Why am I wearing a hoodie and jeans today? Where the hell did summer go? Apparently I haven’t updated Haggard Lives since July 1st, further proving that time has gone by way too fast. I didn’t even write anything up for the Fullblast reunion/final show, which is a shame because I’m sure reading my reactions and emotions while I was experiencing them fully would have been fantastic for me to have and look back on.
In regards to the show, I will say this: it was without a doubt the best night of the summer for me and probably, without exaggeration, one of the best nights of my life. Those emotions have been running through my body ever since July 30th. Have you ever witnessed something and it just made you feel “right?” That’s what happened to me at this event. Packed into the sold out Opera House with 800+ others, all of whom singing along to every word and dancing/moshing away, I got to close a chapter on my life that had been lingering for quite some time. So even though it’s been over a month now and I’ve got to thank the boys individually, I wanted to get it up here and say one more time: Thank you, Fullblast.
"I don't know just what I know, but I know this is over." - Jerk Circus Is For Jerks, The Fullblast
Jerk Circus Is For Jerks.
At a Glance: Pop Punk
There is a fine line one can draw in regards to pop punk. Like all genres of music, it has evolved over the years and became more and more fitting of the “pop” label. The genre was clearly started with the Ramones in New York and moved over to the UK with bands like The Buzzcocks and The Undertones throughout the 70’s and 80’s. Besides The Ramones though, pop punk didn’t seem to receive too much attention until the early 90’s when bands like Bad Religion, NOFX, and Propagandhi started creating a buzz in the scene. In ’94, the labels found the band that could lead the charge for pop punk and released Green Day’s “Dookie” with great success and The Offspring was quick to follow with “Smash.” Two albums I consider extremely influential on me as a person.
Pop punk had thrown itself into the public’s eye on the heels of the grunge movement, but there was still a little more emphasis on the “punk” side of things. Bands like Rancid, Pennywise, Lagwagon, Anti-Flag, The Ataris, MxPx, and No Use For A Name carried the torch with catchy hooks and fast drum beats, truly embodying what pop punk was all about. This is the era of music I got caught up in and it absorbed me like a whirlpool. It was fun, yet rebellious, and made fucking sense. For me, these bands spoke about every single thing I was thinking about and experiencing, which as a teenager at the time, made life so much easier.
Let’s consider that my Allen Cross impression, shall we?
The great thing about pop punk is that you can always run back to it. Granted, some of it you wish you could wipe from your memory “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” styles, but most of it is still pretty fun. And as you can probably tell by this article, I’ve been on a big pop punk nostalgia kick recently. It’s the simplicity that I’ve always loved and that's something that everyone needs in their life from time to time.
I’ve been all about the Ataris as of late; mainly due to “So Long, Astoria” and “Blue Skies… Broken Hearts… Next 12 Exits.” When you’re missing someone like I am at the moment, these albums do exactly what they did to me when they were first released: put the words scrambled in my head to music and shouted them out through a speaker system. I tend to find shouting is done best through speakers of some sort anyway.
Coincidentally, Kristopher Roe has been on tour over the past little while for the 9th or 10th anniversary of “Blue Skies… Broken Hearts…” and doing acoustic sets using material from that album and “So Long, Astoria.” He is hitting Canada in July and for you 905ers, he rolls through Burlington next week (Friday July 4th, flyer to the left) and is playing with our very own Bombing Neverland, Ashley Sloggett, and Aitch. All of whom will also be doing acoustic (slash normal) sets. He’ll be hitting Toronto the very next night and playing at the Kathedral.
Pop punk, in my mind, gets slammed a little too hard. I’ll be the first one to make fun of what it became after the success of Blink 182, after all, bands like Simple Plan and Good Charlotte are a bit of a joke. But notice these bands were brought in to capitalize on pop punk’s mainstream success and have just as easily switched styles to accommodate whatever the kids are listening to these days. All musicians grow, but these kinds of bands seem to “switch” to what will sell them more records. But hey, more power to them and at least they’re writing their own shit.
And those bands that play pop punk because that’s just what comes out of their instruments are still kicking. The Ataris for example are working on a new album, coming back full circle and creating a much more simplistic record. +44 continued where Blink left off and bands like Motion City Soundtrack seem to be putting their own twist on the genre.
Evolution is a funny thing in the music industry, but at its core, pop punk is still catchy sounding music with an innocence that is hard to find in the real world. The Ataris say it best: “Being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up.”
Shit. Piss. Fuck. Cunt. Ect.
George Carlin died yesterday from heart failure at the age of 71. Unfortunately there isn’t really anything I can write about the guy that would do him any sort of justice. And besides, I doubt he’d want us mourning over his carcass and spewing out sappy eulogies anyway.
