FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2008
JAKE LA BOTZ TO RELEASE “MOST DEPRESSING ALBUM EVER” AS HE PREPARES FOR THIRD ANNUAL “TATTOO ACROSS AMERICA TOUR,” PERFORMING MUSIC AT TATTOO PARLORS COAST-TO-COAST
Sing This to Yourself and Other Suggestions for a Personal Apocalypse is new solo album from singer-songwriter/actor
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Jake La Botz has fared well professionally this year, with a significant acting role as a “singing redneck mercenary” in Sylvester Stallone’s recent blockbuster Rambo film. But some personal struggles led him to record what he deems “the most depressing album ever,” titled Sing This to Yourself and Other Suggestions for a Personal Apocalypse. The album, which he describes as “11 sordid tales of human misery and redemption,” is due out on Charnel Ground Records on August 2, 2008.
August 2 doubles as the date La Botz will go on the road for this third annual five-week “Tattoo Across America Tour” of tattoo parlors, which will hit big cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Phoenix and San Diego, as well as smaller burgs like Longview, Texas, where Jake has established a fan base from his annual appearances. (In fact, it was in Longview that he received a tattoo of a raven at a cemetery across the street from the Garage Art Studio parlor.)
“It’s so much more interesting this way,” he says. “Playing tattoo parlors, you can be who you really are and relate directly with your fans. There are no dressing rooms, no backstage, nowhere to hide. In a way, this is an evolution of my roots — playing the streets and subways of my native Chicago. It keeps it real.”
If the blues and folk genres have gotten a bit fat, happy and rollicking in recent years, the new Jake La Botz album will bring them back to their roots of moans, hollers, and murder ballads. Weaned on Chicago’s Maxwell Street, where he learned from and played alongside legendary blues musicians, La Botz at various times lived in his car. And at age 14 he self-administered his first tattoo (“street-style, with India ink and a needle”).
Things changed, however, when the bluesman moved to Hollywood, where he developed a cult following as an indie film actor, appearing in Steve Buscemi’s Animal Factory and Lonesome Jim, and Terry Zwigoff’s art-house hit Ghost World, which starred Buscemi along with Thora Burch and Scarlett Johansson. In Ghost World, Jake played in a blues band from hell, Blues Hammer. And then it was off to Thailand, where he appeared as “Reese” (the singing redneck mercenary) in the 2008 version of Rambo, and had songs on the soundtrack (“The Wishing Well” and “Tiny” from his Graveyard Jones album).
He even auditioned for the lead singer spot in Velvet Revolver. But it was probably better for all that Scott Weiland received the nod. After all, La Botz has gone on to carve out a one-of-a-kind career as a singer/songwriter/actor/creator of the “tattoo circuit.”
Although he may not sound like a happy camper, judging by song titles like Depression Brings Me Flowers or The World Ended Yesterday, La Botz claims “I’m not a sad-sack, I just believe it’s important for us to feel all of our emotions fully and then let them go rather than denying or clinging to them. There’s so much information arising from within the body. Seeing depression as a pivotal part of the creative cycle has saved my life. My hope is that these songs could be a comfort to those who are struggling.”
La Botz has received much positive press for his recordings and tattoo parlor tours. The Chicago Sun-Times said: “La Botz is skilled at crafting talking-blues numbers that are pure poetry. His storytelling roots lie deep in the Delta and Piedmont, and his material is at one timeless and totally fresh.” And, added the Nashville Scene, “The songs pierce and scrape at the listener’s skin like the needle of a tattoo gun — his harsh, grainy rasp, not unlike Tom Waits’, spewing forth blunt, morbid narratives about threadbare lives and the nearness of the grave.
