Wisconsin Sickness Munny

When packages arrive in the mail from BoredInTheBasement.com I'm usually either really excited or completely horrified to open it. Just because it's Tom and there is a good chance it's either the first print of latest Wisconsin skull t-shirt or maybe, just maybe, it could be pieces of hookers. Not that it's happened yet...but I feel it's best not to rule anything out.

Wisconsin Sickness t-shirts always arrive in white plastic shipping bags, so when this strange square package arrived I immediately enacted the official emergency Wisconsin Sickness hooker disposal protocols.

It wasn't until several days later that I remembered I was actually expecting something other than the usual t-shirt. So I went back out into the woods, dug up the box and opened it to find this strange little creature called a munny custom made for Wisconsin Sickness by the merch mastermind himself.

I still don't quite understand what it is or why it keeps staring at me with a sort of rabid hunger, but it looks pretty badass. So it will be keeping my dead things company for a while until I figure out how to unlock it's murderous rampage capabilities.

Thank you Tom!

If you need screen printing for your band merch or a print-on-demand online shop with real, high-quality screen printing and great service, check out Bored in the Basement.

Just need some Wisconsin Sickness merch? Check out the official Wisconsin Sickness store.

Brew City Bombshells Interview

Burlesque has a bad rep. What started in the 1840s as a rebellious blend of comedy, song, and sexuality that liberated female performers on stage and screen eventually devolved into nothing more challenging than exploitation. However since this century began, a new generation has rediscovered burlesque and an art that was thought to have died a sleazy, scandalous death has shambled back to life, covered in tattoos, middle fingers outstretched high in the air informing the world otherwise. In Milwaukee, a troupe called the Brew City Bombshells wants the world to know they are a helluva lot more than strippers wearing a vintage aesthetic. I recently interviewed seven of the ladies: performers Jezabella Darling, Trixie Tang, Sugar St. Clair, singer Aurora A'Leur, Emcee/Comedian Kandi Kickass, and Bombshell co-managers/founding members Raven McCaw and Vee Valentine.

JNC: This type of performance is about as underground as it gets. Exactly how did each of you become a Bombshell?

Raven: I was actually one of the founding members of the Brew City Bombshells Burlesque, along with Vee Valentine and a couple of others that are no longer with us. I had already been performing for about 6 months when the group (about 5 or 6 of us at the time) established its identity.

Jezabella: I've been a sex/body-positive individual for as long as I can remember. I'd been working at the Tool Shed as a sexual health educator for a couple of years, and we had sponsored the troupe. It just made sense in the natural progression of my self evolution to push myself to be a more visually empowered individual and to use performance art as another medium for activism.

Aurora: I joined a community choir in the spring of 2011 where I met the photographer for the Bombshells, and he knew they were looking for a singer! Secretly, I had ALWAYS wanted to get into burlesque, so long story short, I auditioned and I am now a Bombshell!

Trixie: …I auditioned? I think they thought I was another Milwaukee performer’s cousin or something.

Sugar: I have been friends with members of the Dead Man's Carnival for a few years now, and I was introduced to burlesque via one of their shows. From then on, I was hooked! Actually, I was living with a lady who also became a WI burlesque performer, Lady Ambrosia. She and I just went crazy with movies, costume ideas, and history books. When I heard that the troupe (then Alley Cat Revue) was having auditions, I put together a number and jumped right in.

JNC: For those who know better, burlesque is very different than exotic dancing. However many people hear the term "burlesque" and think “stripper.” What happens when someone makes this mistake with a Bombshell?

Vee: Ass kicking time! Just kidding. I politely explain that Burlesque is more about the tease than the strip. Also, burlesque does not equate clothing removal. If I'm not feeling the audience's love, I can choose to stop removing clothes whenever I want - that's the fun!

Trixie: Haha!! Nobody thinks I’m a stripper, or refers to me as a stripper... anymore. [winking]. But seriously, I have been treated with respect about [my] being a burlesque dancer.

