The Most Depressing Album Ever

07/08/2008
. (conqueroo) Jake La Botz has fared well professionally this year, with a significant acting role as a "singing redneck mercenary" in Sylvester Stallone's recent blockbuster Rambo film. But some personal struggles led him to record what he deems "the most depressing album ever," titled Sing This to Yourself and Other Suggestions for a Personal Apocalypse. The album, which he describes as "11 sordid tales of human misery and redemption," is due out on Charnel Ground Records on August 2, 2008.

August 2 doubles as the date La Botz will go on the road for this third annual five-week "Tattoo Across America Tour" of tattoo parlors, which will hit big cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Phoenix and San Diego, as well as smaller burgs like Longview, Texas, where Jake has established a fan base from his annual appearances. (In fact, it was in Longview that he received a tattoo of a raven at a cemetery across the street from the Garage Art Studio parlor.)

"It's so much more interesting this way," he says. "Playing tattoo parlors, you can be who you really are and relate directly with your fans. There are no dressing rooms, no backstage, nowhere to hide. In a way, this is an evolution of my roots � playing the streets and subways of my native Chicago. It keeps it real."

If the blues and folk genres have gotten a bit fat, happy and rollicking in recent years, the new Jake La Botz album will bring them back to their roots of moans, hollers, and murder ballads. Weaned on Chicago's Maxwell Street, where he learned from and played alongside legendary blues musicians, La Botz at various times lived in his car. And at age 14 he self-administered his first tattoo ("street-style, with India ink and a needle").

Things changed, however, when the bluesman moved to Hollywood, where he developed a cult following as an indie film actor, appearing in Steve Buscemi's Animal Factory and Lonesome Jim, and Terry Zwigoff's art-house hit Ghost World, which starred Buscemi along with Thora Burch and Scarlett Johansson. In Ghost World, Jake played in a blues band from hell, Blues Hammer. And then it was off to Thailand, where he appeared as "Reese" (the singing redneck mercenary) in the 2008 version of Rambo, and had songs on the soundtrack ("The Wishing Well" and "Tiny" from his Graveyard Jones album).

He even auditioned for the lead singer spot in Velvet Revolver. But it was probably better for all that Scott Weiland received the nod. After all, La Botz has gone on to carve out a one-of-a-kind career as a singer/songwriter/actor/creator of the "tattoo circuit."

Aug. 2 PEORIA, IL Po Boys Bourbon Street www.poboysbourbonstreet.com
Aug. 3 SPRINGFIELD (Jacksonville), IL House of Ink www.houseofinktat2.com
Aug. 4 KOKOMO, IN Sycamore Marketplace www.sycamoremarketplace.com
Aug. 6 CINCINNATI, OH One Shot Tattoo www.oneshottattoo.net
Aug. 7 CHICAGO, IL The Tattoo Factory www.tattoofactory
Aug. 9 CHICAGO, IL Bernice's Tavern www.bernicestavern
Aug. 10 CHICAGO, IL Chuck's Fest www.chuckscafe.com
Aug. 11 CLEVELAND, OH 252 Tattoo www.252tattoo.com
Aug. 13 BOSTON (Watertown), MA 21 Nickels www.myspace.com/21nickels
Aug. 14 BOSTON (Jamaica Plain), MA The Brendan Behan Pub www.myspace.com/thebehan
Aug. 15 NEW YORK, NY Googie's Lounge www.livingroomny.com/googies.html
Aug. 17 NEW YORK, NY Banjo Jim's www.banjojims.com
Aug. 21 LONG ISLAND (Holbrook), NY Electric Tiki Tattoos www.electrictikitattoos.com
Aug. 22 PHILADELPHIA (Skippack), PA Liberty Tattoo www.libertytattoopa.com
Aug. 23 DENTON, MD Black Anchor Tattoo www.krookedken.com
Aug. 24 REHOBOTH BEACH, DE Ancient Art Tattoo www.ancientarttattoo.net
Aug. 26 TARBORO, NC The Grindhouse www.myspace.com/thegrindhousetattoo
Aug. 28 TAMPA, FL Las Vegas Tattoo Co. www.tattoounderground.net
Aug. 30 ORLANDO, FL Tried and True Tattoo Expo www.triedandtruetattooexpo.com
Sept. 1 JACKSON, MS The Ink Spot Gallery www.myspace.com/theinkspotgallery
Sept. 2 LONGVIEW, TX Garage Art Studio
Sept. 3 LONGVIEW, TX Texas Players www.myspace.com/texasplayers2007
Sept. 6 PHOENIX (Glendale), AZ Incision Tattoo www.incisiontattoo.com
Sept. 7 SAN DIEGO, CA Absolute Tattoo www.absolute.tattoo.net
Sept. 8 LOS ANGELES, CA Redwood Bar www.theredwoodbar.com
Sept. 10 HOLLYWOOD, CA Shamrock Social Club www.shamrocktattoo.com

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