A Lifetime Spent in Love with Music Well, He Blew Into Pine Valley Recently, Taking Advantage of a Clause Giving Him Quite a Bit of Artistic Control

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ACCENT TEXARKANA GAZETTE ★ SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2007 1D

REMOTE POSSIBILITIES “I regard music as a common language I have been blessed to AMC’s Zarf/Zoe learn. Anytime something bothered me I went to my storyline surprises room and picked up Zarf. Zoe. Zarf. Zoe. Zarf. Zoe. the guitar. It was my Yes, I like the name Zoe better. Much better. sanctuary. Music is And while I do not love the name Zarf, a growing process. I have to yell from the The music takes me Jodi rooftops, that I do love the character Zarf. And Zoe, in many different Sheridan his female being. Columnist Zarf, if you can’t remem- directions, I don’t ber one of my previous columns, is a character on necessarily set the “All My Children.” direction.” A transgender character. —Mike Hubrel The first major transgen- Staff photo by Aaron Street der in daytime. With a Mike Hubrel major story. Zarf was first intro- duced to AMC watchers last year as a rocker lend- ing a song to the fictional company Fusion. A lifetime spent in love with music Well, he blew into PIne Valley recently, taking advantage of a clause giving him quite a bit of artistic control. Immediately, he fell for Bianca, the show’s Local musician’s song preser ved for posterity on Website archive lesbian character, and finally figured out why. “Rock is so much fun. That’s what it’s all been popular locally, as many were just high area of San Francisco called “South City.” (as in He’s really Zoe. The story that AMC has weaved with the about—filling up the chest cavity and empty school friends with bands or garage bands like “South City Midnight Lady” by the Doobies). telling of Zoe’s tale has been wonderful. kneecaps and elbows.”—Jimi Hendrix DOA. It was ‘the’ band from Ashdown,” Ott After a few lessons, the music store owner, Amazing. And it surprises me. said in a telephone interview. Mr. Bronstein, had Hubrel sit in the showroom I had no idea Zarf or Zoe would com- By Anthony Davis “Most of the music we focus on is prior to window and play his guitar. No reason was mand this much presence and story. Texarkana Gazette the British Invasion in about 1963-64. There given, but being an apt pupil, he was not about The scenes where Zoe made her first When Mike Hubrel, Texarkana, Ark., song- were a lot of frat bands, surf bands, garage and to object. appearance on Bianca’s doorstep and the writer/guitarist, picks up his flat-top Martin psychedelic bands up until about 1971. We even “I suppose I got my first love of music from subsequent reveal to a stunned Bianca were guitar and begins to play, Hendrix’s words researched newspapers and found the amount the radio,” Hubrel mused. “It’s been my whole outstanding scenes. Better than I thought become more easily understood. of coverage of local music declined after the life since I was 7. My guitar and my music are AMC could ever pull off. Hubrel’s entire presence and sense of being mid-’60s.” extensions of me, whether playing quietly to I’ve read message boards and listened to seems to inflate as his fingers find notes and Ott and company maintain an “Open Call” to myself or performing. fans tell of how they could feel the emo- chords easily and efficiently, animating his musicians who were members of bands in that “I regard music as a common language I have tions and were captivated by Zoe’s words. movements and demeanor. era and encourage them to make themselves been blessed to learn. Anytime something Count me in as captivated. It is evident Hubrel maintains a lifelong love known as part of their labor of love. bothered me I went to my room and picked But Bianca doesn’t understand. And Zoe affair with his guitar and his music. For Hubrel, being “discovered” again up the guitar. It was my sanctuary. Music is a was left heartbroken and humiliated. And unlocked a vault of memories of his own musi- growing process. The music takes me in many now, Zarf has re-emerged with the inten- But, like many young guitarists in the early cal path from San Francisco to Ashdown, from different directions, I don’t necessarily set the tion to leave Pine Valley. 