You're Bringing Me Down

Sometimes you talk to people and they seem to not even care. One carries on a conversation and tries to be their normal, upbeat self. Then you look at the person you are talking to and it's like you've been talking to an unconscious, uncommunicative dead rodent or something. No change in mood, no interest in tone. Just an open mouth and a yawn of personality that seeps out through their ever depressed ghastly noise hole. Is there ever something more horrific than this to deal with? It makes every word you say sound exponentially more annoying. It's like your voice is an audible cattle prod and the iron just keeps getting hotter, driving this lifeless soul further into it's depths. Granted, depression and self loathing are two very serious things to deal with, and everybody has their shitty fuck-off days to the rest of the world. I've been there myself. But what the hell people? There's being depressed, then there's letting it spread like an airborne infection to everyone that's around you. This is unfair behavior in my opinion. I do my best to not let it affect my day but sometimes the anger is too much, and I feel worse off as a result.

This reminds me of a song by the Riverdales called "You Know You Do" off their most recent LP - Tarantula. The lyrics talk about the poor sad girl we've all had to deal with and how she just can't pick herself up and be a normal functioning member of society. Lines state-

Won't you pick up your feet
Won't you walk down the street
Like the big girls do, oh
You'll miss me when I'm gone
Will you tell me what's wrong

Cuz you, know you, want to
You know you do

Hold your head up so high
Look at me in the eye
Like the bad girls do, oh

Don't be crying instead
Tell me what's in your head

Cuz you, know you, want to
You know you do

These words mean more every time I encounter someone with these problems. Girls run the world, why are they always so tortured? Maybe I am just an annoying little brat who should leave them alone, who knows. Probably the latter.

Either way you all should totally check out the lp Tarantula because it totally has some great Ramonesy pop punk. I'm sure you know all about them but it's half of Screeching Weasel. Buy it too cuz Ben needs to make up for people bailing on Weaselfest somehow.

whoa

I realized I haven't updated this in awhile.
New Bands I've checked out recently
Deecracks-rough voxed ramones-worship. A-
the Gamits- rough (used to be soft) pop punk - A
Zero Zero- h/c - demo of kick ass h/c - A-

New days and a good show

Well the crazy woman you've maybe heard about and I are no longer together. That ended about a month ago. She wasn't for me. Sometimes being single can be the most freeing thing. No having to make phone calls every day to check up on her. No more worrying about saying the wrong thing. Just me and my boring life again. Maybe some day I will date again. But enough of that.

Highlights since last post.
-Going to Extreme Noise Records in Minneapolis and spending way too much money on records and other goodies. (No Hope for the Kids, Digger, OWTH, Blatz reissue. to name a few) If you ever have a chance, visit this place, you won't be disappointed.
-Getting my summer job back.
-Almost halfway through doing the remodeling help work on this place.
and
Seeing MDC and the Subhumans live!

Yes, they put on one hell of a show. I was drenched in sweat and almost smelled like a crusty by the time I got home. I was the least punk looking person there. Score! Probably because I can't afford all those fancy studs, piercings and tattoos. Shorts and a D.I. shirt are all I can offer. So in honor of all those punks that made Small's smell a little bit worse that night, and all the rest of you, here's a couple things you should already have heard by now.

Subhumans EPs
http://www.mediafire.com/?an2mzxgmimw
MDC
http://www.mediafire.com/?znmdnntjytq

Foiled by The Queers once again!

So. It's about a week ago. I make my plans, and get work off for today. Some may ask why? Well, it is because the Queers are playing in Toledo with the Apers. However, I will not be making the show because of the freaking blizzard that is coming through tomorrow! Now, I wouldn't be as mad, if it wasn't for the fact that last year, I was kept from seeing them at the same venue. It was them, opening for OFF WITH THEIR HEADS. Who, unless you've been living under a rock for the past five years are probably one of the best pop punk bands around. Now this would have been the best show ever, except The Queers are a fucking no show! Luckily OWTH put on a great show, and even though the crowd was a mixed bag I was absolutely loving it. So I guess the point is I'm bummed out that I won't be able to go, but there's always the hope of next year. I will see you live Queers, if it's the last thing I do!