Raven: I simply explain and invite them to see a show for themselves. Yes, there are similarities, like the fact that both disrobe. Generally. To me the difference is that we have a bit more creative freedom. Some of our costumes are quite lavish, and some of our performances involve skits or extensive stage props. There is definitely a theatrical element to what we do. Some burlesque performers do not even go down to pasties, and some don't take anything off at all. Some start in panties and pasties and dress themselves on stage, often referred to as "reverse burlesque." I do not get upset if someone mistakenly calls me a stripper; it's not necessarily their fault that they don't know or understand. Perhaps they were never exposed to burlesque. Perhaps they were misinformed. Usually after we explain the difference, or after they see a show, most people are pretty supportive.

Jezabella: I'm a supporter of sex work and the sex industry. While what I do is very different than stripping, I also don't find it "insulting" to be mistaken as such. Strippers are hard workers and often brilliant, talented people - I just think that my idea of burlesque is more art than sex work. While yes, being a sexual being and tantalizing the crowd with undressing is seen as a sexual act, I have a message in what I do, and often that takes more of an importance than the revelation of my tits.

Sugar: You know what, I would face this problem quite frequently when I was living in France, actually. To tell someone you do strip-tease is to basically say you're a stripper in a club. I usually just explain the historical aspect of my performances to people but without a doubt, what I do is meant to be sexy. Plus, even the great stripper Gypsy Rose Lee was okay with the term "stripper." There are far worse insults, in my opinion.

JNC: What is it about burlesque that you find so attractive?

Kandi: Burlesque is a celebration of beauty and sexuality. It's playful, not dirty. It' fun and exciting and when you watch it, you feel like part of a community.

Raven: On a basic level, I love the colors, the boas, the glitter, etc. I love that I can take those basic elements and create awesome costumes and props. It's really satisfying when I put my idea on stage, knowing that I made everything. To me it's like breathing life into my ideas. I love that I can do a traditional, sexy striptease, but have enough creative freedom to do silly or grotesque numbers. I love that I have control over the audience; if they are not into it, I shimmy a little more. And if they still aren't, I simply do not take an article of clothing off. I think most of all I love how much burlesque has changed me. It put me in touch with my womanhood, and really helped with my self-esteem.

Jezabella: Sexual inequality is still so prevalent in today's society, so getting a chance to be the one in control of the sexuality I want to project onto the crowd gives me such a sense of empowerment, and also healing. I can project my spirit into my dancing. My feminism believes that women are strong, women are sisters, women are lovers.

JNC: Do you have any personal goal you hope to achieve when you walk out on stage? What makes a performance successful for you?

Raven: Haha! To not freak out! Seriously, I've been doing this for almost 4 years and STILL, every time I get on stage I tremble, I have to pee, I get nauseous, I break out in a cold sweat, I think I'm forgetting costume pieces, I'm afraid of tripping over my feet and looking like a drunk. It's why I will rarely choreograph anything. I get so nervous that I forget everything and end up doing improv anyways. I absolutely love doing this, but I get nervous every single time. So I guess my personal goal for every show is to get through each number without the audience knowing how freaked out I actually am.

Jezabella: If I inspire even one woman to love her body more, or feel sexy - then I've achieved my goal.

Trixie: My personal goals are realized and made, usually when they are about to happen. I don’t really set goals for myself but rather think about how friggin sweet something is as it’s about to happen. For instance, I have a bird number I do to the Grateful Dead’s "China Cat Sunflower". I had the chance to perform it at the old Circus Club in a birdcage. When I was about to go on, I was holding my bird wings and wearing this ridiculous mask listening to this uber professional drag queen announce me thinking, “Holy shit, I am actually in a bird cage right now being announced to do my weird ass bird dance in this out-of-control, awesome club. This can be written on and checked off the ‘Goals in Life" list.

Kandi: Burlesque started in vaudeville, so I try to bring that feeling back. Every time I walk on stage I have 3 goals: Keep the show high energy, keep the crowd entertained, and introduce each performer with the respect they deserve.

JNC: Crowds at these types of shows can be pretty rowdy, and to some extent, it’s even encouraged to get the crowd excited. What’s the strangest, wildest thing that’s happened while you were dancing?

