Song: "The Beautiful People"
Artist: Marilyn Manson
Album: Antichrist Superstar (1996)

Trying to think of a song that was astrologically relevant so I'd have something to post today. I came up with this.

The Sun's in Gemini about to square Saturn, the moon's in Libra being squared by Pluto.

Constipated rebellion meets ironically/sarcastically ugly. "The will to live in every host" = Libra. "You can't see the forest from the trees" = Saturn.

I'm pretty sure you've heard this so you don't need a link.

Song: "Jack"
Artist: Danava
Album: Demo (2004)

And this is for Jack... Though my Jack's an angel despite being a huge fucking tease.

This song sounds very much not like the sound Danava has created for themselves. It's more... something. It seems to come from the same "place" but it doesn't have that extended, introverted, thoughtful sound.

In any case, Danava has since taken the demo off their myspace/etc, so I'll upload the song later on.

Edit: Only took me two hours...

And since I didn't have a song sample for you back when I posted the song originally...

Shrapnel - "Combat Love":

Song: "Heavy Heart"
Artist: Ghostland Observatory
Album: Robotique Majestique (2008)

For the dancing and for the annoying you when you're on the bus with no music and this song's stuck in your head.

And also for the Venus-Mars conjunction this month.

Song: "Blank and White"
Artist: Marilyn Manson
Album: The High End Of Low (2009)

This song made me LOL. It's awful, frankly, but I was letting it play regardless because I'm trying to give ... peace a chance. Yeah.

So anyway, I was listening not-so-consciously, working on shit. The song was about to end, and though I'd been bored with the song this whole time because it's the same old crap, I was suddenly struck with conscious recognition of what goes on in the song. There's a moment at the end... it's, just, priceless. Nice one, there, Briananson.

This entry needs editing so bad but I have no idea where to start.

Song: "The Way Of All Flesh"
Artist: Gojira
Album: The Way Of All Flesh (2008)

Before I forget... This song did not make any real impact on me on album, but it sounded really great live. It's the stompy beat you can clearly hear at about 45 seconds into the song meets the live experience of watching these assholes flip out at the end of the song and then getting the ascending/circular/waltzy guitar noise at about 1:07 or 5:20 stuck in your head... And "your-ah breath is now still..."

Nevermind, it's the whole thing.

Song: "Sheep & Goat Judgment"
Artist: The Whip
Album: Freelance Liasion/Sheep & Goat Judgment (2003)

It's been long enough. Here's the other song you should have listened to when I posted the other song, but for some reason didn't because you only do what I tell you to do and that's that...

Speaking of which, I need you to go to the store for me. I need lots and lots of food. And shampoo and a computer chair with wheels. Also, my Karpet's looking nasty so you need to also vacuum when you're done with the Big food Business. You should follow that with a good scrubbing. I'll be sitting on one of my Thrones talking to one of my Tight Bros From Way Back When if you need me.

Song: "Changes Are No Good"
Artist: The Stills
Album: Logic Will Break Your Heart (2003)

I learned of this band because of "Still In Love Song" during the five minutes I had Much Music (Canada's MTV). I liked the lyrics even though they're a bit emo-ish and catering to the whiny demographic, so I checked out the rest of the album. I have continued to come back to the album despite it having no relation to anything else I've been listening to the last few years, and I still like the songs... so I think that says something.

This song is close to how I feel today. "I am the weekday on weekends".

Song: "Ephraim"
Artist: Thrones
Album: Sperm Whale (2000)

Every time I've seen Thrones, this song has been played first.

In recorded format, it's only about four minutes long which is fairly tolerable even for those of us with shorter attention spans and more immediate needs.

Live, however, "Ephraim" is stretched out to about fourteen minutes. Listen to the first minute and that's what it's like pretty much the entire time.

The second time I saw Thrones, I had a "this again?!" sort of internal reaction. The third time around, though, just watching all of the "scene" people clear out of the room was worth it. I've never seen a musician have such a repelling effect on people before. This particular song is very "drone" which is a difficult genre to begin with and certainly not for everyone. Perhaps with the popularity of certain similar bands people know what they've come to witness or at least fake the staying power to impress themselves in the name of something or other. As far as I've noticed, Thrones doesn't have this "for the sake of" appeal.

In watching people clear out, I wondered if perhaps Mister Preston chose to play this song so long and first specifically to weed out the morons in the room. For some reason (the reason of me being the kind of person who'd do something like that), this idea comes across as REALLY funny. Even if it isn't on purpose... wow.

I did not like this song at all the first times through, but after that and since getting the recorded format of it... I'm afraid I can't NOT like it.

