Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Goodbye Chris Cornell, and thank you.



In case you haven't noticed, there hasn't been any writing from me on this site for years, but Chris Cornell's death has brought me back here.

I started this blog in 2009 as an outlet to share my love of heavy music. That love began because of Chris. I can clearly remember sitting at the kitchen table and listening to the radio as a kid when Soundgarden's Blow Up the Outside World came on. Not to sound dramatic, but that moment truly changed my life as a young person who had never heard anything like that. To me, at that time, it was everything. I stood close to the speaker and took it all in.

I became obsessed with each song and Chris's words. Honestly, I could probably write many pages about the huge impact his music has had on my life. All the times I turned to it -- highs, lows, and everything in between. It opened the door to, and set the standard for, all music for me.

But it was also about more than just that. I, of course, never knew anyone in the band personally, and can't imagine what Chris's family and friends are going through. But as a fan I feel like a piece of me is missing now all the same. I think anyone who idolized a band or musician during their most vulnerable and self-seeking years can attest to this. Chris's art helped shape the person I am today, at 27, and I will forever be grateful for that and the many ways in which it has influenced my life.

When I heard the news about his death, the first thing that came to mind is a story I once read about the meaning behind the song Like Suicide. That Chris wrote the song after a bird flew into his window and broke its neck, and he put the animal out of its misery by smashing its head with a brick.

With eyes of blood, and bitter blue,
How I feel for you, I feel for you...

I was in shock for a few days. I have been sad about the loss of musicians before, but this feels much different. Heavier. My heart is broken by the way it all ended. Everything I was feeling hit me all at once a couple days after the fact, when I was alone at home. I sat on the couch and cried thinking of how awful this loss is and how much he meant to me. I thought of the horrible way it happened, all his fans who feel like I do, and how sorry I am for his family and children. How his voice is silenced. And when I stood up, like something out of fiction, a bird flew at full speed into, and hit, my window, as if it were coming right at me.

I think both of us were in shock for a moment as the bird rebounded from the window and swayed.

I held my breath.

But it flew away.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Compilation: Within The Church Of Thee Overlords I-II





these are a pair of compilations that southern lord put out back in 2007

and if you know anything about what southern lord puts out...you'd better make sure you have yourself a good pair of speakers

and you're going to want to make sure you have at least 2 clean pairs of underwear nearby

and just to be cautious...take whatever pets you have in the house and put them out in the yard

ok

i think you're ready

vol. 1:
1 - the hidden hand - dark horizons
2 - boris - farewell
3 - orthodox - solemne triduo
4 - burning witch - history of hell
5 - asbestosdeath - nail
6 - leviathan - my war*
7 - tangorodrim - justus ex fide vivit
8 - striborg - somnambulistic nightmares
9 - wolves in the throne room - queen of the borrowed light
10 - earth - oroborous is broken
11 - oren ambarchi - inamorata

*=black flag cover

DL: vol. 1 pt.1
DL: vol.1 pt.2

vol.2:
1 - om - unitive knowledge of the godhead
2 - weedeater - god luck and good speed
3 - burning witch - history of hell
4 - sunn o))) - orakulum (edit)
5 - wolves in the throne room - cleansing
6 - glorior belli - manifesting the raging beast
7 - tangorodrim - justus ex fide vivit
8 - striborg - psychedelic nightmare
9 - burial chamber trio - only vinyl is real (ultra-mega death throb edit)
10 - boris w/merzbow - flower,sun,rain
11 - earth - the driver

DL: vol.2 pt.1
DL: vol.2 pt.2

Single: Black Sabbath - The Singles Box Set 1970-1978



remember when ozzy osbourne wasn't just some bumbling old fart that didn't know how to operate a remote control?

have you ever found yourself saying "ozzy osbourne shouldn't be allowed to speak unless he comes with subtitles or he sings the words"?

ah,memories

this was a box set that was released over in the uk back in 2000

DL: evil woman/wicked world
DL: paranoid/the wizard
DL: tomorrow's dream/laguna sunrise
DL: sabbath bloody sabbath/changes
DL: never say die/she's gone
DL: hard road/symptom of the universe

Album: Sofy Major - Permission To Engage



hey there

remember me?

sorry it's taken me so long to get back here

i was trapped in the ritual room basement

you can get all kinds of turned around down there

all i was looking for was the bathroom

but i ended up getting chased around by a gagggle of tiny people in king buzzo wigs

actually....they all looked like king buzzo...tiny king buzzos....

