Moonchild

Playlist:
NoMeansNo
The Housemartins
The Quakes
Wayne Hancock
Hedwig sndtrck

A Classic and Must Read Article...

The Problem With Music

By Steve Albini

Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying shit. I imagine these people, some of them good friends, some of them barely acquaintances, at one end of this trench. I also imagine a faceless industry lackey at the other end holding a fountain pen and a contract waiting to be signed. Nobody can see what's printed on the contract. It's too far away, and besides, the shit stench is making everybody's eyes water. The lackey shouts to everybody that the first one to swim the trench gets to sign the contract. Everybody dives in the trench and they struggle furiously to get to the other end. Two people arrive simultaneously and begin wrestling furiously, clawing each other and dunking each other under the shit. Eventually, one of them capitulates, and there's only one contestant left. He reaches for the pen, but the Lackey says "Actually, I think you need a little more development. Swim again, please. Backstroke". And he does of course.

Every major label involved in the hunt for new bands now has on staff a high-profile point man, an "A & R" rep who can present a comfortable face to any prospective band. The initials stand for "Artist and Repertoire." because historically, the A & R staff would select artists to record music that they had also selected, out of an available pool of each. This is still the case, though not openly. These guys are universally young [about the same age as the bands being wooed], and nowadays they always have some obvious underground rock credibility flag they can wave.

Lyle Preslar, former guitarist for Minor Threat, is one of them. Terry Tolkin, former NY independent booking agent and assistant manager at Touch and Go is one of them. Al Smith, former soundman at CBGB is one of them. Mike Gitter, former editor of XXX fanzine and contributor to Rip, Kerrang and other lowbrow rags is one of them. Many of the annoying turds who used to staff college radio stations are in their ranks as well. There are several reasons A & R scouts are always young. The explanation usually copped-to is that the scout will be "hip to the current musical "scene." A more important reason is that the bands will intuitively trust someone they think is a peer, and who speaks fondly of the same formative rock and roll experiences. The A & R person is the first person to make contact with the band, and as such is the first person to promise them the moon. Who better to promise them the moon than an idealistic young turk who expects to be calling the shots in a few years, and who has had no previous experience with a big record company. Hell, he's as naive as the band he's duping. When he tells them no one will interfere in their creative process, he probably even believes it. When he sits down with the band for the first time, over a plate of angel hair pasta, he can tell them with all sincerity that when they sign with company X, they're really signing with him and he's on their side. Remember that great gig I saw you at in '85? Didn't we have a blast. By now all rock bands are wise enough to be suspicious of music industry scum. There is a pervasive caricature in popular culture of a portly, middle aged ex-hipster talking a mile-a-minute, using outdated jargon and calling everybody "baby." After meeting "their" A & R guy, the band will say to themselves and everyone else, "He's not like a record company guy at all! He's like one of us." And they will be right. That's one of the reasons he was hired.

These A & R guys are not allowed to write contracts. What they do is present the band with a letter of intent, or "deal memo," which loosely states some terms, and affirms that the band will sign with the label once a contract has been agreed on. The spookiest thing about this harmless sounding little memo, is that it is, for all legal purposes, a binding document. That is, once the band signs it, they are under obligation to conclude a deal with the label. If the label presents them with a contract that the band don't want to sign, all the label has to do is wait. There are a hundred other bands willing to sign the exact same contract, so the label is in a position of strength. These letters never have any terms of expiration, so the band remain bound by the deal memo until a contract is signed, no matter how long that takes. The band cannot sign to another laborer or even put out its own material unless they are released from their agreement, which never happens. Make no mistake about it: once a band has signed a letter of intent, they will either eventually sign a contract that suits the label or they will be destroyed.

One of my favorite bands was held hostage for the better part of two years by a slick young "He's not like a label guy at all," A & R rep, on the basis of such a deal memo. He had failed to come through on any of his promises [something he did with similar effect to another well-known band], and so the band wanted out. Another label expressed interest, but when the A & R man was asked to release the band, he said he would need money or points, or possibly both, before he would consider it. The new label was afraid the price would be too dear, and they said no thanks. On the cusp of making their signature album, an excellent band, humiliated, broke up from the stress and the many months of inactivity. There's this band. They're pretty ordinary, but they're also pretty good, so they've attracted some attention. They're signed to a moderate-sized "independent" label owned by a distribution company, and they have another two albums owed to the label. They're a little ambitious. They'd like to get signed by a major label so they can have some security you know, get some good equipment, tour in a proper tour bus -- nothing fancy, just a little reward for all the hard work. To that end, they got a manager. He knows some of the label guys, and he can shop their next project to all the right people. He takes his cut, sure, but it's only 15%, and if he can get them signed then it's money well spent. Anyways, it doesn't cost them anything if it doesn't work. 15% of nothing isn't much! One day an A & R scout calls them, says he's 'been following them for a while now, and when their manager mentioned them to him, it just "clicked." Would they like to meet with him about the possibility of working out a deal with his label? Wow. Big Break time. They meet the guy, and y'know what -- he's not what they expected from a label guy. He's young and dresses pretty much like the band does. He knows all their favorite bands. He's like one of them. He tells them he wants to go to bat for them, to try to get them everything they want. He says anything is possible with the right attitude.

They conclude the evening by taking home a copy of a deal memo they wrote out and signed on the spot. The A & R guy was full of great ideas, even talked about using a name producer. Butch Vig is out of the question-he wants 100 g's and three points, but they can get Don Fleming for $30,000 plus three points. Even that's a little steep, so maybe they'll go with that guy who used to be in David Letterman's band. He only wants three points. Or they can have just anybody record it (like Warton Tiers, maybe-- cost you 5 or 7 grand] and have Andy Wallace remix it for 4 grand a track plus 2 points. It was a lot to think about. Well, they like this guy and they trust him. Besides, they already signed the deal memo. He must have been serious about wanting them to sign. They break the news to their current label, and the label manager says he wants them to succeed, so they have his blessing. He will need to be compensated, of course, for the remaining albums left on their contract, but he'll work it out with the label himself.

Sub Pop made millions from selling off Nirvana, and Twin Tone hasn't done bad either: 50 grand for the Babes and 60 grand for the Poster Children-- without having to sell a single additional record. It'll be something modest. The new label doesn't mind, so long as it's recoupable out of royalties. Well, they get the final contract, and it's not quite what they expected. They figure it's better to be safe than sorry and they turn it over to a lawyer--one who says he's experienced in entertainment law and he hammers out a few bugs. They're still not sure about it, but the lawyer says he's seen a lot of contracts, and theirs is pretty good. They'll be great royalty: 13% [less a 1O% packaging deduction]. Wasn't it Buffalo Tom that were only getting 12% less 10? Whatever. The old label only wants 50 grand, an no points. Hell, Sub Pop got 3 points when they let Nirvana go. They're signed for four years, with options on each year, for a total of over a million dollars! That's a lot of money in any man's English. The first year's advance alone is $250,000. Just think about it, a quarter million, just for being in a rock band! Their manager thinks it's a great deal, especially the large advance. Besides, he knows a publishing company that will take the band on if they get signed, and even give them an advance of 20 grand, so they'll be making that money too. The manager says publishing is pretty mysterious, and nobody really knows where all the money comes from, but the lawyer can look that contract over too. Hell, it's free money. Their booking agent is excited about the band signing to a major. He says they can maybe average $1,000 or $2,000 a night from now on. That's enough to justify a five week tour, and with tour support, they can use a proper crew, buy some good equipment and even get a tour bus! Buses are pretty expensive, but if you figure in the price of a hotel room for everybody In the band and crew, they're actually about the same cost. Some bands like Therapy? and Sloan and Stereolab use buses on their tours even when they're getting paid only a couple hundred bucks a night, and this tour should earn at least a grand or two every night. It'll be worth it. The band will be more comfortable and will play better.

The agent says a band on a major label can get a merchandising company to pay them an advance on T-shirt sales! ridiculous! There's a gold mine here! The lawyer Should look over the merchandising contract, just to be safe. They get drunk at the signing party. Polaroids are taken and everybody looks thrilled. The label picked them up in a limo. They decided to go with the producer who used to be in Letterman's band. He had these technicians come in and tune the drums for them and tweak their amps and guitars. He had a guy bring in a slew of expensive old "vintage" microphones. Boy, were they "warm." He even had a guy come in and check the phase of all the equipment in the control room! Boy, was he professional. He used a bunch of equipment on them and by the end of it, they all agreed that it sounded very "punchy," yet "warm." All that hard work paid off. With the help of a video, the album went like hotcakes! They sold a quarter million copies! Here is the math that will explain just how fucked they are: These figures are representative of amounts that appear in record contracts daily. There's no need to skew the figures to make the scenario look bad, since real-life examples more than abound. income is bold and underlined, expenses are not.



Advance:	$ 250,000
Manager's cut:	$ 37,500
Legal fees:	$ 10,000
Recording Budget:	$ 150,000
Producer's advance:	$ 50,000
Studio fee:	$ 52,500
Drum Amp, Mic and Phase "Doctors":	$ 3,000
Recording tape:	$ 8,000
Equipment rental:	$ 5,000
Cartage and Transportation:	$ 5,000
Lodgings while in studio:	$ 10,000
Catering:	$ 3,000
Mastering:	$ 10,000
Tape copies, reference CDs, shipping tapes, misc. expenses:	$ 2,000
Video budget:	$ 30,000
Cameras:	$ 8,000
Crew:	$ 5,000
Processing and transfers:	$ 3,000
Off-line:	$ 2,000
On-line editing:	$ 3,000
Catering:	$ 1,000
Stage and construction:	$ 3,000
Copies, couriers, transportation:	$ 2,000
Director's fee:	$ 3,000
Album Artwork:	$ 5,000
Promotional photo shoot and duplication:	$ 2,000
Band fund:	$ 15,000
New fancy professional drum kit:	$ 5,000
New fancy professional guitars [2]:	$ 3,000
New fancy professional guitar amp rigs [2]:	$ 4,000
New fancy potato-shaped bass guitar:	$ 1,000
New fancy rack of lights bass amp:	$ 1,000
Rehearsal space rental:	$ 500
Big blowout party for their friends:	$ 500
Tour expense [5 weeks]:	$ 50,875
Bus:	$ 25,000
Crew [3]:	$ 7,500
Food and per diems:	$ 7,875
Fuel:	$ 3,000
Consumable supplies:	$ 3,500
Wardrobe:	$ 1,000
Promotion:	$ 3,000
Tour gross income:	$ 50,000
Agent's cut:	$ 7,500
Manager's cut:	$ 7,500
Merchandising advance:	$ 20,000
Manager's cut:	$ 3,000
Lawyer's fee:	$ 1,000
Publishing advance:	$ 20,000
Manager's cut:	$ 3,000
Lawyer's fee:	$ 1,000
Record sales:	250,000 @ $12 = $3,000,000
Gross retail revenue Royalty:	[13% of 90% of retail]: $ 351,000
Less advance:	$ 250,000
Producer's points:	[3% less $50,000 advance]: $ 40,000
Promotional budget:	$ 25,000
Recoupable buyout from previous label:	$ 50,000
Net royalty:	$ -14,000
Record company income:
Record wholesale price:	$6.50 x 250,000 = $1,625,000 gross income
Artist Royalties:	$ 351,000
Deficit from royalties:	$ 14,000
Manufacturing, packaging and distribution:	@ $2.20 per record: $ 550,000
Gross profit:	$ 7l0,000
The Balance Sheet: This is how much each player got paid at the end of the game.
Record company:	$ 710,000
Producer:	$ 90,000
Manager:	$ 51,000
Studio:	$ 52,500
Previous label:	$ 50,000
Agent:	$ 7,500
Lawyer:	$ 12,000
Band member net income each:	$ 4,031.25

The band is now 1/4 of the way through its contract, has made the music industry more than 3 million dollars richer, but is in the hole $14,000 on royalties. The band members have each earned about 1/3 as much as they would working at a 7-11, but they got to ride in a tour bus for a month. The next album will be about the same, except that the record company will insist they spend more time and money on it. Since the previous one never "recouped," the band will have no leverage, and will oblige. The next tour will be about the same, except the merchandising advance will have already been paid, and the band, strangely enough, won't have earned any royalties from their T-shirts yet. Maybe the T-shirt guys have figured out how to count money like record company guys. Some of your friends are probably already this fucked.

Steve Albini is an independent and corporate rock record producer most widely known for having produced Nirvana's "In Utero".

I wish I could be everywhere I want to be

all at once

Some Thoughts about some music

Beat Strings - Fang in Rain
Just found the lyric book to this and gave it a few listens. Some of the better abstract poetic lyrics I've ever read. Still ranking this among my favorite albums of all time.

Bouncing Souls - S/T
First song I ever sang in a practice was "Say Anything". The short tour we did with them is a highlight of my life. The diversity of songs on this album is great and I wish more punk bands around today could have that fun and adventurous spirit.

Lewd Acts - Black Eye Blues
Really getting into this. Tyler's vocals are intense and remind me of the guy from Leatherface on Steroids. I wish the track "Who Knew The West Coast Could Be So Cold" would have been a little more fully realized and not just an idea/transition type track. Anyways, this album is a ripper and has a true punk spirit to it. If I'm not mistaken Tyler Mate from Spanish Bombs throws down some vocals on this.

Touche Amore is on tour!!! Go see them!!!
www.myspace.com/toucheamore
http://toucheamore.blogspot.com

sharks keep moving

Teenage Bottlerocket - Warning Device
Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagonacologist
Tape Beatles - The Grand Delusion
Negativland - Helter Stupid

I Love Chicken

Now My Heart Is Full

Goodbye L.A.

Culture. Alienation. Boredom. Despair.

I saw the Manic Street Preachers last night for the first time ever. They exceeded all my expectations. After listening to their albums endlessly and looking at pictures of the band it was a thrill to see them in the flesh. James Dean Bradfield is an incredible guitar player and vocalist and had me captivated throughout the entire set. I can't say enough about how much I appreciate this bands existence and what they represent. Here's what I can remember of the set in no particular order...

Motorcycle Emptiness (opening song)
Let Robeson Sing
La Tristesse Durrera
From Despair to Where
Peeled Apples
Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
Send Away the Tigers
This Joke Sport Severed
Your Love Alone is Not Enough
You Stole the Sun From My Heart
If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next
Me and Stephen Hawking
Little Baby Nothing
Everything Must Go
Small Black Flowers that Grow in the Sky
This is Yesterday
Faster
Motown Junk
You Love Us
A Design for life (last song)

Goin' Out on a Friday Night...

...We know how to live!

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

Were so good last night!

Jim Carroll R.I.P

I look out on the big field...on the big field...as it opens...like the cover of an old bible...

Everything is Changing Again

Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - S/T
Slowdive - Souvlaki
Jonathan Richman - Because Her Beauty is Raw and Wild
At the Drive In - In/Casino/Out
Lewd Acts - Black Eye Blues

August, 16th 1977

Rest in Peace.

Trapped Under Ice - Secrets of the World

Everything I was hoping it would be and more.

www.reaper-records.com

Sunny Land

Slim Harpo
Elmore James
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Son House
Teenage Head

I wish I could go to this!

Why am I up this late?

Today I jammed the TEENAGE HEAD self titled record pretty much all day.

G'nite.

Cool'n Out

Reading:
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
and revisiting The Outlaw Bible of American Literature

Listening:
Phil Alvin with Sun Ra and His Arkestra and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Unsung Stories
Yusef Lateef - Eastern Sounds
Charles Mingus - Mingus Mingus Mingus
Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery - Dynamic Duo
Cannonball Adderly - Somethin Else
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

Diggin' Deep

Ravi Shankar - Live at the Monterey International Pop Festival 1967

Django Reinhardt - The Best Of

Charlie Christian - Genius of the Electric Guitar

This Town is Too Hot

Quicksand - Slip
Quicksand - Manic Compression
Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do
Thee Midniters - "Whittier Blvd"
Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang

TheWorldTurnsToADesertWhileYouPrayForRain

Playlist:
Mighty Diamonds - Live at Dub Club
Dillinger Four - Every Fuckin' Album
Samiam - You Are Freaking Me Out

Can't wait to get my hands on new records from Trapped Under Ice and Death Before Dishonor tomorrow night.

See ya in the pit...

Heat Stroke Blues

http://heatstrokeblues.blogspot.com/

When the right time comes...

Joe Coffee - When the Fabric Don't Fit the Frame

This album is fucking awesome and you should check it out. Features Paul Bearer (ex-Sheer Terror) on vocals. Great Melodic Rock and Roll with wild gravely Vox and some truly great lyrics. Recommended for fans of Hot Water Music, Dillinger Four, The Hold Steady. Would love to see this come out on Vinyl and would love to see this live.

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

Saturday Night:
Funky Sole DJ's

Sunday Morning:
Hank Williams

"I'm old enough to know the score, but I'm young enough to want more more more."
-The Blasters

I took a trip down memory lane

Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Primary Colors
Cream - Disraeli Gears
Patti Smith - Radio Ethiopia
Sid, Ben & Brooks live in St. Anthony, Iowa
Screaming Blue Messiahs - Gun Shy, Peel Sessions & Bikini Red

See ya in the pit...

