What a wonderful world...

oh my goodness, oh my GOODNESS!!! what an amazing weekend i've had!!! i can't just sit here and write nonsense words without using my skills to describe how awesome it all was. ok, so friday night started off good with me and mike going to the blue note to watch, The Cancer Bats. oklahoma locals, Over Stars and Gutters, opened the show and they were solid. the cancer bats were crazy awesome and further down below you'll find out about them for this post. heh heh ;)

me and "big" mike in da hood. (seriously...)


saturday began with me going to work to fill in a few hours for all those snow days we had to take. it was nice and relaxing, so i was grateful for the chance to do it. the day went on and i ate pizza at my grandma's then met up at mike's house to gather with the crew. you see, mike's wife, chealsey, had her cousin, john, come up from stillwater to hang for his late b-day party. he chose bricktown, so we ventured out to the strip and hopped around all night. it was a total blast and i'm soooooooo glad i made the effort to go. i don't get out much often, especially with close friends, so this was a real treat. uh, i think the pictures below are enough evidence...

me and mike eating sushi. (he was a noob!!! j/k)


the gang right before the sake bombs exploded...


buffoons fo sho!!!


so anyway, the weekend was a blast (like i already said...) and today was just as great. i got my dad to close our old phone account and now i'm starting to pay for my own service. included in the deal was my new HTC 4G smart phone. it's a touch screen and flippin' awesome. i just spent over two hours foolin' around with the set-up and applications. woo hoo!!!

alright, like i said, me and mike saw the cancer bats, so i think they deserve this nights music banter. uh, so without further adieu, here's The Cancer Bats.



this is a band that hails from toronto, ontario canada. they formed around 2004 or so, with the effort to make straightforward music that combined their love for bands like, Black Flag, Refused, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and probably d-beat, 70's-80's styled punk from england. their music is intense and brutal, but not in a jokingly, "deathcore" kind of way. (nothing against deathcore. to a point...) watching them friday night, i was reminded of some recent acts over the past few years i've seen like, Every Time I Die, The Gallows, The Bronx and perhaps some other artists that haven't been seen yet like, The Melvins and F*cked Up.

if there happens to be a chance to see these guys, go do it. they are totally awesome and put on a great show. they tore up the tiny stage friday night at this bar and there were probably only 30 people there. that's hardcore and it's what music is all about.

for the music, we first start with their self titled ep, then swing on by to their first full length, which is the album, Birthing the Giant. this is an awesome album by the way!!! right, so after that is their second full length, which is titled, Hail Destroyer. and after that is their latest full length titled, Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones. (really awesome album artwork there!!!) listen up and listen close. PLAY THIS LOUD!!! dig it...


http://www.mediafire.com/?mwlfarmmjhj


http://www.mediafire.com/?mgynqkojona


http://www.mediafire.com/?iwjjhmzgya2


http://www.mediafire.com/?nhqllyzmtzc



and now it's time to say goodnight...

Cabin Fever and Chips...

complicated things are filtering in my head, but for once, it’s not so bad like usual. i am able to shift my thoughts around more better and with that, i manage to keep myself from hurting or becoming depressed. now that is an amazing feat for me!!! i guess it’s all related to the “stepping stone” or my “next step” whatever process. it truly feels as if the next chapter is upon me and things are starting to take better shape. for the past several years i’ve been in the dark, confused and lonely. but now, oh man, now it seems like the adventure is FINALLY about to begin. i’m very excited!!! some of the events happening are me finally moving next month to my own place, improving at my job and enjoying it more, not being sick as much and then there’s miss kristy, the girl whom i’ve been dating a lil’ while. it’s the bees knees!!!

for some more closely related events about to happen, there is the possibility of yet another snow storm brewing. i honestly have no idea when it’s supposed to hit, but sources are starting to all say that it’s either this afternoon, or later tonight. i’m stoked because i love the snow, but the bad is the travel condition to and from work and school. all that, and plus my dad has to work until midnight or one a.m.. (he works for the city and is in charge of snow clearing.) yeppers, it seems like we may be in for another huge dump. all that snow looks like the nasty diaper remains from a baby snowman…

ok, so next thing i want to do is a little bit a free writing. the style i’m choosing is a sporadic approach and one that might get weird, so for your own information, get ready…

occasionally i will imagine myself in a combat/war situation. i don’t know where this comes from, but i do it once in a while. on this tour of duty, i focused on the things that aren’t really of the norm. in the scene of chaos all around me, i was lying flat on my belly, trying my best to take cover and not get killed. as i was laying there, breathing heavy and scared to death, i turned my head over and stared at some ants climbing a plant branch. what stunned then was not the war being fought in all directions and people dying, but instead it was the notion that these living things were spending their time living their own way of life amidst the conflict in their backyard. they crawled and climbed their way up and down the branch, taking their spoils of root matter and fly wings to their secret underground dwellings for later use. sure they probably took notice of the 200+ pound man lying there, breathing hot air on them, but this didn’t phase them. they had a mission to do and so did i.