Trixie: Weird and wild are a natural occurrence in my personal performance. I’ll replace “weird” with “awkward”. I’d say something awkward happens almost every time… maybe Jesus interrupts my number to give me a high five. But if there is one thing that has stuck out in my head as for what NOT to do, its getting drunk before going on stage... especially if I’m going to be using a hula hoop.

Jezabella: Someone once yelled, during a very intense and emotional number, "Yeah girl! You get that armpit!"

Vee: Besides "pasty malfunctions"... I've gotten a lot of unconventional cat calls, such as "I want to pay your bills" and "Will you marry me?"

Sugar: Honestly, our audiences have always been very kind and respectful towards me. I've had my flubs, for sure, but the best thing they could possibly do is cheer! My very first fire eating act, I couldn't light my torch. I lucked out however, that someone was nice enough to light my torch with a better lighter, I just couldn't have asked for a better crowd!

JNC: Where do you get the costumes you wear? Is there a particular shop you frequent, or is a lot of it do-it-yourself?

Raven: I do a lot of DIY costuming. Usually I get basic bras and panties and sequin the hell out of them. I get a lot of pieces at thrift stores and estate sales as well. Even if we buy something ready-made, it usually needs to be rigged with velcro or snaps to make removal easier. (like button-down shirts and tear-away pants) Antique shops are good for vintage accessories such as jewelry, hats, and gloves.

Sugar: I've always sewn the vast majority of my own costumes. Even if I buy a "base" bra, it always comes out as a far more fabulous, unrecognizable incarnation of its former self! I've been expanding my sewing lately, however, and really doing most of it by hand. I've always sequined my own pasties by hand, but now I'm learning how to make my own lingerie. It's tough but extremely rewarding. My craft space right now is nothing but feathers, sequins, rhinestones and satin. It's crazy!

Trixie: My costumes are partially store bought, and by store bought I mean Ebay. Then I jazz it up. Or get in a fight with a bedazzler... whatever comes first. But for monstrous projects I usually get by with a little help from my friends. As of lately, Sugar St. Clair has been so gracious to create a mermaid fin for me. It looks so good; it brings a tear to my eye. So, I am extremely lucky to have such awesome friends who are passionate about burlesque and costume making!

JNC: I feel obligated to ask a cheesy personal question for all those office chair lotharios out there, but I don’t really want to because it’s so cliché. I’ll just ask this: Is there anything you want the guys (or gals) out there know about you personally?

Sugar: Hmm...well, I'm bilingual in French so when I've had a drink, I suddenly have a certain je ne sais quoi and am compelled to parle français with practically tout le monde!

JNC: Is there anything in particular you want the world to know about the Bombshells?

Kandi: This group has exceptionally high standards and ideals. This is an incredibly talented, accepting group of women who promote the ideals that all women are beautiful, and that it is ok to celebrate your feminity. It is an honor to be part of this troupe.

Raven: One thing that is really important in our group is that we have a strict no-diva policy. In any area of performance it can be really easy to develop an inflated ego but we keep each other in check.

Sugar: The Bombshells are an amazing group of women. We're all so diverse in our personas and talents that as a whole, I feel we're a really well-rounded group.

Vee: I mostly want people to really know how much love, care, time, and heart goes into each of our shows. Burlesque pretty much consumes all of our lives, and most of our extra cash, too. Each of our numbers are meticulously planned, we put so much of ourselves into them. This isn't just ladies taking their clothes off, this is women pouring themselves out to you. Appreciate every shimmy.

Aurora: The Bombshells are the GREATEST group of women I know! Every single one of them is sweet, genuine, and excepting of everyone. A group without a solid core won't last. The Bombshells will be around a LONG TIME!

Vee: It isn't a hobby - it's a way of life.

Follow the Brew City Bombshells on Facebook for upcoming performances and other events right here.