In it's four minute long incarnation, it's a nice moody song. In its live 13-15 version, it's simultaneously irritating and hilarious. Both versions, worth it.

Song: "Is This It"
Artist: The Strokes
Album: Is This It (2001)

The song is stuck in my head, so it's getting posted.

I am grateful to whatever led me to this band early on because otherwise they'd be in the pile of bands that piss me off simply because my ex listened to them. I haven't heard everything they've put out, but I like The Strokes okay. Doing a quick search, apparently the first time I heard them was January 15th 2002. (These are the rewards you get for writing things down...)

Here's what I said a few days later, with links added for the sense-making.

arg. pollution. i've listened to hard rock consistently over the last several years (since i was 15, at least) and suddenly i'm liking a ... non rock genre song.
perhaps the same instruments.
but not the same genre.

deftones and mudvayne. yeah, that'll make me happy alright. yeehaw.

See, I've been doing this for years. Nine years of getting distracted by other songs when I go to post about just one. Oh, and mislabeling bands' genres, too.

...With my love, it's all she's ever needed.

Song: "Heavy Cross"
Artist: The Gossip
Album: Music For Men (2009)

This video is so much better than the one for "Standing In The Way of Control". I'm not in the mindset for the sound of The Gossip these days, but I'm still looking forward to this album...

I was suddenly thinking about something I overheard a kid say over ten years ago, and it inspired this. You're totally welcome for the reading material.

I was walking home from school one afternoon and was about two houses down from my house when I saw this asshole neighborhood kid standing in the middle of the road, more or less in front of his own house. I went to school with his sister, and she had already gotten home (she had a car). She was outside in her driveway and yelled at her little brother to get out of the road like an old mother rather than a teenager. He slowly turned to her, lifted his hands in the air and yelled back "which road?!"

This kid was obviously starving for some kind of masculine, rigid, dry sort of energy out of his social situation and I have that. I do not fuck around. This little asshole loved the shit out of me, and every time I saw him he asked if he could come over and play video games. When I finally let him, he decided on Mario Kart. ... Holy shit, the string of cuss words that came out of this little kid's mouth. Brilliant. My favorite one was him not having a damn clue what he was saying thanks to awkward jumps in English slang. In the game he kept slamming into the walls, and after he did it once he said "Look, Saturnine! I'm banging the wall!" .... "I hope not. The wall doesn't like you like that."

That kid gets "Pravus" by Meshuggah.

Oh, Bobo.

I had just turned 16 when I discovered a new cat in the house. I grew up with a dog(s) and did not "get" cats. I didn't really even like cats. Yet, we had four (not including strays). Now it was five. Why is there a fifth cat in the fucking house. My mom said she was just "watching" him because a relative was going on vacation. Whatever. Lies. Still, I assumed Bobo was going back to wherever he came from... and he did not.

At first I didn't like Bobo even though he was well-received by the two social cats we had and didn't get in the way. Then he began to give me reason to not like him by picking on my cat. If my cat walked in the room he was in, he'd usually try to chase her down. She'd flip out, make tons of noise, and act like a bitch and generally prove the idea that I should probably go with dogs for pets in the future. Not much seemed to work to keep him from picking at her.

I came to the conclusion that she had somehow made a social position of #1 of the lot (likely because she was absolutely "mine", and they rest of the cats just "were"), and he was jealous or wanted to be the number one cat. However, if I paid him any attention he didn't like it... so... what the fuck.

Years and years go by, we move, I move and move again, dynamics change, I slowly feel more "welcoming" of the little hairy jerks, and yet the same shit... Bobo still picking on my cat. Asshole. Seriously? Fuck cats.

Meanwhile, I learned that Bobo is afraid of various things. Thunderstorms and fireworks top the list. On the 4th of July or New Years Eve one year I noticed him freaking out. Poor guy, he's got enough bullshit to deal with, what with me calling him HomoGaygay and threatening to kill him every day. What a sad life that's got to be without another thing on the pile. I tell him, it's okay Bobo, I'll protect you. As long as you're nearby nobody's gonna get you. I'll fucking kill 'em. I have no problem with violence, Bobo, as you've heard most of your life. So just stick nearby and you'll be fine.

This happens every time there's a holiday or storm. Bobo freaks out and I tell him I'll kill the bastards, and he sits near me until false danger has lifted.

One day my family had people over. I liked the people okay, especially one of the guys who was both hot and crazy which is too much. I was pretty sure that if I got an opportunity I was going to take it even though it sounded like the dumbest idea in the world on paper.

