My friend Mark Kawano (www.wheelsareeverything.com) snapped these bitchin' pics at the Mooneyes X-Mas Party last weekend. Thanks Mark! The car finally sports the Bellflower pipes that I've had sitting in my closet for 6 years, I've got a nice lil' 9.75" Superior wheel topping off the column (courtesy of Eryk Frias) and last week, homie Josh Lee helped me mount the '61 Buick front bumper. I'm going to make it a point to start taking some big steps on this project. Its' time has come! More updates as things progress...
It is... Alive! Like Frankenstein's monster, Kyuss is experiencing a second chance at life.
The band, formed in the late 80's, disolved in 1997. Considering the fact that I didn't start listening to the Palm Desert based Stoner Rock band until 1998 and given the amount of negativity I had heard coming from former band members, I never once thought that I would ever get a chance to experience Kyuss in person. But last year, plans for a Kyuss reuinion were announced to the world, giving me and thousands of other people across the globe the opportunity they never thought they would get. Unfortunately, guitarist and founding member Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age fame) declined to participate in the reunion. From a couple of interviews I had read, Homme's basic attitude towards reuniting with the Kyuss boys could be said thusly, "Kyuss was great while it lasted. But if you missed it, you missed it. Sorry." As much as I respect the guy and love the work he's done with his subsequent projects, I have to say that that's kind of a shit attitude to take. I'm sure there's ego and personal differences, blah blah blah, etc to contend with, I would think that one could put such trivialities aside and do something that would bring happiness and pleasure to so many people. Then again, I'm not Josh Homme and can't pretend to understand his reasons. Either way, on Saturday, October 8th, I finally got to see one of my favorite bands live and I hate to say it, but Homme's presence was not missed, not by me or anyone else in the Fox Theater that night, despite singer John Garcia being quoted as saying that, "there is never going to be a Kyuss without Josh Homme."
The line-up consists of Garcia, original bassist Nick Oliveri, original drummer Brant Bjork and kicking Homme's shoes out of the way was guitar player Bruno Fevery. Fevery plays Homme's delicious, psychedelically groovy and sometimes super technical licks with ease, while putting his own flavor on them at the same time.
From beginning to end, the show was a great one. Openers Monstro, an Atlanta based 4-piece, did a damn good job of setting the mood for the evening. Then The Sword came on stage and did what it is they do best: Rock the fuck out!
By the time Kyuss came on stage, I was already on Cloud 9 from the opening band's awesome performances. But the real treat was of course the headliner. The band I've waited 13 years to see. One of the most influential groups of musician's that I've ever heard; Kyuss. When they walked out, for a split second, a hush fell over the crowd. And then that silence broke into castrophany as the theater erupted into wild cheering. A chill ran up my spine as the house lights went out and the stage lights came up. Here it is; the moment I've waited over a decade for. The guys played flawlessly for well over an hour before leaving the stage, then came back out for a 3 song encore when the noise level in the Fox reached a point that satisfied them. Again, from beginning to end, this was a show to remember.
Here's their setlist from Saturday's performance. Enjoy.
1. Gardenia
2. Hurricane
3. One Inch Man
4. Thumb
5. Freedom Run
6. Asteroid
7. Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop
8. Conan Troutman
9. Odyssey
10. Whitewater (one of my favorite songs of all time)
11. El Rodeo
12. 100 Degrees
The encore:
13. Molten Universe
14. Allen's Wrench
14. Green Machine
If you like what you hear, please do your ears and soul a favor by buying some Kyuss! Like the liner notes from their masterpiece, Welcome to Sky Valley says; Listen to without distraction. Check out the latest Kyuss news here.
Mastodon. The first time I heard this band, I felt like the giant, woolly elephant-like creature that gave the band its' name had just ran me down. It was heavy, it was huge, it was slow and it was BRUTAL. It sounded like you'd imagine a mastodon would sound if it happened to be a metal band. Does that make sense? Oh well. It's true.
This band proved to me that you didn't have to be fast to be intense, that you could be melodic and still be brutal, that you could be heavy and still be trippy. What more can one ask for?