The Million Dollar Ballroom

We had the opportunity to go on an expedition through The Rave in Milwaukee today to scout locations and start planning an upcoming mass Cannibelle photo shoot. As promotions director Justin Moralez walked us through the dark, cavernous spaces he gave us a brief history of the building from its origins as an extravagant private club for a secret society known as the Fraternal Order of the Eagles through to the recent and continuing unexplained phenomena such as bar stools mysteriously turning themselves upside down on the bar.

The Eagles Club building does have a history of death involving suicides, drownings in the now off-limits pool and other such incidents, so a few restless spirits is to be expected. It's when a crowd of people witness a woman enter a bathroom without windows or any other possible exit and lock the door from the inside so that it has to be cut from the hinges, just to find it empty, that people start to get a bit rattled.

We're not sure just yet when this photo shoot will be happening, but we'll need plenty of Cannibelles (official Wisconsin Sickness models - get involved here) and photographers to make the most of the time we have. Also, we will have someone on hand with a video camera to document the event!

Anyone interested in being a part of this in any capacity should contact us or shoot us an email at info@wisconsinsickness.com

Thanks to Jack and Justin for helping make this a possibility!

I couldn't help but snap some shots of some of the more fascinating things still left over from the club's golden age, including what used to be known as the Million Dollar Ballroom:

More vintage photos from the club's past on The Rave website right here.

J.R. Turner Interview

I recently had a chance to conduct an online interview with J.R. Turner. A fitting avenue considering her newest dark fantasy novel “Redemption” is available exclusively in e-book form. JR is an award winning writer, editor, and the current executive director of the Wisconsin Writer’s Association.

JNC: Your newest e-book "Redemption" is full of resurrection, demons, and mutants. What do you do in preparation for writing a dark fantasy of this type?

JRT: I wrote this book in 2009. At the time, my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a few months to live. Of course this was devastating to me and as usual, I turned to writing to explore my feelings. I always wanted to do a straight up paranormal book and considering the life and death issues I was dealing with, the themes of heaven and hell, good and evil, choices and their consequences seemed the natural go-to elements for this book. Plus, I was having confidence issues with my writing ability and I thought "redemption" was a great personal motto to work with. Eventually, this became the title of the book as both Savannah and I sought our redemption on those pages.

JNC: It sounds like this project started as a very personal adventure. I know for myself writing is a superb way of exploring yourself (like all forms of art). Did you take away anything lasting from writing this book?

JRT: My personal transformation over the course of writing Redemption was dramatic. I was very dedicated to exploring my own morality. Savannah's secret guilt, the reason she has a chance to earn her redemption, worked directly off my secrets and guilt, something we all have. By working to convey a heroine who did something so terrible, so awful, in a sympathetic way, it forced me to look at the darkness inside of myself and embrace everything I feared facing. I came out of this book a lot less self-condemning and with a lot more self-esteem. In other words, I found myself at peace with my own fallibilities. It's okay to not be perfect, to make mistakes, to be human—something I surprisingly never allowed myself before.

JNC: There are mutant creatures in the book called "revenants" with a taste for human. Are these creatures that will seem familiar to my fellow zombie fanatics or are they something else entirely?

JRT: Oh, I  am such a zombie-holic! While there are direct references to some of my more favorite directors, writers, and films throughout the book–the revenants are more mutants than zombies. Think “I Am Legend” with Will Smith and “Priest” with Paul Bettany and you'll be closer to my vision. These creatures were never really human, but descendants of those immune humans who survived the bio-toxin bombing that destroyed the world.

JNC: It sounds like you, much like myself, consume a lot of horror related entertainment. Is there anyone or anything out there in the genre that's had a particular influence on your career?

JRT: George A. Romero! This guy takes horror to an intimate level by exploring societal issues within his movies and scripts. There's a fantastic underlying element of class distinction, of good people forced to make bad choices because there are no good ones. This is fascinating to me. What if in order to save yourself you had to watch many people die horribly? These sorts of questions are often touched on in the horror genre, but Romero does an excellent job of making it the focal point of many of his stories. He rocks!

JNC: You mentioned earlier you wanted to write a "straight up paranormal book." Have you ever experienced anything on the supernatural side?

