Thursday, October 25, 2007

How I Deal With Loss...

So I didn't exactly have the best day yesterday with the loss of my year old flip flops, which were worn down to nothing in certain areas. Some would argue that is no loss, but really it is. Now I have to venture out into the world with thick heavy new flip flops. At least I can take solace in the fact that they will be worn in soon.

I also lost my myspace page for the second time in three weeks. That was a crushing blow to the not an Airplane world, as I really had just gotten over the last deletion. But in reality it has done nothing but open my eyes to the pointless-ness of myspace. Or moreso, the ability for it to just disappear in minutes...and how to prevent that from making me feel like I am completely starting over (mailing lists, etc.) - but I wont sit here and discuss my strategies and boring music talk.

But what I will do is tell you all (or rather show you) how I cope with my losses, as the pictures below are of my newly purchased 1969 Gibson Barney Kessel original;




















Now I realize my losses are pretty trivial compared to this monumental purchase. As a matter of fact my recent 'losses' are trivial to just about anything. They really mean nothing.

But this guitar is something.

When I found it online at Gruhn Guitars, I knew I had to have it. There are obviously other influences at work here as well (see picture below);

But lastly, I of course wanted to upstage Sparky who had recently blogged about spending some money on his passion of sharing a sleeping bag with Nate. I am not at liberty to discuss how much I just spent on this guitar, but I can honestly say its the most money Ive ever spent at one time on anything.

Monday, October 22, 2007

So on and So Forth...

I have to admit, a lot of the reason why I am writing is because Sparky has been riding my coattails about keeping my blog up to date lately. Maybe he really wants to know whats going on in my life, or maybe he just needs a cure for boredom in the same way that I do when I seek out my friends blog posts.

Mostly though, I feel like I NEED to write.

I have been going through a painstaking period of writers block, and it honestly has been driving me mad. Spilling my guts in non-song form could have no results whatsoever either, but at least it gets the mind going, and acquaints me with my old friend - words.

I could blame my job for the lack of creativity lately, but honestly I know thats not the bulk of it. I mean sure, it takes up at least 8 hours of my day, but even when I am working I find it very easy to reflect on things in my quiet cubicle with my ear-buds in listening to 'Crane Wife' or whatever my flavor of the month might be. I mean really I just have been bombarded lately, and dont even have time to be considered an insomniac. Not that I'm not sleeping. Believe me, when my head finds its way to a pillow, it stays there for as long as it can.

I guess I can't even really say I'm not being creative. Most of my time I am teaching myself how to not entirely suck at playing electric guitar, which is an amazingly different beast then that pretty little Martin Acoustic I have come to know so well. I am also taking apart songs I've written in the past few months and seeing how I can maybe shape them from acoustic folk songs to in your face rock songs with thirty minute drum solos for Dwights listening pleasure. And of course, this all stems from the fact that I have formed a new band (currently a three piece) and have been working with them on shaping some new material and getting ready for an upcoming gig.

I am learning a lot about myself, my musical abilities, the music industry, and really everything I can. I have made countless friends, and a few incredible close friends, almost to the point of brothers. I have been sharing what I've learned with people, and I have been given countless amounts of great advice from others.

Things are changing and re-defining themselves every week. Its hard to keep up, but I have to say 2008 is going to be a good year. A hard year. But a good year.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

U.F.O.'s at the Zoo

Back when I was playing only cover songs in New York my good pal Dwight suggested to me that I should check out the song 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' by the Flaming Lips, and that I would enjoy it. Of course I had heard about the Flaming Lips from their brief success with the song 'She Don't Use Jelly', but I never knew what I was getting into when I picked up my copy of 'Yoshimi...' the album.
I was working the day I bought it and brought the album into the lab with me where there was a CD boombox I could play it on. I was blown away not only by the suggested title track, but the album as a whole. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots has easily become the one song I have probably played the most in my life since that moment.
This album in itself was genius, and on top of that, the Lips incorporated a 5.1 surround sound DVD audio disc which just added to the experience. And I asked myself...who are these Lips that are Flaming?
Only weeks later (if that) I found myself perusing a record store and found a copy of the Lips' album 'Zaireeka'. I have only listened to this album fully about twice in my entire career of owning it, because it requires four CD players to do so. Each CD contains certain instrumentation and when all played together, it forms one hell of a listening experience. Not only that but it really provides the opportunity to make each time you listen to it completely different. And this was released ten years ago.
Since then the more I hear and learn about the Flaming Lips, the more I realize how innovative and incredible they are, as they are constantly trying to make each musical experience better then the last. Even my friend George (who is an avid attendee of concerts) has claimed to me that the Flaming Lips are one of (if not the) best live act to see today.
Which is what this DVD intends to prove to me. I haven't even watched it yet, but here is what it has to offer.
I am listening to the mp3 files that you can download from the DVD as I type this for one. On top of that, I can download the booklet digitally, create ringtones of about ten Flaming Lips tracks, RE-MIX my own version of 'The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song' using existing arrangements, and even download buddy icons and desktop wallpaper. All this contained on an MVI (Music Video Interactive) DVD, and I haven't even checked out some of the other miscellaneous features.
Needless to say, the Flaming Lips have done it again.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

