Back in the day, you know, those freshman in college days (circa '97-98), we used to rock this shit!!! Still, the best version of "Stars" by Hum belongs to "Iceberg Slim", my bestest buddy Chuck's band during those same college years. Now, if I had my way, they would have been named "Horny Rottweiler". Hmmm..I wonder what other things would be different if they'd only gone according to the Toast. I tell you what, I'd probably have a cheese-steak right now.
**Sidenote** And the award for most awesomely blunt band update goes to Hum's wikipedia page: "They have not been consistently active as a recording or touring group since 2000." oooh....you hate to see that.
Recently I noticed that it has been 15 years since the "tragic" death of Kurt Cobain. The word tragic is in the frequently used by Toast quotations as the bastard did shoot himself; that being said it was a bit of o'tragedy as the world of music would never be the same. What does music have to show in the 15 years since?? MTV has gone from the way to get music out there to never showing a damn video. Seriously, not a one. Instead they are chock full to the gills of reality television and some show that I don't know a single thing about called "The Hills". Apparently it's Lauren's last season??? WHO THE FUCK IS LAUREN??
Kool-Aid tells me that "The Hills" is about these rich girls that look good and buy stuff and that all the girls at her work go fuck crazy nuts over it. What I want to know is, where is the music?? And this question isn't just for television. Media today is way past my know how. I mean, the cd industry is dead. 15 years!! Obviously I live in the internet age now, something that was just really getting underway all those years ago when Cobain blew his head off. Such a tortured soul. Please, I understand you're an artist and you suffer painstakingly for your craft. I also understand that you suffered from various ailments and intestinal disorders that made it greatly uncomfortable for you in the day to day. That's why you adhere to a steady heroin regiment. Don't tell me you used that stuff for just for the high??
Anyway, I'm getting off track. It is just difficult for me to comprehend the fact that it's been 15 long/short years since a major influence for the music side of me stopped making music...for various reasons...okay, one reason. Where has the time gone?? Where has the music gone?? Better yet, where has the musical talent gone?? Oh, it can still be found (i.e. take another ganders of what I left you in the post below). Maybe, what I should really be seeking an answer to is; where has the intelligence of the masses gone?? Culture?? Are we really all about dancing with the stars?? Is the best thing we have to offer the world the ups and downs of Jessica Simpson's weight or the primadonna rock'n'rolla lifestyles of our atheletes?? Please Obama, give this country something to be proud of again. I implore you.
Maybe I should just come to terms with the fact that things are just not the same. That the world has changed over the last 15 years. When we live in an age when any idiot with a computer can post their opinions on the web for all to see and read (i.e. this blog, I'm no exception to the rule) things are gonna get dumbed down. Perhaps I'm not giving people enough credit. Perhaps I'm being too cynical. Perhaps I should be blaming Cobain for some of this. I mean, after all, Cobain made it cool to sing about your feelings and still rock at the same time; of course he's gonna get his fair share of copycats. Someone's already done it, probably ten times better than you ever could. Might as well just try to follow his template and try to cash in, am I right. Well, do you know what that gets you 15 years later?? Emo Rock. Ugh.....(shudders at desk)
Okayokayokayokay...I apologize for this rant. I didn't get much sleep last night. Sometimes, I just want you to know that I'm more than movie quotes and song clips. I'm really a happy camper and I still looove to rock. And there are still a ton of beats out there for me to jam, to discover, to inform as many people as I can about. If anything, my tastes aren't mainstream so the fact that Pop Music is so garbage these days really shouldn't effect me. I just have this perception of things sometimes and it really grinds my gears. In any event, 15 years. 15 years since Cobain took off from rockin' via a shotgun blast. Makes you think huh?? Well, makes me think anyway. In closing...Umphrey's is the shit, Pearl Jam is still rockin' the free world, and how come no-one talks about the death of Layne Staley?? Good god Alice in Chains was awesome!!! Later boners.
Sidenote: Oddly enough, it has been 7 years since the death of Staley, who was pronounced dead exactly 8 years to the day (April 5, 1994 and 2002) following Cobain. And people note the number of musicians dying at the age of 27, yet no one really seems to bring this up. Probably due to how Staley was at the time of his death. Hell, the five years leading up to his death for that matter
Nothing real original about all of this you see below. Just a quick cumulative list of the kick-ass that's happened this past year. Enjoy!!
