First off...holy hell, "In Utero" is 20 years old? Gah! where does the time go!
Okay, so to the point, "In Utero" is indeed 20, and to celebrate the occasion it has been given the 'ol reissue treatment. This was also done with "Nevermind," you may recall, with very mixed results. The extras in that set were solid (worth the price of admission for "Curmudgeon" alone if you ask me...) but the remaster itself was pretty wretched, classic volume war mastering that made the recording sound modern only in the way that most albums recorded today tend to sound like they are always about to make your speakers cry and beg to quit being gouged. The remaster is almost exhausting to listen to. Being that the songs on "In Utero" are among my favorites, I had grave misgivings about being set up for a similar letdown with this set.
No need to worry though, this is a totally different animal. The remastering job done here is absolutely textbook and should be required listening for any engineer out there. The original mix has been cleaned up and the different parts of the sonic field separated to create an experience that is intimate and immersive. "In Utero" has suddenly become a headphone album...it's easy to close the eyes and imagine being in the room with the band. This is largely due to the strengths of the original production, replacing "Nevermind"'s big shiny multitracking with slimmed down performances. It's a subtle yet huge improvement over the original mastering, and a clear picture of the occasional brilliance of one Steve Albini. The big winner here is the bass/guitar separation - they both occupy their own spaces and sound full without trampling each other, allowing Novolesevic's bass work to really shine without running rampant over the band.
Speaking of Albini, the original mixes of "Heart Shaped Box" and "All Apologies" are on here. "All Apologies" is fine, but really the mix of "Heart-Shaped Box" is not great, his treatment of the guitar parts especially is just odd. However, he gets to make up for it with the remixed album he and Novolesevic prepared for this release. It is a stunning job and a joy to listen to although not a replacement for the original mixes. "Serve the Servants" gets a cool dose of what sounds like a cello, and in the meantime "Dumb" loses it's cello part in the chorus...so not all the choices are the best. But to hear some different takes, different solos, different vocal arrangements after all these years is a ton of fun. "Scentless Apprentice" is just vicious here. And the remix here of "All Apologies" adds a dark droning undercurrent that makes it the absolute highlight of the set.
As far as extras, it's a mixed bag. "Gallons of rubbing alcohol..." is a boring mess, "Moist Vagina" and "I Hate Myself and I Want to Die" are solid b-sides but nothing to write home about. "Marigold" and especially "Sappy" are the best of the leftovers, and both are solid. Surprisingly it's the demos that prove most interesting...The tracks are mostly instrumental and show a band at their peak, Kurt leading the charge as one of rock's finest rhythm sections shapes the tracks behind him. It is really these songs that highlight what a tragic loss the music world took at the "suicide" of Kurt Cobain.
Bottom line, this is a reissue that is worth the time and money. Enjoy.
p.s. Courtney did it....
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Friday, May 10, 2013
you guys are jerks. subtitle: millions of years of evolution for this?
look, i don't mean to come out here and get all fussy, but you guys are jerks, ok? seriously.
what am i talking about? oh i'll tell you:
sweet brown. this woman's building burned down, but she survived. good for her! and how do we all know her?
"ain't nobody got time fo dat!"
well, way to go folks. you've reduced this lady to a catchphrase.
antoine dodson - people in the man's neighbourhood are getting raped...and we get:
"hide yo wife, hide yo kids, blah blah."
and it's all autotuned. WHY everyone in america has suddenly decided that autotune makes everything funny i am not sure.
and now charles ramsey. he helped three women escape ten year captivity. he publicly said he needed no reward. what a guy!
but sure enough, within a day he's gotten the autotune treatment.
i'm not going to belabour the point here. i'm going to put two things out there to consider and then call it a day:
first off, i know some will say "hey, they're fine with it! we're laughing with them! they enjoy the attention!"
in other words, "no teacher, we weren't fighting, we're just talking, real nice like? he likes it, see, he's ok right? sure you are buddy." it's condescension and then some...
and secondly, if a 56 year old white female office manager had helped rescue those women, or a 36 year old white male's neighbourhood had a rapist running loose, i am fairly willing to bet that they would not get the autotune treatment.
so look, quit being jerks. and quit autotuning stuff. unless you're ke$ha, in which case carry on!
what am i talking about? oh i'll tell you:
sweet brown. this woman's building burned down, but she survived. good for her! and how do we all know her?
