save me from this paper.

ARGHGHGHGHHHHGHGHGHGGGHGHHHGGGG.

I just want winter break. Ugh.

more shaq wisdom.

"Why do they call minneapolis, the twin cities, nobody here looks a like, waaa waaa waaaaaa."

on why i hate thanksgiving.

My Dad has a wonderful family. He is one of 13; 10 brothers and two sisters. His father is a kind and gentle man and his mother, rest in piece, was a wonderful women filled with care and compassion. My Father loves all of them very, very much, as do I and my sisters and Mother.

They come up from Mexico every November for Thanksgiving, which is a decidedly American holiday, but hey, it's an excuse for them to come up and spend time with us. And the idea seems very nice and to everyone else in my family it is very nice.

Not to me, though.

Because of my laziness and apathy, I have yet to really master in any sort of capacity the Spanish language. Sure, in class I can fill out a worksheet, whatever. But when forced to converse with my family I become scared and stammer, and I become embarrassed and retreat back to my room. I end up feeling like a stranger in my own house because of my inability to talk with my family, and I worry that they think I think I'm better than them or something equally as horrible as that. This is not the case. I'm just an idiot who is too lazy to learn my Father's original language, which he expresses grief in at any chance he gets. So, in the end, I just feel like a jerk by secluding myself from the rest of my relatives who in turn I believe think of me as some sort of asshole for not even trying to talk or hang out with them because in reality I'm scared.

Scared, can you believe it? Of my own family. It's sad, pathetic, and stupid. But it's the truth. It stresses me out and makes me worried and makes this otherwise pleasant holiday something of a nuisance to me. It puts me in a gloomy mood and I wish I could fix it. And I've been trying, but I feel like my Spanish will never be good enough. I feel too self-conscious, to aware of my mistakes in verb tenses and adjectives. It feels almost suffocating when I find myself slipping up on basic phrases in front of native speakers, even my family. So I hide myself away.

Besides all this, I enjoy Thanksgiving. Oh well.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone else, though. I'm just thankful for not being dead. And anyone who calls me "friend," I suppose.

a movie a week: punch-drunk love

P.T. Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love is a polarizing film, it seems. I've talked to those who have applauded it and talked with those who have allegedly tried seven times to watch it but simply can't stomach it. I am of the former variety.

The first thing to note is that Adam Sandler, in all honesty, does a great job in this movie as Berry Egan, a depressed, bipolar business owner. Like Jim Carrey, I will always appreciate Sandler's dramatic performances over his comedic ones. Does this mean I don't like movies like Liar Liar or Happy Gilmore? No, of course not. Those are fun, harmless movies, but watching them now I can't help but feel that Carrey and Sandler have their gloves on, instead of the gloves being off. This said, Sandler's list of A-list dramatic performances is actually quite minuscule, as his other dramatic outings haven't been under the same quality of direction that Anderson delivers. Trust me, it's not like I consider movies like Spanglish or Reign Over Me milestones by any stretch of the word.

Still though, if Sandler never does a "good" dramatic movie again, it'll be okay, because his performance in Punch-Drunk Love is so, so good. I understand this seems hyperbolic and sort of ridiculous (but when wasn't I known for those things?), but it's not like while you were watching The Wedding Singer you were thinking, "Man, he could really pull off a socially scared, violently disturbed sociopath." Sandler's at times understated and at other times explosive performance is something that those truly interested in "characters" should study. Everything he does sounds like a ticking time bomb - each movie closer to cracking, each word closer to him losing his cool. While Sandler obviously can't hold a candle to "true" character actors like Daniel Day Lewis, Robert DeNiro, or Philip Seymour Hoffman (who does an awesome job as a minor character in this movie), he certainly shows them he knows what he's doing by crafting the disturbed Berry.

But not all the credit can go to Sandler. The man behind this film, P.T. Anderson, did an equal job creating Berry and the world he inhabits.

It seems to most people, this is considered a "minor" P.T. Anderson film, sharing the shelf with his first film that I actually haven't seen, Hard Eight, and possibly even Magnolia. It is usually used as a foot-note in discussions about Boogie Nights or There Will Be Blood, which I find to be unfair and certainly doesn't give this film the credit it deserves. Love is arguably one Anderson's more original and unique films, and it certainly deserves the credit it deserves when it comes to that.