To take the pressure off.. here's some rockin' tunes by both setups. Enjoy it, I know I do.

Off With Their Heads - From the Bottom
http://www.mediafire.com/?mzjmkt2ndv2

The Queers - Don't Back Down
http://www.mediafire.com/?mzjmkt2ndv2

Bleach Boys

OK so in 1978, this was made by some rediculous UK punks. It is a leap into the future and an absolute romper. The title cannot be beat. Stocking Clad Nazi Death Squad Bitches, the best EP title ever? I think it's hard to think of many other ones. Anyways to preface, they're not Nazis and no, I don't hate anyone. It places them in a past dream as a bystander watching these 'Death Squad Bitches' doing only the crazy things Nazis would do. Innocent, no? Anyhow it's a good but strange cut. 'That Neutron Taste' is fantastic. They want to die in a nuclear attack. But awesome guitars make this one an absolute punk stomp classic. His lyrics are completely different on this than the other two. It sort of seems like Jello got influenced by this guy, or maybe they were influenced by him. 'Death Before Disco' is also great. Just listen to this already!

http://www.kbdrecords.com/2006/05/19/bleach-boys-stocking-clad-ep-12/

RVIVR LP

This is not just a punk album. It is a songwriting masterpiece through to the end. Melodies and a complete soundscape from start to finish make this one of the greatest of all time. The way the intro and outro tie into each other makes me yearn for more. The lyrical continuity makes me see the direction of the album. The rocking riffs and lyrics sung with absolute FEELING will stick with me forever. This is one for the ages. For fans of Rumbletowne Recs, Pop/Melodic punk, and pure music take notice. Some fade into the shadows, yet RVIVR shines in even the darkest of hours.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ntjtjnmz1jd

RVIVR

Rvivr may be my favorite band as of now. Feeling for you punx in a poppy but gritty way, their melody weaves its way through every tune they have to offer. Trading off female and male vox throughout the tracks keeps it interesting. Along with some of the best guitar leads and fills I've heard in a punk band in quite some time, this is something not to be taken for a once-off. I believe with every subsequent listen, one can take something else from these songs. If you don't like RVIVR, just leave, cuz you don't recognize good music, and you probably never will.....

Ladies and gents.... RVIVR!!!

http://www.mediafire.com/?j4tyinawnnn Life moves

http://www.mediafire.com/?ntjtjnmz1jd the best lp

The Lillingtons - The Too Late Show

So The Lillingtons. A band I recently found out about, but ultimately, one of the best records I may have ever heard. They keep the 1-2-3-4 Ramones styled super energy flowing from the first slams of "Gunbullet" to the very last notes of "Stay Tuned". Kind of nasally, but not whiny vocals tie it all together in a great way. Keep rockin on this one and try very hard to not get "Do It U.S.S.R." stuck in your head for too long. Contains one member of Teenage Bottlerocket. Don't let that scare you, because this is far better than that outfit in my opinion. Or if that makes you happy, well...yeah.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Lillingtons!

Are Scary Movies Really Scary?

It's Halloween. You're either excited because of one of a few reasons. First, because you're five. You get to dress up, go out, guided by your parents (if you aren't lucky enough to live in a gated community), and get all the free candy you can get. If you are older than ten and trick-or-treating, then you are too old and need to go home and stop it. Secondly, you may be excited because you get to also wear a costume. Yet you're not five nor ten years old. NO! You are in your college years and get to go to a Halloween Party. What excitement! Booze, and girls just slutty enough to dress up as Sexy (insert word here). Well go and have your fun my bretheren. Just make sure you don't drink and drive as it is, count it, double the fine on Hallotweekend for DUIs or suspected ones.

