_ The Bunnay Incident – Appendix r
Posts from the ESS Blog
loren - Posted: Sunday October 28, 2007 3:14 pm
Enjoyed the show last night. Looking forward to seeing photos.
the_viirus - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 12:05 am
I did the best i could to get pictures of as many costumes as possible. I urge anyone with pictures or footage of the Bunnay related incident to withhold posting them. You all have been part of a joke at the expense of Chris Miller and Heart of Darkness. BUNNAY DID NOT PERFORM and was never intent on performing. By posting pictures or footage of the non-performance, you will be glorifying what seems to be an act of sabotage. I have deleted all photos related to the Bunnay entourage and non-performance. I see them as a glorification of a joke that went too far at the expense of people that actually have to take responsibility for the joke. I guess this is the last of Bunnay. I feel sorry for the people who had their hands in this.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 9:35 am
Bunny...was fucking brilliant. I'm sorry, but that was one amazing show. There was a giant fucking bunny rabbit playing very demented ambience on a little kid's keytar with a hot Asian bunny running around the whole time. There was the whole club running outside to shake & attempt to pick up Bunnay's limo. There was Bunnay running around the parking lot in sparkling red underwear, pretending (?) to piss on the building, tackling people into the limo. AND YOU CLAIM THERE WAS NO SHOW!? I disagree. I must give credit to a well executed performance; even if it was 'performance art' instead of 'live electronic music'....It was one of the most bizarre & brilliant things I've ever witnessed.
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 11:45 am
And then, there was the Bünnay fiasco... Sadly, this was not at all the performance that was expected or agreed upon. For those of you that were forced to endure the 25+ minutes of sonic annoyance and false anticipation, I apologize profusely. I also want to apologize to the Heart of Darkness folks for having to put them through this level of nonsense. Some of you had witnessed the two previous Bünnay performances and know that this is not what was supposed to have happened. The team behind the Bünnay experience apparently subscribes to the Andy Kaufman school of comedy, and thrive on the alienation, confusion and disrespect of the audience. As far as I am concerned, this is the very last time I will deal with either of them on a professional level. In plain terms, Bünnay will never be booked by Electronic SubSouth again. As a representative of Electronic SubSouth, I take full responsibility for this. I was not at all aware until 20 minutes into their "performance" that there was indeed no intention at all for Bünnay herself to actually take the stage. Not only was this the performance artists' grand joke on the audience, but this was also a joke on me. So... if anyone feels slighted (as I do) by the Bünnay incident, I will gladly reimburse you for your entry cost for the evening ($5 with costume / $7 without costume). If you were one of the few who "got it": then good for you. Otherwise, please contact me and I will make arrangements to get the money to you.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 11:56 am
I can see where some would be upset, since many were expecting a more conventional musical performance. But really… conventional? Is that what you go to ESS shows for? 1: You put a show in the hands of those two. And lets not pretend on identities. If you've ever seen either Bunnay or Dog in other personas live then you should expect mayhem, confusion & alienation of many. 2: I thought the music was amazing in some fucked up way & a fitting background to the bizarre happenings. 3: I would certainly consider booking Bunnay for a future event of some really abstract sort. I had a great time & hope we all aren’t starting to take ourselves too seriously. Thanks to everyone for happy times all night!
starrfire - Monday October 29, 2007 12:04 pm
I enjoyed the evening- even the non-performance of Bunnay’s - and I happen to think Andy Kauffman was brilliant...
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 12:41 pm
I know you guys "got it", but I'm posting this public apology anyway. This is mainly directed to the majority of folks not at all familiar with the notoriety of Bunnay, her contract rider, the Miller/Frog "Fluxus" performance art collective, etc. Personally, I thought it was brilliant and the logical evolution (?) of the Bunnay character. But, as a promoter I did also feel that it was unnecessary and indeed a sabotaging of the evening. A lot of people were/are pissed off at me, my professional relationship with Heart of Darkness has been affected, and I question whether the Goth community is going to want to come to future events. If you hadn't noticed, attendance for all of our shows has been decreasing and this fiasco will definitely have an impact on our future. We all have a hard enough time as it is keeping things going, and alienating the audience is the last thing we need.
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 1:19 pm
Quote:
BUNNAY DID NOT PERFORM and was never intent on performing.
I disagree. Bünnay did in fact perform, but very poorly and at the expense of the audience, the event organizers and the venue. They might as well have shown up drunk, cursed at the audience through a cordless microphone, and stormed out when people didn't react in the way they were expecting. I hyped and hyped the Bünnay performance for weeks and a lot of people felt let down. This whole "anti-performance" had supposedly been planned two years in advance. I was purposely kept out of the loop because the duo involved knew I would not have been ok with the way they were going to do it, not the fact that they did it. Lately I have been dealing with bands flaking on shows, so this is a bit of a sore spot with me. Also, I feel that there could have been some sort of resolution in the performance (ie, Bunnay finally taking the stage for even a minute to at least address the audience). If I had been let in on the plans I would have arranged the show differently.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 2:13 pm
Aside from the people involved in ESS who took this somewhat personally, I don’t think anyone was actually upset by the events. Perhaps really, really, REALLY confused but i think many people come to ESS shows because it’s the only thing in Gainesville you can actually be surprised by! I would hope no one would let a single bizarre performance sever a business relationship, especially when pulled off so well. Its not like the night got out of hand or went badly. Man+Machine is what the Goth crowd came out for and they put on a great show. Viirus & Vox played great stuff. Honestly I heard more complaints about Mr. Spagandy heckling during a Ministry song than about the whole bunnay set. Speaking of… he was like Super-Spagandy with the heckling on Saturday! BOOOOOOOO!
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 2:52 pm
Ooooo... trust me, people were pissed. I had to hear it during the Bunnay performance as well as while I was cleaning up after the show. There were those who "got it" and those who "didn't get it". I have to side with the majority who "didn't get it", because that's my role as event organizer. For different views on this controversy, you may also want to check out the threads on the ESS myspace blog, Gainesville Goth, and GBdC. I think you'll see where my concerns lie on one of the above forums. Also, here's a selected MySpace bulletin, from River:
Quote:
Bunnay = awful show
Bunnay was horrible. All he did was piss on the side of the building and be a jackass. He never even got onstage. After we bought him expensive gin per his RIDICULOUS rider and we got him skittles too. I even shaved some ice for him, Bastard! Well, I dripped water in his damn skittles - and the zodiac killer left a clothesline on his pillow while he slept... and a vampire bit his girlfriend's neck - so HA!
Again, from the perspective of an event organizer, this is what I have to contend with. Pissed people = smaller returning audience. Now, from the Frog/Tom Miller perspective... pissed people = mission accomplished. What I'm trying to do versus what they are trying to do are two polar opposite ideals. But, in retrospect I knew what I was getting myself into when dealing with them. They thrive on burning bridges and being "controversial"... the polarization of opinions on this event is what they are hoping for. I'm assuming a video is being edited right now. Good for them, bad for us. I don't like being used or purposefully deceived. I'll write a more detailed personal account later.
ironing - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 4:30 pm
Quote:
After we bought him expensive gin per his RIDICULOUS rider and we got him skittles too. I even shaved some ice for him.
Oh COME ON! How could anyone take that Contract Rider seriously? Wasn't the Contract Rider itself one giant clue? And if the Contract Rider was taken so seriously, then what about the requirement #9, which is a pretty direct notice of intent.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 4:38 pm
Thank you, Ironing.
And really... What did bunnay do last time he 'performed'? Oh yeah: A giant rabbit stood on stage & played a keytar, there was too much smoke, & Bunnay did nothing but pose, look dumb, & piss on a wall. What was different about this year? Are these people REALLY that upset they didn’t get to see his sparkly red underwear-clad ass doing a silly dance? I mean there was still music, still pissing, still fog. I thought that was what Bunnay WAS! THE ONLY DIFFERENCE was that at Club Red, he had to be inside the club to cause a ruckus. This time, he could do so inside AND outside the club. I expected him to walk inside as well, but really what would we have gained besides seeing far more of Tom's legs than anyone wanted to? In case no one noticed last year: HE DIDNT DO ANYTHING THEN EITHER! Someone PLEASE tell me exactly what we missed out on by Bunnay staying outside!!!
Koabra - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 8:13 pm
Not to sound like an ass but.... Bunnay should have performed... period... no matter what the joke is. I would have to say I "got it", but I was just annoyed by this event. I walked out 20 min into this stupid routine...I paid money to see Bunnay and he did not play...If I was not involved with ESS or Chris miller ...I would never come back to another ESS show... this is ridiculous... I would never agree to perform...If I did not intend to play. I would have to agree with Chris...that...We are trying to gain support; Not offend or piss off anyone in the process. I look at what ESS does as serious... and this kind of "joke" is not funny to me. I think we lost a lot of respect and fans from this "fiasco". I hope people don't think this is what they should expect from an ESS Show!
loren - Posted: Tuesday October 30, 2007 12:52 am
There were two stages Saturday Night. Dog played the music inside (which I still enjoyed), and Bunnay went loopy outside. Aside from split stages, I feel that I experienced a good performance. Bunnay is a wild card. I think anyone who has seen him before should have known this going in. I don't understand the big shock. I had a great time and felt that it was 5 dollars well spent. I'm more disappointed that Bunnay won't be asked to perform next year.
ess - Posted: Tuesday October 30, 2007 2:58 pm
Quote:
Someone PLEASE tell me exactly what we missed out on by Bunnay staying outside!
