October 18, 2002
So why am I in such a good mood? I have no idea. Today was a day just like all the other days I for the past several months but I found myself just a few minutes ago completely free from any of the normal anxiety that seems to cloud my life. Why is that? I really have no idea but I will say that it is nice to not want to do anything for a few minutes. I have no plans. I have no projects. I have nothing that I have to do. I am nothing right now. I am just abnormally content for a change of pace. It is weird and kind of freaking me out since today was turn on the furnace day and I should be paralyzed with the fear of carbon monoxide poisoning. This must be the calm before the storm. Tomorrow is forty day before Thanksgiving. I start writing the last forty thousand words of the book that I was working on over the summer but stopped because it was too hot to write. The calm before the storm – that has to be it.
I am off to Tremont to see Little Matty Bumpo’s jazz band. How cosmopolitan of me.
posted by Thea at 8:28 PM
October 17, 2002
I ran this morning.
I normally like to get my head together while I run in silence. Today, I listened to Sergio Van Luekenstein’s Unjustified Power Trip while I ran and my head was blown apart. Sergio plays too many bands with girls singing. That does not rock. But he played “Soul and Fire” by Sebadoh and “Broken Home, Broken Heart” by Husker Du and that made up for it. Big ups to Sergio for playing songs that I like but would not normally listen to while I kick the jams. One of these days I have to tell him about the time when that girl from the Apples in Stereo tried to get busy with me in the basement of the Mercury Lounge in New York City. I am not her baby’s daddy but I might have been if I would have let her go for it.
I worked today.
Work sucked. I am quickly losing my patience with that whole scene. Somebody please tell them that I don’t care because I can’t do it and they are not getting the point.
I went shopping tonight.
I hit Parmatown, the South Park Mall in Strongsville and Great Northern in search of framing supplies and I still need one part to get everything framed. Malls are hell. I saw scum and I saw filth. I saw fat people. Many fat people. This was like a dry run for the Christmas season. Something tells me that I am going to need some liquid holiday cheer if I am going to make it through another Christmas in Cleveland, OH.
I am proud to report, after my mall hopping tonight, that I am not part of this world anymore.
posted by Thea at 10:07 PM
October 16, 2002
A frequent topic of my BLOGGING is work and my job. I don’t know if I ever think that I have a bad job – it is actually pretty good. But I do hate it. I do hate work. It sickens me to have to go there all the time. Why do I always have to go to the office? Why won’t they just let me stay home? Like, I worked too many hours last week over my hour requirement and I already put in twenty hours this week. That is too many hours. So, I went in late today and left early. That’s the kind of job I have. It is one with much freedom, napping and free water and coffee. It is not that bad. But it still sickens me.
I rarely BLOG about my wife’s work; which was my work for the second worst year of my life. Do you want to talk about a bad job? My wife’s job sucks. She works retail. The people who shop at her store are the literal scum of the earth. I hated working at this store so bad that I can’t even shop there now without becoming physically ill. I went in there after leaving my nice job early to get the car so I could buy more framing supplies. I was disgusted by the filth that is the supposed humanity that shops there. I drove around mad for a couple of hours and then had to go back into that hell hole to pick her up before we went out to dinner. Again, I was appalled at the sweat slacks and total ignorance that emanates from the sweat slacks. The customers at that store are human garbage who almost made me lose my appetite. Almost.
I have the most bitter attack on suburban consumer culture waiting inside of me for after she quits that job. I wish I could bring it harder now but we still have mortgage to think about. One day, though, one fucking day, I will not have a mortgage.
I do not hate all people but I do hate almost every single person who shops at that store.
Yesterday, I did not want to run and did. Today, I do not want to run and did not – even though it was my scheduled day to go. I thought that I would rather kick back tonight and I know that I would rather run in the morning. Running is more fun in the morning. I like to run in the morning, Ernie. Yeah? It makes me feel good. I made my decision based on what I wanted to do – not what I was supposed to do. Now, I am a happy loser.
posted by Thea at 9:13 PM
October 15, 2002
I did not want to run tonight. I worked eleven hours yesterday and thirteen hours today. I am tired. I just did not feel like it. But since I bill myself as the king of self motivation, I ran. But I certainly did not want to. I just don’t want to be a liar with my billing. That’s false advertisement.
I don’t know what is better motivation for fast running - being upset or angry. I did not time myself while running as either. Tonight – upset – I ran as fast as I could the whole 5K. I felt like I was cruising. I cramped up from lack of wind but that just might be the cooler weather.
