Geek Chic?

It's come to my attention that in the last couple of years, not only has being a nerd become a bit more socially acceptable, it's fashionable??? Ok, well that's strange. A big part of me thinks that this is an awesome development for a number of reasons. First and foremost, kids won't have to be bullied and tormented for being open about the geeky stuff they're in to. When I was a younglin', a big part of my hatred for school was do in part to the crap I dealt with on a daily basis. Crap from everyone who called me a nerd and picked on me because I was unwilling to hide my love for X-Men, Star Wars, Mel Brooks movies, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, video games, reading, cartoons, etc. But now, it's cool to be a nerd?! Alright.

But a BIG part of me is irritated by this whole "geek chic" thing. Most of these people who are claiming the title of "geek" and "nerd" are just part of yet another trend. Riding the wave of whatever is popular at the moment. Hey "nerds", I've got news for you, YOU ARE NOT A NERD and I'll prove it to you.

The thing about being a nerd that the Pop Culture machine missed is that being a nerd or a geek for or about something is by no means a casual affair. Being a nerd or a geek means that you can deliver up the most obscure trivia at will and on command. That the interest you have for whatever you're into borders on obsession. That you've given up not only a part of your life in it's cause, that you've given up a piece of who and what you are. That your irrational interest in this thing has alienated you from your friends and family, turning you into a nerd-rage filled hermit. THAT is what makes you a nerd. Not your plebeian interest in the Harry Potter movies, or your Pokemon t-shirt. Oh no. You've got to earn the title of geek. One does not simply claim it, it claims you.

Of course, there is a certain degree of sarcasm in the previous paragraphs. You don't need to have had your social life decimated by your interests in order to claim the title of Nerd. It certainly helps to beef up your geek-cred though.

I'll end this with a quote from the indomitable Simon Pegg that sums up the view I've always held about Geekdom. Enjoy.

New Reinventing the Wheel!

My latest installment for Rod Authority has been published! Check it out!

Reinventing the Wheel: The Art of Tradition

Telescopic Evolution

My favorite scene from the movie Waking Life. 

Indecision 2012

Tomorrow is the big day. Time once again to vote for President of the United States. Seems like every 4 years the choices get worse and worse. Is it just me? I've heard and seen Pros and Cons on both sides, but I have to say that I think the Cons far outweigh the Pros on BOTH sides of this election. Same as the last and the one before that...

"We would all like to vote for the best man but he is never a candidate." -Kin Hubbard

Is it because each of these individuals is a genuine p.o.s.? Or is it simply because The Republican and Democratic parties are both inept, greedy and elitist organizations who care nothing about the people within our country? They both talk a big game, but from my perspective, both sides have done an excellent job of messing up the United States. Am I saying that they are all completely bad or useless or that the blame lay solely at their feet? Absolutely not. What I am saying is that the current Two Party system is antiquated. It's failing. It also seems to have Alzheimer's since they can never keep their stories straight... It's time to move on.

"Our two party system is a bowl of sh*t staring at itself in the mirror." -Lewis Black

In the last election when Obama ran against McCain, I remember feeling the same helpless, hopeless pessimism that voting for "the lesser of two evils" was no longer something that I could do and still feel good about my vote. When Kerry ran against Lil' Bush, I did just that: I got wasted and voted for dumb ass Kerry. My reasoning was that I would rather have a fresh douche than an old, chafing one. But last election? Nope, I willingly and (almost) gladly threw my vote at a 3rd Party Candidate. I won't say which one, because it doesn't matter. I simply REFUSED to give my vote to Barack Obama or John McCain. Why? Because they both SUCKED. They sucked and so do our current options. I will not go into WHY they suck because I could spend all day doing so and YOU could spend all day debating me. We all know why they each suck, let's just leave it at that.

"When I think about who I would vote for... I don't even look at their policies. I just look at their character." -Dave Chappelle

Most people say that voting for a 3rd Party is bad because A) It takes votes away from the 2 main choices B) It's "throwing away" a vote because a 3rd Party has no chance of winning C) Voting with your conscience is meaningless, etc. I've got news for ya, folks. If I take 1 measly vote away from either of those morons, I'm absolutely STOKED. Because if you're voting for who you feel is the right choice, your vote is never wasted.

"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting." -FDR

It is our duty and responsibility as citizens and voters of these United States to vote. BUT, it's also up to us to educate ourselves about the candidates. Why is that? Because nearly all of the major news organizations have been bought and paid for by the Right and the Left. So what we get is NOT the news. What we get is OPINION, spin and straight-up propaganda. So it falls on us to sift through the bullshit and make a responsible and educated vote. Do not give in to hate, fear and all of the other modes of control. USE YOUR FREAKIN' HEAD and back it up with your heart.

"Fifty percent of people won't vote, and fifty percent don't read newspapers. I hope it's the same fifty percent." -Gore Vidal

As far as my actual political views are concerned, I will say only this: I have no political allegiance. I try to remain non-partisan. I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative. I have been called a non-conformist, a contrarian and other colorful terms where my political views are concerned. Obviously, I disagree. I vote how I feel makes sense and what I think is best for the nation. If that's being contrary to the b.s. status quo, then so be it.