He was without a doubt one of my favourite comedians and he will certainly be missed by everyone whose lives he touched.
At the end of the video above, Carlin exclaims, “Take care of yourself. And take care of somebody else!” He did just that by bringing laughter to thousands and thousands of people all around the world.
If I ever meet his family, I’m going offer to go paint their garage for sure.
PRC: Warped Tour Kickoff Party
Quite simply: what a fucking night! Jenna Miles of Punk Radio Cast invited me out to the Warped Tour kick off party and I got my boys from work (our ugly mugs pictured to the right thanks to Diana Bell) to tag along for a night of great music, good people, and bottomless drinks. What more could you ask for?
I mainly indulged in the free Rock Star energy drinks, to show my heart who's boss, ya know? But the same can't be said for the rest of my co-workers. There's almost too many shitty good times to discuss, but the night ended with one of us getting kicked out, the rest of us arguing over who Sarah Blackwood of The Creepshow was "eye fucking" from the stage (it was none of us by the way), and another with a gash on his head and bleeding all over the streets of Toronto.
No idea who the first band was, but they reminded me of the old 905 ska/rap/punk group Ruins. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is not a bad thing. As shitty as I felt about not getting up closer and partying a little more, I knew I had to save myself for the double main event: The Creepshow and The Saint Alvia Cartel!
Creepshow was awesome and their new stuff is extremely rad. I think they said the new album drops in September which I can't wait for. McNab told the crowd they could download it, so you all officially have permission. Personally, I say buy the record and support a really hardworking band that is always a lot of fun.
Saint Alvia was... well, Saint Alvia. I've seen these dudes countless times and it never gets boring. They play awesome music and party with the best of them. Plus they hand out a fuckin' tamborine for the audience to play! If you're not down with that, then you're an asshole.
For those of you in attendence or listening online at PRC, you may have noticed yours truly providing some guest vocals on a few songs. Rispin put the mic out there for me to sing without realizing what he was doing, so I apologize right now to all of those unfortunate enough to hear that shit.
Good times all around and can't wait for the next PRC party.
Photos taken by and courtesy of Diana Bell.
Review: Living With Lions
With the ever expanding roster of Black Box Music, the newly co-branded Black Box Recordings and their artist management endeavor, it seems the label has really picked up steam since its launch five years ago. They have picked up one solid artist after another and have allowed them to showcase their talents without the glass ceiling of being signed to a major label. Their latest release comes from Vancouver natives Living With Lions, who follow up 2007's "Dude Manor EP" with their first full length album "Make Your Mark."
The record opens up with a punch to the face. "She's A Hack" picks up where Dude Manor left off and shows us the Lions haven't lost their catchy punk rock touch. I immediately connected with this track on a personal level and it would just be the start of songs that almost made too much sense to me.
"Wrong Place, Right Time" keeps us moving along with a nice bass line verse and a sing-along chorus and "A Bottle Of Charades" isn't much different. I can just imagine a sea of kids screaming "Hey Yeah! Hey Yeah!" at the top of their lungs and bringing the band and fans together like only the live experience can.
The fourth track, "Granny Steps", hits hard with it's lyrics: 'Downtown is barely breathing. Downtown is alive and barely holding on.' As someone who has just moved from the suburbs of Oakville, Ontario to the city of Toronto, this song rang pretty true. Which opened me up nicely for "My Dilemma", a fast-paced track reminiscent of punk rock legends Lifetime. The drums and guitars are full of energy that keeps building and building until the 1 minute and 50 second mark, where the band calms it down just to start building it up again. This is almost two songs in one, but both halfs work tremendously together.
Tracks six through eight are probably my favourites on the album. Starting with "Cold Coffee", the boys keep the music rocking but throw out lyrics that pretty much any guy can relate to. In regards to relationships, especially complicated ones, this song seems to describe every mixed-up-unspoken-feelings one could possibly have. "Hotel: Part Seven" is a great follow up to this and the music really gets you moving. It's like when you finally begin to realize that you're going to be okay and things are working out for the best, this track really focuses your energy to moving on and growing up.
"Coolin' With Costa" is one of those great songs for the road. If you've ever been in a band, especially a touring one, this track is for you. The second verse has the line: 'We don't know where we are, but that's how we got this far.' That describes every band I've ever been in. But this song isn't just about playing gigs, it's about a camaraderie; a connection with friends and how you live your life. It's about what makes you happy and the shit you'll put yourself through because when push comes to shove, it's all fucking worth it.