The Bourne Ultimatum

What I expected from this movie - At least one really cool fist fight scene, a lot of action (specifically defined by the question 'Where the hell is Bourne?!'), and very little to no story that was any different then the Bourne Supremacy.
What I got from this movie...exactly that.
Dont get me wrong, I was entertained, but for some reason I just didnt care about what happened to Jason Bourne anymore. Maybe it was me, or maybe it was the movie, its hard to say.
I let out a sigh of relief when they managed to avoid the love story between him and Nicky Parsons for at least one more movie, but I winced in pain at the rooftop confrontation scene between Bourne and the Asset (but I can't wait for the spin-off movies starring Edgar Ramirez as he searches for his past - note sarcasm).

Does what Bourne finds out about his past make the movie any more exciting? No. Do we even find out everything? Of course not.

Im sure the fourth movie will tell us all about how Bourne volunteered for this project because of one reason - Nicky Parsons...

Monday, August 06, 2007

The Simpsons

So what is there to say about a movie that I have been waiting for for 10 years or more, that not only met my expectations, but exceeded them? Where can I go from there?

I guess my biggest fear was the movie being a 'longer episode', but this was certainly not the case. This movie had all the charm and pizzazz of the Simpsons I have come to love, but with a big screen summer blockbuster attitude. The animation, the music, the story, it was all pure movie material. I should have known Matt Groening would not have let me down.
This movie had everything whether you have been watching the Simpsons for the last 18 years or not. On top of that it contained things like a Stampy cameo, Nelson's inability to resist laughing at someone's misfortune, and - most noteably - the final jumping of Springfield Gorge to give us Simpson's fanatics our little inside humor (despite most of it being from within the first 5-10 seasons).
The Simpsons is going as strong as ever and its great to see the Movie is right there in the front of the pack. I may be biased, but I dare you to go to this movie and not have a great time.
It may not be the best movie ever, but it's certainly one of the best this year, and one of the most consistent comedies I have seen in a long time. It is definitely the best Simpson's Movie...
The best Simpson's Movie so far...

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

The Simpsons, Seattle, Sentimentality, and Some Alliteration.

What a great weekend.

I flew into Seattle late thursday night, and after an affordable limousine drive to my pal Sparky's new place, where he lives with none-other then Nate the Great, I found myself with a beer in hand engaged in conversation with the both of them as I unsuccessfully tried to output my computer to Sparky's recently purchased used TV. I eventually gave up after dragging Sparky's computer into the living room and finally deciding that I would be watching Simpson's reruns on my laptop all weekend.

Early the next morning we headed out so Sparky could visit the Post Office, which then lead to us heading down to Pike's Place to get freshly made donuts. It was there that I bought three dozen of the best donuts I had ever tasted. Since I now had Donuts, and a fridge stocked with Buzz Cola at home, I did what anyone would do - watched 10 consecutive hours of the Simpsons while ingesting said objects. I then recieved a phone call and decided some fresh air would do some good, so I walked down to meet Dwight and McMahon at a bar near SafeCo Stadium to await Sparky and Nate getting off of work. A few hours and even more drinks later, and we were all back in Sparky's living room falling asleep to Simpson's episodes with Pizza in our belly's.

Neil arrived that night at around three a.m. I was the only one still awake (by which I mean awakened by Neil's call to my cell phone), so I let him in the building and we preceded to watch a few more episodes until we both passed out.

Then came Saturday - the big day (I know friday was technically the big day, or even Thursday night could be classified as that - but as you can tell from previous sentences, we had to wait for everyone to arrive, plus Sparky and Nate had to work Friday night and Saturday). The day started off with a walk to SafeCo stadium to meet Sparky who had game tickets for all of us. We hung out at the game (I don't even think I watched one play), drank free beer, and ate some deliciously free food, then we made the tiring walk back up the hill to Sparky's place.

It was at this point where we all pretty much napped in a big pile in the living room while the Simpson's reruns played for the few who were awake from time to time. We had tickets for a showing around eight-thirty p.m. and I was growing anxious - but eventually the time came.

The movie was great. I will be posting my detailed review soon (seperate from this story post).

So not only was the weekend, and my life completed that night around ten-thirty p.m., we managed to stumble across a FREE Spoon concert on Capitol Hill while looking for a bar called Cha-Cha's. I didn't get to catch much but it was just the icing on the cake. So after I caught the end of Spoon's performance, we made our way to Cha-Cha's where we all met up, made some new friends, drank more beer, and enjoyed delicious street vendor hot dogs on our way home. And the weekend wasn't even over yet.