"ain't nobody got time fo dat!"
well, way to go folks. you've reduced this lady to a catchphrase.
antoine dodson - people in the man's neighbourhood are getting raped...and we get:
"hide yo wife, hide yo kids, blah blah."
and it's all autotuned. WHY everyone in america has suddenly decided that autotune makes everything funny i am not sure.
and now charles ramsey. he helped three women escape ten year captivity. he publicly said he needed no reward. what a guy!
but sure enough, within a day he's gotten the autotune treatment.
i'm not going to belabour the point here. i'm going to put two things out there to consider and then call it a day:
first off, i know some will say "hey, they're fine with it! we're laughing with them! they enjoy the attention!"
in other words, "no teacher, we weren't fighting, we're just talking, real nice like? he likes it, see, he's ok right? sure you are buddy." it's condescension and then some...
and secondly, if a 56 year old white female office manager had helped rescue those women, or a 36 year old white male's neighbourhood had a rapist running loose, i am fairly willing to bet that they would not get the autotune treatment.
so look, quit being jerks. and quit autotuning stuff. unless you're ke$ha, in which case carry on!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Top 10 records (plus 10 more) of 2012
Despite all the cranks saying that no one is making good music anymore, I found that there were more than enough records out there to make a pretty solid list and still leave out several. Anyone who says all new music sucks has just gotten cranky and isn't trying anymore, and that's unfortunate. Knock it off.
Surprisingly this year's list leans heavily on the electronic...2012 was a great year for pushing the boundaries of electronic and pop music. I listened to boatloads of good hardcore and metal, and there were lots of great singles and EP's that could make the list (Arctic Flowers and Big Eyes to name a couple,) but I decided to go with just LP's. I also interspersed honorable mentions through the list, for no reason other than to amuse myself.
If i missed anything that I should know about please let me know! For example, do i really need to hear Grizzly Bear?
1. Fiona Apple: "The Idler Wheel..."
Pathos have always been a major part of Fiona Apple's work..."Criminal," for example, has creeped me out since "Tidal" came out. On previous releases the pathos have been cut with a heavy dose of melody that puts the music right at home on FM radio. On this release that is all over...the songs are bare and spiky, mostly just piano and various percussion elements, and the lyrics amp up the psychological intensity. "how do I ask someone to love me/when all I do is beg to be left alone" she sings on "Left Alone," her voice quavering between a sad gentle musing and harrowing wailing. it's a highly avant recording, but with enough traces of musicality to keep interest. It is a masterwork.
Speaking of avant:
Ke$ha: "Warrior" While Fiona wails, purrs and generally terrifies everyone, Ke$ha delivers an awesome slice of pure pop ear candy. Well produced beats, sing along melodies and hilariously absurd lyrics abound. Who else could pull off a line like "Feeling like a saber tooth tiger/sippin on a warm Budweiser" with a straight face? Check out "Die Young" and become a believer.
2. Swans: "The Seer"
Right down to the vicious dog cover, this album is a beautiful mess. Noise tracks juxtapose against stately marches and raging rockers. The lyrics cover the usual Swans topics: Insanity, death, pain. It's not a heartwarmer, but it is an astoundingly rich and compelling experience. Swans have experienced a great second act in the past few years, but nothing could prepare the world for this epic work.
Speaking of great second acts:
Dinosaur Jr. : "I Bet on Sky"
Who ever would have thought we would see J Mascis and Lou Barlow back together at all, let alone for a run of three very fine albums...While "Farm" was excellent it did suffer from a certain sameness of the material. Not so on "I Bet on Sky," which finds J writing at a career peak and the whole band firing like a bunch of kids. "Pierce the Morning Rain" is easily one of their top songs.
