Lazlo Lee ATMC is the best band in Baltimore…if you ask, say……me. They have an appeal hard to match, the hardcore blues guys love ‘em, the hard core punk guys love ‘em, the girls love ‘em, hell I’ve even seen the rednecks jamming to ‘em. So here they are:
Lazlo Lee and The Motherless Children
An interview with Chris…leads singer, guitarist, and the Lazlo.
Interviewed by: Jon
TF: How long have Lazlo Lee & The Motherless Children been together?
LL: Damn come Halloween it'll be 3 years! We started jamming in a beat up pool house that I eventually converted into an apartment in late in 2005. Our 1st gigs were on Halloween weekend, we did a decent amount of originals from the beginning that I had / had written for a while, but filled some gaps at the gigs jammin' songs like "who's been talkin'" "can't be satisfied" and "baby please don’t go” at a break neck tempo!
TF: Do you have the same problem the Hootie guy has…ya know, with everyone calling you Lazlo all the time?
LL: Yeah it’s pretty funny a lot of folks in and around music know me as Laz or Lazlo. It was actually my cat’s name that i used for myself in a zombie flick I was filming in the summer of 05 and it kinda stuck since then.
TF: Are there any other bands that you have been involved with over the years?
LL: yeah, shit, I been in a few...I guess the 2 main ones that def. stick out are "the malt liquor conspiracy" which was a blues/rock band that I played guitar and sang a little bit in. and "The insomniacs" were a rock/reggae/punk band that i sang and played guitar for. Both bands were from around circa 97-02'. In high school we had a rad punk band called "nifty" and i played drums and sang for a rock/surf/ska band "the accidents" it was really cool growing up in Crofton there was a lot of shit musically going on everywhere and everybody I grew up with were in bands too, it was like Baltimore was close as shit and Annapolis actually had a cool scene at the time and D.C. was just a short trip away,
Every weekend you played or caught a friends band or something ya know'
TF: I know there have been some line-up changes recently, have you picked up a bassist again or do you intend to go forward as a two piece?
LL: Honestly, it’s been a little ruff, since Rebecca left we tried a few people and nothing seems to click. We started as a two piece just Dan and I and we've played a few of the last shows as a 2 piece. I knew we wouldn’t have someone right away, but I love playing out so we’ve still been booking a bunch of shows. We also have had the bassist from The Cheaters "Wolfy" fill in for us at a few, so its been fun the last 2 months but a little shaky. I know we won’t stay a 2 piece but definitely won’t be adding anybody to the band until it feels right. I have a shit ton of new stuff coming so I know the Motherless ain’t going anywhere.
TF: You draw inevitable White Stripes comparisons. What are your opinions on the quick rise to prominence of the “garage blues” scene on the national level?
LL: Yeah we def do, i don’t take that as a bad thing I mean I was really inspired by jack white and that sound he has, we have a few “Stripesy” riffs but the motherless don’t really emulate that. Our stripped down sound is the reason I think and also most people who are getting there education from the radio can’t really compare you to anything else when that’s all they've heard. Don’t get me wrong there’s def some good new bands out there on the radio but for the most part you gotta look around for yourself or you'll just get stuck eating what the serve you. As far as the garage scene recent rise, I think its great people dig good music and nowadays there is just so many new ways and vehicles to find new music and explore it
TF: There are few bands in the area (if any at all) that can blend punk and blues as seamlessly as The Motherless, what are your most direct influences?
LL: That’s the classic question no matter what i say by the next day be ill be like "you stupid fuck those aren’t even close" cause its always something different I’m hearing.
If I had to say to keep it short and sweet: The Sonics, Stooges, White Stripes, Kinks.
TF: Top five old crusty bluesmen?
LL: Damn there always changing, but you can’t beat Charlie Patton as being the crustiest his voice is so gritty and scary. I love al his asides too, ya know. In “spoonful” he sings a line like "would you kill my man" and answer in his aside talk is "well yes baby I will" that’s bad ass gangster shit!
TF: Did you like Black Snake Moan?
LL: Yeah its cool ass hell that The Black Keys rip the opening song, and the scene when Samuel Jackson pulls out his old guitar for the 1st time in years, that monolog he gives is badass.
TF: What are some of your favorite local bands in Baltimore right now?
LL: Just to shout out a few from the variety of music around town id say: The Hot Pursuit, Thee Lexington Arrows and The Fishnet Stalkers. My favorite band in town though are The Expotentials they rock *fist in air* so hard! Matt is a rad guitar player/singer and there is no nastier drummer around than Chuck!
TF: What’s been your best show memory so far?
LL: Um... probably gotta be over a year ago at the full moon saloon. i was sick as hell and my parents came out to catch a set. While someone was handing me shots and a beer in between songs i heard a loud cry "drink some tea baby!" and suddenly the crowd was laughing there asses off cause it was my mom!
TF: It seems like this time last year there were a lot more bands standing together in the garage/rock/whatever scene in Baltimore. I’ve talked to a lot of people around the scene who feel that it’s really fallen apart, a lot of bands called it quits. Do you have any opinions on why it played out this way?
LL: Dude I ain’t gotta clue its kind of a blower! I only got one thing to say about it…
BRING BACK"THE JOHN HARDY BOYS"...i know you can make it happen Johnny...lol
seriously though, check out The Hot Pursuit if garage is your thing they been around about a year and there great. Kind of sounds like Stooges meets Stones meets Kinks! Just with in the past two weeks I took over singing and playing some lead guitar for them things have been going really well and we're jamming a show on the Sunday 15th at The Ottobar.
TF: What’s up next for the The Motherless? Do you have any plans to record a full length in the future?
LL: Of course! our real goal this summer was to promote the 7'' we pressed with raped by records and also do a bunch of outa state shows to spread the e.p and some merch but with the line up change we kinda had to push the touring off for a tad longer... I’d like to record another 6-8 song e.p. and get set up to tour with in the next 6 months or so. Our next gig is the 20th at the metro art gallery we actually are rocking with your new band for the first time and also sharing the stage with Crankdaddy and The Rip Ovs should be a blast TAKE A WIFF ON US!!!
www.myspace.com/themotherlesschildren
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
This Month in History Sept 2008
By: P. Moffett
September 5 1698- Russia's Peter the Great decides to tax bearded men. He actually had the balls to tax facial hair, and if you decided to keep the beard you had to wear a medal that stated "beards are a ridiculous ornament." There are just no words to describe such awesome oppressiveness as this. He had a fricken tax for everything, chimneys, boots, beehives,... how in the hell do you tax a beehive? Peter enacted sweeping reforms and built a massive military turning Russia into a world power. On January 11 1722 he enacted the 'Soul Tax' which basically was a tax for being alive, and though he was not religious himself, he forced those who claimed not to believe in the soul to pay a "religious dissenters tax." I love this guy.
September 13 1899- 68 year old real estate broker Henry Bliss is struck by Arthur Smith while crossing Central Park West in New York City causing the first recorded automobile fatality. When the nurse at the hospital asked Bliss why he did not look both ways for cars when crossing the street he responded 'what the fuck is a car?' And then he died.
September 18 1970- Jimi Hendrix dies in London at the age of 27. Bummer
September 19 1995- The Washington Post publishes Ted Kaczynski a.k.a the UNAbombers 35,000 word Manifesto. The Unabomber had been wanted for mail bombings since 1978 but the FBI was unable to gain any ground until the publication of the Manifesto which told of the bleak state of society caused by the industrial revolution. This may be because the FBI's only evidence until then was a sketch that looked like Magnum P.I. crossed with a serial rapist. In reality Kaczynski had none of Tom Selleck’s sleek chiseled features and just looked like your everyday, run of the mill, old creepy serial rapist, and was caught only because David Kaczynski recognized the writing style of the Manifesto as that of his brother. He was arrested in a small cabin in Montana which is now on exhibit at the News Museum in Washington D.C.
September 8 1998- Mark McGwire hits his 62 home run of the season and breaks the 37 year old mark set by Roger Maris. McGwire trots around the bases and then climbs to the stands and to share the moment with Maris family. Unfortunately when he hugs Maris's widow her head pops off like a champagne cork and lands in the upper deck of Busch Stadium. He then eats Maris's children and showers the cheering fans in some steroid enhanced urine.
Movie of the Month- Millers Crossing...The Coen Brothers at their best
Food of the Month- Its about to be Crocktober suckas, slow cook something and gain some weight for the cold months.
REGISTER TO VOTE.!!!
September 5 1698- Russia's Peter the Great decides to tax bearded men. He actually had the balls to tax facial hair, and if you decided to keep the beard you had to wear a medal that stated "beards are a ridiculous ornament." There are just no words to describe such awesome oppressiveness as this. He had a fricken tax for everything, chimneys, boots, beehives,... how in the hell do you tax a beehive? Peter enacted sweeping reforms and built a massive military turning Russia into a world power. On January 11 1722 he enacted the 'Soul Tax' which basically was a tax for being alive, and though he was not religious himself, he forced those who claimed not to believe in the soul to pay a "religious dissenters tax." I love this guy.
September 13 1899- 68 year old real estate broker Henry Bliss is struck by Arthur Smith while crossing Central Park West in New York City causing the first recorded automobile fatality. When the nurse at the hospital asked Bliss why he did not look both ways for cars when crossing the street he responded 'what the fuck is a car?' And then he died.
September 18 1970- Jimi Hendrix dies in London at the age of 27. Bummer
September 19 1995- The Washington Post publishes Ted Kaczynski a.k.a the UNAbombers 35,000 word Manifesto. The Unabomber had been wanted for mail bombings since 1978 but the FBI was unable to gain any ground until the publication of the Manifesto which told of the bleak state of society caused by the industrial revolution. This may be because the FBI's only evidence until then was a sketch that looked like Magnum P.I. crossed with a serial rapist. In reality Kaczynski had none of Tom Selleck’s sleek chiseled features and just looked like your everyday, run of the mill, old creepy serial rapist, and was caught only because David Kaczynski recognized the writing style of the Manifesto as that of his brother. He was arrested in a small cabin in Montana which is now on exhibit at the News Museum in Washington D.C.
September 8 1998- Mark McGwire hits his 62 home run of the season and breaks the 37 year old mark set by Roger Maris. McGwire trots around the bases and then climbs to the stands and to share the moment with Maris family. Unfortunately when he hugs Maris's widow her head pops off like a champagne cork and lands in the upper deck of Busch Stadium. He then eats Maris's children and showers the cheering fans in some steroid enhanced urine.
Movie of the Month- Millers Crossing...The Coen Brothers at their best
Food of the Month- Its about to be Crocktober suckas, slow cook something and gain some weight for the cold months.
REGISTER TO VOTE.!!!
One of New York's finest...The Teenage Prayers
Interview by: Cody
TF: Is it better or worse to be a serious band in a city like New York where there are a lot of diverse music fans, but at the same time 9,341 other bands acting seriously too? I'm sure a lot of bands fly under the radar so to speak...
TP: It's kind of a catch 22. We love being a band in New York because it is so diverse and there are so many places to see and play great shows, however, with an oversaturated environment such as this it makes things hard for a band trying to get some recognition. If we were based out of a smaller town we could easily focus the music scene around us, but in New York it's hard to stay focused on anything. Really though, it does create a much deeper bond between band members as we are the only people we have to answer to. The extra added difficulty just makes every success that much more sweet.
TF: How have your touring experiences been thus far?
TP: The tours that we've been on have been fantastic. It's kind of like being involved in an iron man contest. You have to struggle through adversity, sleep on floors, play in places that look and smell like the end of the world and drink heavily every single night. The drinking part isn't necessarily something you have to do but it helps with the whole waking up in a Howard Johnsons at six in the morning in New Orleans thing...yeah....that sucked. I will say that touring allows for you to see a ton of the country. The U.S. is truly a strange and beautiful place.
TF: Otis Redding or Aretha Franklin?
TP: Well, now, that's a tough one. Otis Redding is and always will be a personal hero to everyone in the band, but we could easily say the same thing about Aretha. I'd say that they are pretty much equal to us, although I will admit that I prefer Otis' version of 'Respect' over Aretha's, so there.
TF: When was the last time a band member got kicked out of/nearly got kicked out of a bar for slamming a cue ball down on the pool table?
TP: We were in Easton, Maryland and our bass player (mine and my brother's cousin Kyle) decided to start doing scientific tests on how much pressure a cue ball could take before it crumbles. I was personally a little disappointed that we never got a real conclusion. Obviously that bar tender wasn't interested in the advancement of technology or intelligence in our ever changing world. That being said, our bass player does make a concerted effort to try to get kicked out of most bars we enter, call it a hobby of sorts.
TF: You guys seem to bring a lot of styles to the table...I can listen to one song and hear Stax Records, The Stooges, and Gram Parsons at once...where does it all come from?
TP: We all love the same kinds of music, it's just a matter of what we love more than other stuff. Think of it as a jar filled with influences and for each of us a few things float a little higher than the others. I love everything Stax, Randy Newman and The Kinks, but I'm also huge into Pavement and Guided by Voices, which adds a different element to the way I play. Timmy is into Pavement and GBV, but Stax and Spiritualized rise to the top. Kyle drums loves Spiritualized, but really really loves Merle Haggard and Will Oldham. Kyle bass likes Will Oldham and Merle Haggard but is head over heels for The Dirtbombs and Bruce Springsteen. Overall I think that this eclectic mix makes for something really interesting and theatrical. We really just want to be loud.
TF: Where can low-life scum bags in Maryland get your music if they happened to be particularly scummy and low-lifey and missed your shows the couple times you've been through on tour?
TP: You can always go to our website, www. teenageprayers. com, and make a purchase. If you don't want to do that, both of our albums, Ten Songs and Everyone Thinks You're The Best, are available on ITunes and Amazon. com. Go buy our stuff and then check out our tour dates on our myspace page (www. myspace. com/theteenageprayers) and come see us!
TF: What does the term "Rock of Love" mean to you exactly?
TP: Isn't that a show or something? I would say that, to me, Rock of Love is not so much a term as it is a mantra. Every morning when I get up I strap on my guitar and play Rush's 'Tom Sawyer' in it's entirety in order to appease the Rock gods. I then play Joan Jett's 'I Love Rock n' Roll' 50 times in a row on piano. This is all part of my Rock of Love regiment and my Rock n' Roll fantasy, my Rock n' Roll dream.
TF: Has there ever been a worse set of interview questions than the ones you just wasted your time answering?
TP: Well, I mean that depends. I don't usually answer interview questions as Tim, who is the lead singer and consumate front man for the band, more often than not takes the baton. I would even hesitate to say that this is my FIRST time answering interview questions, so this set is actually the best I've ever seen. It was a total waste of time though.
www.teenageprayers.com
TF: Is it better or worse to be a serious band in a city like New York where there are a lot of diverse music fans, but at the same time 9,341 other bands acting seriously too? I'm sure a lot of bands fly under the radar so to speak...
TP: It's kind of a catch 22. We love being a band in New York because it is so diverse and there are so many places to see and play great shows, however, with an oversaturated environment such as this it makes things hard for a band trying to get some recognition. If we were based out of a smaller town we could easily focus the music scene around us, but in New York it's hard to stay focused on anything. Really though, it does create a much deeper bond between band members as we are the only people we have to answer to. The extra added difficulty just makes every success that much more sweet.
TF: How have your touring experiences been thus far?
TP: The tours that we've been on have been fantastic. It's kind of like being involved in an iron man contest. You have to struggle through adversity, sleep on floors, play in places that look and smell like the end of the world and drink heavily every single night. The drinking part isn't necessarily something you have to do but it helps with the whole waking up in a Howard Johnsons at six in the morning in New Orleans thing...yeah....that sucked. I will say that touring allows for you to see a ton of the country. The U.S. is truly a strange and beautiful place.
TF: Otis Redding or Aretha Franklin?
TP: Well, now, that's a tough one. Otis Redding is and always will be a personal hero to everyone in the band, but we could easily say the same thing about Aretha. I'd say that they are pretty much equal to us, although I will admit that I prefer Otis' version of 'Respect' over Aretha's, so there.
TF: When was the last time a band member got kicked out of/nearly got kicked out of a bar for slamming a cue ball down on the pool table?
TP: We were in Easton, Maryland and our bass player (mine and my brother's cousin Kyle) decided to start doing scientific tests on how much pressure a cue ball could take before it crumbles. I was personally a little disappointed that we never got a real conclusion. Obviously that bar tender wasn't interested in the advancement of technology or intelligence in our ever changing world. That being said, our bass player does make a concerted effort to try to get kicked out of most bars we enter, call it a hobby of sorts.
TF: You guys seem to bring a lot of styles to the table...I can listen to one song and hear Stax Records, The Stooges, and Gram Parsons at once...where does it all come from?
TP: We all love the same kinds of music, it's just a matter of what we love more than other stuff. Think of it as a jar filled with influences and for each of us a few things float a little higher than the others. I love everything Stax, Randy Newman and The Kinks, but I'm also huge into Pavement and Guided by Voices, which adds a different element to the way I play. Timmy is into Pavement and GBV, but Stax and Spiritualized rise to the top. Kyle drums loves Spiritualized, but really really loves Merle Haggard and Will Oldham. Kyle bass likes Will Oldham and Merle Haggard but is head over heels for The Dirtbombs and Bruce Springsteen. Overall I think that this eclectic mix makes for something really interesting and theatrical. We really just want to be loud.
TF: Where can low-life scum bags in Maryland get your music if they happened to be particularly scummy and low-lifey and missed your shows the couple times you've been through on tour?
TP: You can always go to our website, www. teenageprayers. com, and make a purchase. If you don't want to do that, both of our albums, Ten Songs and Everyone Thinks You're The Best, are available on ITunes and Amazon. com. Go buy our stuff and then check out our tour dates on our myspace page (www. myspace. com/theteenageprayers) and come see us!
TF: What does the term "Rock of Love" mean to you exactly?
TP: Isn't that a show or something? I would say that, to me, Rock of Love is not so much a term as it is a mantra. Every morning when I get up I strap on my guitar and play Rush's 'Tom Sawyer' in it's entirety in order to appease the Rock gods. I then play Joan Jett's 'I Love Rock n' Roll' 50 times in a row on piano. This is all part of my Rock of Love regiment and my Rock n' Roll fantasy, my Rock n' Roll dream.
TF: Has there ever been a worse set of interview questions than the ones you just wasted your time answering?
TP: Well, I mean that depends. I don't usually answer interview questions as Tim, who is the lead singer and consumate front man for the band, more often than not takes the baton. I would even hesitate to say that this is my FIRST time answering interview questions, so this set is actually the best I've ever seen. It was a total waste of time though.
www.teenageprayers.com
The Wild and Whacky World of Scientology...
A Timeline.
By: Cody
74, 997, 992 BC – Xenu, ruler of the Galactic Confederacy, brings millions of people to the planet earth in aircrafts similar to the modern day DC-8. He then proceeds to stack the aircrafts around a volcano and blow them up with hydrogen bombs. The souls of these poor bastards cluster themselves together and to this very day continue to stick to humans and cause ill effects. To this day Scientologists are very intent on neutralizing these...ummm....floating...clustery...uhh...sticky...bad soul things?
1934 – German writer Anastasius Nordenholz publishes “Scientologie : Science of the Constitution and Usefulness of Knowledge” pertaining to the study of consciousness. Approximately 19 years later (give or take a few minutes) some other joker stakes a similar claim to the same word and definition...how novel of him!
1953 – Science Fiction (fiction as in things that are not factual) author L. Ron Hubbard lays down the fundamental beliefs and policies of Scientology and starts the first official Church of Scientology. He defines Scientology as “The study of truth.” His followers don’t question this definition because as a fiction writer he obviously has the credentials to pass on his knowledge of the truth.