Keeping The Faith

Playlist:
Paintbox - Singing Shouting Crying
Flower Travelin Band - Satori
Man Or Astro Man

Dave Bullock Photography

http://eecue.com

Check out his stuff. I especially like the six part "June Gloom" series focusing on the L.A. river, Graffiti, Scrapyards, Bridges, Etc.

smooth criminal on beat breaks...

never put me in your box if your shit eats tapes.

Turn Your Volume Up!!

Just added music to The Manic Times. Enjoy.

Saturday's Kid

Cock Sparrer - Here We Stand
Rancid - Let the Dominoes Fall
Aggrolites - IV
Spanish Bombs - Brown Bag, S/T, Beasts: Man Is God
Los Lobos - By The Light of the Moon

Retaliate - Record Release Show

Family

Photo by The Motorcycle Boy

Next of Kin to the Wayward Wind

playlist:
Gene Vincent - The Country Side
Rancid - Let the Dominoes Fall
Bob Dylan Theme Time Radio Hour
National Public Radio
Patsy Cline - Showcase
The Trouble - Nobody Laughs Anymore
Cruel Hand & Cro Mags - Live in Anaheim and Hollywood

Secrets of the World

ENTER THE DRAGON!! Saturday 5/30

Ramp Party & Show in Echo Park...Friday 5/29

Let's skate!

www.myspace.com/notthegovernment

TRAPPED UNDER ICE - "Stay Cold"

I listened to this over and over again tonight and it's hell of a record. The sound is comparable to early Sick of it All, Madball, Cro-Mags etc. That being said, the songwriting is very creative and the musicianship is top notch...which is rare for bands working within that framework. Every single song has at least one "oh Shit!!!" moment that makes you want to lose your shit and break something...and often times you don't even see it coming. The vocals are great...creative phrasing, tons of style and a controlled restrained frustration that you can't fake... no matter how hard a million suburban dorkwads may try. My favorite lyrical moments are as follows...

"I feel the worst things in my soul, and if I never make it home tonight the streets have swallowed me whole" from the song -HALF A PERSON

"because the cost of drugs outweighs, The supply of the jobs, and the minimum wage, and we still want more, murder in the streets of baltimore" from the song -STREET LIGHTS

The song STREET LIGHTS as a whole is lyrically great as a portrait of their crime and violence riddled city of Baltimore. I spent a month there a while back...so I was get visuals in my head throughout the song.

You guys now that I'm always listening to some weird shit and rarely go out of my way to recommend a hardcore records...so Go buy a copy of this one or go see em in a city near you. Their new LP "Secrets of the World" is coming out this summer.

www.reaper-records.com
www.myspace.com/underdaice

Excuse Me, while I do the boogaloo

This is what I've been jamming, motherfuckers.
Grandmaster Flash - "The Adventures of Flash on the Wheels of Steel"
Rufus Thomas - "Itch and Scratch"
GG Allin - "Dead or Alive" "Carmalita" & "When I Die"
Fania All Stars - Latin. Soul. Rock.
Ray Barretto - Senor 007
Warzone - Don't Forget the Struggle, Don't Forget The Streets
Abyssinians - Satta Massanga
Quick Fix - Rat Race 7"
V/A - Sun Rockabillies

the need for speed.

Today I woke up and went to Echo Park to bomb some massive hills with my friend Clayton. There is no better feeling than going fast as hell...feeling the concrete through my wheels through my trucks through my deck into my feet and all through my body. Complete freedom.

GHOST DANCE

6.9.09

PLAY THAT FUNKY FIRE!!!

6.2.09

Here comes the summertime!

DeeJay 810

www.myspace.com/bossdeejay810
Add Me!

ALL RATTLE AND DUST

www.myspace.com/allrattleanddust

Some of the best music you will ever hear.

If you don't like it, move to Russia

Waterloo Sunset

Drinking in the Desert

I took a weekend trip to Arizona to work on some songwriting with Chris with the hopes of getting a new band together in the near future. Had a great time and came up with some great stuff.

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free

A View from The Cabin

My friend T.Q. is full of suprises. His most recent was his purchase of a 60- 80 year old all-wood sailboat for 200 dollars. Let's just say it's a fixer-upper. Anyways, we took it out today and started learning. We got the sail up and we're cruising along pretty good for a while and we made it back safe and dry...so i think that's pretty good. We stayed in the bay of the marina...not quite ready for the open sea. No motor yet, so paddling in and out of the marina where we were too close to other boats to have the sail up and man, my arms are burning right now. Lots of people on giant expensive boats we're looking at us like we were crazy. Some even took pictures. They probably think we are rad and wish they could be like us.

Hey Mom...

Thanks for sending me all those records from back home!

Playlist:
The 5th Dimension - SToned Soul Picnic
nina simone - Sings the Blues
9 Shocks Terror - Zen and the art of beating your ass
New Bomb Turks - Information Highway Revisited
Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood - Nancy and Lee
Kinship - S/T 7"
Conniption Fit - Bombs Away 7"
Trapped Under Ice - Stay Cold 7"
Joe Strummer - Earthquake Weather
Rolling Stones - Decembers Children, Aftermath, Between The Buttons, Out of Our Heads
Ken Boothe - A Man And His Hits

I have been reunited with most of my record collection after 8 months and I am a happy man.
Just starting to dig in. Lots more music talkin' to come...some more in depth thoughts when I find the time.

Bronson Banks: Boneless

Down the drain!

Playlist

Cock Sparrer - Here We Stand
Operation Ivy - Hectic EP & Energy LP
Ray Barretto - Senor 007
Prince Buster - FABulous Greatest Hits
Touche Amore - LP
Rotting Out 7"
Adolescents - S/T
Zero Boys - Vicious Circle
Funkadelic - Let's Take it To the Stage
Bob Dylan Theme Time Radio (thanks cam!)

L.A.H.C.

Touche Amore and Rotting Out fucking rule. Good to have some rad local bands to get wild to. Someone send me a picture of the giant hole in the wall of the garage caused by this show!

Skatin'

Highland Park Pool. Photo by Mitch!

Last TWo Nights...

Went to this last night. The Cool & Deadly: This band is amazing and should be 10x bigger than they are right now! I think I just got lucky enough to catch them early in the game and they will be blowing up soon. Everyone should check out their new album RUDEBOY'S REVENGE or try to catch them live. NYC heads that are sleeping on this band are insane! get with it! I wish they were based here in L.A.

This little bar was packed the fuck out!! A great sweaty crowded night. I love HC.

CHALICE IN THE PALACE

Someday soon I will put something here more interesting than a playlist. But not today. I think I am talking to myself anyways. Just always dig looking back at playlists so I'm gonna keep throwing em down.

Wilson Pickett - Greatest Hits
Los Lobos - How will the wolf Survive?
Los Lobos - Kiko
Cal Tjader - Latin Kicks
Gregory Isaacs - Night Nurse
U Roy - Dread in A Babylon
William Elliot Whitmore - Animals in the Dark and Live in Los Angeles
Sioux City Pete and the Beggars - Live in Los Angeles
The Cool and Deadly - Rudeboy's Revenge
El Chicano - Instrumentals
Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
Wu Tang Clan - 36 Chambers
Mobb Deep - The Infamous
GhostFace - Supreme Clientelle
Gangstarr - Moment of Truth
Repo Man Soundtrack

SEVEN SONGS

Johnny Thunders "Pipeline"
Robert Plant and Allison Krauss "Gone Gone Gone"
Skids "into the valley"
Sick of It All "Locomotive"
Naked Raygun "I Don't Know"
SubHumans "Dying World"
Pogues "The Sunnyside of the Street"

Recent Jammings

Killing Joke - S/T
45 Grave - Sleep in Safety
Joy Division - An Evening with Joy Division (live in amsterdam)
Crosby, Stills and Nash
A Touch of Hysteria - 1982 Demo
The Cool and Deadly - Rudeboy's Revenge
The Good, The Bad & The Queen - S/T

This Week

m83 - Saturdays = Youth
Benga - Diary of An Afro Warrior
Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
Mose Allison - "Young Man's Blues"
Son House - "John The Revelator"

I'M LOST IN A WORLD BEYOND THE LOST CITY...
...I'M LOOKING FOR A BONE...
AND I CAN'T FIND ONE.

Joe Strummer - BBC Radio Show "London Calling"

I-tunes has all of Joe Strummer's BBC Radio Show for free download. You'd be a damned fool not to go grab these and spend some time with our dear departed Punk Rock Warlord and his eclectic record collection.

On the Turntable...

Cold Heat (compilation of heavy funk rarities)
Nina Simone - Silk and Soul
Gil Scott Heron - Conversations at 125th and Lenox
Chuck Berry - One Dozen Berries
Muddy Waters - Rare and Unreleased
Rites Of Spring - S/T
Fugazi - 13 Songs & Red Medicine
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
The Holy Ghostriders - Fast Track Heartattack
Deathcycle - Prelude to Tyranny
Prince Buster - Wreck a Pum Pum
Cruel Hand - Prying Eyes

Devil's Night 2008

Feeling Good

through the light of the world.
through the night of the world.

Swallowing Culture

Being a longtime reader of THRASHER magazine...I was more than excited to see my friends TRASH TALK featured in the mag. If you are a person with too much energy, pent up aggression or perhaps you just harbor a general hatred for the world...you just might love their new S/T album and chances are they will be your town soon. www.trashtalkhc.com

I have become a regular reader of Kris Missions blog WORLD MOVES FAST. Here you will find the latest news including what he had for breakfast, new sneakers for sneakerheads and tons more awesomely irrelevant news. www.worldmovesfast.org

I have found an amazing bookstore in Los Feliz not far from my house called SKYLIGHT BOOKS. www.skylightbooks.com they also have a blog you can read. If you live in this area, stop by as their anniversary party is this weekend and they will be having free treats and good deals on books. They have a storefront specifically for graphic novels and picture books where I picked up Tim Lane's graphic novel ABANDONED CARS. I also finally got a copy of Ferlengetti's poetry collection, A CONEY ISLAND OF THE MIND.

Do you enjoy the sound of the Hammond B3 organ and need some new tunes to relax to? Then look no further than JIMMY SMITH's classic BACK AT THE CHICKEN SHACK. I've been working like a madman and also trying to get myself into shape and this record helps me wind down every night for the last week or so. Goes great with a glass of cheap red wine.

Check out DEATH/TRAITORS new fall line at www.deathtraitors.com These clothes will get you laid and make your parents mad. Two rights don't make a wrong.

Famous Lithuanian motherfucker MAXIM RYAZANSKY has a new photo feature up and you'd be a fool not to dig this talented young man's brutally real photographs. www.maximryazansky.com

SPIDERGHOST PRESSGANG up in Norcal is always releasing good vinyl and zines for us outsiders. www.spiderghost.net

Fans of American Hardcore Punk Music might want to purchase a copy of a this new book...RADIO SILENCE: A Visual History of American Hardcore Music. www.radiosilencebook.com They made it possible for me to see the quasi CRO MAGS live in L.A. Thanks guys.

DILLINGER FOUR - CIVIL WAR came out last week. The long wait was worth it. These guys may like to clown around and drink a lot, but they write some of the best lyrics I have ever read in my life. So many people sleep on this band. The LP comes with a card for a free digital download.

Also out now on vinyl....FUCKED UP - THE CHEMISTRY OF COMMON LIFE. This one also comes with a free download card. THis is a serious package 2 x 180 gram Gatefold LP with a spine so fat, you can read the name of the record from halfway across the room.

I finally picked up a copy of the first FUN BOY THREE record (S/T) and all I can say is wow. The creativity and catchiness of this record is unreal. How did this one get lost in time? I never hear anyone talk about this band. Anyone else into it?

www.rickygervais.com is where you can keep up with my favorite British Funnyman, Ricky Gervais. His new movie GHOST TOWN is in theater's now and getting rave reviews everywhere. KARL PILKINGTON HAS A HEAD LIKE A FUCKING ORANGE.

Damian of THE EXPLOSION and PANIC is doing a radio show and the kid has got real good taste so you should check it out. it's called PEER PRESSURE... http://www.eastvillageradio.com/modules.php?name=evrshow&showid=40

My favorite comic book BLUE MONDAY shall resume after years of waiting this NOVEMBER 19th with a new series entitled "THIEVES LIKE US". I plan picking this up, stopping at 7-11 for a giant slurpee and then finding a tree to read it under about 10 times over and then getting really pissed that I have to wait so long for the next issue. I also got word straight from the artist herself, CHYNNA CLUGSTON, that her assumed ill-fated comic STRANGETOWN that mysteriously disappeared after just one issue will see the light of day in the form of a Graphic Novel. www.onipress.com

That's all I got for now, folks.

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Don't forget to go cast a vote for John "Blinky" "ShortArms" McCain. We Can't afford another four years of a president with regular length arms and normal blinking intervals.
My name is Jeffrey Eaton, and I approve this message.

Three More Reasons to Love L.A.

1. Wednesday - CroMags / Violation
2. Thursday - Aggrolites @ The Roxy
3. Friday - Blackeyed Soul Club @ Medusa Lounge


Tomorrow These Albums Drop:
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

Next Tuesday:
Dillinger Four - Civil War

the movie called THE WIZARD

is soo good.


"california" -jimmy

"I love the powerglove." -lucas

"put it on the passline sparky, the PASSLINE!" -Hailey

I had a dubbed vhs of that and used to watch it all the time. thank you to the person who commented and reminded me where I knew that song from.

I went to Rancid / TSOL tonight.

Jack Grisham is a giant.

Death is the only deadline.

Absolute Beginner

I worked late and work early and need to be sleeping but it just doesn't seem to be coming to me tonight...so I thought I would write a brief update of my little life.

I quit Juice Magazine after two weeks. I won't go into the nitty gritty details...but it just wasn't right for me. In a lot of ways I pulled the rug out from under myself, but if I know anything it's to trust my instincts and keep my ideals.

A long and horrible job hunt followed this. Does anyone else find job hunting to be a very demeaning task? Please sir, let me do something any child with half a brain could do for a wage too small to live off of.

I am working some menial type jobs...at an Italian Restaurant as well as a clothing store...just some things to pay the rent and put food in my belly. I am a fan of the food as well as the clothes...so I'm content with patching together a living between the two for the time being.

After many topsy turvy weeks...i finally have a solid place to rest my head at a great house in East Hollywood (Thai Town) with two great young ambitious guys. There is a record player and no TV in the living room and I am just as happy as a pig in shit. I can reach outside my bedroom window and touch a big tall palm tree, which is very exciting for me. I am also a stones throw from the site where Charles Bukowski spent his hollywood days. Check the poem "hard times on Carlton Way"

Music and Writing projects are in the works but don't hold your breaths on anything because I am going to be taking my sweet sweet time and doing just what I want to do to entertain and challenge myself....so you may think the end results are crap anyways!~

Skating earthquaked sidewalks is a blast. I'm a cracked sidewalk surfer.

Live Your Dreams. Death is the Only Deadline.

MUSICAL Soundtrack to runaway days and runaway nights in Los Angeles:
Opals - "does it matter?" - this is the most played song in the living room! everyone loves it!
U Roy - Version Galore LP - The most played LP in the living room. Deep, Chill and Essential.
Prince Far I - Under Heavy Manners LP - Voice like thunder!
Max Romeo - War Inna Babylon LP
Real Life - "Send me an Angel" (can someone tell me what 80's movie this song was in?)
P.I.L. - "Rise"
INXS - "Don't Change"
Seaweed - "Start With"
John Holt - "hooligan"
Alton Ellis - "I'm still in love with you"
Pure Filth / SMOG / L.A. Dubstep
Fun Boy Three
Santo and Johnny
Surf Instrumentals
The Moth - Live at King King (Storytelling competition...check out the podcast)
Part Time Punks Radio Show
Fania All Stars - Live LP (Brazil!)
Brooks Strause - The Misanthrope and His Doubtful Faith
Fishbone - S/T
Beatles - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Bug feat. Warrior Queen - Live!
Percy Sledge - "At the Dark End of the Street"
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life (this is so goddamned good. Hats off. NME cover!)
Velvet Underground & Nico
Middle Class - Out of Vogue 7"
Spanish Bombs - Beasts: Man is God
Ben Driscoll - "Sinkin my Lincoln" and "Long Shallow Dive"

L.A. Playlist

Tapper Zukie - Live in Los Angeles
DJ sounds live from Dub Club, Rocksteady Lounge, Punky Reggae Party, Funky Sole
Spanish Bombs - Beasts: Man Is God & Live at Sound and Fury
The Cool and Deadly - EP and Live in Los Angeles
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
Ceremony - Still Nothing Moves You
Trash Talk - S/T
Pregnant - 2 song demo
Annihilation Time - III
Cro Mags - Age of Quarrel
Wanda Jackson - Best of

Marshalltown to Los Angeles

Hey Everyone...
Just wanted to let you all know that I made it to L.A. and things are going great so far. I packed up my little car with the few things I need and did the 30 hour drive all by my lonesome. It's something I've dreamed of for a long time and it has not been disappointing yet. Right now I am looking out onto the city skyline from the Juice HQ in the Hollywood Hills. I am jumping in headfirst and working hard. Trying my hardest to believe in myself and not be overwhelmed in an overwhelming place. The rumours are true...these people drive like fucking lunatics. But I have already met some great people amongst the crazies and glitz and glamor types.
If you've got a band or a record label with a recent release I am handling the music reviews section so check out the website and send your stuff over to me so I can hear what you guys are creating and possibly get you a review in the mag.