The first thing one notices, or at least I noticed, in Love is the use of color. The movie is perpetually blue and red, even going as far as dressing our two main characters, Berry and Lena, in these colors. This creates a "colorful" world so to speak, but not in any sort of garish or cartoon-y way. Fellow film-maker and last-name-sharer Wes Anderson uses colors to create a striking, vibrant world that is alive and breathing well. P.T., on the other hand, uses these colors to subdue his world, to make you feel sunken in and uneasy and not welcome. Berry adorns himself in a blue suit throughout the entire movie, and it's quite the interest to his sisters, who continue to ask him when he got it and why he's wearing it. It seems Berry's suit is a sort of metaphysical object placed coyly into the movie (along with another item I'll get to later). Berry obtains this suit curiously as the movie begins to clue the viewer into the personality and mind of this character. At it's most basic, the suit simply means Berry is blue - sad and depressed, and as he wears the suit, his sisters, those who have known him his whole life, start to question Berry and his current state of mind. The suit allows him to be able to evaluate who he is and begin to make changes, to seek help, or just to find a place to hide within himself.

Another object that very curiously appears at the beginning og the film is the harmonium. Berry walks outside of his office to find a barren street when suddenly a van flips over and appears in front of him. The doors open and a man places a harmonium on the street and leaves. Who are these people? Why did they place the harmonium there? Anderson says, simply, "who cares?" The harmonium functions solely as a symbol and not a tangible object, just as Berry's suit does. His co-workers and sisters also question when he got the "piano," to which Berry never answers, as he never does when questioned about his suit. This is because these things function only as symbols, and not as actual objects in their world. When Lena calls the "piano" by it's proper name, a harmonium, the symbol becomes fully realized. Berry, when under stress and wishing to calm down, rushes to his harmonium and plays random keys, calming himself. Berry wasn't sure what it was that made him attracted to and subsequently calmed by the harmomium, but it becomes obvious when Lena recognizes the harmonium for what it actually is.

It represents love, the tenderness and yearning that Berry needed in his life. Lena can deliver this to him. Berry's violent tendencies and yearning for some to simply listen to him (which is why he calls the phone sex hot line and why the conversation is so stilited: Berry doesn't wish for the "sex" part of the call, just the talking) is finally corrected and fulfilled by Lena, who wears a red dress. Red can be found as a sign of progress and safety throughout the film (notice the ticket takers at the airport - they're wearing red suits). Berry can finally be happy and calm, and most of all, love and be loved. He can shed his blue suit and be rid of his harmonium.

There is so much more to appreciate and love in this movie. The amazing use of music to build almost hair-pulling stress and tension, the use of lens flair and washed out lights and color, and superb acting on everyone's part. To me, this is more than a "minor" Anderson film, but a full fledged, fully realized, and fully engorssing expierence. If you have yet to see the movie, I'll lend it to you. Seriously.

Seriously.

down til we're underground episode four

First, I found Shaq's Twitter account. Yes, this is the real Shaq's Twitter account. Notable entries:

"Watchn true blood, thats were i was born and raised, dat vampire town, shaqula has been discovered aaaaggggh"

"3 DAYS GRACE, ITS NEVA 2 LATE, MY FAVORITE SONG"

"Ok i couldnt take it, i had to get a double cheeseburger from whataburger, pls 4give me lol"

"Last nite i told greg oden , 'we r not the same, i am a martian'"

"I get my neck cracked b4 everygame, today i felt a xtra clikadee clak"

"I'm watchn my 8 yr old son play, i'm jealous hes a better free throw shoota"

And the hits keep on coming.

Anyhow, this was a really laid back show. I played a whole LP and one really long song and three shorter ones so I had time to just sort of sit around. It was nice, though. "Kill the President" is my current jam. I love that song. Here's all the stuff:

DOWN TIL WE'RE UNDERGROUND: EPISODE FOUR

1. "Appropriate Faith" / Timber
2. "Kill the President" / The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
3. "Conscious" / Mind Eraser
4. "Unconscious" / Mind Eraser
5. "The Decline" / NOFX
6. REQUEST - "Damaged I" / Black Flag

TONIGHT.

