Strange Things Are Happening by Richard Norris

 So, I just recently finished this book by Richard Norris called "Strange Things are Happening."

I first learned of Richard after I bought the album "Evolver" by his band The Grid (sometimes just posted as Grid).

After reading the liner notes I had a bit of a "huh?" moment. The two names (Dave Ball from Soft Cell) on this CD were the same names on another project I had been listening to, Jack The Tab.

Which was a UK acid house project formed by Genesis P-Orridge (s/he is her/e).

This is a really great book about Richard's journey through life and music, and transformation on reflection and healing.

What I really thought was amazing is the fact that almost every band/musician he mentions, was friends with, or worked with were artists I liked or was already listening to without knowing he was in the mix until reading this book. Every chapter, for me, had a "well I'll be..." moment at least once.

First, it starts off with him meeting up with Bill Drummond who is famous for the group KLF/JAMs, etc. Which was a group I was big into from maybe 1990. 

From that first chapter I knew I was in for good read.

You can find the book on Amazon, listen to Richard read in on Audible, or even get the signed Book/CD edition from his Bandcamp.

I'm not good at writing reviews, but trust me, if you grew up through the late 70's into 80's listening to punk music and Zine culture then through the 90's getting into dance music and raves then this is the book for you.

As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Waffle Stomp" by Joe Walsh from the "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" soundtrack. Available from Amazon.

Streets on Fire Soundtrack (No Skating)...

So, here are all the songs from the skate video in their entirety.

I want address again, there is no skateboarding in this "video".

Optimus Prime @ Riot Fest w/o Backstage Pass...

Misfits - Scream!...

Punk, Pop punk, Ho's & wo's, Horror.

Black Flag & Greg Ginn @ Brauerhouse in Lombard, IL...

The Dark Stuff Podcast 102: Supersuckers...

So, this was just posted to The Dark Stuff Podcast 102: Supersuckers, this is a great one.

So, make a pot of coffee, sit back this dreary Sunday and listen.

(26 years later and still rocking)

(back when Rick Sims played with them)

(road worn & weary)

Henry Rollins: The One Decision That Changed My Life Forever...

So, I just stumbled across this video, and let me tell you, it is the most eye-opening, self-awarenessing, stick-to-your-guns, follow-your-dreams, video I've watched.

Straight-to-the-point no bullshit, no fancy words.
"Sit down, shut up, and learn"

Don't let anyone try to bring you down because you're quiet and observe and only talk when you have something to say. Their own insecurities is what makes them uncomfortable when you don't speak, because they're too busy listening to their own voice. (at least that's the part that spoke to me)

Suicidal Tendencies: Institutionalized...

So, I've never seen this video until now. It features a Natas Kaupas, Steve Steadham, Eddie Reategui, and prolly a bunch of other I couldn't recognize.
Also, I think Glen E. Friedman is in a red shirt talking to some chick in the hallway as Mike walks by.