Sunday a few of us (Sparky and Nate had to work, and Dwight and McMahon had flights to catch) took the ferry over to Bainbridge Island where we got lunch and hung out before Neil had to take off back to his home. We talked of work, and life, and even read an uneducated Simpsons review from some botard in Arizona who gave it two-stars.

Then that night Sparky and Nate took us out to the main Ivar's (the restaurant where they work inside SafeCo Stadium) out on the Pier. We enjoyed a big dinner with Sparky's monthly food allowance. It was delicious. Then we again made the tiring walk back to Sparky's place while discussing things like Sparky's plans for charity work and all sorts of great things he is doing in Seattle to help out the beloved Mastatal Ranch, as well as plans to help out bigger and better charities and such. It is cool to see him using every resource he can to make a job of necessity into a job of passion and one where he can continue helping others.

That night I tried watching 'Ghost Rider' after everyone was asleep - but I fell asleep about forty five minutes through, and from what I saw it was one of the worst movies I'd ever even tried to watch.

Then early the next morning I got to hang out with Sparky as we walked back to SafeCo field, then to Ivar's on the Pier, then back to his place. Then we walked back towards SafeCo with Nate for lunch and then they were off to work, and I was off to see the Simpson's movie again. Which was still great. Although I missed Neil's boisterous laughter, I did not miss all the annoying people laughing and screaming during on-going jokes, and I even got to catch some stuff I didn't catch in the first viewing.

Then it was back to the airport to await my flight (which was delayed a couple hours), and finally back to California, and back to the good ole world of working...eww.

I want to go see the Simpson's movie.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Meaning of Life...

So the time has come. To pack my bags and journey to Seattle for what will be the biggest moment of my life so far. Sure I've had little brothers, and little sisters born, nieces, and a nephew. I've fallen in and out of love, and yes I've even seen a bear in real life. But all is moot when it comes to the release of the Simpsons feature film coming to theatres next weekend.
All of my friends and I (the only ones missing will be George and Kearney - cause Dwight is going to come - right Dwight?!) are meeting in Seattle for this glorious day as I mentioned above. Seattle is the current habitat of Sparky, and he was unable to get off of work that weekend, so we all planned accordingly.
I have already claimed a seat next to Neil, which will ensure to increase the hilarity of the movie by at least 10% with his giddy laughter. I have been quoted as saying 'when Neil laughs, the world laughs with him'.
So why is it such a big deal? Because the Simpsons has shaped our lives and is responsible for our friendship (particularly Neil and myself). I remember the day Neil went off to college in Baltimore and the only thing he left behind was his collection of nine VHS tapes full of Simpsons episodes...Which I used to pass the time since all of my friends had gone off to school and I was still living with my parents attending community college. It was then that I continued and catalogued the collection (which is now twenty-five tapes and includes futurama episodes) until the DVDs started being officially released.
More recently than that, Neil was on his first tour in Iraq, and to help him forget that insurgents were trying to kill him, I (with the help of one of my co-workers, Nancy) was able to burn new episodes onto DVDs and mail them so he could watch them in his tank (or so I assume). It was the only thing better then recieving large quantities of Pringles.
So not only has the Simpsons been a huge part of my life, but it has probably been the most pinnacle part, considering my entire life's education really comes from those twenty-two glorious minutes of entertainment. I have had entire conversations using only quotes from the show, I have trampled many opponents in Simpsons trivia games and now thanks to 7-Eleven's brilliant promotional scheming, I can enjoy Squishees, Krusty-O's and Buzz Cola.
So for me, this marks the end all - be all of existence. I don't know whats going to happen after I see the movie, other then the fact that I will go see it again and again and again...

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Transformers

More then meets the eye?
Well, I'm not exactly a Transformers expert, and really I wouldn't even consider myself to be a Transformer LOVER persay - more of just a fan...its Nostalgia at best. Just like this movie is entertaining AT BEST...
The effects and action certainly do not make up for the lack of character development and numerous cheesy moments - and whats the deal with the Chevy commercial popping out in the middle of the movie. I just can't wait to go out and buy a new Camaro, I mean Mustang...Oh wait...
If Shia Lebouf didn't remind me so much of my brother Bob at moments I would have been cheering for the Decepticons. Not even John Torturro could make you care about a character in this movie.
My biggest complaint is when movies create these computer generated characters and make them all cartoony personality wise. This wasn't that present in this movie, except with the miniature decepticons - that guy was annoying.
But its all good. I mean think about it...did I expect it to be the best movie ever? Of course not, but it certainly had potential. I wouldn't put it in the Spiderman 3 category, but I certainly wouldn't go see it again. You know - its got a Pirates of the Carribean 3 'lets get married on the deck during a battle' feel to it. Its just one of those movies that had just a couple cool moments, and the rest of the time, you were waiting for another cool moment to appear (it rarely ever did), and you often found yourself wincing in pain at the amount of cheesy moments in between. Even the obvious build-up for the sequel was TOO obvious.
On that note - spend your money on 'Live Free Or Die Hard': Its not exactly the most well written movie either, but at least its fucking awesome.

