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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. |
June 30 - Counting Down Oh yeah... Updated My CD Collection too. There. Now you can't say I never update anymore. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 29 - This shouldn't be fun.  What little time I've had for free use in front of the computer has been used for far less constructive purposes than updating the site. I have a feeling that this is not healthy. Forget the "goals" of the game. With my sociopathic tendencies of late, running over tourists and stealing their money is almost as entertaining as finding a hiding place and seeing how many random people I can waste before the cops send in attack helicopters... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 25 - Banana Republican? The thought of owning a beachfront home site for under $30k and building a house for less than $50/square foot is very appealing... And the thought of living in another country isn't too intimidating. Well, as long it's an easily-accessible one. Baja California, Mexico and Eleuthera in the Bahamas both qualify. Recreationally speaking, all I really need to keep busy is warm weather, water, and something to eat. Add a golf course and satellite tv and I'm in heaven. And essentially, as long as there's a place I could get a pizza or a cheeseburger I'd feel at home. Wonder if I could still pick up FSU football games there, too? Plus, the possiblity of armed rebels wreaking havoc at the drop of a hat would keep the place interesting and relieve the tedium of near-isolation... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 24 - Sleep and other disorders On the one hand, what I really need is a break. On the other, I can't really justify taking one when there's so much to do. I'm normally a pretty mellow guy and have the ability to take things in stride. But I've been much more snappy lately. It's all relevant (and in some cases overdue) commentary, but it pisses me off that lately I can't seem to overlook the little things that don't amount to a hill of beans in the grand scheme of life. Small setbacks of late have just really upset me, and then I just torpedo everything else before I have the chance to fix it. I did play soccer on Saturday. I even played rather well, especially considering that I really shouldn't have played at all. But I actually contributed, and the team won. Of course, I managed to ruin most of the progress that my injured knee had made, and I'm hurting. So I'm taking myself off the roster, at least until the end of the season. Longer if I have to. Then it dawned on me again... I've given up almost every little hobby I've ever had over the years. Really, besides this stupid website, the only thing I have left in my life that isn't work (even the time I spend on the site is work) is soccer. And now I have to give that up too? My friends all thought I was nuts to try and go play. But they've all got other things in their lives - be it families, hobbies, or even yardwork. All I've got is work. That's not how I define myself, even though I'm at the age where I really should in order to get ahead more quickly. I'm single, no commitments to anything but myself. The only thing that SHOULD be important to me is a giant albatross, preventing me from enjoying what I SHOULDN'T be doing. Lots of contradictions lately... Oh well. At least my latest life freak-out is occurring at the end of the month, which means it'll be archived and forgotten quickly... Maybe that's the problem. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 23 - When will Clapton rip me off?. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 22 - Finally! Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 21 - An Unquiet Riot... But to answer your question... No. Of COURSE I'm not gonna complain about the tons of money I made over the weekend. I'm just disappointed that PEOPLE had to carry it in. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 19 - Lessons Learned Some of the Pretty Boy Floyd shots came out, some didn't. Enuff Z'Nuff only got a few that were post-able. Same with Faster Pussycat. But hey, it's not like I'm a pro. Hell, it's not like I even claim to be any good. It's just fun, and a moment in time I was lucky enough to witness and share with a handful of folks who might still be interested. With that in mind, I direct you to my In Concert gallery, featuring shots from opening night on Metal Sludge's Extravaganza Tour at The Roadhouse in Sacramento... Now some of you might be wondering what I thought of the whole thing... Even if you aren't, I'm gonna tell you. Let me preface it by saying that you SHOULD go if you get the chance. The whole of the show is definitely more valuable than the sum of it's parts. I had a great time, and enjoyed the evening very much. And I imagine it'll only get better as it rolls along. I'd love to see it again. But you don't care about that. Right now, you only want to hear me slam the parts that need to be slammed... And I won't disappoint.
Now... Every rose has it's thorn.