FLAG @ Redondo Beach Moose Lodge 1873

From The Uploader FelonyRecords:

~~~ Published on Apr 20, 2013

In 1979, Black Flag played their first show at Moose Lodge 1873 in Redondo Beach, California. Last night, more than 34 years later, Flag -- a group comprised of former members Keith Morris (vocals), Chuck Dukowski (bass), Dez Cadena (guitar/vocals) and Bill Stevenson (drums), with Descendents/ALL guitarist Stephen Egerton -- played the same venue to an invite-only crowd of less than 200 people.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...

Revenge 0:01
Fix Me 1:07
Police Story 1:58
I Don't Care N/A *
Depression 3:42
I've Had It 6:12
No Values 7:42 *
My War 9:39 *
No More 13:59 *
Gimme Gimme Gimme 16:07
White Minority 18:08
Jealous Again 20:16
Wasted N/A *
Clocked In 22:08 *
Nervous Breakdown 23:00 *
American Waste 26:07
Thirsty & Miserable 27:46
Six Pack 29:52
Rise Above 33:25
Louie Louie 36:09

*=Yes I know that a few songs have random edits. My Camera was acting up that night and I'm not sure why. Enjoy regardless ~~~

Crusty Punks...

So, here's my Halloween costume, I made it at work on some scrap printer canvas.

Adolescents - Adolescents (Full Album)...

Rock 4 A Park...

So, the city of Villa Park, IL. (wiki) currently has a real shitty park that is no more than just a safety hazard and, for years, a number of parents have been trying to get a new concrete park built by Grindline Skateparks.

This July 15th they are holding a fundraiser for only $10.

10 BUCKS!!!

For $10 you get a skateboard demo/contest/game of S.K.A.T.E., a BMX demo, a free Car & Motorcycle show complete with trophies, and 8 bands.

Buy your tickets here or just give a donation by clicking this sentence.

The Car & Motorcycle show is free, so feel free to bring your vehicles out for a good cause. I know many Car & Motorcycle enthusiasts who used to skateboard from that area and had no parks to skate and, probably, got many tickets for doing so.

Plus!!! You get to see chicago punk legends The Bolweevils.

(...in case you don't know who they are...)

Come on out and support the park, support the kids, show off your vehicles, watch a few bands, and have a great time.

10 BUCKS!!!

Today's TIme Capsule: Didjits - Captain Ahab...

So, soemtime in Spring 1990 I had bought this CD by Didjits for the sole fact that it was on Touch & Go records, and immediately fell in love with it, and the band.
From the raw-powered-gear-head-adrenaline-rush of the first strum on "Killboy Powerhead" to the last distorted down-tuned, car horn like feedback of the Jimi Hendrix cover of "Foxy Lady."

Rick Sims, 'nuff sedd!!!

Sit Next To A Vegan...

So, back in January 1995 I sat next to soem Vegans on Southwest Airlines and I didn't even have to pay $10.
I was on mai way to Las Vegas to stay with mai friend Tim for two weeks and skate with his friends, this is the trip when I met Kenny Anderson, and on the plane ride there I sat next to these two crusty punk looking chix.

One of them had a Gibson guitar case for an SG so I sparked up a conversation about me also playing guitar and it turns out that they'd just come from recording with Steve Albini for an upcoming split record with Los Crudos. The band they were in was Spitboy, the two girls were Adrienne Droogas and Karin Gembus, and outside of the recording session I was the first person to ever hear the record.
They said they worked at Mordam Records and MRR is San Francisco. Karin played me the recordings on her walkman cassette and asked me for my feedback. I prolly gave them soem dumb response, I do remember that I said soemthing about Green Day and Descendents because of the bass guitar sound, and how I liked how the bass sounded in those two bands.
What did I know? I was a 20 year old from St. Charles, IL. and these chix were living real life, in actual bands. This was also the first time I had ever heard of them [Spitboy] and the second time hearing the term Vegan.
They'd brought their own food and it smelled awesome. I forget, now, waht she said it [the food] was, but she said it was Vegan and explained to me the aspects of veganism. I was very intrigued & interested only to respond that "there's a pro skater that I really like, Ed Templeton, who's vegan."
Up until that point I just knew Vegan was like Vegetarian.

One thing that Adreienne offered that I have yet to do was to stop by Mordam Records and say hi the next time I was in San Francisco. It's been 17 years, I doubt the offer still stands since Mordam is now defunct or that they even remember the plane ride meeting me.
