Drive Time

by A.D. Amorosi

If you rolled Bill Nye, Roger Corman, Lux Interior, Franz Klein and all of The Residents into one person, you'd come up with Joe Shipley, aka Ouch, aka Professor Furry Couch. This ephemera everyman who co-owns Philadelphia Eddie's tattoo parlor has found himself at the forefront of the customized hot rod/beater car/rockabilly scene along the East Coast. Hell, he is the scene. "There ain't no profit. I actually pay the bands — novel, huh?" says Couch. Couch takes over a large tract of Delaware's Kahunaville for his three-day mix of loudly rumbling mufflers, rat-rod designer cars and pinup stars. "The show started as a question amongst a few pals that drove old cars: "Wonder if anyone else likes to drive old cars?'" asks Couch. "Not being into the poodle-skirted, Happy Days style of most classic car shows, we got a bunch of punk, garage and rockabilly bands and threw a party!" Keeping hot-rodding alive in a grass-roots fashion means jalopy showdowns, George Barris Kustoms (of Batmobile fame), strange rat rods, as well as visits from such personalities as Sally Starr and Sleepy LaBeef. The hardcore gearheads, old-school greasers and new-fashionistas who show up can enjoy the "stewing effect The younger folks can learn from the older folks and the older folks dig the young folks' energy and style."

Hot Rod Hoedown and Rock 'n' Roll Rumble #7, Fri., Sept. 10, pre-party 6 p.m., $10, Sat., Sept. 11, 11 a.m.-1 a.m., free before 3 p.m., $25 after, Sun., Sept. 12, noon-6 p.m., free, Kahunaville, 550 S. Madison St., Wilmington, Del., 302-571-8402, www.hotrodhoedown.com.

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