They didn't even go on until about 12:40. This isn't a Guns N Roses show. There's no need to act like a prima donna. The reasons allegedly being... Sometime before their set, singer Taime Downe was smoking in the club. There's a law here in California that says you can't do that. A security guard enforced it. Taime decided that he wasn't going to do the show. Things got a little ugly, and the promoter had to practically beg Taime to come out and do the set. For it to happen, he had to send the big bad security guard packing. Taime - get over yourself and stop acting like a whiny fucking crybaby. The world does not revolve around you. What makes you think you're somehow entitled to act like that? You're a DJ in a club when you're not out forgetting lyrics and dressing up like a Nazi. You should know the law. And just because you don't like it you decide to screw the FANS? Did you think that by pulling out of the show you'd be accomplishing something? I got news for you - we paid to see you. Without the fans who paid just for the privilege of standing in the same room as you, you'd be out turning tricks for beer money. Not to mention, security was pretty important to you when folks tried to bring in video cameras and tape your performance. You can't have it both ways - either let anarchy reign supreme or shut the fuck up and follow the rules. Of course, since Taime appeared to be in a sour mood, it reflected in their performance. Only lead guitarist Brent Muscat seemed to be enjoying himself on stage. Danny, the bass player, was so screwed up he could barely stand. He pulled an encore of the last time they played this club, and asked the crowd if anyone had any drugs. "Even just a joint". Am I supposed to be impressed that he's some kind of rock-star bad boy? What an asshole. Pics didn't turn out very good because they insisted on having their smoke machine on for the entire set. No light show. Not even any spotlights. It just looked like a wall of fog with two flashing streetlights on the floor. Not a lot of photo opportunites. And I wasn't even interested in sticking around and meeting them. To tell the truth, I don't know why I keep giving these guys a chance. I've seen 'em every year for the last several years, and they just can't get it together. Despite the venom of the above paragraphs, I still consider myself a fan. I honestly hope they get their shit together, invest their effort into practicing and writing, and make another killer cd. Despite his eccentricities, Taime's a very gifted writer and frontman. He's always done a good job of remaining in the spotlight and keeping musically active. Hell, I've seen 'em a bunch of times so they get credit for continually going out and playing. In all likelihood, I haven't heard the last of these guys. I'll just have to get back to you later on whether or not that's a good thing. GRADE - D Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 18 - Sneak Preview... 
 Pretty Boy Floyd at the Roadhouse, opening the Metal Sludge Extravaganza YES, there will be more pics posted as soon as I get home from work. I gotta earn a living - developing these rolls of film isn't cheap, y'know! There'll also be a little bit of local music news, as well. Stick around. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 17 - Feeling the Burn But to answer those of you who wrote in (one of whom was actually my mother, by the way...) YES, I did go to a doctor. In fact, I went right to the emergency room immediately after it happened. The manager of the team actually called 911 when I described what I'd done, and wanted me to go by ambulance. I refused. (Even when writhing in pain on the ground and near tears, I'm still cheap and mentally aware of the fact that health insurance providers generally don't cover ambulance rides... Still waiting to see if they cover knee braces and crutches...)