Those of us who have witnessed the "Bünnay" experience before were pleased for the most part. I got it. It made sense to me and I thought it was a brilliant conclusion to this character. But this same conclusion was reached by only a small minority of people attending that evening. Overall I feel the Bünnay performance was executed very sloppily, and failed in its execution. Here's why: I approached the Miller/Frog team during the summer about taking part in an upcoming ESS event, which at that time was supposed to have been Solder 6. They were both very excited and agreed to do it. This was to have been another opportunity for them to seriously revisit this character that they had initially introduced on two mostly ignored occasions in 2005, and again during the more memorable Electronic SubSouth Show 10. When I moved it back to be a focus of the Halloween show it made even more sense. The previous year they had prepared a teaser video, and Sean Monistat had prepared a cool "Wanted" poster in order to help with the promotion of their event. The whole idea here was that The Fest 5 had all of their big-name bands, so in response we also had our own infamous and legendary big-name act for our own Fest 5 ESS Showcase. There was the also now-infamous "contract/rider" which was purposely "leaked" in order to stir up interest and an air of mystique. Electronic SubSouth collaborated in conjunction with the Miller/Frog team to make this work. After this successful night, I handed over the video footage I had shot and they made sure to distribute it heavily over the next few months in various forms (ie the Tom Miller Show, MedicineFilms.com, MyspaceTV, YouTube, etc.). The perpetuation of the Bünnay myth was furthered because of this combined effort. Over the next few months leading up to the show I asked Tom and Frog if they needed anything, and that I was looking forward to their performance. As the days drew closer to INFEST, I was getting a bit worried that I had heard of no promotional progress from either of them. In my encounters with both of them they just nodded, smiled and didn't say much. Tom was going through a personal loss the week before the show, and I made sure to offer my support whenever I saw him. I chalked up his apparent apathy to that, but even before the fact he seemed very disinterested when I gave him INFEST handbills to pass out. The prospect of another promotional campaign was discussed with each of them on several occasions, but was shrugged off and the topic avoided altogether.
In the meantime, I was left with the promotion of "Bünnay" to deal with on my own. This was very disheartening as it was difficult trying to sell a new crowd based on a confusing and low-quality video, and a myspace page that hadn't been updated since January 17, 2007. My explanations to my Heart of Darkness partners and to people I gave out handbills as to what to expect from this "Bünnay" character were met with confused faces and mixed interest. This year's contract-rider was not received by Electronic SubSouth until the morning of the show itself. The promotion this time around absolutely failed. As I was crunched for time, I had to rely on my Heart of Darkness partners to purchase the needed contract/rider essentials. At 9:30pm they were in fact shaving the ice with one of Lenny's borrowed ice shavers. The required venue temperature, large bag of Skittles Bite-Sized candy, pint sized bottle of Seagram's Extra Dry Gin, specific instructions to the master of ceremonies, security safeguards, dressing room preparations, etc. were all met despite the last-minute notice. The dropped-off fog machine had not been plugged in and I personally had to correct this incompetence by manning it myself for the first 10 minutes of the performance. During Mr. Spagandy's intro, I was actually very nervous. I wanted to take all of this very seriously, as if Bünnay was an actual world-renowned entertainer that I had to accommodate. When Mr. Spagandy continued referring to Bünnay as "he" and "him" I pleaded for him correct himself with "her" or "it" instead. It seemed onstage as if he were ignoring me. When he encouraged the audience to leave the venue and bang on/shake the limo, I was actually pissed with Mr. Spagandy for ignoring the previously agreed upon contractual needs. Up to the evening of the show we were all expecting to see more "Bünnay". It can very easily be stated, "Well, what did you expect?" after the fact. But... we did not actually get to see "Bünnay". When Dog finally emerged from the limo and took the stage I was very relieved. I heard Frog through his costume proclaim "awesome!" as he walked into a room filled with smoke machine smoke. I even took his "thumbs up" cue and ran to the sound guy in order to get their music going. At that point I followed Mr. Spagandy back to the dressing room to express my concerns for him having blown it. As he was removing his costume, he said: "Miller, I hope you're not mad at me for this...". Then it was all revealed to me how the Miller/Frog team had planned one month in advance for Bünnay not to ever take the stage. Brilliant, right? Wrong. When you have people coming up to you saying "What's happening?" at our Fest 5 showcase and then Bünnay takes the stage, it becomes a memorable event which lives on through infamy. One can actually boast "You should have been there!". On the other hand, when you have your partners coming up to you saying that it's bullshit, and people who came to see a mysterious show based on assurances, asking "What's happening?"... and then the club pulls the plug and the limo drives off... then it makes no sense at all to anyone except for the 10 of us who were there the last time. A "manager" for Bünnay should have made an appearance at some point in order to confront the event's organizer (me) concerning an obligation which was not met (ie the marquee not saying "Bünnay" would have been perfect). A representative of Bünnay should have taken the stage to announce that he would not be playing and why. Maybe even Bünnay herself should have walked in, taken the stage, and said something along the lines of "I'm not doing this show!” How about some propaganda pamphlets left at the venue stating something along the lines of "Stay Tuned for Bünnay's Response!"
Tom Miller's "crap-art" philosophy of doing things last-minute and half-assed is what ruined the Bünnay performance. He and Frog co-opted an Electronic SubSouth show by keeping me (and by default, Heart of Darkness) purposefully out of the loop. He knows how difficult it has been for me to sustain these events, and for him to be so self-serving in the execution of their anti-performance left the audience confused and angry... and most importantly, without relief of some sort. Had there been an attempted promotional effort on the part of the Miller/Frog team, had there been collaboration with the event's organizer, had there been the much-needed propaganda and hype in order to re-introduce "Bünnay" to a new audience after a full year's absence, had there been basic consideration and respect for everyone outside their camp who paid to see them... then I would have no sympathy for those who just didn't "get it". Instead, this was a self-masturbatory exercise on the part of both Tom Miller and Frog at the expense of the audience, the event organizers, and the venue. There was also an exclusionary "secret" after-party for the conspirators of the so-called "Bünnay Incident" instead of us all getting to hang around together and party/reminisce about the evening's events together. This level of intended disrespect and deceit on their part, borders on a collective Antisocial Personality Disorder. The self-centered pair crossed the line on this one. Now I'm forced to play "damage-control". As the large majority of people at the INFEST show were from the Goth community, will they return for future shows... not only by Electronic SubSouth, but also Metric System and Action Research? My partnership with Heart of Darkness may (possibly) be damaged and I'm going to have to spend my time trying to get them to trust my word, rather than enjoy collaborating with them on future shows. Luckily the venue thought it was weird and bizarre and didn't really know what was going on. Imagine if this show had been at way-too-serious Common Grounds or The Atlantic? I knew what I was getting myself into. My faith in the pair was undeserved and I accept full responsibility for this mess. Still, I am very disappointed. I was serious when I said that I will never work with Frog or Tom Miller on a professional level again. Pat Pagano was right when he told me I shouldn't trust Tom Miller... but I've always been an optimistic person when it comes to giving people a chance.
Quote:
Oh COME ON! How could anyone take that Contract Rider seriously? Wasn't the Contract Rider itself one giant clue? And if the Contract Rider was taken so seriously, then what about the requirement #9, which is a pretty direct notice of intent.
Via their sloppy execution of the show, Bünnay insulted their audience. If it had been approached with a thoughtful attempt at planning and promotion then the "insult" would have been funny, understood, and part of the show. Now all we have is a posted after-the-fact contract/rider that no one but us knows about, an insignificant handful of people who "got it" based solely on having attended a previous show, a video which (still) makes no sense and is going to be seen by no one (but us), and Tom Miller basking in his pseudo-psychopathic glory while re-posting all of our comments on a borrowed computer. Do not insult your audience.
adikt - Posted: Wednesday October 31, 2007 12:42 pm
I understand why you are upset a bit more now Chris, but I still think the humor in it is that people were taken aback & actually made upset. Do these people even know what they are upset about? They don’t know that whole story unless you tell them, so I ask what THEY were expecting? Perhaps the lack of promotions & hype was so that everyone saved a little face in the end. Also, I saw Bunnay. I have some pictures of him, though very blurry because he was running around in sparkling red underwear on the side of Main Street. Apparently those that stayed outside as we were told to do got to see bunnay "perform"... even followed by Bunnay stating, "That’s your performance. That’s all you get!" I can see why ESS would not work with this team again, but I would certainly like to... if I can figure out something that would fit a Bunnay performance (no easy task!)
ess - Posted: Wednesday October 31, 2007 1:00 pm
Just for the record, I hold only the two main conspirators accountable for this. I do not expect either of them to apologize, admit any wrongdoing, or much less even attempt to understand mine or the audience's point of view. They are far too prideful and self-motivated for that. Mr. Spagandy is on my shit list, but he will be forgiven. Everyone else, don't sweat it... I love you. I just wanted to post this blog (and the others) so we could have an open discussion. I appreciate everyone's varied points of view and value that tremendously. Again, I'm not pissed off... just disappointed.
ess - Posted: Wednesday October 31, 2007 1:29 pm
Quote:
I understand why you are upset a bit more now, Chris, but I still think the humor in it is that people were taken aback & actually made upset. Do these people even know what they are upset about? They don’t know that whole story unless you tell them, so I ask what THEY were expecting???
But that's the mess I'm left with now. It's like we threw a party and they trashed the place and pissed the other guests off so much that they may not ever want to associate with us again. We'll see. I will never apologize for the excess smoke machine smoke, the annoying and overly-lengthy sonic noise Frog emits, the fact that barely any effort is put into making it look as if Dog is even actually playing (ie keytar not actually plugged in, fingers not moving), the audience's perception that Bünnay isn't really doing anything, people not "getting it", etc. There were four previous Bünnay performances. For the character to take such a radical departure from what the audience was expecting needed a lot of care and planning put into it. Tom Miller is fully capable of producing pure gold, but this was just him being sloppy and half-assed. I gave them over three months to prepare their show and they blew it. The alleged "sabotage" may not have been intentional, but I don't appreciate their unprofessional behavior all the same.
People believe in Tom and what he does. He's a supremely talented and original person. He's a self-professed legend in Gainesville and has been a huge supporter of ESS and all of the experimental/electronic music community. I however do not respect that he used one of our events to further his own already-bloated ego:
Quote:
"I tell you, this is the first day I've felt good in a long long time."
Is being despised and arrogant really a goal one wants to pursue?
