So I decided I needed a forum to discuss and generally blather on about the weekly, typically music-related (but not exclusively) activities of my life. And I have a weird obsession with play lists, particularly since my tastes run the gamut from hard rock to extreme grindcore, though extremity and violence generally wins out over the rest on a continual basis. As such, on a semi-regular basis (regular if I can keep my shit together) I’ll throw together one of these new-fangled things they called blogs. As to whether anyone else gives a shit, I couldn’t care less – and since I’m rambling, the phrase is not I could care less (I’m looking at you Devildriver) and anyone who continues to utter the incorrect version of that phrase has reached new heights of douche-baggery. Eat me if you pronounce the “s” in Illinois too. Anyway, don’t look for poetic bullshit, metaphorical drivel, or narrative that flows like a goddamned river; it’s about dumping a brain that functions as a pinball machine with thoughts serving as the balls.

ClawHammer PR . Yep, it’s the PR company I run with my partner, friend, and metal writer Ryan Ogle. This week it’s been about press releases for Divine Eve, chasing interviews for Incantation and Thornafire (as in digging through e-mail to find the questions that were sent weeks ago, etc), random Deepsend Records stuff, such as the contest running on this very site, and what is called in the industry a “one-sheet,” which is used as a marketing tool for the distributor. Staying organized is always the biggest challenge.

Random Thought. I curse a lot.

The Chasm. Reviewed the new album, Farseeing the Paranormal Abysm for Blabbermouth.net. I didn’t even realize the Chicago boys had a new album out, so I when news reached me I contacted my old friend Daniel Corchado who hooked me up with a copy, even though he’s not doing any kind of widespread PR (i.e. sending out promos, etc) for it. He also conveyed to me that he has no interest in interviews these days (bummer, I wanted to do one for Teeth), as he’s fed up with the record industry, so he’s keeping things firmly underground with his own Lux Inframundis Productions. You may recall that the last album, 2004’s The Spell of Retribution, was released on Earache; I didn’t ask him about the experience, but I’m guessing he wasn’t exactly pleased – just a gut feeling of mine and nothing to do with Earache business practices. So anyway, it’s a great, marathon length album. Go to www.enterthedeathcult.com if you’re brave enough.

Ted Nugent . Yes, I’m a fan, so piss off. And yes, I hate his politics too, but his 70s work in particular changed my life and set me on the rock and roll road, along with AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and Kiss. He has released a good deal of garbage too. Why the entry? I picked up a three-disc set at Hastings for $9.99, even though I’ve already got the albums on vinyl. The releases are from 1976 (Free-For-All), 1978 (Weekend Warriors), and 1980 (Scream Dream). Some observations follow. Free-For-All features the classic lineup of Nugent, guitarist/vocalist Derek St. Holmes, bassist Rob Grange, and drummer Cliff Davies who took a gun and blew his head off last year for reasons unknown, at least to me. In the way of trivia, Meat Loaf (don’t recall the blubbery one’s real name) sang lead on several tracks because, according to the Nuge, St. Holmes was being insubordinate. Weekend Warriors has a handful of good songs, but the production is wafer thin and it pales in comparisons to what I believe to be the one of the purest and most devastating hard rock albums of all time, Cat Scratch Fever. As for Scream Dream, the rawness of it impresses me a lot more these days than it did back in the day.

Dokken . Fuck off, I liked Tooth and Nail and saw this one for $4.99 so I picked it up. Unfortunately, I made it half way through and was already tired of it; it’ll probably get tossed on the shelf not to be listened to for several years. There was a reason I ventured on to Kreator, Venom, and Slayer back then I guess. Some good songs, yes, but so much for nostalgia. Blast from the past: Saw the quartet open for Sammy Hager in Saginaw, Michigan somewhere around 1985 – yes, pre-Van Halen days.

Cannabis Corpse . Funny shit, especially the songs “Shit of Pot Seeds” and “Skull full of Bong Hits.” Musically, it’s not too shabby and stays mainly in a style reminiscent of Barnes-era Cannibal.

Sesame Street Live . Saw it last night with the kiddo. Great for the kid, but I couldn’t follow what the fuck was going on up there. No nudity either. Big Bird still brings the pain the though.

W.A.S.P. – They rule. Always have and always will. New album Babylon is damn solid. That first album, which I still have on vinyl in the basement, kicked my ass back then and still does today. Blast from the past: Saw the boys perform at Daddy’s in San Antonio, Texas somewhere around 1984-85. Good shit. Wish I still had the long sleeve shirt with the flames on the sleeves and the big, bad ass skull in front. I cut the sleeves off back then in some lame attempt to be a hard ass.

U.D.O. Just completed the review for Blabbermouth. First one I ever reviewed, believe it not and I’m an old school Accept fan. Blast from the past: Saw the Germans open for Iron Maiden on the Powerslave tour – the first one! The album out at the time was Balls to Wall. Restless and Wild is getting some love again, one of Alex Webster’s (Cannibal Corpse) all-time favorite albums you know.

The Red Chord . Fed Through the Teeth Machine is a great friggin’ title and an even greater album, dudes and dudettes. Kelli from Metal Blade is sending me a finished copy, apparently because I’m special – and I don’t mean retarded, arguments from all around me notwithstanding.

Denis Leary and Craig Ferguson Books . Just read ‘em both. Leary’s is called Why We Suck – funny shit, but gets a little old. Ferguson’s story is American on Purpose and it is surprisingly gripping – dude came from nothing, raging alcoholic and abuser of narcotics, barely finished school, drummed for punk rock bands, and worked for everything he’s ever gotten. Next on the list is Henry Rollins’ newest book, A Preferred Blur. I’ve lost count of the number of Rollins books I’ve read. One of the biggest problems in America? People don’t read! Read something, it won’t kill ya!

Gravehill . Good stuff. From the booklet of Rites of the Pentagram: “Attention sissy-fucks! This is how real Death-Metal is done…no fruity keyboards, no shitty emo or fake guttural vocals, no triggered pussy drumming, no lame sub-par AT THE GATES wannabe riffs, no association with the word ‘core” or a band name that is a sentence long like As I Lay in Man Cum, and no cramming 5,000 riffs with stupid political themed lyrics…either take notice or kill yourself…no warnings, the threat is real cunts!” Nuff said.

I’m sick of this shit. Over and out.

Play List

Father Befouled/Helcaraxe – Ruination of the Heavenly Communion
Cannabis Corpse – The Weeding
The Chasm – Farseeing the Paranormal Abysm
Nile – Those Whom the Gods Detest
Dokken – Tooth and Nail
Ted Nugent – Scream Dream
Ted Nugent – Weekend Warriors
Ted Nugent – Free For All
Kiss – Sonic Boom
Faust – From Glory to Infinity
U.D.O. – Dominator
W.A.S.P. – W.A.S.P.
W.A.S.P. – The Last Command
Crystal Viper – Metal Nation
The Sign of the Southern Cross – Of Mountains and Moonshine
Katatonia – Night is the New Day
Axxis – Utopia
Gravehill – Rites of the Pentagram
Pestilential Shadows – In Memoriam, Ill Omen
Belphegor – Walpurgis Rites-Hexenwahn
Harbinger – Doom on You