Love and Respect,
Jeffrey

Hey Everyone. So I will be moving to California in a few weeks and I am so excited about it. I am going to be working for the magazine up above there. www.juicemagazine.com I was planning on moving out there and just winging the whole thing but this seems really promising so hopefully everything will work out. For me, life is all about following your passions no matter what it means. Can I hear a hell yeah!? It's funny to think about my dad taking me to buy my first skateboard nearly 20 years ago...I'm still not too good on the god damn thing...but it's like you get bit by that bug and you just can't shake the obsession. Anyways, if you do the prayer thing...pray for my small town ass in the big city...haha

"I am a skateboarder and a punk rocker"
-Duane Peters

The Playlist:
Spanish Bombs EP (They are back in action, you know!)
Alice Cooper - "generation landslide"
Trash Talk - Plagues 7"
Skids - Scared to Dance LP
New Bomb Turks - Information Highway Revisited LP
Christian Death - Only Theatre of Pain LP

CAN'T WAIT
for the new TRASH TALK LP
and the new DEATHCYCLE LP
I am gonna review them both on here as soon as i get my hands on them.

Over and Out...
Jeffrey

Back To The World

So the band is over...big fuckin' deal! Seriously though, those six years were very interesting and i would change a goddamn thing. I have no reservations or bad feelings about leaving it behind.
Thanks to everyone who came out to the last show. It was one of the best nights of my life...but also one of the strangest. There were at least a hundred people in that room that I could have spent the whole night talking to...my head was spinning the whole time trying to at least say hi to everyone and trying to take it all in. 700 people at the moose lodge in Marshalltown, Iowa. DIY. As crowded as it was I felt no violence, no hatred and no snotty attitudes. We brought it all back home that night and words won't do it any justice. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it.

The tour was fucking rad. I don't feel like going into all the details right now. There are tons of live pictures at www.myspace.com/modernlifeiswar

Onto more important issues...I finally made my long awaited visit to Graceland and Stax Soul Museum in Memphis as well as Apollo Theatre in Harlem. I also bought a fuckload of records on tour. If you are into jamaican music...you have to pay a visit to Deadly Dragon Sound in Chinatown NYC...incredible amount of great records in a tiny shop with an extremely knowledgeable staff. Also support Reptilian Records and Celebrated Summer records in baltimore, Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis and Ear X-tasy in Louisville. Here's the rundown...

Angelic Upstarts - Never 'Ad Nothin 7"

Bad Manners - Ska'n'B LP

Harry J Allstars - Liquidator LP

Trash Talk - Plagues 7"

Skull Snaps - LP

Congos - Heart of the Congos LP

Sinead O Connor - The Lion and the Cobra

David Axelrod - Songs of Innocence LP

David Axelrod - Songs of Experience LP

Skids - Wide Open 12" EP

Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust LP

V/A - Soul Feeling LP

V/A - Soul Explosion (stax) LP

Keith Hudson and Chuckles - "Satan Side" / Don D Jr. - "evil spirit" - 7"

Cornell Campbell - "Let the Music Keep on Playing" / "My Baby Just Cares" - 7"

...funny thing just happened. I heard a HUGE SMAAAASH out my bedroom window...heard angie scream at me and ran down the stairs and onto main street and see a car smashed into into the back of the mliw van. His car was taken away on a towtruck and is definitely FUCKED. the van, is probably also fucked. the kid was 17 and pretty rattled. He had two girls with him and one of em had an AFI shirt on. AAAnd...back to the records list..which is almost done...

prince buster - "prince of peace" / "faith" - 7"

Trapped Under Ice - "stay cold" 7"

Dead Tired - 7"

Rites of Spring - "all through a life" 7"

Supersuckers - "born with a tail" 7"

Babyshambles - "you talk" / "revelations" - 7"

Deep Sleep - "manic euphoria" 7"

Deep Sleep - "you're screwed" 7"

Iowa Beef Experience - "trailercourt" b/w..the best songtitle ever... "dope smoking rednecks from cedar rapids trapped in an alternative reality" (produced by steve albini) 7"

And while we're on the subject of records...I am going to start a records/music blog very soon. I will be strictly talking about music that I love or am interested in or excited about. I am not a music critic and don't wanna be one. I will put a post here when i get it started.

Another thing...Amongst other post band-life projects...I am starting a management and booking company called DEVIL'S CORNFIELD. I will be helping out some kick-ass iowa motherfuckers like Beat Strings, Brooks Strause and Sioux City Pete and the Beggars and Helmer as well as doing some booking for some bands on Organized Crime records out of Chicago. The reason why i mention this here....I am looking for someone to make a website for me. I do not have the necessary knowledge/skills. I am HOPING to find someone who would be willing to do it for free or cheap. Maybe someone who is in school for it or looking to build a portfolio? I would of course cover the costs. I just need something real simplistic and functional. If you are this person....please get in touch!!!

Ok...so since the dinner guest thing got so much response. 1 dream show. Up to 6 bands/musicians...but it can only be one if you want. There is no time period restriction.

Mine goes down in a small smoke filled bar in iowa with a small stage on a hot summer night. I am 16 years old and the lineup is....

The Clash (have I ever told you that I think that Paul Simonon in his prime was one of the sexiest rock and rollers of all time?)
Robert Johnson (not many people got to experience this)

Screamin' Jay Hawkins (you know this crazy voodoo man can put on quite a show)

The Ramones (obvious)

The Stooges (iggy would cut himself with glass and locals drinking at the bar would be yelling "faggot" at him)

Nina Simone (..that voice.)

oh fuck this...this game is too hard. There are about 10 more acts i feel like i can't leave off the list. I originally was going to say 3 bands...but 6 is the lowest i can possibly go.

you wanna get extensive? OK, i ain't scared. setlist time. what songs do you have to hear that night?

THE CLASH

I'm So Bored with the U.S.A.

Complete Control

Career Opportunites

Hate and War

white man in the hammersmith palais

the call up

bankrobber

police and theives

Garageland

London Calling

Rudie Can't Fail

Spanish Bombs

Lost in the Supermarket

The Guns of Brixton
The Card Cheat

I'm not down
Train in Vain

In the Pouring Rain

Stay Free

All the Young Punks

Safe European Home

Charlie Don't Surf

Know your rights

should i stay or should I go

Red Angel Dragnet

Straight to Hell

Ghetto Defendent

Innoculated City

Death is a Star

ROBERT JOHNSON

Cross Road Blues

Walkin' Blues

Come on in my kitchen

Terraplane Blues

Love in Vain

Hellhound on my trail

Ramblin on my mind

Stop Breakin' down blues

Last Fair Deal Gone Down

THE RAMONES

today your love, tomorrow the world

blitzkrieg bop

cretin hop

Now I wanna be a good boy

I just wanna have something to do

bad brain

it's not my place (in the 9 to 5 world)

pet semetary

Something to beleive in

I wanna live

R.A.M.O.N.E.S.

Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

California Sun

Now I wanna sniff some Glue

She's the One

Judy is a Punk

Sheena is a punk rocker

Why is it always this way?

beat on the brat

pinhead

rock and roll high school

rockaway beach

teenage lobotomy

surfin bird

NINA SIMONE

Mississippi Goddamn

Funkier than a mosquitos tweeter

save me

The Pusher

Mr. Bojangles

I loves you porgy

I put a spell on you

Four Women

Pirate Jenny

Break Down and Let it all out

Don't let me be misunderstood

THE STOOGES

I Wanna Be Your Dog

No Fun
(the entire Funhouse Album)

Search and Destroy

Gimme Danger

Rich Bitch

Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell

I need somebody

SCREAMIN JAY

I put a spell on you

I hear voices

I love paris

Frenzy

You Made Me Love You

Constipation Blues

Feast of the Mau Mau

Do you Really Love Me?

Alligator Wine

Little Demon

I gotta work early tomorrow. Over and out.

Just a playlist.

I've got the iowa winter fucking blues. ready for spring. ready to skate. ready for tour.

Suicide - S/T
...if you stand outside on a windy winter day listening to this it's scary as hell. Everyone should at least hear this. One of the weirdest punk records if not the weirdest. redundant electronic pulsing that is almost calming with detached cold commentary and storytelling that jumps into characters for breif moments/screams. Frankie Teardrop is a fucking unreal song.
Suicidal Tendencies - S/T
...I think "i want more" is my favorite on here. I like the melodic chorus. This is a feel good record and makes me want to wear neon t-shirts and skate a pool. I don't have a neon shirt or a pool to skate.
Dangerhouse Records volumes 1 and 2
..."trouble at the cup" is a fucking crazy song. i love it. the intro and outtro to "survive" by bags is killer. Lots of raw and creative stuff here.
The Stooges - Funhouse
this is a record that i think of as being HEAVY. I think young kids into shitty metal, hardcore or screamo stuff that describe something as being heavy don't know what that word means when it comes to music. The riffs and the way the band plays makes this heavy. It has nothing to do with downtuning, digital recording tricks, 10 amps or any of that shit. This is by far my favorite stooges record as a whole. My favorite stooges song is "I wanna be your dog".
Joykiller - S/T
I think this record never really got noticed but i really like it. It's jack grisham from TSOL and there is kind of that horror punk vibe but much more open and romantic. It's just a really cool record and i never run into anyone that knows it or likes it. I see copies of this on vinyl for cheap everywhere. Buy one and check it out.
Spoon
I think i like these guys. they are so simple.

I like simple music. I think that music and skateboarding are the same. Doing cool tricks that are difficult to do doesn't really matter if you don't have style, true meaning and true aggression.
Flying V's suck. Small wheels suck.

just songs:
Leadbelly - Goodnight, Irene
R.E.M. - losing my religion
Big Country - In a big country
Gun Club - Run through the Jungle
Robyn Hitchcock - I often dream of trains
Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray - Citizens Bop
Bobby Rydell - Volare
Nico - Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
Cranberries - Dreams
Patti Smith - Because the Night
Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard
Sweet - Teenage Rampage
Alice Cooper - Generation Landslide


I can't wait to....
hear the new Deathcycle record.
dig sioux city pete and the beggars live.
dig old scratch revival singers live.

I think i am regressing. All i can think about is music and skateboarding. I used to think about what career i might do someday and other serious things. I need to build a launch ramp. Why is old man winter fucking with me? All i wanted was a sunny dry day and he wouldn't give it to me. He said "you're on drugs" "no i'm not, i just wanna skate."

Juice Magazine is the only good skateboarding magazine.

Wax Poetics is my favorite magazine to learn about new music. I like Mojo but they devote too much space to artists and bands that everyone already knows about.

1 in every 100 americans is behind bars. I saw that on the front page of the paper and had to do a double take.

My mind is shit right now.
I like your comments. If you are out there reading my nonsense let me know. My question to you is...name three people you would want to invite to a dinner and drinks. Past or present.

Mine:
Ira Glass (must be the best conversationalist ever)
Jean Seberg (just would love to meet her)
Cresa Watson (this would feel very mysterious! i don't even know if she's black or white.)

And yes, i would actually pick these people over jesus and ghandi and everything.


AND ON THE DANCEFLOOR BROKEN GLASS...
Jeff

The Chase is better than the Catch

Burn that motherfucking piano to the ground. The snow and pigeon shit is melting and dripping from the steel framework of the gymnasium ceiling where country boys used to play basketball. Jerry Lee Lewis is sitting sedated in his easy chair and me and my friends are rocking and rolling.

soon...Modern Life Is War will be no more. The last tour is March 28th to April 26th. My head is spinning but i feel confident that this is the right thing to do. There are decisive moments in life and sometimes they just hit you. If the long hard road is the one your heart tells you to follow and you listen it will define you one way. If you take the easy way cause it's the easy way that will define you in a different way. I am a long ways from finished and in many ways i feel like i have just begun.

Reading:

What is the What

Lipstick Traces

Nausea

digging:

The life of Joe Lewis

Jean Michel Basquiat

Salvador Dali

watching:

Bonjour Tristesse

Eastern Promises

Jamming:

Rich Kids - "ghosts of princes in towers"

The Clash - Hell W10

US Bombs - Live

English Beat - Live

Una Mae Carlisle - "Oh, I'm Evil"

Ethel Waters - "organ grinder blues"

Valaida Snow - "caravan"

Chuck Berry - "havana moon"

Billy Bragg and Wilco - Mermaid Avenue

T-rex - Electric Warrior LP

This American Life (national public radio)

So I got a text from my friend Joe Hardcore with a link to his blog. It motivated me to start writing on here again. Check out his shit! www.joehardcore.net That Mid-EVIL fighting stuff he does is wild.

Anyways...
It's been a crazy year of writing, recording and touring. For now I am back in Iowa working and getting my shit together and spending some quality time with my family.

I am digging some awesome music. I got into some classic country that I really love. Find these songs if you are curious...

Tennessee Ernie Ford - "Sixteen Tons" (This song is so good. Wow.)
Hank Snow - "I've Been Everywhere" "Moving On" "Ninety Miles An Hour (down a dead end street)"
Kitty Wells - "Heartbreak U.S.A." "Making Believe"
Brenda Lee - "I'm Sorry"
Tammy Wynette - "Stand by Your Man"
Marty Robbins - "el paso" "ghost riders in the sky"
Hank WIlliams - "lost highway"
Eddy Arnold - "make the world go away"


Band News:
+MLIW is in the new spin magazine (with Bruce Springsteen and some goofball on the cover) we are in the "top ten songs to download" for F.T.S.P. along with Lil' Wayne and some other cool cats. Pick up a copy! Or don't!
+Lots of people seem to like our new album MIDNIGHT IN AMERICA. but apparently not many people actually bought it. Go buy one ya fucking jerks! The layout is next level by Iowa's own QOJAK. And it's got lyrics. And it sounds better on a stereo than on your laptop!

Hmm..what else. It's almost bedtime.

Some Great Shows I saw this Year...
Career Criminal (awesome streetpunk band from texas. with Iron Cross at a Roadhouse Saloon outside San Antonio.
Billy Bragg (mark that one off my list. He was fantastic.)
Social Distortion (first time I ever saw them. great great show.)
Against Me

Ok. more soon. goodnight.

Jamming...

people always ask me what i've been listening to and i always draw a blank. here's whats been on in my room since i've had a little time off between tours.

Joe Coffee - When the Fabric Don't Fit The Frame
English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It / Wha'appen? / Special Beat Service
Ted Leo - Living With The Living / Shake the Sheets / Hearts of Oak
The Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us / Smell of Female
Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life
Aggrolites - Reggae Hit L.A.
X - The Unheard Music DVD
Pete Doherty - Who the hell is pete doherty? DVD
A Gun Called Tension - S/T
Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Downtown
Lee Perry - Super Ape / Return of the Super Ape
Suicidal Tendencies - S/T
Manic Street Preachers - Generation Terrorists

Some Random MLIW pictures.

Live at the Satyricon in Portland, OR

T.O. riding that train.

Sjarm and his mighty bottle of beast.

Left to Right: Tim, Jim and Tom

THis is what happens when your electric clippers die on you mid-haircut.

T.O. Flexes his art muscle. John Eich portrait. Check ebay.

me watching the legendary iowa scumbag Brooks Strause in indiana, pennsylvania.

He sings on the title track of the new Modern Life Is War record "midnight in america".

February Tour W/ The Geeks and Ambitions

Some short wrap-ups of our shows with The Geeks (Seoul, South Korea) and Ambitions (Connecticut)

2/17/07 Kansas City @ The AnchorThis place is rad. A little space in an industrial district. Ran by punks. Skateboard ramps. I'm guessing about 100 kids. Good vibe. Geeks killed it with ultra energetic straight edge youth crew hardcore. Ambitions also got a really good reaction for being a new band that has never been to the midwest before. We played 3 new songs from our upcoming album. There was a semi trailer parked in an alleyway and spraypainted on it about 5 feet by 5 feet was "NUKE GAY WHALES FOR JESUS." That's some politics I can get behind. Afterwards we went to waffle house with everyone and I sold some veteran with shaky hands a twitchy eyes a Modern Life iS war CD. All 3 b ands stayed in a huge house in some ghetto neighborhood. In the morning on my walk to get a cup of coffee i got yelled at by a drunk lady sitting in a wheelchair sitting out in front of an abandoned christian scientist church but i didn't hear what she said cause I was rocking some Jackie Wilson in my headphones.

