I Have Hit the Inevitable Musical Brick Wall.

No matter what, within the past few months, I have been unable to discover new music that satisfies my desire.

I started downloading music at the age of 10, post-Napster, on a P2P called Aimster. I would spend all night downloading songs (this was in the day of 56k, 1 song every 45 minutes) that I had come to like on the radio or from my brother’s CD collection. I proceeded to make my way to KazaA (pre-spam) downloading Limp Bizkit (I was 12, give me a break) songs and other popular mainstream music that I enjoyed. Songs that I couldn’t get out of my head.

Then around the age of 14, learning the error of my mainstream ways and being introduced to Lamb of God and Fear Factory by my older brother, I dove into the wonders of musical discovery. I was on a mission to find music that only few had heard of and fewer enjoyed. I discovered grindcore, noise rock, industrial metal, abstract hip-hop artists, all the pivotal metal genres (thrash, death, black), and many others. I found music I fell in love with and music that I loathed. Discovering band after band. Fueling my desire for an eargasmic experience.

Many people would say I’m a music-snob. Many people say, “Have you heard of Band X” and I will say I have. Many people call me a monster and a thief.

I would say I am an addict.

Like the drug addict that finds new and better and faster ways to score drugs and new and inventive drugs to try, I have made music my drug.

8,000 songs and 24 days of music later I have finally reached my end. Through the notes of scratch paper on my desk with band names scribble upon them I begin to find myself repeating the names of bands I’ve already tasted.

The brick wall is near.

I scour the internet, the magazines, looking for new music for my ever-expansive library and I can find none that I can find to be any different than what I have. Metalcore begins to sound like a band in itself rather than a conglomerate of bands who all sound the same. Thrash begins to sound like the same up-tempo riffs with guitar solos sprinkled in. Grind begins to sound like a wall of noise fitted with blast beats and indiscernible guttural vocal stylings.

Please help me.

If you have a suggestion of what I should listen to and where I should go next, let me know. I must have my music. I must have it. Leave me a comment on what I should do.

How To Scream Tutorials.

Are beyond hilarious.

I decided to look them up on YouTube because I wanted to see how other people projected their voice and to suffice to say many of them just plain fucking blow. Look them up, there are too many to post on here.

And this isn’t because I’m a vocalist. It’s not from a comparison of abilities at all.

But these kids, these kids think that songs are just made with pig squeals and high pitched wails or barely audible semi-gutturals that sound basically like you’re gargling balls. Not to mention it’s ridiculous to sit around, without music, without inspiration, without being hyped up, make this awkward stare into this shitty web cam with a shitty mic and go, “My name is (insert middle-class suburbia name here, Dakota, Ryan, Hunter, etc.) and I’m going to scream.”. And the best part is these fucking kids know they suck, one guy goes as far as to say, “If you guys are going to shit all over me, fuck off.”. Well sir, try not to suck. Music isn’t about being nice, that’s how shitty bands are created, when people are too nice to critique them and tell them that THEY SUCK (I implore everyone to do that for me, it creates motivation and anger…you know what screaming is about).

I blame the shitty bands!

I blame the -core genre!

Edit: I just noticed that the top search for my blog is this: “is pete wentz attracted to other members of the band?”. Hilarious.

Fallout-Mania

So I’d probably say that a lot of the neglect of this blog within the first month came from my most recent addiction to Fallout 3. I didn’t want to admit it before, but my time was absolutely consumed in taking my good-karma aligned character to the end of the story as quickly as possible (mind you, I have to do every quest as a good character) with getting as many achievements as I possibly can before I restart the game and play it as an evil-karma aligned character (and doing all the quests as a evil character). It’s an amazing game and it’s always been an amazing series that I’m glad Bethesda picked up and kind of shined a new light onto it. For everyone that didn’t like it, Fuck You.

*clears throat*

Sorry, most of that is probably gibberish.

But I go through phases where my nerd completely takes over, and no matter how many cigarettes I smoke, or “poon-banks” I dive into, or how many leather jackets I wear, I just seem to succumb to utter and total nerd-dom.

But I beat it today (about 20 minutes ago) so I’m back and I’m ready to get back on track.

The new word on the street today?

