i used to be a HUGE 7seconds fan. I mean huge. Not just knew all the records, sang in a tribute band, had the shirt, saw them perform a few times, talked to Kevin Seconds, spread crazy rumors about them to up their cred with the chugga chugga h/c kids, etc. but HUGE as in one night i decided that every sentance and statement spoken by me or anyone around me would be validated with the shout, 7SECONDS! I must have said it 500 times before first being shouted down "Go back to Reno!" then finally being ducttaped at the mouth.
I found Kevin Seconds has a blog, and his post from May 11th, 2008 is pretty fucking heavy. Explains where he's coming from as far as a musician that is still makeing songs, just not 7Seconds songs. He comments on the reaction of the "kids" today, his songwriting, getting feedback from his peers, etc. Its pretty powerfull stuff.
http://blog.kevinseconds.com/?p=750
It also reenforced to me that sure, there are great creative works of art coming from all over the place in all different forms from all types of people. The people made it, but its not them. They are just products made public and should be taken as that. The synthesis, result, sometimes garbage, of the process the person went through.
What I really love is when the work shows a glimpse into a PERSON that is great work of art. When you can just see little bits of pieces into their core, their psyche, their motivations for living their life and it sticks to what I think is as close to authenticity as we're going to get THESE DAYS. (and you know what i mean by, theeeese days, right?)
So while I'm not into Kevin's new solo acoustic stuff, it doesn't matter, because I just know that guy is a ruler. I've seen, read, and heard 33 YEARS of bits and pieces of his mind. He's actually proven, to me at least, that he's someone that deserves to be rich and famous. Which means through this fucked up karmic universe of ours, he won't be. Only douchebags from other early 80s hardcore bands from Lodi, NJ that also had singalong anthemic songs then went on to solo projects of garbage techno music or stupid goth chamber music get to be rich and famous.
"You inspire me intensely
Without any doubt.
You keep me thinking, help me try,
Show that I can do without,
With you there's more foundation,
More than any other time,
And when it comes to you my heart is true,
Until the day I die"
7Seconds "TRUST" from the album THE CREW
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
True Blue ..... Blue Jays fans that is!
I love Toronto... but I haven't been in about 6 years. And since I was a kid I was told the Blue Jays are the best team and have the best fans. Well, next to the TWINS!
My dream road trip right now is through Montana, hit up Ty in Mlps, see the folks in ChiTown, up to TO to see my cousins, aunts and uncles, jet over to Philly and kick it with Zafer, then into Woodstock to see Bro #1 and Sister Heidi. Then hit up all of DC museums with my Mom, Virginia Beach for R&R, then down south to find a new home... savannah, athens, pensicola, N.O., visit Tre in west texas, santa fe, maybe do some gambling in vegas, party in LA, camp in Big Sur, party in SF, take a train up through the redwoods, and back to portland in time for the rain to start.
would anyone like to sponsor my trip? i'm now accepting paypal donations, or preorders on the book to follow.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
a million little pieces
fiction or non-fiction, controversy or not, this book is fantastic. really powerful, stream of consciousness style, very descriptive without a bit of poetry to it. just brutal off the cuff honesty. depressing and hopeful. i had no idea what i was getting into and thought it would be something like William S. Boroughs' 'Junky' as the book's front jacket incorrectly states.
there is a part where he has two caps, a cavity and two root canals done, strapped to the chair, no anesthetic, no drugs. the description of pain so excruciating that he 'whites out' as opposed to blacking out is horrifingly vivid. he clenches tennis balls in each hand so hard in reaction that it breaks his fingernails.
there's another section in the book where he harshly criticizes television and film directors and producers for getting drug addiction wrong every single time. he talks about forcing a director to actually go through what addicts go though and see if they'd even make it out alive, yet alone how it would change their point of view, approach and aesthetic in the portrayal on screen.
that seems to be the case with a few other things... addiction, disease, famine, genocide and war. some things are just too real.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Richard Widmark 1914 - 2008
one of the greatest actors that ever lived passed away today. his villians in early pulp films by directors like sam fuller and jules dassin were horrifying and real to viewers and carry still today. he seemed to carry the torche from cagney on through the 60s. it also seems to me that jack nicholson owes quite a bit to Widmark.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sinead and the two Bobs
ok so the story goes like this...