3. Screaming Females: "Ugly"
I'm still deeply bummed that Marissa Paternoster's unfortunate illness caused these guys have to cancel their tour leg that would have brought them here. This double album was on pretty much constant rotation on the record player for 2 months when it came out...utterly awesome guitar work, a rhythm section that can hold it's own with anyone in rock today, and most importantly songs with drama and tension. Check out "Red Hand" to hear what they can dish out. Proving that rock can still be art in 2012.
Speaking of rock as art:
Grimes: "Visions"
I'm fascinated with this album...Twee pop and techno mixed up with little girl vocals, but highly addictive. A sugar rush delivered in a dirty Hello Kitty mug. Yet underneath all the bleeps and coos there is spiky texture and variety. This is the future of pop music. I can't wait to hear her next one.
4. Om: "Advaitic Songs"
I was initially totally bummed about this record...I was really hoping that Om would put out a raw bass, drum and vocal album like "Pilgrimage." I can still hope for next time...For now though I have to admit the guys have done well. Augmenting the bass and drums are flutes, cellos and violins, and even other singers make an appearance. Is it a cop-out to say that it's the heaviest metal album you'll ever hear with John the Baptist on the cover that isn't Christian music? Like Al Cisneros' previous project Sleep, this is slow music that takes patience, but like that band's epic one-song album "Dopesmoker" it's worth the time.
Speaking of bass and drums...
Bell Witch: "Longing"
Profound Lore records is putting out some serious music lately (Pallbearer's album is certainly worthy of mention here,) but none better than the minimalist creepy crawl of Bell Witch. Six string bass, drums, vocals and a few samples here and there combine to the most haunting and atmospheric release of the year. This is music that requires devoted listening, good headphones and high volume. If we can't have a new Sunn 0))) album this year this makes a decent fill in.
5. Frank Ocean: "channel ORANGE"
I'll admit it, I never would have heard this release if not for cheating a bit and seeing what was on other folks' lists for the year. I've been listening to this for a couple of weeks at least once a day and I am deeply impressed with this release. I haven't heard much artistically advanced music coming from the R&B world for a while, but hopefully Frank can lead a rebirth of the genre. The songs on this arise and scatter in a thoroughly modern way, some are little more than fragments, perfect for a generation who loves to boil things down to status updates and "tweets." Yet he ties his themes together, weaving in spoken word skits and grouping songs together almost like a concept record. Oh, and "Forrest Gump" is explicitly about being in love with another man, which is awesome to hear on a release at this level of visibility.
Speaking of records I never would have heard of if not for other people's lists:
Tame Impala: "Lonerism"
Apparently much of this was recorded in fits and starts during a world tour, and it shows...the songs have a disjointed, fractured quality to them that could easily make this a mess. Instead it comes across as endearing, there are surprises around all the corners. And like the album cover, a closer look reveals all kinds of interesting details, for instance on of the best bass performances of the year. I can imagine this appealing to Beatles fans, lovers of classic guitar rock, and the indie legions.
6. Death Grips: "The Money Store"
Let's be honest, hip-hop is becoming less of a defensible genre by the day. When Lil Wayne is the cutting edge of a genre, help is needed. Death Grips may have hit on the future of rap with this astonishing, claustrophobic release. The absurdist album art couldn't be more perfect - there is a story here, but to find it you'll need to work your way through the audio equivalent of gender identities, sadist relationships, minimal harsh lines and yes, gimp masks. "Hustle Bones" is the best rap hook since Public Enemy quit working with the Bomb Squad.
Speaking of claustrophobic:
Black Dice: "Mr. Impossible"
If you have not yet checked out Black Dice's efforts like "Load Blown" or "Repo," and you're still reading this, you need to check them out. Minimalist electronic skronk and noise with a heavy dub influence, this is the sound of bad parties ending too late. It's a bummer in the best possible way. On this newest release the band continues down the path they've been on but adds some surprising touches of funky syncopation that are shockingly human.
7. Deerhoof: "Breakup Song"
It's no surprise to see Deerhoof on my list, I love their warped and subversive take on pop music. On first listen I really thought this album was a slight one and their weakest effort, but on repeat listens it reveals itself as a tremendously textured release. The songs are the simplest they have done yet, but quickly shift between production styles and textures to create a patchwork pop masterwork. Where the group has previously relied on big dynamic shifts, here they work in subtle transformation. This is a band that is truly delightful to watch evolve.