after collecting myself and getting my wits in place, i surveyed the zone around me and had seen that nobody really took any ground. we were stuck and being picked off like cows in a slaughter house. i rolled onto my back to see where my nco was. i hadn’t noticed when i originally landed in my bombed out crater, but i had leapt onto somebody guts. my left foot was tangled in this person’s bowels. i don’t know where the body was. all that was there was this mass collection of organs and chunky bits of flesh torn off as if someone was tearing pieces of frybread.

i kicked dirt onto the bloody pile, trying my best to ignore what i did and saw. i gripped my weapon tightly and started to pray fast. “Dear Lord, please save me from this battle. I want to go home and see my family. I want to go home and start my own family. I’m sorry for my sins. Please forgive me and please help me to live.” my eyes were close so hard that they almost started bleeding. my ears rang louder than any concert i’ve been too and the ground shook as if it were being tumbled in a dryer. all this agony made me breakdown and i started to cry out loud. “Stop it!!! Stop it you F*ucking Bastards!!! Stop It!!! Stop it!!! Stop It!!!”

just then my nco crawled over to me and began rubbing the back of my neck. he told me to calm down and take cover. as he said this more bullets and shrapnel flew over our heads. at any second we would hear the signal to push forward and try our luck against a determined enemy. i coward at the thought of standing up. was i just someone’s pawn in this almost unnecessary battle??? naw, i couldn’t bring myself to start thinking like that. tons of other men in war have thought the same thing and it seems cliché to bring it up. what am i worried about??? my nco gave me another smile and said, “Just you wait man, this little ditty will clear em’ up over there!!! Just wait and watch the f*cukin’ show dude!!!” and with that, i heard the loudest noise i’ve ever heard in my entire life. the whole world seemed to shake and crack. if this noise was being shown through speakers or television, the circuits would pop and burst from the extreme pressure and ferocity of it’s magnitude.

after everything seemed clear, we stood up and witnessed the awesome, yet terrible power we held. the land before us was cleared like the forests of south america. i looked on and saw smoke slowly rising from the ground. it must be spirits lifting i thought. after that my cell phone rang…

right, right, right. ok, so yeah, i think i needed that. just a lil’ free writin’ is all. lol yeah, so let’s talk some music now shall we??? the next band i want you all to check out have been around for a long time and have a special connection to the punk scene here in america. they go by the name, The Mr. T Experience.

this three piece started back in 1985 and are one of the best and most cherished bands of the berkley, california music scene. they play very nice and catchy pop-punk and write songs with a great emphasis on personal reflection and uplifting anthems. they are well known in the bay area and also for playing many times at the legendary 924 gilman street d.i.y venue. this club is famous for getting many of today’s well established acts their start. bands like, Green Day, AFI, Rancid and The Offspring have all cut their chops at this local club and that makes it special. so, if you happen to dig the above mentioned bands, or any of the california/berkley/bay area bands like, Jawbreaker, Dead Kennedy’s, Crimpshrine, J Church, Operation Ivy, Pansy Division and NOFX, then the mr. t experience should be just right for you!!!

and as for their music, i'm not listing their entire discography, but instead just their choice cuts that i find to be their best. these are my personal faves and also take note that they were originally released on the independent label, lookout! records, and are a staple of the 80's-90's calofornia punk scene. in first place is the album, Love is Dead and then the album, Revenge is Sweet and So Are You. both of these came out in the 90's are are a big part of my young life, so remember with me while we jam the mr. t experience!!! dig it...

http://www.mediafire.com/?xmq5mbelmhk


http://www.mediafire.com/?anzqaiyyhze



Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...

My life 'til now
Has been filled with doubt,
Here I am,
'Cause there's no
Other place I can go,
But I can see
You're a lot like me,
So maybe you know
Somewhere people like us can go,
Where we won't get kicked out,
'Cause we've got a lot to talk about,
After years of research
I think I've figured it out:

It's the little things that get you down,
It's the bigger things that you can't get around,
And it's way to flat on the middle ground,
But everything else is wide open.

So let's go,
Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...together,
Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...

Teacher please,
Don't be such a tease,
Give me some kind of sign,
Not detention this time,
The things that we used to do
Have been turned into a zoo
By people who say
All the things that we used to say,
And if we say them again,
We're gonna sound just like them,
After years of remorse,
I think I've taken it in.

