Last cd listened to: Yo La Tengo's 'I can hear the heart beating as one'

Last piece of art looked at: Caravaggio's 'The Deposition'

Last book read: n/a

Last movie watched: n/a

Last photograph taken: CP 9819

I have a hard time trying to figure out if the things that I create are any good or not, and I suspect that most of us are that way.

It's hard -almost impossible- to be objective about the things that I create. I know that I like some of the things that I've done, but as far as saying whether they're either good, great, or awesome, -I don't know.

I think I've gotten to the point where I usually just 'put up' with what I've created, and leave the judging up to someone else.

-Then I can disagree with them!

I know that I'm real hard on myself, and that I've created a lot of shit that I hope to never hear/see again, but on the other hand, there are things that I'm proud to have done.

Years ago, I remember recording stuff in the studio, and realizing that after an hour or so, I couldn't tell whether the stuff I had just done was the best thing I had ever come up with, or if it was just a big pile of shit……

I think my personal window of opportunity -as they say- is about an hour. After that, I lose all perspective.

Works the same way with me visually, as well.

(more…)

I swear to god, sometimes I think that  a lot of this junk thats supposed to be helping make our lives easier, is creating more problems than it's worth.

When I was about thirteen or so, I used to watch a lot of t.v. Too much t.v. Enough to make my parents worry.

My best friends were the couch, and my home made channel changer.

At that time, there wasn't such a thing as a remote -at least not to anybody that I knew, but one day, I had an idea. I figured that if I just cut a slot in the end of a broom handle, it would neatly fit over the dial on our t.v. Our 'box' had a channel dial that had a flat protrusion that stuck out like a blade, which was designed to help one switch channels more comfortably.

Well, my broom handle worked like a charm! Picture a thirteen year old lying on the couch, smoking Export 'A' cigarettes, with a custom remote/broomhandle, switching back and fourth between 'Gilligans Island, and 'Hogans Heros' reruns.

Sweet!.

Unfortunately, his little paradise is about to be shattered because his younger brother has stumbled across his channel changer when he went to take a piss, and decided that it would make a hell of a great 'sword' in his play battles with his friends in the neighborhood………  

Fuck……….

(more…)

Both men died early. Gould died at 50, Cobain at 27          

1 point for Cobain

Both men changed the way we look at  their types of music.

Before Glenn Gould hit the concert stage, pianists traditionally played romantic, note sustained pieces that entertained, and charmed an audience. Gould exploded onto the scene with his version of Bach's 'Goldberg Variations,' (that last link is to a page that has the 'Goldbergs' played in midi. It's cheese-a-licious!) and changed all that. Too bad we've had to listen to shitty Gould immitators for the last fifty some years….

Cobain and his band Nirvana, influenced an entire generation, both musically and stylistically. Too bad we've had to listen to thousands of shitty Nirvana immitators for the last 16 years tho……

1 Point for Cobain

(more…)

Couple of good bands at work last night.

But the real show began after they had finished. I was just cleaning up, and getting ready to shut down the bar, when, seemingly, out of the blue, these two women (notice how I didn't say 'bitches' -altho I should have) start ripping into each other.

If you've never witnessed a bona fide catfight, You've never seen a fight!

These two are seriously trying to fuck each other up. I mean, we're talking throwing drink glasses; trying to gouge out eyes insanity, here.

Usually, when two guys get into it, they'll either 'box' each other, or else it turns into a wrestling match with one guy trying to pin the other so he can administer grievous bodily harm. The bouncers usually arrive before things get to that point…….

Not last nite. This shit just exploded right in front of me. These two girls went from zero to a hundred in less than a second!

It took about five seconds for a bouncer to jump in, and almost immediately one girl backed off. The other one didn't. I guess she was just so crazed, and charged up, that she didn't understand what was happening.

Now, the guys who work the door are all good guys. You won't find any of them throwing the first punch, or using unnecessary force. I've seen them maintain their heads in situations that most people would have attempted murder.

The doorman who jumped into the fray is no exception. He tried to pin the girls arms to her side, so that he could lift her up and 'escort' her outta the club.

Well, before he can pin her, she goes for his face with her nails!

It was UGLY! Trying to get near that must have been harder than trying to climb a thorn tree with an armfull of eels….

Fortunately, within seconds, another bouncer shows up, and together they subdue the menace.

But not before the damage has been done.

The first doorman has got scratch marks on both sides of his face, a serious laceration on his eyelid, and what's left of his shirt, dangles from his waist.

The girl is pretty much unscathed.

Then, the cops show up.