Speaking of subtlety:
Crystal Castles: "III"
Crystal Castles continue their maturation on this release, which downplays the bleep-bloop video game aesthetic of their debut even further. At times this borders on house music, but Alice Glass continues to unnerve with her wailing and gnashing, which manages to be more pronounced as she is mixed lower in the terrain. It's all topped off with the hauntingly lovely "Child I Will Hurt You," possibly the most dysfunctional song ever recorded.
8. Gojira: "L'enfant Sauvage"
French metal savants Gojira finally hit their potential on this stunning release. This is the pinnacle of modern melodic death metal, brilliantly played, well written and pristinely recorded. In fact the album almost suffers from a lack of tension due to its surgical precision, but the strength of the performances saves it. This material probably sounds great live.
Speaking of pristine...
Walls: "The Future is Wide Open"
Walls could be Gojira's evil twin (Gamera?) with their fractured, acerbic, breathless take on modern hardcore. Utterly unhinged, by the time the first song "Just Complain" is over the words "you're just a f@#king piece of s#!t" have already been shouted more than once. This is what Jesus Lizard might sound like if they got back together and replaced sleep with cheap coffee, or possibly cheap meth. It's a bad scene in the same way that some of de Goya's paintings are bad scenes...meaning its a great scene.
Godspeed You Black Emperor - "Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!"
This is my first experience with this group, and I feel like I've been ripped off of years of enjoyment (especially after digging into their back catalog.) Ambient freeform music rarely gets better than this...The music is organic and absolutely shimmers with texture, but there are definite peaks and valleys. This is classical music in 2012. Apparently these guys are tough to read on whether they will put out another record or not, I'll be there with bells on if they do.
Speaking of bands who suddenly surprise the world with a new album:
Skeleton Key: "Gravity is the Enemy"
I almost jumped for joy when I heard that Skeleton Key would release a new record...and what a pleasant surprise to have it be almost as good as their classic "Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon." The songs don't quite pop with the same charm as that record, but the band's junkyard aesthetic still serves it well. This one is most easily available in the US as a digital download, I highly recommend heading to Amazon and giving it a listen. Fans of Tom Waits, Helmet, and general awesomeness welcomed.
10. Japandroids, "Celebration Rock"
Japandroids advance light years on this release, one of the finest shiny pop releases of the year. Big shouted choruses, lunkhead riffs and rollicking drums abound. Much has been made of "The House that Heaven Built" and the Gun Club cover (both quite good,) but for my money the opener "The Nights of Wine and Roses" takes the prize here. Rock is not dead and here's your proof.
Speaking of two instrument bands:
Pig Destroyer: "Book Burner"
Pig Destroyer welcome a new drummer Adam Jarvis, and he manages to make the group more precise and more manically unhinged...an impressive feat. Scott Hull's guitar is deadly on point here with the most monstrous riffs of his career, and J.R. Hayes continues to be the most terrifying man in grindcore. Adding in some excellent guest appearances gives this release more texture than their previous albums. Highly recommended for those who wish Napalm Death would get a little more intense sometimes.
Despite all the cranks saying that no one is making good music anymore, I found that there were more than enough records out there to make a pretty solid list and still leave out several. Anyone who says all new music sucks has just gotten cranky and isn't trying anymore, and that's unfortunate. Knock it off.
Surprisingly this year's list leans heavily on the electronic...2012 was a great year for pushing the boundaries of electronic and pop music. I listened to boatloads of good hardcore and metal, and there were lots of great singles and EP's that could make the list (Arctic Flowers and Big Eyes to name a couple,) but I decided to go with just LP's. I also interspersed honorable mentions through the list, for no reason other than to amuse myself.
If i missed anything that I should know about please let me know! For example, do i really need to hear Grizzly Bear?