Speaking of old school... I got this email:
 So I told him that I collect all of that old stuff, and actually did dig the record. I asked him which one he knew, and whatever happened to them... here was his answer:
 So once again, I am a huge 80s metal geek. I do own the record, and even included a shot of the band lineup on the liner notes. That was kinda fun digging for it... Maybe I'll have to do an "Obscure Record of The Week" feature. If anyone else owns one of my selected records too, they can write in and we'll all be pathetic together. By the way, if the guy who wrote in is still reading... Dude, pass this link along to Darren! Tell him he can join the likes of Bruno Ravel from Danger Danger, Billy Nychay from Diamond Rexx, and Bill Altman from Crystal Zoo if he just says hello. That'll totally tide me over until someone from Dirty Blonde or London finds the site next... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 16 - Big surprise. But for now, I'll say something that I never thought I'd say. In fact, this may be the first time EVER in recorded history that the following words have been used in this sequence: Pretty Boy Floyd kicked ass. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 13 - Beneath the Radar... Enuff Z'Nuff. I remember the video for "Fly High Michelle" back in '89 or so, and thought the song sucked. I also thought the band name was stupid, so I filed them into the "No Thanks" category, and proceeded to follow almost everyone else instead. But they had a song on this cd ("New Thing", their other single from that cd that I ignored), and for some reason I didn't skip over it. It was incredible. Then I dug out a cd of theirs I accidentally bought on a whim. It too was incredible. So I went and picked up a few more. ALL, very good cds. I totally missed out on these guys because of one lousy video almost 15 years ago. Now, I don't know how these guys didn't make it. They're much better songwriters than most of the other bands that would have been their competition. Musically, they're quite talented. They even nail those soaring vocal harmonies that most rock bands completely ignore. But you all probably already knew that. Well, I'm not gonna miss out anymore. Even though I'm about a decade late, I've still got tickets to see them play on Saturday. Guess I should also mention that the Metal Sludge Tour kicks off RIGHT HERE in Sacramento on Saturday the 14th at The Roadhouse. Sandwiched between Pretty Boy Floyd and Faster Pussycat is... Enuff Z'Nuff. Gee, what a coincidence... But dammit... Now I've gotta go buy their entire discography, which is actually quite extensive. Sometimes being an obsessive completist is a real pain in the ass. Oh well. At least I've got a Sludge shirt... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 12 - Wow! And because I'm an idiot, I had to pick up a few more KISS books. Doing that write-up a few days ago inspired me to pick up a few that I'd missed. That brings my KISS book collection to, well, a lot. After I read them (if you're lucky), maybe I'll review them too. Or maybe I'll go get some ribs instead and sit here totally high on pork fat and BBQ sauce. Oh yeah... This Update Is Brought To You By:  Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q I practically lived there when I called the South home. Well, actually, I *still* call the South home, but that's another story... I used to go on all-you-can-eat chicken night, all-you-can-eat baby back ribs night, and as often as possible for pulled pork sandwiches. This place is legendary. They've got a few different varieties of BBQ sauce, but my personal favorite has always been the sweet and smoky variety. It's so good you could just spread it on toast and be happy. But if you slow-cook some ribs over a low-heat, smoky fire, and slap some of this stuff on 'em during the last half hour of cooking, you will never need to go to church again. Sonny's - Now THIS is religion. Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 11 - Uncle Ted...  A letter sent to me by the Republican party of California petitioning for the recall of (incompetent) Democratic governer Gray Davis. When I showed Ted the letter, he not only signed it with a huge smile and a hearty handshake, but it inspired a neck-vein popping tirade that lasted for several minutes after I left the line to meet him. I wish I could have taped some of the things he had to say. Let's just say that the $38 billion deficit in California's budget and recent legislation proposing taxes at the county and city levels to help close it didn't go unnoticed. Ted even mentioned running for office. I am SOOOOO looking forward to the gubernatorial debates in Michigan if it happens... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 10 - Heavy Metal Book Review... Disclaimer - I'm still a fan, and will still line up for tickets when they go on sale in my town. Regardless of what any of the following authors (including those in the band) say I've formed my own opinion of Kiss and you should too. (And for the record, mine's still generally favorable.) Take everything here with a grain of salt, the same way that I take anything these authors (and band members) say.  