Friday, June 29, 2007

iDecisions...

Well I've already established with Verizon that I cannot use the new iPhone with their service if I purchase one. I know this is obvious to some, but Im not the most Tech-savvy person. I just know how things work, not why.

So now I am faced with a choice, cause for one, Verizon does have the best coverage you can get these days, and I've certainly never had a problem. Whereas I have horrible memories of Cingular back from my days in college and running up huge phone bills every month, and then having to deal with customer service all the time.

Perhaps that was my own fault, or perhaps Cingular (now Cingular/AT&T) just sucks...who knows.

I called Verizon today, and after shooting me down with the iPhone, they started explaining all the other phones they had that held music. I calmly tried to explain that the iPhone has the same I/O jack as the iPod (atleast I assume it does), and therefore works in all my iPod accessories, including my BOSE stereo system, and my car adapter. So why would I want the Verizon chocolate and an iPod for my car, when I could have an iPhone to serve both purposes?

I guess I am just going to have to make a decision here - So please offer me your input. Here are my two options;
  1. Buy an iPhone - I know it only holds up to 8GB, but right now I am living with 4GB, and its not all bad. Sure there is probably a lot I am missing in doing so with my vast music collection, but I just need to spend more time developing a rotation system. Financially this is going to be a burden, cause not only will I have to buy the iPhone, but I will have to pay the Verizon cancellation fees, as well as the new Cingular activation fees and such...so this could easily run me close to $1500, when all is said and done. All that and I'd only have to carry one thing in my pocket at all times...
  2. Buy a new iPod - Compared to my other option, buying a new 80GB would be cheap. Then I could load my entire collection on there (barely), just in case someone wanted to hear 'Another Bad Creation'. Then I will still have this gi-normous phone in my pocket, as well as an 80GB iPod, everywhere I go...

I now open the floor to discussion...

Thursday, June 07, 2007

A 'Pizza' My Heart...

So yesterday I went to a new pizza place right here in Vacaville called 'Amici's', which claims to be an 'East Coast Pizzeria'. Seeing as how I am from the East Coast I decided to check it out.
I have to say I wasn't dissatisfied.
I have been in California for over a year and a half now and I have never found a slice of pizza that has been to my liking after living in New York my entire life. I am no pizza conneiseur by any means (as a matter of fact I just love food), but even below average New York pizza is better then most California pizzas I have had.
The good news is, this place Amici's was pretty damn good. The prices were a bit steep, but they had a lot more to offer then just New York style pizza. Overall it seemed like a pretty good restaurant for a hot friday night date or something.
Most importantly I urge all of you Native Californians to get over there (or to your nearest Amici's), order a New York style pizza with pepperoni, sprinkle some parmesan on it, and eat it. It may not be exact, but it is definitely the closest you will get around here.

Friday, June 01, 2007

The Dick-Scover-Ey Channel Part IV

Gay, Straight Or Taken: Its like Elimidate with a hilarious twist. Even more hilarious then most of the twists Elimidate has recently been implementing. The premise starts with a girl (or guy but we will use the girl for my example) who is going on a date with three 'eligible' bachelors. After brief introductions with her three dates her phone rings. On the other end is one of her dates girlfriend/wife explaining that if she picks her boyfriend/husband, they get to take the prize vacation that is on the table. Needless to say, this shocks the hell out of the girl and she starts questioning everyone in the group. Just when you think she couldn't get more upset, her phone rings again, only this time it is a man explaining that one of her dates is his gay significant other, and they too want that prize vacation. So the date continues as everyone tries to convince this girl that not only are the other two guys gay, but that they are the right one for her, so they can win a trip at the end. The best part is how they make them do the most homo-erotic dates ever like Gymnastics, Roller-Disco, and Cheerleading, so everyone looks gay. And I know I already said this, but the real best part is when the girl accuses the single/straight guy of being gay at the end and loses. Who wouldn't want to be on this show?
Hot Jolly Ranchers: Those of you that know me, know I have a problem with being too relaxed while driving, which sometimes may lead to driving into farmhouses or something along those lines. I have learned tricks to help prevent this like listening to certain Albums, and having hard candy readily available for long trips. Jolly Ranchers are my favorite as they last the longest since they are super compressed and impossible to bite through. Its as if it originally starts out as a piece of hard candy ten stories high, and then they pressurize it to shrink it all down to its actual size. Its like trying to bite through a diamond with a Watermelon taste. But I digress - Due to the massive heat of the Valley in the summer, my car gets up to 100+ degrees this time of year. And let me tell you, nothing is more disgusting then popping a Sour Apple Jolly Rancher in your mouth at twenty degrees above your body temperature. It makes driving into a house seem like an amusement park ride.
Wearing Shoes: Honestly I don't know how people do it. I have started working again, and I can't wear flip-flops to the office. It is the worst feeling in the world. Maybe I am just not used to it anymore, but the thing I look forward to the most about going home is being able to not have shoes on anymore. I have even been kicking em off when I am in my cubicle and hanging out typing in socks...My feet are claustrophobic. Seriously I HATE it.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