And then I saw the guy interacting with Bobo. Bobo doesn't like men very much and gets nervous and uptight about stupid shit anyway, so he was growling and circling around like he was unsure what to do about these people. The guy decided to test Bobo's limits by picking on him... I was letting this slide. Bobo has years of picking on my cat built up and deserves what he gets. However, Bobo was getting really pissed off with this guy and WASN'T DOING ANYTHING. CAT: CLAWS. TEETH. Bobo's a big cat and I know he's strong so he could have fucked this guy up... but no, just growling that was only getting louder and shrill and more obnoxious. And the guy was laughing, it was hilarious to him. No.

I felt shitty for Bobo after that. I mean, I was there and said I'd protect him. I should have punched that guy in the face. Fuck. Fucking asshole.

People are also in the habit of calling Bobo fat, especially in recent years... which is simply ridiculous. He's not fat. He's just a huge cat, like a dog. As often as I catch it, I throw it back. This results in people saying that he's ugly or weird looking instead. He has a spot on his face that people comment on a lot. It pisses me off. What the fucking fuck does it matter what he looks like? He's a fucking cat. I'm pretty sure he wasn't aware he was in a fucking fashion show all of a sudden to please some asshole insecure human being who is, actually, the "fat" and fucking ugly one here. ERGH. QUIT LOOKING AT MY FUCKING CAT IF YOU DON'T FUCKING LIKE THE WAY HE LOOKS.

I'm not exactly sure why I've turned in favor of Bobo. I didn't like him for so long... and now I feel protective over the guy. The hell?

In any case, he's my little bitch cat now, and there's no escaping... my love... because, BoBoGoFoNoLoDoe Ho Ho Merry Christmas Fi Dolla Sucky Sucky, my love, it's everywhere... And I'll fuckin' kill 'em.

Oh, and BTW, you're still not number one. IT'S ME, BITCH.

Bobo's song:

Black Cobra - "Thrown From Great Heights".

A) because of the title of the song.
B) because the lyrics sound like "Bobo"/"petting my Bobo".
C) because Bobo's alternately slow and crazy like the song.
D) because Bobo's cute and fuck you what you fucking think you fuck.

9:30 - 11:55 of the video below is "Thrown From Great Heights", and the "petting my Bobo" misheard lyric is at 10:38, "bo bo" at 11:32.

Oh, and just for the record... this video is AMAZING. LOVE.

To say I'm socially retarded is an understatement. It's nothing now like it was when I was a kid. And I made it worse for myself by not knowing how to ask for what I wanted or being clear when I knew what I did want or did not want. I felt like I just got in people's way and wasted their time. I didn't even want to try a lot of the time, especially when it came to "boys". I had enough trouble getting on with others without having to be responsible to that level.

So I didn't bother. And I was doing a great job of this. But, one year, a bunch of guys tried to flirt with me. I liked about half of them, but just... no. Not at that time. I was still working on hellos and was not at all ready for the drama of "relationships".

My friends were offended that I wasn't reciprocating. They didn't "get it", which is odd considering they fucking spent time with me and there's a picture of me in the dictionary next to the word "quiet" and even complete strangers pick up on it... but whatever. It's just not happening and it's mean to lead people on.

One of these guys went all out with the friendliness. Normally they went away after a while, but this guy... kept.. talking to me. Why? He eventually had a girlfriend or two but even still, with the talking or being "nice". We had a class together and once or twice he picked me out in the class during assignments even though I'm pretty sure the rest of the class would have enjoyed watching me get crucified and burned to death because I didn't fit in with the people there.

I didn't ignore him but I didn't really respond, either. I was pretty sure he got the message even though he kept saying hi to me and asking me stupid shit.

He was friends with a girl who was also in that class. I didn't know her elsewhere, but I easily picked up on she was a stereotypical female redhead. She, specifically, was loud and talked to the teacher like he was below her and/or she deserved special favors. I didn't think much of it at the time because, well, I hate "authority"... but I knew to stay out of her way.

So, I kept to myself in that class. Nobody really bothered me, and it was all nice... until one day when the teacher was late. I didn't have anything to do or work on so I was just sitting in my chair spacing out. Most of the other girls were on the other side of the classroom, talking about nothing. There was a pause, I noticed whispering, and she pointed at me. She had to repeat herself because they didn't hear her, either, so I got to hear her tell the other girls I was "stuck up". They didn't respond because I'm sure it was obvious I heard even though I pretended not to...