Based out of the ATL (Georgia), Mastodon came together in 1999. The line-up consists of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kellliher and drummer Brann Dailor.
With their sludgey riffs, psychedelic sound-scapes and insane drumming, Mastodon started to create an almost-instant buzz in the world of metal.
Dailor furiously assaults the skins in what sounds like constant fills. Even without watching him play, you know that his hands and feet are a constant blur. Actually watching him play will confirm this. The guitar work is top notch, showcasing not only Hinds impressive chops and Kelliher's deliciously understated style, but this guitar duo-ship's pure synergy, the ebb & flow as they pummel your aural sense is truly amazing. From juxta-posing a clean, mellow guitar melody with something chunky, ungainly and damn near primitive, to their shred-tastic guitarmony's, these fuckers can PLAY. Sanders' bass technique is generally very subdued. Very much "in the pocket" that a lot of bass players try to settle into. Filling in the low-end with out detracting from the guitar work... But that doesn't mean that he can't pound that bass with the big boys. Troy is a wholly impressive bass man, going from low-end background rumble to in your face, blowing your mind with technique and back again, before you've had a chance to understand what just happened to your ears. Mastodon's vocals are unique in that, though Hinds and Sanders are the primary vocalists, doesn't mean that Kelliher and Dailor don't join in on the microphone fun. The vocals are generally layered one over another, creating what sounds like a cognizant roar, a primordial sound that makes you want to run for cover because your inner Neanderthal thinks a Sabretooth is getting ready to have you for lunch.
After hearing "March of the Fire Ants" for the first time, I immediately ran to the closest music store to purchase the album, Remissions. I was slightly disappointed (though not wholly surprised, thanks Best Buy) to discover that the only Mastodon record they had was their latest, Leviathan. Though the album I really wanted was Remissions, I bought Leviathan nonetheless. Generally, I'm very conservative about spending my hard earned dough on music (due to an extreme case of Music Snobbery), but something told me that I was still going to be happy. And fuck me, I was. This album wrecked me for a whole summer (2004). To this day, Leviathan still impresses and moves me. Wow. Trying to put it into words is fruitless, so I'll just add some song clips. But a neat little piece of trivia for ya, Leviathan is loosely based upon and inspired by Herman Melville's classic literary masterpiece Moby Dick. You'll find references throughout the album, from the cover art to the song titles and lyrics.
Here's some of my favorites from Remissions and Leviathan:
Album opener, Crusher Destroyer:
March of the Fire Ants:
Burning Man:
Trainwreck:
Blood and Thunder:
I am Ahab:
Seabeast:
Iron Tusk:
Megalodon:
These 2 albums single handedly re-directed my taste in music, especially in the type of music that I like to write and perform. For me, Mastodon was the game-changer. It seemed to me that they had found the perfect blend of brutality, melody, intensity and psychedelic groove. They permeated my very existence for 2 years (and still do).
In the summer of 2006, several major events happened in my life. Two of which were the much anticipated release of Tool's 10,000 Days and the just as eagerly awaited Mastodon record, Blood Mountain. Holy SHIT. These 2 albums were my summer of 2006.
On Blood Mountain, it felt as much as it sounded like Mastodon were pushing their own boundaries out into undiscovered country. Getting groovier, trippier and altogether more progressive while maintaining the same level (and balance) of brutal melody. Having had Matt Bayles produce their two previous albums, the band figured "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and had Bayles behind the board on this one as well (coincidentally, around this time Bayles also produced 2 other terriffic and completely different albums that are on my list of must-owns: The Fall of Troy's Manipulator and Minus the Bear's Planet of Ice).
The Wolf is Loose:
Sleeping Giant:
This Mortal Soil:
Siberian Divide:
So now I had 3 Mastodon albums that were hands down, some of the best fucking music I had ever heard. I was already salivating for the next one...
