THE RETURN OF S8R BOI

The Rabbi took 2004 off this year and might just retire the Jews Explosion for a long while. What with the shlepping and the kvetching, I'd just as soon take a nap!

CHECK OUT THE JEWS EXPLOSION PHOTO ALBUM!

The response was so great to 2001's lone Jews Explosion show that we just had to do it again. Our show with El Vez was not only sold out but was written up in SLAMM, featured repeatedly on several local radio stations (including on-air performances by the Rabbi) and Wireless Flash ran a story about the band that goes to over 800 media outlets (Leno, Stern, ABCNews.com and dozens of other major media outlets use their stories regularly). The short story said that Sandler's song is "ticking off a Jewish rocker who says the tune is inaccurate". That's us. Full of angst!

2001's setlist:
1. Palestine City (Paradise City by GnR)/Intergalactic (Beastie Boys)
2. Chanukah All Night (Rock n Roll All Night by KISS)
3. I Wanna Rock (Twisted Sister)
4. Ballad of a Thin Man (Bob Dylan) sung by Jefferson Jay (Brainstorm)
6. Dream A Little Dream (old jazz standard/Mama Cass hit)
7. Chanukah Song (Sandler) Check out the new lyrics
8. Rap medley: Pop Goes The Weasel (3rd Bass), If I Were A Rich Man (Fiddler), Loser (Beck), Walk On The Wild Side (Lou Reed), Straight Up (Paula Abdul), Sick (Shel Silverstein), Hey Ladies (Beastie Boys)
9. Killing Mr Furley (Killing In The Name Of by Rage Vs Machine)
10. Stop! (Jane's Addiction)/Hava Nagila

2002's show featured the same backing band of Matt Gagin, Sean Taugher, Tim Rosenpeacockbergstein (all from Waterline Drift) and Davida Milkes (San Diego Beat Organization). Rap prodigy (The Oliver Project and SImon Mandel <The Displaced) and Marie Haddad joined out on vocals.
2002's setlist:
1. bits of Palestine City (Guns 'n Roses) & War Pigs (Black Sabbath) into Chanukah All Night (& Dreidyl Everyday) a la Kiss
2. Cracklin' Rosie/Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show by Neil Diamond
3. My Menorah (Sharona) intro/Jesus medley (Personal J, Spirit in the Sky, Get Up Stand Up, Jesus Christ Superstar, Sympathy For The Devil, Ballad of John & Yoko)
4. Only The Good Die Young by Billy Joel
5. I Wanna Be Bar Mitzvahed (Ramones)
6. Sandler
7. Rap Medley: Pop Goes The Weasel (3rd Bass), If I Were A Rich Man (Fiddler), Where It's At (Beck), Boa Constrictor (Shel Silverstein), So What'cha Want/Hey Ladies (Beastie Boys) (AG w/Oliver Deighton)
8. Killing Mr Furley (Rage)
9. Santa Claus/Hava Nagila (Sabotage by Beastie Boys)

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
"There's more to a Jewish education than Adam Sandler."

I've never felt slighted by the lack of Chanukah coverage in the world but I thought it would be fun to get a band of Jews together to do songs by famous Jewish rockstars. Hearing Adam Sandler's song gave me some ideas but I wanted to do something just for the rockset. As a Jewish Adam, I figured I could do something just as good, if not better. I found a book called Jews Who Rock that helped but found a website called Jewhoo.com that is an incredible database of information about famous Jews. It turns out that Sandler's song and the Jews Who Rock book were filled with errors.

Religion is such a sensitive subject that I was a little hesistant to do it at all. We usually ask clubs to bill us as a Chanukahtime Revue instead of the Jews Explosion. It hadn't even occurred to me that the name could be offensive but, with the recent violence in Israel, we decided to use something safer. I'm hardly a purist about this. I'm not the least bit religious but I'm definitely proud of my heritage. We just want to have some fun. It's just like when my mom would come to school, make potato pancakes and teach the non-Jewish kids about Chanukah except she didn't dress up as Gene Simmons.

Do you hate Adam Sandler?

Not at all! In fact, here's a true story: before he became a megastar, he came to San Diego to perform with David Spade. The show was sold out, so me and my friend Michelle made a sign that said "WILL WORK FOR TICKETS" and went down to UCSD, hoping to find a kind soul. We went so early that we saw Adam & David walking into the hall they were performing in and just walked in along with them. We talked with them for a long while and they were both incredibly nice. They soundchecked and since Adam played guitar and sang in his act ("Bad" by U2 and "Pictures of You" by the Cure?!), he wanted to know how it sounded out in the audience but no one would get up and sing on the mic. So, I got up and started imitating him imitating Axl Rose and doing Operaman. He was so flattered that someone was imitating him, he kept shouting "MORE!" They got us free tickets for the show. Nyce!

I like most of his movies but "Going Overboard" is undoubtedly his finest work (I actually own a copy). Someone gave me a promotional pair of Billy Madison flipflops and I've used the carrying case as my workbag for the past 6 years. I loved the Chanukah Song the first few times I heard it. Then, like most things, it got old. I didn't particularly like the second version. Sue me. I've rewritten the song for these shows. It's hilarious. It'll be less hilarious the second time and downright unfunny the third time. Click here for lyrics.

Thanks to TravelJewish.com, JewishLA.com, and Sam Sokolove from the San Diego Jewish Press Heritage
for their support.