1958 – “Have You Lived Before This Life” finds L. Ron publishing accounts of church members experiences in past lives. He claims that some of these events were merely planted in their heads by complex extraterrestrial dictatorships in hopes of brainwashing the earth’s population. Certain scholars believe that L. Ron Hubbard may have been a very dense version of an extraterrestrial dictator himself at one time. I just referred to myself as “certain scholars”, OK fine, I admit it...
1966 – L. Ron patents the “E-Meter”, a device that measures electrical resistance in the human body. Volney Mathison actually invented the E-meter in the early 1950’s, and somehow Ronny ends up getting the patent, go figure. Mathison was apparantly not pleased and has been quoted as saying “I decry the doings of trivial fakers such as Scientologists.” Well said. The Church of Scientology sells E-meters for anywhere from $900 to $4650. They are used to gauge one’s mental state and effectively treat up to 70 percent of all physical and mental illness. It’s two dials and two metal cans! Pretty amazing!
1967 – Fair Game Policy is put into effect stating that anyone who speaks out against scientology is fair game for retaliation. “Enemy – May be deprived of property or injured by any means...may be tricked, sued, lied to, or destroyed.” The policy targets everyone from wives, family, the FDA, and the IRS.
1976 – Uh Oh! Scientologists end up in court for “Operation Freakout.” Paulette Cooper is targeted for her book “The Scandal of Scientology.” Church members break into her office posing as solicitors, steal her stationary with her address and fingerprints on it, and send bombthreats to one of their own Scientology buildings in hopes of framing her and getting her incarcerated. They additionally plan to send bombthreats to foreign embassies and disguise a member as Paulette Cooper and threaten to assassinate the President of the United States as a further means to frame her for crimes she didn’t commit. Thank Xenu they got caught before they could carry out the additional plans.
1979 – Not again! Eleven high ranking church officials end up in federal court after “Operation Snow White”, a project designed to clean up unfavorable public records pertaining to Scientology as a whole. They infiltrated, wiretapped and/or stole from 136 government buildings and foreign embassies in 30 countries using 5,000 or so covert agents. Operation HOLY SHIT! would be a more appropriate title.
1980 – Readers Digest quotes Hubbard as saying “If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion.” Tell us how you really feel...
1983 – Hubbard Re-introduces the Disconnection policy, encouraging members not to be in contact with family and friends who disagree with Scientology.
1986 – L Ron Hubbard finally dies and the church issues a statement claiming that he had “deliberately discarded his body to do higher level spiritual research” and now lived a galaxy away from the one we all inhabit. Couldn’t have come a day sooner I say, I’m not sure if the world rejoiced but if they didn’t they should have.
1990 – Present – Tom Cruise officially enters the Danger Zone by joining the church and continually freaking out nearly everyone by going apeshit about who knows what and punching Oprah’s floor, shaking her vigorously, and putting his dirty ass feet all over her couch.
1996 – The church attempts to take legal action on several groups publishing damning information about them, including trying to cut a deal with google to push websites with such information further back on search results pages.
I give up...There is a never-ending source of hilarious/frightening information about these clowns. This could have encompassed 30 issues of Think Forward, just wish me luck when they take me to court!!
By: Cody
74, 997, 992 BC – Xenu, ruler of the Galactic Confederacy, brings millions of people to the planet earth in aircrafts similar to the modern day DC-8. He then proceeds to stack the aircrafts around a volcano and blow them up with hydrogen bombs. The souls of these poor bastards cluster themselves together and to this very day continue to stick to humans and cause ill effects. To this day Scientologists are very intent on neutralizing these...ummm....floating...clustery...uhh...sticky...bad soul things?
1934 – German writer Anastasius Nordenholz publishes “Scientologie : Science of the Constitution and Usefulness of Knowledge” pertaining to the study of consciousness. Approximately 19 years later (give or take a few minutes) some other joker stakes a similar claim to the same word and definition...how novel of him!
1953 – Science Fiction (fiction as in things that are not factual) author L. Ron Hubbard lays down the fundamental beliefs and policies of Scientology and starts the first official Church of Scientology. He defines Scientology as “The study of truth.” His followers don’t question this definition because as a fiction writer he obviously has the credentials to pass on his knowledge of the truth.
1958 – “Have You Lived Before This Life” finds L. Ron publishing accounts of church members experiences in past lives. He claims that some of these events were merely planted in their heads by complex extraterrestrial dictatorships in hopes of brainwashing the earth’s population. Certain scholars believe that L. Ron Hubbard may have been a very dense version of an extraterrestrial dictator himself at one time. I just referred to myself as “certain scholars”, OK fine, I admit it...
1966 – L. Ron patents the “E-Meter”, a device that measures electrical resistance in the human body. Volney Mathison actually invented the E-meter in the early 1950’s, and somehow Ronny ends up getting the patent, go figure. Mathison was apparantly not pleased and has been quoted as saying “I decry the doings of trivial fakers such as Scientologists.” Well said. The Church of Scientology sells E-meters for anywhere from $900 to $4650. They are used to gauge one’s mental state and effectively treat up to 70 percent of all physical and mental illness. It’s two dials and two metal cans! Pretty amazing!
1967 – Fair Game Policy is put into effect stating that anyone who speaks out against scientology is fair game for retaliation. “Enemy – May be deprived of property or injured by any means...may be tricked, sued, lied to, or destroyed.” The policy targets everyone from wives, family, the FDA, and the IRS.
1976 – Uh Oh! Scientologists end up in court for “Operation Freakout.” Paulette Cooper is targeted for her book “The Scandal of Scientology.” Church members break into her office posing as solicitors, steal her stationary with her address and fingerprints on it, and send bombthreats to one of their own Scientology buildings in hopes of framing her and getting her incarcerated. They additionally plan to send bombthreats to foreign embassies and disguise a member as Paulette Cooper and threaten to assassinate the President of the United States as a further means to frame her for crimes she didn’t commit. Thank Xenu they got caught before they could carry out the additional plans.
1979 – Not again! Eleven high ranking church officials end up in federal court after “Operation Snow White”, a project designed to clean up unfavorable public records pertaining to Scientology as a whole. They infiltrated, wiretapped and/or stole from 136 government buildings and foreign embassies in 30 countries using 5,000 or so covert agents. Operation HOLY SHIT! would be a more appropriate title.
1980 – Readers Digest quotes Hubbard as saying “If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion.” Tell us how you really feel...
1983 – Hubbard Re-introduces the Disconnection policy, encouraging members not to be in contact with family and friends who disagree with Scientology.
1986 – L Ron Hubbard finally dies and the church issues a statement claiming that he had “deliberately discarded his body to do higher level spiritual research” and now lived a galaxy away from the one we all inhabit. Couldn’t have come a day sooner I say, I’m not sure if the world rejoiced but if they didn’t they should have.
1990 – Present – Tom Cruise officially enters the Danger Zone by joining the church and continually freaking out nearly everyone by going apeshit about who knows what and punching Oprah’s floor, shaking her vigorously, and putting his dirty ass feet all over her couch.
1996 – The church attempts to take legal action on several groups publishing damning information about them, including trying to cut a deal with google to push websites with such information further back on search results pages.
I give up...There is a never-ending source of hilarious/frightening information about these clowns. This could have encompassed 30 issues of Think Forward, just wish me luck when they take me to court!!
Raphael Saadiq “The Way I See It”
By: C. Beaz
I love soul music. It ages very well. I do mean soul music, not R&B. They use to be the same thing, now they’re not. Let me use a modern example: Usher is R&B. Alicia Keys is Soul. If you still don’t get it then you’ve never listened to their records. I’m not talking about modern soul music anyway (Though there are some shining stars, most of it’s WAY over-produced for my taste). I’m referring to classic soul. Give me anything from the mid-sixties to the late 80’s. It smoothes my edges. All is well when I got Stevie!
This is precisely why I’ve been unable to stop listening to Rapheal Saadiq’s latest record. It’s not just a throw-back to 60’s-70’s soul records…it IS a 60’s-70’s soul record! Anyone who enjoys the Temptations, the Miracles, etc., MUST buy this record! It’s like a ride in a time machine. Everything about this record is reminiscent of the days of Motown, even the sound quality.
Rapheal Saadiq set out to make a straight forward tribute record to an era of music he loved. He did it, and only “slipped” once. That’s when he decided to include Jay-Z on the “bonus track”. Why is it always Jay-Z? Not all guest spots were quite so shameless…Joss Stone appears on “Just One Kiss”, sounding very much like a ninety pound white chick who wishes she was Gladys Knight. Also, on “Never Give You Up”, Stevie Wonder appears to play the same harmonica solo we’ve all heard a thousand times. Hey, I didn’t say they were GOOD guest spots, I said they weren’t shameless.
All around….this record is 95% fantastic!
I love soul music. It ages very well. I do mean soul music, not R&B. They use to be the same thing, now they’re not. Let me use a modern example: Usher is R&B. Alicia Keys is Soul. If you still don’t get it then you’ve never listened to their records. I’m not talking about modern soul music anyway (Though there are some shining stars, most of it’s WAY over-produced for my taste). I’m referring to classic soul. Give me anything from the mid-sixties to the late 80’s. It smoothes my edges. All is well when I got Stevie!
This is precisely why I’ve been unable to stop listening to Rapheal Saadiq’s latest record. It’s not just a throw-back to 60’s-70’s soul records…it IS a 60’s-70’s soul record! Anyone who enjoys the Temptations, the Miracles, etc., MUST buy this record! It’s like a ride in a time machine. Everything about this record is reminiscent of the days of Motown, even the sound quality.
Rapheal Saadiq set out to make a straight forward tribute record to an era of music he loved. He did it, and only “slipped” once. That’s when he decided to include Jay-Z on the “bonus track”. Why is it always Jay-Z? Not all guest spots were quite so shameless…Joss Stone appears on “Just One Kiss”, sounding very much like a ninety pound white chick who wishes she was Gladys Knight. Also, on “Never Give You Up”, Stevie Wonder appears to play the same harmonica solo we’ve all heard a thousand times. Hey, I didn’t say they were GOOD guest spots, I said they weren’t shameless.
All around….this record is 95% fantastic!
“When the Fire’s Dead and Gone”
By: C. Beaz
It happens to a lot of bands, especially the successful ones. They reach the apex of their creativity (or commercial success) and spend the rest of their career trying to stay there. This rarely works out. There are few who manage to reclaim a spot on top, but it’s tough. The mountain of success, whether commercial or creative, has a very gradual climb and a dangerously steep drop. My point is that it’s not uncommon for the next big thing to suddenly become the previous best thing. These bands just have to realize it and come to terms with it!
There is a certain group I have in mind as I write this. It’s been twenty years since they released what I consider to be their best record. Two years later, they released their most successful (and most criticized) record. So here’s a band that has spent the better part of eighteen years trying to stay fresh. Needless to say, they’ve failed. And in case you haven’t guessed, I’m talking about Metallica. Their career since then has been a comedy of errors. Metallica rolled out record after record of useless crap.
Examples:
“Load” – all I really remember is that they cut their hair.
“Reload” – “…give me fuel, give me fire, give me that which I desire”?!?!?
“Garage, Inc.” – the Queen cover was cool…I guess.
“S&M” – the dweeb in me kinda liked it actually!
“St. Anger” – worst thing I ever paid for.
That brings me to the present: “Death Magnetic”
Apart from the silly name, which is nothing new really (see: “Ride the Lightning”), this isn’t the worst record they could have made. They are capable of FAR worse! Apparently when making this record producer Rick Rubin told them to make the second half of “Master of Puppets”. That’s obviously what they tried to do. There are two problems with that though. The first one being that “Master of Puppets” didn’t need a second half! The second one is that these guys are forty-something, Armani leather jacket wearing millionaires. Not twenty year old, zit-faced, pissed-off metalheads.
Metallica doesn’t have it anymore. Fade away Metallica….please! And for the love of God, give Rob Trujillio back to Suicidal Tendencies where he can do some good!
It happens to a lot of bands, especially the successful ones. They reach the apex of their creativity (or commercial success) and spend the rest of their career trying to stay there. This rarely works out. There are few who manage to reclaim a spot on top, but it’s tough. The mountain of success, whether commercial or creative, has a very gradual climb and a dangerously steep drop. My point is that it’s not uncommon for the next big thing to suddenly become the previous best thing. These bands just have to realize it and come to terms with it!
There is a certain group I have in mind as I write this. It’s been twenty years since they released what I consider to be their best record. Two years later, they released their most successful (and most criticized) record. So here’s a band that has spent the better part of eighteen years trying to stay fresh. Needless to say, they’ve failed. And in case you haven’t guessed, I’m talking about Metallica. Their career since then has been a comedy of errors. Metallica rolled out record after record of useless crap.
Examples:
“Load” – all I really remember is that they cut their hair.
“Reload” – “…give me fuel, give me fire, give me that which I desire”?!?!?
“Garage, Inc.” – the Queen cover was cool…I guess.
“S&M” – the dweeb in me kinda liked it actually!
“St. Anger” – worst thing I ever paid for.
That brings me to the present: “Death Magnetic”
Apart from the silly name, which is nothing new really (see: “Ride the Lightning”), this isn’t the worst record they could have made. They are capable of FAR worse! Apparently when making this record producer Rick Rubin told them to make the second half of “Master of Puppets”. That’s obviously what they tried to do. There are two problems with that though. The first one being that “Master of Puppets” didn’t need a second half! The second one is that these guys are forty-something, Armani leather jacket wearing millionaires. Not twenty year old, zit-faced, pissed-off metalheads.
Metallica doesn’t have it anymore. Fade away Metallica….please! And for the love of God, give Rob Trujillio back to Suicidal Tendencies where he can do some good!
Political Policies? Welcome to #4.
Think Forward was never intended to be a tool for pushing and promoting the political views of its creators and contributors. I would like to think that Republicans, Democrats, and any and all Independents would be welcome to take part in what we have set out to do…promote creativity.
Therefore, I will refrain from telling you exactly why I am suddenly so petrified for my country. Let’s just say the mania is at a fever pitch and they’re selling products inspired by her EVERYWHERE! Wigs, glasses, t-shirts, buttons, guns….you know where I’m going with this. Canada’s sounding pretty nice aboot now huh?
Anyway, the point is, we here at Think Forward will not make a play at telling you how to vote…or feel. You have enough people telling you that. What we WILL do is encourage you to do some research on these people. Not on CNN or FOX News, not on Saturday Night Live (Hi-larious!), not on Dr. Phil…do it yourself. Make an educated decision! This is no time for being apathetic, too much is at stake. And as long as you know in your heart you’ve done what YOU think is right, then you’ve done enough.
Think forward.
~ Us here at TF
Therefore, I will refrain from telling you exactly why I am suddenly so petrified for my country. Let’s just say the mania is at a fever pitch and they’re selling products inspired by her EVERYWHERE! Wigs, glasses, t-shirts, buttons, guns….you know where I’m going with this. Canada’s sounding pretty nice aboot now huh?
Anyway, the point is, we here at Think Forward will not make a play at telling you how to vote…or feel. You have enough people telling you that. What we WILL do is encourage you to do some research on these people. Not on CNN or FOX News, not on Saturday Night Live (Hi-larious!), not on Dr. Phil…do it yourself. Make an educated decision! This is no time for being apathetic, too much is at stake. And as long as you know in your heart you’ve done what YOU think is right, then you’ve done enough.
Think forward.
~ Us here at TF
In It To Win It
In It To Win It
By: Chris Acyd
Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll seem to always go together. Straight-laced views about morality and purity were largely discarded in the 70s as hippies took acid and climbed the ‘stairway to heaven’, while UK teens got high on cheap speed and embraced an “anything goes” punk lifestyle. It wasn’t until the beginnings of the hardcore movement in the early 80s that bands like Minor Threat began to push a straight edge agenda, refraining from drinking, drugs, and casual sex, and bringing us the X’s that are still used to mark underage fans at shows.
Two decades later, Sussex County’s In It To Win It maintains the connection between hardcore and straight edge, playing All Ages shows at churches and youth cafes, spawning moshpits in the tamest of crowds with a set that is pure ferocity. Far beyond the simplicity of early hardcore, the band’s metal influences come through with blistering speed and energy, delivered with both righteous anger and a positive attitude that draws fans.
Acyd: How did the band start? How did the band make the decision to be straight edge? Has it been worth it?
Dustin (drums): I started this band in August of 2007 with our guitarist Spencer. We originally planned on writing a totally different style of music but soon realized it wasn't working out the way we planned. A couple weeks later we asked our good friend Woody to join and then realized "Well, we're all straight edge...so why don't we start a hardcore band based upon the lifestyle?" After jamming around a few weekends we got this kid that Woody had been in a previous band with on drums and I did vocals. Played two or three shows I think and realized we had to make a line-up change. We ended up kicking our drummer out and I moved over to drums. Immediately after making the decision I called up my friend Rich, who had been in previous bands with me before. Started practicing, got together a full set of songs and played shows in December. Ever since then we've gotten a great response and our fan base is growing. So it's definitely been worth it!
Acyd: Early hardcore bands denied drugs, alcohol, and, in some cases, sex. In embracing the straight edge lifestyle, how far do you take it?
Dustin: Everyone in the band adopts the basics. "No drugs, no alcohol and no promiscuous sex." I'm the only vegetarian in the band but I don't really relate that to the straight edge lifestyle, it's more of my personal view on animal rights.
Acyd: Like many bands in your particular scene, you play shows at church-based cafes and the like. Does In It To Win It have a religious message, or are you just taking advantage of all available venues?
Dustin: The band does not have a religious message, we are just trying to reach people of all kinds and possibly start a spark in the minds of our generation and so on.
Acyd: There are some who will come up to someone at a show and slap a beer out of their hand. Do you take this militant approach, or choose to lead by example?
Dustin: Haha, no we're not going to slap a beer out of your hand. We have no room in telling you how to live your life. We just want to let people know there is a subculture that embraces these beliefs
Acyd: What are some of your influences, musically?
Dustin: Everyone in the band has different influences. Everything from death metal to pop punk! It's pretty righteous because it's starting to show in the way we write our music.
Acyd: You're just begun an East Coast tour. What are your expectations for the tour, and what are your plans for when it's finished?
Dustin: We've all been so stoked on this tour because we're hitting up some new places and playing some awesome venues.
Everyone in this band loves to tour and personally nothing makes me more happy than being on the road playing music every night with my best friends for the right reasons.
As for when this tour is over, we will be playing shows on the weekends and possibly booking mini-tours here and there.
Other than that our focus is to write new material, work as much as possible and promote the EP we are about to release through 1981 Records!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
While the straight edge lifestyle might be sneered at by some, it's accepted if not always embraced by the uniquely tolerant Eastern Shore scene. Lead guitarist Ben Everett of Queen Anne's 'The Abolitionists' wears the label himself, saying "I wanna try to make a difference and promote change for the good of the common people. I don't think I can do that while I'm getting fucked up. It might work for other people, but it isn't for me. But I also don't care if other people do drugs or drink or whatever, I think it's a personal choice." Easton mover-and-shaker Cody, of Press Black and The International Jet Set, notes that while he's not straight edge, "I think it's great that there are young people who are trying to act responsibly and I think it's great that there are young people getting wasted and having the time of their lives. It boils down to personal liberty...because that's what it's all about right?"
By: Chris Acyd
Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll seem to always go together. Straight-laced views about morality and purity were largely discarded in the 70s as hippies took acid and climbed the ‘stairway to heaven’, while UK teens got high on cheap speed and embraced an “anything goes” punk lifestyle. It wasn’t until the beginnings of the hardcore movement in the early 80s that bands like Minor Threat began to push a straight edge agenda, refraining from drinking, drugs, and casual sex, and bringing us the X’s that are still used to mark underage fans at shows.
