Mike Edison and his gorilla friend by Todd Kancar
Outlaw writer and provocateur Mike Edison lit up Bowery Electric Wednesday with his signature blend of literature, punk rock and mayhem to celebrate the release of both paper and spoken-word versions of his book, I Have Fun Everywhere I Go: Savage Tales of Pot, Porn, Punk Rock, Pro Wrestling, Talking Apes, Evil Bosses, Dirty Blues, American Heroes, and the Most Notorious Magazines in the World
.With musical backing from the Jon Spencer-led Boss Hog, Edison read samplings of his tales with the manic energy of Allen Ginsberg and the sparkling eyes of a madman. "Never underestimate the dramatic impact of a couple of D-cup strippers getting it on in football helmets and heels!" he rasped. Nearby, a friendly gorilla handed out White Castle burgers.
Edison then ceded the mic to bombshell singer Cristina Martinez, and the band launched into a set of gritty blues-punk anthems that had lost none of their sexy sneer over the years. Clad in tight leather pants and indestructible voice, Martinez owned the stage. Out in the crowd, the gorilla danced around and stole people's drinks.
"That came to me in a dream," said Edison. "Keith Richards writes songs from his dreams, and I have gorillas serving White Castle." What of the ape's disruptive behavior? "A good gorilla is hard to find." Where had he had the most fun in recent memory? "I managed two female wrestlers in Brooklyn under the name Lord Zeppelin...for Christmas, we had a match that was nymphomaniac elves versus Santa Claus. Jesus interfered, and they beat him with a plastic sheep." Where else? "There was a brothel in Mexico City, but it's too soon to talk about."
Edison greeted a sweaty, post-show Spencer. "I have fun everywhere I go because of people like Jon Spencer," he said. "No—I have fun everywhere I go because of Jon Spencer."
What about you, Jon Spencer? Where have you had the most fun with Edison?
"I'm kind of a miserable wretch but I've been to his wrestling matches and that was fun."
Edison proffered a flyer for his upcoming Brooklyn tour. "No one has ever done a tour of Brooklyn." What had inspired him to? "That's where the people are. I will read while flipping burgers in Red Hook. You should come!"