KISSTORY. The granddaddy of 'em all. I paid for this one before it had even been printed. It cost $158.95, and was autographed by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer, and Bruce Kulick. It took, um, "Forever" to receive it. In fact, by the time mine finally arrived, the full reunion was being planned and I missed out on having my copy autographed by Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Oh well. I've gotta give credit - it's an awesome book. It's overwhelmingly visual, so much in fact that the story and timeline is difficult to follow without being distracted by the incredible pictures. You try to read, but find yourself completely mesmerized by the graphics that you'll just skim through it a hundred times before you ever finish reading it. Out of all of the non-musical KISS Krap I've accumulated over the years, this is by far the best.  Kiss & Tell. A slam book. While kind of funny to read, it's essentially an exercise in making Ace Frehley look like the biggest fuckup to walk the planet. Tales of drug abuse, racism, ripping off fans, lying to wives/girlfriends (simultaneously), wasting boatloads of money, and dressing up in Nazi regalia to "invade" Gene's room during a "liason" are the "highlights". Imagine the National Enquirer written on a bathroom wall, and you've got a pretty good idea of the tone of this one.  Kiss & Sell. Also a slam book, but much more articulate, mature, and informative. It essentially chronicles the financial details of Kiss from their height of popularity to their financial low in the late 80s/early 90s. It's interesting to a longtime fan like me, who actually saw a lot of these events transpire. It also made me much more cynical when I hear promises of "doing it for the fans", because as this book points out, a lot of those "for the fans" decisions were made in marketing rooms after extensive research on how to best exploit them for money. The triple-bill tours of the late 80s, packaged as "bonuses for the fans"? Done because Kiss (allegedly) couldn't fill arenas on their own anymore, and had to take out up-n-comers and call in favors with the hope that these bands could draw fans that would stick around for Kiss. Those sold-out concerts? Done with half of the arena blocked off from public access. There were some hare-brained schemes and some brilliant decisions - but you'll have to decide for yourself which ones were which.  Sex Money Kiss. Yeah Yeah Yeah. I talked about this one last month. But I also bought the audio version, which came packaged in a Kiss lunchbox. Shit. It just dawned on me. I've got a Kiss lunchbox now. Good Lord, I need professional help...  Kiss and Make-Up. Gene's first book. This was a very interesting read. It seemed much more personal and sincere than some of his recent writings, and I suspect the sentiments (both positive and negative) were more genuine. It was essentially a life memoir. And though even then unapologetic for his wandering eye and tendency to grub money, he was much less brazen about it in this book. Recommended for Kiss fans of all levels, and for those who can appreciate the sacrifices, lessons, and rewards a "poor immigrant boy" encounters in a strange new world.  Black Diamond. Honestly, I only bought this for the cd-interview with the late Eric Carr. Though well-written, there wasn't much in there I didn't already know (or suspect). I really did enjoy the attention paid to Eric Carr, who I always felt never really got his due.  Kiss Alive Forever. Unauthorized, but absolutely awesome for a total Kiss geek like me. It's got setlists, notes, dates, and attendance statistics for every single Kiss concert up to the point of the book. Just going through and finding the shows that I saw, then seeing the setlists and behind-the-scenes stuff was amazing. There are a ton of pictures, too. Heavy Metal Book Review might just have to become a feature around here... That was kind of fun to do... Email : : Post a Comment: : Gift Shop June 9 - Hey, Remember Me? Speaking of sloppy and steaming... Picked up the new Metallica cd. What a total waste of plastic. I don't think I've ever heard a worse album. And coming from me, that's saying a lot. I'm all for artistic growth, and can even accept it when the artists grow in different directions than what I want to hear from them. For example... Aerosmith. The last record they made that totally blew me away was Pump. But I believe that Steven Tyler and Joe Perry honestly think that they're writing the best material of their lives right now. In that regard, I can respect them. But Metallica's "St. Anger" is a contrived effort to sound modern. It's got self-pitying, introspective lyrics, absolutely wretched production, and no guitar solos anywhere. What's the point? To impress the kids who think Korn is brilliant? Or to thwart piracy? Trust me - don't even steal this one. It's not even worth waiting for it to download.
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! |
Oh well... At least some cd's I'd ordered last week showed up. That was a pleasant
surprise. Just added them to