The girl starts crying. The bouncer calmly tries to explain what happened, again, being much cooler than I ever could have. The cops talk to the girl, and guess what?

After taking her name, and a few other particulars, THEY LET HER GO!!!!!

What the fuck? If it hadda' been me that was fighting, they woulda' showed me no mercy. And rightly so. I wouldda' got the 'bracelets' clamped on me behind my back, and tossed into the back seat of the cruiser. (believe me, sitting on one's hands whilst manacled is quite uncomfortable -trust me!)

So off goes down the street the girl goes, while the doorman heads out to hail a taxi to take him to the hospital for stitches, and probably a tetanus shot………..

---

So there you go folks…… if you ever find yourself in a world of shit, turn on the waterworks. I'm not sure if it'll work for us guys, but hell, maybe I'll give it a try next time!

I'll get back to you on that one……….

I love to swear. Love it.

I love to see the reactions on peoples faces when you drop some horrific curse into the middle of a sentence. 

It's FUNNY! I also like to swear because it goes against our politically correct adversaries.

"You can't say that!"

"I just did….."

I remember being chastised for using the word 'pussy' (it's not even a fucking swear word) because it was supposedly derogatory towards females! Holy Shit!

Well, I convinced this person that it's usage is derived from 'pussy-willow', (even tho we all know where it really comes from) and that when men use this  mild insult towards each other, they're insinuating that the target person is soft, or whispy!

They fell for it! Holy shit! If you're gonna be one of the Righteous Defenders of Political Correctness™, take the fucking time to know what you're defending!!!

Swearing is something we can all enjoy. Goddammnit, it's fun for the whole family!

I always get a kick outta the concept that everybody swears, but when they're around certain people, they pretend that they don't.

Example: sister curses a blue streak when she's pissed off at her brother. Mother does the same to Dad. But when sister and mother get together, they pretend that neither swear.

Personally, I consider myself kinda' brave; maybe even a social trailblazer, if you will, by trying to break down the barriers, and by letting that fucking gutteral language loose.

I sure comes in handy.

Hell Yeah!

I like writing songs. Sometimes it's a real struggle, but when it works out, it feels great.

Now, I'm not gonna say whether I'm any good at it or not -I don't think I'll ever be able to objectively say one way or the other, but it's something I like to do, and hopefully I'll get better as time goes on.

I don't think that any artist (fuck, I hate using that term) can say wheter their shit is any good or not. If you ever hear someone saying that their stuff is great, or shit, for that matter, it's time to calibrate your bullshit detector 

I remember that when I started stringing words together it was horrible. It's kinda' like when you first hear the sound of your voice recorded and played back to you. Wince! "Ugh…… that's not me!"

Writing's the same. I used to write all kinds of shit, thinking it was half-decent, but then when I went back to it (usually the next morning) I'd be so embarassed, I'd crush up the paper in a ball and toss it out -lest it fall into the hands of……… well……. anyone!

(more…)

The complexitiy of the brain never ceases to amaze me.

As some of you know, I've been teaching myself how to play banjo. Alright, I'm officially a 'banjo player' now, but as with most things in life, you never really master something; you just continue to improve.

Sometimes, I'll catch myself looking down at my hands in awe and wondering how they are capable of playing such rapid passages that require the articulation of just millimetres. Then of course, I fuck up what I was playing…….

Naturally, these things don't happen overnite. It takes a long time to be able to do certain things, and the only way to get results is to play the same things over, and over, and over, and over……..

I like to call it 'Beating my head against the wall.'

However, if we take the time to stop and think about what we're doing, it's pretty amazing!

(more…)

Hide the knives, 'cause apparently today's supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.

Supposed to be a combination of mid winter blahs, still being broke from x-mas debts, less sunlight from shorter days, etc., etc.,

So………….. here's a little joke to cheer you up.

Lately, I've been getting emails from people asking whether we actually play shows, or if the music is just a front so that I can host this stupid blog and spout off my 'retarded opinions.'

Well…… yes, and yes.

We do play -I know, I know the 'upcoming shows is outdated, but I, …….um…….. I, …..I've had a little break from my pal who handles the upkeep of this site.

Things are sorted out now, and hoefully some overhauls are forthcoming.

Secondly, yes this blog is sort of a front where I can spout off about my 'retarded opinions.'

The goddamned thing is taking over. It started off as a little spot to say stuff about band related junk, but has ballooned into much more. It's not my fault!!! People keep telling me to add more!!!

'More what?', I think to myself………

…………………………………………………………..'Of course, I realized!' -more BULLSHIT!!!