1. Fiona Apple: "The Idler Wheel..."
Pathos have always been a major part of Fiona Apple's work..."Criminal," for example, has creeped me out since "Tidal" came out. On previous releases the pathos have been cut with a heavy dose of melody that puts the music right at home on FM radio. On this release that is all over...the songs are bare and spiky, mostly just piano and various percussion elements, and the lyrics amp up the psychological intensity. "how do I ask someone to love me/when all I do is beg to be left alone" she sings on "Left Alone," her voice quavering between a sad gentle musing and harrowing wailing. it's a highly avant recording, but with enough traces of musicality to keep interest. It is a masterwork.
Speaking of avant:
Ke$ha: "Warrior" While Fiona wails, purrs and generally terrifies everyone, Ke$ha delivers an awesome slice of pure pop ear candy. Well produced beats, sing along melodies and hilariously absurd lyrics abound. Who else could pull off a line like "Feeling like a saber tooth tiger/sippin on a warm Budweiser" with a straight face? Check out "Die Young" and become a believer.
2. Swans: "The Seer"
Right down to the vicious dog cover, this album is a beautiful mess. Noise tracks juxtapose against stately marches and raging rockers. The lyrics cover the usual Swans topics: Insanity, death, pain. It's not a heartwarmer, but it is an astoundingly rich and compelling experience. Swans have experienced a great second act in the past few years, but nothing could prepare the world for this epic work.
Speaking of great second acts:
Dinosaur Jr. : "I Bet on Sky"
Who ever would have thought we would see J Mascis and Lou Barlow back together at all, let alone for a run of three very fine albums...While "Farm" was excellent it did suffer from a certain sameness of the material. Not so on "I Bet on Sky," which finds J writing at a career peak and the whole band firing like a bunch of kids. "Pierce the Morning Rain" is easily one of their top songs.
3. Screaming Females: "Ugly"
I'm still deeply bummed that Marissa Paternoster's unfortunate illness caused these guys have to cancel their tour leg that would have brought them here. This double album was on pretty much constant rotation on the record player for 2 months when it came out...utterly awesome guitar work, a rhythm section that can hold it's own with anyone in rock today, and most importantly songs with drama and tension. Check out "Red Hand" to hear what they can dish out. Proving that rock can still be art in 2012.
Speaking of rock as art:
Grimes: "Visions"
I'm fascinated with this album...Twee pop and techno mixed up with little girl vocals, but highly addictive. A sugar rush delivered in a dirty Hello Kitty mug. Yet underneath all the bleeps and coos there is spiky texture and variety. This is the future of pop music. I can't wait to hear her next one.
4. Om: "Advaitic Songs"
I was initially totally bummed about this record...I was really hoping that Om would put out a raw bass, drum and vocal album like "Pilgrimage." I can still hope for next time...For now though I have to admit the guys have done well. Augmenting the bass and drums are flutes, cellos and violins, and even other singers make an appearance. Is it a cop-out to say that it's the heaviest metal album you'll ever hear with John the Baptist on the cover that isn't Christian music? Like Al Cisneros' previous project Sleep, this is slow music that takes patience, but like that band's epic one-song album "Dopesmoker" it's worth the time.
Speaking of bass and drums...
Bell Witch: "Longing"
Profound Lore records is putting out some serious music lately (Pallbearer's album is certainly worthy of mention here,) but none better than the minimalist creepy crawl of Bell Witch. Six string bass, drums, vocals and a few samples here and there combine to the most haunting and atmospheric release of the year. This is music that requires devoted listening, good headphones and high volume. If we can't have a new Sunn 0))) album this year this makes a decent fill in.
5. Frank Ocean: "channel ORANGE"
I'll admit it, I never would have heard this release if not for cheating a bit and seeing what was on other folks' lists for the year. I've been listening to this for a couple of weeks at least once a day and I am deeply impressed with this release. I haven't heard much artistically advanced music coming from the R&B world for a while, but hopefully Frank can lead a rebirth of the genre. The songs on this arise and scatter in a thoroughly modern way, some are little more than fragments, perfect for a generation who loves to boil things down to status updates and "tweets." Yet he ties his themes together, weaving in spoken word skits and grouping songs together almost like a concept record. Oh, and "Forrest Gump" is explicitly about being in love with another man, which is awesome to hear on a release at this level of visibility.