2/18/07 Saint Louis @ Lemp Arts CenterLemp Arts is a home away from home for us. They made us delicious pizza and salad to eat and we drank some Tallboys from the Convenience Store/Cop Shop down the street. The show was pretty packed and two good local bands played...Civic Progress (early 80's style catchy hardcore punk) and Humanoids (Pop punk like d4 and other good non-shitty pop punk bands). A good time was had by all.

2/19/07 Chicago @ Beat KitchenI love the beat kitchen cause it has good sound and they serve the touring bands good food. 153 paid at the door. Expired Youth from Chicago played one of their last shows or something. The Geeks are totally becoming our boys by this point. They are very sweet and positive and energetic. Not jaded whatsoever so i think it's a real breath of fresh air for everyone to see a band so completely fucking stoked just to be playing a show. We could all learn something from their attitude. Go get tattooed by Bill Smiles at Family Tattoo in chicago sometime...i'm going to real soon hopefully. After the show we stopped our shit off at our crashpad across from the fireside bowl and walked to the Green Eye to drink. A lot of friends came out and some girls tried to take Harm home. We got shredded and walked home and went to sleep. I woke up and felt like i hadn't had a drink of water in weeks.

2/20/07 Indianapolis @ Some Former ChurchA good show. Walked to the liquor store and almost died on the ice 100 times. Drank Screwdrivers to burn out my sore throat and it totally worked. Drove to Dayton, OH that night.

2/21/07 Dayton @ The WaterfrontThis is our second shitty show at this place...both times plagued with power/fuse/equipment problems. The kids were cool enough and definitely no disrespect to the promoter or anything l ike that. but I hate it soo much when equipment fails again and again and i just stand there looking like an asshole. When we did eventually get playing...it sounded like hot garbage. Every once in a while you have one of those nights where you just want the set to be done ASAP and this was one of those nights. Sorry Dayton. We will try again....at a different venue.

2/22/07 Mt. Clemens @ Hayloft Liquor StandThis was a rager. Bane was headlining and it was good to see all those dudes and hang out a little bit. Sadly...our last night with Ambitions and The Geeks. We had a good set and i was really finding that soul during it. The Bane set was like a total fucking circus. They bring a vibe unlike any other band in the world. It really does transcend band/audience/scene etc. Quite something to watch. I guess i got used to it on that tour we did with them...but after not experiencing it for a while it was really something to see. After the show we went to the ridiculous resturant known as Buffallo Wild Wings with the Geeks and Bane and Shredded some Spicy Chicken Wings. Fucking sad to leave The Geeks. We're gonna go to South Korea. Drove a little ways after that and got a motel 6.

2/23/07 Beloit, WI @ Beloit University W/ Deadtown Revival, Nakatomi Plaza, Decibully, TullycraftThis show was real cool cause we got a huge dinner and got paid well AND the show was free and all ages. The line-up was very diverse and so was the audience. We definitely pissed off the sound guy by being "way...WAY too loud!!" I think most people were into our set and we had a blast playing. We're trying to get that liberal psuedo-hippie college girl market cornered and I think we converted at least a few with this show. A Blizzard raged outside throughout the night. We spent over an hour getting our van stuck in snowdrifts and digging it out again and again in attempt to load our gear out. We stayed in the lobby of a dorm building and I saw some weird girls and some people puking.

The Ruts!

These two singles by this fantastic UK band were released in 1980 and stand toe to toe musically and lyrically with their contemporaries and two of my favorites: The Clash and The Jam. Both of the A sides "West One (Shine On Me)" and "Staring at the Rudeboys" are dark melodic punk songs with a hard edged pop feel. While the B-sides show the bands reggae/dub influences. "Love in Vain" is a more straightforward dub reggae song with melodic vocals throughout. "The Crack" is absolutely fucking crazy...opening with indecipherable chanty vocals, then the dubby reggae fades in...then back out to more crazy vocals..and repeats...one time going into a fast paced ragtime piano jam...then more chanting and even some animal screams. The Ruts have quickly become one of my favorite bands. I am looking for "The Crack" LP as well as any of the singles so if you are interested in selling or trading any of their records hit me up.

Happy New Year!!!

This is my beautiful neice...Avery Hope Jones.

Pictures from 538 Johnson

There was definitely magic in the air in brooklyn that night. One of those shows that make all the bullshit worth it and proves that this music is still as powerful and relevant as it ever was.

The New Year is Here

The Manic Times 2007
http://21381.blogspot.com

See you there!!

The Good, The Bad and The Queen

Check out this new band with Paul Simonon, Simon Tong, Damon Albarn and Tony Allen. (members and ex-members of: The Clash, Blur, The Verve, Gorillaz)
MP3's are available at www.myspace.com/thegoodthebadandthequeen
Official Fansite: www.goodbadqueen.com

Their debut album comes out Jan. 22nd

I am digging this shit.

Their is a 3 song 7"/CD available at Interpunk that i just ordered. Will probably be posting a review once i get it.

nyhc day in m'town

todays playlist while me and harm ate pizza and counted t-shirts:
warzone
GB
youth of today
judge
Agnostic Front
SOIA

Story:
So i am in the basement of CBGB's somehow having a beer with Vinny Stigma and two guys from new jersey. Stigma looks at me and goes "hey maan, where U From?" and i reply "I'm from Marshalltown, Iowa" and stigma looks at me funny and then goes "marshalltown iowa?? I wanna BE THERE!"

100% true.
life defining moment.

recommendations

Some awesome Free Podcasts from I-tunes Store that i've been jamming:

Big Mikey Dread Reggae Radio Podcast
this dude played with the Clash and plays great tunes. Big Mikey Dread Buss Up Dee PLace.
Sacred Dub Transmissions
Newer dub creations...seemless hour long mixes...great stuff.
World Passport Podcast
Some great world music...Afrobeat, Cuban, mento, calypso.

Movies:

BRICK
Teeny Noir? I don't know. This shit is awesome. Just watch it.
V for Vendetta
I know I am late on this one...but if you haven't seen it yet...it is incredible.


and last but not least....check out this weird fetish...
www.carstuckgirls.com
hahahahaha

Glory Days

all pictures from the inkspot gallery in Jackson, Mississippi. Jason Thomas is the tattoo artist and a damn good one.

The first two days of tour.

10/26/06

We left home yesterday and played the American Legion Hall in Sioux Falls, South Dakota last night. Before we played, Harm, Chris and I walked over to the Bar across the street. Harm described it as a "twin peaks style bar" which I guess means that it’s rural and unassuming yet creepy. Halfway through our first beer this haggard 70 year old lady walks up to us and goes to Harm... "where you from? England?" And then launches into her life story...how she drove a semi-truck for half of her life and then moved her whole family to South Dakota and bought a ranch and cows and horses...how she has 29 cats and 1 dog...and how "You can have a really good time at this bar. We party. We party hard." I bailed to go sell T-shirts and after I left she gave Harm her regular number and here "private line" and told him that they have big parties at the ranch and they do some wife-swapping so he should get ahold of her. Keep in mind...70 years old and Haggard...and 29 cats.
The show was great. We played on the floor to roughly 60-70 kids and got a warm reception especially considering the fact that it was our first time in Sioux Falls. After the show talking to the promoter Steven I found out that he runs INIT RECORDS www.initrecords.com who put out a number of records for Ten Grand from Iowa. He has a crazy record collection including some things that I am very jealous of...namely a bunch of Jawbreaker and Dillinger Four 7"s.
We stayed up late hanging out and drinking beers and shooting the shit with local kids and the guys from In The Face Of War from Indiana who also played last night. Topics of conversation included Superman VS. Batman, Will Smith’s career and other deeply important issues.
I had already had a great time in Sioux Falls...and then the coolest thing happened just when I thought all the fun had been had...it was around Noon....everyone was getting up and around...showering...loading sleeping bags into the van...etc. I had just sold Steven a T-shirt and got into the van which was parked across the street from his house to put the ten bucks into the band fund when I look up and a Cop car is squealing around the corner and slamming on his brakes in front of the house. There is one kid from Indiana standing outside having a smoke and everyone else is inside. The cop jumps out of the squad car and pulls his gun and starts running towards the house pointing his gun at the kid screaming at him "PUT YOUR HANDS UP....GET ON YOUR KNEEES!!!" Obviously the kid is in total shock...puts his hands up and lays down on his stomach. By this time another motorcycle cop has pulled up, pulled his gun and is running through the yard. The first kid gets his hands cuffed behind his back. Another kid from Indiana comes out of the house....guns pointed...on the ground and he’s handcuffed too. I’m in the van thinking "holy shit...the Cops are raiding this house!" Cops keep pulling up...I think there was four cars and 6 cops or something like that...all pointing guns at everyone. I think 5 people ended up face down in handcuffs including 3 indiana guys, Chris from MLIW and Steven who lived there. The whole time everyone is asking what the hell is going on but the cops won’t explain. Steven keeps telling them that he lives there and that his Driver’s License is in his back pocket. They finally get it out and look at it and go "Yep, he lives here." And then they start uncuffing everyone and the situation finally chills out. As the cops are all leaving...this high school kid walks over and we realize whoever called in the "ROBBERY IN PROGRESS" named the cross streets but not the specific house. This kid’s grandparents were on vacation and he went over to there house and went inside (with the key they gave him) to use the computer. I kind of feel like I should go on some "fuck the pigs" rant....but no one got shot and I think it really made for an exciting morning. So thanks to Sioux Fall’s Finest for getting the wrong house, pointing guns, handcuffing innocent punx and then realizing your mistake and leaving without ever checking out the house that was supposedly being robbed. Hahahahaha.
I got lots of new music for tour...check it out...

Exploding Hearts - Shattered (demo, 7" and comp. Tracks + alternative versions and mixes)
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America (fuck yeah! It sounded great on first listen)
Rollins Band - Do It
Rollins Band - Lifetime
X - Under The Big Black Sun
Mark Lanegan - I’ll Take Care of You
108 - Creation. Sustenance. Destruction

Check out this Link...it’s got Archived downloadable files of Henry Rollin’s Radio Show....
Http://www.rollins-archive.com/blog/

10/27/06

Last night in Fargo, ND at the VFW blew my mind again for the third time. The innocence and enthusiasm of the young kids that come to shows here is contagious. We played our new song "Useless Generation" and i think we played it well. Pictures and the flyer will be posted when i get a chance.

CONTEST

Go to www.crimescenemerch.com or www.scenepointblank.com you can design a T-shirt for cool bands like INTEGRITY, KILLING TIME, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, THE KILLER, and of course MODERN LIFE IS WAR. If your design gets picked you win lots of free shit. Check it out!!!!!!

Ya'll Ready For This?

Spanish Bombs EP out today!!!

Recommended for fans of punk music...
www.chunksaah.com order that shit!!!

FOREVER OUTSIDERS photos by Maxim Ryazansky

...to find more like these go to www.maximryazansky.com

Let's Talk About Music

These are a couple friends of mine and I've been listening to their new stuff a lot...check it out...
Brooks Strause - New Solo Songs www.myspace.com/brooksstrause
Ben Driscoll - New Solo Songs www.myspace.com/allrattleanddust

I discovered some Joe Strummer songs i never knew about on the soundtrack to a movie called "Permanent Record" The group is Joe Strummer and the Latino Rockabilly War and there are four songs "Trash City" "Baby the Trans" "Nefertiti Rock" and "Nothin' Bout Nothin"
Also...the Joe Strummer late career documentary DVD is out and it's called Lets Rock Again! Mostly on the road stuff with the Mescaleros. If you are a clash fan and haven't given the mescaleros a fair chance you really should. Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, Global A Go Go and Streetcore are all amazing unique albums.

I just watched the cult classic The Commitments which is a story about a white soul band from Dublin. I got re-introduced to some great soul classics like Percy Sledge - "Dark End of the Street" and Otis Redding - "Mr Pitiful"

I've also been watching the showtime series Weeds is smart and hilarious and has a great soundtrack...prompting me to download Marion Black - "Who Knows" and Rilo Kiley - "With Arms Outstretched" RJD2 sampled that Marion Black song for "Smoke and Mirrors" on his debut Deadringer.

I really like the new My Chemical Romance song "Welcome to the Black Parade" and i downloaded an album preview where the band talks about the new record and plays short clips of all the songs. That song has 167 tracks!! ridiculous!! They said that the album is influenced mostly by Pink Floyd - The Wall, The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and Queen - A Night At The Opera. I liked their last album too but this one is sounding quite a bit more musically ambitious and lyrically conceptual and I'm looking forward to sitting down and listening to the whole thing.

I am excited to get my hands on the new Hold Steady - "Boys and Girls in America" and of course Spanish Bombs - "S/T" (chunksaah/lifeline).

A-F Records re-released INQUISITION - "I think it's called inspiration" its a classic jam and i highly recommend it for fans of melodic hardcore punk music.

Other Shit on Rotation:
Avail - Over the James / Dixie
Social Distortion - Sex, Love and Rock and Roll
Tom Waits - Alice
JD's Pub Jukebox

into the james

Woke up in Richmond today and did my laundry at a laundromat in the ghetto. When I got back I went to a rope swing attached to a railroad bridge on the James River with Max and John. It was the only date of this tour warm enough to swim so I'm glad we made it happen.
I love the way richmond looks and feels. Bricks and mortar and ramshackled together tarpaper roofs and cute alleyways and everything with character and bits of broken glass.

There is never an overarching feeling at the end of a tour or a theme song that comes on in the background. I remember only the things I want to remember the way I want to remember them and the bottom falls out on everything else. Add some new pictures and flyers to my box of things to keep. Another notch on your belt of things you've done.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

90 years and still young at heart!!!! Happy Birthday Gram!!
Sorry I had to be away for your party...I hope you had a great time.

Modern Life Is War ... New Website up now!!!

www.modernlifeiswar.net

Modern Life Is Gwar

Spanish Bombs Website

www.fuckresponsibility.com

You can download the brown bag demo for free. Don't be an fucking moron and check it out. I heard these guys are good in bed.

While you are at it...

www.maximryazansky.com

He is a great photographer and we are stealing him from Spanish Bombs for our next tour. Come say hi to him and bring him a clean shirt.

Playlist:
The Jam - All Mod Cons LP
The Jam - Setting Sons LP
Wound Up - 7"
Jackie Wilson - Best of...

U.S. BOMBS Live at Hairy Marys

...born in the middle of a useless generation...

You Know You Are A Rock Star When...

....You get that big break you've been waiting for and you get invited to play Eddie's Apartment in Macomb, Illinois!!! Ironically...we have a booking agent now and this is the first show through our agent. As you can see...our guerilla tactics to help save the youth of america will not change and we are always up for playing anywhere...just can't keep up with all the booking anymore without losing our grip on sanity.

FUN FACTS: Modern Life Is War actually played our second show as a band in Macomb, IL at Western Illinois University and this will be our first time back to Macomb since then. The first show was in Marshalltown on 4/20/02 in the basement of Tyler's Mom and Dad's house with Holding On. They were a legit band from a legit city with a great LP out and to this day I am shocked that they actually drove four hours to play a basement in Iowa with a band playing their first show ever. We later became good friends with them, played many more shows together, toured together and played their last show. They were better than most of the hardcore bands around then and they were better than most hardcore bands around now. Buy their records. "JUST ANOTHER DAY" www.havocrex.com "QUESTION WHAT YOU LIVE FOR" www.bridge9.com

Playlist for the Last Few Days...
Holding On - Just Another Day/Question What You Live For
Minutemen - Double Nickels On the Dime
Billy Bragg - Live in London and Moscow 12"
Deathcycle - S/T
Spanish Bombs - Brown Bag Demo
Johnny Cash - 100 Highways & Personal Files
Crispus Attucks - Destroy the Teacher
Tear it Up - Nothing to Nothing

These Are Crazy Days But They Make Me Shine

I've been stressed lately. In a good way. In the way that I know the pressure is on me and if I don't make things happen there is no one to blame but myself. Working on a lot of big things concerning the band and my personal life and a helping an amazing friend with a huge project in Marshalltown. Working nights at the Maid Rite on top of it all. Everything is up in the air right now...trying to pull it all down to the ground and set it all in motion. I want to blow past everyone who goes with the flow and allows themselves to be dragged around by forces the PERCEIVE to be stronger than their body/mind/soul...I want to make shit happen and make it last and I want to feel the satisfaction that can only come from hard work and accomplishment. I might sound like an asshole but I don't feel like one and I know I can't afford to be humble right now. Why have i sometimes felt that i should be common, mediocre and apologetic. Is this what I was taught? It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round...but who really moves the world? The real essence of life belongs to those who took risks and never doubted and succeeded...while others looked on nervously...discouraged them because they were cowards and didn't want to take a risk and fail...but inevitably came shuffling along to share in the success and recognition long after someone had to stand by themselves and beleif and fight and take criticism of a cowardly world. I have played both roles at different points in my life and I know which one makes me feel like i am bursting with life and I know which one makes me feel like a waste of skin.


Discovering Ayn Rand has helped me tremendously...this is one of the key concepts to her philosopy of Objectivism.