- Saw Eddie Vedder at the Warner Theatre here in DC. - My nephew Callan was born on April 20, 2008 - Work promotions and pay increases, who knew?!?!?! - The Giants winning what was probably the best Super Bowl of my lifetime (so far)
- Going whitewater rafting in West Virginia in October - Seeing Pearl Jam again with the Chuck - High fives - Heading down to Florida for my buddy Matt's wedding - Johnny Lester not only says eat shit to cancer but also no hits the Royals - Spending a weekend in Virginia Beach with Kool-Aid - Getting to know "the inlaws" a bit more only to discover that they really like me - Singing "Rock and Roll Part II" aboard Philly's subway system (yeah, I wasn't aware they had one either) - Same weekend, "Too Legit 2 Quit" on Jitter's roof deck - Radiohead outdoors in the rain here in VA. - The Bruins return to NHL prominance - Toastedblog's rise from the ashes like the magnificient Phoenix, or some other town in Arizona - I've decided to grow my hair long and you know what, it's none too shabby - Spending this past Christmas with my entire family, first time we've been all together for some time - Becoming friends with D.C. and with all its faults, I am really happy here - My sister getting married - Chipwiches - Mutha-fuckin' Giants!! - Work people beginning to learn about how awesome I can be, rather than just a dude in an office - Taking Kool-Aid to a boat-load of games (Giants v. Cowboys, a number of Nats games, Manny's 500th HR in Baltimore) - Going with Kool-Aid to a few moe. shows - Tina Fey - And of course, another year with the Kool-Aid. Can't beat that deal with a stick! - Barack Obama - The Dark Knight - Frequently making your own pizza - Cheap gas!! - the baconator
Happy New Year people, we'll catch you in '09!! Be safe and if you see me around midnight, don't be hesitant with that whole kiss thing.
VALUED AT $17,500; WILL SELL AT $2,000; WEIGHT APPROX, 175 LBS; WAS USED AS A LINE THROWER TO TRAVERSE RIVERS AND CLIFFS DURING THE CIVIL WAR; GREAT COLLECTORS PIECE; FANTASTIC CONVERSATIONAL PIECE
Man, I can't wait for the days when I can just sit around with a group of people and just bring up my breathtaking conversation piece, a Civil War era cannon. This craigslist ad was found in my email this morning as a certain Kool-Aid decided that it was of utmost importance that I discover this unique opportunity. Frankly, I don't see a way around my obtaining this highly interesting relic.
I mean, for me, to own a piece of American History that is a brilliant conversation starter is almost daily priority number one. Screw that going to work shit. Cleaning one's self, who needs it? Not when I can talk about my cannon. Did you know that this very cannon was used as a line thrower to traverse rivers and cliffs during an Epic War in our Nation's History, the Civil War??
How much did you pay for that cannon?? Well, I'm not going to tell you that. That's my little secret. But, what I can tell you is that it as been appraised for over $17,500. What's that you ask?? How much does such a fantastic historical specimen weigh? Well, it currently scales at approximately 175 lbs. That weight just screams authenticity.
And, if you were desperately searching for a new hobby, were you aware that this very authentic antique 1864 Civil War cannon is also a great collectors piece. Finally, all you cannon collectors can complete the set by obtaining the highly elusive 1864 Line Thrower model. Forget about this thing being obtrusive and you need not worry if you are unsure of where to display such a spanking historical artifact. Your 1864 Civil War cannon will tie together any room with its heavy iron-ness and its authentic Civil War cannon-oscity. It just begs for attention. Look at me. See how I shine?? Note that sparkle?? I'm a fucking big ass cannon and I'm sitting here in this jackass's living room for some reason that only this goofy bastard knows about. And why the hell does he have a giant globe in here and a fake marlin on the wall??
In any event, the reason this cannon was brought to my attention is the simple fact that two folks you all should hold dear are currently on the lookout for some more furniture. You see, my beloved apartment, Fort Awesome, is changing street addresses. That's right, Kool-Aid and I are moving. Not far might I add, and to quite the larger place. I'm going to have stairs. You hear that, STAIRS!!! Gone will be the days of the cozy little apartment with a den whose doorway is too narrow to fit a kickass recliner through it's gates. I'm going to have my own living room in a furnished basement for uber manly and definitely non-dorky video game playing to boot. I'll be able to fit a fleet of recliners in that summbitch.
Most importantly though, our new rowhome will allow us to get a dog, something that we've been putting off due to the time it currently takes us to get back and forth to work. Let the "Gary" acquisition commence at year's end people, as we are set to move in January. "Gary" just better make sure he doesn't confuse my new cannon with his toilet. He'll be in a world of hurt if that thing depriciates in value. What on earth would my friends think??