Uh? I wasn't sure how that conclusion was drawn. I was just sitting in my chair, and didn't talk to anyone ever and was clearly not in their friend "group" of THEIR choosing. I was even nice to everyone - I didn't have "tone" like I do these days. MEH?

I told my friend about it. My friend told me she had a class with the girl, too, and had found out the girl had a crush on the guy who'd been flirting with me (and hadn't told me because I clearly wasn't interested). The two were friends but he didn't quite give her the time of day.

It became obvious in class. She pretty much followed him everywhere he went. Meanwhile, he was and had been giving me random-as-fuck attention. I suppose that's a nice setup for drama. Oh well...

Months later, she tried to be friendly with me... I don't quite have the stockholm syndrome other ladies have with each other, so no thanks. However, if you'd like to sign up for the Head Exchange Program, be sure to do so. A lot of guys hate me because I don't subscribe to their bullshit version of "friendliness" and we all know you do. I need a stand in.


To the guy:

To the girl:

I used to know a guy online called Chris. We knew each other through chat around 1999-2000, and followed each other to other sites after that. He probably knows way too fucking much about me - I wasn't keen on filters then, and he was one of the, if not the very first, of my readers. I don't think we actually talked to each other much, though, which is a shame. He seemed like an okay sort of person.

Chris... do you exist anymore? Where did you go? What did you become?

I know I'm not who I was then, but are you still the ...

?

Tomorrow is your birthday.

I can't fucking believe you're as tall as you are, or even the age you are. When I picture you, you're not an adult. You're little and have a crazy chipmunk laugh... I clearly missed some formative years, here. Crazy.

This song is corny as hell and sort of retarded, just like you. Joking, of course. Well... maybe... but just about the retarded thing.

Don't fret, precious, I'm here...

I made you listen to Mastodon's "Aqua Dementia" once. I'm sure you never picked the song up again. Through my years of doing the friend thing, I have learned that I find it difficult to relate to people who don't share artistic connections with me... such as listening to at least some of the same music as I do. I mean, what the fuck do we talk about, then? I suppose it comes down to the fact that I have a lot of Libra/Taurus going on... but you don't do "astronomy", either. JERK.

For the record, this entry was pretty tongue in cheek. But seriously, you fucking muggle, listen to some fucking Kyuss or Hawkwind at least. Jesus.

Song: "The Lost White Brother"
Artist: Headdress
Album: Lunes (2009)

It's like SunnO))) and Fever Ray meeting up in the middle.

This song reminds me a lot of being 15, 16, 17.

My actual partying was/is minimal but I nevertheless got in trouble a lot for not "obeying" and being "disrespectful" to people when I was a teenager.

Until that point, I think authority figures liked me. I was generally smarter than everyone else my age. I usually did what I was supposed to be doing and was a really relaxed kid, no random screaming or being stupidly curious, and I could occupy myself by myself. I was used to friends' parents liking me and teachers being grateful that I existed...

But then I started thinking for myself, and needing independence, and doing things for myself.

The most obvious thing was that I decided I didn't like school enough anymore and didn't want to go. When I went I was fine, but I was figuring out how to effectively skip class and then what to tell people about it. After a while of this, it essentially became my job to protect myself from getting in trouble.. and I mostly did it very well. In the 150+ days I skipped, I was only actually caught once.

A number of people gave me trouble at that time. I learned who my friends were (not) quickly. I also learned that teachers don't pay attention to their students unless they're obnoxious in class... which I suppose I probably already knew.

However, I had a couple of teachers who were sure to make me aware that they were watching me.

One I had known before I figured out that I didn't have to go to school to get through school and we already had some sort of odd acknowledgment established. Because of this, and because he felt he needed to talk to me in front of the whole class which I obviously did not appreciate, I was sure to miss his class a little more often... so I failed it.

About the time that I found out I failed his class, I was randomly called out of another class to visit the vice principal's office. I didn't know what I'd done but I could guess it had something to do with me not going to school. However, I've been randomly attacked out of nothing/nowhere before, so it could have been anything. I was mainly hoping my mom wasn't waiting for me in the the VP's office...

It turned out that I just had Saturday school, a form of detention for the school, and it had to be verified by the VP and I had to be asked a bunch of stupid questions about it. Apparently, because I'd failed that guy's class, he felt sending me to Saturday school was good "punishment". I assumed he thought it would embarrass me enough so I'd suddenly see the light. Or something.

Instead, I went to Saturday school, was essentially socially congratulated for it because everyone before then thought I was a holy little geek, and learned to lie to my teachers henceforth. Thanks, Mister J!

Enter a picture of a middle finger here.