Quote:
I urge anyone with pictures or footage of the Bunnay related incident to withhold posting them
I have to disagree with Adam here. While I feel disgusted that Tom is feeding off of the negative attention, this is not a surprise. This is who he is and how he's always operated. That said, I strongly feel that this event (and all events) should be documented as much as possible. Good or bad, they still happened and it's a part of history.
The Bunnay Incident – Appendix r
Supplemental Posts from the ESS MySpace Blog
I said it personally, but why not say it here too? No refunds! Live shows should not be a "satisfaction guaranteed" deal.
If no one likes that, then take it up with the performers and not the arrangers. It's not the booking agents' fault if the live act decides to suck on someone else's time.
In other words, blame Bunnay, and NOT the ESS group. Period.
Posted by El Zombo on Oct 29, 2007 12:30 PM
You were not even there, el LAME-BO. :-)
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 29, 2007 4:58 PM
I agree with El Zombo.
Posted by Andrew on Oct 29, 2007 12:42 PM
Bunnay, if ur reading this, ur coming with me. k?
Posted by Bonz Xylophone on Oct 29, 2007 12:44 PM
This is a horrible situation where you expect one thing and get something from left field... that is something that a serious act would never do
Posted by sean (is damn lucky) on Oct 29, 2007 1:25 PM
It was more brilliant than F'd up, in my opinion,
and everyone has one!
I’d go to it again...
Thank you for an interesting night!
Posted by What about Bob on Oct 29, 2007 2:00 PM
It's too bad if some people did not 'get' the performance by Bunnay at the Infest show at The Backstage Lounge this past Saturday.
There was a stage performance by the band of superb sonic significance.
The crowd loved Bunnay’s performance and got to be a part of it instead of the usual passivity.
It appears you take yourself too seriously.
By the way Chris, Bünnay is a 'male' character.
Posted by Rx on Oct 29, 2007 2:16 PM
It is easy for you to say we might be taking ourselves too seriously. We are musicians trying to create a community for people who share similar interests. I feel sorry that you took part in the sabotage of a show involving people who actually have to take responsibility for these actions.
It was an inarticulate and unreasonable joke on people who consider Tom Miller to be an ally. Apparently we were sorely mistaken.
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 29, 2007 4:53 PM
I really don't think anyone should be apologizing, especially not Bunnay. Or ESS. Bunnay was booked and gave what sounds like quite the Bunnay performance! People paid to go see Bunnay. They were given Bunnay in true Bunnay form. Perhaps those who are surprised / disappointed should have done more research into what they were paying to attend?
Some of you had witnessed the two previous Bünnay performances and know that this is not what was supposed to have happened.
While I was not there, it doesn't sound like too far of a stretch from the two performances I saw. Does it make a difference if it's posturing onstage or posturing outside? Dog & dancer were still doing their thing. I bet the music was still playing and the fog was still blowing. From what I hear it seems like Bunnay's presence was just as strong as it has ever been without even setting foot on the stage.
What transpired sounds like it was perfect for a Halloween show: weird, bizarre, and totally unexpected. I'm surprised this wasn't more fully embraced for what it was rather than what was expected. Wouldn't have fulfilling the Bunnay expectation been easy? Isn't it more fun to set those expectations on their head, especially in honor of the Night of Tricks?? IT'S HALLOWEEN, PEOPLE! How about we let things get freaking weird for a moment?
I'm so sorry I missed this. I expect that it will be talked about for quite some time to come... just like the last performances.
Everyone who was there should count themselves lucky.
In my opinion, anyone who takes Chris up on his generous and unnecessary offer of a refund is a putz.
Keep Gainesville interesting and encourage stuff like this, don't squash it.
Posted by Action Research on Oct 29, 2007 2:21 PM
Bullshit!
Give ‘em Tom Miller’s Fucking phone number!
I understand Fluxus performance as well as anyone.
I regret not being there now as I knew his co-opting of ESS was self servicing and eventually going to be detrimental.
Posted by humans need lumens on Oct 29, 2007 3:34 PM
Last time I saw Tom Miller's cell phone, he was trying to smash it during "The Hook" at Common Grounds after a lengthy rant about it. Its final resting place was in a FULL pint of beer.
Posted by Lazy Js Gato Ranch on Oct 29, 2007 5:17 PM
I have to say I'm floored to see more support for Bünnay in these responses than for ESS. Sure, these are valid opinions, but if these people think that was a brilliant show, they can pay $5 to come over to my apartment, watch me make dinner and then practice bass scales. It will be pure genius.
Normally, I wouldn't really care about a performer playing anyone in this town for a rube... but I really like you and I like what you do... you have a sincere love for this sort of thing so I just feel it was tacky for "Bünnay" to do this.
Then again, Tom Miller is basically the human incarnation of the episode of Wonder Showzen you watch once then skip through. This was my final ESS show as I'm relocating to the Los Angeles area but I wanted to thank you for actually putting on decent shows in a dead town. Watching someone take advantage of one of the few promoters with taste in this city just reminds me of how shitty Gainesville is and why I'm leaving in the first place. If you ever get tired of these townie lifers, you should head out West. You can't walk five feet without bumping into a synth punk group in LA...and unlike the acts in this city, they actually perform!
Posted by Encolpio Snaporaz on Oct 29, 2007 4:33 PM
i support ESS & Chris knows it. So does everyone else or they wouldn’t have been there. I just think we all are taking this too seriously. And again, what was left out of the performance exactly? What were you hoping to see???
Posted by Adikt on Oct 29, 2007 4:40 PM
I wasn't there to see Bünnay, so I wasn't disappointed as far as the show is concerned. I was disappointed because the joke seemed to be at Chris's expense more so than the audience’s, and I thought it was kind of lame. I'm really no part of this scene, this is a total outsider's perspective, but I've seen the work Chris puts into these shows and this performance cost him money that Tom Miller gladly accepted and Chris is now refunding. That's a shame. People should cut their losses and not request a refund, I'm with you there 100%...I just think the Bünnay camp could have chosen a better target for their art or comedy or whatever they tell their mothers they're involved with. I mean, personally, I'd not be giving refunds, so Chris is a better man than me. I'd also be knocking the shit out of a few rabbits until I got my money back, but I guess that's just my brand of comedy.
Posted by Encolpio Snaporaz on Oct 29, 2007 4:53 PM
I ask again...WHAT IS BUNNAY'S PERFORMANCE? Last year everyone loved him. All that happened at Club Red was Dog playing the same keytar music, Kitty Kat shaking her , & Bunnay doing the exact same thing but in front of the crowd.
In case you missed him flailing around just outside the wide open door, it looked just like his dancing on stage last year. Was everyone expecting some Bowie style singing or something, because I was hoping I didn’t have to hear Tom sing at all!
In all seriousness, what exactly did you hope for from the Bunnay character?
Also, I feel that anyone who asks for their money back or suggests they got ripped off is seriously insulting not only Chris Miller, but Man+Machines, Viirus, Vox & Spagandy... not to mention Dog, who did actually play a wonderful abstract masterpiece using only a child's keyar while people were busy being upset.
I more than got my monies worth! :D
Posted by Adikt on Oct 29, 2007 8:44 PM
That’s the thing. The performance is already a joke; Dog does nothing but pose on stage to a CD.
There are actually SONGS that tom performs. This was an insult because the people who have seen Bunnay perform are expecting to see it again... possibly with different music or weirdness. There was not the tension of a performer possibly not performing. The people not versed in bunnay, even if they know it is a joke, were treated to nothing close to what bunnay became known for.
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 30, 2007 12:09 AM
BEST BUNNAY PERFORMANCE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Mr. Spagandy on Oct 29, 2007 11:27 PM
I agree with myself!!! This will be one of the most Memorable performances Electronic SubSouth has ever graced us with. And just look at all the little girls on this blog, fighting about it!!! It is a performance within a performance! The performance that keeps on giving!
Posted by Mr. Spagandy on Oct 30, 2007 6:12 AM
Quit patting yourself on the back. I am disappointed, saddened, and even enraged that you had a hand in this.
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 30, 2007 4:30 PM
Any performer that keeps the event planners in the dark and seemingly does something only a drunk jerk would do, deserves to be condemned, not praised.
I missed this entire nightmare and I am glad.
The fact nobody knew what was going on is unprofessional, and pissing on a wall is for drunken frat boys.
As a performer who has done seemingly unplanned things for various shows, you have to let the planners, and staff, know what to expect. If not, you come off as an ass and possibly loose connections and a venue to play. This almost happened to me when I "smashed" someone’s head with a rigged pumpkin many years ago. The owner’s son was not informed and he called the cops. It took 4 hours to clear up the event to the police.
I am sorry for having left early. I saw the limo pull up as I was driving out. The night before had killed my brain and I needed to sleep. But after reviewing what every one has said, I am happy to have not seen the B person.
I would place money on the fact they are happy with the banter created. I suggest stop using the performer’s name.
Posted by SARCASTIC on Oct 30, 2007 8:00 AM
I was there.
Even IF she had performed, Bunnay would have been going onstage about 1:35 AM
and been shut down by the bar in about 15 minutes.
If you paid $5 to see that show, that's about $1.23 worth of music you
"missed".
I’m not a promoter, nor associated with ESS, but if ANYONE asks for that much
back, I will personally pay it out of my pocket.
For the most part, a good time was had by all.
Posted by What about Bob on Oct 30, 2007 9:38 AM
I saw the Bunnay performance at club Red. Dog stood onstage with a keytar, creating smoke & Tom took about 15 minutes to get onstage, danced around very silly-like & screamed his own name some. Am I missing anything? What was different in this case besides that everyone had a lot of fun shaking his limo & chanting in the parking lot. I have pictures of that. Not a single upset face. Only smiles on about 30 faces.
It was a perfectly planned & surgical execution of what the performer was doing! It just wasn’t really playing live EDM. But that was never the intent. Also, the pissing was in Bunnay's contract, so no one is allowed to get upset over that part. It says so. He has diplomatic immunity! lol.