Or, maybe you're like me.. no friends to count on. Just passin out candy to the young ones and digging on some Halloween type scary movies. However, I don't like them. My girl is the avid horror-flick lover extraordinaire around these parts. To be honest, it takes a lot to get me to sit through a movie that is not a comedy. I just don't have the attention span. Watching an hour and a half of crap that passes off as a movie nowadays for Hollywood is comparable to a full-scale Lobotomy. It is not worth it eight times out of ten. However, when it comes to horror movies, it is even more of a drag to bring myself to watch these ones. They just are not scary. Maybe I'm too much of a realist to be conned into the leap of faith that requires belief in the "paranormal". Half of the time I'm just trying to either figure out the plot, guess who's getting killed next, or waiting to find out who the killer is. That's most of the enjoyment I get out of them.

As far as scary goes, not so much. The type of self fooling that goes into being scared by these movies isn't gonna happen any time soon. For instance. You don't believe in God. Good for you. You go see a movie where religion plays the major part in the movie, and requires belief in "said god" to get the enjoyable effect of the movie. Whether it be fear of the devil, spiritual enlightenment, or godlike intervention amongst the characters; you won't care. You'll hate the movie, and more likely than not be laughing and just sort of putting it down in your head till the end. So since I don't believe in the undead and spirits, or God, this happens to me in horror movies a lot. It just doesn't grab me as much as others may be grabbed. So Sue Me!

Let me know If this makes sense to you, or if you've felt a similar thing with movies that you don't enjoy.

Happy Halloween, unless of course you're an adult. In which case, have a decent Sunday.

Ben Weasel

So, I guess I wasn't following him quite as rabidly as the rest of you. Anyways, I have recently been listening to the backlogs of his Weasel Radio show that was cast out of Madtown, WI until recently. Or so I'm told. It's just kind of interesting to compare his albums I've listened to with the most recent radio shows he has done. It was kind of shocking to hear he voted for John McCain, against the backdrop of "Anthem for a New Tomorrow" echoing in the back of my skull. However, I'm not as avid as the average Obama voter. I just thought that the party of the possibly worst President ever should not get another crack at the economy, as well as other social issues. That was my main reason for voting for Barry. On further evaluation of Ben's arguments, it kinda made sense to me. The fact that Obama's hype was way too much to live up to is a major standout. Yes, hope and change... It really did not work out too well for him. He was preaching to the idiot voter and maybe I'm one of them. "derrr". The economy is at a standstill and he cannot even pass decent social legislation with a majority of Congress on his side. Something tells me he just doesn't know what he's doing, or is not as "intelligent" as is stated. Besides, punk is supposed to be anti-establishment, which is just what Obama has become. Oh well, business as usual for Washington is all I can say. I'm shaking off the voter guilt of giving him my endorsement. Well, If only I were in charge.... right?

The facts are it is not easy to enact change without bipartisan support. He clearly has none.

One interesting thing I heard on BBC World News that kind of coincided with the whole discussion is how one party figure, whether it be Prez, Senator, etc... only panders to his own crowd. Wouldn't it be fun to see Obama get grilled by Hannity and Rush, rather than the good ole' boy Jon Stewart? Don't get me wrong, Stewart is a funny guy, but he's no conservative. A nice fireside chat with Mr. Dennis Miller would be quite different, with plenty of confusing words and references to really test Obama's intelligence. I heard one Daily Show fan talk about how Stewart "grilled" our President. Well maybe a bit. But only because he's as disappointed as the realistic Obama voter was. He'll probably vote Democrat again, being the Democrat rebel-rouser that he is. I'll really contemplate whether voting is worth it. Why can't Libertarians get more play in the run up to elections? Is that so much to ask?

"do you really want to be In America?" - the Fastbacks

Continued.. record score!

Yes it's the continuation.

Germ Attak "Ouroboros" LP
- This one sounds like it was straight out of the eighties, but in a good way. Raw, and thrashy h/c punk ranging from Discharge to Crucifix influences. The lyrics are short and to the point, which is nice. Sometimes volume of songs outweighs the actual content for the benefit. The lyrics are not just thrown together for no reason, as some punk bands have been known to do, and the resulting effect is slogans that are easy to comprehend, without being overly preachy. Love every minute of this, you spiky punks! The energy is coming at you with every lick, and these Canadian boys keep you bobbing your head til the end. Highly recommended for your hardcore thrashy fix of the month. On Capitalicide records.