1960s, heeding the siren call of the muses However, and here’s a spoiler, so stop meant being in the right place at the right time. Ashdown back to San Francisco for a time and direction.” reading if you don’t want to know: Zarf is At age 12, Hubrel found himself stand- finally back to his “home” in Texarkana. The sense of culture shock at his arrival going to become a prime suspect in the ing on the stage of the famed San Francisco Along the way Hubrel has jammed, prac- in Southwest Arkansas initially dampened show’s Satin Slayer killings. Cow Palace as a winner of a South City (San ticed, performed and generally hung around Hubrel’s enthusiasm. The residents of Pine Valley should be Francisco) battle of the bands contest. His with some of Texarkana’s old-school rock ’n’ “There were still outhouses in Ashdown,” prepared to be knocked off their feet next instrument was tuned and handed to him by roll heads and country crooners. As a member Hubrel said with a shudder of reminiscence. week as Zarf is set to explain his story to union stagehands and to his back was a moun- of The Pines house band he backed up major He couldn’t find many kids his age and into those who suspect him of murder. tain of amplifiers. country music performers and shared the stage music who were aware of West Coast groups I’m positive that I wouldn’t love the char- But it was short-lived attention for the young with an array of Texarkana and area musicians. such as Moby Grape, The Seeds, Frank Zappa, acters Zarf and Zoe this much if it weren’t musician. But long before Hubrel found his way to local Grateful Dead or Buffalo Springfield. for the talents of actor Jeffrey Carlson. Just when this teen gunslinger with a head performance venues, he continued to live and But he could turn them on to some new stuff. He is stunning in his delivery and a true full of lyrics and a blossoming set of skills was breathe playing guitar and toying with song And some were eager to learn. gem that AMC was lucky to find. contemplating ways to make his mark on the ideas. “Not many people were doing Hendrix. It Shortly after my initial column on this San Francisco, Calif., music scene, his family Hubrel was bitten by the guitar bug at about was mostly country western around here. But I subject ran, I received several e-mails from age 6. His uncle presented him with an F-hole had a Fender guitar, a Fender amp and a distor- transgenders—all of them looking forward moved “lock, stock and barrel” to Ashdown, Harmony guitar he accommodated by laying tion booster, so I could do it,” said Hubrel. to their story finally being told. Ark. One, Marti Abernathey, who has a blog, “I literally broke down and cried,” Hubrel is the instrument flat on a bed and strumming it. With the opportunities for playing the music is holding her judgment, but thinks the heard saying in a video interview conducted Hubrel had his first guitar lessons he craved to perform still relatively few and storyline was “sheer genius” on the part of recently by Harold Ott, founder of “Psych of in an far between in Texarkana, Hubrel elected to AMC. the South,” a rather new Website focusing on See HUBREL on Page 3D “I think it could be a great thing to edu- psychedelic, rock and garage bands of the early cate people to our plight,” said Marti. “One 1960s. thing that has been impressed upon me is “I left all the glamour and the glitter and so how much misinformation/misunderstand- many more opportunities to play. When we ing there is about the lives of transgender moved to Ashdown, I didn’t know anyone into folk.” rock music. But we recorded the song “Run, Another transgender believes telling this Hide, Getaway” shortly after that.” story could benefit the community as a “We” in this case meaning bandmates for a whole. time—Hubrel, Paco Ritter, Roger Snead and Leigh Smythe, another transgender, fears Steve “Wildman” Adams performing under the there may be a little sensationalism about the life of transgenders, but is still hopeful. name Dead On Arrival. “ I hope they have a whole episode about That particular song was literally “dug up” by Zarf getting kicked out of a ladies rest Ott and his partners, sister Rachel and music room!!! And some of the other bigotry that obsessed friend Cliff Farmer, while searching we commonly face,” said Leigh. for material for psychofthesouth.com. Leigh summed it up nicely in an e-mail: This trio of rock hounds and treasure-seek- “The most wonderful result that could ers developed the Internet site in 2006, “when happen is to get the public incensed at the a few kids from Arkansas decided to research discrimination that happens. But, it would psychedelic rock bands in the South. From not be good if it’s framed in such a way that these reports, the crew tracked down band the populace agrees with the people who members of Arkansas bands, hanging out, look down upon us, the police that arrest reminiscing and fact finding.” us, or the thugs that beat us, or the killers The Otts and Farmer are now making these that murder us, just for being who we are. recordings, interviews and related trivia and There are so many kind, gentle, deserving memorabilia available to the public at www. (transgenders) that don’t deserve that kind psychofthesouth.com. of treatment in any media.” So, kudos so far, AMC. Keep the good “A lot of these bands may not have even work going. And if you’ve formed opinions so far, I’d love to hear them! E-mail me at jsheridan@ texarkanagazette.com. Texarkana band Loose Change—featuring the keyboard and vocals of Tommy Ables (far right) and the harmonies of Tracy Davis. Hubrel (far left) laid down the lead guitar for the band.