I've Got Worms

While I was home in May, I entertained myself mostly by playing Worms: Armageddon for Playstation with my brother Joe, and anyone else who happened to be around when we started a new round. This is a game I played a little bit with my friend Sparky in college, and then on and off over the last 4 years with my brother. We have even tried out Worms: 3D, which has a certain novelty to it, but just isn't the same.
So upon leaving New York again to head back to my home in California, I realized something. Not only did I want to continue playing worms, but I did not want to have to sit around and play the automated computer teams or the unworthy opponents awaiting me at home, cause lets face it, I would kick Kathy's ass.
So I assumed there had to be a Worms game designed for online play, and I was right. After some research and a minor expense to my bank account, I had purchased Worms: World Party for my PC. After trying it out I am now urging everyone I know to also buy it, so that on those lonely California, New York, Texas, Indiana, North Carolina, Colorado, or Seattle nights, we can all gather in a Worms online battle to the death, in which I will always win - most likely.
So if you haven't already, go out and get Worms: World Party and join the fun.
I call not being Iraq.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Where The Red Fern Grows...

So I started a new job...blah blah blah.
Im doing the same type of work I have been doing on and off since I got out of school. Although technically I am just sitting around doing nothing right now, cause its only my second day. Its a much better company then I have worked for in the past, in that I have a great benefits package and the money is great. Not to mention there is a lot of room and opportunity for advancement and professional development at this company. Which isnt a big deal to me at this stage in my life, but is still good to have on the back-burner.
The transitional phase is a little stressful, as I am used to being able to work on and practice music all day (which I have been doing for the past few months). So I am a little stressed about my lack of practice and time for music, but I will be able to find a balance as I get settled.
The bottom line is, I need the money. Music is and will always be my top priority, but with my finances the way they are without this job, there is no way I would be able to keep things going. The only reason I have been able to so far is because Kathy is the greatest and most supportive girlfriend in the universe.
So its back to the working life for me. Which means nights will be dedicated to practicing and promoting and all that good stuff. So my freetime is much more limited, but I suppose it comes with the territory, and its not like it isnt worth every second to me.
So I thought I'd update, cause its been awhile, and it beats reading SOPs...

Friday, May 04, 2007

Spiderman 3 - The Disappointment...

(BEWARE OF SPOILERS)
I'm not sure if thats the official title, but it should be.
This movie is probably going to be the most disappointing of the year, although I'm sure 'Transformers' is still in the running. Although Micheal Bay did direct it, so I'm sure there will be more explosions.
Comic book accuracy aside, Spidey 3 was full of tacked on bullshit, even more then the wonderfully boring love story between Peter and the apparently anorexic Mary Jane. Seriously Kirsten Dunst resembles a recovering heroine addict in this movie.
This movie tries to develop too many new characters, two of which turn out to be main villians, and just force too much stuff into one movie. I think that was the biggest problem. They tried to force too much into the two and a half hour timeslot, and it really led to the movie being dry and ridiculously cheesy.
The Sandman story was probably the worst part, besides the Green Goblin joining the side of good (but one created the other problem). The Sandman story was added on for two reasons, to give Parker a reason to get angry, and the other so Venom would have a teammate which would ultimately lead to the Green Goblin and Spidey teaming up. Can you say LAME? They went so far as to go back and change how Uncle Ben died. I thought this was just poor writing.
The Venom story was also pretty tacked on. I mean its hard to not get excited about Venom. While they did a decent job with him, I was hoping for something much more badass. I don't know, I just wasn't impressed. Venom is one of the best villian/vigilante characters in comic book history...I dont know if it was 'Eric Foreman's' sarcastic wit, but there was just something about him that I just couldn't get into.
Dont even get me started on Harry Osbourne, and the new Green Goblin. I don't want to spoil too much, but this part of the story is the ultimate downfall of the movie...
I know comic books aren't known for their dialogue or anything, but this movie was even more bland then a frame by frame reading of still drawings. It was poorly written, inaccurate (for the nerds out there who care), and just plain cheesy. And like I said, they tried to do too much. This could have easily been broken into at least 2 movies...and the Sandman character should never have existed (at least not with this existing back story)...but I guess even Loyle from 'Wings' needs a job these days.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Bad Movies Volume 1