In 2009, the Skye came falling down and hit me in a way that, I hate to admit, was saddeningly boring. While well written and executed, with excellent production value, it seemed that on Crack the Skye, Mastodon had lost some of their fire, their intensity that had me so infatuated with them in the first place. Progressive? Definitely. Trippy? You betcha. Brutal? Nope. You can hear them trying to be heavy, but that's just it: Mastodon never had to try to be heavy. they just-fucking-WERE. It was like the fight had gone out of them. Now, this is (as I like to say) just one asshole's opinion. But... I wasn't the only asshole expressing the same disinterest in Skye. While the album may have attracted new fans to the fold (and more power to em), but it felt as if we, the "o.g." Mastodon fans had been left out in the cold. "Well, wait a minute... This shit is supposed to be heavy. Why are there girls DANCING TO THIS SHIT???" I'm sorry, I don't care how fucking groovy and melodic metal music might get, you do not EVER dance to metal. PERIOD. You might bang your head, swing and sway with the groove, jump up and down and pit with the other long-hair's, but you don't FUCKING DANCE TO IT.
And that's what I saw when I FINALLY saw Mastodon live for the first time, shortly after Crack the Skye hit the shelves. It took me 5 years to finally get the chance to see one of my favorite bands in person and not only was it boring (they played Skye start to finish, followed haphazardly by 4 lazy renditions of some of the "classics"), but I saw teenage girls dancing to it. Heavy-fucking-sigh. Hang head. O' how the Mighty have fallen... I was definitely disappointed.
Oblivion:
Divinations:
I know that me bashing the album is disrespectful to the band and that is not my intention. This is more of a love letter than it is a critique, I'm just ranting at this point.
With that said, Mastodon is set to release their newest effort The Hunter, later this month. From what I've heard so far, it's definitely got my hopes up. I dunno, what do you think?
Black Tongue:
And while I'm not sure it's going to be on the album, they released this track exclusively through Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. At the very least, this video is a lot of fun.
Deathbound:
C'mon guys. Give me something to bang my head to. Show me there's still some life in this old beasty after all.
If you've never seen this film, do so. But be warned: This flick does not simply tug at your heart-strings; it tears at them. I was completely unprepared for the emotional tumult this movie put me through.
Based upon Wladyslaw Szpilman's autobiography and directed by Roman Polanski, this movie stars Adrien Brody as Szpilman, a pianist living in Warsaw, Poland in 1938. Guess who comes to visit? The movie is about Szpilman's struggle to survive in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Nazi occupation.
Polanski did not pull any punches with this one, and considering that both of his parents were taken from Poland to concentration camps (where his mother eventually died) and that he himself escaped from the Nazi's as a boy, I can't imagine what making this movie did to him emotionally.
Adrien Brody's performance is truly inspired. And after seeing this movie, I now understand why he won an Oscar for this role.
I really don't have much more to say about this movie other than that it's a must watch, even if you can only sit through it once (as previously mentioned, this movie is pretty brutal). The Pianist truly is a cinematic masterpiece.
I'll leave you with Chopin's Ballade No. 1, which is performed during what is probably one of the single most heart wrenching scenes in history:
It's that time of the week and I have to admit, I am one morose mf today. So I'm simply going to post what's been getting me through this day. I sincerely hope that you're having a better one than me. Cheers.
Here it is, one of my Top 10 Favorite Customs of all time, The Victorian.
Built over a 2 year period by the amazingly talented Alexander Bros of Detroit for Sy Gregorich, the first version of the car began taking shape in 1957 and was completed in 1959. Starting off with a stock (and almost new) 1955 Ford Crown Victoria, the A-Bros molded in '53 Studebaker pans front and rear. '55 Oldsmobile headlight trim was added and a chromed mesh grill was set behind the narrowed '59 Chevy front bumper, while a pancaked and louvered hood with rounded corners completed the front end. Around back, they frenched in '55 Mercury station wagon tail lights, and chrome side-pipes were molded into the rocker panels. The door handles and superfluous trim were removed to give the rest of the body a clean, un-cluttered appearance. The car was then finished in a brilliant pearl white with subtle, understated candy red scallops.
The car didn't stay in this form for long, eventually evolving (as was normal for show cars in those days), including several wheel/hubcap/tire combos and at least one new interior. The stock trim was replaced with modified trim from a '57 Ford and a tasty candy red paint job was applied.