Speaking of records I never would have heard of if not for other people's lists:
Tame Impala: "Lonerism"
Apparently much of this was recorded in fits and starts during a world tour, and it shows...the songs have a disjointed, fractured quality to them that could easily make this a mess. Instead it comes across as endearing, there are surprises around all the corners. And like the album cover, a closer look reveals all kinds of interesting details, for instance on of the best bass performances of the year. I can imagine this appealing to Beatles fans, lovers of classic guitar rock, and the indie legions.
6. Death Grips: "The Money Store"
Let's be honest, hip-hop is becoming less of a defensible genre by the day. When Lil Wayne is the cutting edge of a genre, help is needed. Death Grips may have hit on the future of rap with this astonishing, claustrophobic release. The absurdist album art couldn't be more perfect - there is a story here, but to find it you'll need to work your way through the audio equivalent of gender identities, sadist relationships, minimal harsh lines and yes, gimp masks. "Hustle Bones" is the best rap hook since Public Enemy quit working with the Bomb Squad.
Speaking of claustrophobic:
Black Dice: "Mr. Impossible"
If you have not yet checked out Black Dice's efforts like "Load Blown" or "Repo," and you're still reading this, you need to check them out. Minimalist electronic skronk and noise with a heavy dub influence, this is the sound of bad parties ending too late. It's a bummer in the best possible way. On this newest release the band continues down the path they've been on but adds some surprising touches of funky syncopation that are shockingly human.
7. Deerhoof: "Breakup Song"
It's no surprise to see Deerhoof on my list, I love their warped and subversive take on pop music. On first listen I really thought this album was a slight one and their weakest effort, but on repeat listens it reveals itself as a tremendously textured release. The songs are the simplest they have done yet, but quickly shift between production styles and textures to create a patchwork pop masterwork. Where the group has previously relied on big dynamic shifts, here they work in subtle transformation. This is a band that is truly delightful to watch evolve.
Speaking of subtlety:
Crystal Castles: "III"
Crystal Castles continue their maturation on this release, which downplays the bleep-bloop video game aesthetic of their debut even further. At times this borders on house music, but Alice Glass continues to unnerve with her wailing and gnashing, which manages to be more pronounced as she is mixed lower in the terrain. It's all topped off with the hauntingly lovely "Child I Will Hurt You," possibly the most dysfunctional song ever recorded.
8. Gojira: "L'enfant Sauvage"
French metal savants Gojira finally hit their potential on this stunning release. This is the pinnacle of modern melodic death metal, brilliantly played, well written and pristinely recorded. In fact the album almost suffers from a lack of tension due to its surgical precision, but the strength of the performances saves it. This material probably sounds great live.
Speaking of pristine...
Walls: "The Future is Wide Open"
Walls could be Gojira's evil twin (Gamera?) with their fractured, acerbic, breathless take on modern hardcore. Utterly unhinged, by the time the first song "Just Complain" is over the words "you're just a f@#king piece of s#!t" have already been shouted more than once. This is what Jesus Lizard might sound like if they got back together and replaced sleep with cheap coffee, or possibly cheap meth. It's a bad scene in the same way that some of de Goya's paintings are bad scenes...meaning its a great scene.
Godspeed You Black Emperor - "Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!"
This is my first experience with this group, and I feel like I've been ripped off of years of enjoyment (especially after digging into their back catalog.) Ambient freeform music rarely gets better than this...The music is organic and absolutely shimmers with texture, but there are definite peaks and valleys. This is classical music in 2012. Apparently these guys are tough to read on whether they will put out another record or not, I'll be there with bells on if they do.
Speaking of bands who suddenly surprise the world with a new album:
Skeleton Key: "Gravity is the Enemy"
I almost jumped for joy when I heard that Skeleton Key would release a new record...and what a pleasant surprise to have it be almost as good as their classic "Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon." The songs don't quite pop with the same charm as that record, but the band's junkyard aesthetic still serves it well. This one is most easily available in the US as a digital download, I highly recommend heading to Amazon and giving it a listen. Fans of Tom Waits, Helmet, and general awesomeness welcomed.