”INK HIM IN: THE JAKE LABOTZ “TATTOO ACROSS AMERICA” TOUR
Aug. 2 PEORIA, IL Po Boys Bourbon Street www.poboysbourbonstreet.com
Aug. 3 SPRINGFIELD (Jacksonville), IL House of Ink www.houseofinktat2.com
Aug. 4 KOKOMO, IN Sycamore Marketplace www.sycamoremarketplace.com
Aug. 6 CINCINNATI, OH One Shot Tattoo www.oneshottattoo.net
Aug. 7 CHICAGO, IL The Tattoo Factory www.tattoofactory.com
Aug. 9 CHICAGO, IL Bernice's Tavern www.bernicestavern.com
Aug. 10 CHICAGO, IL Chuck's Fest www.chuckscafe.com
Aug. 11 CLEVELAND, OH 252 Tattoo www.252tattoo.com
Aug. 13 BOSTON (Watertown), MA 21 Nickels www.myspace.com/21nickels
Aug. 14 BOSTON (Jamaica Plain), MA The Brendan Behan Pub www.myspace.com/thebehan
Aug. 15 NEW YORK, NY Googie’s Lounge www.livingroomny.com/googies.html
Aug. 17 NEW YORK, NY Banjo Jim's www.banjojims.com
Aug. 21 LONG ISLAND (Holbrook), NY Electric Tiki Tattoos www.electrictikitattoos.com
Aug. 22 PHILADELPHIA (Skippack), PA Liberty Tattoo www.libertytattoopa.com
Aug. 23 DENTON, MD Black Anchor Tattoo www.krookedken.com
Aug. 24 REHOBOTH BEACH, DE Ancient Art Tattoo ancientarttattoo.net
Aug. 26 TARBORO, NC The Grindhouse myspace.com/thegrindhousetattoo
Aug. 28 TAMPA, FL Las Vegas Tattoo Co. www.tattoounderground.net
Aug. 29 GAINESVILLE, FL Anthem Tattoo www.anthemtattoo.com
Aug. 30 ORLANDO, FL Tried and True Tattoo Expo www.triedandtruetattooexpo.com
Sept. 1 JACKSON, MS The Ink Spot Gallery www.myspace.com/theinkspotgallery
Sept. 2 LONGVIEW, TX Garage Art Studio www.profile.myspace.com
Sept. 3 LONGVIEW, TX Texas Players www.myspace.com/texasplayers2007
Sept. 6 PHOENIX (Glendale), AZ Incision Tattoo www.incisiontattoo.com
Sept. 7 SAN DIEGO, CA Absolute Tattoo www.absolute.tattoo.net
Sept. 8 LOS ANGELES, CA Redwood Bar www.theredwoodbar.com
Sept. 10 HOLLYWOOD, CA Shamrock Social Club www.shamrocktattoo.com
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2007
SINGER/SONGWRITER JAKE LA BOTZ TO EMBARK ON SECOND ANNUAL “TATTOO ACROSS AMERICA TOUR,” PERFORMING AT TATTOO PARLORS COAST-TO-COAST
Former street musician visits 21 U.S. cities as he supports his current album, Graveyard Jones; La Botz also featured in forthcoming Sylvester Stallone action movie
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Jake La Botz has stolen and lived in cars, learned to play blues from the last of the Delta greats (Robert Johnson protégé David “Honeyboy” Edwards), performed in a South Central L.A. church band, acted in indie films and even auditioned for the band Velvet Revolver. Author Jerry Stahl once said of the post-modern bluesman, “Not everybody will get [his music] because not everybody’s ready for the truth.”
And on September 15, La Botz will reprise his innovative “Tattoo Across America Tour,” playing tattoo parlors in 21 cities. The tour starts in West Hollywood (Shamrock Social Club) on Saturday, September 15 and wends it way across 21 U.S. cities coast to coast until an October 15 closing date near Pueblo, Colorado. Among his destinations are Chicago, Austin, Dallas, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Denver, Tampa, Phoenix and Orlando.
La Botz has engendered a loyal fan base of tattoo aficionados across the U.S., arising from last year’s tour as well as from his acting role in Steve Buscemi’s cult film Animal Factory. Although he has not ruled out playing traditional clubs, he says, “Musicians don’t have to be tied down to the bar touring scenario any longer. There’s another way to tour. I encourage artists to think about who their fans are, or will be, and find a new way to get to them.”
“It’s so much more interesting this way,” he adds. “You can be who you really are and relate directly with your fans. At tattoo parlors, there are no dressing rooms, no backstage, nowhere to hide. You really get to know people. In a way, I developed this ethic playing in the streets and subways of [his native] Chicago. This approach to performing has a way of cutting through any sense of artistic hierarchy . . .keeps it real.”