I support ESS for creating what scene we have & making it work very well.
I support Bunnay for being a group of bizarre & brilliant performance artists.
Cheers!
Posted by Adikt on Oct 30, 2007 10:11 AM
I see nothing planned about not letting the venue or the promoters know what to expect.
Posted by SARCASTIC on Nov 1, 2007 8:50 AM
Please don't be angry, Christopher Miller. I tried to warn you. Bunnay was in a terrible mood that night because of the Marquee incident. I tried and tried to get him onstage and I feel I have suffered most of all. He yelled and screamed at me, I was tossed around like some European plaything, and it was entirely unfair!
I hope that in time, we will be able to earn your trust back. But as you know, neither Dog, nor I, have the power to Control Bunnay! My pleas were real that night. Everyone is misunderstood when they speak of some "joke". If you feel "tricked", then no doubt, I was too!!
Posted by KittyKat on Oct 31, 2007 2:13 AM
Wow!!! Looks like the old Dad and Mom missed some wild and crazy things. But, we just went back to the campground at Payne's Prairie and went to sleep. As you recall, I was at Club Red for the Fest in '06 and saw Bünnay... not very impressed ... just a bunch of smoke... not even any mirrors.
Posted by Johnny Tectonic on Nov 5, 2007 11:07 PM
There is so much irony in this thread, it's insane.
So the host, who insults bands to their face and pretends to be another person who hates electronic music, is forgiven? The same dude who assaulted the viirus during a live performance?
Whereas, Tom Miller and Frog Whateverhislastnameis -- both electronic musicians and performance artists for many years -- are the villains? Didn’t tom and frog do a promotional video for ESS at the shamrock? I’m sure I saw it.
And hasn't tom featured electronic artists for years at his shows, and broadly championed the ESS scene?
Aren’t bunnay shows among the best attended events of ESS?
And what of the earlier poster who claimed the only reason he'll keep coming to shows is because he's friends with Chris Miller? What does that say of his commitment to the scene?
And wasn't it really two shows in one? The rabbit performed for 34 minutes. I found the music and the atmosphere spellbinding. And the other show in the parking lot, what a hoot. Did they rent the limo? Were they even paid?
No, they're the villains that promote ESS by way of ironic performance art, just like the Spagandy, and just like other ESS performers who combine great music with costumes, and performance art.
Talk about shitting in your own house!
p.s.
I love the Viirus' music and performance, but what a whiner.
and Pat Pagano, we're all happy you know the word, Fluxus. But the Latin meaning of the word is, to flow. Nothing flowed about that show. It was a controversial fiasco; A wonderful controversial fiasco. I’ll be coming to many more shows. ESS forever!
Chris, good luck with future shows. I hope you iron things out with all the animals.
The Potato has Spoken
Posted by Mr. on Oct 31, 2007 3:11 PM
Mr. Spagandy and I work together on his character and how we're going to approach the events. The incident with The Viirus was dealt with based on our long-standing friendship and mutual collaboration.
Yes, Tom Miller has been very supportive of our local electronic/music scene but somehow this did not prevent him from showboating at the expense of the audience. You're right to point this out as it made no sense.
Yes, there was a promotional video done last year for the October 27, 2006 show. Nothing at all was prepared for this year's event. No promotional help, no press release, no teaser video, no collaboration... just back-handed sneakiness. More time over the past four days has been put into the self-promotion of "Tom Miller" than should have been during the three-and-a-half months leading up to INFEST. This includes your above self-serving "anonymous" post, the video no one has watched except for you and your buddies, the contract/rider that was sent out the night before the show (and only made public after-the-fact), numerous self-motivated blog entries, and further fostering tension between people who once trusted and believed in you.
No, the Bunnay shows were not the "best attended events of ESS". They should have been but they weren't. This is why it was important for the promotional process to have been taken seriously rather than completely ignored on the part of the Miller/Frog team. They needed to (re)introduce the "Bunnay" character to a totally new crowd, but they instead relied on the small handful of personal friends and even smaller group of folks who had been at the Club Red show to understand what was going on. Everyone else was just left with "What happened?" and feeling like they had been taken advantage of. So, as long as their buddies "got it" then fuck everyone else? That's not how I prefer to operate. I appreciate my audience and do not wish to insult them.
There was no earlier poster claiming "The only reason he'll keep coming to shows is because he's friends with Chris Miller".
Yes, it was really two shows in one. That, and Bunnay not taking the stage, were fantastic concepts and I wish more people had understood what was going on. Too bad secretive planning and keeping the show's organizer purposefully in the dark prevented everyone from witnessing something truly unique and brilliant. Imagine if there had been a teaser video for this year's performance, with some kind of foreshadowing of tension? Or maybe if there had been a manager character come in to confront the show's organizer (me)? Or how about a representative of Bunnay taking the stage to explain he wasn't going to perform because the word, "Bunnay", wasn't on the marquee? Or propaganda flyers distributed by KittyKat instructing people to watch the planned, "Bunnay's Response", video within the following days. Or imagine something as simple as logging into Bunnay's myspace account, between January 18, 2007 - October 26, 2007, and posting a simple comment or even just updating the page?
What a waste of potential. Instead it was just some faceless guy/girl(?) who no one ever heard of, who drove up in a limo, refused to come inside while a giant rabbit annoyed the confused audience with smoke machine smoke and noise for 25+ minutes, and then drove away after the club shut us down.
- Continued -
We already did this show in July 2007 and the band was called Dandi Wind. No thanks. It could have been good ironic art, but instead it was left as sloppy half-assed "crap-art" that just pissed people off. Two shows in one should not have been the "Tom Miller Show" hijacks an ESS / Heart of Darkness event. It should have been a collaboration as had been in 2006.
"Were they even paid?" They could have been, but they left to go to their secret exclusionary party rather than participate of a collective effort. I paid (out of my pocket) for the needed items in the contract/rider, gas money for the visiting band, Mr. Spagandy, the black Visqueen, some of the candy, food for one of the band members, flyers, Mr. Spagandy's new hat, and a few other items. I would have gladly paid for the limo and anything else that was needed. My partners in this venture (who you never talked to or met) were in charge of dealing with the money and they were also the people who you slighted. Everyone who worked together on this event got paid, Except for me, as I do it for the love of the event and the live electronic music scene. Did Tom Miller pay his co-conspirators for his part of the event?
Tom Miller shit in our house. Will he clean it up?
A "Fluxus" performance is supposed to be a "fun" event. I doubt that means fun for the person doing it and not for everyone else. Tom Miller's quote, "I tell you, this is the first day I've felt good in a long long time," says it all. Fun at the expense of your audience is just being a jerk.
I'd now like it if everyone were to turn their attention to Tom Miller's web presence, where he thrives on the controversy he has stirred up:
- Tom Miller’s Web Site Here -
There, you will notice a series of non-credited photos, cut-and-pasting from various other sites' blogs, and discussion boards on the event (including the above one by "potato"), self-promotion, arrogance and pride.
Tom, I'll get over this quicker if you'll set your ego aside for a moment and try to actually understand what has happened. I'm not pissed off at you, but at this rate I soon will be.
Posted by Electronic SubSouth on Oct 31, 2007 7:12 PM
All fine and good, but I’ve now followed your link to miller's site, and I notice that he's included all the links for all the artists who've posted their opinions. He’s promoting ESS even as your villain. Every opinion against him is there on his own site, with links to the artists.
I also notice, you've made quite a thing of this too. You’re milking this as much as anyone. Your press releases have more content than any collection of the posters here. You’ve made major posts not only on your site, but on gainesivllebands.com. I dare say, since you've repeatedly been the booker for bunnay with full knowledge of the "joke" that everyone seems to notice but you... I dare say... you were in on it.
Who’s to say you didn't know in advance what was going to occur? You’re friends with Spagandy, the co-conspirator of this fiasco. Yet, you forgive him as if he's like... a buddy of yours. Curious. You’re a known prankster. You’re friends with Frog. You’re friends with Mr. Bunnay Miller. Who’s to say you didn't arrange this farce performance from the get-go?
For how many ESS shows have you booked the evil Bunnay, with all the information about who and what it was clearly available to you? I’d say three or four that I’ve been to.
Did you invite Bunnay for this latest gag? I hear you did. I hear you arranged it and planned it with Frog, Spagandy and Miller. True?
I think you're organizing it, and making a joke of everyone here. You even say in your own posts that as an organizer, you were offended, but otherwise, you think it was a natural progression of the "Bunnay character". So do you approve, or do you disapprove? If that isn't a clue to your bi-polar-ness on this issue, I don't know what is.
You appear in Tom Miller's video, promoting ESS. Please tell me you're sincere about how wrong your Bunnay prank was, or otherwise, I suggest there be some doubt as to your position. It seems suspect given your comfortable history with Miller, Frog, and Spagandy, and maybe you're working a few strings to get some talk. You yourself admit a shrinking audience. Is this a publicity stunt to get more people to the shows because they just don't have it going on without all the circus antics?
I wish you'd stick with the pure straight music. I wish you'd stick with the real musicians and artists who care about their music and take it seriously. Zombo? Spagandy? People in masks? Makeup? Performance art? what is Electronic SubSouth about anyway? Intelligent Dance Music, or costumes and fakery? Maybe I miss the point, but what is Electronic Music, under your auspices? I’ve seen acts of all kinds in ESS, and some of them actually perform real on-the-fly hardcore electronic music. But then, there come guitars and drum sets and occasionally oxygen stands. What is electronic music as you see it? What are you doing with Spangandy and Zombo and Bunnay and fancy lighting? Why are you manipulating serious musicians for your personal gratification? How are Frog and Miller, in character, different from Spagandy... different from Zombo... different from fancy lights and fog... different from you? And just out of curiosity, what music do you perform? Or are you just a fan? And if so... of what?
The Potato has spoken.