Ayn Rand's THE VIRTUE OF SELFISHNESS Introduction:

The title of this book may evoke the kind of question that I hear once in a while: "Why do you use the word 'selfishness' to denote virtuous qualities of character, when that word antagonizes so many people to whom it does not mean the things you mean?"
To those who ask it, my answer is: "For the reason that makes you afraid of it."
But there are others, who would not ask that question, sensing the moral cowardice it implies, yet who are unable to formulate my actual reason or to identify the proufound moral issue involved. It is to them that I will give a more explicit answer.
It is not a mere semantic issue nor a matter of arbitrary choice. The meaning ascribed in popular usage to the word "selfishness" is not merely wrong: it represents a devastating intellectual "package-deal," which is responsible, more than any other single factor, for the arrested moral development of mankind.
In popular usage, the word "selfishness" is a synonym of evil; the image it conjures is of a murderous brute who tramples over piles of corpses to achieve his own ends, who cares for no living being and pursues nothing but the gratification of the mindless whims of any immediate moment.
Yet the exact meaning and dectionary definition of the word "selfishness" is: concern with one's own interests.
This concept does not include a moral evaluation; it does not tell us whether concern with one's own interests is good or evil; nor does it tell us what constitutes man's actual interests. It is the task of ethics to answer such questions.
The ethics of altruism has created the image of the brute, as its answer, in order to make men accept two inhuman tenets: (a) that any concern with one's own interests is evil, regardless of what these interests might be, and (b) that the brute's activities are in fact to one's own interest (which altruism enjoins man to renounce for the sake of his neighbors).
For a view of the nature of altruism, its consequences and the enormity of the moral corruption it perpetrates, I shall refer you to Atlas Shrugged- or to any of today's newspaper headlines. What concerns us here is altruism's default in the field of ethical theory.
There are two moral questions which altruism lumps together in one "package-deal": (1) What are values? (2) Who should be the beneficiary of values? Altruism substitutes the second for the first; it evades the task of defining a code of moral values, thus leaving man, in fact, without moral guidance.
Altruism declares that any action taken for the benefit of others is good, and any action taken for one's own benefit is evil. Thus the beneficiary of an action is the only criterion of moral value-and so long as the beneficiary is anybody other than oneself, anything goes.
Hence the appaling immorality, the chronic injustice, the grotesque double standards, the insoluble conflicts and contraditctions that have characterized human relationships and human societies throughout history, under all the variants of the altruist ethics.

you can buy the book for cheap here if you are interested:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451163931/sr=8-1/qid=1154995511/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-2806112-5490244?ie=UTF8

Comment if you want to discuss.


Ellis said...
There are certainly times in life when we have to hurt others feelings to take care of ourselves. I would have liked to read on further in order to discover just how Rand believes putting others first causes such a great deal of immorality and injustice, but I do feel that we have a moral obligation to love OTHERS as we love OURSELVES..hence, you must be willing to love yourself as you would any common man composing humanity as well as seek out the joy that is left in a world that grows more increasingly cold with time. My 2 cents...interesting stuff for sure.
12:59 AM

GI Kate said...
I think there comes a point in life when one decides if they want to be part of the machine that makes day-to-day life go around…or if they want to put themselves out there and say, fuck it…I’m going to do it my way…and maybe I’ll create something bigger and better. I think a lot of people find comfort in what’s right in front of them and that’s the only thing they will go after. I personally think its difficult when you strive to break away from everything you’ve ever known, including friends and family, to try and take a chance and then the people that are suppose to support you look at you like you’re selfish and greedy. Funny thing is, if you fail and have to start over they’ll be right where you left them asking you what went wrong and have the “I told you so” mentality. Needless to say, no one views life like you do…so why live your life the why they see fit?
8:32 AM

Anonymous said...
I have to say that I am very intrigued by what you wrote here. Given my own experiences I feel that I am in a similar position as you. Many friends of mine are on their way to finishing college or have just finished and for the most part they all have fantastic jobs lined up for them but I noticed the dynamics as well as the content of our talks has changed dramatically. We used to discuss how big the world is and how it’s just there for us to reap but now it seems like I’m being lectured on the importance of getting good health care plan. You know…just in case something happen. All the time I think to myself “what’s the fucking point of having the health plan, if your thoughts are ‘in case something happens’.” There is no need for risk management, if no risks are going to be taken.Now I feel like a little bit of a fan boy quoting you but it’s like the lyric you have “how did it feel to fail, how did it feel to feel?” people want their lives to be exciting and meaningful and almost euphoric but the don’t understand that simply isn’t going to happen unless they put everything on the line. I study literature and writing at school and came across this interesting passage that I think illustrates the point:"My definition of story excludes many narrative pieces that others routinely call a story. What are they if not stories? What are these written accounts in which characters, goals, conflicts, and struggles are not clearly defined? We will call them incidents.An incident is simply an event, something that happens. We tell each other about incidents every day. Few real stories happen to us, but incidents happen regularly. Rational humans work very hard, in fact, to keep incidents from becoming stories by avoiding the conflict and struggle, the risk and danger, that are required of a story. Most of what we share in informal, daily conversation and storytellings are really incidents. Incidents can, and often do, contain tragedy, trauma, and loss. They describe and engender strong emotions. Still, without identifiable conflict and struggle, an incident is simply something that happens.Incidents become stories when the writer redirects the presentation, away from plot and toward the characters. Only after the writer makes this conversion will characters, and their goals and motives, conflicts and flaws, risks and struggles, be brought to the fore to engage the reader."I sometimes too feel like an asshole because regardless of how much I am doing in my life, I still don’t feel like it’s enough. I am never satisfied with what I’ve done. Perhaps I want to be like John Galt and achieve something so big that it stops the world. It could be sheer egoism on my part but I believe we have that potential. Look at celebrities; they barely do anything and still they press and radio and film revolves around them. That’s not even mentioning all the everyday people who obsess over them and spend their idle time talking about these celebrities. Imagine what would happen if that kind of power was used to bring people together in a positive manner. To create community.I feel as if I am ranting now, but I would like to discuss this in a more in-depth manner.Scottie
8:34 AM

Elona said...
Hey, I think the reason why people feel the need to be mediocre and apologetic is because of the type of role models around us at an early age. I can only speak for myself but I remember witnessing adults that I grew up around being complacent and wearing a fake smile all day and when in the privacy of their own home they voice their frustrations about their career, life, friends, etc. and trying to find another way to live. I used to ask them why don't they do something else, something they've dreamed of and they'd say "I'm too scared" "I won't make any money" "I'm not good enough" etc. which very cowardly way to get through life. For most of my childhood I thought you had to be that way. I thought that you had to go with the flow and never go against the type of societal bullshit out there because if I did then I would fail or I wouldn't have a lot of friends. Sometimes the people you surround yourself with would rather you fail so they can feel comfortable with their own mediocrity. Well, now I have learned that if I don't go for what I want then I'll never have it and I'll be like most people, scared to express their ideas for fear of rejection amongst their peers. And I never ask another person's opinion about something I really want to do before I do it because they always try to talk you out of it, then when you succeed they say they were behind you every step of the way.Most people want to put others on pedestals that are already gotten their success because they think there is a certain type of personality/background that is deserving of success.I think thats bullshit. Everyone has the ability to succeed in what they want its just a matter of how much they are willing to work for it. I also think that in today's society people have lost pride in hard, honest work.I think this quote by Oscar Wilde sums it up: There are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely - or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands.
10:45 AM

Witness said...
Thanks for all of your thoughts...so much to respond to i don't know where to begin. Scottie...where you from? I might or might not know who you are. I think a distinction to be made is that Rand isn't really talking about feelings or love implicitly. She is talking about Actions and Tangible things. Whether that be a great work of art or the steel that built the railroads....those things that were NECESSARY and helped humanity in some way. In either of those cases...let's say it's Hank Reardon and Van Gogh...so they both get rich and famous from the things they did...wouldn't they inevitably be called "selfish" and "egotistical" "antisocial"? but why? if they were truly all those things why did they spend their lives giving a gift like that that helped so many people and enriched so many lives? Why is the poor unemployed man not the selfish, egotistical, greedy one?? He lives off the generosity of employers, government, landlords. Maybe because he makes no one feel uncomfortable, cowardly or unaccomplished? He is a good guy because you can look down on him and know that you are superior in some way?
11:59 AM

Anonymous said...
Except that it isn't that black and white. Rand isn't saying the poor man is necessarily greedy or useless. She argues that the freedom to use our abilities and make full use of our productivity are to embraced. (Hence why she supports capitalism on principle) And those that do not fulfill their potential, should not expect handouts from those that do.Good Will Hunting is a Rand-ian example.
2:08 PM

Anonymous said...
Scottie here, I don't think you know me. I live in Connecticut and go to shows just about wherever but We've never met. I wrote you an email a few weeks ago. I cannot remember what its content was, but most likely as a response to the band or your blog.I understand what your getting at with the idea of being paid for your art. My roommate and I constantly debate over the validity of Shakespeare. Shes coming from the idea that essentially writing for the Globe was his job and his motivations were fiscal rather than art.I myself take another stance. I myself feel I have not realized the impact he had; I often say he is somewhat overrated. The thing is its that impact that cannot be denied, Yes this was his day to day job, and perhaps he was getting paid handsomely for it. But we can't forget that it was art nonetheless and given the content of his work, it was made without passion. Dude obviously cared about the craft of writing.Not to marginilize the conversation here either but look at that last comment you made in the scope of punk rock, or anything really. Once you start to set your ambitions a little bit higher, they start to get shit on, often times by many of your peers or people who once respected your art . In the scope of music; when a band plays a larger club or gets a better deal the screams of "sellout" are almost immediate. Same things with friends, they support you to a point. Once you get out of the zone they are comfortable with, they stop supporting you or almost secretly want you to fail so they can say " i told you so" and like you said before, its all bred from the idea that never in their life would they muster up the courage to do something like that. its that fear of failure that paralyzes them.In a larger scope it can become a little harder to make sense of the issue. You look at all these tycoons who make hundreds of millions of dollars with thier services. They had a dream and they went out thier and achieved it. Because they make the money, people see them as greedy like you mentioned. what are you thoughts on success in that fashion; when is enough money for someone? is it okay as long as no one is exploited? there are legitimate businesses who treat employees well and still turn a strong profit. Also If you have the time i'd like to know what you think abotu the double edged swoard situation. I live in a Willimantic, a town that was featured on 60 minutes for its Heroin epidemic. We have a Wal-Mart and its a given that a store like that is pretty much the antichrist. However many people of the town work there and its the only place that would employ them. Also its the only place where many of the residents can afford to shop. In a way it's a saving grace to these people. Sure there are many who hate the place but often they are the same ones who are well above the poverty line.any thoughts?Scottie
2:27 PM

Tolli said...
What I got out of reading Ayn Rand was a very strong conviction that man's natural state is to come to understand that he is human. We all have an ego, a desire to proclaim something as "I" and "mine"; a need to change and alter things to suit our vision of how they should be. Not necessarily for good or bad, but because it feeds our need for self-efficacy. We feel in control of our lives, and hard work serves that need, so that we are fulfilled. In that way I am sure happiness can be achieved because our productive interests can combine to allow us freedoms that were not possible without others (ie. the village utopia at the end of the book). This picture of man in his natural state - with ego comes the hard work of a man, and to that man his territory... land, riches. In a time when the world was still expanding you had the freedom to do that.I think what the book was saying is that in a world that's run out of space, in which riches are available to those who don't work and will not learn the means to produce, the only way to preserve the ego and to carve out your own path is to drop out. Drop out of society's ideals and expectations and refuse to compromise your own being to those who don't understand what it means to be "i". It's like Hank Rearden, it's like the Long Distance Runner, it's the Young Man Blues of every punk kid growing up in the suburbs when they realise that all they strive to build can be taken away or co-opted. Security means nothing and hard work is its own reward if it makes you feel alive.The problem we face though, is that there's no space left, no peace and no rest for those of us who set ourselves up in direct opposition to the common aim of society, which is to collect security for the "what ifs". Without the confidence that they can rebuild the lives which have come into their possession. To us a life of shit and grime is preferable - but I can't agree with Rand, that we should sit back and watch it all fall apart.We should not apologise for who we are or be meek or subservient to those weaker than us. But when conflict is the only alternative, when we need the strength to actively oppose and tear down what others have built, as did Francisco D'Anconia, i can't agree with it. Because for those minds that are not yet developed, have not yet grasped the message and the punk spirit that drives us, they must be given time to decide their place in it, the same as we were afforded when growing up. Ayn Rand's morality justifies killing those with free will who oppose you... but there was a time when I was the mindless fool, and you were too, and I'll be damned if i let any disagreement between rational minds allow that kind of action. Basic human empathy is why governments exist in the first place. If we were all strong enough to be men as we should be, then we'd all be taking care of ourselves.There will always be an element of society that are capable of living up to an egoistic ideal, but are too young or too frail or too misinformed to be who they could yet be. And for all that "ego" brings you, the happiness and sense of self, there is an empathy towards others that demands your ideal be altered to include the fellow men which you can no longer escape. If there is no more space, and nowhere to go, then maybe our own happiness is not all that should drive our decisions - and it should be our desire to desire less, to want and to need only that which is necessary to survive.A meek existence need not be a failure to live your life, but a strength to see that we should not all fend for ourselves if indeed we could not have been happy without others. Because as much as selfishness and ego is in our nature, so is empathy to let others live their lives without interference.
10:37 AM

Tolli said...
After all I've said though, the fact that a guy like you working at a Maid Rite and a guy like me working as a teacher without reward, broke as all hell, putting all we've got into life and love, still causes anger that it is right to feel. For all it's worth, there are people out there who respect you for who you are and what you do. I just figured you deserved to know that.Your music reminds me that I may never be happy, but a restless heart that feels anger and takes action makes my life worthwhile nonetheless.
11:05 AM

Angie said...
Jeff,We are gonna get through all the BS together! But in the meanwhile, start singing yourself this song every morning. Love ya!Moon ChaplinxoInvincible by Pat B.This bloody road remains a mysteryThis sudden darkness fills the airWhat are we waiting for?Won't anybody help us?What are we waiting for?We can't afford to be innocentStand up and face the enemyIt's a do or die situationWe will be invincibleThis shattered dream you cannot justifyWe're gonna scream until we're satisifiedWhat are we running for?We've got the right to be angryWhat are we running for?When there's no where we can run to anymoreWe can't afford to be innocentStand up and face the enemy
9:42 PM

Anonymous said...
I have a dear friend who spent twenty years in prison. He's an artist and political activist, and a brilliant thinker. His time spent in prison was a result of his fight for the liberation of his people. The greatest thing he ever told me was this:"The only way to create change... is to be a part of history."It's simple, it's open, it's a point of departure, really. It's the bold words of a man who has endured torture and missed the first twenty years of his son's life for something he believed in. And he says that all those years, with all the time he spent in that cell and the three in solitary confinement, he never felt like he had enough time in a day. He loves life that way. He values every minute of his own existence. There's pockets of people who care, you know? In the later days we'll all be drinking whiskey on ice together and saying long goodbyes. Our youth is so isolating and I think it's the time where we find our divides. I don't believe coward is a word I would choose for anyone, considering the system of things and the hyperculture we develop in - it's all very isolating, and that isolation is still very present in your writing, here. It's good because it makes us desperate just to find the words. Attachment and pity naturally dont sit well in the hearts of the desperate cause we see too much in everything. That's our selfish root. There's solitude in furious living, in the love of plain air. Kid, you got your love. Just keep that, and smile while you watch the world turn. Because the world has to keep you, too.
7:23 PM

I've always been strange

My Recent Playlist:
Rancid/Murphy's Law/The Unseen - LIVE IN ST. LOUIS!!
Tiger Army - I, II, & III
Husker Du - Warehouse Songs and Stories
The Gadgits - Wish We Never Met
The Clash - London Calling / Sandinista
The Who - Quadrophenia
Dangerhouse Records Compilations
Flipper - Sex Bomb Baby

...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451191145/sr=8-2/qid=1154906757/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-3173350-8814256?ie=UTF8

The Art of Basil Wolverton

I have to be careful not to preach
I can't pretend that I can teach,
And yet I've lived your future out
By pounding stages like a clown.
And on the dance floor broken glass,
The bloody faces slowly pass,
The broken seats in empty rows,
It all belongs to me you know.

Johnny Boy "You Are The Generation Who Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve"

This is a great single and I am curious to see what else this band does. I bought this about a year ago and still really love this song and play it regularly. It never got much press in the US that I was aware of so i thought i would spread the word. Click on it to make it big and read it!

BIG YOUTH

This is my favorite Jamaican Deejay.
Influenced such greats at Bob Marley, The Specials and the Clash.
Debut LP "SCREAMING TARGET" is full of Conscious/Catchy Lyrics and Tough Rhythms and is still available through Trojan Records.

Attention Iowa Residents...