Bad Movie You Shouldn't See:
Delta Farce, Starring Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall.
Due out: May 11, 2007
I had to see this preview the other night when I went to see 'Blades of Glory', and this looks like it could potentially be the worst movie ever made.
We've got three obvious rednecks (or blue collar guys - thanks to brilliant casting), who get 'mistaken' as army reservists, and shipped off to Iraq. As if that's not bad enough, they then get dumped in Mexico, because for some reason their plane dumps a Humvee that they are sleeping in over mexico, along with an apparently large amount of weapons and ammunition.
Of course, the real genius comes when they think they are in Iraq...get it? Yeah.
So we got a movie where a few stupid rednecks invade Mexico and hilarious hijinx ensue, and I use the term hilarious very very loosely. Not only is this movie not worth seeing, but it should have never ever been made. Just take a survey of who would actually enjoy this movie and spend the money throwing a monster truck rally where Larry the Cable Guy Comes out and says 'Get 'er Done!' somewhere in the middle. Then the rest of us will take Bill Engvall and the skinny dude from 'Road Trip' and execute them, to teach everyone not to even talk of making a movie like this ever again.
The only thing remotely cool about this movie is the brilliant casting of Danny Trejo - the ultimate actor no one has ever heard of.
Bad Movie You Should See:
Live Free Or Die Hard, Starring Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant
Due out: July 4, 2007
Who knew the John McClane saga wasnt over?
This time the terrorists are bigger, as are the explosions and even Kevin Smith makes an appearance.
I caught this preview thanks to the amazing technology of Youtube, and there is actually a scene where John McClane uses a highspeed car crash into a tollbooth to catapult the car in order to take out a helicopter. Yippee-Kay-Yay Motherfucker.
This movie is going to kickass. However if Bonnie Bedelia shows up, I might just change my mind.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

I Never Wanted To Believe In Blogs...

I know I haven't been writing much - I mean I am even upset with my slow pace involving the Simpsons rewatch - but what can I say, I am actually seriously motivated about something and busy with that said thing.
The album I have been working on for the last ten months is coming to a close, and I have already sent the completed master to pressing. It is my first serious piece of work, that I can honestly say I am proud of and want people to hear, unlike the demo which was done rapidly for the sole purpose of being a demo. It is a piece of art that I created, and put a lot of sacrifice and emotion into (not that its emo - ha).
Of course, it wouldnt be the same without the help of Mike and my new friend Craig. Craig did a great job of helping me get my ideas outside of my head and into something soluble. He made it possible to express myself through music, and the whole process has taught me so much about songwriting, musicianship, and my own personal style which I am still discovering everyday. I look forward to working with Craig a lot in the future.
Mike also did a great job of thinking outside of the box, which is a big deal for him as a musician. He was very patient with my demands and desires to explore new tones, and ideas with him. He didnt mind (too much) that I made him play over songs take after take, and then he had to watch as I cut up his parts and re-arrange them here and there. Not to mention his use of melody is impeccable and he has really added a lot to the album. If you know me, you know my first love of music was guitar, and to be able to have such a talented guitarist be so prominent in my songs is perfect.
On top of that, my new friend Camille Rogers came through ten-fold with helping me with the artwork (album cover shown). She submitted a bunch of ideas randomly after I posted that I needed help on myspace. After several email exchanges she really came through and came up with a great design for the entire album package.
This has really been a great experience. Stressful at times yes, but all worth it. I am very happy to have completed my first full length album. If you asked me even a year ago, I would have never been able to predict this outcome.
I will have it available to the public soon. Keep your eyes peeled on the website, this blog, or our myspace page...a preview will be coming even sooner.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Skiing is for Fags...

Well its official, I'm a snowboarder...and we all know that makes me way cooler then people who ski. I mean lets face it, we have better style, and we are way more badass. So if you guys know any skier jokes, let me know.

In other words, we went to Tahoe while Sparky was here and I took a crack at snowboarding (I'm holding two snowboards cause Kathy was there too, duh). My favorite part was learning by going as fast as I can and forcing myself to learn control and faceplanting hilariously a lot. Im pretty sure I gave myself whiplash.

So I have been slacking on the blogging I know, but I've been especially busy since Sparky was in town and the recording sessions are coming to a close. I am in the studio three days a week now mixing and soon to be mastering. The album will be ready for pressing by the end of March.

Not too mention I have been playing show after show after show. The band is up and running and we already have played three full band shows. Ive also continued to do the solo acoustic shows with my friends Tara Tinsley and Jon Valenti. Its been a busy time, which is good, and hopefully it will keep getting busier.

Unfortunately work has slowed down for me a lot. Although after the album is done I am going to try to get a full time local job so I can save up some money again for new equipment we need and for the overall expense of keeping the music going.