SHNS Ten-year-old Mike Hubrel already had dreams of Jeffrey Carlson portrays Zarf on “All My Scott Morton points out drummer Wade Fowler as Jaxx member Chris LeGrand and Mike Hubrel face guitar stardom as evidenced by his sharp look and Children.” the camera—note the distinguished 80s hairstyles. eager smile.

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TEXARKANA GAZETTE ✯ SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2007 FEATURES 3D Where’s all that Hubrel Continued from Page 1D “We played with a lot move back to the culture and music styles he had grown up of the big names, only excess fat going? revering. He returned to San we didn’t have the has- Recently, a reader named Jim my high-school years, is “any Francisco looking to hook up sles of management and Cornell sent me a postcard of a group of esters, CH2(OO with musicians of a similar bent. with a picture of insects on it, CR1)CH(OOCR2)CH2(OOCR Ther he fell in with a group venue worries. When posing an interesting question. 3), derived from glycerol and of musicians whose sound was I think about it, we’ve (No, the three fatty acid radicals.” a lighter, acoustic/electric mix, a style Hubrel was already had just as much fun as Dave insects were But what does this mean? not posing a One thing it means, of course, developing in his original the big boys.” Barry question. As is that “Three Fatty Acid music. The group, August Columnist far as I know.) Radicals” would be an excel- Wolf, released one album —Mike Hubrel Jim stated lent name for a rock band. before drifting apart. that he, like But it also means that fat is “I met some friends out from there. every other some kind of chemical item there who were jamming on Upon his return to T-Town, American that nature puts inside certain original material. I had a day Hubrel became a member of above the age plants and animals to make job in San Francisco. I’ll never The Pines house band, where of 4, is on a them taste better. A good rule forget practicing in this fifth- he and other musicians of note low-fat diet, of thumb is: The more fat floor flat overlooking the city,” in Texarkana played behind and he noted something contains, the better said Hubrel. “I played in a lot everyone from The Hag to that we have it tastes. This is why we eat of cover bands in Northern Hank Williams Jr. become basi- hamburgers, but we do not eat California. I finally stepped “We played a lot of Urban cally a non-fat ants. Ants have a very low fat up and sang ‘Danny’s Boy’ by Cowboy music during that nation. This content, so nobody eats them of soys bleating and suckling Yes, we have become a low- Loggins and Messina in a club is true; virtually all edible sub- time,” Hubrel said. “We also except unfortunate animals their young? As a consumer, fat society, which brings us in Danville, Calif.” stances, and many automotive such as birds, who, because of played for a lot of big names.” I’d like some answers. I don’t back to the question posed by Whether on the Left Coast products, are now marketed a design flaw, cannot use drive- Jim Cornell: What’s being done It was also in the ’80s when want to discover years from or in Arkansas fly-over coun- as being “low-fat” or “fat-free.” thru windows. Human beings, now that “soy” is an oriental with all the fat? Jim offers this Hubrel joined the band Loose try, Hubrel absorbed music Americans are obsessed with on the other hand, enjoy ham- word meaning “compressed theory: “I suspect that they’re Change with fellow local musi- from a number of influences. fat content. burgers, because they (the ant parts.” This is not intended dumping it in some small town cians Davis, Randy Lee, Perry DOCTOR: Mrs. Stoatbonker, hamburgers) come from cows, as a criticism of the “Harvest in Texas or Mexico.” No way, “Maybe that’s the down side Steitler and Tommy Ables. you will die within hours which are notoriously fat. You Burger,” which is a well-con- Jim. Our government would of loving all kinds of music. Hubrel’s versatility on guitar unless you take this antibiotic. will never see a cow volun- structed, extremely cylindrical never allow a major fat-dump- It becomes hard to separate it combined wonderfully with PATIENT: Is it fat-free? tarily going anywhere