Sinead O'Connor goes on SNL 3 October 1992 and for the second song, she performs a cover of Bob Marley's "War"
but she changes the lyrics towards the end to CHILD ABUSE because she had just done a bunch of research and found out that the Catholic Church KNEW about priests abusing children in Ireland but didn't do anything about it. she herself was abused as a child (not by a priest but her own mother) and devoted her life to advocacy for children and victim's of child abuse.
so she tears up a picture of the pope at the end and says "Fight the real enemy"
People in the press and in the USA go nuts over it and get super pissed off that she would do that. they had stunts in NYC where they gathered up all of her cds and bulldozed them.
13 days later she's to perform one of her hit songs "The end of our Acquaintence" at a Bob Dylan tribute concert. Here's the video of her performance there:
So crazy that she blew that story up in the face of the American public almost 15 years before it became "real news" and headlines here
People were so quick to judge her without actually hearing what she was saying. And now they turn and say "oh look at the muslims protesting the cartoon of mohamed, what ignorance."
And the parallel between Bob being boo'd at Newport for pushing the music into a new place, and then her doing the same thing, and being boo'd for it at a Dylan tribute concert just furthers the example of goddamn american hypocrites
oh yeah, and another reason why she rules... she refused to play any arena that would have the national anthem played on the loud speakers before her concert. she said she'd never support any country that would openly and deliberately censor its artists,
specifically the USA. (remember the PMRC!)
----------------
Now playing: Sinéad O'Connor - The Last Day of Our Acquaintance
via FoxyTunes
Sinead O'Connor goes on SNL 3 October 1992 and for the second song, she performs a cover of Bob Marley's "War"
but she changes the lyrics towards the end to CHILD ABUSE because she had just done a bunch of research and found out that the Catholic Church KNEW about priests abusing children in Ireland but didn't do anything about it. she herself was abused as a child (not by a priest but her own mother) and devoted her life to advocacy for children and victim's of child abuse.
so she tears up a picture of the pope at the end and says "Fight the real enemy"
People in the press and in the USA go nuts over it and get super pissed off that she would do that. they had stunts in NYC where they gathered up all of her cds and bulldozed them.
13 days later she's to perform one of her hit songs "The end of our Acquaintence" at a Bob Dylan tribute concert. Here's the video of her performance there:
So crazy that she blew that story up in the face of the American public almost 15 years before it became "real news" and headlines here
People were so quick to judge her without actually hearing what she was saying. And now they turn and say "oh look at the muslims protesting the cartoon of mohamed, what ignorance."
And the parallel between Bob being boo'd at Newport for pushing the music into a new place, and then her doing the same thing, and being boo'd for it at a Dylan tribute concert just furthers the example of goddamn american hypocrites
oh yeah, and another reason why she rules... she refused to play any arena that would have the national anthem played on the loud speakers before her concert. she said she'd never support any country that would openly and deliberately censor its artists,
specifically the USA. (remember the PMRC!)
----------------
Now playing: Sinéad O'Connor - The Last Day of Our Acquaintance
via FoxyTunes
Saturday, February 16, 2008
i forgot...
i forgot i created this blog!!! I'll try to get back innit!
well, first off, we've got this really killer ACRE cd at CDBaby now:
ACRE: CANDYFLIPPING
Its pretty amazing ambient drone music. I listen and read. Aaron is a good friend of mine and hilarious!!
check out this video too.
well, first off, we've got this really killer ACRE cd at CDBaby now:
ACRE: CANDYFLIPPING
Its pretty amazing ambient drone music. I listen and read. Aaron is a good friend of mine and hilarious!!
check out this video too.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
local rock and classic reggae
Local rockers Red Fang have a new tour CD they released through Wantage,
USA. These dudes used to be in Last of the Juanitas and PartyTime!