10. Japandroids, "Celebration Rock"
Japandroids advance light years on this release, one of the finest shiny pop releases of the year. Big shouted choruses, lunkhead riffs and rollicking drums abound. Much has been made of "The House that Heaven Built" and the Gun Club cover (both quite good,) but for my money the opener "The Nights of Wine and Roses" takes the prize here. Rock is not dead and here's your proof.
Speaking of two instrument bands:
Pig Destroyer: "Book Burner"
Pig Destroyer welcome a new drummer Adam Jarvis, and he manages to make the group more precise and more manically unhinged...an impressive feat. Scott Hull's guitar is deadly on point here with the most monstrous riffs of his career, and J.R. Hayes continues to be the most terrifying man in grindcore. Adding in some excellent guest appearances gives this release more texture than their previous albums. Highly recommended for those who wish Napalm Death would get a little more intense sometimes.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Thoughts on the Brandon Raub incident
":First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me"
-Martin Niemoller
"Give me libery or give me death!"
-Patrick Henry
I need to put it out there, I'm not feeling too good about myself right now. For the period of a week, an American citizen was detained for nothing more than posting some inflammatory remarks on a certain social media site. My current low self esteem stems from the fact that I did not speak up or come to his aide at all.
As background, a former Marine named Brandon Raub was taken into custody by police at his home August 16th. He was not technically arrested, but i think given that he was removed by force in handcuffs we can just call it an arrest. He spent the next 7 days in government custody before his eventual release. The comments that led to this included comments about 9/11 being an inside job, the government wanting to put microchips in us, and a general call to arms.
Let me make a point entirely clear: I do not agree with Brandon Raub on a lot of things. I do not think 9/11 was an inside job. I do not think the government is trying to implant microchips in us all (not yet, anyway.) And if he decides to lead the revolution I will not be following him.
Frankly, I think he's a bit of a nut. But you know what? A few nuts in the mix is no bad thing. And in this country, if we do not have the right to speak our beliefs, no matter how fringe they may be, what do we have? I have plenty of ideas that many people may consider equally nutty, when will i be taken from my home?
I understand that there are desires to be more careful with those who are potentially dangerous in the wake of recent events. But we cannot, must not let that lead us into depriving anyone of liberty based on ideas we find disagreeable. To quote Benjamin Franklin, "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
So to Brandon, should he chance to come across this, I apologize. I should have been there to raise my voice in support.
And to the rest of us, we must more carefully guard the shared freedom of speech we have. We must not get complacent. On some issues, there can be no compromise.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Gwar B Que 2012 - a ten-step review
in 1984, something odd happened. depending on who you ask, either some art students got together with aluminum foil and foam rubber to play dress up, or a group of alien scumdogs thawed out in antarctica and decided to come pillage the world. either way, it's been a fun 28 years.
i remember well riding past peaches on midlothian turnpike and being absolutely scandalized (and fascinated!) by seeing the announcement for the "hell-o" album and being absolutely shocked that they used that word in their album title...in the intervening years gwar has never once failed to startle and entertain me. certainly the gwar b que 2012 was no exception...
for those not familiar, the gwar b que has been going on for a while and from what i hear was basically an excuse for richmonders to get together and drink and eat a lot of meat. last year the band attempted to do their own version with a bunch of bands at hadad's lake, but henrico police decided not to allow permits at the last minute. so the event was moved to the national and turned into a long concert. 2012 was the first year the event got to go as planned, complete with skating, swimming, tattoos, the "spew-lympics.. .so to get on with it, in the way of a review, my top ten thoughts about the event (in no particular order)
1. lost tribe look funny in the daylight. i kept expecting someone to burst into flame or something.
2. i don't get the casualties at all. they look like a second rate rancid, sound like a million high school punk bands, and don't seem to write especially interesting music. their show was fun to watch if only because a lot of people seem to really like them and they had a nice pit going. good for them. (shrug)
3. thanks to the vegan vendors for coming out. seems like most people had no interest in them, but i was glad to have something to eat!
4. ghoul are hilarious. and their songs are great. highly recommended.