JRT: I'd love to say yes because the few moments in my life that 'felt' supernatural are important to me. For example, shortly after my brother died in a car accident, I was overcome with grief as I did my daily cleaning. I remember closing my eyes and sobbing from the sudden agony of his passing. Then, the scent of him and warmth, like a hug, surrounded me and the pain became immediately bearable. Part of me wishes my brother came back for a brief moment to comfort me. Another part of me believes it was my brain's way of dealing with the grief. Who knows for sure? In the end, I prefer having a visit from brother.

JNC: You've several books available in e-book form. The ease of digital publishing is changing the literary world completely. Anyone with an idea, the drive, and a small amount of capital can publish their book. It's given rise to a sort of underground punk rock sort of writer. People who are by-passing more traditional publishing routes. Do you have any advice for any of these D.I.Y. writers out there?

JRT: While I'm not self-published—there are times I really wish I was! When I began in 1999, the publishing industry was very, very different. We were taught by the alumni in the field that self-publishing was career suicide. Of course that's no longer the case and I encourage every single author out there to self-publish at least a portion of their work. Today, the alumni (and me!) are saying: Self-publishing badly edited books is career suicide. So if you do decide to go this route, either invest in a great editor, or find some highly skilled people to polish your book.

JNC: For any of these "Literary Ramones" out there could you elaborate on what sort of "highly skilled" people?

JRT: It can be hard to find professionals who have time to help a new author. However, there are ways to offer your support to up and coming professionals who will, if personalities click and friendships develop, offer their (or their friend's) expertise. Writing groups and organizations were designed for exactly this purpose–just choose one in the genre you write.

When it comes to purchasing the opinion of professionals, do your homework. There's nothing more disheartening for a romance author than to get feedback from a skilled person who thinks the genre is beneath his or her respect. Find someone who is an expert in the genre you write. Think small at first. You may get a lot more help (and spend a lot less money) if you choose to get feedback on a single chapter, rather than a whole novel. Don't waste time (and money) having the expert read something other than the very, very best you have to offer.

JNC: Lots of people want to be writers and the first step is always the hardest. What would you like to say to any aspiring writers who are reading this now?

JRT: If you don't have discipline, you're going to have a very long road ahead of you. As with anyone who is self-employed, you must be determined to set and meet your own deadlines–even if it means giving up your birthday or forgoing a concert you wanted to attend. My advice is to first determine if you love writing more than a social life, and then work on discovering what it is you're actually meant to write.

JNC: There's a cliche I'm fond of; "writer's write." Would you like to tell us about any projects your working on for the future?

JRT: Oh goodness! I have the last three books in my Delbert Dallas series (middle-grade fantasy for reluctant readers) to complete. I have the fourth novel in the Extreme Hauntings series (my YA horror books) to finish–I'm sort of excited about this one because I get to do a haunted boot camp. I have a nanotechnology/paranormal thriller in the research stages, a nearly finished final draft of a romantic suspense titled “Still Life in Death” about a female artist who is being stalked by a serial killer. In 2012, Echelon Press will release another horror novel, this one about werewolves. So lots to do on the personal side of my writing life!

Visit J.R. Turner here: www.jennifer-turner.com

Her book “Redemption” can be found at Amazon, Smashwords, or Omnilit

Damaged Goods

Born and bred Wisconsinites Jacob Voelzke and Chris Buch have just launched their Kickstarter campaign to fund their upcoming supernatural comedy series Damaged Goods. The series revolves around a used car salesman and a mechanic who inadvertently become demon hunters, the only things standing between humanity and the gates of Hell.

Sure, Chris and Jake fled Wisconsin years ago for the warmer climates and scanitly-clad racks of LA, but they are still hellbent on bringing their visions to the screen without selling their souls to some overpaid Hollywood asshole in a suit and an office with a great view of the smog.

Check out the campaign and watch what is quite possibly one of the most epic Kickstarter videos ever made right here.

You can also check out their newly launched headquarters at madchopsmedia.com or follow the fight against a demon-driven apocalypse on their official Facebook page right here.