USA. These dudes used to be in Last of the Juanitas and PartyTime!
Great stuff!!
a man needing little introduction, reggae pioneer Burning Spear has
released a double cd and accompanying dvd on his own label. apparently he's
finally regained control to all of his work and is going to be releasing
his own stuff. hopefully we'll see some reissues as well.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
releated projects
these two projects are releated in that they share a guitar player, Ed. He's not on the Burmese record below, but performs with them now. both groups are favorites of mine and luckily Burmese is playing here in Portland with RABBITS on Sept 7th
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS: The Void
intricate prog jazz punk from the bay area. angular guitars, bursts and blasts of drums, really chaotic parts but all seeming under control. really good musicians doing really messed up songs.
BURMESE / FISTULA: split
people always say "oh this bands is so brutal" and its a few jackasses talking about war atrocities over poorly composed discharge rip off riffs, or mediocre slayer worship. no, that's not brutal. Burbese is brutal. this is the sound of revenge. its the sound of a disturbed conscience. when i hear their records i feel uneasy, as if witnessing a public exicution.
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS: The Void
intricate prog jazz punk from the bay area. angular guitars, bursts and blasts of drums, really chaotic parts but all seeming under control. really good musicians doing really messed up songs.
BURMESE / FISTULA: split
people always say "oh this bands is so brutal" and its a few jackasses talking about war atrocities over poorly composed discharge rip off riffs, or mediocre slayer worship. no, that's not brutal. Burbese is brutal. this is the sound of revenge. its the sound of a disturbed conscience. when i hear their records i feel uneasy, as if witnessing a public exicution.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
TRAGEDY
To my surprise, we received a Tragedy record here at CDBaby.
If you haven't heard this band, let me introduce you to the finest hardcore outfit making music today. Their roots come from some of the best bands of the 1990's and the four joined music writing forces to create one of the most sonic experiences I've had the pleasure to be blasted with over 10 times live. And the records are a perfect match to their live performances, with really solid production by Dan Rathbun of PolyMorph studios in Oakland.
Check it!
If you haven't heard this band, let me introduce you to the finest hardcore outfit making music today. Their roots come from some of the best bands of the 1990's and the four joined music writing forces to create one of the most sonic experiences I've had the pleasure to be blasted with over 10 times live. And the records are a perfect match to their live performances, with really solid production by Dan Rathbun of PolyMorph studios in Oakland.
Check it!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Some fantastic music at CDBABY
BAD BRAINS
if you don't already know, this is all the education you need.
THE AVENGERS: Died For Your Sins
Out of print cd release of bootlegs and live tracks. Bay Area punk legends. I think there are only a few copies left. Otherwise, you'll have to go to itunes to get it.
ROSEMARY'S BABIES: Talking To The Dead
Eerie Von's first band! Thrash attack from the east coast early 80s. why doesn't every kid hooked on Gang Green and Urban Waste know about Rosemary's Babies?!!!
THE SPITS
Perfect punk record. irreverant and yet ramones obsessed. sing along drunk punk songs. short and sweet. i listen to it twice in a row.
GERRITT & JOHN WIESE: The Disappearing Act
to men that belong in seizure palace. you remember the anti-drug commercials with the frying egg.... yeah, that should have said "this is your brain on a gerritt/wiese collab"
ZWEISTEIN: Trip, Flip Out, Meditation
First ever CD reissue of one of the most extreme Krautrock-era albums ever made.
SISSY SPACEK: Remote Whale Control
GERRITT: Space Level Blaze
MINDFLAYER: Expedition to the hairier peaks
TERRORISTS W/ LEE PERRY
SUICIDE: Half Alive
EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN: 2 X 4
CHROME: Half Machine Lip Moves
CHROME: Third From The Sun
if you don't already know, this is all the education you need.
THE AVENGERS: Died For Your Sins
Out of print cd release of bootlegs and live tracks. Bay Area punk legends. I think there are only a few copies left. Otherwise, you'll have to go to itunes to get it.