La Botz, who self-administered his first tattoo at age 14 (“street style . . . India ink with a sewing needle”) and has since received dozens more through his friendships with tattoo artists over the years, has garnered a following in the body-art community. “I’d been getting emails from tattoo shops and tattooed fans for a while, which made me think, ‘I should really pay attention to this connection’,” he says. “I figured that me and the other tattoo people are somewhat on the fringe of the music and art worlds, so why not do a tour on the fringe?” A notice was fired over his MySpace site, and La Botz became flooded with emails.
In September 2006, he set out to play his first “Tattoo Across America Tour,” and received ink in several cities, in more ways than one: “La Botz avoids the mainstream like a Dracula avoids the dawn,” wrote the Macon Telegraph. The hometown Los Angeles Times added: “La Botz's music may be on the fringes, but that is only because the mainstream is so out of touch with art born from American roots. His tunes are plain and homespun, and often darkly humorous.” The Chicago Sun-Times wrote: “La Botz is skilled at crafting talking-blues numbers that are pure poetry. His storytelling roots lie deep in the Delta and Piedmont, and his material is at once timeless and totally fresh.” And, added the Nashville Scene: "The songs pierce and scrape at the listener’s skin like the needle of a tattoo gun, his harsh, grainy rasp — not unlike Tom Waits’ — spewing forth blunt, morbid narratives about threadbare lives and the nearness of the grave.”
In addition to his ever-mounting indie music following, La Botz is also known to indie film connoisseurs. Director/actor Steve Buscemi cast him in Animal Factory and his later film Lonesome Jim. More recently Jake starred in Joe D’Augustine’s comedy, One Night With You, which is making the film festival circuit. He also appeared in the arthouse classic Ghost World (starring Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi) as a member of the blooze band from hell, Blues Hammer. And he just returned from 3 months in Thailand where he filmed John Rambo, fourth in the Rambo franchise, in which he plays a mercenary named Tombstone. After casting him in the role, director Sylvester Stallone heard Jake’s CD Graveyard Jones and asked him to sing two original songs on camera. The Lions Gate film is slated for theatrical release in March 2008.
La Botz is also involved in the making of his own film about music and tattoos, which he and director Jeffry Gonzales will shoot during the 21-city “Tattoo Across America Tour,” armed only with two guitars, camera equipment and a passenger car.
JAKE LA BOTZ’S SECOND ANNUAL “TATTOO ACROSS AMERICA TOUR” – FALL 2007:
Sat Sept. 15 HOLLYWOOD, CA Shamrock Social Club
Sun Sept. 16 SAN DIEGO, CA Absolute Tattoo
Mon Sept. 17 PHOENIX, AZ Incision Tattoo
Wed Sept. 19 LONGVIEW, TX Garage Art Studio
Thur Sept. 20 DALLAS, TX Fine Line Tattoo
Fri Sept. 21 AUSTIN, TX Austin Ink Fest
Sun Sept. 23 BEAUMONT, TX Tattoomania
Mon Sept. 24 JACKSON, MS The Ink Spot Gallery
Tue Sept. 25 MACON, GA Beyond Taboo Tattoo
Wed Sept. 26 TAMPA, FL Las Vegas Tattoo Co.
Fri Sept. 28 ORLANDO, FL Cast Iron Tattoo
Sun Sept. 30 ANNAPOLIS, MD (CHURCHTON) American Tattoo
Mon Oct. 1 PHILADELPHIA, PA (SKIPPACK) Liberty Tattoo
Tue Oct. 2 LONG ISLAND, NY (HOLBROOK) Electric Tiki Tattoo
Thur Oct. 4 BOSTON, MA (JAMAICA PLAIN) The Brendan Behan Pub
Fri Oct. 5 BOSTON, MA (WATERTOWN) 21 Nickels
Sat Oct. 6 SYRACUSE, NY Freaks and Geeks Tattoo
Mon Oct. 8 CLEVELAND, OH 252 Tattoo
Tue Oct. 9 CINCINNATI, OH One Shot Tattoo
Thur Oct. 11 CHICAGO, IL (UPTOWN) The Tattoo Factory
Fri Oct. 12 CHICAGO, IL (CRESTWOOD) Body By Design
Sun Oct. 14 DENVER, CO Kitchens’ Ink
Mon Oct. 15 PUEBLO, CO (WESTCLIFFE) Jacque’s Body Art
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2006
SINGER/SONGWRITER JAKE LA BOTZ TO DEBUT NEW ALBUM ON NATIONAL “TATTOO ACROSS AMERICA” TOUR WHERE TATTOO PARLORS ARE THE VENUES
20 U.S. cities targeted by the former street musician, about to release his new album, Graveyard Jones
Tour to be filmed for documentary
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Jake La Botz has stolen and lived in cars, learned to play blues from the last of the delta greats like Robert Johnson protégé David “Honeyboy” Edwards, played in a south L.A. church band, acted in indie films and even auditioned for the band Velvet Revolver. Author Jerry Stahl once said of the post-modern bluesman, “Not everybody will get [his music] because not everybody’s ready for the truth.”
