2023 was not my favorite year of all time. In fact, except for 2017 when I was flailing and strung out, I can’t think of a worse time in my life. I lost my husband—my best friend of 6+ years—to drugs and an avalanche of mental heath and neurological issues. In short order we lost our home, which we had saved all our lives to buy, and my retirement and savings account. Everything was put in a big pile and set on fire—by lawyers! Fuck me.

Truth be known: I’d set it all on fire myself if that would bring my husband back to the land of the loving and the sane. But nothing I did made any difference. I couldn’t fix this one, and that’s no one’s fault.

I’m getting divorced—and it fucking sucks

All that said, when shit gets tough—and 2023 was the toughest—you really find out who your friends are and what’s important in life. It made the good times better and more appreciated. It reconfirmed how much I love my job—I have terrifically supportive colleagues and we get to make incredible things! And I traveled more than ever.

This is by no means exhaustive, but here are some 2023 moments and—most especially—friends I won’t ever forget:

Chaki does Disney

We started the year with Chaki and a grand dinner at the Tam O’Shanter. Some say Disney hatched the plans for his mouse empire right at the corner table…

Mirth & mishigas: Chaki’s holiday special funks up Christmas Eve

Bret brings the Museum to the people

Next up was a big video show featuring Carnage Monday superstars like Adam Papagan, Bret Berg and Ryan Lichten at new microcinema/VHS rental joint, Whammy!

And yours truly got to present the presenters thanks to Culture Dumps. This was a highlight of the year—and Whammy! is so very cool.

Culture Dumps lights up media’s darkest corners at Whammy!

Whammy! is the place to be

It was a packed house, but the best part…

Sons of the Bitch reunion?

I got to hang with my Sons of the Bitch bandmates, Stacey Beretta and Stache (aka Kyle Souza). Our drummer Dalton, who we saw about a month later, was busy gettin’ ready to be a dad. He and his wife had a beautiful girl, and Stacey and I went to the baby shower. I love these guys—my brothers.

Get more Sons Of The Bitch

Sean meets Lynn on the eve of her big Supreme Court decision

Lynn Goldsmith aka Will Powers got me through the pandemic with her incredible album.

Now, in 2023, she set a copyright precedent with her Supreme Court victory. Artists are entitled to be paid for their works—how about that?

Isaac Mizrahi says get those phones out

Fashion designer-turned-bandleader and singer Isaac Mizrahi was the opposite of stuck up. He implored the crowd at his Irvine concert to “TAKE THOSE CELLPHONES OUT—AND SNAP AWAY!”

Gotta love a man of the people.

Sennie’s got two mommies

And you gotta love love. My mom got remarried. I wish the happy couple the best. I’m so proud of them.

Black Eyes are back! in Philadelphia

What happens when a semi-obscure band gets back together 20 years later? Well, in the case of my old pals Black Eyes—they’re more popular than ever! I flew to see them in Philly (and unfortunately missed Richmond Tan). It was sold out. What a show…

Read my previous adventures with Black Eyes

Daniel, Sean & Jacob

It was incredible to see my old friends after so many years—I love them dearly…

Hugh & Sean

And they are back to stay—at least for a little bit.

Catch Black Eyes at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles on January 27th!

Sean & Katy Otto

Oh my gosh it’s our old Maryland/DC friend Katy Otto who helped my band The Divine Invasion so much.

Read all about my first ‘real’ band

Mr. Kasha Davis, Sean Carnage, Mrs. Kasha Davis

In May, I attended RuPaul’s Dragcon and spent time with my friends, Mrs. Kasha Davis and her hubs. What a thrill!

Check out Dragcon LA 2023: The complete photo Carnage!

Speak In Tongues reunion! Or, Cleveland in Seattle with Danny Noonan, Jake Kelly, Raphi Gottesman & Sean Carnage

This. THIS! It was so wonderful to fly to Seattle for Danny Noonan‘s 45th birthday and reunite with Speak In Tongues chums—now lifelong friends—Jake Kelly and Raphi Gottesman.