Posted by Mr. on Nov 1, 2007 3:06 AM
Posts from the ESS Blog
loren - Posted: Sunday October 28, 2007 3:14 pm
Enjoyed the show last night. Looking forward to seeing photos.
the_viirus - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 12:05 am
I did the best i could to get pictures of as many costumes as possible. I urge anyone with pictures or footage of the Bunnay related incident to withhold posting them. You all have been part of a joke at the expense of Chris Miller and Heart of Darkness. BUNNAY DID NOT PERFORM and was never intent on performing. By posting pictures or footage of the non-performance, you will be glorifying what seems to be an act of sabotage. I have deleted all photos related to the Bunnay entourage and non-performance. I see them as a glorification of a joke that went too far at the expense of people that actually have to take responsibility for the joke. I guess this is the last of Bunnay. I feel sorry for the people who had their hands in this.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 9:35 am
Bunny...was fucking brilliant. I'm sorry, but that was one amazing show. There was a giant fucking bunny rabbit playing very demented ambience on a little kid's keytar with a hot Asian bunny running around the whole time. There was the whole club running outside to shake & attempt to pick up Bunnay's limo. There was Bunnay running around the parking lot in sparkling red underwear, pretending (?) to piss on the building, tackling people into the limo. AND YOU CLAIM THERE WAS NO SHOW!? I disagree. I must give credit to a well executed performance; even if it was 'performance art' instead of 'live electronic music'....It was one of the most bizarre & brilliant things I've ever witnessed.
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 11:45 am
And then, there was the Bünnay fiasco... Sadly, this was not at all the performance that was expected or agreed upon. For those of you that were forced to endure the 25+ minutes of sonic annoyance and false anticipation, I apologize profusely. I also want to apologize to the Heart of Darkness folks for having to put them through this level of nonsense. Some of you had witnessed the two previous Bünnay performances and know that this is not what was supposed to have happened. The team behind the Bünnay experience apparently subscribes to the Andy Kaufman school of comedy, and thrive on the alienation, confusion and disrespect of the audience. As far as I am concerned, this is the very last time I will deal with either of them on a professional level. In plain terms, Bünnay will never be booked by Electronic SubSouth again. As a representative of Electronic SubSouth, I take full responsibility for this. I was not at all aware until 20 minutes into their "performance" that there was indeed no intention at all for Bünnay herself to actually take the stage. Not only was this the performance artists' grand joke on the audience, but this was also a joke on me. So... if anyone feels slighted (as I do) by the Bünnay incident, I will gladly reimburse you for your entry cost for the evening ($5 with costume / $7 without costume). If you were one of the few who "got it": then good for you. Otherwise, please contact me and I will make arrangements to get the money to you.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 11:56 am
I can see where some would be upset, since many were expecting a more conventional musical performance. But really… conventional? Is that what you go to ESS shows for? 1: You put a show in the hands of those two. And lets not pretend on identities. If you've ever seen either Bunnay or Dog in other personas live then you should expect mayhem, confusion & alienation of many. 2: I thought the music was amazing in some fucked up way & a fitting background to the bizarre happenings. 3: I would certainly consider booking Bunnay for a future event of some really abstract sort. I had a great time & hope we all aren’t starting to take ourselves too seriously. Thanks to everyone for happy times all night!
starrfire - Monday October 29, 2007 12:04 pm
I enjoyed the evening- even the non-performance of Bunnay’s - and I happen to think Andy Kauffman was brilliant...
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 12:41 pm
I know you guys "got it", but I'm posting this public apology anyway. This is mainly directed to the majority of folks not at all familiar with the notoriety of Bunnay, her contract rider, the Miller/Frog "Fluxus" performance art collective, etc. Personally, I thought it was brilliant and the logical evolution (?) of the Bunnay character. But, as a promoter I did also feel that it was unnecessary and indeed a sabotaging of the evening. A lot of people were/are pissed off at me, my professional relationship with Heart of Darkness has been affected, and I question whether the Goth community is going to want to come to future events. If you hadn't noticed, attendance for all of our shows has been decreasing and this fiasco will definitely have an impact on our future. We all have a hard enough time as it is keeping things going, and alienating the audience is the last thing we need.
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 1:19 pm
Quote:
BUNNAY DID NOT PERFORM and was never intent on performing.
I disagree. Bünnay did in fact perform, but very poorly and at the expense of the audience, the event organizers and the venue. They might as well have shown up drunk, cursed at the audience through a cordless microphone, and stormed out when people didn't react in the way they were expecting. I hyped and hyped the Bünnay performance for weeks and a lot of people felt let down. This whole "anti-performance" had supposedly been planned two years in advance. I was purposely kept out of the loop because the duo involved knew I would not have been ok with the way they were going to do it, not the fact that they did it. Lately I have been dealing with bands flaking on shows, so this is a bit of a sore spot with me. Also, I feel that there could have been some sort of resolution in the performance (ie, Bunnay finally taking the stage for even a minute to at least address the audience). If I had been let in on the plans I would have arranged the show differently.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 2:13 pm
Aside from the people involved in ESS who took this somewhat personally, I don’t think anyone was actually upset by the events. Perhaps really, really, REALLY confused but i think many people come to ESS shows because it’s the only thing in Gainesville you can actually be surprised by! I would hope no one would let a single bizarre performance sever a business relationship, especially when pulled off so well. Its not like the night got out of hand or went badly. Man+Machine is what the Goth crowd came out for and they put on a great show. Viirus & Vox played great stuff. Honestly I heard more complaints about Mr. Spagandy heckling during a Ministry song than about the whole bunnay set. Speaking of… he was like Super-Spagandy with the heckling on Saturday! BOOOOOOOO!
ess - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 2:52 pm
Ooooo... trust me, people were pissed. I had to hear it during the Bunnay performance as well as while I was cleaning up after the show. There were those who "got it" and those who "didn't get it". I have to side with the majority who "didn't get it", because that's my role as event organizer. For different views on this controversy, you may also want to check out the threads on the ESS myspace blog, Gainesville Goth, and GBdC. I think you'll see where my concerns lie on one of the above forums. Also, here's a selected MySpace bulletin, from River:
Quote:
Bunnay = awful show
Bunnay was horrible. All he did was piss on the side of the building and be a jackass. He never even got onstage. After we bought him expensive gin per his RIDICULOUS rider and we got him skittles too. I even shaved some ice for him, Bastard! Well, I dripped water in his damn skittles - and the zodiac killer left a clothesline on his pillow while he slept... and a vampire bit his girlfriend's neck - so HA!
Again, from the perspective of an event organizer, this is what I have to contend with. Pissed people = smaller returning audience. Now, from the Frog/Tom Miller perspective... pissed people = mission accomplished. What I'm trying to do versus what they are trying to do are two polar opposite ideals. But, in retrospect I knew what I was getting myself into when dealing with them. They thrive on burning bridges and being "controversial"... the polarization of opinions on this event is what they are hoping for. I'm assuming a video is being edited right now. Good for them, bad for us. I don't like being used or purposefully deceived. I'll write a more detailed personal account later.
ironing - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 4:30 pm
Quote:
After we bought him expensive gin per his RIDICULOUS rider and we got him skittles too. I even shaved some ice for him.
Oh COME ON! How could anyone take that Contract Rider seriously? Wasn't the Contract Rider itself one giant clue? And if the Contract Rider was taken so seriously, then what about the requirement #9, which is a pretty direct notice of intent.
adikt - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 4:38 pm
Thank you, Ironing.
And really... What did bunnay do last time he 'performed'? Oh yeah: A giant rabbit stood on stage & played a keytar, there was too much smoke, & Bunnay did nothing but pose, look dumb, & piss on a wall. What was different about this year? Are these people REALLY that upset they didn’t get to see his sparkly red underwear-clad ass doing a silly dance? I mean there was still music, still pissing, still fog. I thought that was what Bunnay WAS! THE ONLY DIFFERENCE was that at Club Red, he had to be inside the club to cause a ruckus. This time, he could do so inside AND outside the club. I expected him to walk inside as well, but really what would we have gained besides seeing far more of Tom's legs than anyone wanted to? In case no one noticed last year: HE DIDNT DO ANYTHING THEN EITHER! Someone PLEASE tell me exactly what we missed out on by Bunnay staying outside!!!
Koabra - Posted: Monday October 29, 2007 8:13 pm
Not to sound like an ass but.... Bunnay should have performed... period... no matter what the joke is. I would have to say I "got it", but I was just annoyed by this event. I walked out 20 min into this stupid routine...I paid money to see Bunnay and he did not play...If I was not involved with ESS or Chris miller ...I would never come back to another ESS show... this is ridiculous... I would never agree to perform...If I did not intend to play. I would have to agree with Chris...that...We are trying to gain support; Not offend or piss off anyone in the process. I look at what ESS does as serious... and this kind of "joke" is not funny to me. I think we lost a lot of respect and fans from this "fiasco". I hope people don't think this is what they should expect from an ESS Show!
loren - Posted: Tuesday October 30, 2007 12:52 am
There were two stages Saturday Night. Dog played the music inside (which I still enjoyed), and Bunnay went loopy outside. Aside from split stages, I feel that I experienced a good performance. Bunnay is a wild card. I think anyone who has seen him before should have known this going in. I don't understand the big shock. I had a great time and felt that it was 5 dollars well spent. I'm more disappointed that Bunnay won't be asked to perform next year.
ess - Posted: Tuesday October 30, 2007 2:58 pm
Quote:
Someone PLEASE tell me exactly what we missed out on by Bunnay staying outside!