Song: "Craigslist"
Artist: Weird Al Yankovic
Album: Craigslist (2009)

This song is grand. Weird Al doing a Doors impression. Add video skills from Liam Lynch, and you get... this:

I still have a copy of Alapalooza around here somewhere...

PS. http://twitter.com/alyankovic.

Song: "In League With Satan"
Artist: Venom
Album: Welcome to Hell (1981)

I should make a comp of all of the songs I have/know that have some sort of deity thing going on.... says "saturnine" who doesn't like competition.

In the meantime, you can thank Ren for inspiring this classic metal post.

Song: "Frequency 7 (dance remix)"
Artist: Visage

I was just watching some random-as-fuck story about the history of house music, and was incredibly distracted by this song. Apparently the group is new wave but this is a dance remix... It's just a creepy song. It reminds me of cheesy vampire movies from the 80s... It could use a little something more to it, maybe some vocals like the original, but all the same... it's weird, and good. Reminds me a bit of JusticeMSTRKRFTdaftPunk.

I got my first bing search hit today.

Just thought I'd share.

I'm fifth in order for the band Skeletonwitch due to my shows posting. I hear my local stoner-doom band Salvador is opening for that show since I last updated my shows list... makes me want to go even though I know I don't have the money to be spending, now.

I wonder if I'm number one or at least on the first page for any searches like I have been on google... hrm.

And am I the only one that thinks it's weird that it took microsoft nearly a decade to put out a competitive search engine?

http://www.bing.com/search?q="sounds+of+sagittarius"
http://www.google.com/#q="sounds+of+sagittarius"

BAHAHA. I was search-listed on NME for my "10 Great Songs of 2007" video. I know, right?

...

I once had a stand-in grandpa named Bing. We were driving in the Californian desert where all you ever see is gas stations and dirt, and he told me that one time that he saw a bear walk through that town, complete with some big story. That guy was a jerk.

I never met either of my grandfathers. One of them was deaf and floated off into the mist decades before I was born. I hear the other one was in the army and/or a police officer or something along that line, and I'm regularly told that I "would have liked him" because "I think just like him". Well, okay.

I knew my grandmothers to a point... One of them died when I was a kid, and we were close. The one that's still living I don't really know even though we're cursed to share a name.

I don't know if she's standoffish or if she hates me or if she just doesn't like kids or what. A lot of women just don't like me from the start since I don't play "guess what I really mean"... so yeah, I haven't spent much actual time with her.

Instead, when it was family time, I got to spend time with my stand-in grandpa.

When I was a kid, it was just Grandpa Bing. I thought this guy was fucking nuts, even when I was really little. He was an obsessive-compulsive talker. The kind that you can't just ignore and they'll get the picture eventually and go find someone else to talk to. He was 24/7 running his mouth, even if no one was listening. He usually found people to talk to, though... In the store, at the park, the beach... He'd go up to anyone and start a random as fuck conversation about whatever dumbshit thing that had popped into his head at that exact second, then run his mouth for hours if possible.

The things he said would sometimes be pretty normal... and other times very wild comments or stories about things that had happened to him or 'some guy' he knew. He said so much that it was hard to tell after a while if he was just making shit up or what. I learned to tune him out.

One time me and some other kid in the family were stuck in the car with him and he started in with "DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THAT ONE TIME ABOUT THE BEAR?" Oh jesus, here we go. I just ignored him but my niece and nephews thought our pseudo-grandpa was hilarious and egged him on. He went on to say that the town we were driving through, which was a middle-of-fucking-nowhere desert town, had once had a bear invasion. I wasn't quite old enough to ask him where the bear came from and attempt to analyze what he said, but all the same... Apparently bears live in the desert, with all their fur and nutritional requirements. All along I thought bears were beach and forest-living creatures, but I guess there's a mysterious desert bear wandering around here somewhere. I wonder if they feed on hippies?

This guy was "famous" for taking us kids out and leaving us stranded because he'd get distracted by a conversation he would be having with a stranger and forget we were there. We knew it would be a little/no supervision kind of thing if Grandpa Bing was taking us out. But also we'd probably go hungry and wouldn't be able to do anything because he was a cheap bastard. A lot of the time he'd take us to hotels to go swimming... probably just so he could have conversations with the ladies there. One time we got kicked out of a closed community thanks to this.

Another major thing I remember him by was his vast porn collection. I don't know why, but he kept all of his magazines in an old car he had in his garage... nevermind the state of the garage itself. One year all we kids got caught out there when we weren't theoretically even supposed to be in the garage. Later on I found a picture of me laughing in the foreground while my nephew's sitting in his car in the background, getting yelled at by my sister. That was a hilarious find.