Well, I don’t want you to think that I’m cheating on you, I really don’t want you to think that. But I’m making a new “side-project” blog. I’m not going to lose all my new love for you, I just feel that this blog will harbor my musical needs that cannot possibly be contained within the simple confines of a blog about my life. I’ll keep you updated on that as more goes into it, right now I’m getting a couple of contributors together, listening to a couple of CDs, brushing up on my musical knowledge, and looking at a mid to late February launch date.

Neglect. Neglect. Neglect.

Is not what I’m doing. This school schedule right now has got me fucked, tomorrow though I’ll pick up with the blogging schedule after my 945pm class with a SUPER SUPER Wednesday Update, and Thursday I’ll throwdown a brand new rant for Friday or maybe I’ll even double the rant dosage.

In Other News:

Oh, and by the way, congratulations to my two good friends Frank and Jacque who are in the process of giving birth to Kaiden Anthony Price.

Also, me and my guitarist Price (not too be confused with the Price ((last name)) I mentioned above) for our band Ebirah have been working on a couple of tracks in Reason for a display. If I get some time, I’ll put together a nice bass line and a lead and let you all have an eargasmic experience.

For your wait I’ll leave this here:

Cave-In – Trepanning

Enjoy.

(A side note: When I did the “Pete Wentz is a Prick” rant you wouldn’t believe how much the visitor count spiked. The top search for my blog is “Fall Out Boy”, maybe I should do that for all of my posts, you know really up the readership.)

Pete Wentz Is A Prick. [Rant]

Now before you are thoroughly disgusted and turn away from this blog never to return. I’m not speaking about the Pete Wentz out there who probably is trying to discover the cure for AIDs, the Dr. Wentzs, or the Civil Engineering Wentzs, or the various other less-unknown or less-successful Peter Wentzs. I am speaking about one man in particular. You know, the shitty bass guitarist Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy fame. Born Peter Lewis Kingston “Pete” Wentz III Super Big Ol’ Prick (Prick’s are notable for having really long names or names with roman numerals in them, it seems the “prick-ness” passes down through generations).

I’m sorry if I’m alienating a majority of you who were interested in knowing about the other Pete Wentzs and how they could possibly be pricks. However, I implore you to continue reading to learn more about the prick nature of this Pete Wentz. You may be shocked at what you read.

Quick Post

Don’t think I’ve forgotten about this, I plan on starting back up on the usual schedule tomorrow. There also might be a sample of some music I’ve been writing too. While you wait…I’ll just leave this here, some more Whitest Kids You Know:

and the tattoo that goes along with it, I highly doubt it’s actual existence but it’s funny to see it on a person’s body. And even more hilarious if some stupid fuck decided to actually go through with that.

SUPER UPDATE WEDNESDAY #2

So finally I have a bit of time off from school to give a little Wednesday update on what is going on.

For starters, I finally got my keyboard on Tuesday (my M-Audio Keystation 69e), maybe tomorrow I’ll put up a little taste of what I’ve been working on. A little electro-grind in the vein of Genghis Tron.

Secondly, school has been going pretty well even though I feel like I’m in 9th grade again. You know the obvious stupid freshman that you see roaming the halls that you just want to push into a locker or something of that nature, I feel just like that. I feel awkward.

I even pulled one of the biggest freshman mistakes yesterday night. I have a lab and a lecture class for my Biology 101 that happen to be in two different rooms. And I thought it would make sense if my lecture class would be in session for the first day of class. Boy was I wrong. I walked into my lecture class on the wrong day and took a seat in Biology 100, which I didn’t find out until about an hour into the class. Then instead of being utterly embarrassed for sitting in the wrong class for an hour I had to play it off that I was suppose to be in that class, even though I wasn’t on the roster and there happened to be the max number of students there, plus one more, which was me.

The teacher was interesting, the class was interesting (human anatomy) so I figured…why the fuck not? I’ll sit here, I’ll take notes (2 pages worth), I’ll even answer the questions. Even though I’m pretty sure the teacher knew something was up, because I stuck out like a sore thumb (I was the only one there under the age of 23). And the thing was, the class began at 7 and ended at 9:45. Just like my Biology lecture class. It was an honest mistake and a realization that I could sit in any class and learn anything if I really had the desire to do so. I could become a back alley doctor!

Otherwise all my other classes have been going pretty well and I see this semester as being pretty slack.