The Measure [SA]- "Old Crow" EP
The first song is absolutely great! Trading off female/male vox makes for a very heartwarming song about parting ways. The second song, "good soup" is the clearly weakest song here. It is a faster h/c'ish song that just falls flat lyrically and vocally. The rhythym is off from music to vox, and it shows. The third song is a cover and is very strong. Originally by Soltero, "The Moment You Said Yes" is a ever increasing song in the pop punk vein with great vox on how both parties are disaffected with their sexual partners. Builds up and keeps the interest flowing throughout. A definite classic.


New Bomb Turks- "Stick It Out" EP on FatWreck...
Yes!!! Blazing speed on the first two tracks, lyrically inclined and on shiny Blue Vinyl to boot! Excellent punk rawk and roll thrash through the first two. The cover I feel is the obvious standout. "Job" is clearly excellent, forcing you to respect their punk credentials on the other two tracks. They rip through their songs with plenty of licks to handle themselves, yet the vocals either seem too buried or too irrelevant to anything for me. Some improvement could come from this. However, "Job" cover from Nubs is well worth getting this one.

September Is The One To Remember

It's been awhile since I've been up here. Yo.

It seems that 8/8/10 I got meself a girlfriend. G.I.R.L.F. RE end. So that, and the added stress of taking to school once again have combined for my loss from this dear blog o' mine. Ones of people seem mad about this. She's great. A brief description. Blonde, Sexy, and oh-so talkative. Too bad we can't hear her (seriously she's quiet). She speaks in a hot, yet quiet way. Like a subtle moan. mm. It is an opposites attract way in some sorts. She seems to be a teeny-bopper in disguise, and I am a punk to the core (at least I tell myself that). However, she is NOT a dumb blonde and can hold her own in any situation fact related, except politics. This is good, because if she was entirely the dumb blonde stereotype, it probably would not have worked. After all, I'm attracted to intelligence too. However, some of the things she enjoys...not the best. In a word, Glee. A TV show I have never seen. And all signs point to NO I'm not watching that crap ever. That show scares me way more than Hunx & His Punx do (damn they're catchy). So she's good to me, incredibly smart (except where "media" falls) and enjoyable to be around. Overall plus, because there has to be give and take with these kinda things, it's the little things that are more important. Like how we both are atheists and hate children. Fuck Religion. And dogs.

Anyhoo..
My birthday came and went, and I recently went record shopping to celebrate. One of the best days ever at Flipside. Glad I went there. Was on the way to Great Lakes to go to Gameworks, which I later found out was closed. Total anger. Bar Louie, which is a weak name for a weak bar, took its place. RRRRGGGGH! I really wanted to play Topskater! Of course with the yo-yo dude. Triple backflips for all to see. Life sucks, then you die...then good records make up for it.

McRackins "I'll Stick To Beer" 7"
I'll stick to beer is a hilarious song, doting on his never drinking hard liquor again since it made him sick. Also very catchy. Props. "Puppy Mill". This is the weakest track on the single. It has a decent beat and rhythym, however, the lyrics. Downright awful. Talkin' about how his dog is sick and came from a puppy mill. Weak and who cares about that anyhow? "Beautiful Sunday". Daniel Boone cover. Simply the strongest track on the wax. The playful lyrics are so sweet. Add to that some Queers like beat and some whiny pop punk vox (good), and you have an excellent track to enjoy. The only problem is how quick it's over and out. SWEEEEET! And it didn't leave the table for a week.

to be continued in next blog post... trust me it's quite the score!