near an frozen unit of brown foodlike ing facility in the same region from yourself and your own Able’s keyboard work and DOCTOR: I don’t know. Abdominizer. substance. The package states where we’re storing the dead style,” he said. vocal stylings and Davis’ vocal PATIENT: I’ll just have a Diet Of course, there have been that it contains “83 percent less UFO aliens. No, the truth is But the Reagan years brought and instrumental support. that the fat is being loaded into gas lines and a general socio- Pepsi. efforts to make low-fat “ham- fat than ground beef"; I believe Hubrel came into the ’90s giant tanker trucks, transported political “mess.” Hubrel’s fond- So anyway, Jim, after noting burgers.” In researching this this, because it also tastes with a wide range of local by night and pumped into: my est recollection of his return to that “millions of pounds of column, I purchased a prod- exactly 83 percent less good musician friends and potential thighs. There was no choice: California is having been able formerly fat-rich food is now uct called “Harvest Burgers,” than ground beef. Nevertheless “play-mates,” but he became I highly recommend it for any- Marlon Brando was already to spend time with his dad de-fatted,” asks: “What are they which are “All Vegetable more comfortable with origi- doing with all that fat?” Protein Patties” manufactured body who needs more “soy” or full. But I’m happy to do my before his death. part for a leaner America, so nal folk-rock and covering Jim, that is an excellent ques- by the Green Giant Corp. a backup hockey puck. The return to Texarkana don’t bother to thank me. Are songs by great songwriters. tion, and I intend to answer it Upon examining the package, Oh, sure, there will be people brought a new relationship Wade Fowler, a longtime the first thing I noticed was who will claim that soy pat- you going to finish those fries? just as soon as I have written with local musicians. Hubrel friend and fellow band mem- that the Jolly Green Giant has ties taste “almost as good” as Postscript: After I wrote enough words to make a col- met Tracy Davis, a highly ber, sought out Hubrel for umn. (Don’t you wish you had apparently had plastic surgery. real hamburgers. These are this column, my editor, Tom accomplished vocalist and an acoustic-centered band. a job like mine? All you have to He no longer looks like the the same people who have Shroder, sent me a note saying guitarist, and the two began Chasing Rita was formed. do is think up a certain number “Ho! Ho! Ho!” guy; he now convinced themselves that rice he thinks he read somewhere doing a few gigs together. Still, of words! Plus, you can repeat looks like Paul McCartney on cakes taste “almost as good” as that ants do contain fat. I think Hubrel was itching for some- That’s a lot of music for one he’s wrong, but since we’re words! And they don’t even steroids. Check it out. potato chips, when in fact eat- thing more when a call came musician with a wife and kids. have to be true!) The second thing I noticed ing rice cakes is like chewing both professional journalists, It’s a lot of music for almost neither of us will look it up. I from Wyoming. First, however, we need to is that the key ingredient in on a foam coffee cup, only less Scott Morton of Texarkana’s anyone, for that matter. But consider exactly what “fat” is. Harvest Burgers is “soy.” This filling. You could fill a contain- will say this: If ants do contain for Hubrel, it’s a reservoir of fat, it’s only a matter of time ’80s power rock band Jaxx Just off the top of my head, ingredient is found in many er with roofing shingles and called Hubrel to seek his help. moods, feelings, thoughts, without glancing at a diction- low-fat foods, and I think it’s put it in the supermarket with before somebody comes out philosophies and ideas that is with low-fat ants. Scott Stuart, guitarist, had ary, I would define fat as “any time that the Food and Drug a sign that said “ZERO-FAT become ill and was return- called upon frequently for cre- of various mixtures of solid or Administration told us just ROOFING SHINGLES,” and ating new sounds of his own. This classic Dave Barry col- ing home, and Jaxx needed semisolid triglycerides found what the hell it