Since I don’t have too much to really update on this Wednesday because I have to get another chapter out of the way in History and head off to work tonight, I will have you consult RateMyProfessor.com to check out the rest of the teachers I have:

HIST 121 Dr. Richard Shoaf

ENG 111 Travis Baran

I couldn’t find my SDV teacher (probably because she is mostly a guidance counselor and SDV is a 1-credit bullshit class) and either of my Biology teachers (which is irony at it’s best).

Tattoed.

So with my dwindling money stash I decided today I would head by the tattoo shop (CJ’s Tattoo in Hampton, Virginia; check out Larry) and get some more work done on my growing half sleeve. The part that I had done is the bottom where the samurai helmet and mask is at. The helmet is completely done but the mask (metallic orange, yellow, and gold or a mahogany wood?) and the leather sides to the helmet have a bit to go. I’ve been working on this sleeve for a year even in the coming weeks and suffice to say it’s been a memorable experience. I’ve experienced poor healing, allergic reactions to certain healing techniques (lanolin), and different feelings of pain on different parts of my arm. It’s to the point where the shading and coloring is actually soothing and relaxing compared to the outlining.

I’m about 50% done so far (800 dollars and 20 hours). The inside has yet to be done which I’m currently dreading because the inside of the arm seems to be the worst, but it’ll definitely bring the whole piece together. After that I plan on getting a little done on my legs then moving on to my right torso. I have to say, despite the pain, I absolutely love tattoos for their expression of hidden meanings (maybe when mine is finished I’ll explain it in great detail one day) and the art that goes behind it.

Just a short post today. I have school early tomorrow which I’ll update more on Wednesday.

Also, sorry for the low quality camera phone pictures, I’m currently looking for a digital camera that takes more than 3 pictures before the battery dies. And due to the way I had to position my arm and the camera the samurai mask seems to get at some really weird fucking angles.

The Futility of Robbing a Bank. [Rant]

I know what you’re thinking, you and your friends, acquaintances, cohorts, lackeys, etc. have the greatest plan ever. You’re going to rob a bank. Just walk in, guns blazing, grab from the money, and get away scott-free. You have you’re seasoned ex-racecar driver getaway man with his mom’s Grand Caravan totally supped up and ready to go, you’re super-experienced 1337 hacker who totally can fuck your shit up with some viruses and crazy shit you don’t EVEN KNOW, you’re muscle who can probably bench 400 with one arm tied behind his back and his boyfriend not even hanging his shriveled, steroid filled nut sack over his face to spot him, and you’re man behind the plan with your schematics and diagnostics and blueprints (you know shit nobody would understand), and you’re all set to perform you’re master plan, with an ending in the Bahamas, getting a blow-jay from the local ladies, sipping on some exotic mix drink served by you’re own personal butler named Jeeves. Sandy beaches, clear waters. Paradise.

You can have all of this for just one little bank robbery. C'mon dude. Imagine the potential!

You’re going to do it man.

This is you’re time to shine, and you’re going to shine like the sun baby.

But hold on, I mean I don’t mean to doubt you bro (I can use that because we are total buds), but are you sure this is greatest plan ever invented? If you think about it, how many people have really been successful doing this? Are you sure you’re 5th grade drop-out brain will be able to fathom the complexities to robbing a bank?

Let me tell you friend, it’s futile. Absolutely futile. If you’re thinking about doing it, stop. Stop immediately and walk straight into traffic. Better yet, go down to you’re local police precinct and turn yourself in, do some hard time in prison, for even thinking about doing it. You might as well.

Just remember, don’t drop the soap.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

I have done it, I am officially a college student. I am officially on the fast track to the rest of my life. Right here is a defining moment. If this moment in my life was a movie it would be the magnus opus  of the Ernest (insert verb) (insert noun) series “Ernest Goes to College”.

The bills are paid off and there is even a bit left over for my books and some new clothes and enough money to gain my college 10lbs! This is the future folks! Double-chins and education here I come!

That’s all I have to really say tonight, other than the fact that I’ve been working on my computer since about 3 this afternoon restoring it and all (see post before this one). So here’s something to look at, Whitest Kids You Know a sketch comedy show that I started watching on FUSE before they switched over to being completely unedited on IFC (Independent Film Channel). Enjoy:

Maybe tomorrow I’ll decide to get my chops and throw down a new saucy rant.