At midnight.

Go to KAMP.ARIZONA.EDU.

Listen.

AIM: Kamprequest

you're too kind.

Thanks to everyone who had kind words to say about last night. It was my first time ever being in an accident and I wouldn't really call it "terrifying," but rather unsettling and unfortunate. I have a horrible ringing in my right ear that is reminding me of back when I was 15 years old and couldn't sleep for the better half of a year due to an intense ringing in both of my ears. It's debilitating and bothersome. I wish it would just go away. My back is starting to feel pain, as well. Oh well.

What interests me most is that my mind skips over a split-second when I replay it in my head. I'm driving. The light is green. I'm crossing the intersection. I see something out of the corner of my eye. I know what's coming. I slam on my brakes and horn.

Then the impact. But I don't remember this part.

The next thing I remember is shoving the airbag out of my face, looking at my slightly burnt arm, smelling the smoke, and feeling the floor of my car for my glasses. I don't recall taking off my seat belt.

I just find it so odd I don't remember that split second of the impact. I don't remember the sound. I don't remember the feeling. I don't remember what I saw. I don't remember the airblag deploying but I know it did. It's all just very odd and unsettling.

But not terrifying. Why? Because I'm not dead, hurt, and I didn't kill the other guy. That would shove this into "terrifying" land. This is just unsettling.

In other news, Twilight still sucks. Suck it.

Also, here are some videos I took of my friends being funny/drunk:





Lastly, listen to this album:

TRIAL - ARE THESE OUR LIVES?

"Because we want something,
and we want something,
and we want something more."

the loudest it's ever been.

I couldn't of told you what it was like before and I can't tell you what it was like after.

It just happens.

Driving. Driving. Brakes. Horn. Next thing I know somehow my belt is off and I'm scrambling for my glasses. Smoke is rising. From where? I don't know. I don't get it. I hate that smell. Smells like rotting death. Maybe it was what Luke smelled when he was burning his dad, but that probably smelled worse.

Where's my phone? Where are my glasses? I just see shards of plastic. Is my phone destroyed? There are my glasses. The airbags went off. Lucky. Okay. Where's my phone. There it is. Should I call my mom first? Someone honks their horns at me. "Hey man, do you need help?" I should call 911.

"Sir? Sir?"
"Sorry. My ear. The sound is muffled."
"What is the problem?"

Where is the other guy? He's over there. How bad is it? I walk over to the other side. Hideous. Deformed. Not the way I know it. This is so fucked up.

"Swan and Speedway. I'm okay. I think he's okay. What? What? I can't hear you. I'm sorry, the sound is muffled in this ear. No, the 911 lady said to keep it here. I know it's in the middle of the intersection, they can drive around. I'm sorry? Are you still there? Yes. Swan and Speedway."

He's okay. He looks better than me. He seems like a nice guy. He understands. I apologize. He doesn't for some reason. Fucking jerk. This wasn't even my fault.

"Give me a sec."

I pull out my phone. "Mom?"

What's taking the cops so long?

Someone driving by asks if we're alright. I give him a thumbs up. I want to cry.

Some truck drives by and yells, "Fucking idiots." I hope he got into something worse than me after he said that clever one liner.

Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. I can't open the passenger side. I just want my sweater. Fuck this. Fuck this. Fuck this.

Finally, they come. Nice cops. Not the bad kind.

Where are they moving her? Just pushing her down the street like nothing. I have shit in there. Can I get it later? Where are they putting her? She's fucking gone for good. Fuck me. My registration is in there, dipshit. Do you know anyone who carries that around in their wallet, asshole?

Finally. My mom. Big hug. The cops explain some things. I'm not crying. I'm proud of myself. I'm not crying.

Yet.

Walk over to her. Here it comes. I can't form sentences. Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me. I loved her. I still love her. Demolished. Fucking gone. At least I'm not, right? At least I'm here. Las Vegas porno cards. I still can't open the goddamn fucking passenger door. Fuck this. Fuck this. Fuck this.

Crying. I don't care. Crying. Crying. Just not in front of those fat cops. Not in front of them. Why? Because fuck them, that's why.

You don't care about what I'm studying in school. Stop fucking pretending. Fuck you.

