Friends of Dean Martinez isn't so much a band as it is the creation of former Tucson native Bill Elm, whose previous incarnations of FODM have included members of Giant Sand, Naked Prey, and Calexico. Now in Austin, Texas after a short stay in Los Angeles, Elm remains the creator of lonesome-deserted-highway-music for bossa nova enthusiasts. And his new album, Atardecer, is some of the most eerie-odd-quaint stuff to come down the pike in '99. Bill spoke with Max Ink a while ago and touched on topics like the litigiousness of Dean Martin and  other such things…

1) MAXIMUM INK: Your music is tailor made for soundtracks and film scores. Are there any particular directors you'd like to work on a movie with?

Bill Elm: I'm not sure that I have a favorite director. I'd like to see somebody make another good Western though.

2) MI: Did you see "Dead Man"?

BE: Yeah, I enjoyed it but it seemed more like a Jim Jarmusch film than a Western. I actually fell asleep during it; I was really tired and I think I made it through about three fourths of it. You know what soundtrack I really like-but I don't know if they even released it-was "My Own Private Idaho" with all the
pedal steel…
3) MI: Are you a fan of other Arizona bands like the Meat Puppets or Scenic?

BE:  The Meat Puppets actually live here now (Austin). Some guy from Scenic used to do sound for a couple different clubs in L.A…. I guess I only knew of them from Los Angeles…

4) MI: Are you a photographer by any chance? 'Cuz I have to tell you, the photos and design of your first album ( The Shadow of Your Smile ) looked like how I imagined it would sound-Southwestern, sun-drenched, and desert-ish…

BE: I've heard that actually from a bunch of people that (The Shadow of Your Smile) looked-how-it-would-sound…I take pictures but I certainly wouldn't consider myself a photographer…

5) MI:  You used to be called Friends of Dean Martin 'til his handlers caught wind of that…How scary is it to get a let-ter from Dean's attorneys?

BE: Well, we didn't get a letter. We had to seek them out to get permission. Our label wanted written permission because it wouldn't be us that got sued, it would be them. I did write (Dean) a letter to ask for permission and sent him a copy of our album. They said that he listened to it and liked it all right (laughs). And it's not like Dean Martin needed any money; he just said "no" 'cuz he can and he doesn't have to deal with it at all…
 

From wireless digital headphones for all his exercise equipment, evening swing classes, cardio karate or the shark tank-juice bar lobby, Rob designed Gold's Gym of Madison to support and activate people in a positive environment. A guitarist years ago (with the Madison band Chaser) Rob's passions have always included music. Rob has a DJ in twice a week to master a 23,000 watt command post.  He invested close to a million dollars on an impressive array of handpicked light and sound equipment that includes ten techno-beams, several cloud-like projection screens, stage mic plug-ins, a state of the art mixing board. All of that is pumped through a state of the art JBL speaker/subwoofer system that is enginneered to hear stereo in every corner of thebuilding.

Celebrating his first year up and running, Rob has put together a shindig called Heart Rock 99.  A joint effort between Gold's Gym, Ward-Brodt and the American Heart Association, it will include trapeze artists, an Ovation Guitar giveaway and a weekend capped off with a live performance by Madison's own Mission Blue on March 8th.  Their appearance in turn kicks off Rob West's promise to feature live music the first Monday of every month.  Rob will be featuring local bands. The club offers a Disney World meets Hard Rock Cafe type venue. Bring your tights.