It's the little things that get you down,
It's the bigger things that you can't get around,
And it's way to flat on the middle ground,
But everything else is our oyster,
Everything else is a picnic,
Everything else is terrific.

So let's go,
Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...
Ba ba ba ba ba...together,
Ba ba ba ba ba... (Yeah!)
Ba ba ba ba ba...

Cheesecake...

so far so good for me. totally happy and about to go to a superbowl party at mikes. just thought i'd make my mark for the day on this here bloggy thingy. man, i live writing on here!!! i'm excited to get to the music, but first i just want to give a shout out to kristy for picking me up and spending saturday afternoon and evening with me.

yeah, so yesterday we went to penn square mall and first stopped at the cheesecake factory to stuff our faces, then proceeded to the bigger parking lot. the plan was to check out macy's and get some new cologne for myself. i accomplished this feat and also came back with even more!!! i have a new wallet, a new belt, a new pair of pants and the memory of watching The Kings Speech. yes, we checked out that movie and it was fantastic. truly worth the hype and such a heartfelt, moving piece. i was pleasantly surprise by how mellow, yet engaging it was. i think i needed that. movies aren't always this good...

right, so enough with the cheesy fluff and on with the music!!! once again, i have been floored by a new band that takes elements from the past and reinterprets it into something fresh and new. the band i want you all to check out today is called, Joyce Manor.



when i write about bands, i make it my job to often list related artists so as to help those who don't have the chance to listen to the music right away. it takes just a little bit of this and that to notice similarities and then write what i believe are the right parallels. for the band joyce manor, when i first listened to their demo album and then their self titled debut full length, i immediately thought of the following bands: Jawbreaker, Capn' Jazz, early Alkaline Trio, Hot Water Music, Built to Spill, J Church and The Jazz June. Maybe even a lil' bit of Pinkerton era Weezer... and that's the best i could come up with while jammin' their tunes for the first time. their music incorporates soooooooo many influences from the wonderful 90's midwest and present orgcore scenes that's it's almost unreal. there is a lot of talent here and you best be paying attention.

(i as type this i'm hitting replay for even more of their music...)

joyce manor is a young band from torrance, california. they have recently been signed with hardcore centric music label, 6131 records. standing out from the ferocity of hardcore bands, joyce manor take a more melodic and emotional approach. needless to say, if you know me and all the stuff i list here, then it's pretty friggin' clear that this band hits all the right marks. GET IN ON THIS NOW!!!! I AM SUPER CEREAL!!! NNNNOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!

ah, and for their music i'm skipping a few split albums i think and just going for the gut. first is their gritty, Constant Headache demo, then their freekishly amazing self titled debut full length. i ask you all once again to trust me and check this out. i'm fully backing this band and i want everyone else and their dog to as well. listen to joyce manor and dig it...


http://www.mediafire.com/?zymiznwzyzo


http://www.mediafire.com/?efm55nrlnssf6cq



i don't even know who's playing in this years superbowl...

Rocks My Socks...

well now, ain't this a surprise??? it seems i do have some faithful readers out there!!! thank you all soooooooo much for checkin' in on me and my obsession with writing whatever comes to mind. as of right now, what's happenin' is this oncoming winter storm. i think it's either hitting tonight or tomorrow night, so i better get this post down asap!!! good thing i'm in such a happy mood at the moment as well, because if i wasn't then this post would have been put on the back burner...

let's see, so far it's been an extremely awesome weekend. me and kristy hung out friday night and ate dinner with some of her family then watched movies together. i got her to check out Evil Dead II for the first time!!! lol oh, and she made me watch, Easy A, which actually wasn't all that bad. on saturday i tried out this new sushi place near my house and it was pretty darn good. oh, and then i wandered over to the local buy for less grocery store and got a ticket to see Jimmy Eat World live at the diamond freekin' ballroom!!! seriously, i felt like i was 16 all over again. oh, and while i was there, i got to hang out with several local buddies whom i've met from going to so many concerts around here. it's pretty cool when you get to meet new people who are a part of this whole network of local artists trying to make their way in the scene. there were guys from local bands, Streets of Thieves, John Moreland and the Blackgold Band and Red City Radio. a most excellent night indeed, but to top it all off, matt, lead singer from another local favorite of mine, Over Stars and Gutters, gave me permission to write about them on my blog and post their tunes, so big thanks to the guy and his band mates. let's get started shall we???

so, like i said, the band i'm currently going to write is named, Over Stars and Gutters and they are awesome. ya digg???