To me, this car is pure, functional art. One of the most perfect Customs to ever hit the show circuit. Just how much time the car saw on the street is unknown to me. Much respect to Mike and Larry (RIP) Alexander for their impeccable taste, style, craftsmanship and trend-setting forward thinking.
For comparisons sake, first I'll show you a few stock, un-molested '55 Crown Vic's:
Here's the finished car:
Sy eventually sold The Victorian and it was shown by its' new owner for a while before falling off the face of the earth. Pictures of The Victorian have surfaced in the last few years, showing its' dilapidated condition. Rumors have been circulating about it's restoration, but as of this writing, I have yet to come across any current news regarding this amazing Custom.
I recently received my dvd copy of the new (and autographed, thanks dude!) Titus stand-up special, Neverlution. More on that in a bit, but first I want to talk about how I became a fan of Titus...
I became an ardent fan of Titus and his work when I first saw his Fox sit-com, Titus. The show, based loosely upon his life, really struck a chord with me. Because, not only was he from a dysfunctional family and into cars (like me), but he managed to make both really funny, especially the dysfunctional part! And I don't mean in the grunting, sappy, cheese-ball Home Improvement type of funny, more akin to irreverent, crass Married With Children funny. Growing up in a some-what dysfunctional family that always had an old Chevy (and various other forms of vintage tin) in the driveway, I couldn't help but be drawn to the show and Titus' sarcastic, cynical and often times straight-up silly sense of humor, and the "Negative Space" from which he narrated and commented was, I thought, really unique. It was different than any other show that had been done before. And while I referenced Home Improvement and Married with Children to describe Titus, really the only thing it had in common with either were cars and dysfunction, respectively. Unfortunately, Titus only made it to the 3rd season. Figures. The really good stuff never lasts on TV.
But nonetheless, I've continued following his stand-up act (though I have yet to see him live). He's released several televised and/or recorded specials since his show ended; Norman Rockwell is Bleeding (2004), The Fifth Annual End of the World Tour (2006), Love is Evol (2009) and most recently, Neverlution (2011).
Titus has never really been shy about broaching even the most taboo of subjects; substance abuse, domestic violence, mental illness, suicide. He's included all of these plus others into his acts. He even finds a way to make you laugh about them. And not to say that he makes light of such heavy matters, but he definitely finds a way to make you laugh about even the most soberingly serious subjects. His facial expressions, tone of voice, characterizations/impersonations, gesticulation and body language are as much a part of the performance as the subject material and words themselves. Plus, he always finds awesomely interesting and creative ways of incorporating visuals, whether with his sets, lighting, photos, etc. And the thing I really like about the visual aspects he employs, is that they never detract from his performance. They almost always simply add another layer of nuance that you probably won't notice at first. Despite the very un-subtle way he approaches comedy, the visuals are tastefully understated.
One of my favorite things about Titus, is that, in the tradition of the Late Greats George Carlin and Bill Hicks, Christopher Titus is not afraid to offend, though it is not his intention to do so. He says what he wants, how he wants to say it. No apologies or back-pedaling. Just, this is what it is. Laugh or don't, Titus is here to entertain. And not unlike the work of Carlin and Hicks, Titus seems to make you think as hard as you laugh. I believe Mel Brooks might refer to such as "Stand-Up Philosophers."
In my opinion, never has that M.O. been more apparent than in his latest special, Neverlution. In the past, a bulk of his material dealt with family and personal relationships, backed up with his social commentary. This release is kind of the other way around. While never really getting deep into the realm of politics, ala Lewis Black, Titus sets his sights on our crumbling society and the causes of it. Not so much the political reasons, more so the social reasons; modern parents and their shitty parenting or lack there-of, "terrorism", our country's techno-philia, our society's mediocrity, banality and apathy and the out-and-out douche-baggery of the people in our country.