Now, on the eve of the October 3 release of his new CD, Graveyard Jones (Charnel Ground Records), which he calls “a jug of condensed rock ‘n’ roll mythology waiting to be mixed with your consciousness,” Jake La Botz is about to make musical history. He will preview the album over the course of the 20-city cross-country “Tattoo Across America” tour, stopping at tattoo parlors throughout the country. The tour kicks off in Hollywood on October 7 at Mark Mahoney’s Shamrock Social Club and continues to Austin, Chicago, Cleveland, Nashville, Boston, New York, San Francisco and elsewhere through November 2nd.
La Botz, who self-administered his first tattoo at age 14 (“street style . . . India ink and sewing needle”) and has since received dozens more through his friendship with tattoo artists over the years, has garnered a following in the body-art community. “I’d been getting emails from tattoo shops and tattooed fans for a while, which made me think ‘I should really pay attention to this connection’,” he says. “I figured that me and the fans are somewhat on the fringe of the music/art world, so why not do a tour on the fringe? I put out the word of my availability, and response was more instantaneous and organic than it’s ever been.” When he put “Tattoo Across America Tour” on MySpace, he was flooded with feedback.
The recipient of critical accolades for his last album, All Soul And No Money, La Botz has a musical fan base as well as an indie-film fan base that knows him from Steve Buscemi’s Animal Factory and a new film, One Night With You (starring Michael Parks, Mark Boone Junior and La Botz), which is making the film festival circuit. He also appeared in the art-house hit Ghost World (starring Thora Burch, Scarlett Johansen and Steve Buscemi) as a member of the blooze band from hell, Blues Hammer. His latest cinematic quest is to make a documentary about the “Tattoo Across America” tour. He will bring a filmmaker along to document each stop and make a movie “about outsiders, tattoos, music and the search for community in the contemporary world.”
So with boxes of the new Graveyard Jones CD in the trunk of his car, La Botz will visit an itinerary of tattoo shops that are as legendary to tattoo people (Gil Montie’s Tattoomania, Doc Dog’s Las Vegas Tattoo Co.) as CBGB and the Whisky A Go Go are to rock ’n’ rollers. “In one sense the modern tattoo shop is like the barbershops of yesteryear,” he says. “People gather and talk about the events of the day. Also it’s become a place where you can check the pulse of modern American culture . . . a place where you’ll find young and older creative people checking in with each other and sharing information. The artist’s obligation is to get information from the other side and bring it back to share for the benefit of all. That’s why I write songs and make records and that’s why I’m doing the tattoo tour.”
The “Tattoo Across America” Tour:
OCT. 7: Shamrock Social Club – Hollywood, CA
OCT. 8: Absolute Tattoo - San Diego, CA
OCT. 9: Incision Tattoo - Phoenix area, AZ
OCT. 11: Southside Tattoo - Austin, TX
OCT. 12: Tattoomania - Beaumont, TX
OCT. 13: The Ink Spot Gallery - Jackson, MS
OCT. 14: Beyond Taboo Tattoo - Macon, GA
OCT. 15: Las Vegas Tattoo Co. - Tampa, FL
OCT. 16: Solid Image Tattoo - Orlando, FL
OCT. 20: Fat Ram's Pumpkin Tattoo - Boston, MA
OCT. 22: 252 Tattoo - Cleveland, OH
Dates for the following and other venues will be announced shortly:
Chicago, IL - Body By Design
Chicago, IL – Chess Records Studio
Cincinnati, OH - One Shot Tattoo
Nashville, TN - Lone Wolf Body Art
Salem, OR - All American Tattoo
Hollywood, CA - True Tattoo# # #
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