Two decades later, Sussex County’s In It To Win It maintains the connection between hardcore and straight edge, playing All Ages shows at churches and youth cafes, spawning moshpits in the tamest of crowds with a set that is pure ferocity. Far beyond the simplicity of early hardcore, the band’s metal influences come through with blistering speed and energy, delivered with both righteous anger and a positive attitude that draws fans.
Acyd: How did the band start? How did the band make the decision to be straight edge? Has it been worth it?
Dustin (drums): I started this band in August of 2007 with our guitarist Spencer. We originally planned on writing a totally different style of music but soon realized it wasn't working out the way we planned. A couple weeks later we asked our good friend Woody to join and then realized "Well, we're all straight edge...so why don't we start a hardcore band based upon the lifestyle?" After jamming around a few weekends we got this kid that Woody had been in a previous band with on drums and I did vocals. Played two or three shows I think and realized we had to make a line-up change. We ended up kicking our drummer out and I moved over to drums. Immediately after making the decision I called up my friend Rich, who had been in previous bands with me before. Started practicing, got together a full set of songs and played shows in December. Ever since then we've gotten a great response and our fan base is growing. So it's definitely been worth it!
Acyd: Early hardcore bands denied drugs, alcohol, and, in some cases, sex. In embracing the straight edge lifestyle, how far do you take it?
Dustin: Everyone in the band adopts the basics. "No drugs, no alcohol and no promiscuous sex." I'm the only vegetarian in the band but I don't really relate that to the straight edge lifestyle, it's more of my personal view on animal rights.
Acyd: Like many bands in your particular scene, you play shows at church-based cafes and the like. Does In It To Win It have a religious message, or are you just taking advantage of all available venues?
Dustin: The band does not have a religious message, we are just trying to reach people of all kinds and possibly start a spark in the minds of our generation and so on.
Acyd: There are some who will come up to someone at a show and slap a beer out of their hand. Do you take this militant approach, or choose to lead by example?
Dustin: Haha, no we're not going to slap a beer out of your hand. We have no room in telling you how to live your life. We just want to let people know there is a subculture that embraces these beliefs
Acyd: What are some of your influences, musically?
Dustin: Everyone in the band has different influences. Everything from death metal to pop punk! It's pretty righteous because it's starting to show in the way we write our music.
Acyd: You're just begun an East Coast tour. What are your expectations for the tour, and what are your plans for when it's finished?
Dustin: We've all been so stoked on this tour because we're hitting up some new places and playing some awesome venues.
Everyone in this band loves to tour and personally nothing makes me more happy than being on the road playing music every night with my best friends for the right reasons.
As for when this tour is over, we will be playing shows on the weekends and possibly booking mini-tours here and there.
Other than that our focus is to write new material, work as much as possible and promote the EP we are about to release through 1981 Records!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
While the straight edge lifestyle might be sneered at by some, it's accepted if not always embraced by the uniquely tolerant Eastern Shore scene. Lead guitarist Ben Everett of Queen Anne's 'The Abolitionists' wears the label himself, saying "I wanna try to make a difference and promote change for the good of the common people. I don't think I can do that while I'm getting fucked up. It might work for other people, but it isn't for me. But I also don't care if other people do drugs or drink or whatever, I think it's a personal choice." Easton mover-and-shaker Cody, of Press Black and The International Jet Set, notes that while he's not straight edge, "I think it's great that there are young people who are trying to act responsibly and I think it's great that there are young people getting wasted and having the time of their lives. It boils down to personal liberty...because that's what it's all about right?"
ENVIRONMENTAL ALERT
Don't Eat Take-Out; It's Environmentally Catastrophic
For dinner this evening, decided to try the new Panera Bread that just opened around the corner in Easton. Since I was filthy from work (scraping old shutters) and moving Cheri's big honking desk (props to Kenney, Matt, and Cody), and too exhausted to clean up and go public, we decided to look up their menu online and do some carry-out. New restaurant, new sugar-coated processed food- an exciting Friday evening for the average American dullard. She ordered soup and a sandwich, and I also, plus a bread-bowl to house my cheddar-broccoli.
Girlfriend offered to run and pick-up the food and I greeted her when she returned with the meal, not paying attention to what she brought in. When I laid eyes, the healthy appetite I had worked up inhaling flecks of old dead paint and hoisting a half-ton desk through a second-story window, pretty much went out the window.
Sitting in pomp grandiosity on our dining room table was the Monster Cock of all paper bags. It had brown twisty-rope handles and was the size of a mini-fridge. I gazed up, over and down into its' gynormous cavity. Successively, I was hit with a first, and then a second shocking wave of overwhelming disgustipation when I absorbed that each order (the balls, so to speak)- the soup, the sandwich, the other soup, the other sandwich, and the breadbowl- had each been separately bagged; all within the one Mother Bag. "Nature is fucked", the bag called out- the paper with a whimper, the Panera Bread Logo with ignorant, corporate triumphalism.
Continuing, I pull out the soup in its non-recyclable foam & plastic container, then grab the sandwich, wrapped so thoroughly in food-tissue paper that I strongly recommend their services to anyone selling Fine China on eBay. I felt like I had cut down the whole apple tree for 1 or 2 pieces of fruit. Doesn't Panera Bread realize how hard it is for me to enjoy their food when I'm left feeling like wasteful, consumptive human scum?
Deeply saddened,
Mr. Wilson
copyright 2008
For dinner this evening, decided to try the new Panera Bread that just opened around the corner in Easton. Since I was filthy from work (scraping old shutters) and moving Cheri's big honking desk (props to Kenney, Matt, and Cody), and too exhausted to clean up and go public, we decided to look up their menu online and do some carry-out. New restaurant, new sugar-coated processed food- an exciting Friday evening for the average American dullard. She ordered soup and a sandwich, and I also, plus a bread-bowl to house my cheddar-broccoli.
Girlfriend offered to run and pick-up the food and I greeted her when she returned with the meal, not paying attention to what she brought in. When I laid eyes, the healthy appetite I had worked up inhaling flecks of old dead paint and hoisting a half-ton desk through a second-story window, pretty much went out the window.
Sitting in pomp grandiosity on our dining room table was the Monster Cock of all paper bags. It had brown twisty-rope handles and was the size of a mini-fridge. I gazed up, over and down into its' gynormous cavity. Successively, I was hit with a first, and then a second shocking wave of overwhelming disgustipation when I absorbed that each order (the balls, so to speak)- the soup, the sandwich, the other soup, the other sandwich, and the breadbowl- had each been separately bagged; all within the one Mother Bag. "Nature is fucked", the bag called out- the paper with a whimper, the Panera Bread Logo with ignorant, corporate triumphalism.
Continuing, I pull out the soup in its non-recyclable foam & plastic container, then grab the sandwich, wrapped so thoroughly in food-tissue paper that I strongly recommend their services to anyone selling Fine China on eBay. I felt like I had cut down the whole apple tree for 1 or 2 pieces of fruit. Doesn't Panera Bread realize how hard it is for me to enjoy their food when I'm left feeling like wasteful, consumptive human scum?
Deeply saddened,
Mr. Wilson
copyright 2008
Press Black
Cody on guitar
Ben plays the bass
Willis smashing his drums
As they rock this place
They scream, They yell
Turning venues to hell
Music from the heart
There since the start
Find a cause that's what they do
Playing their music for me, for you
Thrashing around the crowd goes insane
The words resonate in your brain
Many might scoff, Many won't like
At least they have passion, deep inside
Their lyrics are strong
Their rhythms are swift
Granting our presence with their gift
I'm only one fan
But I know they have more
Don't be shy people, walk through the door
Critics might say punk is crap
Open your ears
Hear Press Black
~ Jay Blann
Ben plays the bass
Willis smashing his drums
As they rock this place
They scream, They yell
Turning venues to hell
Music from the heart
There since the start
Find a cause that's what they do
Playing their music for me, for you
Thrashing around the crowd goes insane
The words resonate in your brain
Many might scoff, Many won't like
At least they have passion, deep inside
Their lyrics are strong
Their rhythms are swift
Granting our presence with their gift
I'm only one fan
But I know they have more
Don't be shy people, walk through the door
Critics might say punk is crap
Open your ears
Hear Press Black
~ Jay Blann
Under The Radar: Skarp -"Requiem"
After finding out that Seattle Washington's Skarp had labeled their music as "Blackout Fucking Grindcore" it was inevitable that I was going to love it...I had no choice. With new genre names popping up every day...emo, screamo, industrial post-modern popcore hip-hop you're-boring-the-shit-out-of-me-I’ll-have-a-salad-core...it
's impossible to keep up. It's refreshing that a band will just get to the point and make some music. This is some of the most hard hitting, disastrously brutal music I've ever heard mixing elements of Grindcore, Crust Punk, and about 11 seconds of Ska. I'm not a fan of music this heavy usually, but there are several factors about Skarp that keep me listening. It's not often you hear female vocals in this type of music and Skarp does it well...Renae is clearly not fucking around. The drummer is the other winning point for me, very very quick, interesting snare drum sound, and some of the cleanest blast-beats I’ve ever heard. Even if you're not into this kind of music it's still amazing just to hear the musicianship if nothing else. I like this album more every time I hear it.
's impossible to keep up. It's refreshing that a band will just get to the point and make some music. This is some of the most hard hitting, disastrously brutal music I've ever heard mixing elements of Grindcore, Crust Punk, and about 11 seconds of Ska. I'm not a fan of music this heavy usually, but there are several factors about Skarp that keep me listening. It's not often you hear female vocals in this type of music and Skarp does it well...Renae is clearly not fucking around. The drummer is the other winning point for me, very very quick, interesting snare drum sound, and some of the cleanest blast-beats I’ve ever heard. Even if you're not into this kind of music it's still amazing just to hear the musicianship if nothing else. I like this album more every time I hear it.
We, the Stupid…
D. Van Skiver
In three weeks or less (at press time), I will become a father for the first time. And among the concerns and fears I have are that this is the nation my son will inherit:
~ George W. Bush enjoyed two terms as president of the United States.
~ Paris Hilton is worshipped for teaching young girls that being a stupid cunt is cool.
~ 25-year-old women are referred to as “MILFs” on the Internet.
~ Sarah Palin has a pretty good chance of becoming the next Vice President.
~ Microsoft Word has informed me that “Internet” should be capitalized. I suppose that’s to separate itfrom “the internets”.
~ We kill murderers to teach them that killing is wrong.
~ Too many adults still make fun of poor people and “retards”.
~ You’d be surprised how often you hear the word “nigger” when everyone you work with is white.
~ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull actually made it to the big screen.
~ Chances are that your high school had brand new sports equipment every year. Chances are just as
high that your math textbook was at least five years old.
~ Reality shows are popular. After nearly a decade, I still can’t get my head around that...
~ A woman’s breasts have become so sexualized that people think it’s indecent for her to use them for
their original purpose in public.
~ People will pay more than I make in two weeks for a single ticket to see Barbara Streisand.
~ NASCAR. I can't even think of a way to elaborate.
~ John McCain is using the word “change” and getting away with it.
~ A bad sci-fi writer can start a pyramid scheme and call it a religion and it can still thrive years after
he’s gone. A good sci-fi writer inspires a really bad David Lynch movie starring Sting.
~ Most of the wealth of potential in hip-hop is wasted on people with nothing better to say than "I'm a
badass".
~ Poison and Motley Crue, along with their ridiculous costumes, have• somehow managed to become
“cool” again. You know, there was a damned good reason everyone turned on bands like that in the
early 90’s.
~ People think that Muslims are “evil” people who hate our freedom.
~ We’re STILL in Iraq.
I want so badly to shield him from all of this. I want to lock him up in a tower with good books and good music and no bad television or bad movies or bad music, and no contact with the idiotic world around him. But that, I suppose, would make me no better than the assholes who already dictate what we see and hear on a daily basis. And so I have to let him experience it all, the good and the bad, and hope he comes out of it not thinking that Sarah Palin is smart or that “Puttin’ a boot in yer ass” is the American Way.
In three weeks or less (at press time), I will become a father for the first time. And among the concerns and fears I have are that this is the nation my son will inherit:
~ George W. Bush enjoyed two terms as president of the United States.
~ Paris Hilton is worshipped for teaching young girls that being a stupid cunt is cool.
~ 25-year-old women are referred to as “MILFs” on the Internet.
~ Sarah Palin has a pretty good chance of becoming the next Vice President.
~ Microsoft Word has informed me that “Internet” should be capitalized. I suppose that’s to separate itfrom “the internets”.
~ We kill murderers to teach them that killing is wrong.
~ Too many adults still make fun of poor people and “retards”.
~ You’d be surprised how often you hear the word “nigger” when everyone you work with is white.
~ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull actually made it to the big screen.
~ Chances are that your high school had brand new sports equipment every year. Chances are just as
high that your math textbook was at least five years old.
~ Reality shows are popular. After nearly a decade, I still can’t get my head around that...
~ A woman’s breasts have become so sexualized that people think it’s indecent for her to use them for
their original purpose in public.
~ People will pay more than I make in two weeks for a single ticket to see Barbara Streisand.
~ NASCAR. I can't even think of a way to elaborate.
~ John McCain is using the word “change” and getting away with it.
~ A bad sci-fi writer can start a pyramid scheme and call it a religion and it can still thrive years after
he’s gone. A good sci-fi writer inspires a really bad David Lynch movie starring Sting.
~ Most of the wealth of potential in hip-hop is wasted on people with nothing better to say than "I'm a
badass".
~ Poison and Motley Crue, along with their ridiculous costumes, have• somehow managed to become
“cool” again. You know, there was a damned good reason everyone turned on bands like that in the
early 90’s.
~ People think that Muslims are “evil” people who hate our freedom.
~ We’re STILL in Iraq.
I want so badly to shield him from all of this. I want to lock him up in a tower with good books and good music and no bad television or bad movies or bad music, and no contact with the idiotic world around him. But that, I suppose, would make me no better than the assholes who already dictate what we see and hear on a daily basis. And so I have to let him experience it all, the good and the bad, and hope he comes out of it not thinking that Sarah Palin is smart or that “Puttin’ a boot in yer ass” is the American Way.
Spinal Crap
D. Van Skiver
It’s a given that every band has their Spinal Tap moments. Playing shows is, in its own way, a pain in the ass. You’ve got to coordinate a group of people (in our case, seven of us) and make sure everyone is able to be there. Then you’ve got to get all of them there, plus their equipment, which typically turns out to be a multi-vehicular expedition. Inevitably, at least one of the drivers has no idea how to get there, which means trying to follow each other through bumper-to-bumper traffic on the beltway of a given city. A lane change becomes an ordeal. Someone misses a turn, possibly causing someone else to make the same wrong turn. Dinner winds up being Wendy’s, which runs the risk of giving the entire band digestion complications. One of the cars is low on gas, so everyone has to stop.
Once at the venue, there’s almost always questions about the line-up, or the set length, or who’s borrowing who’s equipment. The drummer from this band needs to leave early, so can we switch places? The guitarist from that band doesn’t have an amp, can we borrow yours?
So you set up, and then there is a whole new realm of potential problems. Bad instrument cables, broken strings, dead batteries, not enough mics, not enough electrical outlets, blown tubes or failing solid-state amps, a forgotten guitar strap, a forgotten tuner, the list goes on.
After that it’s a trust game. All seven people have to know their parts. All seven people have to make sure their instrument is in tune. And even at this point, as we found out at the Metro Gallery last night, all the shit in the last paragraph can STILL go wrong at any second.
How you handle it is what counts. When the lead guitar suddenly refuses to make a sound regardless of what the guitarist tries, it’s up to the rest of the band to fill that dead air, and it’s up to the whole band to keep the situation in perspective. Sure, you’re embarrassed because the guys from the other band are carrying an amp onto the stage to save your set, but there’s a guy sleeping on the sidewalk three blocks away and he hasn't eaten all day.
The key is not to make a big deal out of the situation. Despite all the technical complications, I don’t feel like our set was ruined. I had a great time playing. I met some cool people. I was playing bass for a small crowd at 9:30 on a Saturday night instead of zoning out in front of the TV or the computer. And that’s worth the pain in the ass of getting there, setting up, and dealing with whatever happens onstage.
It’s a given that every band has their Spinal Tap moments. Playing shows is, in its own way, a pain in the ass. You’ve got to coordinate a group of people (in our case, seven of us) and make sure everyone is able to be there. Then you’ve got to get all of them there, plus their equipment, which typically turns out to be a multi-vehicular expedition. Inevitably, at least one of the drivers has no idea how to get there, which means trying to follow each other through bumper-to-bumper traffic on the beltway of a given city. A lane change becomes an ordeal. Someone misses a turn, possibly causing someone else to make the same wrong turn. Dinner winds up being Wendy’s, which runs the risk of giving the entire band digestion complications. One of the cars is low on gas, so everyone has to stop.
Once at the venue, there’s almost always questions about the line-up, or the set length, or who’s borrowing who’s equipment. The drummer from this band needs to leave early, so can we switch places? The guitarist from that band doesn’t have an amp, can we borrow yours?
So you set up, and then there is a whole new realm of potential problems. Bad instrument cables, broken strings, dead batteries, not enough mics, not enough electrical outlets, blown tubes or failing solid-state amps, a forgotten guitar strap, a forgotten tuner, the list goes on.
After that it’s a trust game. All seven people have to know their parts. All seven people have to make sure their instrument is in tune. And even at this point, as we found out at the Metro Gallery last night, all the shit in the last paragraph can STILL go wrong at any second.
How you handle it is what counts. When the lead guitar suddenly refuses to make a sound regardless of what the guitarist tries, it’s up to the rest of the band to fill that dead air, and it’s up to the whole band to keep the situation in perspective. Sure, you’re embarrassed because the guys from the other band are carrying an amp onto the stage to save your set, but there’s a guy sleeping on the sidewalk three blocks away and he hasn't eaten all day.
The key is not to make a big deal out of the situation. Despite all the technical complications, I don’t feel like our set was ruined. I had a great time playing. I met some cool people. I was playing bass for a small crowd at 9:30 on a Saturday night instead of zoning out in front of the TV or the computer. And that’s worth the pain in the ass of getting there, setting up, and dealing with whatever happens onstage.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Motorettes
Interview by: Jon
The Motorettes are an anomaly. They are a “cover” band that can mix, mingle, and kick the crap out of “regular” bands (i.e. “bands that write their own music and take themselves oh so seriously). The Motorettes specialize in Motown and 60’s soul music…therefore managing to appeal to everyone with a radio. I’ve seen them three times and they always kill!
We sat down with Jen, one of the front ladies for the band, to see how they gets things done…
TF: How long have The Motorettes been playing out and how did they get together?
Jen: Kathleen and I lived together for a few months and used to nerd out over old Motown songs together in the car or living room- she’d sing the high parts and I’d take the lows or vice versa, just messin’ around-we both grew up with the music so we already knew every harmony and every word to any song you can think of. My dad played sax in a soul band called Terry and the Uptights in the 50’s and they opened up for a few big names like James Brown, and Kathleen’s dad was in a very similar band playing around the same time. I strongly believe if you have musicians for parents you’re doomed to become one yourself. Anyway, we knew Aran, Jd and Pat would be into the idea (we were all probably in each other’s previous bands at one time or another) so from the first time we got together and practiced, we sounded great and everything just fell into place.
TF:What are some of the other bands your members are/were involved with?
Jen: God, there’s been too many to list but I’ll try… Pat’s has been in and or is currently involved with The Beatnik Termites and The Pro-Teens and runs the label Insubordination Records. Aran was in The Poisonaires and is currently in a totally awesome hip-hop duo called AK Slaughter. Kathleen’s main band is Thee Lexington Arrows but she’s played for countless other bands around town, Andy was in Malt Liquor, JD is currently in Entertainment system, Survivors of Camp Crystal Lake and Rare Candy and was involved in the greatest punk rock joke band to ever exist- Thee Shittens-with yours truly. And I’ve also been involved in more crappy high-school sounding bands than I’m far too embarrassed to even admit.