In any case, Bing gets a song.

Red Rider - "Lunatic Fringe":

I met and have only ever known Mark online. This is sad. I wish I would have had money in the years we knew each other best, because I needed to spend some real life quality time with the Mark back then. That, seriously, would have been the best thing, ever.

I met Mark because he was very friendly and social where I was existing at the time. He was also close friends with one of my friends. We had no real reason to talk to each other, though... yet one day I was feeling like sharing. I posted one of my parodies, and he told me I was "god". I'm afraid that's correct and it's so great that someone finally realized the truth. We will talk more, minion.

I normally get away with being introverted and subdued and the lot of various cynical goth-isms I have going for myself... but I fucking love slutty, silly, creative, "present" people. They don't take things personally or turn into PC/"truth" robots. Isn't that GREAT?! Yes. And that he was...

A few weeks into the joy of knowing dear Markus, our mutual friend freaked out about it because I had a boyfriend and that apparently means you're not supposed to talk about anything too "interesting" with other boymen. Fuck that crap. I'm sure my boyfriend knew better. Regardless, it'd be socially acceptable for an 18 year old boyman to talk to girls he wasn't dating however he wanted, so... you know. Shut the fuck up with your bullshit pre-feminism, consumeristic 1950s ideas on how women should act.

Markness didn't like me in any particular "way", anyhow. I'm quite sure he was getting plenty of love elsewhere (as was I). He seemed to like girls who were kind of stupid (at least stupid on purpose because that's the only way to get a man's attention) and scene/cliche and "girly". These girls would, without fail, piss me off. It was one dramatic thing after another. But that wasn't really my business even though these fucking idiots really should have treated him better.

We got into a few fights early on about big things like religious behaviors... and quickly learned what not to talk about. I'm surprised we stayed fairly close at all, but yep... we did. Mkar was fun and nice to be around (and also thuper homogay hot!). Despite the first few rough months, he was my best friend for about two years. This was during a time when I really, really needed his sort of lightheartedness in my life. I'm pretty grateful.

Thanks, mukkle, for making me laugh and being my friend. U WHERE TEH BEST JUAN. <3

I can't think of an accurate song for him, but this is close enough.

Song: "Trial of Dred Scott"
Artist: Black Congress
Album: Black Congress / MuhammadAli split (2009?)

Was someone listening to the Melvins when they wrote this song?

Either way, the music's good and it gets better.

Edit: Reposted. Maybe this time I can spell it right.

Song: "You Are The Shining Star of His Existence"
Artist: God's Temple of Family Deliverance
Album: God's Temple of Family Deliverance (2006)

I downloaded a 2006 SXSW comp sometime last year and didn't get around to skimming through it until last night... and only then because I noticed it was eating up 2.5GBs of needed space. So, I went through it and gave every song on it 1-2 seconds to impress me.

Naturally, it was soaking in sappy garbage. Even bands I knew seemed weak by association. There were a few interesting ones, though. I'd obviously heard of Minsk and Nadja, Baroness and Akimbo, but there were a few bands on it that were familiar in feeling yet I'd never even heard of them. God's Temple was one of them.

From what you can download at Sludge Swamp or hear on last.fm, this band sounds fantastic. I'm having a tough time trying to pinpoint why they're familiar exactly, but they have a fairly universal sludge/doom sound. They're more upbeat and "lively" than what you'd expect from a band with 10+ minute songs, though, so those of you with my sort of ADD won't have a problem. Of what I've listened to, this is their slowest and most tense song.

If you've not heard this band before and you're coming from a musical background similar to my own or my blog friend associations... you will like this band. Guaranteed.

I have a book sitting around that has a dedications page in the front of the book. The author thanked her kids by name, and one of her daughters was named Spirit Star. Hippy much?

When I was a kid, I hated my first name. I don't think I cared or noticed my name was unique until the first day of school. I was immediately informed through my peers that I, in fact, had one of those names that is incredibly easy to make fun of and I was going to hate my parents every single day of my life henceforth.

When I was a teenager, though, I had realized that my name was unique. I think my name might have been popular a few generations beforehand, but there aren't too many people my age with my name. I've only once met someone else close to my age who used my name in "real life", and it was actually a nickname they were using to be "rebellious". Aside from that, just old ladies and asian girls I've come across online and characters in movies.