Go see the BEAT STRINGS live!!! They are dear friends of mine and play kick ass rock and roll music...

august 11th friday at the reverb in cedar falls.
with the Slats, the Teddy Boys, and the Coral Sea.
starts at 10PM.

august 12th saturday at emerald city in cedar rapids.
with Molitor, Horizontal Orange, Billy Lightning, and Brace For Blast
starts at 8PM.

here's the deal...

Modern Life Is War will have a new website soon and so I'm holding off on posting band news until we get that up. Most band related stuff will from now on be at www.modernlifeiswar.net We have a lot of exciting things happening right now and I've also got a lot of newer pictures to put up...so thank you to everyone who took the time to send me pictures.

The Manic Times is going to keep going but it will be mostly my personal interests and weird crap that I want to document. I did a massive room cleaning and I came across a bunch of cool stuff that I will be posting within the next couple of days.

hope everyone is having a good summer.

"god bless this concrete and the chaos it keeps"
-LFATB

THERE WILL BE QUIET....

AFTER THE STORM!!!!!

photo by mister qojak.

New Banner

Darius and I made a gigantic Modern Life Is War banner down at the Glory Hole tonight.

six feet by twelve feet.

The whole process was off the cuff and making it up as we go and I think it turned out amazing.

Check out pictures and the Rundown of the last couple nights at:

http://blog.myspace.com/Qojak

Playlist:
Moss Icon
Rites of Spring
Tom Waits
Explosions in the Sky
Miles Davis
Cro Mags

Soulfly

We are band of the month at the Soulfly Web Page.

www.soulflyweb.com

http://www.soulflyweb.com/botm/0706botm.html

Check it out.

A couple book reviews

I am going to get caught up on these! Here are a few to get us started.

Hollywood Babylon
by Kenneth Anger

Documents the Dawn of Hollywood. Hollywood Celebrities. Hollywood Scandals. Affairs. Addictions. Suicides. Blacklisting. Stars Shining Bright. Stars Crashing and Burning. Orgies. Cocaine. Charlie Chaplin. Buster Keaton. Frances Farmer. Many Many More. If you are into this sort of thing this is absolutely essential reading. I would recommend finding a used hardback rather than a little paperback reprint because there are some really nice photos.

Soft Maniacs
by Maggie Estep

One of those deals where a bunch of short stories are linked together by the interesting twists in the lives of the characters. Maggie excels in clever low-brow entertainment and is a fantastic storyteller. Dealing in such great american past times as joining the circus, having bizarre sexual fetishes and alcoholics anonymous. If you want a free copy of this go to Winchester Pavillon in Lubbock Texas and go backstage (the middle trailer home) and my copy is sitting on the couch. God damnit.

Tonights playlist:
nick cave - murder ballads
deals gone bad - the elephants/mad at the world

Carter and Me

HOME

We made it home safe and sound. I am now reading the new Punk Rock Confidential that was waiting on my doorstep and watching every episode of Freaks and Geeks while I decompress from tour.
Beat Strings are playing a house show in M'town tomorrow night so that is going to help me get over the fact we were forced to come home early. I would like to re-iterate that Beat Strings are one of the best bands in the world right now and no one knows about them yet.

Some random things I want to mention before i forget...
*I did an interview for Punk Planet and the issue is out right now so check that out if you are interested. I thought it came out a little bland but a lot of people seemed to think it's a good read.
*We went to Bill Stevenson's fourth of July cookout. Him and his wife were generous hosts and seemed like down to earth people. His little girl drew black flag, germs and X tattoos on us and gave chris Ziggy Stardust style eye-makeup and Glitter. A strange and fun day.
and while we are on the subject of punk celebs and their children...Mick Jones daughter showed up after we played at Crewtonz. I didn't talk to her cause i was wasted and worn out. It's a small world after all. The Same night I met the singer of Mephiskapheles. Did anyone else ever listen to this band? DOOMSDAY!!!
*I need the Minutemen - We Jam Econo DVD and the Joe Strummer - Let's Rock Again DVD and Johnny Cash's last record. Someone buy them for me? Christmas is right around the corner!
*I want as many pictures and videos of our tour as possible!! If you got em please send them to me. If you send physical copies of stuff in the mail I can hook you up with a T-shirt or something in return! get in touch!

playlist:
Springsteen - the wild, the innocent and the E street shuffle
Moz - Ringleader of the Tormentors

another one bites the dust

We left denver at 8am bound for our show tonight in Lawrence, Kansas. At 9:30 our van overheated, sprung leaks and the headgasket blew just outside of limon colorado. So after getting it into a shop and realizing that it would take 2 days and at least a grand to bring the green limousine back from the dead we decided to bury the unfaithful bitch right here in this one horse town. This meant that we have to find a rental of some sort and that we have 4 potential shows left on this tour....st. Louis, detroit, erie PA, and Auburn NY. Considering the 12 hour drive back to iowa/missouri...the 10 hour drive to detroit..*nd then ended up back on the east coast(where we started this tour) only to drive all the way back to Iowa.....we did the only rational thing and cancelled the rest of tour. We are very sorry to all the kids that were looking forward to seeing us and we hope you understand.

So marks the death of 3 modern life is war vans.

I am now in the back of a u-haul cargo trailer with no windows for the next 12 hours. There is a sign that says what we are doing can lead to serious injury and death so keep your fingers crossed and we will keep ours crossed cause we really want to make another record and have more good times with friends and loved ones.

Playing in an independent touring band is a fucking struggle and anyone who thinks it is easy and glamorous has never done it and had their lives and bills riding on it. Don't get me wrong, even today I had a good time but we are some broke stranded dudes because of what we do and we would do it all over again and again.

If you want to help us buy a new van go to www.crimescenemerch.com and click on us and buy a t-shirt or ten. Or come to marshallfest sunday july 16 at the midnight ballroom and pick up shirts, hoodies, records, cds, posters, buttons, etc.


Soundtrack:
Wind, rattling trailer, rubber on pavement, etc.

fear and loathing in the modern life is war green limousine

Between vegas and denver in nowhere utah we've blown a trailer tire and then about 5 minutes later blew a spare. That led to many hours of talking to the local sherriff, towtruck drivers, AAA and waking up grumpy tire repair guys. To pass the time we played a game called "use a cardboard box as a shield while we shoot roman candles at you". To add to all of this a truck driver pulled over while we were talking to the sheriff and jumps out of the cab freaking out about how some maniac had pulled up beside him and pulled a gun and was screaming and swearing at him to pull over.

Psychos out in the middle of nowhere are way scary as hell.

We are now back on the road. I love touring.

Playlist:
Richfield Utah smooth jazz station

california

Three great shows the last three nights...san diego at the epicenter, san fran at the pound and anaheim at the chain reaction. We are playing another sold out show at chain reaction tonight.
Right now we are headed to the beach. Los angeles traffic is a nightmare.

RETALIATE is putting out their first record on indecision this september. Check it out. zack nelson from oxnard's IN CONTROL on vocals.

Rancid -"brad logan"
Beach boys - pet sounds
In Control - another year
Manic street preachers - everything must go

songs for tonight

Walter jackson - my ship is coming in
Westbound train - room to breath
Wallflowers - one headlight
Pete doherty and wolfman - for lovers
Billy bragg - to have and to have not
Face to face - disconnected
U2 - where the streets have no name
The verve - lucky man
Ken boothe - everything I own

Incredible show tonight in arizona. Last time here was not so hot so I was pleasantly blown away. Good night.

a couple live photos

scary harm in long island

VA Beach

Long Island

PHilly

Philly

see if you can find me...

some spanish bombs tour photos by maxim ryazansky

www.maximryazansky.com

irish carbomb

I'm sunburned real bad. We are drivin thru the desert thru the nite. Listening to descendents and eating del taco. If you look around you might or might not find pictures of me dressed up as a crazed country rebel (driftin state to state). We smokebombed outbreraks short bus. Tonight we got drink tickets...can u tell? Heyoooo. We played a buncvh of shows in the land of steers and queers and it was rad. Check out DIEYOUNG and help them burn this system to the ground. Best song of the day goes to Young wasteners - stained circle. Imagenerationterroristandwhenishootyaknowinevermissanditsmylifemywayicantresistcrossyoutifyeronmylist. Punk rock summer. There's an interview with me that doesn't make a whole lot of sense at
www.pastepunk.com
So check that out or don't. Its time to sleep in joshs sleeping bag cause he's driving and my sex bag is in brklyn new yorksalright if you like saxaphones. Xo

woke up in memphis

And tonight I found myself on bourbon street for the first time in my life. Back at a motel and its 5am. The french quarter has been added to my list of places I need to spend more time.

I've been sweating all day and tonight I saw some violence and some nudity. Can't complain.

Tomorrow we head off to houston.

So far so good. Dreaming of cali and cool ocean breeze.

waffle house is not a home

But we've been averaging twice a day for the last few days and it has been delicious. I'm all about grilled cheese on texas toast and 2 eggs over-medium and coke and coffee. Combining coke and coffee in one sitting is really great and I tend to do that a lot when I write lyrics.
We are on the road to new orleans and it is hot as hell. Our van has no AC so everyone has back sweat and swamp ass. Josh is wearing nothing but swim trunks and playing the ducky boys on the stereo and he's got a bag of ice sitting in his lap to keep his boys cool.
I got pretty wasted in memphis last night and among other stupid things, wrestled chris from outbreak in the filthy concrete parking lot outside the show. We had both wrestled in high school but he got his ass handed to him cause despite the fact that I wasn't walking or talking straight..iowa has a reputation for wrestling and so it was my duty.
Word is we are meeting up with terror tonight in new orleans for post show madness and I can't wait to see those guys again.
Keep sending me links or pictures of live shows!

Reading:
+Black spring
+Mojo joe strummer special issue(thanks tre!!!)

Ipod:
Bad manners
Cock sparrer
Woody guthrie
101ers
Duane Eddy
Madball
U.S. Bombs
Springsteen
The bruisers
Blood for blood
death threat
hank williams sr.

modern life is war tattoos

So I've been seeing a lot of modern life is war related tatoos on the road...if you have one or have a friend who has one please send me pictures. you will be handsomely rewarded.

ATLANTA

Atlanta kids came through as usual and the entire show was unreal. The opening local band called "Overdose" kicked fucking ass. Check out their record coming out on Kill The Peace Records as well as the DEPRESSION ep that is out now. www.killthepeaceatlanta.com

If anyone who reads this has live pictures from this tour please send them to me or give me links. Thanks!

Off to Birmingham!!!!!

skate or die.

Leaving Florida...

I'm not even sure where I left off. I've been coming down with a little bit of a cold so i've been hitting the vitamin C and drinking gigantic bottles of water and gatorade and then immediately filling them back up with piss. Shows have been great. Even in spots like va beach and NC where we don't do too well we had our loyal kids up front supporting us. Some kid was mocking us in VA beach and holding up his lighter so I ran into the crowd and slapped it out of his hand and screamed in his face. And I probably talked a little more shit than I should have in NC but I guess I am just tired of gossipy little retards in mesh shorts who are obsessed with "moshing". Jacksonville and orlando were good to us as usual and were both hot as a bitch. It felt good to sweat all things out of my body in the course of 35 minutes.
I've been getting to know the outbreak kids and having lots of fun raising hell with them. They all skateboard and they are all full of piss and vinegar which makes them a ok in my book. I'm enjoying their music more and more each night and starting to learn their songs. They have a full length coming out July 11th on Bridge Nine.
Last night our van and trailer went missing about 4 am. Some dudes were up late boozing and throwing vaccum cleaners at each other so they discovered it was gone and woke everybody up. We filed a police report thinking it had been stolen but when the cop ran the tags he informed us we had been towed. A fine way to blow 200 bones and lose a lot of sleep.
We are heading to Atlanta now for a show and afterparty both of which should be pretty wild.

Reading:
Hollywood Babylon

Listening:
Outbreak (live)
Fucked up
Deathcycle
Leatherface
The marvelettes

van playlist....

What I can remember...

Mark lanegan band(just heard this. Awesome!)
Transplants - haunted cities
Black flag - slip it in
T.I.
Deathcycle (new lp www.lifelinerecords.net)
Minsk (new record on relapse soon)
Legendary shack shakers
Diamond nights

philly show/FDR

The show at the church in philly was radical. Big thanks to R5 and all the kids that came out. After the show I went to FDR to skate. A kid who was at the show took me there. (Thanks rob!). It had been 5 years since I'd been there so I was psyched. FDR is punk rock, skateboarding as it should be, and complete anarchy. Skaters built it and maintain it..no pads, no money to get in, people drinking and smoking and grilling out. You can take a run whenever you want but you better watch out for the 200 pound thrasher coming out of the bowl at 40 mph and if you slam the concrete doesn't give and there's nobody to sue. If somebody wants to know what skating is about I would tell them to go to FDR. I met some locals and took a bunch of runs and drank some free beers. I can't wait to go back and spend a week or two skating sun up to sun down. Heading to DC now. Fuck yeah.

3 shows in 24 hours

The long island show last night kicked ass. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us. I was really feeling it up there. After that show we headed over to our old brooklyn haunt: the crewtonz house of god for the second show and afterparty. Things got fucking messy. My vest got torn to shreds, alcohol and broken bottles and spit and sweat and crucified santa clause and thee whole shebang. We played sloppy as hell but I know some people told me it was their favorite modern life is war show which is pretty cool. I sang the national anthem and you can imagine how pretty that sounded. Now we are in the van en route to a matinee show in philly. Tyler puked last nite and harm puked this morning and I have a feeling that we aren't finished quite yet.

milwaukee to boston

Show last night was great and we played a new song live for the first time called "these mad dogs of glory". I pulled a muscle in my neck and back during our set and I am in a lot of pain so bring me alcohol or pain pills or something. Hell of a way to start a tour!

Playlist:
Deadguy - fixation on a coworker
Hank III - straight to hell

Woke Up...

In the suburbs of chicago. Today is our first day of our U.S. Tour. I got this crazy new phone that allows me to make posts from the highway so expect a lot of updates but very few pictures. I am very excited to see Tragedy tonight.

My ears are ringing like a motherfucker...

Just got home from the U.S. Bombs show. They were rockin and rollin and i loved every second of it. I will post some pictures when i get em printed and scanned. Here's the songs i remember off the top of my head...

Bodies
Orange Crunch
Isolated Ones
Beetle Boot (my favorite!)
We Are The Problem
Jaks

Duane is a heart-throb and the closest thing we have to Elvis these days and if every teenage girl in America adored him the way they ought to his country would be in a lot better shape.

On the road again. I just can't wait to get on the road again.

My true love is getting fucked up with my friends and I just can't wait to get on the road again...

06.08.2006 Menomonee Falls, WI @ Old Orchard Inn w/ Tragedy, Seven Days Of Samsara, Protestant, People Again

All dates with Bane, This is Hell, Outbreak.

06.09.2006 Worcester, MA @ QVCC
06.10.2006 Levittown, NY @ Club Ritual
06.11.2006 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
06.12.2006 Washington, DC @ The Nation (Side Stage)
06.13.2006 Virginia Beach, VA @ Peppermint Beach Club
06.14.2006 Wilmington, NC @ Soapbox Loandro-Lounge
06.15.2006 Jacksonville, FL @ Thee Imperial
06.16.2006 Orlando, FL @ Wills Pub
06.17.2006 Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
06.18.2006 Birmingham, AL @ Cave 9
06.19.2006 Nashville, TN @ The Muse
06.20.2006 Memphis, TN @ Rally Point
06.21.2006 Metairie, LA @ The High Ground
06.22.2006 Houston, TX @ Java Jazz
06.23.2006 Corpus Christi, TX @ House Of Rock
06.24.2006 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
06.25.2006 Lubbock, TX @ Winchester Pavillion
06.26.2006 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
06.27.2006 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
06.28.2006 San Diego, CA @ Epicenter
06.29.2006 San Francisco, CA @ Pound SF
06.30.2006 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction


July
07.01.2006 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
07.02.2006 Las Vegas, NV @ The Rock N Java
07.04.2006 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
07.05.2006 Kansas City, MO @ El Torreon
07.06.2006 St. Louis, MO @ Creepy Crawl
07.07.2006 Detroit, MI @ Alvin's
07.08.2006 Erie, PA @ Forward Hall
07.09.2006 Auburn, NY @ Auburn Public Theatre

Marshallfest: July 16, 2006

Midnight Ballroom.
Starts at Noon. Ends at 10 PM.
Five Bones at the Door. All Ages.
Food by Cedric Chef on the Go and Ortegas.
Tattoos and Peircings until 5 pm by Troy, Sophie and Darius of Delusions.
Live Body Suspension Show (dudes hanging from hooks)
A Shitload of bands are playing.
Should be radical. I will be hanging out there most of the day eating tacos and getting my nipples peirced over and over again. See you there!

Poster for our last M'town show by Darius

www.qojak.com
www.myspace.com/qojak

News From The GLory HoLE

Four new Modern Life Is War songs. Everyone is following their guts and working together like a goddamned well oiled machine. We are hoping to record our new full length later this year.

Its going to sound like a giant boot stomping on the heads of music industry monkeys.

This is punk rock summer.