I wish that I could contribute some of the things that I say or do to being drunk, high or certifiably medically fucked up somehow in the head. But, no, I was completely sober when I said that and I was not smoking super doobies and I am totally healthy in the head. I have no excuses for my actions or what I say. That makes it really hard to explain myself or take any of it back.
posted by Thea at 9:54 PM
October 13, 2002
My wife is an enigma. She is mostly non-communicative and reserved on most issues. She is shy. She is always uncomfortable with whatever climate or physical environment we are in and will attempt to adjust the physical environment constantly until perfect. Today, she said she hates heat and the sun. She is always tired, hungry, or thirsty. She is not phased by any big picture items and is completely unexpressive on any issue of an emotional nature. She is not a people person and she is not a shit talker either. My dad would say that she would not say shit if she had a mouthful. I often think of here as blank slate woman but I can never seem to write on her. She keeps me, her total opposite, in line.
We had the unpleasant misfortune of having to go to Parma today. It truly sucketh. On the trip, my normally quiet on all things wife hit the hat trick of classic blasts.
1. I hate (FILL IN NAME OF BIG BOX CONSUMER ELECTRONIC RETAILER HERE) with every bone in my body. (FILL IN NAME OF BIG BOX CONSUMER ELECTRONIC RETAILER HERE) is everything that is wrong with society.
2. (FILL IN NAME OF THE RESIDENTS OF A CERTAIN SUBURB HERE) are fucked up.
3. It is not whitey keeping them down that is the problem. It’s (FILL IN NAME OF SOCIAL PROBLEM THAT MIGHT BE WORSE THAN RACISM HERE) that’s really the problem.
Also, she agreed with the lifetime ban that I dropped on Pizza Hut today.
Big ups to my wife. She is the man now, dog.
More stuff from “Punk Planet”:
BST Payback – “Dragon” b/w “Price of Rock”, 7”
This is the debut 7” from this punk/garage/rock band from Washington, D.C. The music is big dumb rock. It sounds like the Gun Club or some early Nineties Touch and Go Jesus Lizard styled rock revivalism mixed with the Swedish punk sound of the Hellacopters, et.al. I would say that the record is completely derivative but BST Payback were able to take two types of music that I barely can tolerate by themselves and make a newish sound that I can not stand. These are the beer guzzling pseudo intellectuals that litter the scene with their feeble attempts to do something different when all that people want is something that sounds safely familiar. Please have the courtesy to bore us with repetition.
(1999)
Buzzkill – House of Bad Touch, CD
Weird hardcore. Weird guitar instrumental tracks. Weird lyrics about Springer and O.J. Weird changes of pace with almost every song. The record is not as extremely weird as the Boredoms or a Mike Patton project but you can tell where it is coming from. At home on Jello Biafra’s label. Intentionally weird.
(1999)
The Catheters – S/T, CD
Fashion punk. Complete with studded belts, aviator sunglasses and Johnny Thunders haircuts. If I can find out if this band is from New York or LA the review ends here. OK, I can’t find anything. We’ll continue. The music is your average Lazy Cowgirls/Humpers/Electric Frankenstein straight up punk rock thing. The recording is raw enough to stand up to the music that is fairly catchy and rocking enough to get my head to bob a few times per song. This is the type of thing that I expect from this label and I am never disappointed. I can tell you I would not walk out on these guys live. It’s rocking. I am little too over the whole “Teenage Trash” thing really psyched up but “The Kids Know How To Rock” so it is all good or it “Ain’t So Bad”.
(1999)
Frigg A-GO-GO – The Winning Score, CD
The sound of this record, long over in the CD player, is still ringing in my head. I am singing along my review to the music. It goes like this: Frigg A-GO-GO. Baby. All right. Organ driven garage rock. Yeah. C’mon. Recorded by Tim Kerr. Yeah. Rocking down in Austin, TX. Yeah. All right. These boys know how to rock. All right. C’mon. Let me get into my groove. Yeah. All right. Rock. Yeah. C’mon.
(1999)
Cereal Box Killers – Free Friend with Purchase, CD
I did not want to have to give this terrible pop punk record by this group of youngsters a bad review. By name checking Our Lady Peace, Third Eye Blind and Prodigy in the song “Monday Night Drinking”; I don’t have to. Thank you for sparing me the unpleasant hassle. This record also includes the songs: “Too Cool for School”, “Tired of my Girlfriends (sic) Shit” and the bonus track “I’m So Drunk I Could Techno Dance”. You figure it out.
(1999)
Hindsight – The Natural Science e.p., CD
It starts out with a song called “Coalesce” that, although it is clearly not a tribute song to that popular band, sounds a bit like them with the noisy modern hardcore vibe. The title track of the record sounds like a really ripping Foo Fighters. Track three, “Sandcastles” is fast as hell modern rock and I am starting to get impressed. The rest of the record follows suit. I am not really the most dedicated modern rock fan but this record was fast enough to keep my interest. Most of these modern rock bands have the down tempo track to let mister whiny vocalist cry for four minutes. Hindsight keeps it rocking. Good record.