Those of us who have witnessed the "Bünnay" experience before were pleased for the most part. I got it. It made sense to me and I thought it was a brilliant conclusion to this character. But this same conclusion was reached by only a small minority of people attending that evening. Overall I feel the Bünnay performance was executed very sloppily, and failed in its execution. Here's why: I approached the Miller/Frog team during the summer about taking part in an upcoming ESS event, which at that time was supposed to have been Solder 6. They were both very excited and agreed to do it. This was to have been another opportunity for them to seriously revisit this character that they had initially introduced on two mostly ignored occasions in 2005, and again during the more memorable Electronic SubSouth Show 10. When I moved it back to be a focus of the Halloween show it made even more sense. The previous year they had prepared a teaser video, and Sean Monistat had prepared a cool "Wanted" poster in order to help with the promotion of their event. The whole idea here was that The Fest 5 had all of their big-name bands, so in response we also had our own infamous and legendary big-name act for our own Fest 5 ESS Showcase. There was the also now-infamous "contract/rider" which was purposely "leaked" in order to stir up interest and an air of mystique. Electronic SubSouth collaborated in conjunction with the Miller/Frog team to make this work. After this successful night, I handed over the video footage I had shot and they made sure to distribute it heavily over the next few months in various forms (ie the Tom Miller Show, MedicineFilms.com, MyspaceTV, YouTube, etc.). The perpetuation of the Bünnay myth was furthered because of this combined effort. Over the next few months leading up to the show I asked Tom and Frog if they needed anything, and that I was looking forward to their performance. As the days drew closer to INFEST, I was getting a bit worried that I had heard of no promotional progress from either of them. In my encounters with both of them they just nodded, smiled and didn't say much. Tom was going through a personal loss the week before the show, and I made sure to offer my support whenever I saw him. I chalked up his apparent apathy to that, but even before the fact he seemed very disinterested when I gave him INFEST handbills to pass out. The prospect of another promotional campaign was discussed with each of them on several occasions, but was shrugged off and the topic avoided altogether.
In the meantime, I was left with the promotion of "Bünnay" to deal with on my own. This was very disheartening as it was difficult trying to sell a new crowd based on a confusing and low-quality video, and a myspace page that hadn't been updated since January 17, 2007. My explanations to my Heart of Darkness partners and to people I gave out handbills as to what to expect from this "Bünnay" character were met with confused faces and mixed interest. This year's contract-rider was not received by Electronic SubSouth until the morning of the show itself. The promotion this time around absolutely failed. As I was crunched for time, I had to rely on my Heart of Darkness partners to purchase the needed contract/rider essentials. At 9:30pm they were in fact shaving the ice with one of Lenny's borrowed ice shavers. The required venue temperature, large bag of Skittles Bite-Sized candy, pint sized bottle of Seagram's Extra Dry Gin, specific instructions to the master of ceremonies, security safeguards, dressing room preparations, etc. were all met despite the last-minute notice. The dropped-off fog machine had not been plugged in and I personally had to correct this incompetence by manning it myself for the first 10 minutes of the performance. During Mr. Spagandy's intro, I was actually very nervous. I wanted to take all of this very seriously, as if Bünnay was an actual world-renowned entertainer that I had to accommodate. When Mr. Spagandy continued referring to Bünnay as "he" and "him" I pleaded for him correct himself with "her" or "it" instead. It seemed onstage as if he were ignoring me. When he encouraged the audience to leave the venue and bang on/shake the limo, I was actually pissed with Mr. Spagandy for ignoring the previously agreed upon contractual needs. Up to the evening of the show we were all expecting to see more "Bünnay". It can very easily be stated, "Well, what did you expect?" after the fact. But... we did not actually get to see "Bünnay". When Dog finally emerged from the limo and took the stage I was very relieved. I heard Frog through his costume proclaim "awesome!" as he walked into a room filled with smoke machine smoke. I even took his "thumbs up" cue and ran to the sound guy in order to get their music going. At that point I followed Mr. Spagandy back to the dressing room to express my concerns for him having blown it. As he was removing his costume, he said: "Miller, I hope you're not mad at me for this...". Then it was all revealed to me how the Miller/Frog team had planned one month in advance for Bünnay not to ever take the stage. Brilliant, right? Wrong. When you have people coming up to you saying "What's happening?" at our Fest 5 showcase and then Bünnay takes the stage, it becomes a memorable event which lives on through infamy. One can actually boast "You should have been there!". On the other hand, when you have your partners coming up to you saying that it's bullshit, and people who came to see a mysterious show based on assurances, asking "What's happening?"... and then the club pulls the plug and the limo drives off... then it makes no sense at all to anyone except for the 10 of us who were there the last time. A "manager" for Bünnay should have made an appearance at some point in order to confront the event's organizer (me) concerning an obligation which was not met (ie the marquee not saying "Bünnay" would have been perfect). A representative of Bünnay should have taken the stage to announce that he would not be playing and why. Maybe even Bünnay herself should have walked in, taken the stage, and said something along the lines of "I'm not doing this show!” How about some propaganda pamphlets left at the venue stating something along the lines of "Stay Tuned for Bünnay's Response!"
Tom Miller's "crap-art" philosophy of doing things last-minute and half-assed is what ruined the Bünnay performance. He and Frog co-opted an Electronic SubSouth show by keeping me (and by default, Heart of Darkness) purposefully out of the loop. He knows how difficult it has been for me to sustain these events, and for him to be so self-serving in the execution of their anti-performance left the audience confused and angry... and most importantly, without relief of some sort. Had there been an attempted promotional effort on the part of the Miller/Frog team, had there been collaboration with the event's organizer, had there been the much-needed propaganda and hype in order to re-introduce "Bünnay" to a new audience after a full year's absence, had there been basic consideration and respect for everyone outside their camp who paid to see them... then I would have no sympathy for those who just didn't "get it". Instead, this was a self-masturbatory exercise on the part of both Tom Miller and Frog at the expense of the audience, the event organizers, and the venue. There was also an exclusionary "secret" after-party for the conspirators of the so-called "Bünnay Incident" instead of us all getting to hang around together and party/reminisce about the evening's events together. This level of intended disrespect and deceit on their part, borders on a collective Antisocial Personality Disorder. The self-centered pair crossed the line on this one. Now I'm forced to play "damage-control". As the large majority of people at the INFEST show were from the Goth community, will they return for future shows... not only by Electronic SubSouth, but also Metric System and Action Research? My partnership with Heart of Darkness may (possibly) be damaged and I'm going to have to spend my time trying to get them to trust my word, rather than enjoy collaborating with them on future shows. Luckily the venue thought it was weird and bizarre and didn't really know what was going on. Imagine if this show had been at way-too-serious Common Grounds or The Atlantic? I knew what I was getting myself into. My faith in the pair was undeserved and I accept full responsibility for this mess. Still, I am very disappointed. I was serious when I said that I will never work with Frog or Tom Miller on a professional level again. Pat Pagano was right when he told me I shouldn't trust Tom Miller... but I've always been an optimistic person when it comes to giving people a chance.
Quote:
Oh COME ON! How could anyone take that Contract Rider seriously? Wasn't the Contract Rider itself one giant clue? And if the Contract Rider was taken so seriously, then what about the requirement #9, which is a pretty direct notice of intent.
Via their sloppy execution of the show, Bünnay insulted their audience. If it had been approached with a thoughtful attempt at planning and promotion then the "insult" would have been funny, understood, and part of the show. Now all we have is a posted after-the-fact contract/rider that no one but us knows about, an insignificant handful of people who "got it" based solely on having attended a previous show, a video which (still) makes no sense and is going to be seen by no one (but us), and Tom Miller basking in his pseudo-psychopathic glory while re-posting all of our comments on a borrowed computer. Do not insult your audience.
adikt - Posted: Wednesday October 31, 2007 12:42 pm
I understand why you are upset a bit more now Chris, but I still think the humor in it is that people were taken aback & actually made upset. Do these people even know what they are upset about? They don’t know that whole story unless you tell them, so I ask what THEY were expecting? Perhaps the lack of promotions & hype was so that everyone saved a little face in the end. Also, I saw Bunnay. I have some pictures of him, though very blurry because he was running around in sparkling red underwear on the side of Main Street. Apparently those that stayed outside as we were told to do got to see bunnay "perform"... even followed by Bunnay stating, "That’s your performance. That’s all you get!" I can see why ESS would not work with this team again, but I would certainly like to... if I can figure out something that would fit a Bunnay performance (no easy task!)
ess - Posted: Wednesday October 31, 2007 1:00 pm
Just for the record, I hold only the two main conspirators accountable for this. I do not expect either of them to apologize, admit any wrongdoing, or much less even attempt to understand mine or the audience's point of view. They are far too prideful and self-motivated for that. Mr. Spagandy is on my shit list, but he will be forgiven. Everyone else, don't sweat it... I love you. I just wanted to post this blog (and the others) so we could have an open discussion. I appreciate everyone's varied points of view and value that tremendously. Again, I'm not pissed off... just disappointed.
ess - Posted: Wednesday October 31, 2007 1:29 pm
Quote:
I understand why you are upset a bit more now, Chris, but I still think the humor in it is that people were taken aback & actually made upset. Do these people even know what they are upset about? They don’t know that whole story unless you tell them, so I ask what THEY were expecting???
But that's the mess I'm left with now. It's like we threw a party and they trashed the place and pissed the other guests off so much that they may not ever want to associate with us again. We'll see. I will never apologize for the excess smoke machine smoke, the annoying and overly-lengthy sonic noise Frog emits, the fact that barely any effort is put into making it look as if Dog is even actually playing (ie keytar not actually plugged in, fingers not moving), the audience's perception that Bünnay isn't really doing anything, people not "getting it", etc. There were four previous Bünnay performances. For the character to take such a radical departure from what the audience was expecting needed a lot of care and planning put into it. Tom Miller is fully capable of producing pure gold, but this was just him being sloppy and half-assed. I gave them over three months to prepare their show and they blew it. The alleged "sabotage" may not have been intentional, but I don't appreciate their unprofessional behavior all the same.
People believe in Tom and what he does. He's a supremely talented and original person. He's a self-professed legend in Gainesville and has been a huge supporter of ESS and all of the experimental/electronic music community. I however do not respect that he used one of our events to further his own already-bloated ego:
Quote:
"I tell you, this is the first day I've felt good in a long long time."
Is being despised and arrogant really a goal one wants to pursue?
