The South shall rise again?

May 5, 2003 7:37 AM

Smashist, former In/Humanist, and the once (unofficial) King of Epinions, Teabag Balzac aka Chris Bickel has a knack for getting attention. While the Democratic Debates were kicking off in downtown Columbia, SC., Bickel's Zima embibing pseudo-Homo Metal band, Confederate Fagg, were kicking out the jams across the river in the hipper-than-thou enclave of WeCo to celebrate the release of their collection of original tongue in (ass)cheek "frat rock" aptly titled Rock and Roll Hall of Flame. Are the denizens of Columbia simply blessed or does every city have a prolific and colorful character like Mr. Bickel?
posted by shoepal (13 comments total)

and here i thought PseudoHomoMetal died with black oak arkansas.
posted by quonsar at 7:45 AM on May 5, 2003

every town surely has at least one self-centered dork.
posted by the aloha at 8:26 AM on May 5, 2003

Aloha, I think Bickel, while self-centered, is far more than your average "dork" in assless pants.
posted by shoepal at 8:37 AM on May 5, 2003

No, Bickel is definitely not average...

Shoepal, remember when he ran for Student Government at SC, and his campaign platform was to "ban all merchandise using the word "Cocks" as juvenile innuendo"?
posted by BobFrapples at 9:04 AM on May 5, 2003

What a great guy, and I would say that yes, there are eccentric, attention-starved punk/nerd/artist/rockers all over the place; and they never cease to amaze me with their creativity and disregard for pragmatism.

Someone should make a list.
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 9:21 AM on May 5, 2003

"does every city have a prolific and colorful character like Mr. Bickel?"

I'm not sure if this counts, but in Austin, we have Leslie Cochran, a homeless, transvestite mayoral candidate! (1st link might not be safe for work, or anywhere, for that matter)
posted by Gilbert at 9:24 AM on May 5, 2003

yeahyeahyeahwhoo, I was hoping this thread would become the beginning of such a list.

San Francisco's Frank Chu is definitely one of my favorite eccentrics.
posted by shoepal at 9:36 AM on May 5, 2003

The denizens of Cola were so overly blessed that they had to force Hootie on the rest of us. Go Tigers!
posted by alou73 at 11:52 AM on May 5, 2003

As a terribly-OT aside...

I was at New Brookland Tavern the weekend-before-last for their goth/industrial/larp night, Elysium (nothing to do, wanted to see the club before I DJed there, etc.) and they mentioned the Confederate Fagg release party.

Small world!
posted by sigma7 at 6:17 PM on May 5, 2003

"Hipper-than-thou" isn't a phrase I've ever heard describe something in Columbia SC. We are still talking about the place that wanted to keep flying the Confederate flag over the State House, has a bill in the legislature to make the Dixie Chicks apologize, and wanted to spend money on a fetus statue, aren't we?
posted by Dinzie at 6:26 PM on May 5, 2003

Dinzie, I can assure you that my tongue was firmly planted in cheek.

Sigma7, you missed an amazing show!
posted by shoepal at 9:02 PM on May 5, 2003

alou73: The denizens of Cola were so overly blessed that they had to force Hootie on the rest of us.

Mr. Bickel has some thoughts on Hootie as well.

I bet this guy causes trouble in online communities for fun.
posted by jewishbuddha at 11:36 AM on May 6, 2003

Very funny, jubu. Shouldn't you be studying for finals?
posted by shoepal at 11:42 AM on May 6, 2003