is. A plant? these people would buy it and a replacement pronto. With “We played with a lot of the in adipose animal tissue or in A mineral? An animal? Are convince themselves it tasted umn was originally published barely more than a passing big names, only we didn’t have the seeds of plants.” A “triglyc- there enormous soy ranches “almost as good” as French Nov. 3, 1996. knowledge of who these guys the hassles of management eride,” as I vaguely recall from in Nebraska, with vast herds toast. Tribune Media Services were, Hubrel responded to and venue worries. When I the call by loading up for a 28- think about it, we’ve had just GLAD YOU ASKED hour bus ride to Wyoming. as much fun as the big boys,” Hubrel said. Now here’s an arts question movie with a ballerina dunking a ing.” poster, and he was drinking nails “I stepped off the bus at a that’s been buggin’ me for some basketball. I do. See, back in the 1890s, the and glass and stuff to show how place where the paved road The 12 y-ear-old singing of time: Can ballerinas dunk a bas- Michelin brothers (French dudes) tough and unpuncturable he was? ended and the bus turned a desire to just “Run, Hide, ketball? FACTOID OF THE WEEK saw a beer poster of a giant hold- Voila! The Michelin bros ripped around,” Hubrel recalled. Getaway” still rambles around They sure can jump, and they A baby is born with about 300 ing a tankard. On it were the Latin off the beer poster, our tire man “Finally, I saw a figure walking in Hubrel’s psyche. We all got those long gangly arms. Many bones. Some fuse and grow words “Nunc est bibendum” from was dubbed Bibendum, and an toward me in the dust, and it have a bit of kid in us, after all. ballets would be greatly improved together, and a typical adult has the poet Horace. Translation: advertising legend was born. was Scott and the guys.” But this songwriter has also by a couple of big ol’ windmill 206 bones. So says the Centers for “Now is the time for drinking.” Why is Bibendum white? Hubrel then proceeded to found the solace and peace dunks. Think about it: “Slam Disease Control and Prevention. (Once again, my cultural contri- Because back in the day, tires learn more than 40 songs’ of becoming one with a song, Lake.” bution to the arts section kicks were off-white, like those gloves something very few people If you’re a ballerina who can THAT BOOZY MICHELIN MAN some serious bootay.) the doctor wears. (Group shud- guitar leads in a matter of 24 dunk, call me and we’ll get a And now, for the first reader Later, the bros saw a stack of der.) Carbon black was later hours. Hubrel crammed like can achieve. movie of you dunking (tutu question in this week’s Glad You tires and one remarked to the added as a preservative. no test he’d ever taken before, And Hubrel respects that points!). We’ll put it on Charlotte. Asked column: other that if you put arms and Mr. Bib, as Michelin insiders call and the tour went smoothly gift. com, and you an’ me’ll be famous. Q. What is the name of the legs on him, he’d be a man of him, is one of the oldest corporate I can toss the ball up before you Michelin tire mascot? —John tires. Hmmmmmm, a man of tires mascots in the world. dunk for a “ballet oop”! Nash, Reno, Nev. ... I am completely serious about His name is Bibendum, which What if, the Michelins thought, –JEFF ELDER/MCCLATCHY Ask The Video this: I want to be in an Internet means, basically, “heavy drink- you put a tire man into that beer NEWSPAPERS Specialist To us you’re always Tables & Chairs • Punch Bowls Join Debbie Henson Fountains • Crystal • Table Linens Fountains • Crystal • Table Linens Family & Friends Video Perfection royalty.... Arches • Columns & Urns • Party Tents Street Light Pole • China & Flatware as we celebrate Brass, White, Black & Silver Candelabras the Chocolate Fountain • Sno-Kone Machine 90th Cotton Candy Machine • Popcorn Machine Q. I have a relative who will video my wedding for free. Can Frozen Drink Machine Birthday I bring his tapes to you for editing and burning to a DVD? Hot Dog Machine of Do you have any tips for him? New Items Arriving Daily! A. Free is always good, but make sure you and he are on the Irene same page about your video. 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