I want to keep it. Just keep it in our driveway. They tow it away. I like this guy, though. He's better than the cops. "That's because you have to put it in park." Fuck. That's so obvious.

"Can I keep the key?"
"Ha ha, nope. Sorry. We need that."

"This is the case number." No ticket. No nothing. This was his fucking fault and nothing.

No one's hurt. No one bleeding. No one aching. Thank God.

Cry the way back home. Not staying down there tonight.

I loved her. She had problems but I loved her. She was falling apart but I loved her. I had my first sexual experience in her. I sang along to my favorite songs with my best friend in her. I loved her.

Ringing in my ears now. The loudest it's ever been.

Fuck you. Fuck me. Fuck off.

*

1990-2008
Trying to have a sense of humor about shitty things.

a clarification:

I am always right. You are always wrong. Everything I say is always "serious business." Everything you like sucks.

In all seriousness, I am usually right so suck it up.

on why i hate twilight, harry potter, and related books.

My younger sister is not a "reader." I mean, she can read, and she has read, but it's not something she usually does for pleasure or fun. If a class requires her to read a book, she will, albeit at a snail's pace (whether thats intentional or not, I don't know), and sometimes she enjoys these books or are just simply indifferent to them. She doesn't care, really.

When I was still living at home and my sister was getting a bit older, heading into the 7th and 8th grade, I decided to try to shove some books on her. My little sister looks up to me a lot, and whether it be music, film, or books, she usually takes my recommendations very seriously. So I decided to give her a book that was one of the catalysts in my interest of literature: Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. She didn't question it and read it.

And she loved it. She read it in under a week and asked about other books by Christie, which I was more than absolutely happy to lend to her. Sure, Christie's novels are not high art by any means, but they are well written, clever, and addictive. Her novels are the definition of "page turners," whether it be in Murder on the Orient Express where Poirot finds the single same discrepancy in everyone's story, or in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, where the reader finds out before Poirot that the narrator was the murderer. These clever, fun stories are miles above the mystery pulp found in grocery store aisles across the nation.

So my sister continued to read Christie's novels, which excited me to no end. Later, in her Freshman year of high school, she told me that she had to find a book to read for her Humanities class, but she preferred for the book to not be too long. My sister is certainly intelligent so I wasn't going to waste her time with something below her, so I went into my room and fetched her The Stranger by Albert Camus. A short novel length-wise, sure, but this book is filled to the brim with existentialist rhetoric and philosophical questioning that could really leave you talking for days. Again, she enjoyed it, and her teacher was even impressed with her ability to comprehend it and analyze it to the level that she did.

After that, she read more books for school but never really ventured outside of that. And so that bring me to two days ago.

I was talking to my mom on the phone when I brought up how I hated all this Twilight bullshit that was being shoved down my throat by literally everyone. My mom used some excuse that because of the movie, kids are reading the book, which is a good thing (I'll get to that in a bit, though). I brushed it off and said that's useless and as long as my little sister doesn't read them I'm fine. My mom stopped me there.

"She's actually read the first two of the series and is going to see it tonight."

How did this happen? How did my little sister, who I was putting on the track to read real literature, become engulfed in this marketing monster? I'm sure every other kid at her school has been talking it up and maybe that's why, but I've always told her not to go with the crowd, to make her own path. How could someone as smart as my sister become prey to such a lame and useless piece of shit?

I can only assume the reason that she started to read them was because of all her friends at school - who didn't know about the book before there were commercials on TV for the movie every thirty seconds - told her to read it as well. So she read them. And enjoyed them, apparently. Enough to want to see the movie opening day, at least. But my sister is hardly the problem. And you know what? Her friends aren't the problem either. And this might throw you for a loop, but it's not even the millions of dollars that went into promoting and making this shit movie, either.

It's Stephanie fucking Meyer.

