HOT LIXX HULAHAN (Craig Bilmeir–USA '05, 07, '09, World Champion 2008), ZAC MONRO (World Champion '01, '02), and GUNTHAR LOVE (World Champion 2009) participated in an all-star panel hosted by JUHA HIPPI (World Champion 1998ish).

Here are a few loosely transcribed comments:

JUHA: Did you achieve fame, and how did you cope?
Zac: The quality of the fame is better.  This is because you don't have to sell anything after winning.

Hot Lixx: [Farts, giggles]

Gunthar: There were kilometers of women waiting for me.  And sports journalists, because France didn't win shit in 2009.  Fuck those guys up the ass (this was through Gunthar's interpreter, who also had to comment  "this is what he said, I'm not making it up." I echo those sentiments.)

JUHA: What question do you get asked most often?
Gunthar: "I am always asked why I waste my time on this, and always by neighbor. All the time he tells me I'm wasting my time. I tell him I'd rather waste my time doing this than than waste my time hating my neighbor."

Left to right: Monro, Love, Lixx, Hippi.

Update on Friday, August 27, 2010 at 9:26AM by Air Traffic Control

ATC (West Hays, USA) gave an impassioned speech at the Mayor's Reception at Oulu City Hall yesterday.  Those in attendance remarked at the orator's fervor, power and general incoherence.  Others were merely confused why he kept saying "Mon Dieu...Mon Dieu..."

ATC speaks to the people.

 

 

Gunther Love (Sylvain Guimene) listens from the front row.

We present this plaque, via jpeg, to those who go above and beyond the call of doody.

In this first installation of the bi-monthly "Profiles in Excellence in the Field of Magnificence" we introduced back in early April, US Air Guitar officially recognizes San Francisco's Dirty Airy (Aron Carlton).  For his coming in second a couple times in the hardest markets we visit, for his pirated copy of GarageBand, for his well crafted stenography, for his timeless dick-in-a-sock routine, and most importantly for regularly commenting on the blog: Dirty Airy: we salute you.

Dirty Airy at the Fillmore. Photo provided by SF Weekly.

Turns out our credentials – graciously provided by AGWC to all competitors and their entourage – get us into every club, cinema, and rintojen klubi free of charge. So we figured we'd try them out at the OK Go concert. What happens when a dozen World Air Guitar Champions stumble into a concert together their not scheduled to play?

Johnny Utah (Cole Manson - Canada '09, '10) shares a mike with Damian Kulash from OK Go. Background: Hot Lixx Hulahan (USA '05, '07; World Champion '08) and Zac Monro (UK '01, '02; World '03ish) get close. Photo credit: West Hays

It's been announced (by her mother) that the Edinburgh native ZERO PROSPECTS (Kate Gray) will be representing Scotland in the Dark Horse Competition in Oulu, Finland this Thursday.  Last year, before she and Björn Türoque got hitched, ZP took first place in the dark horse and thus advanced to the World Stage on the following night where she finished 8th overall.

Update on Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 3:07PM by Air Traffic Control

ZERO PROSPECTS was just asked to share a judging spot with ATC ("moi") at tonight's Dark Horse.  Quite a pickle she's in -- to judge or perform?

Moments ago Björn Türoque (Mr. Dan Crane), delivered a groundbreaking lecture on how air guitar will save the world.  Within the framework of today's political and scientific progress and inherent limitations, Türoque advances his argument on five basic premises:

• Environmental
  • Air Guitar has a zero carbon footprint, and its traditional "windmill" move may one day be harnessed into a renewable form of energy.

• Peace-induction of the hindsight variety  
  • In 2003, "Make air not war" was trademarked by then-performer Turoque, when he scribbled it across his chest before performing on the world stage (again).  Shortly thereafter, the Coalition invaded Iraq.  Now, some seven years later, things are sort of maybe changing. 

• Love
  • Several world (and almost world) champions, including Zac Monro [UK 2001, '02] and Türoque himself, met their eventual spouses at air guitar competitions.

• Freedom
  • Moshe Dayan, the Israeli military leader (who knows peace better than that guy?) asserts "freedom is the oxygen of the soul."  Of course, you can't have oxygen without air.  Additionally, you can't have air guitar with out air.  Therefore, freedom is air guitar. [See image below]