In any case, I was keen on using fake names and possibly legally changing my name when I was a kid. One of my first character-me's was Jessica, and then I had a bunch in a row until I settled on Anne. I mostly used Anne in stories that I wrote. They weren't "nice" stories, which made me not want to use the name after a while because someone might get the wrong idea. I thought about sampling other names, but unfortunately at this point I had learned to like my name. It made me unique. It's easy to sell. People remember me.

I still get people asking me stupid questions about it, though.

I would like the world to know that I have heard EVERY stupid question or comment about my name, and had heard EVERY stupid question or comment on my name BY THE TIME I WAS SIX YEARS OLD. You are not, and have never been, amusing to me. You make me immediately not like you by commenting on it. All it is is irritating. I understand being curious, but fuck off with your stupid fucking jokes.

I need to know: are there men out there named Julio that get regularly asked when they're born? Do they have to justify their parents decisions every time they meet a new person? And what about April? I think Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or this girl I knew in middle school before I think the month. Oh yeah, and this dumb bitch I knew for too long. Fuck you, April. You were a fucking psycho cunt. I may actually need to dedicate a song to you.

But that's beside the point.

The point is... STOP ASKING ME WHEN MY BIRTHDAY IS OR IF I FEEL BETTER OR WORSE NOW THAT JUNE IS HERE OR GOING. YOU'RE A FUCKING IDIOT.

Here's your fucking song:

PS. This song goes out to every emo band that uses my name in their band or song titles: Wolf Eyes - "Stabbed In The Face".

Song: "Til I'm Blind"
Artist: Dark Skies
Album: Feelin' Free (2008)

I saw this band about nine months back. All I remember now is that the singer was pretty animated and seemed to know what he was doing, unusual of my experience of new-ish/underground/local bands. I didn't expect to like them but they stood out from the entire show and I thought that I'd have to check them out in the future.

Unfortunately for them and maybe my special local live band brownie points, I can't decide if that'll be soon or not. Five bands is too fucking much for apparently shitty venues I have to pay $30+ to get home from when the door cost is probably not even half that, nevermind the cost of food/drink seeing as how I'd be away from home no less than 7 hours even if I didn't see the whole show to waive the No Car Fee. I'm bored and in need of some good musical experience, but probably too broke to be THAT entertained.

In short, I hate local venues with their packing on of extra bands to sell tickets when I just want to see two bands starting at a reasonable time, not be there more than three hours, and get the fuck out before I catch alcoholism (because it's a "disease", see) and/or get dusted in idiot residue and wake up the next morning night with combover bangs stuck to one side of my head. Ten years ago I would have called y'all "fags" but I'm afraid I have more respect for the gay than to think they're all a bunch of ridiculous clones as is apparent at every small show I've been to. Seriously, if it's not the fucking jerks with their pants, it's the fucking jerks with their holier than thou attitudes who bitch on the internet in their fucking forums and blogs about shit that doesn't matter. GOD. WHY DON'T I LEARN TO DRIVE AND GET A REAL JOB?

That wasn't short.

You know what IS short, though? ... My patience.

Anyhow, I hope that if Dark Skies ever googles themselves the way Tweak Bird and KWC/Snailface and Tad did, they see the humor in this post and send me an email asking me if I'll help them put together a domain website because, like, geocities is, like, soooo 1997 ago.

Song: "That One Song"
Artist: That One Guy
Album: You Know (1982)

You know what they say....

Only the great die in June.

Yep.

This guy had a definite mark on my childhood.

I have a clear memory of being about six years old, sitting in the backseat of the car with my brand new stuffed fox hand puppet that was bought for me at some nature park. It took a lot of begging to get my parents to do shit for me relative to the moment I wanted the shit done because they're both cheap bastards who hate children. So I finally got something when I wanted it AND it was cool. At this moment of happiness, leaving the park, hitting the freeway with Foxy on my hand, "Thriller" came on the radio...

I ended up losing Foxy after a couple of days. I have NO idea where he went. I think I found him a bunch of years later when I didn't give a shit anymore, then RE-lost him. Really. I was a pretty organized, "aware" kid. I knew where my stuff was. I don't know how the hell he disappeared.

Foxy also reminds me of "Foxey Lady" by that other guy.... I wonder why?

I also remember being about 12-13 years old, listening to Z100 and they were saying they were going to call MJ in the hospital he was staying at after he collapsed on stage. It took a while but they actually did it. I recorded it and still have the tape around here somewhere. What was that guy's name, Nelson? I think he pretended to be the president (Clinton), hence why he got passed by so many people...

That was also around the time I was at the mall one afternoon with my mom/sister and we walked by a tv in the center walkway of the mall to see a white bronco being chased down the freeway by police. My sister made us stand there for something like two hours. I was bored out of my wits.