Who is Stephanie Meyer? you ask. Well, Ms. Meyer is the author of the Twilight books. She has that same fucking stupid story as another author who I will get to a bit later who goes by the name JK Rowling... You see, Meyer was an unsuspecting nobody when she had a "great" idea and wanted to become an Anne Rice for 13 year olds. And so she "innocently" wrote her first godforsaken novel, Twilight. You see, before the movie was ever announced or anything, I recall seeing this book in bookstores and just not caring. I didn't know about it. I didn't care about it. It didn't concern me. It was for 13 year old girls and I am certainly not that. So who the fuck was I to care? I didn't think or even want to know it had legions of fans who wanted nothing more than to stay up and just talk with the story's male protagonist. I didn't know it was a vampire book. I just did not care.

But now this book has shoved itself into the public eye, and I can't fucking avoid it. Girls (and guys) of all ages, not just the 13 year old crowd, are reading these books like it's crack and it's confusing and saddening me. This is not real literature, don't these people understand? Don't they understand these books have no more merit than a day time soap opera?

And this is where that age old argument of, "Well, at least they're reading!" comes into play. I hate that argument. I hate it so much. Do you not realize thats like saying, "Sure, she could be listening to Mozart, but at least she's listening to Britney Spears!" That's what that sounds like to me when you say it. So stop saying it. For years I've been hating on Harry Potter and JK Rowling, making the same argument I'm making now, and people, without fail, will give some variation to the "at least they're reading" argument.

Why do people flock to such mindless drivel such as Twilight and Harry Potter? Books intended for 13 years olds or younger are being read by people older than me, and they're enjoying them, reading them multiple times, the whole thing. It makes such little sense to me. Because, here's the thing: Do I care if you watch the Hills? No. I don't. I think it's a dumb show, but it's reality television, what the fuck do I care? Do I care if you watch Epic Movie, Date Movie, Whatever Movie? No. I don't. Those movies are even below the Twilight movie, but they're mindless shit intended for the absolute sewer-level common denominator. But here's the thing: music and literature are two mediums that haven't been overrun by shit. These are the last two respectable mediums of art, excluding painting and the like. Every time I hear the Jonas Brothers I cringe. And every time I hear the words Twilight or Harry Potter mentioned I cringe. What would Milton, Faulkner, Bukowski, Kafka, Hemingway, Melville, or any of the greats of literature think if they saw what their beloved format had turned into? Mindless crap that resembles day time TV for kids who think just because they're "reading" means they're learning.

These are not real books whether you want them to be or not. These are not respectable pieces of literature. There are such things as actually credible young adult literature (The Giver and Catcher in the Rye being two books I read around the age of 13 that are actually respectable). JK Rowling has fucked the literary world over and Stephanie Meyer is helping to fuck it's rotting corpse. Mindless stories filled with vapid and hollow characters that lead nowhere but to big movie deals and mindless people thinking they're doing something "right" by finally reading... I'm fed up with it.

Seriously. Fuck these books.

my favorite time of year.

Late November through January is the best season for movies. Anything that is worth a shit comes out in this time period. Of course, there are exceptions (Watchmen, which comes out in March is the obvious exception), but for the most part this time of year gets me the most stoked for movies. So here's my list of stuff coming out that I'll be definitely be seeing. I gave a link to the trailer for each movie so definitely check those out:

MILK
Nov. 26th
Trailer

This is a Gus Van Sant movie (who I love, even if Paranoid Park and Last Days sucked) starring Sean Penn in a biopic about the first openly gay politician, Harvey Milk. This seriously looks beyond words incredible. Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, and James Franco are also in this, and those are three awesome actors, so how can you go wrong? Probably my most anticipated movie of this season.

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
In Tucson at the Loft Nov. 26th
Trailer

One of my favorite screenwriters, Charlie Kaufman, is also directing his newest movie, Synecdoche, New York. This guy seriously does no wrong when it comes to movies. His writing is amazing and his characters are rich with emotions and realistic to a T. Fucking love this guy and cannot wait for this movie.


LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
In Tucson at The Loft Dec. 5th
Trailer

Fuck Twilight. This is a real vampire movie. This is based on a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, and while I have admittedly not read the book, this seriously looks amazing and everyone I've talked to who has seen it says its incredible. This can't come here soon enough. It's foreign, so gasp, you'll have to read SUBTITLES! How difficult.

DOUBT
Dec. 12th
Trailer

It's Philip Seymour Hoffman... in one of my favorite plays ever written... that's all I realy need to say about this.