*shiver*

i don't like thinking about the goings on in the ritual room basement

it smells grungy

anyway...

here i am

and i brought some folks from france back with me

rumor has it that you like bands with names like godflesh and high on fire and the melvins and today is the day and neurosis

guess what

so do these guys

and so do i

but...i need to go and wash the basement off of me...so i'm just going to leave you all to get acquainted

DL: permission to engage

Monday, November 7, 2011

News: The Mark Lanegan Band - "Blues Funeral" Out Feb 6 2012 + Tour Dates

Hear yee, hear yee! A long awaited new Mark Lanegan Band album titled "Blues Funeral" will be released this February 6th, 2012.

The album will be released via the label 4AD with both CD and LP versions and there will be a European tour (US dates TBD I believe!) to coincide with the release.

Here are the dates:

February 28th - GRONINGEN, NL - Oosterpoort
29th - AMSTERDAM, NL - Paradiso
March 1st - EINDHOVEN, NL - Effenaar
2nd - ANTWERP, BE - Trix
4th - BRISTOL, UK - Academy
5th - MANCHESTER, UK - Academy
27th - DUBLIN, IE - Academy
8th - BELFAST, NI - Mandela Hall
9th - GLASGOW, UK - ABC
10th - LEEDS, UK - Cockpit
12th - BIRMINGHAM, UK - Library
13th - LONDON, UK - Shepherds Bush Empire
14th - COLOGNE, DE - Gloria

15th - HAMBURG, DE - Gruenspan
17th - COPENHAGEN, DK - Amager Bio
18th - BERLIN, DE - Columbia Club
19th - WARSAW, PL - Proxima
20th - PRAGUE, CZ - Lucerna Music Hall
22nd - VIENNA, AT - Arena
24th - BOLOGNA, IT - Estragon
25th - MILAN, IT - Alcatraz
27th - BILBAO, ES - Kafé Antzokia
28th - SANTIAGO, ES - Sala Capitol
30th - PORTO, PT - Hard Club
31st - LISBON, PT - TMN ao Vivo
April
1st - MADRID, ES - Sala Kapital2nd - BARCELONA, ES - Sala Bikini


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Single: The Melvins/The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - "Black Betty/Black Betty"



So maybe you weren't one of the few lucky ones to get ahold of this split before it sold out... or maybe you were one of the few lucky ones and you just want some MP3s.... or maybe you don't fit into either of the latter categories and don't know what you're doing here. In any case, here's The Melvins and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion doing their own renditions of the famously rocking track "Black Betty". You can thank me later by mailing me a copy.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Tour Dates: Scratch Acid 2011 US Tour Dates

Here are some confirmed Scratch Acid dates straight from the mouth (and by that I mean Facebook page) of David Yow. More dates are to be confirmed but for now this is looking pretty damn excellent. See you in Seattle!

"Look for Scratch Acid in your town in November or December!! There are more shows to be confirmed, but here is the existing schedule for the US dates:

Tuesday, November 1, 2011 – Atlanta, GA; Variety Playhouse
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 – Carrboro, NC; Cat’s Cradle
Friday, November 4, 2011 – Washington, DC; 9:30 Club
Saturday, November 5, 2011 – Philadelphia, PA; Union Transfer
Monday, November 7, 2011 – New York, NY; Webster Hall
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 – Boston, MA; Paradise
Thursday, November 10, 2011 – Montreal, MA; Il Motore
Friday, November 11, 2011 – Toronto, ON; Lee’s Palace
Saturday, November 12, 2011 – Chicago, IL; Cabaret Metro
Saturday, December 3, 2011 – Minehead, UK; All Tomorrow’s Parties
Thursday, December 8 – Dallas, TX; Trees
Friday, December 9 – Houston, TX; Fitzgerald’s
Saturday, December 10 – Austin, TX; Emo’s East
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA; El Rey Theatre
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 – San Francisco, CA; The Fillmore
Friday, December 16, 2011 – Portland, OR; Crystal Ballroom
Saturday, December 17, 2011 – Seattle, WA; Neuomos

**edited Sept 14/2011 to reflect newly announced dates**