28.09.10......details by the mouthful

I was thinking of writing this long, epic post on all kinds of trivial matters, but the part of my brain residing in the "better judgement" county took a vote, and "nay" won. I think they made the right decision.

Instead, you get this:
I didn't listen to too much new music while recording, for obvious reasons.
This was what I can remember:

Massive Attack - Mezanine
New Bomb Turks - Destroy! Oh Boy!
Adele - 19
Scanners - Violence is Golden
The first four Public Enemy albums
Swans - My Father...
The Sounds - Crossing the Rubicon
Milemarker - Satanic Versus
Gehenna - all
GDP - Realistic Expectations

Reading:

The thrift store next to Godcity had books for two bucks....I scored big with a few novels I'd wanted to read. A first printing of Lehaine's "Mystic River" for two dollars? Yes, please.

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain - The 2nd book in her series about one of the most unorthodox serial killers in a fictional world. The first book, "Heartsick", was a good, quick read. This one upped the ante and was very smartly done. Highly recommended.

No Trace by Barry Maitland - Child abduction, murder and modern art all rolled up into one little package set in London's Northcote Square. It gets a little confusing at times, but the end result is worth it, especially if you find it for a buck, like I did. That equals out to about thirteen cents per hour of entertainment.

33&1/3 series: Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique by Dan LeRoy - I'll dive into this deeper on the other blog, but I'll just say it's a fantastic and quick read. A little over 100 pages dedicated to a criminally underrated album.

And it Don't Stop: The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years by Raquel Cepeda - same with this one.....more info when I get around to it. I will say, the article on Afrika Bambaataa alone made this worth reading.

Currently: almost finished with Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. It is so goddamn good. This guy needs to hurry up and write another novel. His storytelling is incredible.

Next: The Descent by Jeff Long (courtesy of Tim's generous hand-me-downings)

Wish list:
Walking Dead graphic novels, volume 6-whatever they're up to now.
Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain
Horns by Joe Hill
Free time to read everything,

....and for fuck's sake, Mr. King....finish Doctor Sleep. I'm dying over here....

22.09.10.......walk the lawn like a lion, hon

This is how I spent the last few weeks.

Top three moments in my adult life:
1-Flying to Pittsburgh on August 5th, 2006 to meet up with a girl named Ashley. Two years later, she became Smashley Coffins McKenney. Best decision I've ever made.

2-Flying home from Boston to Seattle after nine weeks of US and European touring on April 28th or 29th (My memory is hazy....), 2008. When I got to the baggage claim area, I was greeted by Ashley. In her arms was a rat terrier puppy. I'd wanted a dog for my entire life.....thirty years later, I finally had my first little boy, and the closest thing I'll ever come to having children. I named him Panic, and he is mentally unstable....like his dad.

3- September 21st, 2010, I was given the first rough mix of the new record I was a part of. I put on my shitty headphones, kicked back on a recliner, closed my eyes and pressed play. Thirty some odd minutes later, I opened my eyes back up and took a walk outside onto the porch of the place we were staying. I took a deep breath of bitter fall air, the way only a place like New England can produce. I let it out and said to myself, "This is the one, motherfucker.....this is the one."

04.09.10......Do it. Now.

www.wecraftindarkness.com


This is where Trap Them will live for the next eighteen months or so.

22.07.10......curtains drop

So, this is what I've been up to:


http://blindisfine.blogspot.com

Enjoy? Hopefully......I know I am.

Busy summer to prepare for what's looking to be a very busy fall with Trap Them. Much more info soon.

How many more posts will I say "much more soon" in?

07.01.10....Hungry for everything sale

For a brief length, all paintings on my other blog are $150 or less. A lot have been sold for twice that or more, but certain times call for unwilling measures.
If you are interested in two or more pieces, a further discount will be made. This is the result of not having enough room for storage, and to eliminate the momentarily red budget.
If you, or anyone you know that may appreciate the art, are interested, please email me at:
failgivers@gmail.com

Thanks, boys and girls. Hope to hear from you.

06.02.10.....trailers

There's been quite an absence from this here thought-vomit basin. Loads of work hours at the bar and other numerous stress inducers have left me void of concentration.

On a particularly ridiculous night of making appetizers for drunken frat boys and indie douche bags, my walk home triggered something.

In the next week or so, there will be some new stuff to read on here.

Some will enjoy it.....those that lived in the golden era, specifically.