He basically says it's up to us to make the change. If we sit around waiting for our government to do so, it'll never happen. I read somewhere that "Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism." With that said, Titus seems upset at what our country is becoming and can you blame him? We should all be upset, but in the word's of Carlin, "Nobody wants to rock the boat because we've all got cell phones that make us waffles and rub our balls for us. We've been bought off by gizmo's and gadgets..." Titus makes a similar observation, saying sarcastically that "I'd rather give up my freedom, than give up my shit." That seems to be the general consensus throughout this country. And I'm not immune to it, I love my shit. Do you think I have an old car because I needed one? Is it essential to my survival? No. I wanted one. We are a people of wants. And I suppose there's nothing wrong with that mentality, but... The time for change is coming. What that will entail and what it's going to cost us as a people remains to be seen. But tensions are rising all over the world and we are not immune to unrest here in the United States. History has proven that to be true...
Regardless of where you stand politically, or what kind of family life you had growing up, I think just about everyone can get at least a laugh or two out of Neverlution. Though personally, I laughed my ass off.
Here's a few clips of some of Titus' work, plus the Intro from Neverlution:
From Norman Rockwell is Bleeding:
From The 5th Annual End of the World Tour:
From Love is Evol:
From Neverlution:
If you like what you see and hear, "Like" Titus on Facebook and visit his website. Say hello and buy a dvd or two!
So, I drove my Nissan yesterday for the first time in months to go blow all the dust off/out of it. Having not been behind the wheel of this car for sometime, I couldn't remember what cd's were in the 6 disc changer. Going through them, I couldn't help but laugh at the interesting range of music stored in there. Imagining a repo man or a car thief going through the roster gave me a chuckle. From 1 to 6, the albums were as follows:
1. Lamb of God: As the Palaces Burn
2. Mariachi el Bronx: Mariachi el Bronx
3. Pantera: The Best of Pantera: Far Beyond the Great Southern Cowboys' Vulgar Hits!
4. Aesop Rock: Alchemy
5. Fear Factory: Obsolete
6. Chimaira: The Impossibility of Reason
Granted, Metal is the predominant genre here (I loves me some Metal), but with the wild cards of Aesop Rock and Mariachi el Bronx thrown in the mix, it's easy to to get an idea of my musical a.d.d./schizophrenia/whatever.
Metal is my favorite form of music, period. No other form of music makes me feel so "god damn electric" (Chocolatey Kudos to those of you who caught that reference). It's empowering, to say the least. But any kind of music that is written and performed with style, imagination, creativity and above all heart, is like ambrosia for my soul. And by "ambrosia", I mean "Food of the Gods", not the tasty dish or a certain book about psychedelic mushrooms... Though I suppose great music has the same effect on me, regardless of the word's definition or usage.
To me, true art is Divine. True art is moving. If a song, a movie, a book, a painting, a photograph, a sculpture or whatever movesyou? That right there is something to praise the Gods about. It doesn't matter if it makes you angry, makes you happy, makes you laugh, cry or rage; that piece just moved you. Art, at it's core is an external, often times physical manifestation of emotion. Everything else? All that emotionless, souless, gutless and trite nonsense that gets widespread notoriety and critical acclaim? Just another product. Sorry justin bieber, lady gaga, miley cyrus and all the rest of those other talentless-hack, corporate bitches. You've all sold your souls and there's no turning back. You have forever removed yourselves from the realm of Art and became a permanent fixture in the world of BANALITY. And in case you're wondering, yes. I intentionally neglected to capitalize their names. Ha! Take that!
Without Music, the world would forever live in silence.
To quote JoJo from the incredible movie Across the Universe, "Music is the only thing that makes sense anymore, man. Play it loud enough and it keeps the demons at bay..." God damned right. Music has helped to keep me sane and filled my life with joy, laughter, strength and many amazing memories (good and bad) in my 27 years on this planet.
Throughout high school, there were a couple of albums I can think of that helped me through that ordeal. I can remember listening to Tool's epic AENIMAwhilst in the depths of depression... The incredibly sculpted music and the deliciously ambiguous lyrics contained within helped me to feel better about myself and the world around me, even during the lowest of lows. Slipknot's frantic (might as well say schizo) and aggressive self-titled debut made me feel like I wasn't alone in feeling helplessly and hopelessly angry at a world that didn't accept me for being who I was. It even made me feel like it was ok to be angry. It gave me a healthy outlet for that aggression. Those two records helped carry me through those 4 years of social hell. Sonic Therapy. Gotta love it.
