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Come On In, 
The Staff: 
You Linked Me!
Chris Barrus
These sites are the best that you will find on the internet. You should visit them frequently. Early Influences/Frequent Visits
Big Dark Cloud Dot Com
These folks could have sued me at one time or another during this site's development. Reward them for not prosecuting me for "sampling" their source codes while I was trying to learn how to write my own. Actual google.com searches that resulted in visits to this site:
Xannex
The Worst Of James
May 2001
Miss an update? Can't get enough of my insightful commentary? Have no fear. I save everything I put up. Even the stupid stuff I wish I'd have deleted long ago. |
July 31 - FJ.Com Holiday! Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 28 - My new hero... More people need to do goofy stuff like this. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 27 - Some lessons learned... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 26 - Upon further review... It's really gonna suck when I finally break down and move. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 25 - Oops... Also updated My CD Collection. Completed my Roxx Gang collection. Also picked up the new David Lee Roth. It's radically different, but I actually dig it. I don't mind 'ol Diamond Dave doing swing, rockabilly, or even funk. For cryin' out loud, he's DAVID LEE ROTH. The man could put out a cd containing nothing but 45 minutes of snoring and still sound cooler than 90% of the other vocalists still recording. If you're waiting for "Eat 'Em & Smile" part 2, well, keep waiting. But I think it's a worthy effort. And since I'm on a KISS kick this week, I broke down and picked up yet another copy of an album I've bought probably 3 times in my life. But now I finally have it on cd and can listen to it in the car. Which means I'll be late for work much more often. Oh well. Being late on account of Kiss cds is probably more cool than being late on account of Hericane Alice tapes... Now that I don't even own a cassette player anymore, what am I gonna do? Also... is it wrong to own 53 albums by a band that's only released 35? On second thought, don't answer that... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 24 - Late night dementia My brain isn't the only thing that's scrambled. You should see my bookmark file. I've got about a million sites listed, and 95% of them I've only ever visited once. Here are a few pulled at random. I've no idea how I ever found them in the first place, much less why I bookmarked them and felt the need to remember them for further future analysis. I take no responsibility if the links don't work anymore - some of these bookmarks are rather old. http://www.zabaware.com/webhal/dubyabot.html. Chat with George W Bush. Pretty funny. Good night folks. I might have finally bored myself to sleep, re-reading some of my writings here... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 23 - Credit Where It's Due Of course, I'm talking about the new cd from the legendary, almighty...  Vanilla Ice Just kidding. Nice, huh? Y'know, maybe I'll actually review it sometime later. I mean, c'mon, how many other websites have the balls to ever admit that they bought a Vanilla Ice cd? Then again, I can't imagine myself actually listening to it and taking it seriously. Oh well. At least it was inexpensive, and it'll make a great gift. So don't piss me off... Oh yeah, the legendary, almighty stuff I was talking about earlier... KISS Symphony - Alive IV
Then there's the band. Of course, I miss Ace Frehley. But if we can't have Ace, Tommy Thayer is a more than suitable replacement. The first set, of live Kiss, is tight and focused. It actually sounds more inspired than they've sounded in years. I can see why the original version of Alive IV was shelved now. Next up is a short acoustic set with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. It was interesting to hear what was synthesized background in the 70s and 80s played by a full orchestra instead. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as...  The full-on electric show, with symphonic accompaniement. Wow. I'm speechless. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a live Kiss cd as much as this one. I can hardly contain myself - this cd is that good. It's a perfect Kiss show, with symphonic arrangements that manage to add new dimensions to the songs without overshadowing their basic appeal. You can bang your head, AND actually listen. Only one question remains... What should a good Kiss sheep like me order from the (you saw this coming, didn't you...) merchandise catalog included in the liner notes? Baaahhh...  Even if you're only a casual Kiss fan, you need to hear this cd. And even though I'll surely bitch and complain here about the inevitable re-release of it in 6 months with bonus songs (c'mon, would you expect anything else from me?), I can hardly wait for the dvd to hit shelves. Gene - all's forgiven. You're my hero again. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 22 - An FJ.com High Holy Day  In honor of the release of Kiss Symphony - Alive IV there will be no formal update. Please celebrate accordingly. The release of the cd that is, not the fact that I won't be babbling about anything arcane and/or trivial today... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 21 - Biting the hand... But, for them, I'd like to point out the obvious - retail sucks. For all of the (both valid and totally perceived) injustices we've suffered at the hands of this company, there really aren't too many better options. I've worked for enough companies to know that they're all pretty much the same. It's an industry problem, and it won't be settled by begging for some opportunistic lawyer to come in and save it. The way to beat it is to rise above it. It's much easier to make longterm money by either (a) working hard and getting a raise/promotion or (b) getting a better job. That's it. If you've been in retail for longer than a year, you know what you're getting into. It means very long hours, not a lot of money, *lots* of disrespect, and very little personal freedom. Deal with it. If you can't handle the negatives, then you're in the wrong line of work. There are enough positives (i've been told...) to outweigh the negatives at some point. Suing to make it better after you've left is completely asinine. According to the correspondence I've received from the attorneys, I'm owed a 5-figure settlement. Yeah right. Knowing how well the company values my service, I'm guessing they counter-offered 5 figures, but only if you include the pennies too. So by the time anything ever gets accomplished, there will be new loopholes to be exploited and legal delays to avoid the whole thing until every member of the class is either dead or relocated beyond being found. I'm not holding my breath. Hey, if they want to send me a check, I'll cash it, but I honestly think I'd be better off if I could find a way to market my talents in other ways, rather than counting on Corporate America to realize that I'm more than a "field expense" to be cut in the future. Anyone out there hiring? :-) Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 19 - Now available... And just so you know, not one penny goes to Metallica's Lars Ulrich. While doing laundry, I actually watched an episode of "America's Funniest Home Videos". It'd been a while. Now I remember why. They really ought to change the name of that show to "Taking One In The Nuts". Either that or "Fat People Falling Down". Oh well. It's still better than watching MTV. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 17 - Die with a T. So, motivated by my impending vacation, I decided to step up a few notches. I bought real actual vegetables. Snacks that don't have the word "chip", "frosted", "fried", or "flavor" anywhere on the label. Luckily I've always held in comtempt any drink that has "high fructose corn syrup" anywhere on the list of ingredients. It's been several years since I've intentionally drank any "regular" soda, and I still don't miss Cherry Coke too much. I don't know if it's more a case of willpower, or lack thereof. Regular sodas were dropped from my menu because I'll drink an entire case and not even think about it. At 150 calories/can, that adds up to an entire day's energy allocation before I even eat anything. I can swim in my Diet Coke (with a lime slice, please) and still only be looking at about 20 calories. I also finally made it back into the gym. It'd been a while since my last intense visit. It was strangely satisfying to see the pudgy folks there, walking the treadmills, sucking on their little Evian bottles like overfed yuppie hamsters. Though they were much more comforting than the Juice Guys, who probably wear those belts to hide the hypodermic needles. Between overhearing their neck-vein popping shouts of "Body For Life" and "C'mon, 2 more", I realized that no matter how much I might enjoy my exercise and my health, I will always prefer to remain trim and be able to reach behind and wipe my own ass. How some of those guys can manage to clean themselves after taking a fat-free, high protein dump is beyond me. Anyhow, I've just finished meal number 5 (though I don't know if nutrition shakes really count as a meal - though they do make a hell of a dessert with a scoop of ice cream in 'em...) and I've got to figure out how to prepare all of these green leafy vegetables before they rot. Or before I do. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 15 - I Hate People, part 758 In other news... There will be new t-shirts by the end of the week. Here's one of the images:  More to come... Totally unnecessary, I know, but still fun to make. I'm trying to decide which shirts to drop so I can make room for the new ones. It's your last chance to pick up some of the FJ.com swag before it gets discontinued and replaced with something different, so pick up something today. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 14 - This has GOT to be a bad sign... But I now own everything that Yngwie Malmsteen has ever released. Today, Yngwie. Tomorrow, Quiet Riot. Next week... The WORLD! I am SUCH a geek... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 13 - Indecision may or may not be my problem... Since the photo shop is in the mall, I had an abundance of choices to satiate my hunger. Walked past the pizza place. The burger place. The Chinese food place. The Greek place. The hot dog place. The pretzel place. The bakery. I had a headache from being undernourished and dehydrated, and I couldn't even bring myself to stop anywhere and buy something to eat. Ironically, I ended up at a place called Fresh CHOICE... They seemed very happy to see me. I've no idea why. Well, until I was about to leave. That's when I finally realized that I had just paid $11 for a salad and some bread. No wonder they were happy. Yup, better go back for more... But should I get sourdough or pumpernickel? Hmmm... What does all of this mean? Well, it means that the pics from Friday night's Soulmotor show have been posted on the In Concert page. It also means I'm adding some new products to the gift shop. Still working on a few ideas. Hopefully this week there will be all new t-shirts. You'll be able to order them online and everything. I'll be sure to make them overpriced and lacking in quality, so even you folks who don't get to go to too many concerts anymore won't miss out on the whole concert experience. Too bad I can't figure out a way to sell watered-down beer for readers... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 12 - Spiritual Octane So I went over to their website, and noticed that they've got it available now. You can go see the artwork (which is really remarkable), hear samples, and see a list of places that carry it via this link. If you're in the Sacramento area, it's available at several retailers. If not, you can get it online direct from them. I back these guys, so go check out the samples and show 'em some love. I'd really like to hear what they'd be capable of in a better studio. Bandleader Gary Durant is a badass guitar player, and they're all really cool guys. Let's wish 'em well! Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 11 - We interrupt this useless update... Driving home late last night. Popped a tire. Pulled over. Conveniently, it popped at the intersection of a particularly lousy neighborhood right off the freeway. Now I do know how to change a tire, and would normally just bitch and moan a bit, then get on with it. But I figured that since my car is still under "bumper to bumper" warranty, I'd go ahead and take advantage of the 24-hour free roadside assistance program. I call, they say they'll be there in an hour. Police helicopter flies overhead. It's shining the spotlight around, and at the freeway. Cool! Maybe I'll get to see a car chase live! No such luck. It aimed at the Costco about 200 yards away from me, and circled around and around. I was almost afraid that I'd see a burly criminal running through the parking lot, so I made sure to have my tire iron handy while I waited for the roadside assistance guy. I was told that my tires weren't covered under the warranty, so I told the roadside assistance guy to go ahead and double bill the dealership because it was so late and because they said they wouldn't replace the tire. I hope he obliged. I just hope it cost them more than the $130 it just cost me to replace the tire... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 10 - A mind is a terrible thing to waste...
Woof. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 9 - Whoa! A real update! So all of you folks really need to subsidize me and buy more crap from my gift shop. If you don't, this page will continue to suck. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 8 - Happy Birthday Bro!  And yes, I do own more than one friggin' shirt. I just happen to use a lot of photos from that day... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 6 - Because it's there... 1) "Dude, you're nuts."
Although I could generally care less what other people think, I'm actually gonna try to convince you that this idea isn't as crazy as it sounds. First, a geography lesson:  The Commonwealth of the Bahamas are an archipelago nation of some 2700 islands, cays, and coral reefs. Most of the population is concentrated on the islands of New Providence (upon which Nassau, the capital, is found) and Grand Bahama. A sprinkling of other islands (called "Out" or "Family" Islands) also hold residential populations. The vast majority of the islands are totally uninhabited. The Bahamas gained independence from Britain in 1973, and have positioned themselves as the most politically stable, peaceful, and low-crime beacon of democracy of the Caribbean islands. I'm interested in living on the island of Eleuthera.  Eleuthera is about an hour East of Miami, Florida, by small airplane. It runs approximately 110 miles, with an average width of 2 miles. Since the elevation of the island towards the center is much higher than at the coast, that means most houses there have either views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, or both. There is only one major road, which runs from end to end. Approximately 11,000 people call this island home, and primarily work in the industries of tourism or farming. The pink sand beaches, shallow clear waters, and moderate tropical climate are regionally famous, but still largely undiscovered by most people. (Most folks who tour the Bahamas visit the more populated islands). Now, anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I prefer coastal living to inland. I also prefer warm weather to cold. I like quiet neighborhoods far more than big boisterous cities. I'm perfectly happy far away from the vast majority of people, with the exception of familiar friends and family. I detest crime and criminal behavior, and have come to find out that not only do the policemen on Eleuthera NOT carry guns, many of the hotels and houses don't have locks on the doors. There's just no need, because aside from the occasional petty theft, there isn't any crime. Essentially, it kinda sounds like Mayberry, but in the tropics. I've been doing a lot of research, and hope to buy a plot of land there in the very near future. I plan to hold it until I save up enough money to build a house. Then I can use it as a vacation home when I want to get away, and rent/timeshare it out the rest of the year, until I can figure out a way to live there full time. It'd have to be either for retirement, or at a point when I can make a living doing something non-traditional (like writing for a really crappy 80s metal-themed website...) There really aren't many opportunites for professional advancement. But then again, I'd be moving there to surf, grow fruit, and enjoy myself. Not to work. See, it's not a totally crazy idea. I just dream big. But not so big as to be completely unattainable. Now, go check out some of these sites run by folks who live in the Bahamas: See you there... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 5 - Mixed Emotions... On the other hand, those guys wanted $99/ticket. Plus, it's just a repeat of a show I saw last summer. None of them even have a new album to promote. And frankly, I wasn't really keen on having to drop $300 (including renting a room) to see them again. I could spend that money on something much more responsible. Like KISS tickets... Front section seats for that show are going for $1000. I really should've paid more attention in school, or married someone with a lot of money... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 4 - Happy 4th! Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 3 - Hmmm... Disposable-camera coffee table book? The webmaster/host of the site wrote and asked if she could use some of the pics. Of course, I didn't mind at all. But I was pretty surprised because most of the commentary I've had on FP has been kinda negative lately. Rest assured, my criticisms were really only directed at the singer and the idiot tool of a bass player FP has recruited. Weird to think that my silly little hobby, which is the lowest of low-tech, could be used for something impressive. Go check out http://www.brentmuscat.net and see which pics of mine you can spot in the mix... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 2 - More celebrity email! You'll never believe this... This was a record TRULY ahead of it's time... I proudly present the finest band to ever come from Pittsburgh, PA and record an album in 1985, produced by Richard Piatt... It's...  AXTION's "Look Out For the Night" How cool is that? I've been acknowedged by *2* people who were once affiliated with the Darren Lazzari-led metal juggernaut, AXTION. Maybe one day Darren himself will grace us with an appearance. Then I can put all of these folks back in touch with each other, leading to the inevitable reunion tour. The possibilities are limitless... Maybe little 'ol me could conceivably be the one to create the spark that brought the creative fires of AXTION back to life! You can thank me later. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop July 1 - Another modest proposal... But the rest of us knew it was all an act. C'mon. Did *anyone* really believe the whole I-drink-blood-from-a-skull act? Fer cryin' out loud, the guy threw raw meat at the crowd as a gimmick. These days, someone would probably sue him for exposing them to e-coli or mad cow disease. Then I got to thinking about rap music of today. Can anyone even count the number of f-bombs dropped per song? The lyrics are MUCH more reprehensible than the ones I listened to. But I could care less about that. Good parenting overcomes bad music 10 times out of 10. What trips me out is that the kids today really believe the rappers are criminal badasses, and look up to 'em for it. That's a dangerous precedent. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not out for any kind of censorship. I don't want to infringe on anyone's right to speak their mind, and believe that folks should be able to say what they want and let the rest of us decide whether or not we'd like to listen. But I'd like to see a few things happen. First, everyone needs to know how comical the idea of a multimillionaire rapper living on Star Island in Miami Beach going out in a lowrider to bounce through Liberty City, smacking ho's and popping his gat. Sorry. It isn't real. Eminem has never shot anybody. Ice Cube has never walked the streets in search of policemen to beat up. To prove this point, I propose that rappers who claim to commit crimes on record actually be charged with them. How many unsolved murders happen every year? Perhaps we could prove a point and hold Eminem personally responsible for the death of Laci Peterson. If memory serves, she was allegedly killed, stuffed into a trunk, and dumped into the water. Didn't Eminem's first record depict such a scene on the cover? Let's put him on trial. This would serve two purposes - it would keep these guys in court all year long, and less likely to record totally ridiculous claims of violence and criminal behavior. They'd be stuck dealing with attorneys all the time. And if they started rapping about popping attorneys, and those stories could actually be corroborated... well, at least most of us could consider that a public service. Then maybe one day, kids could look at Ja Rule the same way I used to look at KISS. Great entertainment, but essentially, just an excuse to get out of the house for a night, and not something upon which to form my views of the world. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop |
Caution - No Lifeguard On Duty Summer Vacation
Surf Info
Required Listening
KXOA.com - Sacramento's Hard Rock
Go see the above bands in concert often. Buy multiple copies of their cds. Join the mailing lists. Patronize the above clubs and tip your bartender generously. Especially at the Roadhouse. And listen to Chicks Who Rock on Saturdays from 8 to midnight on 93.7 KXOA right here in SACRAMENTO! |
I actually felt like a kid again. I opened up the liner notes, popped in the cd,
and was excited. I was skeptical about how Kiss Symphony would turn out, and figured that Kiss now finding themselves on a
much smaller label would have a negative effect on everything about the production. Boy, was I wrong. The cd sounds incredible. The
artwork is amazing. I found myself poring over the liner notes while listening to the cd, something I rarely do anymore.
The visual appeal of the cd is stronger than anything they've done since the coffee table book, Kisstory. 
The "Hey MTV" tank tops are now available in the 