(1999)
Vue – The Death of a Girl, CD
Formerly the Audience, Vue rocks out on this five-song release with a mid-tempo organ and guitar attack. Three of the songs are brand new and promised not to be on their upcoming Sup Pop LP and two of the tunes are from the out of print “Young Soul” 7”. Vue has a more distorted view of the garage than most of their peers and are in line with what Sub Pop is trying to do- signing more rock bands and all. They have more of a new wave vibe than the hard rock of Nebula or the Hellacopters, though. I would predict that they are going to hugely popular but the name of the group is so terrible that I can not. Change the name again and keep on rocking.
(1999)
The Weigh Down – S/T, CD
I wanted to come up with a new classification in rock. I needed a new name for the bands that are second generation Fugazi sound alike modern soft then hard whisper to a scream dynamics with their detuned guitars and straight up out of tune vocals. I did not think I should call it college rock as I think that most college students listen to a Dave Matthews/Phish group of records or a Limp Bizkit/Korn group with all of the associated classic bands and records in the genre. No, this is liberal arts rock. The type of rock that you would find at Oberlin College here in Ohio (the heart of it all) or any other small progressive liberal arts school around the country. I will bet you money that the dudes in The Weigh Down wear glasses and sweaters. They are liberal arts rock- the first band to be classified as such- and that is all I am going to say about this record.
(1999)
readyset*AESTHETIC
Number 1
A while back, Punk Planet did a graphic design issue. It was easily my favorite issue since this publication started. It opened more than a few doors for me. I guess I am not alone as readyset*AESTHETIC is claiming to be dedicated to the duel pursuits of music and graphic design. It is a nice looking zine- maybe a bit too clean with the standard punk content. I have go to tell you, I would really be hip to more zines if they just left the whole music thing at home. readyset*AESTHETIC shines with some Y2K stuff and a fascinating interview with the current James Bond franchise writer Raymond Benson. That’s more like it. I am too bored with the whole punk/emo/indie thing to read another word but, thankfully, there are other topics to scribble on. Please find more of them. 81/2 X 51/2. Copied. Many pages.
(1999)
Law of Inertia
Issue 6
I could really start to raise hell about the fact that there is a, God forbid, barcode (the horror) on the glossy cover of this professional looking magazine- this one goes beyond the tag zine. Barcodes aren’t punk. Burn the witch. But to be honest with you; I don’t care. Slap a barcode on my first born and call him 7559-60669-2. This is a modern leaning punk rock publication that is very similar in content to Punk Planet. It is just a notch below PP in design. It is a good effort but I am starting to ask myself how many more punkish/indie rock based music magazines we really need. Standard. Newsprint. Many Pages.
(1999)
Gumshoe
Issue #4
You have seen this zine before. It is the smaller regional version of the national punk rock Bible. You will call him MiniMMR. Your hands are stained black after you read it. You are not surprised by the columns, band interviews (Teen Idols, The Strike, and Buck) and record/zine reviews. You wonder why. Just because you have the ability to self-produce a publication does not necessarily mean that you should. You compare it to white trash breeding and laugh quietly to yourself because you think that you are funny. Standard. Newsprint. 32 pages.
(1999)
Extra Jazz
Issue #66
If you can get past the disgusting cover photos, nearly pornographic photos littered throughout the zine and if you are skilled in French, Extra Jazz may be for you. I, sadly, could not. From the tip sheet: Extra Jazz is a one-man zine. This issue features interviews with Jean-Louis Costes, Paquito Bolino, Bruno Richard, TV Killers and Spaceheads. It has punk rock record reviews and the sentence “Bravo The Makers!” What is the deal with French fries? They’re not French. You don’t cook them in a frying pan. Who are these people? 81/2 X 51/2. Copied. 52 pages.
(1999)
Take a Stand
Winter 1999. Issue #3.
The first thing I noticed about Take a Stand, even after reading the copied handwritten intro, is the clean layout. It is almost stark with many pages being type on white paper. It is a punk rock zine with record reviews, an interview with Tilt and record reviews. But wait; don’t throw it in the garbage yet. It has an interesting narrative about some dude trying to get his grandfather’s FBI file. Big Brother is watching. It also has an interview with former Cleveland Cavalier/New York Knick current Golden State Warrior forward Chris Mills who, apparently, is also a musician. 81/2 X 51/2. Copied. 32 Pages.
posted by Thea at 8:05 PM 