Premier League Starting UP

OK. I know I'm a Yank (at least I'm not a Rebel). Yes, we follow football here, and not "football", like you Brits do. However, I have been taking a liking to the sport in recent times. It all started in 2004. I was in France for a summer exchange program for high school. And so it went that when we arrived, Euro Cup was going on. We tried to be all polite and root for the French, but they choked (as usual?) and Greece went on to win. Anyways, we watched all the matches, and once I learned the simple rules of soccer, I ended up carrying the love for the game with me to this day.

The only problem I have is finding an English club to support during the season. Most of the time, I end up rooting for the underdog in most games. Which I guess gives me more cred than rooting for Man U or Chelsea, and buying their gear. Either way, It'd be nice to have a team to root for. And for the record, I hate the MLS. It is a gutter league of castaways and college kids from the States who are not good enough to make the better league, (FA). So I'm welcome to any suggestions on which teams to root for as a Yank, what is permissible, if any? If I'm not able, by your standards, to call a team my own, I will continue rooting for the less favorite side in any matchup. Also, I will continue to enjoy the action of one of the best sports around. I know rooting for the best team is lame, so I'll take any suggestions as to which club is fair game. Thank you for your time spent reading (not "Reading"). Blahh. Soccer is back!

Just Letting you know...

The Ukelele Sucks

Just watched this movie..

Well not the one I will direct you to below. It is a documentary about the runup to 9/11 and the resulting start of a military advance into Afghanistan. Anyhow, the movie, "9/11: Press For Truth" was a great watch. It outlines all the evidence of threats, attacks, and possible attacks planned against the U.S. in the years leading up to the tragedy in New York City. Also called upon are the actions, or inactions, the U.S. government and elected officials took during those times. This movie gives well researched facts, news video and press clippings to the viewer. .This bombardment with facts is one of the things I liked best about the film. It provokes thought in a time where negative things about the government are often censored or thrown out of news stories altogether. Government accountability is also brought to mind, through the questionable actions of those in power took around these times.

One clip in the film shows Condoleeza Rice trying to "Politician" her way out of the facts presented to her in a Presidential Briefing she had reviewed on August 6th, 2001. A month before the attack. Youtube punksucks2525, which is my channel, for the entire vid. It is hilarious how she tries to slant her knowledge of any threat at all.

The moral of the film is that Knowledge Is Power. Knowing the facts allows one to formulate the right opinion, when lies are no longer suitable. It is for facts and hard news to exist for governments to be kept in check. We need a lot more independent media around, and that is a fact as well. Watch this documentary if you get a chance, you'll be rewarded for it. With Pizza, or something..

good rec from recently.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIlyIfp610IhqMLjykGZ1ydfkD7sdwtGitkX0EogK9FQluJUSerPF16lioCQBUYI9w7UMMYRYNAz91KSGAhDsZGChMoiw_QiQCCgKKIFB5pmwt0wqWzCceaU8ufVCVJZ07IwuorB-78QZ/s320/used-kids-yeah-no-200x200.jpg

The cool thing about this record is they play straightforward rocknroll without the pretentiousness. The lyrics come straight from the heart and have a classical rnr sound that seems so familiar. I feel the familiarity through the songs "I Miss My Records" & "Desperate Times" in particular. They remind me of the first time I listened to Darkness On The Edge Of Town by Bruce Springsteen. Even though their punkier influences shine through on "Dancing.." and "Look Out For The Cops," this band exhibits a very good classic rock sound. It is totally rocking in a mellow sense, and leaves one with a longing for more of their thoughtful and soulful stylings. Badlands ain't got shit on the new stuff from the Used Kids! Not much of the punk style, but the rocknroll is to be appreciated here. Enjoy, and roll that pack of Marlies into your sleeve till it burns through. Catch this one now!!