End of the Weekend

BIG NEWS!!! On Saturday my sister gave birth to a beautiful little girl named Avery Hope. Tomorrow I get to chill with her and I can't wait.

And now onto less important general nerdery....
I saw a great show on Saturday Night at the Triple Rock in Minneapolis. DISFEAR from from Sweden and the mighty NINE SHOCKS TERROR....those crazy crazy bastards. I highly fucking recommend seeing or buying the records of both these bands. DISFEAR is maybe something like Tragedy meets motorhead. NINE SHOCKS TERROR brings back the feel of early hardcore punk whilst writing really good and original tunes instead strictly imitating as so many annoying bands do. Does anyone know the official status of this band? I thought they had broken up? Is there a new record coming? What is the deal?


I got new books!! All used and dirt cheap. I'm all stocked up for summertime now...

Hollywood Babylon
Kenneth Anger

Black Spring
Henry Miller

Soft Maniacs
Maggie Estep

Ayn Rand...
The Romantic Manifesto
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
The Virtue of Selfishness


What I can remember of my weekend Jams:
Symarip - Skinhead Moonstomp
Manic Street Preachers
Leadbelly
Pete Seeger
Woody Guthrie
Billy Bragg
Spanish Bombs - Brown Bag Demo
101ers - Elgin Avenue Breakdown
Junior Murvin - Police and Theives
Westbound Train
Beat Strings - Love Lust Wonder

Marquee

NEW YORK SPANISH FLIES!!!!!

M'town Party Pictures

motherfuckers are chillin.

Ryan singing and advertising the punk rockers beer of choice.

notice the upper left corner. ragsdale is going to blindside dubs with a skateboard i think.

now everyone is singing.

Homoeroticism: Check.

CJ is in the corner barfing or spitting up or something.

Shits getting real outta control. I am wearing yellow gardening gloves and a burger king crown. Yo J-Rock...go get your fucking shine box!!!

Harm, Tyler and Josh are standing outside the window that frog just jumped through. CJ (who lives at the house) is inside and somehow smiling and probably thinking about how he is gonna get evicted.

5/11 5/12 5/13 Weekend Wrap-Up

It was a weekend that was so fulfulling and so much fun that it's pointless to try to convey it all with words...but here's the main points.

Spanish Bombs are a great band. They are tough and they are honest and that is about as tough as it gets these days. If you live out west look for them in a town near you in the coming days. Find a way to get the "brown bag" demo and listen to it and read the lyrics. We will be playing more shows with them in the near future.

The Marshalltown show was absolutely incredible and there was a really good and strange mix of people in attendance including goths, metalheads, middle schoolers, punks, core kids, ex-cons and everyday people. Bats and Bicycles set up a table selling original artwork and homemade handbags which i thought was cool. Also...more people showed up in marshalltown than in Chicago or Saint Louis and that is pretty impressive considering the population difference there. Something is happening in this town again. Let's make this precious.

At the after party our practice space was offically named "The Glory Hole" and much beer, whiskey, rum and vodka were consumed. We danced to Rolling Stones, Billy Idol, Screamin' Jay and others.

At the after after party things got way out of control and a local celebrity called Frog topped of our evening by doing a superman...from the living room...through a giant glass picture window....and headfirst onto the porch. Quite impressive.

Before the show at the Lemp Arts Center in St. Louis we went to a free outdoor show at Vintage Vinyl featuring THE BRONX. The press on this band is all "we are raw and crazy" but straight up...that band is more "The Strokes" than "Black Flag". I'm a sucker for the strokes too....but let's call a spade a spade here. There was like a 100 people there...all just standing around 10 feet from the stage. The singer holds the mic 2 inches from his face and barely opens his mouth when he screams and I'm guessing is one of those punk guys that takes vocal lessons. People can say my voice sucks but I'd rather gut it out and sound like shit than to do it that way and be a big sissypants. www.zenofscreaming.com I've seen a lot about this DVD. ANyways...back to what i was saying. When the bronx got done I grabbed the mic off the stage and announced the show at the Lemp and I know that we got at least 2 kids to the lemp show who had never been there before. So that made it worth going. I also picked up some records at Vintage Vinyl....Adam and the Ants - Dirk Wears White Sox, Blasters - S/T, Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run, Billy Bragg - Help Save the Youth of America Live 12" EP. The show at the Lemp started late because of that other show...but it was the best experience i've ever had there and that bar had been set pretty high from previous shows. We brought down THE OLD SCRATCH REVIVAL SINGERS http://www.thishouseislonely.com/ to play with us at one of our favorite spots where we usually play strictly hardcore shows because we love playing with them...but also to see what happens when you throw a strange all accoustic iowa band in front of a bunch of hardcore kids. I think the majority of the crowd loved it. Eric from Old Scratch was ready to break his guitar over some mouthy hardcore kid's head...but it turned out that it wasn't neccessary to do so. We will also be playing more shows with these guys and killing the monotony of hardcore boy's club shows all across the land. Our set at the lemp that night was just one of the most fun and inspiring things for me in a long time. Magic in that room. Big hugs to devastator, Mark, Step on It, and everyone who helps out or comes to shows at the Lemp. Our underground thing in the ghetto made the major label rock show in a posh shopping district look pale in comparison. The hard way is the only way.

Thanks Raining Bricks, SPanish Bombs, Old Scratch, Josh, Big Joe, Devil and everyone else who played a role in making this one of the greatest weekends of my life.

I will add pictures to this post if and when i get some.

More Book Recommendations

Hit me up with a comment if you want to know more about any of these!!! xoxo

process

So i got this denim jacket with the sleevies cut of from my friend Cam. It fit perfect but was a shitty stonewash. So I bleached it out (and almost died from inhaling too much bleach), then dyed it black (dyed my hands black too). A little sewing and spraypainting and there you have yourself a beautiful punx vest.

AMERICAN SKIN

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0684862220/qid=1147115512/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7942089-7736146?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Villisca Axe Murders

http://www.villiscaiowa.com/

Life in a void

Martin Atchet

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1858090008/sr=8-1/qid=1147112369/ref=sr_1_1/102-7942089-7736146?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Where I work

www.maidrite.com

It's a great place with great food. Highly recommended.
Just found out that there was a website so I thought I would post it.

Wonka Vision Article

Just Click on the pages and enlarge them to read it.

This Weekend!!!

May 11th @ No Exit Cafe - Chicago, IL
MODERN LIFE IS WAR
SPANISH BOMBS
RAINING BRICKS
BURIAL YEAR
HARM'S WAY (what???)

May 12th @ Midnight Ballroom - Marshalltown, IA
MODERN LIFE IS WAR
OLD SCRATCH REVIVAL SINGERS
SPANISH BOMBS
RAINING BRICKS

May 13th @ Lemp Art Center -St. Louis, MO
MODERN LIFE IS WAR
OLD SCRATCH REVIVAL SINGERS
SPANISH BOMBS
STEP ON IT
RAINING BRICKS

Some Nice Pictures From CPA Florence, Italy

Thanks Francesco!!!

Doin' our thing

All Pictures taken on Harm's fancy new digital camera...






What i can remember of what we've been jamming...
Fugazi - 13 songs
Hank Williams - The Unforgettable
The Who - Sings My Generation
The Trouble - Crime and Punishment
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Trojan Records - Young, Gifted and Black
Kronos Quartet Feat. Asha Bhosle - You've Stolen My Heart
The Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks - Something Else
Prince Far I - Heavy Manners
Blitz - Warriors/Youth

Sjarm 13: Coming to America

Me and tyler drove up to chicago O'hare tonight and picked him up. The wheels are officially turning and tomorrow afternoon World War III begins.

Drivin'...
Sick of It All - Just Look Around
Tragedy - S/T
Tears for Fears - "everybody wants to rule the world"
B-52's - "rock Lobster"
Cresa Watson
Robert Johnson
Massive Attack
Lee Scratch Perry
3 6 Mafia
T.I.
Jack Kerouac Spoken Word
Sister Nancy
The English Beat
Tom Waits
Walter Jackson
The Blasters
The Silencers
Buju Banton
Nas

www.iowacenterforparanormalresearch.com

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116922/

Coming Soon To the Manic Times:
-Book Reviews for Dharma Punk by Noah Levine, King Ink by Nick Cave and more!
-Daily/Weekly Updates on the new Modern Life Is War
-Much much more that even I don't know about yet.

Friday May 12th in Marshalltown

5:28 am

I refuse to give up my obsession.

Modern Life Is War - New Demo's
Jim Carrol Band - "People Who Died"
Rolling Stones - "under my thumb"
Poison Idea - "feel the darkness"
Hank Williams - Greatest Hits
Social Distortion - Sex, Love & Rock and Roll
Cresa Watson - "Dead"/"Alpine Winter"
Dharma Punx (Noah Levine)
King Ink (Nick Cave)
Sometimes You Get So Alone that it Just Makes Sense (Bukowski)

Good Night.

Been waiting a long time for this to happen...

Thursday 06/08/2006
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
N83 W12608 Old Orchard Rd

TRAGEDY (one of the greatest hardcore punk bands ever)
MODERN LIFE IS WAR
SEVEN DAYS OF SAMSARA
PROTESTANT
PEOPLE AGAIN

All Ages show starts at: 7:00pm cost: $8

Saturday Night

A six pack and a good conversation with a good friend...

Loveable Rogues on the stereo:
Beat Strings - Love Lust Wonder
Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors
Babyshambles - Down in Albion
Pulp - Different Class

i officially vote...

BEAT STRINGS as the iowa band most likely to succeed. So goddamned good.

www.xoxorecords.com order their new album "love lust wonder" if you like good music

Just got home from an awesome birthday party/basement show with Beat Strings and Old Scratch. I love iowa people and iowa music. It felt good to dance.

Everyone knows...this house is haunted.

Come to this Show.

Saturday May 12th
At the Coliseum Blue Room
Marshalltown, IA
7:00 pm 7 bucks

MODERN LIFE IS WAR
OLD SCRATCH REVIVAL SINGERS
SPANISH BOMBS (Brooklyn, NY)
RAINING BRICKS (Chicago)

All Ages.
Absolutely No Drugs, Alcohol or Violence.
EVERYONE is welcome!!!!

Please spread this info to all of your friends and any other messageboards that you check. Flyers are coming very soon.

Hey man, where you from?

Went to the ghetto m'town skatepark today after work. Young mexican kids were shredding. They all go "hey man, where are you from?" Haha...i'm from right here, kid. All this immigration stuff in the news drives me fucking crazy. We have had a lot of mexican immigrants coming to Marshalltown (mostly to work at the meat packing plant) throughout my lifetime. There was defnitely an adjustment period and a lot of racism for a long time. There are those who would tell you that they "ruined this town." In my opinion, for the most part, they are hard working and family oriented people who have filled a lot of jobs and forced a lot of closed minded small town people to deal with the realities of the world we are living in. I know it's not quite as simple as that and there are other ways of looking at the issue...but I also know that if the tables were turned and my family was down there with no work...we would have done the same. Not to mention the delicious resturants they have started here...providing us with an alternative to fast food and burger joints. A couple years ago the local cops busted an underground cock-fighting ring. I think it should be legalized. I would pay to watch that. This has been the most uneducated, off the cuff, and random political rant of all time. Thank you and good night.

practice space playlist:
Adam Ant - Friend or Foe
Rancid - Roots Radicals/I Wanna Riot

Got all the back issues of punk rock confidential today. I'm loving that shit.
www.punkrockcon.com subscribe!

Practice space playlist and more ranting

The Band - S/T
Johnny Cash - Unreleased tracks from American recordings...Fan Club LP
Blitz - Warriors/Youth 45
William Elliot Whitmore - Hymns for the Hopeless
The Clash - White Man in the Hammersmith Palais/The Prisoner
The Jam - Going underground/Dreams of Children


I'd rather take the longest road and walk it with a little bit of style.

Tonight's Playlist and ranting

Hanging out at the practice space for a few hours again tonight...

Moss Icon LP
Prince Far I - Heavy Manners 45
William Elliot Whitmore - Ashes to Dust LP
Old Scratch Revival Singers - Oh, Didn't He Ramble LP
Joy Division - Komakino/Incubation (flexi single)
Maggie Estep - "Skid Row Wine"

I go back to my old painting job tomorrow morning bright and early after lots of touring overseas. I can't say that i'm thrilled about it...but I think work is good for the soul...and I think my writing will suffer if I were to allow myself to lose touch with the realities of life and get lost in rock and roll never never land.
I've just finished some heavy books so i've been reading magazines and comic books to unwind a bit. I got an issue of Punk ROck Confidential..which is just like a tabloid/gossip rag...only..punk rock. It's terribly cheesy and stupid and I love it. On a beer run to Kum and Go (yes, that is a real gas station/convenience store in Iowa!!) i saw that there was an interview with John Doe of the legendary X in the new Hardcore Ink. He mentions how he listens to Death Cab For Cutie with his kids. It's so damn funny...here's a guy who played some of the best guitar and wrote some of the best songs of the early California punk scene...and now he's a dad listening to Death Cab For Cutie with his kids. I've never been one of those snobby punk rock purists...but I bet reading something like that would really get under their skin. Other than that I've been re-reading all my Optic Nerve comics.

THANKS FOR ALL OF THE COMMENTS!!! I love hearing from everybody. I accidentally changed my settings and they stopped showing for a while...but i got it fixed and they all popped up at once.

skater punks

This is me and my friend Nate back in the day...we used to build launch ramps and then thrash them while listening to our Guns N' Roses - appetite for destruction tape. I just found this picture so i thought i would post it.

Some things I am excited about...

We just got moved into a new practice space...a little room in an abandoned building in the industrial area of town. We officially started writing new songs today. I can see the smoke from hell's exhaust pipe from just outside the space and i could smell the burning piggy flesh in the air tonight. Perfect environment to create some new music. Tonight I chilled there by myself and drank some Natty Ice and played some records...

Big Youth - Screaming Target
Lee Perry - Super Ape
Adam Ant - Friend or Foe
Dance Craze Soundtrack LP

Sjarm is coming to America soon! We miss our dirty little dutchie.

I am going to start a new band with my friend John the Punk and if all goes well our first show will be August 8th with The Ben Driscoll Band in Marshalltown.

Spanish Bombs are coming to the midwest! We are playing 3 shows with them and I can't wait..
5/11 Chicago @ Pulaski Park: The Killer, Modern Life Is War, Spanish Bombs, Raining Bricks
5/12 Marshalltown @ ????: Modern Life Is War, Old Scratch Revival Singers, Spanish Bombs, Raining Bricks
5/13 St. Louis @ Lemp Arts: Modern Life Is War, Old Scratch Revival Singers, Spanish Bombs, Raining Bricks, Step on It

Some good shows are coming to iowa early this summer....The Breifs, Sick of It All and U.S. Bombs....very excited for all 3 of those.

That's all I got for now...I will post some new live pictures that I've acquired soon. Springtime is here. Dust off your skateboards and your grills and lets get this shit going!

MODERN LIFE IS WAR

Tour update and book recommendations

We went to a castle today in Nagoya and it was very impressive...though the insides were all modernized and kind of took a lot of the effect away. Last night and today we opened for CAVE IN. Playing to small crowds in very nice mid-size clubs...the door prices have been really really high and there are no locals on either show...so is it suprising that the club isn't even half full?? All bitching aside we are still having a fucking blast. Last night after the show we ate a shitload of chicken wings and drank beer and saki and then went to our hotel where we took THE BEST picture of this band that will ever be taken. I don't have the technology to post it now but i will when i get back home. We have 3 shows left and I am looking forward to playing shows again after two nights of rock concerts. From time to time people ask me for book recommendations since i've apparently got the reputation of being a book worm...so here are some recommendations since i have some time on my hands and nothing to do and nowhere to go right now...

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
by Alan Sillitoe
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
by Alan Sillitoe
The press tagged sillitoe as well as john osborne and others "angry young men." They are tales of young men from the working class families in england. I love this author because he writes intelligent books with great perspective but uses language that any common person can understand. I try to do this with my lyrics and these books influenced my writing for Witness greatly.

The Stranger
albert camus
A true and enduring classic. The only way i can really describe this is that you get sucked into the character so far that you are seeing things through him and only through him. Disturbing. The cure song "killing an arab" is written about this book.

Everything: A Book about Manic Street Preachers
I'm going to say that even if you've never heard this band and never do...this will make for a great read. One of the most fascinating bands and rock and roll stories I know of. They were a very literary and visionary band. WHile i'm on this i'll recommend some songs to download and check them out. "motorcycle emptiness" "la tristese durerra" "from despair to where" "a design for life" "everything must go" "faster" and "if you tolerate this then your children will be next" I will most likely be doing a big manics post one of these days endlessly talking about them.

Feel like Going Home: portraits in blues and rock and roll
by Peter Guralnick
Guralnick is one of the best music journalists out there...anything and everything he has written is worth reading but some of it is very very indepth...like his massive volumes on Elvis. Feel like Going Home is conversations with Jerry Lee Lewis, Skip James and others...as old men in their living rooms. I always wonder how some musicians who helped shape the course of history look back on everything that happened and the way it went down and this book tells those stories in a casual conversation style. Some huge names...some relatively unkown.

