RIP Brad

Brad Houser, bass player and co-founder of Dallas rock band New Bohemians, dies

Brad Houser, RIP.

Courtesy photo

Brad Houser, a nationally renowned musician from Dallas who was a member of Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, died on July 24; he was 62.

Born John Bradley Houser, he was a founding member of the New Bohemians, later named Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, who rocketed to fame following their 1988 hit "What I Am." He also went on to form other bands such as Critters Buggin and Dead Kenny G’s.

According to a July 19 post by the band, Houser suffered a stroke on July 17, and was in the hospital where he remained in critical condition. A friend of the family confirmed that he was taken off life support on July 24 at 4:44 pm, and he "passed peacefully" at 9:09 pm.

"We want to say thank you to the many friends and family that have reached out in support of Brad and his wife Kiri. We love you all, and we are truly grateful," the post said.

Houser was beloved not only for his music expertise and fluid effortless bassplaying but also for his humility, generosity, sense of humor, deep infectious laugh, and encouraging nature. Friends called him "a rare human with the most beautiful heart and soul," "a team player," and "a musician's musician."

He attended Hillcrest High School and was a member of the high school band, starting out on saxophone before switching to bass, which he played on five albums with the New Bohemians, as well as on several records with his bands Critters Buggin and The Dead Kenny Gs.

He resided in Austin with his wife Kirilola Onokoro, a musician and former bass player for Japanese band Ex-Girl, with whom he also released recordings under the name Diamond Boom.

In addition to playing music, he wrote about music and the bass for Bass Musician magazine, and also collaborated with Reverend Guitars to create a pair of bass guitars, including one called the "Basshouser."

More recently, he worked as an instructor at the New School of Music, an organization in Austin that focuses on jazz instruction but also offers free classes to those who could not afford to pay for lessons, including a program where they lend instruments to underserved students so they can practice at home.

In April 2020, Houser invited friends on Facebook to post a comment recalling how they met: "The last few years have taught me that when it is our time to leave this world no one can stop it. We have one life to live. The material things we invest in are left behind only to be discarded. Memories are important to me. I am joining the 'reunion of friends' challenge. .. If you are reading this message, make a comment using a single word about how we met."

Responses included "music-making," New Bohemians, and "Club Dada" where Edie Brickell and New Bohemians first played.

In 2022, he mused on Austin, stating, "I had the honor of playing Liberty Lunch with Edie Brickell and New Bohemians in '86 and John Doe in '95. Best damn venue ever, well, OK maybe in a dead-even tie with 500 Cafe, Theater Gallery (when you could still go up on the roof!!!!!!) and Club Dada…….. Liberty Lunch was everything good about the Austin that us old(er) MFers still remember."

"Now we are rapidly becoming Dallas with more hills and trees. I’m from Dallas. Austin was always such a magical place, seemingly in a different realm entirely separate from the $money$- driven greed pits found almost everywhere else. These days you’ll find me at the Continental Club gallery on Fri-Sat nights, playing to the absolute best of my ability with some extremely gifted musicians (Josh Perdue & co) and on Sunday afternoons downstairs with Marshall Hood."

Before he died, his fellow New Bohemian band members Kenny Withrow and John Bush came to his hospital room to play music, and also brought Houser's beloved dog Riga to his bedside. He was an animal lover who often advocated on behalf of rescues.

On Monday afternoon, Withrow posted a request on Facebook, saying, "At 4:44 pm if you could, pause for Brad and his journey," to acknowledge his passing.

Brickell posted a remembrance, saying, "Just spent 6 weeks playing and recording with my friends, New Bohemians. It was our final day recording and Brad was about to take off for a gig when I said, 'Aw, come on! One more jam, Brad. You start it.' He nodded and played this great part and I started singing about him to him with the biggest smile on my face just having fun. I was celebrating his generosity to stay and play one last song with me. But I never thought it would be our final song together. Our band's very last jam was a playful song about Brad. I loved him. He taught me a lot."

UPDATE 8-1-2023: A memorial service will be held at All Saints Presbyterian in Austin at 7808 Rialto Blvd. on Tuesday August 1 at 1 pm. The service will also be livestreamed for those who cannot attend.

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Movie Review

Revived Coyote vs. Acme shows Looney Tunes’ enduring appeal

Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment

Wile E. Coyote in Coyote vs. Acme.

No movie studio has gone through more ups and downs in the past few years than Warner Bros. In 2022, they oddly shelved two mostly-completed movies, Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. But the next few years brought major movies like Barbie, Dune Part Two, Sinners, Superman, Weapons, and One Battle After Another, giving them a huge boost. Strangely, that led directly into a proposed sale to Paramount that is now going through legal battles.

Another previously-shelved Warner Bros. movie, Coyote vs. Acme, is now seeing the light of day thanks to a deal with a small company called Ketchup Entertainment. Taking its cue from the classic Looney Tunes cartoons, the film creates a world in which Wile E. Coyote - sick of constantly being thwarted in his pursuit of Road Runner by faulty Acme products - decides to sue the company.

To do so, he approaches the law firm of Avery, Jones & Maltese, led by Kevin Avery (Will Forte). The firm typically takes on small cases that are easy to settle, but - with a little subterfuge from Wile E. Coyote - they are soon presenting Acme and its lead attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena), with a lawsuit that could be worth millions of dollars. Naturally, the big corporation won’t give in without a fight, leading to all sorts of shenanigans on both sides.

Directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch from a story by Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater, the film is a fun mixture of nostalgia and clever storytelling. Most of Looney Tunes’ classic characters make an appearance in the film, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Sylvester. The two, other than Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, who get the most play are Tweety, who appears in some of the movie’s funniest scenes, and Foghorn Leghorn, reimagined as the CEO of Acme.

The blend of live action and animation is not quite on the level of something like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but it is still effective. It also affords the film plenty of opportunities to employ Looney Tunes’ signature brand of cartoon violence that doesn’t actually leave lasting damage. The gags are very familiar for those who grew up on the studio’s short films, but combined with the inventive ways in which they’re used and the pointed jabs at corporate culture, they become somewhat fresh again.

Naturally, there are plenty of references in the film, starting with the name of the law firm, which pays homage to legendary directors Chuck Avery and Chuck Jones, as well as writer/animator Michael Maltese. Sly jokes that could turn the film from PG to PG-13 sneak their way in, although they steer clear of elements that haven’t aged well (documented in a recent viral comedy clip). But the film is at its best when it leans into the well-earned traits of its favorite characters and just lets them cook.

Forte is a great scene partner for Wile E. Coyote, as he can turn even minor slights into comedy gold. His deadpan reactions are the ideal way to counter the insanity going on around him. Cena has proven in other films that he has great comic timing, and he demonstrates that skill well here, too, especially in a fantastic scene opposite Tweety. The voice talent does a good job with the iconic characters, although the legendary Mel Blanc remains the gold standard.

Coyote vs. Acme is not a world-changing movie by any means, but it is a fun twist on the characters many know and love that deserved to be seen by moviegoers. Wile E. Coyote may never actually catch Road Runner, but this movie shows that his unceasing attempts remain entertaining after all these years.

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Coyote vs. Acme is now playing in theaters.

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