Physical Graffiti?

The perception of police harassment versus good law enforcement often depends on which side of the badge you find yourself on. In Gatlinburg, Michael Cipy, proprietor of Cracker Jack's Tattoo, has claimed that the Gatlinburg Police Department has been performing unwarranted searches of his place of business and has driven away customers. Cipy says local police park their cruisers in front of his business for extended periods of time and have performed unwarranted inspections of his facilities several days in a row under no specific pretense (once with a K-9 unit). Cipy believes that the cops milling about intimidate his customers and that they are there because of community pressure to close down all four tattoo shops in Gatlinburg. "They are taking away my freedom of expression," Cipy says. "It's interfering with my right to make a living."

Down the street at Jess's Fineline Tattoo Station, Lamar Green says he has done his best to cooperate with local officials. Green agreed to periodic checks by the police after being cited for violation of a sign ordinance, but he says that sometimes they overstepped their bounds.

"I had one cop come in and out of my store three times in a row, just stand around not saying anything and walk out," he says. Another time, a group of three cops told Green that they had no idea why they were there, he claims. He says that they were told by the chief of police to go down to the shops.

Chief Harry Montgomery denies the parlors are being treated differently than any other places of business. "We have the right to enter any public business at any time for any reason," the chief says.

Montgomery denies that Mayor George Hawkins' proposal to the City Council that tattoo parlor business be curtailed in Gatlinburg has anything to do with how much police surveillance the shops see. Claiming to be under pressure from local citizens, Hawkins has proposed an ordinance that would require tattoo parlors to be a certain number of feet from each other, and "by attrition" some of the four businesses would be weeded out.

Does this constitute a violation of the right to do business? Green and Cipy both claim outstanding professionalism and cleanliness, claims backed up by the Sevier County Health Department. Green purports to run one of the cleanest tattoo parlors in the state, and he wonders why he can tattoo several cops from Knoxville and from out of state, but is bothered by the ones in Gatlinburg. Mayor Hawkins admits that no laws are being broken, and he claims merely to be reflecting the will of his constituents, who perceive tattoo parlors to be businesses of ill repute. Cipy sees it another way. "It's like Nazi Germany," he says.

Awake in the Dark

Leave it to Zippy to quash any and all rampaging rumors. Somehow, some of the denizens of East Tennessee got it into their heads that the new Tom Hanks vehicle The Green Milewas filming in and around these parts. I've got news for you kids, it's not. Actually, those cameras will be rolling in Nashville and its surroundings for three weeks in late October, according to the great, almighty Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission. Sorry to break this to all of you would-be Hanks followers.

And, since we're talking about the movie biz, yet another film-related press release just breezed across the nerve center of Metro Pulse—my desk. Knoxville is about to get its own film fest, which will take place March 12-14 of 1999. The Valleyfest, as it is now being called, is sponsored by Euphoric Productions, the same folks who brought you A Scruffy Little Film Fest a few months ago. Valleyfest will be the first multi-day festival in ET, and they are looking "to give access to more filmmakers," says Melinda Wolfe, publicist for this event. The panel is looking for first-time features, shorts, documentaries, and animation reels, and it is all the better if they do not already have a distribution deal. Entries will be accepted through Jan. 1 and more information can be obtained either at the web site (www.esper.com/valleyfest), or by calling Wolfe at 971-1792.

Local CD Review
Slugboys
Fukking With My Brain

If the cover of the Slugboys new local CD—a subversive piece of underground cartoonery gruesomely illustrating the title—doesn't clue you in as to where this local trio is coming from, then the ferocious opening strains of the first cut ("You're F—-ing With My Brain") won't leave any doubts. Theirs is a classic, hard-charging brand of All-American mid-1980's hard-core, all buzzsaw grooves, sneer-along choruses, and relentless double-time drums.

Not that this is a bad thing, mind you; it's just something you've surely heard a few dozen times before. Fortunately, the Slugboys—Rob on guitar and vox, Bob on drums, and Brad on bass (no last names, please)—have the rugged punk chops and enough sheer snotty conviction to make it all fun at least this one more time.

Highlights include the Mach ten opening cut and a deliciously irreverent take on the old Presley weeper "Suspicious Minds" (labeled simply "The Big E" on the cover.) An unlikely choice of cover songs, to be sure, but trust us on this one: it works.

Fukking With My Brain isn't rocket science, and it won't change your life. But it is about as much guilty, beer-swilling fun as you can wring out of nine songs and 18 minutes of digital airtime. Hop in the pit and enjoy.

—Zippy "Gotta Pogo" McDuff