I've been to hundreds of live shows, each with their own little adventure, along with the pleasure of seeing some of the greatest (in my not-so-humble opinion) bands to ever grace this Earth. And of course, all of the shows that I personally had the honor of performing with 2 completely different groups of awesome musicians that I'm still proud to call my friends. Not to mention all the time I spent with those guys, writing, practicing and just having fun. Plus, being in a band is one hell of a networking tool and the friendships and experiences that came of all of that could fill one big ass book.
Thousands of hours have been spent listening to music throughout my life, beginning with my brother Augustine constantly listening to and playing the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fishbone (amongst other greats). And of course my Dad, who's impeccable taste in music from the late 40's to the early 70's instilled a deep rooted love, respect and I'll admit, an out-and-out obsession with music. I remember being about 8 or 9 and my Dad getting upset with me for continuing to steal his tapes (specifically Otis Redding's and Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits and Cream'sDisraeli Gears. And not to forget Dennis Leary's No Cure for Cancer, but we'll talk about stand-up another time).
Music (and Art in general) is a universal language. Ever wonder why that is? It's because Music speaks not only to your conscious self, but also to your sub-conscious and more importantly, Music speaks to your soul.
Music, sweet music. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... Well, honestly I don't have enough time and you probably don't have enough patience for a list like that! With that being said, here's some of my favorite tracks from each of the previously mentioned albums in all of their incongruous splendor. Enjoy!
Today, it's all about Aesop Rock. Ace Rizzle. The Bazooka Tooth. A Hip Hop Artist in every sense of the term. This dude is incredible. Born Ian Matthias Bavitz andoriginally from Long Island, New York, Ace's brand or story telling is, to me, delightfully unique. Especially given the banal state of most Hip Hop and Rap today. The first time I heard Aesop put it down, I said out loud, "Thank the Gods. Hip Hop still LIVES." Up until hearing him, I had long feared that the majority of the Rap/Hip Hop community had gone the way of MTV; bunk, lame-ass excuses for "artists", pushing their mediocre rhymes over weak, recycled beats, all the while inadvertantly furthering a capitolist agenda and purposefully perpetuating cheauvinistic and violent lifestyles. And to be clear, in my opinion, there is a distinct difference between Rap and Hip Hop. In the words of KRS One, "Rap is something you do. Hip Hop is something you live." Rappers talk about and are focused upon things. Hip Hop artists speaks and cares about people. When Hip Hop began in the late 70's/early 80's, these guys had something to say. Their social commentary scared the shit out of White America. Then what happened? Producers diluted Hip Hop into Rap and de-clawed it's message into one of nothing but a bunch of posers and corperate puppets. Aesop Rock lives and breathes Hip Hop, and it comes so naturally from him, it's like a breath of fresh air.
He has the ability to tell a tale in a way that it changes meaning almost everytime you hear it. His vocabulary is extensive, so much so, that I would go as far as saying he has the largest vocabulary in use by any musician, living or dead. This guy layers his songs with metaphores inside of metaphores, allegory, moral stories and sometimes just plain fun (this dude's got jokes like a mf!). There's so much ambiguity in his words that their original intent becomes almost irrelevant, leaving enough room for the listener's interpretation as to their meaning. The words themselves almost become irrelevant. To me, Aesop Rock is hands down one of the best lyricists in music history. A true poet.
His beats are rock-fuckin-solid (which he himself produces about 50% of the time. The rest are done by close friends), featuring some of the tastiest grooves and funkiest beats I've ever heard. From his Avant Garde brand of Trip Hop, to the straight up Hip Hop that earned him his well deserved reputation, Aesop Rock delivers. If you like what you hear, please buy his records, they are well worth your hard earned dollars. Enough of my blabbing, I'll let Ace do the talking from hear on. Enjoy.
None Shall Pass:
Alchemy:
Holy Smokes:
And one of my very favorites, "The Harbor is Yours". This song is about pirates! YAY!