READ: Speak In Tongues lives again in a wild new book

READ: An oral history of Junking Theory, one of 1999’s greatest bands

I just love this photo. Though I must admit, this was right when my husband was going totally bonkers and my life was the most hellish of hells. I was served divorce papers when I returned from this trip. I can’t tell you the manic dread and anguish I felt. The man in this photos is ‘Black Lodge’ Sean, as I was squirrelly, in denial, injured and reeling from so much trauma. Life would never be the same and I knew it.

Still, it was wonderful to see these guys This meetup probably saved my life as fucked as I felt at that time.

Riki Rachtman gives us the dirt!

And then there’s Riki Rachtman, from our old don’t miss Saturday night TV show Headbangers Ball on MTV.

Riki has been in recovery for decades. His outrageous tales (like David Bowie vs. Axl Rose—say it ain’t so, Riki!) of the Cat Club were balanced with a positive message that we can survive, and grow—and ROCK!

I would never have made it to this event without the generosity of my old friend, Stephe Sykes, with whom I had a terrific time in Hollywood.

Check out Stephe ace new video

The Darkness flips the script

Rock me like a hurricane… with spandex and smoooooth moves. The Darkness did just  that. My friend Winnie took me to this show at the Wiltern which was the best bombastic arena show not played in an arena. Pure fun. Thanks, W.!

Tony Alva blazes a trail

Skateboard was the very first motion picture—filmed and released in the 1970s—about, you guessed it—skateboarding! Bret Berg was on hand to welcome the director and superstar, Tony Alva. Amazing. I love Califormia.

Flashback: I got a personal tour of the new Alamo Drafthouse in DTLA

Idaho’s Jeff Martin plus filmmakers Mark Davis and Jan Jansen

Equally amazing is Traces Of Glory the must-see documentary about obscure LA band, Idaho. Don’t worry—you don’t need to know anything in advance about the band’s gorgeous, semi-improvised slowcore Americana. Absolutely enchanting! The filmmakers (Mark and Jan) were terrifically nice and generous as well.

See the Traces of Glory trailer

These boots are made for walkin’: Sean meets Nancy Sinatra

You can bet Seannie was in Sugartown when he got to spend the afternoon with Nancy Sinatra in Palm Springs.

Trixie does Palm Springs Pride

How do you top Nancy Sinatra? Hang with the only other woman wearing vinyl stack heel boots in 2023—drag superstar Trixie Mattel, who led the Pride parade.

We got gay married at Palm Springs Pride

Oh no—it’s Devo!

Devo—reuniting just to explode forever. I’m glad I was at their sold out YouTube arena show.

U.S. Rocker reunion? Eden and Nora visit LA

Eden Gauteron was U.S. Rocker version 2.0’s secret sauce. Only fitting that he and partner Nora and I shared some secret sauce (actually it was condensed milk) on a Korean Bingsu dessert. Yum!

All 101 issues of legendary ’90s underground music magazine U.S. Rocker are now online

An oral history of U.S. Rocker—Ohio’s greatest rock magazine, Pt. I: The early years 1989-93

Sean does Issey

Issey Miyake is forever…

Miyake

And ever!

This town ain’t big enough for both of us

Bret took me to the top of the LA Athletic club—and I saw the light!

Full circle: Chaki tears up Christmas with El Vez and more

Chaki closed things out with spectacular holiday show.

Have a cozy New Year!

Happy New Year 2024! Let’s make this year a better one.

Ah, but before we leave 2023 fully behind, don’t miss all the exclusive reportage from 2023, for your reading & listening pleasure (of course):

Dragcon LA 2023: The complete photo Carnage!

Life’s a drag at the Dragcon LA Afterparty

Dildox surfs the synth wave

All aboard the ACIDTRAIN

J’adore DJ Erin Eyesore

It takes Two Crones to tango

Pain Behavior brings ‘Industrial Slutcore’

Bat Noise: Still ‘freaking the streets’

Cute & difficult & fun: Myriad Slits