But yeah.

Videos. Most memorable videos in the history of videos, ever?

(Assuming a lot of things here, wouldn't it be great to get MC drunk and molest him silly?! Especially as in that scene he does in Party Monster, with the song he makes up on stage at what they thought was going to be a rave.)

My favorite was the one with the 20s gangsters and the bar even though the song is annoying.

But yeah. I think we can all agree on the above song and video...

Song: "Fight Fire With Fire"
Artist: Metallica
Album: Ride The Lightning (1984)

You know what's better than Michael Jackson?

...

I'll probably cry the day James dies.

Song: "Dive Bomber"
Artist: Diesto
Album: Isle of Marauder (2008)

I've known Diesto since at least March of last year. I heard one of their songs, loved it despite the low quality sample, and bought this CD without listening to anything else - something I rarely do. Their record label also sent me a bunch of other shit which was pretty cool...

I don't remember exactly why I checked them out originally, but I do remember they were playing a show with Red Fang about that time and that could have played a part. I couldn't go due to school.

They had other shows, but then it was a matter of money/priority. I planned to see them during MFNW and got sick. I think they once played a date when I was going to attend another show, but I didn't actually end up going to either because it was back to back with Black Cobra. Tonight they've got a show, and it sounded great in theory, but I just learned about a MELVINS + WEEDEATER + DANAVA = OMG show coming up which is exactly where this and last night's shows' money went.

So. I have not seen Diesto yet. And I need to. Because they do sound pretty good and it's about fucking time.

If you like darker spectrum sludge/doom (or the similar Northwest bands I've posted about: Black Elk and Akimbo and...), you'll like Diesto.

For the record, I don't consider this song "stoner" but they have moments... hence the tag.

Song: "Dalas tar"
Artist: Sheavy
Album: Reproduction demo (1993)

That's "Rat Salad" backwards. As in that one song. By that one band. Because there is a lot of emulation around here.

I was just listening to this original(?) version, and somehow it's better than what made it to Blue Sky Mind. Plus, it sounds great right after the demo, more "psych" version of "Gun It Jam". I'm thinking about putting it up in the little white box over there as soon as I do changes with that. In the meantime, you can find both songs online in Blue Sky Mind format.

Also, Sheavy should have a new album later this year. Hopefully, that's good news as they recently lost their since-BSM guitarist.

Song: "LAMC"
Artist: Tool
Album: Salival (2000)

This "song" reminds me a whole lot of my current experience with importing, exporting, and backing up my blogs.

Listen to the whole thing up until the fade/silence at 6:45 or you won't "get it".

Stay on the line for the perviest song you'll ever know that does not relate, in any way, to my blogs.

Although I bet if I printed out all of my writing in the last ten years, it would be a hell of a lot taller than ...

Song: "Grim Reaper Blues"
Artist: Entrance
Album: Prayer of Death (2006)

No idea how I missed this before tonight. I was doing my rounds and finally someone updated Nebula's tour page with a Portland date. It seemed logical but I couldn't be sure til I saw that. This band opens, and I went looking for a sample.

I found this.

I knew Paz was still around making music but I never followed her. That's too bad, because this hardly ruins the image in my head of what APC was when it was great... what with being a completely different genre and all.

Stoner rock and assorted 60s/70s-inspired creepy nonsense:

Song: "A Looking In View"
Artist: Alice In Chains
Album: Black Gives Way To Blue (2009)

This is my first-ever listen of the "new" AIC.

Sounds like generic radio-ism thus far. In other words, it's apparent that this was released with the intention of sounding like a version of the old AIC so those who've been asleep the last ten or fifteen years will still suckle the product. I'm fearful of what's coming.

I'll try again another time when I'm not having aesthetic PMS. But yep. First impression: no.

... Let be known that I said I was going to boycott this entirely and I failed due to curiousity. I do not get over my boycotts easily, so we'll see what happens. Singles usually suck so it might be a fair album after all. Three months to find out.

Song: "Shittown, USA"
Artist: Mongoloid Village
Album: Mongoloid Village (2008)

I was waiting to do a post on this band until I had gotten into their material and therefore had something more interesting to say than the obvious... Not quite there yet. Nevertheless, I've had a few searches here and at the previous blog location for this band, so I might as well get the obvious song out of the way.

If you're from Portland, you may already know Mongoloid Village. If not, you should. Here's your learning experience.

Also, Mongoloid Village blogs: mongoloidvillage.wordpress.com.

I went to the show that that video is from. I made an underwhelming "review" that you can read if you're feeling masochistic.