TF: The band is six members strong; do you find it hard to play some of the smaller sized venues in the city? Do you have to adjust your set or instrumentation to suit the venue?
Jen: Luckily, JD plays on this crazy small drum kit called a “Rhythm Traveler”. It looks like he stole it from an eight-year old- its hilarious. We thought it especially awesome because hes such a big guy and he plays drums like a beast, so the smaller sound evens him out perfectly, its small-stage-friendly, and he looks ridiculous playing it. Plus, I think we all like each other enough at this point to rub elbows a little up there if we gotta.
TF: Unlike most cover bands, The Motorettes play a lot of gigs around Baltimore generally reserved for bands that write originals, making you the Baltimore version of The Detroit Cobras which is great company, but does anyone ever give you shit for it?
Jen: Y’know, I’m kinda surprised but we really don’t get any shit at all for it. I think that people are generally so stoked to hear any of these songs live again that we rarely get any negative words at all. I think it strikes a heart chord with younger people even in the punk or rock scene because they also grew up on Motown and have the same appreciation for it.
TF: Have you found that you are based in a certain “scene” in Baltimore, or do you play wherever, whenever with whomever?
Jen: We are whores. We’ll play anything. We love being the curveball in a rock ‘n roll set and we don’t say no to playing a paying wedding gig either.
TF: Have you played a Bar Mitzvah yet?
Jen: Hah, we were supposed to. We even started learning Hava Nagila. The kid ended up going with a DJ in the end. I guess the parents were probably the ones pushing for Motown anyway.
TF: All of you are (or have been) members of other local bands over the years, and wrote tons of music I’m sure. Now that you are covering some of the greatest music ever written do you find yourselves writing anything and inserting it into your sets…just to see if anyone notices?
Jen: You never know…
TF: Do you ever indulge the “Play Freebird!” guy?
Jen: Fuck that guy. Bands that pander to that guy always end up looking like total dicks anyway because no one can play freebird like Skynyrd.
TF: Do you ever get a “Play Stop In The Name Of Love!” guy?
Jen: We play Happy Hour at the Sidebar every second Friday of the month, and if you know anything about the Sidebar you know that before it become a punk bar at 8pm, it’s a hang out for all the local state’s attorneys. Those guys are amazing- they sing every word, dance and get shit-faced by seven. They usually like to yell out a few requests but we’re happy to play ‘em if we got ‘em. Yeah, we’re a real hit with the drunk lawyers.
TF: What’s been your favorite show moment thus far?
Jen: We just played with one of Kathleen’s and my all time favorite bands, The Dirtbombs. It was a fucking great show- we got to open up for them and also play with another great local rock duo, The Expotentials. We killed it that night and Mick Collins (lead singer of the Dirtbombs and countless other amazing rock bands) personally thanked us on stage.
TF: I noticed you have a few recordings on Myspace. Have The Motorettes ever considered recording a proper record?
Jen: We have an EP out right now that we mostly use for press kits and promotion- I mean, if the demand goes up for a full album of our covers, I think we’d definitely consider it. I think that if we ever do write originals we’d be in the studio in a heartbeat.
TF: Who are some of the other local bands you would recommend?
Jen: Sooo many. I’m so proud of local music right now. Obviously all our other bands. Let’s see…The Mishaps, The Expotentials, The Hall Monitors, The Ambitions, Payola Reserve, Lazlo Lee & The Motherless Children, The Garnet Hearts, The Sick Sick Birds, Ratsize, Hollywood, The Squaaks and soo soo many more. Don’t take my word for it, go see their shows! Also, dance around a little. Enjoy yourself. I’m so sick of the kids that pay to get into a show and then act like they don’t wanna be there.
TF: You are also the owner of Patterson Perk Coffee Shop and co-founder of Catfight! Photography. Is it hard juggling all the ventures at once?
Jen: Holy shit…hard is an understatement. I should be committed for actually thinking that I could do all this and still have a social life. Although, I must admit, there’s nothing better than working for yourself and saying “fuck you!” to The Man on a daily basis. I just never though being so punk would involve this much fucking work.
TF: What’s up next for The Motorettes?
Jen: We are super busy. We’ve got weddings and private parties booked (horray for catering and open bar) and we’re booking more shows around town and on the East Coast. And we’re gonna keep doing the Happy Hour thing at the Sidebar until we wear out our welcome. So, plenty of opportunities for people to come out, have a drink and get down with the Motown Sound.
The Motorettes are an anomaly. They are a “cover” band that can mix, mingle, and kick the crap out of “regular” bands (i.e. “bands that write their own music and take themselves oh so seriously). The Motorettes specialize in Motown and 60’s soul music…therefore managing to appeal to everyone with a radio. I’ve seen them three times and they always kill!
We sat down with Jen, one of the front ladies for the band, to see how they gets things done…
TF: How long have The Motorettes been playing out and how did they get together?
Jen: Kathleen and I lived together for a few months and used to nerd out over old Motown songs together in the car or living room- she’d sing the high parts and I’d take the lows or vice versa, just messin’ around-we both grew up with the music so we already knew every harmony and every word to any song you can think of. My dad played sax in a soul band called Terry and the Uptights in the 50’s and they opened up for a few big names like James Brown, and Kathleen’s dad was in a very similar band playing around the same time. I strongly believe if you have musicians for parents you’re doomed to become one yourself. Anyway, we knew Aran, Jd and Pat would be into the idea (we were all probably in each other’s previous bands at one time or another) so from the first time we got together and practiced, we sounded great and everything just fell into place.
TF:What are some of the other bands your members are/were involved with?
Jen: God, there’s been too many to list but I’ll try… Pat’s has been in and or is currently involved with The Beatnik Termites and The Pro-Teens and runs the label Insubordination Records. Aran was in The Poisonaires and is currently in a totally awesome hip-hop duo called AK Slaughter. Kathleen’s main band is Thee Lexington Arrows but she’s played for countless other bands around town, Andy was in Malt Liquor, JD is currently in Entertainment system, Survivors of Camp Crystal Lake and Rare Candy and was involved in the greatest punk rock joke band to ever exist- Thee Shittens-with yours truly. And I’ve also been involved in more crappy high-school sounding bands than I’m far too embarrassed to even admit.
TF: The band is six members strong; do you find it hard to play some of the smaller sized venues in the city? Do you have to adjust your set or instrumentation to suit the venue?
Jen: Luckily, JD plays on this crazy small drum kit called a “Rhythm Traveler”. It looks like he stole it from an eight-year old- its hilarious. We thought it especially awesome because hes such a big guy and he plays drums like a beast, so the smaller sound evens him out perfectly, its small-stage-friendly, and he looks ridiculous playing it. Plus, I think we all like each other enough at this point to rub elbows a little up there if we gotta.
TF: Unlike most cover bands, The Motorettes play a lot of gigs around Baltimore generally reserved for bands that write originals, making you the Baltimore version of The Detroit Cobras which is great company, but does anyone ever give you shit for it?
Jen: Y’know, I’m kinda surprised but we really don’t get any shit at all for it. I think that people are generally so stoked to hear any of these songs live again that we rarely get any negative words at all. I think it strikes a heart chord with younger people even in the punk or rock scene because they also grew up on Motown and have the same appreciation for it.
TF: Have you found that you are based in a certain “scene” in Baltimore, or do you play wherever, whenever with whomever?
Jen: We are whores. We’ll play anything. We love being the curveball in a rock ‘n roll set and we don’t say no to playing a paying wedding gig either.
TF: Have you played a Bar Mitzvah yet?
Jen: Hah, we were supposed to. We even started learning Hava Nagila. The kid ended up going with a DJ in the end. I guess the parents were probably the ones pushing for Motown anyway.
TF: All of you are (or have been) members of other local bands over the years, and wrote tons of music I’m sure. Now that you are covering some of the greatest music ever written do you find yourselves writing anything and inserting it into your sets…just to see if anyone notices?
Jen: You never know…
TF: Do you ever indulge the “Play Freebird!” guy?
Jen: Fuck that guy. Bands that pander to that guy always end up looking like total dicks anyway because no one can play freebird like Skynyrd.
TF: Do you ever get a “Play Stop In The Name Of Love!” guy?
Jen: We play Happy Hour at the Sidebar every second Friday of the month, and if you know anything about the Sidebar you know that before it become a punk bar at 8pm, it’s a hang out for all the local state’s attorneys. Those guys are amazing- they sing every word, dance and get shit-faced by seven. They usually like to yell out a few requests but we’re happy to play ‘em if we got ‘em. Yeah, we’re a real hit with the drunk lawyers.
TF: What’s been your favorite show moment thus far?
Jen: We just played with one of Kathleen’s and my all time favorite bands, The Dirtbombs. It was a fucking great show- we got to open up for them and also play with another great local rock duo, The Expotentials. We killed it that night and Mick Collins (lead singer of the Dirtbombs and countless other amazing rock bands) personally thanked us on stage.
TF: I noticed you have a few recordings on Myspace. Have The Motorettes ever considered recording a proper record?
Jen: We have an EP out right now that we mostly use for press kits and promotion- I mean, if the demand goes up for a full album of our covers, I think we’d definitely consider it. I think that if we ever do write originals we’d be in the studio in a heartbeat.
TF: Who are some of the other local bands you would recommend?
Jen: Sooo many. I’m so proud of local music right now. Obviously all our other bands. Let’s see…The Mishaps, The Expotentials, The Hall Monitors, The Ambitions, Payola Reserve, Lazlo Lee & The Motherless Children, The Garnet Hearts, The Sick Sick Birds, Ratsize, Hollywood, The Squaaks and soo soo many more. Don’t take my word for it, go see their shows! Also, dance around a little. Enjoy yourself. I’m so sick of the kids that pay to get into a show and then act like they don’t wanna be there.
TF: You are also the owner of Patterson Perk Coffee Shop and co-founder of Catfight! Photography. Is it hard juggling all the ventures at once?
Jen: Holy shit…hard is an understatement. I should be committed for actually thinking that I could do all this and still have a social life. Although, I must admit, there’s nothing better than working for yourself and saying “fuck you!” to The Man on a daily basis. I just never though being so punk would involve this much fucking work.
TF: What’s up next for The Motorettes?
Jen: We are super busy. We’ve got weddings and private parties booked (horray for catering and open bar) and we’re booking more shows around town and on the East Coast. And we’re gonna keep doing the Happy Hour thing at the Sidebar until we wear out our welcome. So, plenty of opportunities for people to come out, have a drink and get down with the Motown Sound.
The Acyd Test August 2008
Walking through Cambridge on 8/9 was, for the most part, an enjoyable experience. Everyone I nodded to on the sidewalk either stared or looked away, but I get enough of that from family and friends not to really notice. And the girls in the Palace Family Restaurant gave me a new appreciation for Greek culture--or genetics, at least.
And when we parked across from Scoop Station on Muir Street, we met some more of the town's finest. Before I had time to finish my cigarette, a friendly police officer advised me not to loiter, and looked longingly at my Jeep, longing to search it, no doubt.
As punks and other local music fans gathered on the corner, a flock of cops gathered across the street, one or more of which sauntered around peering into parked cars. Those with a lot of bumper stickers received the most attention. Apparently no one left anything in plain view, because there were no searches, but it must have galled them to know that, most assuredly, a stash of drugs and alcohol lay right under their noses.
Is this usual behavior in Cambridge? Or is it, as I suspect, an example of stereotyping? We dress differently. Most smoke and stare blankly at the cops with contempt that can't be concealed. The dangerous element is there, the demeanor, not of sheep being led to slaughter, but of wolves, wolves that would eat the pigs.
So, instead of thinking…"Ah! A gathering of the city's youth at a musical event! It's simply smashing that they're out on a Saturday night exposing themselves to some culture!"…our cop friends see a criminal class. Vagrants. Trouble-makers. Wild dogs that need to be caged. They watch, hoping to spot one wrong move, and when it doesn't come, the group migrates a few blocks to Dunkin Donuts, most likely. Or one big blue-shirted circle jerk, for all I know.
Otherwise, the show at Scoop Station with Press Black, World Class Defects, Napalm in the Mourning, and a few others, was outstanding and a great way to spend a summer evening. Scoop Station is shaping up to be one of the best local venues, especially for underage bands. Check it out, buy some ice cream, and enjoy a local music act. Just try to avoid The Man across the street.
Chris Acyd
And when we parked across from Scoop Station on Muir Street, we met some more of the town's finest. Before I had time to finish my cigarette, a friendly police officer advised me not to loiter, and looked longingly at my Jeep, longing to search it, no doubt.
As punks and other local music fans gathered on the corner, a flock of cops gathered across the street, one or more of which sauntered around peering into parked cars. Those with a lot of bumper stickers received the most attention. Apparently no one left anything in plain view, because there were no searches, but it must have galled them to know that, most assuredly, a stash of drugs and alcohol lay right under their noses.
Is this usual behavior in Cambridge? Or is it, as I suspect, an example of stereotyping? We dress differently. Most smoke and stare blankly at the cops with contempt that can't be concealed. The dangerous element is there, the demeanor, not of sheep being led to slaughter, but of wolves, wolves that would eat the pigs.
So, instead of thinking…"Ah! A gathering of the city's youth at a musical event! It's simply smashing that they're out on a Saturday night exposing themselves to some culture!"…our cop friends see a criminal class. Vagrants. Trouble-makers. Wild dogs that need to be caged. They watch, hoping to spot one wrong move, and when it doesn't come, the group migrates a few blocks to Dunkin Donuts, most likely. Or one big blue-shirted circle jerk, for all I know.
Otherwise, the show at Scoop Station with Press Black, World Class Defects, Napalm in the Mourning, and a few others, was outstanding and a great way to spend a summer evening. Scoop Station is shaping up to be one of the best local venues, especially for underage bands. Check it out, buy some ice cream, and enjoy a local music act. Just try to avoid The Man across the street.
Chris Acyd
Pete Yorko The Sidebar, Baltimore MD, Aug 1, 2008
D. Van Skiver
If you’re a musician, you typically spend the hour before your set wishing these other guys would hurry up and finish, even if it’s a band you like. I mean, sure, they’re doing their thing, and you’d never take that away from them even if they suck, but come on, you’ve been waiting all week to play this show. As soon as their guitarist finishes showing off his spin kicks or his “fucking badass metal dude” moves, you can finally get your stuff heard.
Not so when the night’s billing includes Pete Yorko.
He was billed as a “one man band”, which conjured up unpleasant warnings in my mind. His setup consisted of two kick-pedal drums and an electric guitar. I thought to myself, “this could go one of two ways…”
It went the right way. Sure, the drums didn’t sound like John Bonham – how could they? But they weren’t all just boom-tap, boom-tap either. Yorko actually managed to make them interesting, while playing guitar, while singing, and, most impressive of all, while maintaining a good stage presence. And that was just what I noticed first…
His guitar playing took a while to announce itself to my brain. It was adequate, but about halfway through his set, I realized that this kid was better than that. He was GOOD. He didn’t show off, he didn’t play lead, but as someone who’s always appreciated rhythm over flash, his playing was exactly what I like to hear. And the way he played, I’d be willing to bet he’s capable of the flashy shit too.
Yorko can sing as well as anyone, but when the moment calls for it, his scream can put them all to shame. It’s a standard punk rock rule that at least 40% of all vocals must be yelled. All too often, though, singers take the easy way out by just trying to make it as sonically unpleasing as possible while counting on the theory that those “in the know” will get how artful it is. And while that may have been true the first 400 times, punk is 30 years old now, and the genre, along with its screaming, has been butchered by about 20 years worth of bad bands. The reality is that a good screamer is able to do it within the context of the song, not outside of it. He doesn’t distract from the music or cover it up; he enhances it. Yorko gets this, fully understands it, and delivers it flawlessly.
So what does he sound like? More good news for me… his influences are the same ones that made Uncle Tupelo and The Reverend Horton Heat what they are, but Yorko mixes this with the raw energy and loud, open chords of the early days of punk. He covers both Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams, but there is none of the laughter that one usually hears from a punk crowd when the band performs their token “cross-genre cover song”. Yorko conveys an honesty about him that tells you instantly that he’s covering these songs because he understands their connection to the “DIY” ethics of punk, because he disregards the genre-labels that so many fans use as a crutch, and most importantly, because he loves these songs.
He finished and we took the stage, but if he'd wanted another half-hour, I'd have gladly waited.
If you’re a musician, you typically spend the hour before your set wishing these other guys would hurry up and finish, even if it’s a band you like. I mean, sure, they’re doing their thing, and you’d never take that away from them even if they suck, but come on, you’ve been waiting all week to play this show. As soon as their guitarist finishes showing off his spin kicks or his “fucking badass metal dude” moves, you can finally get your stuff heard.
Not so when the night’s billing includes Pete Yorko.
He was billed as a “one man band”, which conjured up unpleasant warnings in my mind. His setup consisted of two kick-pedal drums and an electric guitar. I thought to myself, “this could go one of two ways…”
It went the right way. Sure, the drums didn’t sound like John Bonham – how could they? But they weren’t all just boom-tap, boom-tap either. Yorko actually managed to make them interesting, while playing guitar, while singing, and, most impressive of all, while maintaining a good stage presence. And that was just what I noticed first…
His guitar playing took a while to announce itself to my brain. It was adequate, but about halfway through his set, I realized that this kid was better than that. He was GOOD. He didn’t show off, he didn’t play lead, but as someone who’s always appreciated rhythm over flash, his playing was exactly what I like to hear. And the way he played, I’d be willing to bet he’s capable of the flashy shit too.
Yorko can sing as well as anyone, but when the moment calls for it, his scream can put them all to shame. It’s a standard punk rock rule that at least 40% of all vocals must be yelled. All too often, though, singers take the easy way out by just trying to make it as sonically unpleasing as possible while counting on the theory that those “in the know” will get how artful it is. And while that may have been true the first 400 times, punk is 30 years old now, and the genre, along with its screaming, has been butchered by about 20 years worth of bad bands. The reality is that a good screamer is able to do it within the context of the song, not outside of it. He doesn’t distract from the music or cover it up; he enhances it. Yorko gets this, fully understands it, and delivers it flawlessly.
So what does he sound like? More good news for me… his influences are the same ones that made Uncle Tupelo and The Reverend Horton Heat what they are, but Yorko mixes this with the raw energy and loud, open chords of the early days of punk. He covers both Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams, but there is none of the laughter that one usually hears from a punk crowd when the band performs their token “cross-genre cover song”. Yorko conveys an honesty about him that tells you instantly that he’s covering these songs because he understands their connection to the “DIY” ethics of punk, because he disregards the genre-labels that so many fans use as a crutch, and most importantly, because he loves these songs.
He finished and we took the stage, but if he'd wanted another half-hour, I'd have gladly waited.
Pete Yorko - “The Bigger Picture”
By: C. Beaz
Sometimes you don’t get what you expect. When I saw Pete Yorko perform earlier this month my first impression was “Great, a one man band…a guy who is so untalented that the only person that will play with him is himself!” But, what I got was a guy that was extremely talented. So talented in fact, that he didn’t need a band at all. He played a set of songs that were instantly memorable. I know this is true because when I got home and listened to the CD, “The Bigger Picture”, I knew the songs from his set the night before.
I didn’t just recognize them, I KNEW them! Maybe because songs like “Pennsylvania Line” and “Reno Café” have been written before. They were re-written standards. I don’t like the word generic, it sounds too much like an insult. Although I did seem to know where each song was going before it went there.
This all sounds like criticism, but the familiarity is exactly what I love about it! It’s GREAT. Get it, put it in your stereo and spend about an hour singing along to songs you’ve never heard before.
www.peteyorko.com
Sometimes you don’t get what you expect. When I saw Pete Yorko perform earlier this month my first impression was “Great, a one man band…a guy who is so untalented that the only person that will play with him is himself!” But, what I got was a guy that was extremely talented. So talented in fact, that he didn’t need a band at all. He played a set of songs that were instantly memorable. I know this is true because when I got home and listened to the CD, “The Bigger Picture”, I knew the songs from his set the night before.