My Near Future Letter To Maximumrocknroll, Rough Draft

Har har just fooled ya. I got nothing to say. Oh there is the whole thing on my mind on how this magazine Maximumrocknroll could be improved. But not in the magazine's entirety. There is only one area which I would choose to change, if I were CEO or "Coordinator". The Reviews!! My objection is that not everyone listens to every new punk band around. It seems the reviewers fail to realize that a new reader or member of the punk community may be checking out the mag for the first time ever. A common misconception is that EVERY punk knows about EVERY punk band around. Unfortunately, most of us have other things on the mind, and have not had the ability to sample every band of the world, as the reviewers clearly have. One thing that could be taken to heart is a few details on what music the band plays. As easy as it is to find things on the internet, some of us don't know all the bands you compare new bands to. For example, 'well it sounds like Ty Segall and Fucked Up had a baby.' What does that mean to a new reader?? Why not define the music as either 60s, thrash, heavy metal, or 77 punk as you used to? And if it's psych pop, garage pop, electro, don't review it. Also power pop and poppunk are good buzzwords to throw out there for us. What is powerviolence? What is Grindcore? Why all the words anyways? Provide clear examples of the MUSIC ITSELF. Not, "well I hate the artwork, my stomach hurts so I hate every record I reviewed today." Then give a review of the content, lyrics, etc.., and let us decide. Don't hide the music in a riddle of obscure bands/buzzwords most of us haven't heard of yet. It would be nice to get a more classical description of the band, based at the least, on bands every punk is sure to know. The classic major bands would be a good launch point. This may sound kind of contrived to those whose job is to delve into every nook and cranny of punkish music, but the fact remains, we don't know every recent band, nor should we. The classics set the stage, and many genres of "mainstream" music factor into the punk movement. It seems the actual punk bands take a backseat review-wise in relation to other experimental sounding bands. All I ask is please get those reviews on the right track. The artists hurt as a result, and so does the scene in general. I would love to listen to more recent music, but am confused as a result of your reviews as to where to look for parallels to some classic punk faves I have. And being left to decipher whether or not it's actually punk can be all too annoying as well.

Awful Day

Nine Oclock and I'm thinking about a run up to Meijer for some replacement razors. I'm low on the mach 3 replacements and have been resorting to shaving with single blade disposable bics. Taking one of those to my face is like playing russian roulette, because I know I'm going to get cut, but not when. Throw the car into reverse and BLAM! Flat tire. in the driveway. At this point, I'm pissed off. Get out the spare saver and proceed to undo the lugs and get the old tire off. After about ten minutes I am covered in sweat and throw my shirt to the porch to finish the job. Thirty minutes later, and my back looks like malaria city. I have at least twenty mosquito bites on my back and, oh, how they are itchy and horrible looking.

Fast forward to the next morning. I figure I'll head up to the tire joint and get it replaced for free. Not Free! Costs me almost thirty five dollars to reinsure the new tire and purchase new lugnuts, which are apparently stripped. So I wait from 8:30 to 9:15 for them to take care of it when one employee calls me over. He knows why I got the flat in the first place. The heavy-duty spring near the strut snapped and its jagged edge was pointing directly at the tire. So he offers me a place he "recommends" down the street. I say to put on the spare and get me out of there. So he does. Minutes later, I'm headed down the fifteen mile ride to my mechanic. Takes me forty minutes. Flashers on, idiots honking at me, and plenty of fingers to go around. Luckily my cousin was near my shop at the time so I got a ride out to work later.

Work went fine, and I'm alive so I cannot complain that much. Hope to get the shitmobile back tomorrow though. Just a long line of bull I've had to put up with for the past week. Feel my pain?

-Ryan-

Time Flies..

Excellent album by the Subhumans (UK). Half live, half studio, quite the ripper. Bought a copy of it at the local record shop and was shocked that it still had the original insert plus a smaller insert including the list of demos one could send for with 50p along with a blank cassette tape! What some would pay for those demos nowadays, I'll tell ya. Anyhow, a complete reassurance that they were doing everything right as a group, and the lyrics to People Are Scared resonate with me a lot. Also picked up a terrible skippy version of a Rezillos live show, I feel cheated by that, but Time Flies completely made up for it. Hope you enjoy the tracks on this as much as I did. Till next time//

me as a cartoon

more to come, maybe.