a quick apology for the photo above since the band has had a major lineup change since then, but it was the only black and white photo i could find and for some reason, i think black and white pics are timeless and add a certain mystique to the bands. anyway, OSAG are a local four piece band that started back in 2007. i first got to know matt and his gang from a friend i met at community college. that guy was named richard and he played in a local ska/punk band named, Third Grade Scuffle. matt was the lead singer for them, so that's how this whole thing got started. i went to a few shows before the band kind of disappeared, (moved on i'd say...) and for a little while there was nothing going on. the oklahoma city music scene seemed to be at this standstill and all the venues that catered to punk rock and DIY ethics closed down. (green door R.I.P.) so yeah, i moved on to college in santa fe and lost track of my home state for about four years. not many shows in between, just stuff in new mexico which i hated for the most part. so, to get to the point, i graduated, came back, and discovered what had happened in the mean time. matt went on to form OSAG and other local acts popped up like the one's mentioned way up above. i was pleasantly surprised...

"orgcore" had entered into my vocabulary thanks to the fine folks at punknews.org and the org summit. the gruff style of singing that's been made famous by acts like, Leatherface, Hot Water Music and American Steel, has evolved into this kind of virus that's spread across the world and many bands are making good use of it. not to pigeonhole any band on here with a sort of copy-cat mark, it's all meant for the good and when i post about it, you can assure i mean well. i don't want to spend my time posting on bands i don't like, so bleh...

OSAG are orgcore, but also special in their overall attitude and style. it's bittersweet emotion mixed with temperamental shifts and that's exciting to me. there's the punk rawness of matt's voice and the personal lyrics that are sung with heartfelt meaning. it has this overall feeling of youth and passion that has been built up for so long and then finally set free. you get this sometimes when listening to certain band's first recordings. it's a special quality that's rare and you won't find it on mxtxvx. needless to say, this is good music and i'm proud of these guys for sticking it out and playing their tunes, not matter what age or time we all find ourselves in.

and so we finally come to the music. skipping their split casette with the band, Virgins, in first place is their wonderful debut album, Consider This Your Curse and after that is their new 2010 demo. this latter piece is certified fresh and i'm stoked to check it out. matt mentioned about how it's more straightforward and uptempo, what, with the new lineup and all, so yeah, totally boss. give these a listen and also check out these links to their sites. support local music ya newts!!!

http://www.theblacknumbers.com/artist_overStarsAndGutters.html
http://www.myspace.com/overstarsandgutters
http://overstarsandgutters.bigcartel.com/
http://overstarsandgutters.bandcamp.com/


http://www.mediafire.com/?qouzzndtqft


http://www.mediafire.com/?3mbggmr71jubza7



right off...

Dude Bro...

(take note that this post was written on tuesday, but not posted till thursday...)

:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

“there's a feeling i get, when i look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving…”

who or what is this feelin that haunts me??? you know, that little thing that makes you follow along towards your own personal doom. i guess an easy answer would be the word “sin.” now i’m not going to divulge into the areas that sin corrupts and resides in because it’s everywhere. no, instead i’m just gonna say that i hate sin and everything associated with it. of course, i sin everyday, so i’m not perfect. ugh, things sure can be confusing, but when i think about them too much, the idea for whatever it was i was thinking about becomes stale and eventually just falls off into the unknown…

is there a point to all this??? i have recently come to known that yes, there is a point to EVERYTHING!!! and as of this moment, i think i’m possibly getting started on the next phase, the newly christened “second half” or something to that effect. i’ve met somebody special and i can’t help but make a huge shout out on a wolf at the door. she’s an amazing person who makes me happy and i couldn’t ask for anything more. where will my life lead me now??? i have no idea, but for once in a very LONG time, i’m super excited!!!

oh, and just to let you all know that i do have a life outside this blog, here's a pic of me and my best friend mike. i think were smiling to much...

to shake things up in my schedule, i’m going to the conservatory tonight to see a few bands i like. the headliner is the focus for today’s music listing and that band happens to be, Fake Problems.

here’s a hardworking, young band, from naples, florida, that formed in 2005 and have become quite the highly recommended type for fans of the orgcore style. simply to say, if you dig bands such as, Against Me!, The Gaslight Anthem, Hot Water Music, Look Mexico and O Pioneers!!!, then these cats should be able to pluck your string. their music style seems to cover a wide range of areas such as folk/punk/pop and alt-country. their recent full length, Real Ghosts Caught on Tape, was critically acclaimed and made many best-of-the-year lists for 2010. seeing this band tonight should be a real treat and hopefully they will have some awesome shirts for sale!!! yay!!! CHEESY as all get out!!!