I didn’t just recognize them, I KNEW them! Maybe because songs like “Pennsylvania Line” and “Reno Café” have been written before. They were re-written standards. I don’t like the word generic, it sounds too much like an insult. Although I did seem to know where each song was going before it went there.
This all sounds like criticism, but the familiarity is exactly what I love about it! It’s GREAT. Get it, put it in your stereo and spend about an hour singing along to songs you’ve never heard before.
www.peteyorko.com
My Olympic Wrap-Up
By: C. Beaz
The 2008 Summer Olympics were a thrill to watch. There were so many moments that had me on the edge of my seat. It makes it hard to pick the highlights. Let’s do a top ten:
10. American swimmer Michael Phelps wins his first gold medal of the 2008 games.
9. Michael Phelps wins his second gold medal of the 2008 games.
8. Coca-Cola releases limited edition collectible Coke cans.
7. German gymnast takes wicked spill off the high bar.
6. Michael Phelps wins third and fourth gold’s.
5. I finally had a reason to watch MSNBC.
4. China’s women’s gymnastics team discovers the cure for aging.
3. Bob Costas.
2. Michael Phelps shocks the world by continuing to decimate the competition.
1. Knowing that eating McDonald’s is the American thing to do.
Especially if I charge it to my Visa.
The 2008 Summer Olympics were a thrill to watch. There were so many moments that had me on the edge of my seat. It makes it hard to pick the highlights. Let’s do a top ten:
10. American swimmer Michael Phelps wins his first gold medal of the 2008 games.
9. Michael Phelps wins his second gold medal of the 2008 games.
8. Coca-Cola releases limited edition collectible Coke cans.
7. German gymnast takes wicked spill off the high bar.
6. Michael Phelps wins third and fourth gold’s.
5. I finally had a reason to watch MSNBC.
4. China’s women’s gymnastics team discovers the cure for aging.
3. Bob Costas.
2. Michael Phelps shocks the world by continuing to decimate the competition.
1. Knowing that eating McDonald’s is the American thing to do.
Especially if I charge it to my Visa.
An Interview with Baltimore’s Vincent Black Shadow
by: Cody
TF: Where does the name come from?
VBS: the Vincent Black Shadow is a mythically powerful motorcycle (1000 ccs) made in the late 40s and early 50s that, tested by Hunter S. Thompson, led him to reach the conclusion that "If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die".
TF: You guys recorded "More Deeper" to 2" tape it says...What were the pros and cons in comparison to recording on say, a computer?
VBS: Lord Baltimore Recordings needed a two-inch tape machine to make this record happen, so we broke into Inner Ear Studios, burned all of the Fugazi master reels, and stole their machine, then sprinkled it with ashes from Felix Pappalardi's grave. The whole experience gave the recording the fucked quality we were looking for.
TF: What's the best way to get a hold of one of your music without getting it from you guys at a show...Mailorder? Digital Download?
VBS: The record can be ordered from www. heartbreakbeatrecords. com, revolver/midheaven distribution, MVD distribution, and our Myspace page has links to the digital download site run by Thrill Jockey records. Envelopes of cash and/or hard drugs can be mailed straight to us for some sort of response.
TF: What label are you on, and what other stuff are they putting out?
VBS: The label is HEARTBREAK BEAT, out of New York, run by our dear friend Francesco. He's put out a number of Baltimore bands like Beach House (LP) and the New Flesh, as well as a few other bands. He's currently mulling over options on future releases as he recuperates from several broken bones sustained from borrowing money to fund “MORE DEEPER”, the new album, which went $75,000 over budget.
TF: Any side projects or previous bands worth checking out?
VBS: Dave makes religious noise with PASTURES and on his own. Dirck and Adam have a black metal project called CEMETERY PISS. Adam did guest vocals on the upcoming HOLLYWOOD record. Dirck is playing bass for a death metal band called MARROW. I'm replacing Scott Weiland in Velvet Revolver. There are other projects that have yet to be named.
TF: If I’m not mistaken, you guys played with Be Your Own Pet a few months back...they are a great band, how was that show?
VBS: They're friends of ours that we met through playing with Turbo Fruits, (their side project who do a vicious cover or MC5's "rambling rose"). The BYOP show was a fantastic rager, they're great folks who appreciate loud rock music as much as we do. Hopefully our paths cross again soon.
TF: Where can we see you live in the next few months?
VBS: We're playing on September 5th at a spot called the NOWAREHOUSE in pigtown with VALKYRIE from Central Virginia, and DEATHAMMER from Baltimore.
October 20, we're playing with our 10-4 good buddies MONOTONIX from Tel Aviv, Israel, and DMBQ from Tokyo, Japan at the Ottobar.
TF: Any music you guys listen to on your free time that people wouldn't expect based on what VBS sounds like?
VBS: We go all over, but probably listen to everything you would expect. Dave enjoys his KISS records, freak-folk and hippie cult rock. Adam has an extensive 80s and 90s hip-hop collection. Dirck likes satanic death metal and black metal, as well as King Sunny Ade. Rufus is forced to listen to house music through the walls of his apartment thanks to his lame cafe neighbor. Me, I spell summertime V-A-N H-A-L-E-N.
TF: Are these the most generic, boring ass interview questions that you've ever been bothered with?
VBS: Eh, at least you didn't ask about some band from Canada.
TF: Where does the name come from?
VBS: the Vincent Black Shadow is a mythically powerful motorcycle (1000 ccs) made in the late 40s and early 50s that, tested by Hunter S. Thompson, led him to reach the conclusion that "If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die".
TF: You guys recorded "More Deeper" to 2" tape it says...What were the pros and cons in comparison to recording on say, a computer?
VBS: Lord Baltimore Recordings needed a two-inch tape machine to make this record happen, so we broke into Inner Ear Studios, burned all of the Fugazi master reels, and stole their machine, then sprinkled it with ashes from Felix Pappalardi's grave. The whole experience gave the recording the fucked quality we were looking for.
TF: What's the best way to get a hold of one of your music without getting it from you guys at a show...Mailorder? Digital Download?
VBS: The record can be ordered from www. heartbreakbeatrecords. com, revolver/midheaven distribution, MVD distribution, and our Myspace page has links to the digital download site run by Thrill Jockey records. Envelopes of cash and/or hard drugs can be mailed straight to us for some sort of response.
TF: What label are you on, and what other stuff are they putting out?
VBS: The label is HEARTBREAK BEAT, out of New York, run by our dear friend Francesco. He's put out a number of Baltimore bands like Beach House (LP) and the New Flesh, as well as a few other bands. He's currently mulling over options on future releases as he recuperates from several broken bones sustained from borrowing money to fund “MORE DEEPER”, the new album, which went $75,000 over budget.
TF: Any side projects or previous bands worth checking out?
VBS: Dave makes religious noise with PASTURES and on his own. Dirck and Adam have a black metal project called CEMETERY PISS. Adam did guest vocals on the upcoming HOLLYWOOD record. Dirck is playing bass for a death metal band called MARROW. I'm replacing Scott Weiland in Velvet Revolver. There are other projects that have yet to be named.
TF: If I’m not mistaken, you guys played with Be Your Own Pet a few months back...they are a great band, how was that show?
VBS: They're friends of ours that we met through playing with Turbo Fruits, (their side project who do a vicious cover or MC5's "rambling rose"). The BYOP show was a fantastic rager, they're great folks who appreciate loud rock music as much as we do. Hopefully our paths cross again soon.
TF: Where can we see you live in the next few months?
VBS: We're playing on September 5th at a spot called the NOWAREHOUSE in pigtown with VALKYRIE from Central Virginia, and DEATHAMMER from Baltimore.
October 20, we're playing with our 10-4 good buddies MONOTONIX from Tel Aviv, Israel, and DMBQ from Tokyo, Japan at the Ottobar.
TF: Any music you guys listen to on your free time that people wouldn't expect based on what VBS sounds like?
VBS: We go all over, but probably listen to everything you would expect. Dave enjoys his KISS records, freak-folk and hippie cult rock. Adam has an extensive 80s and 90s hip-hop collection. Dirck likes satanic death metal and black metal, as well as King Sunny Ade. Rufus is forced to listen to house music through the walls of his apartment thanks to his lame cafe neighbor. Me, I spell summertime V-A-N H-A-L-E-N.
TF: Are these the most generic, boring ass interview questions that you've ever been bothered with?
VBS: Eh, at least you didn't ask about some band from Canada.
The Bands of Think Forward Show 2
The Living Wrecks
www.thelivingwrecks.com
The band formed in late 2006 in Baltimore with Shane Wreck, Kevin, Jack,
and a revolving lineup of bass players. Feb 07 sees the addition of our
newest member Alex (one big ball of energy) on bass. They released the
Get Wrecked EP in March, 2007 and are currently working on their
new release, Cheap Heat. They will conquer the world or at least
The Sidebar with their brand of stripped down, fast, loud punk rocknroll…
Thee Lexington Arrows
www.myspace.com/theelexingtonarrows.com
Formed in the winter of 2004 by Kathleen Wilson on lead vocals/rhythm guitar (former keyboardist of the Shakedowns), Alex Fine on lead guitar(former guitarist of the now defunct Alphabet Bombers), Curt Schmelz on bass (also formerly with the Alphabet Bombers), and Matt Pie on drums, Thee Lexington Arrows blend a unique style of surf rock, rockabilly, and garage rock coming from each of the member's eclectic influences.
OmegaBand
www.omegaband.net
Indie rock, Alt-Rock, Metal, Punk, Garage, Hard Rock, Black Rock, Glam, Psychedelic...The list of subgenres is both never ending and constantly morphing while rock and roll in its orginal definition was something much more basic and primal.
The word rock had a long history within the English language as being a metaphor meaning "to shake up, to disturb or to incite". The word roll was also a popular metaphor which meant having sex as in "roll in the hay" and so on.
Though the variety of influences is infinite, the realm of OmegaBand is within the context of this definition. And while the aim of our message is most definitely to shake up the snow globes of minds that surround us, it is in our live performances that we are most able to illustrate these ideals with the unrestrained passion and sensuality that comes straight from the soul.
Originally formed in 2005, OmegaBand currently consists of Alpha Betts on lyrics and microphones, Kirk Waldroff on bass and Bala Harper on drums. Recently we've had the good fortune of adding Kristin Arant on percussion and background vocals and James Reeves on guitar.
Rainy Day Cacophony
www.myspace.com/rainydaycacophony.com
Hi! Rainy Day Cacophony has always been and always will be a musical project featuring the musicality of my friends and i. This congregation of like-minded musical souls has been going on since 1999 and has been documented with various tapes and a couple of cd’s. I took a hiatus with this project due to my involvement with other bands (Guys in the Van and Showcase.) Since 2006 I have been back into it and have been writing a few songs. The first batch is featured on an album called Chainsaw Pop. Which was a solo effort due to crazy work schedules, existential crisis, and life in general. Ask and you shall receive (the album, that is.) Currently Justin Maynard has been playing bass and writing songs with me (Tim Sutton the Korean guitar player responsible for this mess.) Thanks goes to all the awesome bands that have shared a stage, all the kind people that have taken pictures, come out to shows, or just had some encouraging words to say. You know who you are. More events will take place as this project unfolds....
Royal City Riot
www.royalcityriot.com
Formed on Long Island in November 2006, comes a band that plays a wide variety of music that Long Island hasn't heard in years. With ex-members of The Flaming Tsunamis, Stealing Jane, and The Vagabonds and borrowing members from Spider Nick & The Maddogs, Royal City Riot brings a new sound, something fresh. Combing a traditional ska sound fused with a new two-tone edge, then mix with some reggae and rocksteady beats, and out comes Royal City Riot. The band has enjoyed support from a loyal fan base in despite its young age, and also shared the stage with national acts as Big D and the Kids Table, Westbound Train, Whole Wheat Bread, Brain Failure, The Toasters, The Slackers, Satori and The Pietasters. RCR just finished up their first full length album and will embark on an east coast and midwest tour in support of it this summer and fall. So keep your eyes open, and your ears listening…
www.thelivingwrecks.com
The band formed in late 2006 in Baltimore with Shane Wreck, Kevin, Jack,
and a revolving lineup of bass players. Feb 07 sees the addition of our
newest member Alex (one big ball of energy) on bass. They released the
Get Wrecked EP in March, 2007 and are currently working on their
new release, Cheap Heat. They will conquer the world or at least
The Sidebar with their brand of stripped down, fast, loud punk rocknroll…
Thee Lexington Arrows
www.myspace.com/theelexingtonarrows.com
Formed in the winter of 2004 by Kathleen Wilson on lead vocals/rhythm guitar (former keyboardist of the Shakedowns), Alex Fine on lead guitar(former guitarist of the now defunct Alphabet Bombers), Curt Schmelz on bass (also formerly with the Alphabet Bombers), and Matt Pie on drums, Thee Lexington Arrows blend a unique style of surf rock, rockabilly, and garage rock coming from each of the member's eclectic influences.
OmegaBand
www.omegaband.net
Indie rock, Alt-Rock, Metal, Punk, Garage, Hard Rock, Black Rock, Glam, Psychedelic...The list of subgenres is both never ending and constantly morphing while rock and roll in its orginal definition was something much more basic and primal.
The word rock had a long history within the English language as being a metaphor meaning "to shake up, to disturb or to incite". The word roll was also a popular metaphor which meant having sex as in "roll in the hay" and so on.
Though the variety of influences is infinite, the realm of OmegaBand is within the context of this definition. And while the aim of our message is most definitely to shake up the snow globes of minds that surround us, it is in our live performances that we are most able to illustrate these ideals with the unrestrained passion and sensuality that comes straight from the soul.
Originally formed in 2005, OmegaBand currently consists of Alpha Betts on lyrics and microphones, Kirk Waldroff on bass and Bala Harper on drums. Recently we've had the good fortune of adding Kristin Arant on percussion and background vocals and James Reeves on guitar.
Rainy Day Cacophony
www.myspace.com/rainydaycacophony.com
Hi! Rainy Day Cacophony has always been and always will be a musical project featuring the musicality of my friends and i. This congregation of like-minded musical souls has been going on since 1999 and has been documented with various tapes and a couple of cd’s. I took a hiatus with this project due to my involvement with other bands (Guys in the Van and Showcase.) Since 2006 I have been back into it and have been writing a few songs. The first batch is featured on an album called Chainsaw Pop. Which was a solo effort due to crazy work schedules, existential crisis, and life in general. Ask and you shall receive (the album, that is.) Currently Justin Maynard has been playing bass and writing songs with me (Tim Sutton the Korean guitar player responsible for this mess.) Thanks goes to all the awesome bands that have shared a stage, all the kind people that have taken pictures, come out to shows, or just had some encouraging words to say. You know who you are. More events will take place as this project unfolds....
Royal City Riot
www.royalcityriot.com
Formed on Long Island in November 2006, comes a band that plays a wide variety of music that Long Island hasn't heard in years. With ex-members of The Flaming Tsunamis, Stealing Jane, and The Vagabonds and borrowing members from Spider Nick & The Maddogs, Royal City Riot brings a new sound, something fresh. Combing a traditional ska sound fused with a new two-tone edge, then mix with some reggae and rocksteady beats, and out comes Royal City Riot. The band has enjoyed support from a loyal fan base in despite its young age, and also shared the stage with national acts as Big D and the Kids Table, Westbound Train, Whole Wheat Bread, Brain Failure, The Toasters, The Slackers, Satori and The Pietasters. RCR just finished up their first full length album and will embark on an east coast and midwest tour in support of it this summer and fall. So keep your eyes open, and your ears listening…
“Under the Radar” August 2008
by: Cody
Scratch Acid - "The Greatest Gift" (1982-1986)
Frantic, Grinding, Far-out, truly terrifying Texas punk rock...chances are you will never hear anything quite like Scratch Acid. The Greatest Gift is the bands complete catalogue on one CD (Two EP's and one full length). The material consists of some sort of whacked out psychedelic punk reminiscent of early Butthole Surfers and maybe a touch of Mr. Bungle thrown in but not really like either of those bands at all if that makes any sense because any comparison is far fetched honestly. This music scares me not in a cheesy ass Michale Graves-era Misfits kinda way (for the record Michale Graves-era Misfits are too cheesy to be anything but laughable)...There are songs about human incineration, cannibalism, mold taking over someone's house, and a cover from the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack all on the same album...That shit keeps me up at night...Get it on I-tunes or Amazon, good luck finding it in a store...
Scratch Acid - "The Greatest Gift" (1982-1986)
Frantic, Grinding, Far-out, truly terrifying Texas punk rock...chances are you will never hear anything quite like Scratch Acid. The Greatest Gift is the bands complete catalogue on one CD (Two EP's and one full length). The material consists of some sort of whacked out psychedelic punk reminiscent of early Butthole Surfers and maybe a touch of Mr. Bungle thrown in but not really like either of those bands at all if that makes any sense because any comparison is far fetched honestly. This music scares me not in a cheesy ass Michale Graves-era Misfits kinda way (for the record Michale Graves-era Misfits are too cheesy to be anything but laughable)...There are songs about human incineration, cannibalism, mold taking over someone's house, and a cover from the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack all on the same album...That shit keeps me up at night...Get it on I-tunes or Amazon, good luck finding it in a store...
And So It Shall Be
Issue #3 of this zine…or pamphlet…depending on who you talk to…has been a bit more of a labor of love than the first two. Mostly because we were just winging the first two, whereas now we’ve a bit more structure (meaning we have regular articles month to month…) so it takes a little more effort to make sure everything is as it should be. We wanna thank Dan, Pat, Steve, & Chris Acyd for joining up! It’s the contributions from others that have made this worth while. No one wants to hear our thoughts and opinions over and over. Therefore if YOU want to say anything or show anything within these wonderfully copied pages, just let us know! We’re always looking for more.
We’ve begun work on issue #4 as we speak, so hopefully that one won’t be quite as late as this one. This month we’ve featured “The Bands of THINK FORWARD part 2”, as well as three local bands NOT playing “Think Forward part 2”. So I guess we’re well rounded? I dunno. We also have the return of “Crime Dog” from Issue #1! So stay tuned we have plenty more in store.
~ Us here at Think Forward ~
We’ve begun work on issue #4 as we speak, so hopefully that one won’t be quite as late as this one. This month we’ve featured “The Bands of THINK FORWARD part 2”, as well as three local bands NOT playing “Think Forward part 2”. So I guess we’re well rounded? I dunno. We also have the return of “Crime Dog” from Issue #1! So stay tuned we have plenty more in store.
~ Us here at Think Forward ~
A different point of view...
by: D. Van Skiver
In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. Hobbits are short people, similar to, but smaller than dwarves, who love peace and quiet and good-tilled earth and never go off on adventures or buy any music that isn't safe or any art that doesn't have pictures of ducks in it. They're content with their simple, boring lives in a land called The Shire, where there are no traffic lights and nothing of serious consequence ever happens. In fact, hobbits are very similar to those nosy old women in small, middle-class towns who are completely oblivious to the fact that there are homosexuals, other religions, and non-whites out there in the real world.
This particular hobbit's name was Bilbo Baggins, and he was named after a Leonard Nimoy song. One day he was visited by a Wizard named Gandalf Magneto and thirteen dwarves (no relation to Dopey or Sneezy), who fast-talked him into accompanying them to a faraway mountain to rid them of a dragon who they claimed had stolen their home and their treasure. Along the way, the dwarves and the hobbit had many small adventures, including a nearly fatal encounter with some incredibly stupid trolls and some equally stupid giant talking spiders.