Until then, to the art form that has given me a re-obsession, all I can say is, "They (meaning I) reminisce over you...."

Much, much more to come.

18.03.10....Nomi

It has been a long time coming, but I found myself with a spare hour before I go back to rolling burritos.

First and foremost, I read Under the Dome. An extremely generous person from the UK sent a copy to me. As a fellow Stephen King fanatic, it was probably one of the best pieces of mail I have ever recieved.

The post below contains a link to his awesome blog of his courageous battle to read every King work in chronological order. Respect is due.

February blew by. Out of the twenty-eight days, I worked twenty four of them. It was all for a purpose, you see. For the first time in fifteen years, my entire adult life, I am one hundred percent debt free. This is a huge step for me. Every time I came close, another setback would come running at me full steam and we'd meet in a head-on collision, me getting the worse of it every time.

So, February was a labor heavy month, but now I can be in the black instead of always floating in the red.

January was the month that became the birth of a new life on meds. The diagnosis of bipolarism was fully labeled for me, and, like my banished debt, was the first time in my adult life that I was able to actively do something about it.

Lamactil was the prescription. I was told to slowly increase my intake over the course of a month, testing the waters, so to speak. I actually noticed a difference within a few days. The outbursts and mood swings seemed to diminish. I was able to calmy converse and not pull my hair out.

Along with this, my ADHD was finally treated and, as of this week, I am on another medication that, I was quite shocked, caused immediate positive results. Focus was never my strong suit, unless it was something that clicked in my head. I've found it easier to do many, many things. I'm actually extremely pleased with the meds I ignored for so long. Better late than never, and at the ripe old age of thirty-two, this was one of the best choices I could have ever made.

Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to thank anyone that reads this that went to Scion Fest last weekend. I can say, without a doubt, that was the BEST show we've ever played. I was not prepared for that reaction. I was not prepared for the outright insanity that occurred for the forty minutes we were on stage ( or in my case, jumping off of it.).

I am home for another few months, though "down time" is not an expression that can be deemed suitable. TT is hard at work on the next LP. We'll head into Godcity at the start of June and spend the next four weeks there. I will be showing up halfway through because I am a vocalist, which means I scream for a few hours and then my job is done. I have literally zero musical talent, so the best thing I can do to help these guys is stay away.

This is the longest break we've ever had, but we all deserve it. Up until the end of tour last November, this band had done roughly 300-325 shows in just over two years. That's a lot of van time.

Having a long amount of time in Seattle has given me back the home life that I miss on these long runs. Having someone to come home to, to cook dinner for, to have great conversations with....it was exactly what was needed.

And for the first time in three years, I am home for the entire final season of LOST!!

In the next few weeks, I'll be getting into great detail on here of a brand new endeavor for me....something I've wanted to do for a very long time, and it has finally come to fruition. There will be a new blog in the coming weeks that will give a little more info. I am very happy to finally do something like this.

In the meantime, with humble self-promotion, if you find yourself with some spare tax return money and in need of some new art to redecorate your home with, please check out my paintings. The link is on the side bar. Anyone interested in anything, please get in touch. They are filling up my apartment, and I am ready to liquidate for the right prices.

Naked juice "green machine" is one of the best things I've ever tasted.

I bought a rowing machine the other day. I don't know why I'm so stoked on this, but I am.

Two weeks ago, I was sick and stuck in bed....in one day, I watched the entire second season of Breaking Bad. That show is fantastic.

I don't have much else to say. I'm actually feeling really good right now, and it's time to go roll burritos.

Current listening pleasures (I don't have time to sit and watch films anymore.....someday I'll return to my cellulite nerd roots)

High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine (amazing...title track is the best song to run to. Ever)

Daughters - s/t (fully realized Jesus Lizard by way of Providence noise....fucking brilliant. I can't say enough about how much I love this record)

Aerosols - s/t LP + 4th (?) 7"

Darkthrone - Circle the Wagons (I like black metal only if it doesn't sound like black metal)

Deathreat - Consider it War

From Ashes Rise - ALL ( My wife and I went to the reunion show in PDX....perfect. They were spot on and I felt like I did when I used to see them years ago.)

Sweet Cobra - Bottom Feeder 12"

The Breed - 7"

Gore - ALL (thank you, Southern Lord....thank you)

Catharsis - Samsara

many more....lots of dog walks, walks to and from work, and running have supplied me ample listening time.

Currently reading : The Terror by Dan Simmons