In even worse news, Sparky is gone. He has moved to Seattle for the time being. He is a million times closer and cheaper to reach, so that is a plus, but I was looking forward to having him around for a bit. Secretly my heart is broken. *Tear*

Whatever happened to that show 'Change of Heart'? Man that was a great show.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

W-N-I-C-K

Its common law that the key to survival in a foreign city is to find an Oldie's radio station to drive around listening to.

It wasn't til recently that I came to the realization that my music collection itself was missing this luxury. So I did what any man would do, and got a bunch of pirated Oldie's albums.

Im still sorting through it all, some of it is great (i.e. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers), and some of it is pretty sub-par. But my goal is to eventually have my own 'Oldies Station' available on my Ipod where I can just hit random and bounce to the pop hits of the 50's. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Stuart Little

Last night when I was driving home from work my car stalled. This isnt that big of a deal, unless you work sixty miles from your home, which I do. Luckily I had made it pretty far until this stalling happened, and even more so, the car started back up after sitting for a few minutes.

Not understanding anything about how computers work, I knew it would be a good idea to take it to the dealer in the morning, especially cause I needed an oil change anyways.

After being without vehicle for a couple hours, I finally got a call back from the Shellworth Chevrolet Service Department. It seems a mouse had made itself a little home in my engine, and managed to do some damage to a few wires.

This initially seemed like horrible news, because the Service Manager went on to explain how they would have to take the car apart to see just how extensive the damage was. I thought for sure they were going to make me even more poor then I already am.

I managed to luck out somehow, as the mouse did very minimal damage, and the only actual part that was broken is still covered under warranty, despite most of the car not being so. So I got off only having to pay for the oil change which could be argued as a positive note. However, I do have to sacrifice my car til Monday, since the part had to be ordered - this could be the negative side of the story.

So here I am, carless. I wish Stuart Little would stick to that mini convertible he has in the movies. What a dick. If he didnt sound so much like Micheal J. Fox I'd kick his ass.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Advertisements and You

The subject of my last post has really got me thinking about other Ad icons out there. Some have come and gone, and some have really touched our lives, whether they were responsible for our first cavity, or our first heart attack.

Take Tony the Tiger for instance. Who doesn't know his slogan? Who hasn't had a bowl of frosted flakes and stared at his striped face while reading the puzzles on the back of the box or while searching through a bunch of flakes for a small toy of the same tiger staring back at you?

The weird thing I've noticed (and maybe its because I don't watch as much TV anymore), is the absense of Tony lately. As a matter of fact, I have noticed a lack of all sweet cereal promoting creatures. Like the 'Smack's' Frog, that 'Silly Rabbit' who just wants some trix, and the infamous Toucan Sam. Maybe this is a result of some hippie new age parents somewhere complaining that these are negative role models to our children and they are the reason their children are so overweight? Maybe I just need to watch more commercials?

Next we have the Colonel. I'm no huge fan of the Kentucky Fried variety of Chicken, despite the magnificently cheap food they offer. But I thought it was appropriate to talk about another dead icon.

Of course KFC still uses his image, but at least they have cartoonized the Colonel instead of making him a hip zombie (I dont care how much I overuse the zombie joke).

I mean honestly we have to love this guy so much, whether it be the dancing cartoon version or the real thing some years ago...why else would we eat genetically altered chicken strips on a bun with a piece of lettuce for a buck?

Say what you want about KFC, but if they bring back 'The Twister' at the original low price it was introduced I would eat there everyday.

Finally we get to the ad icon among ad icon's. Everyone who grew up in the 90's knows exactly what I am talking about.
Possibly the best and worst decision Energizer has ever made.
The commercials were original and hilarious back in their heyday. Who doesn't remember watching a commercial for some no name product you never heard of, and then the Bunny popping in with that drum beat, doing a spin or two and exiting, leaving the actors in the 'other ' commercial confused as all hell. That was genius.
Any ad symbol or character is technically temporary no matter how long its been around, but not the Bunny. If Energizer gets rid of the Bunny it is advertisement suicide. If something that 'Keeps going and going' ever disappears from my life, I'm going to start questioning the integrity of whatever he was pushing on me. I'll be a copper top man for life.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Computer Generation Gone Too Far

Last night while watching TV, a dead person tried to sell me popcorn.

Not just any dead person either. A dead icon, whom we have all known, loved, ridiculed and mourned.

Yes last night on my TV, Orville Redenbacher returned from the dead looking as hip as ever with a fancy MP3 player (to somehow prove to us it wasnt old footage). It was then that he tried to explain to me that his popcorn is even lighter and fluffier then before - I'm not even sure what he was saying because I was in shock.

I mean I am all for computer generation, although if overdone it can ruin a lot of things (i.e. Star Wars), but this is going too far no matter how you look at it. There are certain ad mascots that will never disappear like the Energizer Bunny, but Orville needs to rest in peace.