Quote:
I urge anyone with pictures or footage of the Bunnay related incident to withhold posting them
I have to disagree with Adam here. While I feel disgusted that Tom is feeding off of the negative attention, this is not a surprise. This is who he is and how he's always operated. That said, I strongly feel that this event (and all events) should be documented as much as possible. Good or bad, they still happened and it's a part of history.
The Bunnay Incident – Appendix r
Supplemental Posts from the ESS MySpace Blog
I said it personally, but why not say it here too? No refunds! Live shows should not be a "satisfaction guaranteed" deal.
If no one likes that, then take it up with the performers and not the arrangers. It's not the booking agents' fault if the live act decides to suck on someone else's time.
In other words, blame Bunnay, and NOT the ESS group. Period.
Posted by El Zombo on Oct 29, 2007 12:30 PM
You were not even there, el LAME-BO. :-)
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 29, 2007 4:58 PM
I agree with El Zombo.
Posted by Andrew on Oct 29, 2007 12:42 PM
Bunnay, if ur reading this, ur coming with me. k?
Posted by Bonz Xylophone on Oct 29, 2007 12:44 PM
This is a horrible situation where you expect one thing and get something from left field... that is something that a serious act would never do
Posted by sean (is damn lucky) on Oct 29, 2007 1:25 PM
It was more brilliant than F'd up, in my opinion,
and everyone has one!
I’d go to it again...
Thank you for an interesting night!
Posted by What about Bob on Oct 29, 2007 2:00 PM
It's too bad if some people did not 'get' the performance by Bunnay at the Infest show at The Backstage Lounge this past Saturday.
There was a stage performance by the band of superb sonic significance.
The crowd loved Bunnay’s performance and got to be a part of it instead of the usual passivity.
It appears you take yourself too seriously.
By the way Chris, Bünnay is a 'male' character.
Posted by Rx on Oct 29, 2007 2:16 PM
It is easy for you to say we might be taking ourselves too seriously. We are musicians trying to create a community for people who share similar interests. I feel sorry that you took part in the sabotage of a show involving people who actually have to take responsibility for these actions.
It was an inarticulate and unreasonable joke on people who consider Tom Miller to be an ally. Apparently we were sorely mistaken.
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 29, 2007 4:53 PM
I really don't think anyone should be apologizing, especially not Bunnay. Or ESS. Bunnay was booked and gave what sounds like quite the Bunnay performance! People paid to go see Bunnay. They were given Bunnay in true Bunnay form. Perhaps those who are surprised / disappointed should have done more research into what they were paying to attend?
Some of you had witnessed the two previous Bünnay performances and know that this is not what was supposed to have happened.
While I was not there, it doesn't sound like too far of a stretch from the two performances I saw. Does it make a difference if it's posturing onstage or posturing outside? Dog & dancer were still doing their thing. I bet the music was still playing and the fog was still blowing. From what I hear it seems like Bunnay's presence was just as strong as it has ever been without even setting foot on the stage.
What transpired sounds like it was perfect for a Halloween show: weird, bizarre, and totally unexpected. I'm surprised this wasn't more fully embraced for what it was rather than what was expected. Wouldn't have fulfilling the Bunnay expectation been easy? Isn't it more fun to set those expectations on their head, especially in honor of the Night of Tricks?? IT'S HALLOWEEN, PEOPLE! How about we let things get freaking weird for a moment?
I'm so sorry I missed this. I expect that it will be talked about for quite some time to come... just like the last performances.
Everyone who was there should count themselves lucky.
In my opinion, anyone who takes Chris up on his generous and unnecessary offer of a refund is a putz.
Keep Gainesville interesting and encourage stuff like this, don't squash it.
Posted by Action Research on Oct 29, 2007 2:21 PM
Bullshit!
Give ‘em Tom Miller’s Fucking phone number!
I understand Fluxus performance as well as anyone.
I regret not being there now as I knew his co-opting of ESS was self servicing and eventually going to be detrimental.
Posted by humans need lumens on Oct 29, 2007 3:34 PM
Last time I saw Tom Miller's cell phone, he was trying to smash it during "The Hook" at Common Grounds after a lengthy rant about it. Its final resting place was in a FULL pint of beer.
Posted by Lazy Js Gato Ranch on Oct 29, 2007 5:17 PM
I have to say I'm floored to see more support for Bünnay in these responses than for ESS. Sure, these are valid opinions, but if these people think that was a brilliant show, they can pay $5 to come over to my apartment, watch me make dinner and then practice bass scales. It will be pure genius.
Normally, I wouldn't really care about a performer playing anyone in this town for a rube... but I really like you and I like what you do... you have a sincere love for this sort of thing so I just feel it was tacky for "Bünnay" to do this.
Then again, Tom Miller is basically the human incarnation of the episode of Wonder Showzen you watch once then skip through. This was my final ESS show as I'm relocating to the Los Angeles area but I wanted to thank you for actually putting on decent shows in a dead town. Watching someone take advantage of one of the few promoters with taste in this city just reminds me of how shitty Gainesville is and why I'm leaving in the first place. If you ever get tired of these townie lifers, you should head out West. You can't walk five feet without bumping into a synth punk group in LA...and unlike the acts in this city, they actually perform!
Posted by Encolpio Snaporaz on Oct 29, 2007 4:33 PM
i support ESS & Chris knows it. So does everyone else or they wouldn’t have been there. I just think we all are taking this too seriously. And again, what was left out of the performance exactly? What were you hoping to see???
Posted by Adikt on Oct 29, 2007 4:40 PM
I wasn't there to see Bünnay, so I wasn't disappointed as far as the show is concerned. I was disappointed because the joke seemed to be at Chris's expense more so than the audience’s, and I thought it was kind of lame. I'm really no part of this scene, this is a total outsider's perspective, but I've seen the work Chris puts into these shows and this performance cost him money that Tom Miller gladly accepted and Chris is now refunding. That's a shame. People should cut their losses and not request a refund, I'm with you there 100%...I just think the Bünnay camp could have chosen a better target for their art or comedy or whatever they tell their mothers they're involved with. I mean, personally, I'd not be giving refunds, so Chris is a better man than me. I'd also be knocking the shit out of a few rabbits until I got my money back, but I guess that's just my brand of comedy.
Posted by Encolpio Snaporaz on Oct 29, 2007 4:53 PM
I ask again...WHAT IS BUNNAY'S PERFORMANCE? Last year everyone loved him. All that happened at Club Red was Dog playing the same keytar music, Kitty Kat shaking her , & Bunnay doing the exact same thing but in front of the crowd.
In case you missed him flailing around just outside the wide open door, it looked just like his dancing on stage last year. Was everyone expecting some Bowie style singing or something, because I was hoping I didn’t have to hear Tom sing at all!
In all seriousness, what exactly did you hope for from the Bunnay character?
Also, I feel that anyone who asks for their money back or suggests they got ripped off is seriously insulting not only Chris Miller, but Man+Machines, Viirus, Vox & Spagandy... not to mention Dog, who did actually play a wonderful abstract masterpiece using only a child's keyar while people were busy being upset.
I more than got my monies worth! :D
Posted by Adikt on Oct 29, 2007 8:44 PM
That’s the thing. The performance is already a joke; Dog does nothing but pose on stage to a CD.
There are actually SONGS that tom performs. This was an insult because the people who have seen Bunnay perform are expecting to see it again... possibly with different music or weirdness. There was not the tension of a performer possibly not performing. The people not versed in bunnay, even if they know it is a joke, were treated to nothing close to what bunnay became known for.
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 30, 2007 12:09 AM
BEST BUNNAY PERFORMANCE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Mr. Spagandy on Oct 29, 2007 11:27 PM
I agree with myself!!! This will be one of the most Memorable performances Electronic SubSouth has ever graced us with. And just look at all the little girls on this blog, fighting about it!!! It is a performance within a performance! The performance that keeps on giving!
Posted by Mr. Spagandy on Oct 30, 2007 6:12 AM
Quit patting yourself on the back. I am disappointed, saddened, and even enraged that you had a hand in this.
Posted by The Viirus on Oct 30, 2007 4:30 PM
Any performer that keeps the event planners in the dark and seemingly does something only a drunk jerk would do, deserves to be condemned, not praised.
I missed this entire nightmare and I am glad.
The fact nobody knew what was going on is unprofessional, and pissing on a wall is for drunken frat boys.
As a performer who has done seemingly unplanned things for various shows, you have to let the planners, and staff, know what to expect. If not, you come off as an ass and possibly loose connections and a venue to play. This almost happened to me when I "smashed" someone’s head with a rigged pumpkin many years ago. The owner’s son was not informed and he called the cops. It took 4 hours to clear up the event to the police.
I am sorry for having left early. I saw the limo pull up as I was driving out. The night before had killed my brain and I needed to sleep. But after reviewing what every one has said, I am happy to have not seen the B person.
I would place money on the fact they are happy with the banter created. I suggest stop using the performer’s name.
Posted by SARCASTIC on Oct 30, 2007 8:00 AM
I was there.
Even IF she had performed, Bunnay would have been going onstage about 1:35 AM
and been shut down by the bar in about 15 minutes.
If you paid $5 to see that show, that's about $1.23 worth of music you
"missed".
I’m not a promoter, nor associated with ESS, but if ANYONE asks for that much
back, I will personally pay it out of my pocket.
For the most part, a good time was had by all.
Posted by What about Bob on Oct 30, 2007 9:38 AM
I saw the Bunnay performance at club Red. Dog stood onstage with a keytar, creating smoke & Tom took about 15 minutes to get onstage, danced around very silly-like & screamed his own name some. Am I missing anything? What was different in this case besides that everyone had a lot of fun shaking his limo & chanting in the parking lot. I have pictures of that. Not a single upset face. Only smiles on about 30 faces.
It was a perfectly planned & surgical execution of what the performer was doing! It just wasn’t really playing live EDM. But that was never the intent. Also, the pissing was in Bunnay's contract, so no one is allowed to get upset over that part. It says so. He has diplomatic immunity! lol.
