A Fad...

What a day for this conversation. The fad that is becoming "religion."

First off here is my stance on religion, I am an agnostic person, but I am pretty close to atheistic at times. I believe that there might be a "higher" power, but at the same time I skeptic. To me there is no evidence of a "god" or any heaven, or hell. I like to look at things in a scientific stance, and scientist do not follow anything there is evidence for, and that is where I am. The belief that we were visited by aliens thousands of years ago is more logical that a spiritual entity.

Anyways...

Over the past few years, spurred on by what, I don't know, there have been kids getting really into religion. I mean like getting silly religious tattoos and such. The sad part it seems more like this religious movement is more of a fad, because one kid gets a friend into religion, and then it spreads like fucking wildfire. Some have no reason, but just a social event and no more. They start believing the drivel that is spoken to them, and start mindlessly following. Then not only that, they start getting pushy about, and force their beliefs down your throat, and will look at you lower if you don't "believe" in god. Same goes with those who follow the dissent to Christianity, it is the same bullshit. You are living your life something that you are even sure if it is real, and you live by strict rules, and miss out on so much.

I believe that humans are meant to live their life to the fullest, and only have to follow laws that make sense, ie laws imposed by governments, but of course we have the right to fight against that. We should not have to follow a poorly constructed set of rules that came from thousands of years ago that are totally irrelevant.

On this Easter I ask you this, are you living your life, or are you stuck attacted to the Bible, and missing out on life as it passes you by. There is a whole arguement that I could make with teh fact how religion should not have any part in government, but that is for something totally different, you'll see that some other time. For now it this is dedicated to all the "Christcore" kids pissing away the best years of their life because of the Bible.

"August Lights"

"August Lights"
I know they're the same
The line we walked is drawn in sand
As the waves came crashing in
Like a signal that we missed
We just don't under stand
What this is all about
What we were all about

The signals crossed
The light go out (whoa--)
The fading smile
The lights go out

So here we are, brought to shame
I see the fire die in your eyes
This has gone terminal
Have we come to accept the end
We stand miles apart
The void just keeps growing
A facade is what you are
The shell of what is no more

The signals crossed
The lights go out (whoa--)
The fading smile
The lights go out

We'll waste the night until the August light
We're losing grip
We're gone away, no one can stay
We've fallen apart
The glue's come undone, we can't over come
We're still waiting for the August light

A broken heart is what we have
To shattered lives is what remains
We can escape our fate
This is just who we are
It's who we are

The signals crossed
The lights go out (whoa--)
The fading smile
The lights go out

We'll waste the night until the August light
We're losing grip
We're gone away, no one can stay
We've fallen apart
The glue's come undone, we can't over come
We're still waiting for the August light

To The Locals

Rick Barton said something that is so true about today's music climate. He reminisced about 1980 when he saw the Clash at venue in Boston and it was packed with 2,800 people, and the next night he went back to see three unknown local bands, and there were 450 people there just because. He said now that today people will only go to shows is the headliner is "Green Day, or Dropkick Murphy's," while ignoring the great local talent that a city has to offer. He's right. People are ignoring a local scene that has talent besides hardcore bands. I wish people would listen. The next show my band has is at the Clubhouse with three bands I know, quality acts too! So come out, on a Thursday night, and prove me wrong! The world of local music is full of the next big thing, get there before they get big.

Last night I played a gig with Civet, Continental, and Look Out Look, and sadly there were not that many people there, I mean there were people there, but not as many as there should have been. This isn't a stab at the bands being bad, or unknown, this is a stab at the people that are overlooking local concerts. I have never seen a local show where there have been say, 40-50 people are a venue just because. The closest was Joes Grotto at the start of April, that's a different situation though.

The modern music listener is so infatuated with big radio-pop headliners like Justin Bieber, or Green Day (just saying I like Green Day, but they are a good example.) Meanwhile they will totally ignore a local band who very well may be better than aforementioned musicians, even though Bieber is barely a musician. It sickens me about what people do find good out here. When I told Mr. Barton what was popular out here, the hardcore screamo, grindcore stuff, he had a shiver run down his spine. It is bad. Most of these bands fizzle out in about a year because most have band member problems, or have a shuffling deck of members, and tough to get to know the band because their music is always changing. Also the messages that these bands try and send are disgusting, most nonsensical. I'm going to use one particular local band that I saw recently, Mold Breaker from north Phoenix. One, their music was full if dissonant chords that hurt ones ears; two, all their songs sounded the same; three there, there were no audible words; four, they are a rich kid band who's parents literally pay for everything (the drummer and one of the guitar players father is in Soulfly.) This is what is popular out here. That's not the worst of it.

I am not one to identify myself as an atheist, but pretty close. So you can imagine I do not like any sort of religion in my music, unless it is a call out against it. This is another startling popular scene out here, Christ-core. Upper-middle class kids playing drop tuned guitars, all tattooed up and praising "the Lords name" in their songs. What?! What happened to metal being "the devils" music? Its okay, these bands don't last though. Again, arguments erupt, strangely over girls because all of a sudden they have interested females.

There is a scene out here, but it saddens me that no one pays attention to where it should be. The punks shouldn't have to hide at a 21+ venue in Glendale, considering right now there is a great market for loud ear blistering punk music. Why hide in the shadows. The people that call themselves local music lovers don't really come out, no matter what. You know what that means, great venues close, get re-opened by an investor seeing a second chance, and then it closes again, this time forever. It's not just bands that suffer from a stagnant crowd not coming to shows, it is venue owners.

So I ask you this, please come out to local shows, stuff where there may not be a slew of people, but good acts. To follow these popular hardcore bands out here is, no pun intended, but bandwagonism. Come out to a show, and see that there is some amazing things going on, stories being told on stage, blood sweat, and tears all emanating from one stage, and connecting with the listener. The punk rock scene is really a community, and a weird brotherhood (you'll get into a fight with a person, then the next second be joining them in a mosh pit like you've been friends forever.) But people rather go to shows to fight each other.

Next time you hear of a local show, mine, a friends, or anyone else’s, come out and see what is going on. There very well may be the next big thing, and you can say "you knew them when," or liked them when, ect. So my plea stands. Until next time, see you at the show.

Exit Stratgy

"Exit Strategy"
She said, "I don't know,"
As the ground crumbled in her hand
I think we should turn away

Think back to the better days gone by
All alone we'll sit and wonder why
After these failed attempts to fly
We'll never try, we'll only die

The cold rain will fall again
We now have become a then
Still trying to live out a lie
The one's you can't deny, the ones you can't deny

We can't turn and walk away
This is now disarray
I'll be the one to find
The one you left behind, the one you left behind

All these doors have been slammed shut
An exit not is a lost cause
Looks like we're forced to stay

Like a wall, that you can't break through
This torn heart flutters like a torn page
The wind just won't carry me away
Coming of age, end of a phase

The cold rain will fall again
We now have become a then
Still trying to live out a lie
The one's you can't deny, the ones you can't deny

We can't turn and walk away
This is now disarray
I'll be the one to find
The one you left behind, the one you left behind

Four years, have gone to waste
Leaving us without a taste
You reside in my memory
With no way out with no way out

The cold rain will fall again
We now have become a then
Still trying to live out a lie
The one's you can't deny, the ones you can't deny

We can't turn and walk away
This is now disarray
I'll be the one to find
The one you left behind, the one you left behind