One night while crossing some mountains, they decided to do some breaking and entering into what they swore they had no idea was the back door to the goblin kingdom, and to for some inexplicable reason, the goblins weren't happy about it at all. While trying to outrun the goblins, Bilbo slipped and fell into a crevice and met a charming little fellow named Gollum, who, rather than demand to know why Bilbo had invaded his home, proved himself a very good host by sitting down and playing games with him. Little did poor Gollum know that Bilbo, always the keen theif, had stolen his most prized possession, a golden ring that makes you invisible. After the exchange of a few riddles, in which Bilbo blatantly cheated, he used Gollum's ring to sneak away, leaving his host alone in the dark with no protection against the goblins that would surely kill him if they ever found him there. For, you see, our friend Gollum was a squatter who had set up his meager home in the basement of the goblins' caves, after being driven away from his home for being different and ugly. Coincidentally, Gollum's family were also hobbits.
Bilbo met back up with his friends and, after setting fire to the goblins' dogs, they traveled through Mirkwood forest, where they trespassed yet again, this time on the home of the wood elves, who are pretty good at flipping shields upside-down and riding them down stairs like skateboards. The elves detained the dwarves, but not Gandalf Magneto, who had mysteriously abandoned his friends just before things got really dangerous, and not Bilbo, who used his stolen ring to escape. After that, instead of rescuing his friends, Bilbo spent a month wearing his stolen ring and hanging out in the elves' houses, eating their food, drinking their beer and wine, and probably scaring the piss out of them every time he made a sound. Eventually, he liberated the dwarves and packed them into barrels like they weren't living fucking creatures with souls, and then he rode the barrels like a raft down the river in what was just about the most degrading and undignified rescue in the history of action/adventure rescues.
They came at last to the lonely mountain, where Bilbo once again commited home invasion, this time stealing a jewel from atop a mountain of treasure that he could not prove the dwarves had ever owned, except by the word of the dwarves who had tricked him into travelling with them in the first place, and who had a lot to gain by driving this dragon out of his home... namely, his home and his treasure.
The dragon was justifiably pissed about this little theft, and took it out on the men of a small village just beside the mountain, called Dale, who he probably trusted to be good neighbors and watch his back as he would certainly have watched theirs. The men of Dale brutally murdered the dragon, and the dwarves, who had really not had to do much of anything through this entire adventure except walk and listen to Gandalf Magneto's boring stories about the old days and how these kids today don't appreciate anything, just stepped in and claimed the mountain hall and its treasure as their own.
This pissed off the men of Dale, who, as the dragon slayers, had slightly more legal claim to his horde, and it also pissed off the wood elves, who insisted that they be compensated for their barrels and for the public embarassment of being outsmarted by a puny fucking hobbit. Adding to the hostilities was the arrival of the goblins, who are just generally grumpy and pissed off all the time anyway, but who in this case had every right to be mad at the dwarves and wizard who had broken into their home, refused to answer for themselves, and killed several goblins out of sheer spite while escaping before setting fire to their pets. Before it was all said and done, a bunch of talking eagles had shown up out of the blue and the bloodbath that ensued was known as "The Battle Of Five Armies". When it was over, the goblins were all dead and the dwarves made peace with the men and elves.
Bilbo went home, stopping to visit one of those hermit-type men with a really hairy back on the way, you know the type... they live in a house they built themselves, they mistrust everyone, they have a big, bushy beard, they collect weapons, they read Soldier Of Fortune magazine, and they're likely to snap at any second and become completely irrational.
When he got home, Bilbo discovered that his neighbors, being the untrustworthy hobbits that they are, were ransacking his house and selling off his belongings. He chased them away and lived happily ever after, until he got old and decided to run off to live with elves and get his innocent and unknowing nephew involved in what only turned out to be world war fucking three, while he sat around writing poetry and talking about old times. But that's another story..
In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. Hobbits are short people, similar to, but smaller than dwarves, who love peace and quiet and good-tilled earth and never go off on adventures or buy any music that isn't safe or any art that doesn't have pictures of ducks in it. They're content with their simple, boring lives in a land called The Shire, where there are no traffic lights and nothing of serious consequence ever happens. In fact, hobbits are very similar to those nosy old women in small, middle-class towns who are completely oblivious to the fact that there are homosexuals, other religions, and non-whites out there in the real world.
This particular hobbit's name was Bilbo Baggins, and he was named after a Leonard Nimoy song. One day he was visited by a Wizard named Gandalf Magneto and thirteen dwarves (no relation to Dopey or Sneezy), who fast-talked him into accompanying them to a faraway mountain to rid them of a dragon who they claimed had stolen their home and their treasure. Along the way, the dwarves and the hobbit had many small adventures, including a nearly fatal encounter with some incredibly stupid trolls and some equally stupid giant talking spiders.
One night while crossing some mountains, they decided to do some breaking and entering into what they swore they had no idea was the back door to the goblin kingdom, and to for some inexplicable reason, the goblins weren't happy about it at all. While trying to outrun the goblins, Bilbo slipped and fell into a crevice and met a charming little fellow named Gollum, who, rather than demand to know why Bilbo had invaded his home, proved himself a very good host by sitting down and playing games with him. Little did poor Gollum know that Bilbo, always the keen theif, had stolen his most prized possession, a golden ring that makes you invisible. After the exchange of a few riddles, in which Bilbo blatantly cheated, he used Gollum's ring to sneak away, leaving his host alone in the dark with no protection against the goblins that would surely kill him if they ever found him there. For, you see, our friend Gollum was a squatter who had set up his meager home in the basement of the goblins' caves, after being driven away from his home for being different and ugly. Coincidentally, Gollum's family were also hobbits.
Bilbo met back up with his friends and, after setting fire to the goblins' dogs, they traveled through Mirkwood forest, where they trespassed yet again, this time on the home of the wood elves, who are pretty good at flipping shields upside-down and riding them down stairs like skateboards. The elves detained the dwarves, but not Gandalf Magneto, who had mysteriously abandoned his friends just before things got really dangerous, and not Bilbo, who used his stolen ring to escape. After that, instead of rescuing his friends, Bilbo spent a month wearing his stolen ring and hanging out in the elves' houses, eating their food, drinking their beer and wine, and probably scaring the piss out of them every time he made a sound. Eventually, he liberated the dwarves and packed them into barrels like they weren't living fucking creatures with souls, and then he rode the barrels like a raft down the river in what was just about the most degrading and undignified rescue in the history of action/adventure rescues.
They came at last to the lonely mountain, where Bilbo once again commited home invasion, this time stealing a jewel from atop a mountain of treasure that he could not prove the dwarves had ever owned, except by the word of the dwarves who had tricked him into travelling with them in the first place, and who had a lot to gain by driving this dragon out of his home... namely, his home and his treasure.
The dragon was justifiably pissed about this little theft, and took it out on the men of a small village just beside the mountain, called Dale, who he probably trusted to be good neighbors and watch his back as he would certainly have watched theirs. The men of Dale brutally murdered the dragon, and the dwarves, who had really not had to do much of anything through this entire adventure except walk and listen to Gandalf Magneto's boring stories about the old days and how these kids today don't appreciate anything, just stepped in and claimed the mountain hall and its treasure as their own.
This pissed off the men of Dale, who, as the dragon slayers, had slightly more legal claim to his horde, and it also pissed off the wood elves, who insisted that they be compensated for their barrels and for the public embarassment of being outsmarted by a puny fucking hobbit. Adding to the hostilities was the arrival of the goblins, who are just generally grumpy and pissed off all the time anyway, but who in this case had every right to be mad at the dwarves and wizard who had broken into their home, refused to answer for themselves, and killed several goblins out of sheer spite while escaping before setting fire to their pets. Before it was all said and done, a bunch of talking eagles had shown up out of the blue and the bloodbath that ensued was known as "The Battle Of Five Armies". When it was over, the goblins were all dead and the dwarves made peace with the men and elves.
Bilbo went home, stopping to visit one of those hermit-type men with a really hairy back on the way, you know the type... they live in a house they built themselves, they mistrust everyone, they have a big, bushy beard, they collect weapons, they read Soldier Of Fortune magazine, and they're likely to snap at any second and become completely irrational.
When he got home, Bilbo discovered that his neighbors, being the untrustworthy hobbits that they are, were ransacking his house and selling off his belongings. He chased them away and lived happily ever after, until he got old and decided to run off to live with elves and get his innocent and unknowing nephew involved in what only turned out to be world war fucking three, while he sat around writing poetry and talking about old times. But that's another story..
1975
“I don’t need to be forgiven . . .”
~ Pete Townshend
My best friend and I walked into the warm beach night, finally granted a little freedom at the advanced age of 12. Those were simpler, less apprehensive times, for my parents to have allowed us to cross several blocks to the short boardwalk at Bethany Beach.
I wore an Elton John t-shirt with the cover of his ’74 Greatest Hits ironed on to the front. Paul, my friend, wore Jethro Tull, a sort of orange and black silhouette of Ian Anderson in all his glory, one leg up, wailing on his flute. Yep, the flute.
We walked the boards, wondered what drinking a few beers might be like, and gawked at a blonde pizza server, who might have been all of 18, a virtual adult in our young eyes. I bought a chrome cigarette lighter with a Budweiser emblem on the side.
It was sometime during that week at the beach that I had my awakening. Rock and roll, in those post-Beatle years, was in full bloom. Disco was still a year or so away from the mainstream (sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, disco sucks and so does soul), and punk was unheard of.
We had no MTV or computers. My ill-used record player wasn’t spinning much in those days, aside from 45s of such hits as Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and The Monster Mash. More often I had my cheap AM radio on the windowsill playing Please Mr. Postman and Dark Lady.
Not to knock Boris Pickett or Cher, but what I found that week in the pages of a magazine called CREEM nearly made me forget the blonde pizza girl!
Sure, I’d heard of The Rolling Stones, but not given them much thought. Yet here they were in black and white and cheap color. Shockingly, my dad – my dad – sat down on the porch of the beach house to thumb thru CREEM, and there’s Mick Jagger commandeering this giant inflatable phallus. Nice one, Mick (it was a stage prop for their ’75 tour). But we would see more great things from the Stones. As I came of age in the years ahead, the Stones - re-energized with Ron Wood - went on the release Some Girls and Tattoo You (by then I was in my college dorm room, cranking Slave with those delicious Keef licks). But that was light years away. In ’75, I had barely cracked puberty.
Surely the biggest impression left on me that summer was an article in CREEM about a New York band called KISS. KISS was like nothing I’d ever seen or heard before. Taking some cues from Alice Cooper, KISS wasn’t just one character like Alice, but four masked personalities – something for everyone, or something for you alone, depending on your mood. Feeling a bit reserved, but coolly astral? Spaceman Ace. How about a stomping, blood-drooling biker from hell? Demon Gene was your man.
KISS was a hard rockin’ band ready to blow your doors down. This was a couple years before the KISS Army was infiltrated by elementary school children, and the band had traded in the bomb attack of songs like Deuce for gum wrapper discards like Christine Sixteen.
My friend Paul had some of the inside scoop. His older brother had been a KISS fan for at least a year, and already had his room papered with photos. He even owned a pair of platform boots. The platforms were not high by KISS standards, nor did they have spikes or other accoutrements, but they did have some sort of lightning bolt design on the sides.
Before the week was over, we managed to locate a hidden stash of Playboys in the one of the beach house’s closets. Some friends of my parents came to visit one afternoon, with their own teenage daughter, but we were all too shy to interact. I lost a Frisbee in a tangle of thorny shrubs at the property’s edge (no doubt bulldozed decades ago – are there any thorny shrubs left at the beach?). Paul and I remained loyal to Elton and Tull and vowed to make album purchases before summer’s end.
Oddly, despite our t-shirt choices, I was the one who bought Minstrel In The Gallery, while Paul bought Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Paul got the better deal. One of Elton John’s most anticipated releases, Captain Fantastic came with a poster, lyric booklet, and comic book, all in a wildly artistic package. From The End of the World To Your Town . . .
Ian Anderson and crew’s Minstrel in the Gallery seemed a bit lackluster in comparison. Aside from the lengthy title track, nothing resonated like some of Tull’s earlier works.
But our musical quests ended early that fall, when KISS released Alive! One look at the cover photo summed up all KISS had to offer: smoke, guitars and black leather. A color booklet of photos revealed the band in action. The music wasn’t bad, either. In fact, listening to it today, I am struck by how listenable the hook-laden tunes remain.
My Dad still looked at some of my magazines on occasion. Noting the Gene Simmons picture on my bedroom wall, he asked, “Why didn’t you hang this up instead?” holding open a page to Suzi Quatro.
I dunno. Suzi just didn’t breathe fire or spew blood for me like Mr. Simmons did. Lust for rock ‘n’ roll never felt so good.
Copyright 2008. Steve Saulsbury
~ Pete Townshend
My best friend and I walked into the warm beach night, finally granted a little freedom at the advanced age of 12. Those were simpler, less apprehensive times, for my parents to have allowed us to cross several blocks to the short boardwalk at Bethany Beach.
I wore an Elton John t-shirt with the cover of his ’74 Greatest Hits ironed on to the front. Paul, my friend, wore Jethro Tull, a sort of orange and black silhouette of Ian Anderson in all his glory, one leg up, wailing on his flute. Yep, the flute.
We walked the boards, wondered what drinking a few beers might be like, and gawked at a blonde pizza server, who might have been all of 18, a virtual adult in our young eyes. I bought a chrome cigarette lighter with a Budweiser emblem on the side.
It was sometime during that week at the beach that I had my awakening. Rock and roll, in those post-Beatle years, was in full bloom. Disco was still a year or so away from the mainstream (sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, disco sucks and so does soul), and punk was unheard of.
We had no MTV or computers. My ill-used record player wasn’t spinning much in those days, aside from 45s of such hits as Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and The Monster Mash. More often I had my cheap AM radio on the windowsill playing Please Mr. Postman and Dark Lady.
Not to knock Boris Pickett or Cher, but what I found that week in the pages of a magazine called CREEM nearly made me forget the blonde pizza girl!
Sure, I’d heard of The Rolling Stones, but not given them much thought. Yet here they were in black and white and cheap color. Shockingly, my dad – my dad – sat down on the porch of the beach house to thumb thru CREEM, and there’s Mick Jagger commandeering this giant inflatable phallus. Nice one, Mick (it was a stage prop for their ’75 tour). But we would see more great things from the Stones. As I came of age in the years ahead, the Stones - re-energized with Ron Wood - went on the release Some Girls and Tattoo You (by then I was in my college dorm room, cranking Slave with those delicious Keef licks). But that was light years away. In ’75, I had barely cracked puberty.
Surely the biggest impression left on me that summer was an article in CREEM about a New York band called KISS. KISS was like nothing I’d ever seen or heard before. Taking some cues from Alice Cooper, KISS wasn’t just one character like Alice, but four masked personalities – something for everyone, or something for you alone, depending on your mood. Feeling a bit reserved, but coolly astral? Spaceman Ace. How about a stomping, blood-drooling biker from hell? Demon Gene was your man.
KISS was a hard rockin’ band ready to blow your doors down. This was a couple years before the KISS Army was infiltrated by elementary school children, and the band had traded in the bomb attack of songs like Deuce for gum wrapper discards like Christine Sixteen.
My friend Paul had some of the inside scoop. His older brother had been a KISS fan for at least a year, and already had his room papered with photos. He even owned a pair of platform boots. The platforms were not high by KISS standards, nor did they have spikes or other accoutrements, but they did have some sort of lightning bolt design on the sides.
Before the week was over, we managed to locate a hidden stash of Playboys in the one of the beach house’s closets. Some friends of my parents came to visit one afternoon, with their own teenage daughter, but we were all too shy to interact. I lost a Frisbee in a tangle of thorny shrubs at the property’s edge (no doubt bulldozed decades ago – are there any thorny shrubs left at the beach?). Paul and I remained loyal to Elton and Tull and vowed to make album purchases before summer’s end.
Oddly, despite our t-shirt choices, I was the one who bought Minstrel In The Gallery, while Paul bought Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Paul got the better deal. One of Elton John’s most anticipated releases, Captain Fantastic came with a poster, lyric booklet, and comic book, all in a wildly artistic package. From The End of the World To Your Town . . .
Ian Anderson and crew’s Minstrel in the Gallery seemed a bit lackluster in comparison. Aside from the lengthy title track, nothing resonated like some of Tull’s earlier works.
But our musical quests ended early that fall, when KISS released Alive! One look at the cover photo summed up all KISS had to offer: smoke, guitars and black leather. A color booklet of photos revealed the band in action. The music wasn’t bad, either. In fact, listening to it today, I am struck by how listenable the hook-laden tunes remain.
My Dad still looked at some of my magazines on occasion. Noting the Gene Simmons picture on my bedroom wall, he asked, “Why didn’t you hang this up instead?” holding open a page to Suzi Quatro.
I dunno. Suzi just didn’t breathe fire or spew blood for me like Mr. Simmons did. Lust for rock ‘n’ roll never felt so good.
Copyright 2008. Steve Saulsbury
This Month In History August 2008
By: Pat Moffett
August 24 79 A.D.
Mount Vesuvius erupts and buries Pompeii and Herculaneum. Everybody died because they were cold chillin and not even tryin to worry bout no pyroclastic flows of hot ass liquid and gaseous rock. Today Mount Vesuvius is still active, and there are roughly 3 million people living in its blast vicinity proving once again that we, as a species, are all morons.
August 15 1911
Proctor and Gamble Company introduced Crisco vegetable shortening. This lead to extreme obesity, which lead to the extreme consumption of Crisco saturated products, which lead to even more extreme obesity. Fortunately there is a plan to slowly eliminate this symbiotic force. Every weekend remove all the food from Wal-Mart, have a blowout sale and then lock all the doors. Those stuck inside will eat each other until only one person is left, and he or she will not be able to fit out the door and will starve to death. Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart, YA GOT THAT!!!!
August 8 1876/August 31 1887
Thomas Edison patented the mimeograph machine/ Thomas Edison invented the Kinetiscope giving birth to motion pictures. If anyone ever asks you who invented something just say Thomas Edison and two thirds of the time you will be correct. This is no joke, Thomas Edison invented two thirds of everything that has ever been created. That makes him a full third cooler than God and almost as cool as the Old Guy Joe Cabot in Reservoir Dogs.
August 16 1948/1977
Major League Baseball legend Babe Ruth dies at the age of 53 of a rare case of having a hot dog lodged in the left atrium of his heart. 29 years later to the Day Elvis Presley dies at the age of 42 of an even rarer case of sour cream in the lungs.
August 29 1957
Strom Thurmond ends the longest filibuster in US Senate history after speaking for over 24 hours against a civil rights bill. The bill passed and Strom Thurmond died six years later at the age of 112. Despite his death he continued to serve South Carolina in the senate and held a part time job as the Crypt Keeper for two movies and the length of the HBO television series "Tales From The Crypt". Strom Thurmond is currently dead but he may be back as early as January of 2009 to oppose the election of a Black President of the United States.
August 10, 1977
Postal employee David Berkowitz aka Son of Sam was arrested for shooting a bunch of people because he was told by his neighbors demonically possessed Labrador retriever that some folks needed to to die. The insanity defense is awesome and should be used at all times when people need to die. Just kill them and figure the rest out later.
Movie of Month: Army of Darkness.....You say you wanna kill me... now you wanna kiss me...Blow
You tube: Bubb Rub
Music: The Kinks
Internet Rip off: www.thepowerofcash.com
disclaimer: “If you choose to become an active member of The Overnight Cash System (TOCS), please bear in mind that TOCS is NOT a “Do Nothing” program, a "get rich quick scheme" or any type of investment whatsoever. It is a "gifts based upon advertising & marketing" program. You should therefore have a working/marketing budget available to you, with which to initially start marketing your TOCS website.