ah, i wrote all that above and made it sound like there would be no tunes for ya!!! well fear not because you'll find the good below!!! right, so skipping all the split albums, singles, demo's and their first four ep's, we meet the album, Spurs & Spokes / Bull Matador. this is actually a collection an ep and some demo's i believe. after that is their terrific debut full length, How Far Our Bodies Go. this is closely accompanied by the seven inch, Viking Wizard Eyes Wizard Full of Lies. in the next spot is their second, and often most cherished album, It's Great to Be Alive. and then finally, in last place, we arrive at the polarizing, yet amazing album, Real Ghosts Caught on Tape. crack down on these and get ahead of the rest because blowing up is hard to do, or something like that... uh, what now???

http://www.mediafire.com/?1oksfdkn10b


http://www.mediafire.com/?imgtnqmyd0k


http://www.mediafire.com/?y01xnwooyty


http://www.goodfriendsrecords.com/images/gfr%20webz.zip


http://www.mediafire.com/?71d8c77301syo33



she's got me...

Two ice cream cones please...

what a super feeling i have right now. my spirit is lifted up high and i feel soooooo good!!! i had a special friday night with a special friend and i left with a huge smile on my face. i went to bed thinking about how awesome a time i had and i just hope things will get even better!!!

okay, so it's now saturday and i'm just enjoying the time i have. no work on monday so yay to that!!! ha ha, i just can't express myself in words at the moment. i can't even begin to describe how i feel without saying something cliche. TOTALLY AMAZING!!! OMG!!!

alright alright, i'll take it down a notch and write some music real quick. since i was in the presence of a lovely young lady last night, i think i'll write a bit about another lovely lady who made freekin' amazing music. i'm not afraid to say, it's Siouxsie and the Banshees.



legendary post-punk from london, england, siouxsie and the banshees are one of the best, most cherished bands from punks past. they, along with several other early acts, are considered gothic rocks beginners. lead singer siouxsie sioux, along with bassist steven severin, formed in the band in 1976. they often followed The Sex Pistols during their early years, learning about making music their own way and how "anyone could do it." the band released their debut album, The Scream, in 1978 and thus, their career as an incendiary post-punk band took off. they toured all over the world and eventually broke up in 1996. they reformed in 2002 to play at that year's Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival and have been dormant since.

many artists from all styles of music claim this band as a direct inspiration. LCD Soundsytem, Jane's Addiction, Radiohead, TV on the Radio and even DeVotchKa lay down their facts about direct influence and admiration. so, with all that, if you like a few old schools acts like, Joy Division, The Cure, Gang of Four and Public Image LTD, then you will most certainly like siouxsie and the banshees.



as for their music, i'm listing my five favorite albums. we first start with their fantastic debut, The Scream. listen to their cover of The Beatles classic, "helter skelter." next is the album, Join Hands, followed by the album, JuJu. after that is, Tinderbox, and then the amazing album titled, Peepshow. check these out and enjoy!!!


http://www.mediafire.com/?yxb56e1a29a275d


http://www.mediafire.com/?zmtmymnjgmk


http://www.mediafire.com/?zmjkz3mnydn


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UGT7B0V3


http://www.mediafire.com/?exijn5gw0zx



need some gelato...

My Elbows Hurt...

oh goodness, goodness. what a week it’s been so far. i’m currently really happy and i have no qualms with anything. actually, i feel a bit lighter, and what that means is i’m floating on a cloud. being relaxed is a welcome relief and i hope it last forever.

i don’t have much to say, so i guess this will be a bit short. regardless, this blog must go on and it’s my passion to express myself as well as educate you on hopefully good music.

as i write this i’m jammin’ an older punk band who are well below the norm. here’s some loveable anarchists that go by the name, Rudimentary Peni.

rudimentary peni are a british anarcho/death rock/punk band from that little place called, the uk. they formed in 1980 and are still together, playing their witty, macabre inspired music to legions of devoted fans. the band has close ties with crust punk legends, Crass as well as hate towards joe strummer and john lyndon among other things. their debut album, Death Church, is often listed as one of the best punk album ever made and has become a staple for those just getting into the genre. if you happen to like a little bit of the dark, as well as anarchist tendencies (or just the idea…) then this band might fit right in with your music collection. heck, i just like hearing their sounds. it’s raw, crunchy and highly energetic which is how i like it when it comes to punk. for fans of The Damned, Sham 69, G.B.H., Discharge, T.S.O.L., The Addicts and of course, Crass.

oh, and like i already mentioned, their debut album, Death Church is amazing and it's what i'm jammin' right now. grab hold of this and go pogo, or something to that effect. dig it...

http://www.mediafire.com/?dnn2wz4wwvn



anarchy is eh...