So if you like Sadistic Popcorn, be sure to buy some from the rockin' Zombie.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Two Weeks In

The one 'resolution' I made was to stop avoiding the business aspect of the music I am making. I have been telling myself to start sending out annoying emails, and making phone calls galore to work on getting more and more shows and to increase exposure. While my number of annoying emails sent has dramatically increased in the last two weeks, I still am subconsciously avoiding taking huge steps. I just don't like the business side of it, despite the fact I know it is a necessity.

Honestly with the increased amount of studio time coming up, its actually alright because Mike and I need every spare second to prepare his parts for his upcoming sessions. If we were off running from town to town we would not have time to learn any of the new material and would be unprepared when it came time to record.

The good thing is we have met a lot of new great songwriters/friends who have helped us out with getting a lot more shows, and we have even somewhat established ourselves as a common occurence in the town of Modesto, CA. I hope to be able to return the favor someday.

A lot has happened this year already, and with the album getting closer and closer to completion every week, there is a lot more to come.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

How I Learned Spanish

I figure there is no better way to start off the new year of blogging then to write, in detail about my end of the year/holiday trip to Rancho Mastatal in Costa Rica. It goes a little something like this;

We arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica on Christmas Eve morning around 11:00am (I will say we a lot, because Kathy was with me on this trip - duh). After breezing through customs and exchanging some money for a shitload of colones we found Fernando, a Puriscal local who was giving us a ride to Mastatal. After sitting in some traffic because of some accident, and many bumpy roads later, we arrived in Mastatal around 3:30pm. We were greeted by the half drunk/half hungover residents of Rancho Mastatal and of course, the always on the verge of passing out, Sparky. Sparky gave us a quick tour after we ditched our stuff in our room and we got the low down of all the current building projects and even got to see Timo and Robin's house that Sparky spent most of his time there helping to build.
That night was the annual Drink n'Sync, where everyone gets drunk and lip sync's songs. There were some hilarious moments and some frightening moments, including Sparky dressed up as a woman, and Sparky dressed up as Boy George.
The next day was Christmas and we all awoke to a delicious breakfast - which is apparently done everyday there. This day was just everyone relaxing and recovering from a long night of drinking and catching up. I'm pretty sure most of the day was spent playing Dominoes, in which I Dominated...pun definitely intended.
The following day was Boxing Day, which is apparently a great holiday (thank you English people). We immediately broke off into two teams of about 7 people and began playing games throughout the day. We played Ultimate Frisbee, Tug Of War, Kickball, Egg Toss, Wiffle Ball, Ping Pong and even Horseshoes. It was a great day that was supposed to end in a massive game of Cranium, but our team kicked ass so we decided to spend the rest of the night drinking and sleeping.

















We then headed to the beach town called Manuel Antonio and spent a couple days there. A lot of bus riding and walking was involved to get there but it was well worth it. By the time we actually got to the beach the first day it was pouring rain, but the rain was so warm it didnt matter. We still managed to play frisbee in the ocean for a couple hours before working on getting some dinner. The next day was more of the same but without the rain and with a lot more sun. We even got to see some cool wildlife (which Kathy got some great pictures of). That night we watched the sunset from a hotel pool bar in one of the local hotels that we weren't even staying at, and even met a nice couple from the Fairfield, CA area.

















Then the fun really began as we headed out that night after drinking rum and cokes out of beer cans due to lack of cups. We hung out with a bunch of locals at a billiards bar and made some new friends. My nickname (Dickey) didnt translate well in Spanish so Sparky explained to everyone that my name was 'Penegador' (I don't know how to spell it) which literally translates to "Master of Dick'. So the locals got a kick out of that one and everyone laughed at my expense.

We then wandered aimlessly about town looking for food and even ended up in a Gay Bar called The Red Beard where an American kid leaving the bar hastily pleaded with us to believe that he wasn't gay. We obviously didn't.

The next day we hopped back on a bus back to Mastatal where I spent the last hour holding onto the seat in front of me and trying not to shit my pants. It was the longest bus ride in history. But it goes to show that I would rather risk shitting myself on a bus then get out and walk.
The next day in Mastatal we actually worked since it was somewhat between holidays and everyone wanted to get some work done. So Sparky, Timo, Kathy and I, all put up a second basketball hoop in the Mastatal Community center so we could get in a full court game sometime. Despite the three-legged scaffolding, it was a huge success.

The last day we were there was New Years Eve and we had a huge bonfire after hitting up the waterfall for a swim. We then headed to the 'Pulperia' and drank some beers and rum with the locals. It was a great night and I learned all sorts of vulgar terms in Spanish.

The trip was well worth it despite the hours on a plane and other hours on buses and driving up windy dirt roads. We made a lot of great new friends and met a lot of cool people. Not too mention we got to see Sparky and get to know Timo and Robin a lot better. It was one of the best weeks in my life even if I didnt get to eat meat for 6 out of the 10 days.




Nate is Great.