There are no guarantees of any kind that you will receive any money – and the success of other TOCS members is no guarantee that you will be successful. Your own personal results may vary, and you could receive more (or less) than the figures specified in the featured TOCS member testimonies within this website. Any hypothetical incoming cash examples within this website are for illustration purposes only, and are not intended to imply or promise any monetary results. Success in any program is a result of consistent effort, time and a variety of other factors.”
August 24 79 A.D.
Mount Vesuvius erupts and buries Pompeii and Herculaneum. Everybody died because they were cold chillin and not even tryin to worry bout no pyroclastic flows of hot ass liquid and gaseous rock. Today Mount Vesuvius is still active, and there are roughly 3 million people living in its blast vicinity proving once again that we, as a species, are all morons.
August 15 1911
Proctor and Gamble Company introduced Crisco vegetable shortening. This lead to extreme obesity, which lead to the extreme consumption of Crisco saturated products, which lead to even more extreme obesity. Fortunately there is a plan to slowly eliminate this symbiotic force. Every weekend remove all the food from Wal-Mart, have a blowout sale and then lock all the doors. Those stuck inside will eat each other until only one person is left, and he or she will not be able to fit out the door and will starve to death. Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart, YA GOT THAT!!!!
August 8 1876/August 31 1887
Thomas Edison patented the mimeograph machine/ Thomas Edison invented the Kinetiscope giving birth to motion pictures. If anyone ever asks you who invented something just say Thomas Edison and two thirds of the time you will be correct. This is no joke, Thomas Edison invented two thirds of everything that has ever been created. That makes him a full third cooler than God and almost as cool as the Old Guy Joe Cabot in Reservoir Dogs.
August 16 1948/1977
Major League Baseball legend Babe Ruth dies at the age of 53 of a rare case of having a hot dog lodged in the left atrium of his heart. 29 years later to the Day Elvis Presley dies at the age of 42 of an even rarer case of sour cream in the lungs.
August 29 1957
Strom Thurmond ends the longest filibuster in US Senate history after speaking for over 24 hours against a civil rights bill. The bill passed and Strom Thurmond died six years later at the age of 112. Despite his death he continued to serve South Carolina in the senate and held a part time job as the Crypt Keeper for two movies and the length of the HBO television series "Tales From The Crypt". Strom Thurmond is currently dead but he may be back as early as January of 2009 to oppose the election of a Black President of the United States.
August 10, 1977
Postal employee David Berkowitz aka Son of Sam was arrested for shooting a bunch of people because he was told by his neighbors demonically possessed Labrador retriever that some folks needed to to die. The insanity defense is awesome and should be used at all times when people need to die. Just kill them and figure the rest out later.
Movie of Month: Army of Darkness.....You say you wanna kill me... now you wanna kiss me...Blow
You tube: Bubb Rub
Music: The Kinks
Internet Rip off: www.thepowerofcash.com
disclaimer: “If you choose to become an active member of The Overnight Cash System (TOCS), please bear in mind that TOCS is NOT a “Do Nothing” program, a "get rich quick scheme" or any type of investment whatsoever. It is a "gifts based upon advertising & marketing" program. You should therefore have a working/marketing budget available to you, with which to initially start marketing your TOCS website.
There are no guarantees of any kind that you will receive any money – and the success of other TOCS members is no guarantee that you will be successful. Your own personal results may vary, and you could receive more (or less) than the figures specified in the featured TOCS member testimonies within this website. Any hypothetical incoming cash examples within this website are for illustration purposes only, and are not intended to imply or promise any monetary results. Success in any program is a result of consistent effort, time and a variety of other factors.”
Thursday, August 21, 2008
THINK FORWARD part 2! Sunday August 24th BRING 2 CANNED GOODS!!!!!!!!
Sunday, 8/24/2008
doors @ 3:00 PM, show starts around 3:30
located @ Dance Harrison Street
Harrison Street
Easton, Maryland 21601
Cost: $7.00 or $5.00
with a donation of 2 canned goods for benefit of MD Food Bank!
ALL AGES!
Featuring:
Press Black (Easton);
Living Wrecks (Baltimore);
Thee Lexington Arrows (Baltimore);
World Class Defects (Greensboro);
The International Jet Set (Easton);
OmegaBand (DC);
Royal City Riot (Long Island, NY);
Rainy Day Cacophony (Cambridge)
see ya there,
The TF Crew
doors @ 3:00 PM, show starts around 3:30
located @ Dance Harrison Street
Harrison Street
Easton, Maryland 21601
Cost: $7.00 or $5.00
with a donation of 2 canned goods for benefit of MD Food Bank!
ALL AGES!
Featuring:
Press Black (Easton);
Living Wrecks (Baltimore);
Thee Lexington Arrows (Baltimore);
World Class Defects (Greensboro);
The International Jet Set (Easton);
OmegaBand (DC);
Royal City Riot (Long Island, NY);
Rainy Day Cacophony (Cambridge)
see ya there,
The TF Crew
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Acyd Test: World Class Defects
The Acyd Test
Greensboro’s resident punk band World Class Defects made the Eastern Shore proud on Saturday, July 5th, when front man Danny Automatic and crew rocked Independence Fest in Milford DE.
Held at the Moose Lodge and put on by Mike Calloway of Dover hardcore band Dr Professional, the first annual Independence Fest was a mash of stifling humidity, cheap beer, great bands, some not-so-great bands, and the most social misfits I’ve seen gathered in one place since…well, probably Think Forward on June 29th.
Nevertheless, bands and fans sweated out the day until it began to grow dark. Pressure was on the bands to move quickly and bring the show to a close, and WCD played next to last to a crowd that had been rocking out for about eight hours straight, coming on after several extremely good bands in a row. As the guys came on, I thought to myself 'They’ll really have to put on a show to keep the crowd.'
And, of course, they delivered, opening with “Past Due Since 1732” and thrashing through several other favorites, all of which are on their new CD “Past Due”. With scarcely a pause between songs, the energy of the show reached a new high as fans moshed and drummer Jesse managed to hurt his hand, but didn’t relent. The set ended abruptly with the crowd wanting more, and no doubt many left that night as brand new WCD converts.
While you won’t find the new CD alongside less tasteful albums in Wal-Mart and FYE, it’s only five bucks and is readily available at one of the band’s frequent shows. Whether in Easton, Cambridge, or across the bridge, the World Class Defects are rocking whether you like it or not.
~ Chris Acyd
Greensboro’s resident punk band World Class Defects made the Eastern Shore proud on Saturday, July 5th, when front man Danny Automatic and crew rocked Independence Fest in Milford DE.
Held at the Moose Lodge and put on by Mike Calloway of Dover hardcore band Dr Professional, the first annual Independence Fest was a mash of stifling humidity, cheap beer, great bands, some not-so-great bands, and the most social misfits I’ve seen gathered in one place since…well, probably Think Forward on June 29th.
Nevertheless, bands and fans sweated out the day until it began to grow dark. Pressure was on the bands to move quickly and bring the show to a close, and WCD played next to last to a crowd that had been rocking out for about eight hours straight, coming on after several extremely good bands in a row. As the guys came on, I thought to myself 'They’ll really have to put on a show to keep the crowd.'
And, of course, they delivered, opening with “Past Due Since 1732” and thrashing through several other favorites, all of which are on their new CD “Past Due”. With scarcely a pause between songs, the energy of the show reached a new high as fans moshed and drummer Jesse managed to hurt his hand, but didn’t relent. The set ended abruptly with the crowd wanting more, and no doubt many left that night as brand new WCD converts.
While you won’t find the new CD alongside less tasteful albums in Wal-Mart and FYE, it’s only five bucks and is readily available at one of the band’s frequent shows. Whether in Easton, Cambridge, or across the bridge, the World Class Defects are rocking whether you like it or not.
~ Chris Acyd
Show of the Month…Less Than Jake / Goldfinger/ Westbound Train
By: C. Beaz
Less Than Jake / Goldfinger/ Westbound Train
6/23/08 @ Ram’s Head Live, Baltimore, MD
It’s kinda hard to believe it’s been a decade since the whole “third-wave/ska-punk/ska-core” thing was happening! Time just flies I guess. The point is that those bands that were part of that “third-wave” of ska all seem to have picked this year (or last year) to either put out a new record, go on tour, or both (see: Fishbone, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, etc.) Two of those bands happened to be touring together this summer, and I happened to go see them at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore.
First off, this show was a MUST, simply because of the two headliners. Ten years ago this would have been two separate shows and cost you twice as much. Nowadays ska bands are priced to sell and guys like me are reaping the benefits. If this had been two shows, I might’ve gone to see one…if that.
When we arrived the first band had already started. They called themselves the Suburban Legends and they were from Orange County, California. I know this because they said so after EVERY SONG. Their sound was generic and their songs were predictable. Imagine a band like Save Ferris but actually harder to take seriously.
These guys DID bring something new to the table. Sadly, it wasn’t something good. Instead, it was detailed choreography. These guys had entire dance routines for each song! I don’t mean dance routines like The Temptations…I mean dance routines like NSYNC. That’s o.k. if you are NSYNC but it just didn’t seem right at this show. The nail in the coffin was a ridiculous cover song. EVERY ska band in history has at least one and theirs was “Under The Sea” from the Disney movie “The Little Mermaid”. UGH!
Next up was Westbound Train. Truth be told, this band was the reason I wanted to go to this show. Their latest CD “Transitions” has seen a lot of play time at my house and I was anxious to see them live! I wouldn’t want to say I was disappointed, but they didn’t live up to my expectations. It just wasn’t their crowd. They were a 60’s style soul/ska band playing at a pop/ska/punk show. It wasn’t happening for them. Aside from that they were excellent. I’d like to see them again, playing for their fans not Less Than Jake’s. On to GOLDFINGER…
Goldfinger’s first two records were spectacular examples of poppy California ska/punk. After the second record, everything that did seemed….not good enough. Lucky for me they might have realized that because their set seemed to avoid anything from the later four records. They did a couple off their new record, but mostly older “standards” like “Here In Your Bedroom” (of course) and “Mable”. Their set was definitely the most fun of the night. For “mable” they filled the stage with fans to sing along while they literally disappeared behind them. You could tell that Goldfinger was thrilled that someone still gave a shit!
The highlight of their set though, had to be when they turned the mic over to their drummer Darrin Pfeiffer. He’s always had his little schtick in the middle of everything and it’s always interesting. First he parted the crowd down the middle. Then he had them rush together like a battle scene from “Braveheart”. Then he got a kid to eat a Twinkie out of his ass. Nope, never seen THAT before. Finally, came Less Than Jake. Although I have to say…too little too late.
After watching three bands, the audience was losing steam. LTJ couldn’t seem to keep the energy going. They were good, but I think the crowd had done all the dancing they were going to do. Unfortunately, LTJ let it affect them and it started to seem like everyone, including the band, was waiting for the show to end. Plus, their front man was a douche.
Overall, I give it a “3 out of 5”…or a C- ….whatever the system is.
Less Than Jake / Goldfinger/ Westbound Train
6/23/08 @ Ram’s Head Live, Baltimore, MD
It’s kinda hard to believe it’s been a decade since the whole “third-wave/ska-punk/ska-core” thing was happening! Time just flies I guess. The point is that those bands that were part of that “third-wave” of ska all seem to have picked this year (or last year) to either put out a new record, go on tour, or both (see: Fishbone, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, etc.) Two of those bands happened to be touring together this summer, and I happened to go see them at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore.
First off, this show was a MUST, simply because of the two headliners. Ten years ago this would have been two separate shows and cost you twice as much. Nowadays ska bands are priced to sell and guys like me are reaping the benefits. If this had been two shows, I might’ve gone to see one…if that.
When we arrived the first band had already started. They called themselves the Suburban Legends and they were from Orange County, California. I know this because they said so after EVERY SONG. Their sound was generic and their songs were predictable. Imagine a band like Save Ferris but actually harder to take seriously.
These guys DID bring something new to the table. Sadly, it wasn’t something good. Instead, it was detailed choreography. These guys had entire dance routines for each song! I don’t mean dance routines like The Temptations…I mean dance routines like NSYNC. That’s o.k. if you are NSYNC but it just didn’t seem right at this show. The nail in the coffin was a ridiculous cover song. EVERY ska band in history has at least one and theirs was “Under The Sea” from the Disney movie “The Little Mermaid”. UGH!
Next up was Westbound Train. Truth be told, this band was the reason I wanted to go to this show. Their latest CD “Transitions” has seen a lot of play time at my house and I was anxious to see them live! I wouldn’t want to say I was disappointed, but they didn’t live up to my expectations. It just wasn’t their crowd. They were a 60’s style soul/ska band playing at a pop/ska/punk show. It wasn’t happening for them. Aside from that they were excellent. I’d like to see them again, playing for their fans not Less Than Jake’s. On to GOLDFINGER…
Goldfinger’s first two records were spectacular examples of poppy California ska/punk. After the second record, everything that did seemed….not good enough. Lucky for me they might have realized that because their set seemed to avoid anything from the later four records. They did a couple off their new record, but mostly older “standards” like “Here In Your Bedroom” (of course) and “Mable”. Their set was definitely the most fun of the night. For “mable” they filled the stage with fans to sing along while they literally disappeared behind them. You could tell that Goldfinger was thrilled that someone still gave a shit!
The highlight of their set though, had to be when they turned the mic over to their drummer Darrin Pfeiffer. He’s always had his little schtick in the middle of everything and it’s always interesting. First he parted the crowd down the middle. Then he had them rush together like a battle scene from “Braveheart”. Then he got a kid to eat a Twinkie out of his ass. Nope, never seen THAT before. Finally, came Less Than Jake. Although I have to say…too little too late.
After watching three bands, the audience was losing steam. LTJ couldn’t seem to keep the energy going. They were good, but I think the crowd had done all the dancing they were going to do. Unfortunately, LTJ let it affect them and it started to seem like everyone, including the band, was waiting for the show to end. Plus, their front man was a douche.
Overall, I give it a “3 out of 5”…or a C- ….whatever the system is.
Ummm…show review?
(from one of my all-time favorite ranters…)
Radiohead - May 11 2008
5 hours in the car on an inward spiraling detour into the surprisingly cold pits of suburban Virginian suck. Park car. Swim up to the stage. 8 minutes of pure spectacular insight into the art of rip-off. Return to car, 3 hours of blinding rage, red bull, 1 hour lost in DC, idiot, 40 seconds of joy in escaping DC, route 50 closed, fuck. 2 hours home.
Suck my balls Radiohead, suck ‘em long and good.
Patrick Moffett
Radiohead - May 11 2008
5 hours in the car on an inward spiraling detour into the surprisingly cold pits of suburban Virginian suck. Park car. Swim up to the stage. 8 minutes of pure spectacular insight into the art of rip-off. Return to car, 3 hours of blinding rage, red bull, 1 hour lost in DC, idiot, 40 seconds of joy in escaping DC, route 50 closed, fuck. 2 hours home.
Suck my balls Radiohead, suck ‘em long and good.
Patrick Moffett
Goldfinger - “Hello Destiny” & Less Than Jake – “GNV FLA”
By J. Beasley
Since Goldfinger and Less Than Jake are currently touring together and have followed virtually the same paths to this point AND each have brand new records out, I figured why not write a review for both records at the same time? Should be easy…
I love both bands. They are hold-over’s from my youth. BOTH started as indie in the mid 90’s, BOTH moved on to main stream success during the ska-everything boom of ’97 and BOTH subsequently “jumped the shark” in the early 00’s and changed their sound to accommodate the times. Goldfinger aligned themselves with the dreaded Good Charlotte and LTJ all but dropped their horn section in favor of layered guitars and pop sensibilities…bummer.
I remained optimistic (bad record after bad record) that they would turn things around, and I kept buying their stuff (bad record after bad record) despite the deficiencies. Well, I’ve finally gotten what I’ve been waiting for!
“Hello Destiny” could be “Goldfinger” part 2. It’s really good, and they return to their old formula of writing good pop-punk/ska songs. There are a few throw away tracks, but by in large it is the first cover to cover TOLERABLE Goldfinger record since 2000’s “Stomping Ground”. They even got lead guitarist Charlie Paulson back! Check out the song: “Get Up”. Good record.
Now, “GNV FLA” is a GREAT record. If you like early LTJ you will love this! They have returned from the crap that was 2006’s “In With The Out Crowd”, re-inserted the horns (I’m biased.) and stopped writing ridiculously sappy emo-esque pap. The songs are catchy without being over-the-top and the band sounds full and loud. The way nature intended. The whole record runs about 30 minutes, and sports 14 tracks! They have truly come full circle. If you spent as much time listening to “Losing Streak” as I did, you’ll be ecstatic with this release. Check out: “Does The Lion Still Roar?” Great record.
Since Goldfinger and Less Than Jake are currently touring together and have followed virtually the same paths to this point AND each have brand new records out, I figured why not write a review for both records at the same time? Should be easy…
I love both bands. They are hold-over’s from my youth. BOTH started as indie in the mid 90’s, BOTH moved on to main stream success during the ska-everything boom of ’97 and BOTH subsequently “jumped the shark” in the early 00’s and changed their sound to accommodate the times. Goldfinger aligned themselves with the dreaded Good Charlotte and LTJ all but dropped their horn section in favor of layered guitars and pop sensibilities…bummer.
I remained optimistic (bad record after bad record) that they would turn things around, and I kept buying their stuff (bad record after bad record) despite the deficiencies. Well, I’ve finally gotten what I’ve been waiting for!
“Hello Destiny” could be “Goldfinger” part 2. It’s really good, and they return to their old formula of writing good pop-punk/ska songs. There are a few throw away tracks, but by in large it is the first cover to cover TOLERABLE Goldfinger record since 2000’s “Stomping Ground”. They even got lead guitarist Charlie Paulson back! Check out the song: “Get Up”. Good record.
Now, “GNV FLA” is a GREAT record. If you like early LTJ you will love this! They have returned from the crap that was 2006’s “In With The Out Crowd”, re-inserted the horns (I’m biased.) and stopped writing ridiculously sappy emo-esque pap. The songs are catchy without being over-the-top and the band sounds full and loud. The way nature intended. The whole record runs about 30 minutes, and sports 14 tracks! They have truly come full circle. If you spent as much time listening to “Losing Streak” as I did, you’ll be ecstatic with this release. Check out: “Does The Lion Still Roar?” Great record.
"Hard Hitting Heavy Baltimore Crust Punks: Betty Sue Aside"
(Interview by: Cody)
1. Where the hell did you find Manny, that dude is one of the fastest drummers I’ve ever seen...
BSA – ha-hah fuckin’ Manny... I met Manny in 9th grade (2001). He happened to be in my gym class and he had disgusting nappy greasy hair so I went up and talked to him. he later found out I played guitar and one day he was walkin’ through a neighborhood (while he was on 16 corticedin pills) that I was also walkin’ through he stopped me and asked if I wanted to jam sometime. Now 7 years later we’re still sidekicks.
2. Running the risk of being generic, what are a few of your main influences...
BSA – I’d say our common influences as a band are Black Flag, Aus Rotten, Slayer, EARLY Metallica, ya know everything with good ol' Cliff...
3. Is there anything that you listen to that people might not expect when they hear Betty Sue Aside?
BSA – I’d say if you listen to Betty Sue Aside, expect nothing less. Expect a little bit of everything, from metal to punk, and expect it to be loud and pissed.
4. Favorite Venue?
BSA - WITHOUT A DOUBT, The Barclay House.
5. What has your touring experience been like and do you have any advice for bands attempting to hit the road?
BSA - HA. Tour... tour was good and bad. But life is good and bad and there’s no way around it. It was fun being with my best friends and going to different cities throughout the nation and spreading our fucking plague. The best high in the world is going outta state and seeing kids go crazy to the music that you wrote. Advice? Ease yer way into it. Don’t go out for a month yer first time on tour. And make sure you can all get along before hand ha-ha...