THE READER
Dec. 10th
Trailer

Minus the really lame text cards in the trailer, this looks reallty fantastic. I love Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet, so just knowing those two are attached to this movie is good enough for me. This doesn't look like the typical WWII movie, so because of that, I'm for it.

WENDY AND LUCY
Dec. 10th
Trailer

Michelle Williams plays a quiet roaming girl on her way to Alaska in this movie. This trailer really make it seem like this is my type of movie: quiet, introspective, and rough. I hope this comes to Tucson.

THE WRESTLER
Dec. 17th
Trailer

All I really have to say about this is: FUCK. YES. Darren Aronofsky takes a step away from his norm of mind-fuckery to give you a human story. I cannot wait for this, Jesus Christ.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Dec. 25th
Trailer

I don't care what anyone says, I love Leonardo DiCaprio. Dude has some fucking acting chops. Here's what you have to know about this: Sam Mendes directed this, its based on a Richard Yates novel, and this looks incredible. Very excited for this. Also, look! It's Leo and Kate together once again! Looks like their love isn't everlasting this time through, though.


THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Dec. 25th
Trailer

Fuck you. Fuck me. This looks so fucking good.

THE CLASS
Jan. 30th
Trailer

This just looks really solid.

And that's all I got. Go see these movies!

down til we're underground episode three

This was a really good show in my opinion. I had a wide variety of music in this one and I think it made for an overall entertaining show. Also, at one point, I had 18 listeners! That was way awesome. I'm trying to think of a theme for next week. We'll see what I come up with. I also just ate a breakfast burrito from Highland Market and I feel bloated to hell. Whatevs.

DOWN TIL WE'RE UNDERGROUND: EPISODE THREE

1. "Keep 'Em Coming" / Alkaline Trio
2. "Varicose Vein, Poison Stomach" / Terminal Youth
3. "Paranoid" / Creatures
4. "United Blood" Agnostic Front
5. "Nothing to Show" / Ringers
6. "Day Nineteen: Fucking Viva" / Trap Them
7. "You'll Never Have To Leave Home Again" / Artimus Pyle
8. "Salt" / Absinthe
9. "Candle in the Wind (Ben's Song)" / Andrew Jackson Jihad
10. "86 Mentality" / 86 Mentality
11. "Beat My Head Against the Wall" / Black Flag
12. "Sunburnt Mess" / Cloak/Dagger
13. "Timecop" / Iron Chic
14. "Fuck All Lindseys" / Witches With Dicks
15. "Lets Get Blacklisted" / The Cancer Kids
16. "No Room" / Sex Vid
17. "Don't Drink the Water" / Takaru
18. "Tragedy" / Enewatek
19. "Richmond is Still Not 'Fist City'" / Tri-State Killing Spree
20. "Jane" / The Loved Ones
21. "Cycle of Shit" / Hellnation
22. "King of Frauds" / Eating Glass
23. "Get Me Away From Here I'm Dying" / The Tigermilks
24. "Games" / Hated Youth
25. "Kind Of Like Smitten" / The Ergs!
26. "Feeling Mean" / Infest
27. "A Little Time" / Marked Men
28. "Four Years Too Late" / Killing the Dream
29. REQUEST - "Daneurysm" / Lifetime
30. "To The World" / Strike Anywhere

down til we're underground episode two

So, the KAMP site was down for most people tonight so I only had three listeners. HA! So hopefully people will download tonight's episode instead. I'm going to try and get fliers printed for the Bane show on Wednesday. Here's hoping. Anyhow, Enjoy!

DOWN TIL WE'RE UNDERGROUND: EPISODE TWO

1. "Straight Edge Revenge" / Project X
2. "Chaos Apes" / Threatener
3. "AM/PM" / American Nightmare
4. "Three More Classes Until Blackout Weekend" / Mammoth Grinder
5. "The Final Frontier" / Monster X
6. "Americaspremierfaithbasedinitiative" / Dillinger Four
7. "Life Is In The Air" / Broadway Calls
8. "I Am Weighing Me Down" / Blacklisted
9. "Don't Say Please" / Die Kruezen
10. "Downslide" / A Chorus of Disapproval
11. "Slaughter of the Insole" / Shook Ones
12. "Pile of Shit" / Hatred Surge
13. "We Dance On The Ruins Of The Stupid Stage" / None More Black
14. "The Seas" / Herds
15. "A Heart Filled Reaction to Dissatisfaction" / City of Caterpillar
16. "Civic Bloodlust" / Watchmaker
17. "Fall For Me" / Teenage Bottlerocket
18. "面を洗って出直して来い" / Gauze
19. "Night Rider" / Lipcream
20. "Militant Mondays" / Harm's Way
21. "Getting Used to Anything" / The Gibbons
22. "Landmine" / Fifteen
23. "Head of the Baptist" / Cursed

TONIGHT!!!