I support ESS for creating what scene we have & making it work very well.
I support Bunnay for being a group of bizarre & brilliant performance artists.
Cheers!
Posted by Adikt on Oct 30, 2007 10:11 AM
I see nothing planned about not letting the venue or the promoters know what to expect.
Posted by SARCASTIC on Nov 1, 2007 8:50 AM
Please don't be angry, Christopher Miller. I tried to warn you. Bunnay was in a terrible mood that night because of the Marquee incident. I tried and tried to get him onstage and I feel I have suffered most of all. He yelled and screamed at me, I was tossed around like some European plaything, and it was entirely unfair!
I hope that in time, we will be able to earn your trust back. But as you know, neither Dog, nor I, have the power to Control Bunnay! My pleas were real that night. Everyone is misunderstood when they speak of some "joke". If you feel "tricked", then no doubt, I was too!!
Posted by KittyKat on Oct 31, 2007 2:13 AM
Wow!!! Looks like the old Dad and Mom missed some wild and crazy things. But, we just went back to the campground at Payne's Prairie and went to sleep. As you recall, I was at Club Red for the Fest in '06 and saw Bünnay... not very impressed ... just a bunch of smoke... not even any mirrors.
Posted by Johnny Tectonic on Nov 5, 2007 11:07 PM
There is so much irony in this thread, it's insane.
So the host, who insults bands to their face and pretends to be another person who hates electronic music, is forgiven? The same dude who assaulted the viirus during a live performance?
Whereas, Tom Miller and Frog Whateverhislastnameis -- both electronic musicians and performance artists for many years -- are the villains? Didn’t tom and frog do a promotional video for ESS at the shamrock? I’m sure I saw it.
And hasn't tom featured electronic artists for years at his shows, and broadly championed the ESS scene?
Aren’t bunnay shows among the best attended events of ESS?
And what of the earlier poster who claimed the only reason he'll keep coming to shows is because he's friends with Chris Miller? What does that say of his commitment to the scene?
And wasn't it really two shows in one? The rabbit performed for 34 minutes. I found the music and the atmosphere spellbinding. And the other show in the parking lot, what a hoot. Did they rent the limo? Were they even paid?
No, they're the villains that promote ESS by way of ironic performance art, just like the Spagandy, and just like other ESS performers who combine great music with costumes, and performance art.
Talk about shitting in your own house!
p.s.
I love the Viirus' music and performance, but what a whiner.
and Pat Pagano, we're all happy you know the word, Fluxus. But the Latin meaning of the word is, to flow. Nothing flowed about that show. It was a controversial fiasco; A wonderful controversial fiasco. I’ll be coming to many more shows. ESS forever!
Chris, good luck with future shows. I hope you iron things out with all the animals.
The Potato has Spoken
Posted by Mr. on Oct 31, 2007 3:11 PM
Mr. Spagandy and I work together on his character and how we're going to approach the events. The incident with The Viirus was dealt with based on our long-standing friendship and mutual collaboration.
Yes, Tom Miller has been very supportive of our local electronic/music scene but somehow this did not prevent him from showboating at the expense of the audience. You're right to point this out as it made no sense.
Yes, there was a promotional video done last year for the October 27, 2006 show. Nothing at all was prepared for this year's event. No promotional help, no press release, no teaser video, no collaboration... just back-handed sneakiness. More time over the past four days has been put into the self-promotion of "Tom Miller" than should have been during the three-and-a-half months leading up to INFEST. This includes your above self-serving "anonymous" post, the video no one has watched except for you and your buddies, the contract/rider that was sent out the night before the show (and only made public after-the-fact), numerous self-motivated blog entries, and further fostering tension between people who once trusted and believed in you.
No, the Bunnay shows were not the "best attended events of ESS". They should have been but they weren't. This is why it was important for the promotional process to have been taken seriously rather than completely ignored on the part of the Miller/Frog team. They needed to (re)introduce the "Bunnay" character to a totally new crowd, but they instead relied on the small handful of personal friends and even smaller group of folks who had been at the Club Red show to understand what was going on. Everyone else was just left with "What happened?" and feeling like they had been taken advantage of. So, as long as their buddies "got it" then fuck everyone else? That's not how I prefer to operate. I appreciate my audience and do not wish to insult them.
There was no earlier poster claiming "The only reason he'll keep coming to shows is because he's friends with Chris Miller".
Yes, it was really two shows in one. That, and Bunnay not taking the stage, were fantastic concepts and I wish more people had understood what was going on. Too bad secretive planning and keeping the show's organizer purposefully in the dark prevented everyone from witnessing something truly unique and brilliant. Imagine if there had been a teaser video for this year's performance, with some kind of foreshadowing of tension? Or maybe if there had been a manager character come in to confront the show's organizer (me)? Or how about a representative of Bunnay taking the stage to explain he wasn't going to perform because the word, "Bunnay", wasn't on the marquee? Or propaganda flyers distributed by KittyKat instructing people to watch the planned, "Bunnay's Response", video within the following days. Or imagine something as simple as logging into Bunnay's myspace account, between January 18, 2007 - October 26, 2007, and posting a simple comment or even just updating the page?
What a waste of potential. Instead it was just some faceless guy/girl(?) who no one ever heard of, who drove up in a limo, refused to come inside while a giant rabbit annoyed the confused audience with smoke machine smoke and noise for 25+ minutes, and then drove away after the club shut us down.
- Continued -
We already did this show in July 2007 and the band was called Dandi Wind. No thanks. It could have been good ironic art, but instead it was left as sloppy half-assed "crap-art" that just pissed people off. Two shows in one should not have been the "Tom Miller Show" hijacks an ESS / Heart of Darkness event. It should have been a collaboration as had been in 2006.
"Were they even paid?" They could have been, but they left to go to their secret exclusionary party rather than participate of a collective effort. I paid (out of my pocket) for the needed items in the contract/rider, gas money for the visiting band, Mr. Spagandy, the black Visqueen, some of the candy, food for one of the band members, flyers, Mr. Spagandy's new hat, and a few other items. I would have gladly paid for the limo and anything else that was needed. My partners in this venture (who you never talked to or met) were in charge of dealing with the money and they were also the people who you slighted. Everyone who worked together on this event got paid, Except for me, as I do it for the love of the event and the live electronic music scene. Did Tom Miller pay his co-conspirators for his part of the event?
Tom Miller shit in our house. Will he clean it up?
A "Fluxus" performance is supposed to be a "fun" event. I doubt that means fun for the person doing it and not for everyone else. Tom Miller's quote, "I tell you, this is the first day I've felt good in a long long time," says it all. Fun at the expense of your audience is just being a jerk.
I'd now like it if everyone were to turn their attention to Tom Miller's web presence, where he thrives on the controversy he has stirred up:
- Tom Miller’s Web Site Here -
There, you will notice a series of non-credited photos, cut-and-pasting from various other sites' blogs, and discussion boards on the event (including the above one by "potato"), self-promotion, arrogance and pride.
Tom, I'll get over this quicker if you'll set your ego aside for a moment and try to actually understand what has happened. I'm not pissed off at you, but at this rate I soon will be.
Posted by Electronic SubSouth on Oct 31, 2007 7:12 PM
All fine and good, but I’ve now followed your link to miller's site, and I notice that he's included all the links for all the artists who've posted their opinions. He’s promoting ESS even as your villain. Every opinion against him is there on his own site, with links to the artists.
I also notice, you've made quite a thing of this too. You’re milking this as much as anyone. Your press releases have more content than any collection of the posters here. You’ve made major posts not only on your site, but on gainesivllebands.com. I dare say, since you've repeatedly been the booker for bunnay with full knowledge of the "joke" that everyone seems to notice but you... I dare say... you were in on it.
Who’s to say you didn't know in advance what was going to occur? You’re friends with Spagandy, the co-conspirator of this fiasco. Yet, you forgive him as if he's like... a buddy of yours. Curious. You’re a known prankster. You’re friends with Frog. You’re friends with Mr. Bunnay Miller. Who’s to say you didn't arrange this farce performance from the get-go?
For how many ESS shows have you booked the evil Bunnay, with all the information about who and what it was clearly available to you? I’d say three or four that I’ve been to.
Did you invite Bunnay for this latest gag? I hear you did. I hear you arranged it and planned it with Frog, Spagandy and Miller. True?
I think you're organizing it, and making a joke of everyone here. You even say in your own posts that as an organizer, you were offended, but otherwise, you think it was a natural progression of the "Bunnay character". So do you approve, or do you disapprove? If that isn't a clue to your bi-polar-ness on this issue, I don't know what is.
You appear in Tom Miller's video, promoting ESS. Please tell me you're sincere about how wrong your Bunnay prank was, or otherwise, I suggest there be some doubt as to your position. It seems suspect given your comfortable history with Miller, Frog, and Spagandy, and maybe you're working a few strings to get some talk. You yourself admit a shrinking audience. Is this a publicity stunt to get more people to the shows because they just don't have it going on without all the circus antics?
I wish you'd stick with the pure straight music. I wish you'd stick with the real musicians and artists who care about their music and take it seriously. Zombo? Spagandy? People in masks? Makeup? Performance art? what is Electronic SubSouth about anyway? Intelligent Dance Music, or costumes and fakery? Maybe I miss the point, but what is Electronic Music, under your auspices? I’ve seen acts of all kinds in ESS, and some of them actually perform real on-the-fly hardcore electronic music. But then, there come guitars and drum sets and occasionally oxygen stands. What is electronic music as you see it? What are you doing with Spangandy and Zombo and Bunnay and fancy lighting? Why are you manipulating serious musicians for your personal gratification? How are Frog and Miller, in character, different from Spagandy... different from Zombo... different from fancy lights and fog... different from you? And just out of curiosity, what music do you perform? Or are you just a fan? And if so... of what?
The Potato has spoken.
Posted by Mr. on Nov 1, 2007 3:06 AM