"Liberal and conservative have lost their meaning in America. I represent the distracted center." -Jon Stewart

Tomorrow I will once again vote for a 3rd Party candidate. Just who that person is I feel is irrelevant, because I'm not here to tell you who to vote for. I'm just asking you to vote responsibly and logically.

"Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains." -Winston Churchill

^This is my favorite political quote^. It reminds me to walk the fine line between emotion and logic when it comes to making my decisions as a voter. I know that's probably not what Churchill meant, but that's what it means to me. I hope it does the same for you.

See you on the flip side.

Stand-Up Review: Christopher Titus and the Neverlution!

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!



Music Mondays!

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 moves you? 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 AENIMA whilst 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's Disraeli 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!

Lamb of God:

Mariachi el Bronx:

Pantera:

Aesop Rock:

Fear Factory:

Chimaira:

Artist Profile: Irving Norman

Born Irving Noachowitz in Poland, 1906. His family emigrated to the United States in 1923. He was your typical young man until going to Spain in 1938 to fight for the Republic in the Spanish Civil War. He returned to the States in 1940 a changed man... How many young minds have been distorted and forever altered by the horrible reality of war?

     

Having seen the true, horrific nature of Man at his worst, Irving channeled his frustrations and terrifying visions into art. He saw what Man really was: an animal. After facing the battlefield, he knew humanity's true face, and he saw what he felt to be a possible future and reality for us all... Most of his work is a little confusing at first glance; many repeating shapes and themes, with somewhat incongruous elements, usually a very dark color pallette. I remember seeing his work for the first time and, though I liked it, it's true meaning eluded me. It wasn't until one fateful evening while looking at his work, that the true meaning of it reality-checked me right in the teeth.

Norman's work showed a terrible world where the Elite reigned supreme and the rest of us, the endless blue collar masses, were but more meat for the grinder. His paintings showed that we the people were nothing but numbers, a seething, writhing mass of blissfully ignorant victims for the Machine. His vision terrified me; it couldn't be true... But the more I looked at them, I could not deny the truth of his paintings.

His paintings are huge in scale, sometimes as large as 9 Feet tall and 15 Feet wide, allowing him to pack even the most minute details into them. Paintings like The Bus (1953), featured hundreds of people (all with completely unique features) packed into a bus, detailing the cold, harsh reality of surviving in what he called the "Dark Metropolis."

Despite the bleak, dismal content of his art, Irving Norman is amongst my favorite artists. His un-flinching and un-apologetic view of society are visual cautionary tales of what not to do with one's society. Whether or not he's speaking directly about government control or if he's commenting on people's willingness to give up their freedom and individuality, the shocking imagery is enough to rattle the apathy right out of you.

Either way, I feel that his art tells a story everyone needs to hear at least once.

The Bus (1953):

In Blind Momentum, he shows Man's headlong rush to dehumanize ourselves in as short a time as we possibly can.

Blind Momentum (1960):

Martyred (1971):

 

American Street Scene (1961):

Irving Norman passed away in 1989, leaving behind hundreds of works of art, most of which he reffered to as "Social Surrealism". His scary, scathing and undeniably accurate social commentary is, I feel, even more relavant now than it was while he was still with us. It seems to me that even just the phrase Blind Momentum describes our current trajectory more so than just about any other current synopsis by even the most learned sociologist. Where are we going and why? What is happening to us? Why has apathy, greed, cruelty and banality become the accepted modes and memes of our world? We're on a shit machine of perpetual motion, and most of the people of this country seem absolutely ignorant of it. Irving began seeing, predicting and painting this vision more than 70 years ago.
Learn more about Irving Norman and his work here and here

Alive or Just Breathing?

On this, the first post of my ego-maniacal blog, I'd like to share some thoughts that recently kept me up all night.

My friend Cody has started to lend me the hardbound collections of "The Walking Dead" by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard. "The Walking Dead" is a "Continuing Story of Survival Horror", centered upon Georgia Sherriff Rick Grimes. At the beginning of the series, Rick is shot and falls into a coma. Upon awakening 3 weeks later, he finds the hospital deserted... Except for the Walking Dead. The story follows Rick along with his family and friends as they struggle to survive the Zombie Apocalypse.

While reading "The Walking Dead", a strange series of thoughts started to take hold within my head... It hit me, that in an event such as that (or any catastrophic type calamity), that Surviving and Living are not exactly the same thing. What good is surviving if you're not really living? Is the only hope for survival so that when some semblance of normalcy returns, you'll be alive to enjoy it? It got me thinking about the current trajectory of my life (something I do with irritating regularity). All of the philosohical and zombie apocalypse-related bs boiled down into one question: "Am I Alive? Or Just Breathing?"

It seems to me that alot of people (myself included) are not truly living. They're simply existing, on auto-pilot, cruise control. Just shambling through life like mindless Zombies, or running through the gauntlet of Undead like the survivors. Either way, in some strange way that I will not even attempt to explain, "The Walking Dead" has inspired me to be more proactive in my life. Lame, I know. But it is what it is!