ROSEMARY'S BABIES: Talking To The Dead
Eerie Von's first band! Thrash attack from the east coast early 80s. why doesn't every kid hooked on Gang Green and Urban Waste know about Rosemary's Babies?!!!
THE SPITS
Perfect punk record. irreverant and yet ramones obsessed. sing along drunk punk songs. short and sweet. i listen to it twice in a row.
GERRITT & JOHN WIESE: The Disappearing Act
to men that belong in seizure palace. you remember the anti-drug commercials with the frying egg.... yeah, that should have said "this is your brain on a gerritt/wiese collab"
ZWEISTEIN: Trip, Flip Out, Meditation
First ever CD reissue of one of the most extreme Krautrock-era albums ever made.
SISSY SPACEK: Remote Whale Control
GERRITT: Space Level Blaze
MINDFLAYER: Expedition to the hairier peaks
TERRORISTS W/ LEE PERRY
SUICIDE: Half Alive
EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN: 2 X 4
CHROME: Half Machine Lip Moves
CHROME: Third From The Sun
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
land and people
overpopulation is an issue that comes up every once and a while.
here are some facts all according to wikipedia
Land area of earth: 148,939,100 km²
Human population 2005: 6,453,628,000
Manhattan, NY pop. density: 25,849/km²
Land area of Oregon: 255,026 km²
You could put all of the people in the world into Oregon at the density of NYC and have the rest of the world untouched. All 148,684,074 km² of it.
We'd still have to flush our toilet on California, but they deserve it.
here are some facts all according to wikipedia
Land area of earth: 148,939,100 km²
Human population 2005: 6,453,628,000
Manhattan, NY pop. density: 25,849/km²
Land area of Oregon: 255,026 km²
You could put all of the people in the world into Oregon at the density of NYC and have the rest of the world untouched. All 148,684,074 km² of it.
We'd still have to flush our toilet on California, but they deserve it.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Entry one...... what for?
Thought I'd publish some thoughts and see what comes of it.
Today, I'd like to say that Rage Against the Machine was the last time I really considered if a band 'sold out' or not. They seemed to be so great to me, and musically I still consider their first album to be truely groundbreaking, but it was 'wrong' to me that a band should go on MTV talking about Leonard Peltier. That seemed to be for the underground, and not for jocks to know about.
That was pretty backwards thinking, especially now that no one talks about political prisoners on MTV. And everyone sells out now that Green Day made it punk to do so.
Now, I still think they sold out, but for different reasons. From their own website, you can see that when they did a benefit concert for Leonard Peltier in 1994, before hitting the spotlight, they raised $75,000 for his defense fund.
A year later, they did the same thing for Mumia. However, this concert raised just $8,000. Without specific numbers that I could research, it appears at quick glance that, even though in that one year they had gained worldwide fame, hit song and video on MTV, new album, and presumably a wider range of resources available to them to raise money, they in fact were less effective.
Why? From every story I've ever read of how the music industry works, and from my own experience working in the independent and underground version of such, everyone gets their hand in the till.
Today, I'd like to say that Rage Against the Machine was the last time I really considered if a band 'sold out' or not. They seemed to be so great to me, and musically I still consider their first album to be truely groundbreaking, but it was 'wrong' to me that a band should go on MTV talking about Leonard Peltier. That seemed to be for the underground, and not for jocks to know about.
That was pretty backwards thinking, especially now that no one talks about political prisoners on MTV. And everyone sells out now that Green Day made it punk to do so.
Now, I still think they sold out, but for different reasons. From their own website, you can see that when they did a benefit concert for Leonard Peltier in 1994, before hitting the spotlight, they raised $75,000 for his defense fund.
A year later, they did the same thing for Mumia. However, this concert raised just $8,000. Without specific numbers that I could research, it appears at quick glance that, even though in that one year they had gained worldwide fame, hit song and video on MTV, new album, and presumably a wider range of resources available to them to raise money, they in fact were less effective.
Why? From every story I've ever read of how the music industry works, and from my own experience working in the independent and underground version of such, everyone gets their hand in the till.
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