MTX live at the Joiners Arms in Southampton, England, July 8th 1992, in front a few dozen bored teenagers, one of whom happened to have a running camcorder in his hand. It's pretty rough, but so were we, and it's probably the best live video document of that era of MTX as there is.

Lots to tell about that overseas trip. Extracting a few songs to comment on, as before, after which I'll post the whole set.

Song write-up here: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/805488911771865088

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX live at the Joiners Arms in Southampton, England, July 8th 1992, in front a few dozen shouting, sweating, vibrating teenagers, one of whom happened to have a running camcorder in his hand. It's pretty rough, but so were we, and it's probably the best live video document of that era of MTX as there is.

Lots to tell about that overseas trip. Extracting a few songs to comment on, as before, after which I'll post the whole set.

"minor secrets" write-up: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/879032019592544256

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998.

This is the whole show, starting in the midst of the opening song "I Just Wanna Do It with You" just before the first chorus. Nothing can be done about that! But that's why I didn't separate it out as a separate song.

(This video was handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.)

Set list: I Just Wanna Do It with You / She's Coming (over Tonight) / Tapin' up My Heart / Thank You for not Being One of Them / Another Yesterday / More than Toast / Here She Comes / I'm Like Yeah but She's All No / We Are the Future People of Tomorrow / Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba / Love Is Dead / Ready Set Go / ...and I Will Be with You / You're the Only One / I Fell for You / BBC

I also did write-ups for each individual song as I posted them on various social media platforms and have aggregated them here: https://medium.com/@drankf/minor-secrets-of-the-mr-t-experience-revealed-c66f9151cf7d

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/800416004354949120

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/795363672221065216

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/797895418164609024

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me recently by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/789539506700161024

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/793210938122944512

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me recently by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/790253372386742272

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets": http://www.doktorfrank.com/archives/2017/12/love_is_dead_2.html

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/787357945250713600

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. This was from the Queers / MTX / Parasites tour. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

For a brief period we used to close our sets with this Austin Powers / “Ming Tea” song. It was fun, trust me.

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

My buddy Will found this on a VHS tape (all it had on it was two MTX songs from this same performance and the Quincy punk episode.) If it's not obvious, the method of transfer was his taking a cell phone video of the TV. This had to be 1985 or 1986, probably before Everyone's Entitled... was recorded, and it's the only document that I've seen of our Munster's theme cover, which we used to play in all our sets in the beginning. No idea where this is from, but it kind of looks like a campus room of some kind. Not sure what else to say... "enjoy"?

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/791035529543737344

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

Lauren captured this great rendition of my old song "Two Minute Itch" from Kepi at the recent MTX / Nerf Herder / Kepi show at the Troubadour in West Hollywood CA, 7.28.18. I know I say this a lot but:
good times.

"Minor secrets" write-up: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/871409757662543872.

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

My buddy Will found this on a VHS tape (all it had on it was two MTX songs from this same performance and the Quincy punk episode.) If it's not obvious, the method of transfer was him taking a cell phone video of the TV. This had to be 1985 or 1986, probably before Everyone's Entitled... was recorded. No idea where this is from, but it kind of looks like a campus room of some kind. Not sure what else to say... "no"?

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/792835219870990336

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. This was from the Queers / MTX / Parasites tour. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/784453092572667922

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. This was from the Queers / MTX / Parasites tour. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few transfer glitches here and there. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets": https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/784437901940236300

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS and despite a few glitches from the transfer. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"minor secrets" here: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/784896311034912779

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. This was from the Queers / MTX / Parasites tour. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

MTX, live at RKCNDY, Seattle, Nov. 13, 1998. This was from the Queers / MTX / Parasites tour. I have video of the whole set, handed to me by Amy who used to work there when we played in NYC recently. Pretty good show and pretty good video and audio considering it's from VHS, despite a few glitches here and there. I may post more of it if I get around to it.

"Minor secrets": http://www.doktorfrank.com/archives/2017/11/shes_coming_ove.html

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

From a 7" on Goodland Records (2014): https://www.discogs.com/Dr-Frank-Bye-Bye-Blackbirds-Even-Hitler-Had-A-Girlfriend-Population-Us/master/721002.

This is me "covering" one of my old songs with the Bye Bye Blackbirds (a great rock/pop band featuring former MTX bass player Aaron.)

Good times.

"Minor secrets" write up: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/851140079378649088

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

Laura Bethita Neptuna captured this side-stage profile view video from the acoustic break in of the MTX set at the MTX / Nerf Herder / Kepi show at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, 7.28.18. It was a good time.

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

I know little about this other than the fact that it was created by our bass player Byron's neighbor sometime in 1989. (He had done another one earlier, for "Surfin' Cows".) This is the version of the song from the Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood 12" ep on Rough Trade.

Thanks to Jon von for preserving and sharing the video, and Byron's neighbor, whoever you are.

"Minor secrets" write-up here: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/833381007419158528

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

This video was created by our bass player Byron's neighbor some time after 1986 when the song was recorded. (He also made one for "At Gilman Street" a bit later.)

The song is off the first MTX album, "Everyone's Entitled to Their Own Opinion" and was one of a three instrumentals from Jon's old band in Boston the Sacred Cows that we used to do. (We recorded another, "Skatin' Cows" for the Night Shift album; we never recorded the third, "Hang 4," at least, not as far as I can remember.)

Thanks to Jon for preserving and sharing the file, and to Byron's neighbor, whoever and wherever you are.

"Minor secrets" write-up: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/820708692110651392

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

UPDATE: King Dork Approximately the Album now available on vinyl, CD, and "balbum" form: http://www.soundsradical.com/store/c22/KDA

"High School Is the Penalty..." is the second single from The Mr T Experience’s long-awaited new album, “King Dork Approximately the Album” released in connection with the paperback version of "Dr. Frank" Portman's YA novel of the same name, the sequel to his 2006 bestseller, King Dork. The album consists of songs “written by" the novel’s rock’n’roll obsessed narrator and performed and recorded by Dr. Frank’s very real band, MTX. The full album is available as a free download with purchase of this edition of the book.

buy the song on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dozBgh; or iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/high-school-is-penalty-for/id1156787682

KING DORK APPROXIMATELY THE ALBUM available as a free download with purchase of this edition of the book. Release date: Oct. 4, 2016. Order book with instant download of the album from Sounds Radical: http://www.soundsradical.com/store/p30/King_Dork_Approximately_Signed_Paperback_Edition.html

Directed by Jonathan London. Produced by Nite Owl.

(c) & (p) 2016 MTX Dr. Frank Itching Powder Music (BMI)

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

Strumming and shouting out this song at Moe's Books in Berkeley in August, 2006, captured on video by Marisa. As a "protest song" complaining about the billing practices of a now-defunct mobile phone service, it remains surprisingly popular. Its only release is on the Sound Radical cassette entitled "Dr. Frank - The Way It Sounds Like"; it's a different recording than this one, though it was also recorded at Moe's at a different appearance. (Couldn't find video of that one.)

When I do it live I invariably introduce it with a lengthy shaggy dog story chronicling the billing dispute and the song's legendary first performance sung into the phone at a customer service representative. You can hear it on the tape, or you can come see me play sometime and request it and I'll probably do it because why not?

"Minor secrets" write-up here: https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/830867149039955968

True story. Getcher product here: https://www.soundsradical.com/store.html

medium: https://medium.com/@drankf/latest
minds: https://www.minds.com/frankportman
twitter: https://twitter.com/mtxforever
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drankf/
Dr Frank on google: https://posts.google.com/share/xOhNnvFB
sounds radical: https://www.soundsradical.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html