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Poet and doghouse-bass player Johnny Bender, (AKA Brutus Chieftain), followed the Beat tradition in attitude but also enjoyed fiddling with form. He lived with his longtime wife, René, near the Box Springs Mountains in beautiful Moreno Valley. A short workshop he took with Allen Ginsberg at Naropa Institute in summer 1982 inspired Bender to start the poetry performance troupe ""Poets in Distress"" that same year. The group still gives raucous readings throughout Southern California. Bender also used the names Brutus Chieftain, Bombastus, Henry Heaven, Brutusaurus Rex Chieftain, Wunderbender, and John. Born in Pomona, CA, Steve Lossing, (AKA Stevo Lution), received his first rejection notice at 16, when the high school newspaper refused to run his comic strip ""Tommy the dead Trojan cat,"" featuring the school's deceased mascot. He received a BA in general studio art from CSUF, focusing on painting and assemblage. A long term member of performance troupe Poets in Distress, Steve currently serves as their Minister of Propaganda, drawing fliers, spray-painting signage, illustrating poetry books, designing clothing, and creating musical instruments. His political art can be spotted throughout the Inland Empire on light poles, signposts, and Jane Wiedlin's guitar at Coachella. Steve lives in Riverside, CA with his wife Andrea, their daughter, Afton, Prince Shiny the chug, and countless feral cats.