ATLAS SHRUGGED
by Ayn Rand
A massive philosophical mystery/thriller/noir used as a vehicle for Rand's vision of the ideal existence. She grew up in communist russia and came to America to write. This should be recommended reading to all punk rock and hardcore kids because it challenges many of the perspectives that find their way inside your head when growing up on this music. ....the virtue of selfishness... laissez faire capitalism...productive acheivement and reason. I am reading and re-reading this it continues to blow my mind.

American Skin
by Don Degrazia
A story about an american skinhead...but so so so much more than that. A coming of age tale...but still so much more than that. References russian philosophy, buddhism, Ayn Rand, youth, racism, violence, class, sex, friendship, military...everything. Forget all cliches you might have in your mind and go get this book immediately.

jd salinger
NINE STORIES
CATCHER IN THE RYE
FRANNY AND ZOOEY
just go buy these right now. every book store has cheap copies.

TROPIC OF CANCER
Henry Miller
This book is impossible to describe. A vomit in the face of literature, morality, storytelling and everything else...but also entirely relevant and beautiful. Challenging. This is the best starting point for Henry Miller.

D.A. Levy
the unknown genius of the "beat generation" from Cleveland. Got arrested and jailed for obscenity. I can't recall the name of the book off-hand but there is a collection of his works.

The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry
The Outlaw Bible of American Literature
Everyone from Lenny Bruce to Richard Pryor to Patti Smith to DA Levy to Kerouac to Ginsberg to Tom Waits to Bob Dylan to Walt Whitman to Sapphire to Bucky Sinister. THese collections are great for finding out what is up your alley and what isn't and exposure to lots of stuff your schoolteachers won't show or don't know about.

Lexicon Devil: The Life and Times of Darby Crash
Story about the germ's madman and lyrical genius. Informative and entertaining. An essential chapter in the history of punk.

City of Spades/Absolute Beginners/Mr. Love and Justice
Colin Macinnes
The London Trilogy...absolute beginners is about swinging london and the most famous of the trilogy. City of spades is my favorite and chronicles life for black immigrants to London. If you are interested in this time period these books are accurate and highly entertaining.

Brighton Rock
Graham Greene
Vividly descriptive. He started writing a book as an "entertainment" to sell copies and make money...but soon his personal life and troubled mind became tangled up in the story he was trying to tell and it became his best work. The ending is killer.

I gotta go...i will continue this list at a later date as there is a lot more to add. Comment if you want to discuss any of these or shoot questions at me...I didn't want to do massive boring book reviews but i'm always up for discussion.

TOKYO

BEST DAY EVER. We went to an amazing outdoor market, a buddhist temple, a gigantic toy store with 5 floors and a sushi bar...all beautiful in their own unique way. We did lots of shopping for ourselves and our loved ones and we were joking and laughing and having a good time all day. Over 4 years of hard work in this band seems completely worth it for a day like this. We:ve been talking about the direction of our band and of our upcoming record nearly every day and trust me when i say that the best is yet to come for Modern Life is War. Thank you x a million to Daiki and Kento for being great hosts and tour guides. xoxo

Falling asleep to this playlist+
Robert Johnson ^ terraplane blues
Morrissey ^ i will see you in far off places
Congos ^ Heart of the Congos LP

Japan

I woke up really early at the house in Tokyo we have been staying at the last three nights so i thought i would fill everyone in on whats going on. If you imagine a traditional japanese looking home...chances are it looks just like this one. To leave the house we have to drive on crazy narrow road (looks more like a wide sidewalk) that curve through rice fields. The first two shows in Tokyo and Mitsukaido were fucking great. Two very small very crowded clubs. Our sets have been intense I don:t remember the last time i felt so amped to play shows...i never thought we would get to come here and now that we are here i want to give them something to remember. The japanese people have been extremely kind to us. The food is great but john hates it. I have been buying lots of fun japanese toys and candy with happy cartoon faces on everything. Tokyo is clean and ultra modern with lots of neon, smut shops, hyper-advertising, casinos, arcades, skyscrapers, etc. i went to a record store that had an amazing selection of original 70s and 80s US and Uk punk rock vinyl. I bought the live two tone sound track LP Dance Craze and an original BLITZ - Warriors 45 and another record i bought for andi that i cant say. I walked around the small village and surrounding countryside of mitsukaido for hours. I always wish pictures and words could convey what its like in certain places i travel to...and once again here i feel like nothing i say or show you can do it justice. We are looking forward to our upcoming 2 days off where we will do cheesy american themed songs at a Karaoke bar, eat sushi, drink saki-bombs and hit up some arcades and casinos. hugs and kisses to all my friends and loved ones back home.

On the headphones:
Anthem by Ayn Rand (audiobook)
Get in the Van by Henry Rollins (audiobook)

I'm Going to Japan

Leaving at Midnight to catch our early morning flight.
Omaha - Houston - Tokyo.
I am beyond excited for this.

soundtrack for packing my shit:
Lars and The Bastards - S/T & Viking
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Global A Go Go
Robert Johnson - Deal With The Devil

Posessed to Skate

Seemed like such an innocent toy.
He was the All-American boy.
Got a skate at eight years old.
Now the story can be told.

Vital Stats:
Sim's Staab Pirate Mini. 65mm Slimeballs. Jeans: Ripped. Front Teeth: Missing

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

MOONSTOMP!!!!!!
Thanks Andi!!! xoxo

Summer 2001 Roadtrip

I have fond memories of this trip so I thought i would do a post about it for Josh, John, Ben and anyone else who wants to check it out. Our plan was to ramble our way to the east coast hitting up skateparks and swimming pools along the way....

Leaving Iowa City in the S.S. Inferno (70's dodge van with the heater stuck on high). From left to right: Ben Driscoll, Me, John Eich, and Josh Otten.

One of our first stops was Dodge Skatepark in Columbus, Ohio. All cement...a nice snakerun leading to two different sized bowls. When we showed up the fence was chained up and locked and there were no signs...so we jumped it and thrashed for a few hours until the cops showed up and we had to talk our way out of getting hauled off to jail. So we walked down to the swimming pool...lots of little black kids running around and having a good time...we stuck out like sore thumbs and were obviously from out of town but everyone was really cool. After a while the skatepark opened up so we went back up to watch some of the locals rip up the park in a way we could only dream of.

Ben and John in the bowl at Dodge Skatepark.

Some columbus locals took us to a huge drainage Ditch called "The Bloodbowl" We had to walk behind a stripmall and through a little forest to get there. I wish i had a better picture to do the place justice..but i don't. I think the dude in this picture is Travis who played in that thrash band "killed in action"

We slept under the stars pretty much every night. We thought this tennis court looked fairly comfortable and safe.

Josh sleeping his way east.

Notice somebody sleeping on top of the van.

Acting like you are humping old lady statues is funny

Acting like you are giving head to an old man statue is disgusting and wrong.

We ventured into the madhouse that is Times Square, NYC to see Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros at the Virgin Mega Store. Their album 'Global A Go Go' had just came out. The intensity and passion of Joe had not subsided with old age. One of those people with such a heavy presence that you can feel it when you are in the same room. Incredible.

We also spotted Steve Buschemi going backstage to hang out with Joe. I wish i could have been a fly on the wall for that one.

We spent some time with my Aunt & Uncle and 2 little cousins in Point Pleasant, NJ. They loved the chicken we had strapped to the hood of the van.

JERSEY SHORE BABY!!! There was a period of about 2 years where you would never see josh without his little blue stocking cap on. Keep in mind it was 95 degrees out there.

We wanted to make it look like a chopped off head laying in the sand. I think we did alright.

Rockin my Aunt and Uncle's Swimming Pool. Nice form John!

Beautiful! This was our last major stop on the trip....the FDR skatepark in Philly...all cement park with lots of bumps and hips...you can skate around for hours keeping up good speed and never stopping...situated under a bridge...built by local skaters. This is one of the greatest places I ever skated for sure . The locals vibed us pretty bad and we had to roll out after a while.

I need another trip like this very soon. Get in touch if you are down.

Euro Tour Wrap-Up

So I should have done this a long time ago when things were still fresh in my mind...but I was busy dog-sitting and drinking beer. The Tour was a success and we all had a good time. I would get into some of the stories but i think most of it was a "you had to be there" kind of thing. If I think of something at a later date i will add it.

Thank You:
Ondra for driving and keeping us in line and being half-man half-machine, Sheep for being the backbone of the road crew and a good friend, Yohan and Suzanne and everyone at Reflections Records, Chrissie & Nigel & Positive Nuisance, Avocado Booking, Omission for sharing the road with us and being good people, Nicole and everyone at Trashmark, Knuckledust and Shattered Realm guys for playing some shows with us, Terrorizer Magazine and Dirty Zine UK for coming out to the London Show. And thank you so so so much to everyone who booked a show, let us sleep on your floor, or came out to shows and supported us.

Live Pics From My Birthday Show in Austria

All pictures from attheshow.org

Godzilla Vs. Modern Life Is War

03.17.2006 Tokyo Hatsudai @ WALL w/ Strength Approach, Keep Your Hearts
03.18.2006 Ibaraki Mitsukaido @FAITH w/ Strength Approach, Fc Five
03.19.2006 Shizuoka @ SPIRAL MART> 03.22.2006 Nagoya @ CLUB QUATTRO w/ Cave In
03.23.2006 Osaka Shisaibashi @ CLUB QUATTRO w/ Cave In
03.24.2006 Fukuoka @ DECADENT DELXE
03.25.2006 Osaka Nanba @ ROCKETS w/ Strength Approach, Last One Standing, Fc Five, The Geeks
03.26.2006 Tokyo Shinjuku @ ACB w/ Fc Five, DSB, Endzweck

Florence, Italy

Last night we played a squat in Florence. The show was a rager. There were dogs and old men in the pit (seriously). At one point I gave this old guy the mic and he got up on stage and did some freestyle hip hop in italian while the band played some funky impromptu grooves...and later on the same old guy ends up at the bottom of a pile on and when everyone got up he lays there unconscious....everyone starts freaking out and a doctor in the crowd comes up and takes his pulse. As soon as this happens the guys throws up his arms and screams...everyone in the whole place got punked and everyone loved it. Such a fun night. We got smashed after the show in case you can't tell from the picture. We got up the next morning and walked around the city...here are some pictures proving that we are dumb american tourists.


Look at this one closely.

After a month on the road...the lowest kind of humor prevails.



HARMI-KRISHNA

Waiting for some delicious italian food with our lovely host and tour-guide Daria.

ONE

TWO

THREE

We snuck up on these Japanese Girls who were sitting on a bench minding their own business.

....so fitting.

Dachau Concentration Camp 1933 - 1945

ARBEIT MACHT FREI (WORK BRINGS FREEDOM)







We woke up early today in Munich and went to Dachau. We toured one of the many bunkers and saw the small, dark and cold cells where the prisoners were held...as well as the museum. The site itself didn't feel haunted or creepy...there was a fresh white blanket of snow and it just very calm and quiet. There were lots of visitors and everyone is in a humbled and reflective mood...i can't think of any other time in public that i've experienced that.

At the museum I read about how Coal shortage gave way to the mass graves, experiments to ascertain the conditions under which death occurs (shock, altitude, disease, hypothermia, etc), 2'6" cells specially designed to prevent the prisoner from sitting or laying, and some graphic accounts, pictures and footage of the conditions and torture at the camp.

There's not much I can say. Everyone should visit one of these camps if they have the chance. I know at one point it seemed like ancient history to me...and i'm sure younger kids feel that way...but it was not that long ago at all and there is nothing like seeing something with your own two eyes to make it real.

Sjarm 13 and Joy in Sweden

What a cute couple! Good friends and good kids.
Captain redbeard seems to be thinking "arrrg matey"

ORLY?

John The Punk: Breathin' Fire

www.stillnotnormal.com

Thomas: Headstompin'

www.concentratedhate.com

One Last Picture From the Rejkavik Show

ICELAND RULES!!!

Modern Life Is War...Japan 2006

March 17th - 26th

....More Details Coming Soon....

London & Leeds Pictures

All Pictures Taken By Sheep
At Joseph's Well and The Barfly
I would seperate the pics but i don't think we changed our clothes and both nights were ragers so i can't really tell the difference. Enjoy!






www.deathwishinc.com

http://sjarm13.blogspot.com

Flippin' the bird in St. Anthony

Me, Josh and John the Punk. An old picture...I just came across it on John's page so i thought i would post it just for the hell of it.

the sun also rises

Our set just got finished an hour ago. A couple songs into the set everyone on tour brought out two cakes with candles and everyone was holding big sparklers up...and sang me happy birthday while sheep covered me in booze. It was beautiful. The guys in my band have become like family to me. It doesn't even matter if i like them all the time...because we've been through so much together that I love them all no matter what. I wouldn't want to spend this day any other way and it's good to be alive.

soundtrack:
RANCID - Indesctructible.

...and I keep listenin' to the great joe strummer...cause through music...you can live forever...

Happy Birthday to me.

I turned 25 last night at midnight. Chris, Sheep, Tyler and I walked the snowy streets of Katowice, Poland and found a little pub. We had a few beers and a few shots and just sat around shooting the shit until they kicked us out. It was a good low-key night. Tonight we are in Oberwarth, Austria. It hasn't been a very eventful birthday...but it's a good piece of mind to know that at this point in my life I'm out on the road doing what I love to do even though the rational thing would have been to quit long before now and get a steady job and all that important crap that makes the world go round and round. It will happen to me someday...but that day is not today.

I'm off to get a good buzz before we take the stage.

A great live shot from somewhere

One of my favorites

Goudvishal Pics

Let Fury Have The Hour.

A Veiw from the pit.


Chris is his new Blood For Blood shirt. www.crimescenemerch.com

Madness: I call it gladness.

Sjarm 13

Upside down. Who's playing grabass?

More Pics of Carter

He destroyed his birthday cake and was eating big handfuls of frosting.

You should look like this after every meal.

VROOOOOOOM!!!!!

The little guy

This is my nephew Carter Thomas Jones. I bought him this shirt for his first birthday. I miss seeing him when I'm out on the road.

Goudvishal

Last night after the London show I crashed out in the Loft of the Van...our ferry wasn't till 5:30 am so we had some time to kill and some of the guys went to a bar to have some drinks. I slept through all of that...getting on the ferry...the ferry ride...and getting off the ferry. I fall asleep in london and the next thing i know I'm back on the mainland driving in Holland. Bizarre.

Our show tonight here at the Goldfish Hall in Arnheim was great. We are all sleeping upstairs here at the club.

Tonights Soundtrack:
Johnny Cash - American III
Rancid - And Out COme the Wolves
MLIW pre-show jams CD (Stooges, Pogues, Germs, Charles Sheffield, THe Clash)
Social Distortion - s/t
Crazy Dutch Folk Music
Kelly Clarkson - SInce U been gone
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks

Iggy in his underpants

NOW I WANNA BE YOUR DOG
NOW I WANNA BE YOUR DOG

Future Pets

Cat with Glass Eyeball

Pug in Sweater

UK

The UK leg of the tour was great. Leeds and London were definitely the highlights. We nearly sold out the Barfly in Camden Town. Playing a great show in London satisfies my soul. I woke up early nearly every day and walked around the cities (sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds and London) in search of coffee and tea and cheap second hand paperbacks. I love the old buildings and the dreary weather. I picked up the new Babyshambles record and Pogues - Fairytale of New York 45. I'm having some problems loading pictures for some reason. When i get that sorted out I will post some live shots from Leeds and London taken by Sheep.

The End of an Era

First and Ellen: Years of Sweat and Insanity coming to a Close.

Last Show:
Monday, February 21st @ FUK Garage
Buried Inside
ADRIATICA
Black Sun Rising
7 PM. $5

The Sanest Days Are Mad...

...And Modern Life Is War.

Stonehenge

Photo: John Eich

The sun is up...

...England is going to work...and I am still up at 9 a.m. Me and chris spent all night drinking and talking i can't see straight or think straight so i ca'tnt type anything. here are some pictures for your enjoyement.


(Symmetrical Sleeping backstage in Sheffield...from bottom going clockwise...ondra, tyler, me, chris)


(Stonehenge...the cheap seats.)

(swimming at the blue lagoon in iceland)

(at the airport leaving iceland...(olly, kolli, harm, tyler, me, chris and john)...we are a ragin' bunch of kids at 6:00 am)

*falling asleep to*
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska

Review: HUNGER by Knut Hamsun (Rebel Inc.)

This is one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. It makes me think of THE STRANGER by Albert Camus but the style is entirely different. Most of the book is made up mostly of internal dialogue and that is definitely Hamsun's strength. In the forward says that he criticized modern (published in 1890) literature for it's lack of understanding of the "unconscious life of the mind." He said that "Truth is neither objectivity nor the balanced view; truth is a selfless subjectivity." The stor