Maybe they talk about the story of "soem skater trying to act cool on the plane, chatting us up when all we wanted to do was relax after recording all fucking WKND." <--- fake quote

R.I.P. Adam "MCA" Yauch...

So, What's the time? It's time for mic stands at half mass, and 808's at half volume... Adam Yauch died todei at 47 years old.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/05/04/adam-mca-yauch-dead-beastie-boys-dies-battling-cancer_n_1477863.html
I remember hearing LTI when it came out in 1986, me and the kids in mai neighborhood knew all the words and would crank this cassette on a boombox while we skated in the street trying to learn ollies over soda cans in front of our houses.

Thanks Adam, for being a part of mai life.

Today's Time Capsule: The Wildhearts - Sick Of Drugs...

So, I first heard this band from a compilation called "Caffeine Bomb Mix" which also featured bands like Fretbanket, Snuff, and Leatherface to name a few.

Today's Time Capsule: Nomeansno - All Lies...

So, this album by NOMEANSNO was the first CD that I ever bought. The year was 1989 (14, Freshman), and I was shopping at the local Camelot Music in the [original] St. Charles Mall in beautiful St. Charles, IL. 60174.
I remember just browsing the "alternative" section looking for soemthing cool.
(this was back before Alternative became a music genre [like indie], but rather a section of music that couldn't be quite classified. For example: You'd have Butthole Surfers next to Circle Jerks next to Fad Gadget next to Psychic TV next to Renegade Soundwave and anything else punk/post punk/experimental...)

One thing about this dei that I'll never forget was that while I was looking around, this dude/friend [Tim Gallagher] in the same class as me walked in with this kid Eric Doherty and we started chatting doing small talk.

Tim-   "What's up? You know Eric?"
Me-    "Nothing, yeah, we've met before."
Tim-   "Cool, waht'ya doing?"
Me-    "Looking for new music, thinking about getting a CD."
Tim-   "Cool, which one?"
Me-    "Dunno, I was looking at these, but don't know whether to get this album (forgot the other band) or this NOMEANSNO album."
Tim-   "Dude, get the NOMEANSNO! You heard these guys?"
Me-    "No, but I've always seen their shit in the Alternative Tentacles catalogs, but never knew waht they sounded like"
Tim-   "Yeah, dude, get this, you'll love these guys."
Me-    "Cool, thanks. See yah later."

Sadly, that's one of the last things I remember about him. His parents enrolled him into a military school later that year and he committed suicide while there.
As long as I listen to NOMEANSNO and especially whenever I listen to "Wrong" I'll always remember the short friendship, punk bond we created that one year.

Thank you, Tim for the great recommendation. I still have it, and it still has no scratches.

Drunk Injuns: Thrasher Magazine, A Blast From The Past & Present...

So, once upon a time is St. Charles, IL. we had this Schwinn bike shop that we convinced to start carrying skateboards. The guys name was Bob, he was KNDA the nerdy, daddish type, but all around cool with those dirty uncle jokes.
Long story short, I rented this on VHS and fell in love with this band, the year was 1987.

Descendents - Clean Sheets (butchered)

So, here's me playing the song "Clean Sheets" by the Descendents back in October 2010.

Uploaded by iSapien1956672 on Oct 21, 2010

Me playing "Clean Sheets" by Descendents.
I'm getting back into playing guitar, so pardon the butchering.
For documentary purposes only, and a personal thank you to the band for putting out such good music over the years.
©1987 Alltudemic Music (BMI)
©1987 SST Records
off of the album "ALL" - SST 112

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Descendents
 
• Karl Alvarez
 
• Stephen Egerton
 
• Bill Stevenson
 
• Clean Sheets
• power pop
 
• pop punk
 
• milo aukerman
 
• butcher
 
• horrible
 
• get a life
 
• take a lesson
• guitar lessons
 
• loser
 
• poor quality
 
• kill yourself
 
• SST records
 
• brave man instruction

License:

Standard YouTube License

Plastique Noir: Rose Of Flesh And Blood...

So, I first heard this song/band on an internet radio station, in iTunes, simply titled "Punk" around the beginning of December 2011.
As soon as I got home I got on the lappy and found it in the iTunes store and purchased the album.
I can't remember the last time an album, song, band had such an impact on mai influence to buy it.
Good job Plastique Noir, you succeeded.
This song almost made me cry, the lyrics were so good and hit home, I really like how they're structured and laid out, too.