5. i witnessed one band who shall remain nameless being totally snobby with some attendees whose look did not quite match up. many of us gravitated towards this sort of musical community because we didn't feel like we fit in in other places. i'm not going to turn this into a pity party, but the beauty of the shared independent musical and artistic community to me should include a commitment not to engage in the sort of superficial judging many if us are all too familiar with. in other words, yeah you have a look, but be nice to the nerdy kids too.
6. speaking of looks, i saw some truly fascinating ones. i love that richmond is not afraid to let it all hang out, for real.
7. sexecutioner and sleazy p martini are totally the best gwar characters that are not gor-gor, and "sexecutioner" and "slaughterama" both rule. glad i got to see them.
8. there needs to be an accepted weight limit for crowd surfing. and you know, go once and then chill. we're trying to check out the show up front, and it's hard to do when we're getting booted in the head every 30 seconds so the same 10 people can go up.
9. i'm impressed at richmond's restraint in not rioting, given that the probably quite expensive beer was sold in pabst blue ribbon cups that were hardly larger than a dixie cup. yet another reason to be glad i'm straightedge!
10. can i go sappy for a minute? i've been watching thomas barnett on stage for 20 years now and he still nails it every time. in fact, the first show (that i can remember anyway) that i ever saw as far as being an independent show was inquisition. so it was cool to hear thomas say from the stage that his first show was gwar and that he felt inspired by them. and he summed up the day quite well in one statement: "this is a uniquely richmond event." indeed it was...thanks gwar for a great party and see you next year!
i remember well riding past peaches on midlothian turnpike and being absolutely scandalized (and fascinated!) by seeing the announcement for the "hell-o" album and being absolutely shocked that they used that word in their album title...in the intervening years gwar has never once failed to startle and entertain me. certainly the gwar b que 2012 was no exception...
for those not familiar, the gwar b que has been going on for a while and from what i hear was basically an excuse for richmonders to get together and drink and eat a lot of meat. last year the band attempted to do their own version with a bunch of bands at hadad's lake, but henrico police decided not to allow permits at the last minute. so the event was moved to the national and turned into a long concert. 2012 was the first year the event got to go as planned, complete with skating, swimming, tattoos, the "spew-lympics.. .so to get on with it, in the way of a review, my top ten thoughts about the event (in no particular order)
1. lost tribe look funny in the daylight. i kept expecting someone to burst into flame or something.
2. i don't get the casualties at all. they look like a second rate rancid, sound like a million high school punk bands, and don't seem to write especially interesting music. their show was fun to watch if only because a lot of people seem to really like them and they had a nice pit going. good for them. (shrug)
3. thanks to the vegan vendors for coming out. seems like most people had no interest in them, but i was glad to have something to eat!
4. ghoul are hilarious. and their songs are great. highly recommended.
5. i witnessed one band who shall remain nameless being totally snobby with some attendees whose look did not quite match up. many of us gravitated towards this sort of musical community because we didn't feel like we fit in in other places. i'm not going to turn this into a pity party, but the beauty of the shared independent musical and artistic community to me should include a commitment not to engage in the sort of superficial judging many if us are all too familiar with. in other words, yeah you have a look, but be nice to the nerdy kids too.
6. speaking of looks, i saw some truly fascinating ones. i love that richmond is not afraid to let it all hang out, for real.
7. sexecutioner and sleazy p martini are totally the best gwar characters that are not gor-gor, and "sexecutioner" and "slaughterama" both rule. glad i got to see them.
8. there needs to be an accepted weight limit for crowd surfing. and you know, go once and then chill. we're trying to check out the show up front, and it's hard to do when we're getting booted in the head every 30 seconds so the same 10 people can go up.
9. i'm impressed at richmond's restraint in not rioting, given that the probably quite expensive beer was sold in pabst blue ribbon cups that were hardly larger than a dixie cup. yet another reason to be glad i'm straightedge!
10. can i go sappy for a minute? i've been watching thomas barnett on stage for 20 years now and he still nails it every time. in fact, the first show (that i can remember anyway) that i ever saw as far as being an independent show was inquisition. so it was cool to hear thomas say from the stage that his first show was gwar and that he felt inspired by them. and he summed up the day quite well in one statement: "this is a uniquely richmond event." indeed it was...thanks gwar for a great party and see you next year!
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