It was almost 25 years ago today, when Frank Sinatra’s manager, Jilly Rizzo, heard the lyrics of “Wayne Newton Is A Dyke," as he sat in the lounge of Caesar’s Palace in Vegas, his reaction was one of surprise and delight:

“How did you know he was a Dyke, I thought only me and Frank knew this? I’m going to Palm Springs with Frank tomorrow, and I am gonna tell him about this song on the way over in the helicopter, he is gonna love it…”

So much for my first brush with the “Chairman Of The Board“. I didn’t get to meet him in the flesh until years later at Chasen’s Restaurant, a birthday party for his wife, Barbara. 1983 was a different time and place. Little did we know it was the “Twilight of the Gods” for the age of unprotected sex, there was no AIDS epidemic sweeping the globe, political correctness hadn’t sunk its Orwellian fangs into the jugular of our cultural collective consciousness inducing a societal somnambulism. You could drink and drive in Texas, as long as you didn’t get drunk. And I was making my way to Austin, courtesy of Joe King Carrasco and his manager Joe Nick Patoski.

We met at a gig in San Diego, at the Spirit Club. Tim Mays had booked my group “The Whirlybirds” previously, as a support act for the Fleshtones. We made the trip down south from Hollywood to open for Joe King, and the rest is history. Joe Nick Patoski offered us a two-week string of bookings and to his surprise, we made it out to take him up on his offer. Evidently, he had offered the same deal to Los Lobos and a few other bands, but we were the first to make the arduous journey East, all the way to Austin, Texas.

After my two week stint in Austin (I’m surprised I remember any of the venues: Soap Creek Saloon, the Austex, [now Magnolia Cafe], Club Foot, the Continental, somewhere in Houston???), I made the decision to rent a home on the outskirts of town, on Hwy 290, in Elgin. The home came equipped with a flashing sign that would soon greet travelers with salutations from its new occupant - THE KING OF WHITE TRASH:
“Welcome to Elgin, home of Hot-Gut and Dino Lee!!!”

Needless to say, I fell in love with the people, the city, (Elgin and Austin) and the Hot-Gut (don‘t ask, it‘s a Texas thing). The Whirlybirds broke up and went their separate ways (“If you get an accordion player I’m quitting, said the drummer!!!“), and I moved to Texas, amid the roar of laughter from my L.A. musician friends and “music industry professionals”.
“Why in the hell are you moving to Texas? There’s nothing out there!” Asked the music industry professionals.
“You want to get an accordion player for the band, AND a horn section??” Screamed the drummer.
“Are you crazy???” They all nodded in agreement.
An MTV special, glowing national write-ups, and a few thousand Lone Star beers later, Austin would see all the naysayers arriving wearing their straw comboy hats, prospecting for the mother lode, in what would become a modern day music industry “Gold Rush“.

Oddly enough, the White Trash Revue reached its peak of popularity during the New Sincerity movement. It was almost as if we were the Anti-Christ of the New Sincerity and you know how people love the dark side, especially if it comes in an unmarked brown paper bag, rated X (which is “PG13” today).

The success of the MTV appearance, begat a European tour, which begat more popularity at home and abroad for the King Of White Trash and a trip to New York’s, New Music Seminar. We were sent by the city of Austin, with other home-town favorites, Doctors Mob, Poison 13 and The True Believers. They even paid us to go! Man, how times have changed!!!

New York bore no fruit, as I never found the music industry equivalent of the Holy Grail. So much for the “Big Apple”.

Our domestic record deal was not to be, but we were “Big In France”. However, the Jam and Jelly girls almost got signed...They received a few propositions during our road trip, if my memory serves me well. It was a "Good Year For The Roses". Amazingly, many bands were inspired by the King of White Trash and his White Trash Revue featuring the Jam & Jelly Girls, yet failed to give credit where credit was due. What I find even more amazing are the bands that DO give us credit for inspiring them today. You’ve got guts, baby!

This has made the whole crazy road trip from San Diego to Austin worth the price of admission, with the two drink minimum and complimentary hangover included free of charge. Those of you who remember the “Tribute to Caligula“, “Seamen of the Caribbean“, “1001 Nights“, “Day of the Dead“, and “July 5th Pic-Noc” shows, will enjoy the songs on this CD, as you recall your first walk down the halls of Disgraceland.

Those of you who were too young to attend the shows and buy the LPs will be treated to something new! An aphrodisiac for your ear-hole, musically ribbed for aural pleasure, now I would like to present for your listening enjoyment, the first domestic release of Dino Lee and the White Trash Revue with the Jam and Jelly Girls… KING OF WHITE TRASH ANTHOLOGY VOL 1

Everybody get some but don’t get any on ya!

Dino Lee. KOWT
August 21, 2007, 3am, Austin Standard Time