Head over to KAMP.ARIZONA.EDU tonight at MIDNIGHT to listen to my radio show. Word!

chicago, 2009.

I'll be seeing the Windy City in May.

Straight fucking edge.

down til we're under the fucking ground

strange feeling.

There has never been a point in my life that I have ever felt "proud" to be American. By the time I was old enough to formulate opinions and truly understand what was going on, Bush was in office and everything was being fucked up on a grand scale. I had never felt proud to live here, I had no faith in our countrie's people to make the right choices, and politics seemed like a waste as they good guy never won.

Last night, and today, and hopefully for a long time now, I can say I'm actually proud of this place. Pretty weird, huh?

down til we're underground episode one

Here is the mp3 of the first installment of my radio show, DOWN TIL WE'RE UNDERGROUND. Until I can figure out how to get the mp3 to play in the browser, you'll have to download it. Enjoy!

DOWN TIL WE'RE UNDERGROUND: EPISODE 1

Tracklist:

1. "Blanket" / Unbroken
2. "Eulogy" / Disembodied
3. "This Is Not a Trend" / Trial
4. "Error" / Threadbare
5. "What Remains" / Mouthpiece
6. "Customers Fuck Off" / Acid Reflux
7. "Smiling Again" / Brain Handle
8. "Sleeping Bag" / Get Bent
9. "I Wanna Get With You" / Charm City Suicides
10. "Weak Body" / Cult Ritual
11. "Awkward Type of Girl" / Teenage Cool Kids
12. "Chem Tales" / Alarm
13. "The Way Is Narrow" / Iron Age
14. "Progress of Elimination" / Majority Rule
15. "Never Met the Gooch" / Kid Dynamite
16. "Intransit" / The Lawrence Arms
17. "Dear Matthew" / This Ship Will Sink
18. "Bleeding to Death" / The Swarm
19. "Thoughts of My Future" / Socialcide
20. "Gotta Girlfriend" / Screeching Weasel
21. "Sonic Reducer" / Dead Boys
22. "Chesterfield King" / Jawbreaker

TONIGHT!!!

Head over to KAMP.ARIZONA.EDU tonight at midnight and listen to my radio show. DO IT.

so you can take my number right out of your phonebook, burn my seven digits to ashes.

THE ARROGANT SONS OF BITCHES - "THREE CHEERS FOR DISAPPOINTMENT"

Jeff Rosenstock is one of my favorite musicians making punk music right now. The songs he writes are blasts of anxious energy, more so ranting and raving about all his neuroses than actually singing lyrics. This album, the final release from this band, is a perfect lead in to his current project, BOMB THE MUSIC INDUSTRY! (who you can expect me to be posting about soon). While BTMI! is a true conglomerate of music, fusing punk, ska, hardcore, and folkish tendencies into something that surprisingly works, THE ARROGANT SONS OF BITCHES is more ska influenced than anything else. But this is no Less Than Jake or Big D and the Kids Table, trust me. This is spastic and anxious and neurotic and full of anthems and incredible depth and emotion. This comes highly recommended. If you don't like ska at all, I still say give this a shot, you never know.

THE LAWRENCE ARMS - "COCKTAILS AND DREAMS"

Do I really need to even introduce this band? This is their collection of splits and 7"s and all that good stuff. Download this right now. You need this.

In other news, I got my leather jacket the other day. I love it.

you're just somebody that i used to know.

I'm just in one of those moods. When I was walking back from my car tonight all I wanted to do was sit in my room with the lights off, listening to "Everything Means Nothing to Me." Fuck.

ELLIOTT SMITH - "FIGURE 8"