat I’m packin’).

TWO MORE: www.robertchristgau.com (searchable database with all of famed Village Voice critic’s reviews and other writings); Phil Sheridan’s back page column in Magnet Magazine (This issue: U2 is actually just in it for the money. Who knew?)