6. Wu-Tang or NWA?
Don’t do this to me.....
7. The lyrics are pretty heavy in your songs...I mean you guys aren't really singing about girls and cars and shit, what are the main points you try to get across in your songs?
BSA - The topics of our lyrics vary. I write pretty much all of them until every once in a while someone else comes up with something. I try to cover a little bit of everything, from politics to skateboarding. From thoughts inside a killers head to being paranoid because of world surveillance... so I guess there’s not really just one certain point.
8. Is Matty Boh a man, a myth, or a legend?
BSA - Matty Boh is THE man, THE myth, and THE legend.
9. Who are the best bands going in Baltimore right now?
BSA - I really can’t answer that cuz I think all the bands in Baltimore are great in there own ways. But I would say keep yer eyes on two bands that are up and coming, Sacri Fidelis and Marrow.
10. Are these the most boring interview questions you've ever heard?
BSA - nah dude people ask me much more stupid shit. ha-ha thanks man.
1. Where the hell did you find Manny, that dude is one of the fastest drummers I’ve ever seen...
BSA – ha-hah fuckin’ Manny... I met Manny in 9th grade (2001). He happened to be in my gym class and he had disgusting nappy greasy hair so I went up and talked to him. he later found out I played guitar and one day he was walkin’ through a neighborhood (while he was on 16 corticedin pills) that I was also walkin’ through he stopped me and asked if I wanted to jam sometime. Now 7 years later we’re still sidekicks.
2. Running the risk of being generic, what are a few of your main influences...
BSA – I’d say our common influences as a band are Black Flag, Aus Rotten, Slayer, EARLY Metallica, ya know everything with good ol' Cliff...
3. Is there anything that you listen to that people might not expect when they hear Betty Sue Aside?
BSA – I’d say if you listen to Betty Sue Aside, expect nothing less. Expect a little bit of everything, from metal to punk, and expect it to be loud and pissed.
4. Favorite Venue?
BSA - WITHOUT A DOUBT, The Barclay House.
5. What has your touring experience been like and do you have any advice for bands attempting to hit the road?
BSA - HA. Tour... tour was good and bad. But life is good and bad and there’s no way around it. It was fun being with my best friends and going to different cities throughout the nation and spreading our fucking plague. The best high in the world is going outta state and seeing kids go crazy to the music that you wrote. Advice? Ease yer way into it. Don’t go out for a month yer first time on tour. And make sure you can all get along before hand ha-ha...
6. Wu-Tang or NWA?
Don’t do this to me.....
7. The lyrics are pretty heavy in your songs...I mean you guys aren't really singing about girls and cars and shit, what are the main points you try to get across in your songs?
BSA - The topics of our lyrics vary. I write pretty much all of them until every once in a while someone else comes up with something. I try to cover a little bit of everything, from politics to skateboarding. From thoughts inside a killers head to being paranoid because of world surveillance... so I guess there’s not really just one certain point.
8. Is Matty Boh a man, a myth, or a legend?
BSA - Matty Boh is THE man, THE myth, and THE legend.
9. Who are the best bands going in Baltimore right now?
BSA - I really can’t answer that cuz I think all the bands in Baltimore are great in there own ways. But I would say keep yer eyes on two bands that are up and coming, Sacri Fidelis and Marrow.
10. Are these the most boring interview questions you've ever heard?
BSA - nah dude people ask me much more stupid shit. ha-ha thanks man.
DAY BY DAY
Well here we are, we actually got another one put together! We enlisted the help of a few more people this month, so it’s nice to have the family grow!
The show, “Think Forward Part 1" was a great success! Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the local music and arts.
With your help we rose over $300.00 for Dance Harrison Street and donated 109 meals to the Maryland Food Bank (Salisbury chapter)!!!
Both organizations were very grateful and thanked you for your help!
This came in via mail from our new friends at the MD Food Bank:
“On behalf of the Maryland Food Bank, we would like to extend our thanks to everyone for their donation of 136 lbs. of sorted food that we received in July 2008. We greatly appreciate your support. Hunger on the Eastern Shore of Maryland affects a more diverse group of people than ever. We strive to make the best of your donation. 1.24 lbs. of food will provide one meal. Your donation will provide 109 meals….
Today, you have touched many lives with your generosity.”
Think Forward is considering organizing some charitable efforts for The MD Food Bank as well as bay clean-up. So if you are at all interested in joining us in volunteering please contact us at:
jonsbeasley@hotmail.com
~Us here at think forward~
The show, “Think Forward Part 1" was a great success! Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the local music and arts.
With your help we rose over $300.00 for Dance Harrison Street and donated 109 meals to the Maryland Food Bank (Salisbury chapter)!!!
Both organizations were very grateful and thanked you for your help!
This came in via mail from our new friends at the MD Food Bank:
“On behalf of the Maryland Food Bank, we would like to extend our thanks to everyone for their donation of 136 lbs. of sorted food that we received in July 2008. We greatly appreciate your support. Hunger on the Eastern Shore of Maryland affects a more diverse group of people than ever. We strive to make the best of your donation. 1.24 lbs. of food will provide one meal. Your donation will provide 109 meals….
Today, you have touched many lives with your generosity.”
Think Forward is considering organizing some charitable efforts for The MD Food Bank as well as bay clean-up. So if you are at all interested in joining us in volunteering please contact us at:
jonsbeasley@hotmail.com
~Us here at think forward~
Sometimes History DOES suck…
“the Everett Massacre”
In 1916, Everett, Washington was facing severe economic difficulties. There was ongoing confrontation between business and commercial interests and labor and labor organizers. There had been a number of labor organized rallies and speeches in the street. These were opposed by local law enforcement, which was firmly on the side of business. IWW organizers (labor organizers otherwise known as “Wobblies”) had gone into Everett to support a five-month long strike by shingle workers. Once there, vigilantes organized by business had beaten them up with axe handles and run them out of town. The Seattle IWW decided to go to Everett in numbers to hold a rally to show their support for the striking shingle workers.
As a result, over 200 vigilantes or "citizen deputies", under the ostensible authority of Snohomish County Sheriff McRae, met in order to repel the "anarchists". As their ship drew into the dock, and someone on board threw a line over a bollard, McRae stepped forward and called out "Boys, who's your leader here?" The unarmed IWW men shouted back,
"We are all leaders here!"
McRae drew his pistol, told them he was the sheriff, he was enforcing the law, and they couldn't land here. There was a silence, then a Wobbly came up to the front and yelled out "the hell we can't." Just then a single shot rang out, followed by about ten minutes of intense gunfire. Passengers aboard the vessel rushed to the opposite side of the ship, nearly capsizing. The ship's rail broke as a result and a number of passengers were ejected into the water.
At the end of the mayhem, 2 citizen deputies lay dead. The IWW stated that as many as 12 IWW members were killed. There was a good likelihood that the citizen deputies casualties on the dock were caused not by IWW firing from the steamer, but from vigilante rounds from the cross-fire of bullets. The IWW workers that survived were tracked down and charged with murder….
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
In 1916, Everett, Washington was facing severe economic difficulties. There was ongoing confrontation between business and commercial interests and labor and labor organizers. There had been a number of labor organized rallies and speeches in the street. These were opposed by local law enforcement, which was firmly on the side of business. IWW organizers (labor organizers otherwise known as “Wobblies”) had gone into Everett to support a five-month long strike by shingle workers. Once there, vigilantes organized by business had beaten them up with axe handles and run them out of town. The Seattle IWW decided to go to Everett in numbers to hold a rally to show their support for the striking shingle workers.
As a result, over 200 vigilantes or "citizen deputies", under the ostensible authority of Snohomish County Sheriff McRae, met in order to repel the "anarchists". As their ship drew into the dock, and someone on board threw a line over a bollard, McRae stepped forward and called out "Boys, who's your leader here?" The unarmed IWW men shouted back,
"We are all leaders here!"
McRae drew his pistol, told them he was the sheriff, he was enforcing the law, and they couldn't land here. There was a silence, then a Wobbly came up to the front and yelled out "the hell we can't." Just then a single shot rang out, followed by about ten minutes of intense gunfire. Passengers aboard the vessel rushed to the opposite side of the ship, nearly capsizing. The ship's rail broke as a result and a number of passengers were ejected into the water.
At the end of the mayhem, 2 citizen deputies lay dead. The IWW stated that as many as 12 IWW members were killed. There was a good likelihood that the citizen deputies casualties on the dock were caused not by IWW firing from the steamer, but from vigilante rounds from the cross-fire of bullets. The IWW workers that survived were tracked down and charged with murder….
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
"Think Forward" Show Recap
The big day finally came, and began with most fans getting lost. Dance Harrison Street is a rather difficult place to find, somehow located behind every surrounding building without actually having a front, and a sketchy entrance that makes one sure that it's the rear. But punks came from near and far, between the buildings, over the broken parking lot, past the dumpsters and weeds, up three flights up metal stairs to rock out with some of the region's best.
Perfekt Khaos opened a one man act of recorded laptop sounds, vocals, and keys. Though a bit different from the rest of the bill, the guy had a decent voice and though I didn't catch his name, I'll look forward to hearing from him in the future.
The Abolitionists came on at about 3:45 and sang Happy Birthday to me, then blazed through some originals and covers, by bands like Operation Ivy, the Ramones, and Sublime. Still in high school, this is a band to watch develop as they mature in their sound and gain experience playing shows even at a young age.
The Traumas came next with a style that I really dug, thoroughly punk but with a little extra. I didn't see the entire set, but the originals were catchy and their cover of a Beatles song was well-received by the crowd. Definitely a band I'd like to see again.
The Reticents took things in more of the hardcore/oi direction, rocking us out like a modern Black Flag as the singer dominated the mic and the axemen wheeled around and thrashed. Another band that I'd like to see again, even if I have to go to Baltimore/DC to do it.
The International Jet Set was, of course, amazing. Just for the amount of talent onstage, both in quantity and quality. As the only ska band playing, they calmed down all the visitors who were beginning to think it was a screamo show and took us through their originals. I'm not familiar with enough ska bands to fairly compare their sound, so come out the next time you get a chance and see the guys (and girl) for yourself!
The World Class Defects didn't pay me to wear their shirt to the show, though I encourage you to buy one. They're very comfortable and don't shrink (much). But at any rate the punks from Greensboro thrashed through their set, with sick bass riffs from Chris and a sicker sense of humor from frontman Danny, who walked off during the last song after a series of decidedly phallic thrusting motions with the mic. WCD was also selling copies of their new CD, which I'm listening to right now. It's excellent. More on that later…
Somediva--ooh boy. These drunk fuckers blundered their way through an earsplitting set of hardcore/metal, informing the crowd that they didn't give a fuck what we thought of them, and knocking over equipment from time to time. Most attendees chose this as a good time to go outside for a smoke, while those left alternately moshed and watched with trepidation. They made it through without hurting anyone, except my ears.
Press Black closed out the day, playing to a tired but appreciative crowd, and one beach ball that made it all over the room. I'd like to thank Caroline from Cambridge for (literally) giving me a shoulder to lean on at this time...let's just say grain alcohol can sneak up on you. She and a friend came to the show after seeing me post a flyer in Cambridge, which made all two hundred that I put up worth it!...If you don't have Press Black's recently released CD, get it. It's very well-recorded, has great energy, and I listen to it all the time.
Some notes:
- It looked like there were about seventy people at a time at the show, though some left early and others came late...
- To the guy playing guitar with the skaters, and singing Rancid tunes: You're the man. I'm gonna post that video, and hope I come across you again. A parking lot of kids on a Sunday afternoon, skating and hanging out as two play guitars and sing...that's the essence of punk.
- The "Think Forward" zine is a great read, I ate it up and will have eight copies at "Independence Fest" on Saturday for those that are interested...the interviews are interesting, the columns alternately funny and thought provoking, and the production entirely DIY. I'm planning on posting some tips, with input from the Think Forward guys, so that some like-minded individuals can start something similar for their own scenes.
- Chris Acyd
Perfekt Khaos opened a one man act of recorded laptop sounds, vocals, and keys. Though a bit different from the rest of the bill, the guy had a decent voice and though I didn't catch his name, I'll look forward to hearing from him in the future.
The Abolitionists came on at about 3:45 and sang Happy Birthday to me, then blazed through some originals and covers, by bands like Operation Ivy, the Ramones, and Sublime. Still in high school, this is a band to watch develop as they mature in their sound and gain experience playing shows even at a young age.
The Traumas came next with a style that I really dug, thoroughly punk but with a little extra. I didn't see the entire set, but the originals were catchy and their cover of a Beatles song was well-received by the crowd. Definitely a band I'd like to see again.
The Reticents took things in more of the hardcore/oi direction, rocking us out like a modern Black Flag as the singer dominated the mic and the axemen wheeled around and thrashed. Another band that I'd like to see again, even if I have to go to Baltimore/DC to do it.
The International Jet Set was, of course, amazing. Just for the amount of talent onstage, both in quantity and quality. As the only ska band playing, they calmed down all the visitors who were beginning to think it was a screamo show and took us through their originals. I'm not familiar with enough ska bands to fairly compare their sound, so come out the next time you get a chance and see the guys (and girl) for yourself!
The World Class Defects didn't pay me to wear their shirt to the show, though I encourage you to buy one. They're very comfortable and don't shrink (much). But at any rate the punks from Greensboro thrashed through their set, with sick bass riffs from Chris and a sicker sense of humor from frontman Danny, who walked off during the last song after a series of decidedly phallic thrusting motions with the mic. WCD was also selling copies of their new CD, which I'm listening to right now. It's excellent. More on that later…
Somediva--ooh boy. These drunk fuckers blundered their way through an earsplitting set of hardcore/metal, informing the crowd that they didn't give a fuck what we thought of them, and knocking over equipment from time to time. Most attendees chose this as a good time to go outside for a smoke, while those left alternately moshed and watched with trepidation. They made it through without hurting anyone, except my ears.
Press Black closed out the day, playing to a tired but appreciative crowd, and one beach ball that made it all over the room. I'd like to thank Caroline from Cambridge for (literally) giving me a shoulder to lean on at this time...let's just say grain alcohol can sneak up on you. She and a friend came to the show after seeing me post a flyer in Cambridge, which made all two hundred that I put up worth it!...If you don't have Press Black's recently released CD, get it. It's very well-recorded, has great energy, and I listen to it all the time.
Some notes:
- It looked like there were about seventy people at a time at the show, though some left early and others came late...
- To the guy playing guitar with the skaters, and singing Rancid tunes: You're the man. I'm gonna post that video, and hope I come across you again. A parking lot of kids on a Sunday afternoon, skating and hanging out as two play guitars and sing...that's the essence of punk.
- The "Think Forward" zine is a great read, I ate it up and will have eight copies at "Independence Fest" on Saturday for those that are interested...the interviews are interesting, the columns alternately funny and thought provoking, and the production entirely DIY. I'm planning on posting some tips, with input from the Think Forward guys, so that some like-minded individuals can start something similar for their own scenes.
- Chris Acyd
Infamy is Bliss… Shane Wreck Interviewed by: Cody
Flop-Top international New Wave superstar lead singer of the Living Wrecks and guitar player for The Cheap Shots, Shane Wreck...or Shane Scum...I dunno it's hard to keep up, Anyway he's got two cool punk rock names where as most people don't even have one...here we go...
Think Forward: Give us a brief run-down of what to expect out of the new Living Wrecks album "Cheap Heat" for those cheap-skate high strung jerks who haven't picked it up yet...
Shane Wreck: its a pretty straight forward punk rock n roll record. We’ve been told that it reminds people of D Generation meets the Dead Boys so I take that as a good thing. A lot of sing alongs and great hooks in it.
TF: What are the chances that, in the future, you could be referred to as "Shane the Gravy Train"?
SW: As the shame spiral continues chances are good. I’ll keep you posted on that one.
TF: You play in two bands and book a healthy amount of shows in Baltimore, don't you ever wear thin? What is your blood pressure on average?
SW: Not sure about the blood pressure but I’m sure it isn’t worth a damn, but yeah it can be a bit trying at times but hell, your only alive once, so go fuck shit up while you can.
TF: Who are some of your favorite bands in or around the Baltimore area?
SW: The Reticents; Betty Sue Aside and Press Black. But there are a lot of good bands playing out man; the Cheapshots, Ratsize, National Razor, Nervous Habits, Ripovs; this list could go on forever. Just get off the computer or couch and go to some shows.
TF: What music do you listen to that people wouldn't expect based on the type of music your bands play?
SW: …huge Replacements fan, everything they ever did is great!. Let’s see what else...Billy Bragg, Rolling Stones, Johnny cash I like bits and pieces of everything
TF: Best live band you've ever seen...
SW: This a tough one....Anti Nowhere League in London two years ago. That was great show the Damned and Sham 69 played that night also. In the states, it’s tie between The Meatmen and GBH.
TF: How much of your biological make-up is Natty Boh (Percentage please...)?
SW: I’m pretty sure I’m at 25%natty boh, 60% whiskey and 15% bullshit and misc.
TF: Favorite Venue to play at?
SW: Gotta be sidebar its the cheers of Baltimore. The nerve center is great as well.
TF: I see you've got a couple out of state shows booked; does this mean the Wrecks are going to hit the road soon?
SW: We're just doing some road trips here and there. Hopefully we'll tour in the near future. Our label was talking about doing a label tour but we'll have to wait and see.
TF: Tiggle Bitties or Crumb Cakes?
SW: I guess crumb cakes..?..
TF: Are these the worst interview questions you've ever read?
SW: …question 10.
Think Forward: Give us a brief run-down of what to expect out of the new Living Wrecks album "Cheap Heat" for those cheap-skate high strung jerks who haven't picked it up yet...
Shane Wreck: its a pretty straight forward punk rock n roll record. We’ve been told that it reminds people of D Generation meets the Dead Boys so I take that as a good thing. A lot of sing alongs and great hooks in it.
TF: What are the chances that, in the future, you could be referred to as "Shane the Gravy Train"?
SW: As the shame spiral continues chances are good. I’ll keep you posted on that one.
TF: You play in two bands and book a healthy amount of shows in Baltimore, don't you ever wear thin? What is your blood pressure on average?
SW: Not sure about the blood pressure but I’m sure it isn’t worth a damn, but yeah it can be a bit trying at times but hell, your only alive once, so go fuck shit up while you can.
TF: Who are some of your favorite bands in or around the Baltimore area?
SW: The Reticents; Betty Sue Aside and Press Black. But there are a lot of good bands playing out man; the Cheapshots, Ratsize, National Razor, Nervous Habits, Ripovs; this list could go on forever. Just get off the computer or couch and go to some shows.
TF: What music do you listen to that people wouldn't expect based on the type of music your bands play?
SW: …huge Replacements fan, everything they ever did is great!. Let’s see what else...Billy Bragg, Rolling Stones, Johnny cash I like bits and pieces of everything
TF: Best live band you've ever seen...
SW: This a tough one....Anti Nowhere League in London two years ago. That was great show the Damned and Sham 69 played that night also. In the states, it’s tie between The Meatmen and GBH.
TF: How much of your biological make-up is Natty Boh (Percentage please...)?
SW: I’m pretty sure I’m at 25%natty boh, 60% whiskey and 15% bullshit and misc.
TF: Favorite Venue to play at?
SW: Gotta be sidebar its the cheers of Baltimore. The nerve center is great as well.
TF: I see you've got a couple out of state shows booked; does this mean the Wrecks are going to hit the road soon?
SW: We're just doing some road trips here and there. Hopefully we'll tour in the near future. Our label was talking about doing a label tour but we'll have to wait and see.
TF: Tiggle Bitties or Crumb Cakes?
SW: I guess crumb cakes..?..
TF: Are these the worst interview questions you've ever read?
SW: …question 10.
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