The song before the finale is "Park It Out Back" which will no doubt be a fan favourite at shows. The chorus is specifically designed to be sung by the audience, in fact, at about 2:25, the vocals are produced to sound like a crowd belting out the lyrics. Another great punk rock track with a solid baseline carrying us through.
Finally, the album comes to a close with "Dude Manor" which is named after Living With Lions house in Vancouver. This is where the boys moved in and came together as a band and you can tell the house represents something special to the guys. Ultimately, it represents something special for anyone who digs this album, because without Dude Manor, who knows if the Lions would have gotten together at all. And what a shame that would be.
Living With Lions brings some credibility and energy back into punk rock with "Make Your Mark." From start to finish, the album has my head banging and body jumping. I can tell already that I've found my summer CD for 2008 and I couldn't be happier with it. Check out their MySpace at myspace.com/livingwithlions and if you like what you hear, go grab a copy of the CD in stores or on iTunes.
Or better yet, grab a copy off the band if they come to your area. They are about to embark on a tour with A Wilhelm Scream and I am already salivating at the opportunity to see two of punk rocks most promising young bands rip up the stage together.
NXNE
I never understood some peoples dislike towards the North By Northeast festival. The only real complaint that's worthwhile is the fact that it's really busy, but shit, it's not like your lining up outside some club waiting to pay $15 to listen to Top 40 crap and hoping some chick grinds up against you enough to feel her pooder on your thigh... But I digress. Personally, I just don't think you can get a better deal then $30 for three nights of killer bands. And furthermore, I didn't wait in line once this year, because seriously, if there is a line, you just move on to the next venue.
My NXNE weekend started on Thursday night with the main purpose being to check out White Cowbell Oklahoma at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern. They didn't start until 2am, so I set out with my friend to check out whomever we saw fit. We both agreed on hitting up the Velvet Underground first to check out Tokyo, Japan's Moja. We both took the stance that these guys came all the way from Japan, so we might as well go see 'em. They are very White Stripes, but with just bass and drums. Very interesting to watch and most excellent to listen to. We then went and watched Hell Yeah, Fuck Yeah and a bunch of random bands from there, one of which threw a banana at me when we were at the Bovine Sex Club. That was pretty cool. But soon enough we were off to the Horseshoe for White Cowbell.
If you've never seen White Cowbell Oklahoma, do yourself a favour and check them out. They are probably one of the coolest stage shows out there right now; almost reminiscent of an Alice Cooper experience. At times, the music plays a secondary role to the strippers, security guards, chainsaws, and whatever other madness is going on around you. It wasn't all great, as some douchebag decided to punch my roommate in the head. My roommate Matt had met up with us to check out White Cowbell and this dude, who was a friend of a friend of a friend, was just an angry drunk. I broke up three prior fights with this dude and other people at the show. Once he hit my roommate though, I was ready to kill him. I ended up leaving because I'm generally not a violent man, but got convinced to come back in for the rest of the show. Overall though, first night was good.
NXNE was suppose to end there for me. I did get free wristbands through work, so I wasn't all that worried about it. But my plans for Friday night fell through and I knew there was only one thing I could do to make up for it... Go out and watch Moneen! I headed to the El Mocambo after making a quick stop at the Pub with some co-workers and heading home to change after work. I got there just as the rain really started pouring down and in time to catch Moneen. My roommate, co-worker and I were apparently the ones responsible for the mosh pit, but as always, the Moneen fans proved to be incredibly friendly and all about the party. The El Mo was actually leaking water due to the thunderstorm outside and there was a few times where the PA was cutting out on Kenny. However, I don't think there was one word missed lyrically, as the crowd was singing along for every single thing.
The Black Lungs were up next, which is Wade MacNeil's (Alexisonfire) solo/side project. To be honest, maybe it was because I was so drained from Moneen by this point, but I was a little dissapointed with The Black Lungs. I really dig "Send Flowers" but for some reason the album just didn't translate well for me. They weren't bad by any means, but it just didn't grab me like I had hoped.
Closing the show was Bedouin Soundclash, who I always find entertaining. Nothing terribly exciting to report, but they were good as usual. I always recommend checking Bedouin out if you get a chance.
Now before I finish, I have to talk about one last band whom I saw on Saturday. Judging from other blogs I've read, it seems like Monotonix really stole the show this year. These Israeli rockers, from what I understand, have pretty much been banned back in their home country. It's not hard to understand why, as these guys put on the craziest show around. They set-up on the floor in front of the stage and literally tore the fucking roof down.
As you can see from the pics, they spent more time being crowd surfed while playing then they did on the ground. And since they've been banned from almost every Israeli club back home, I have a feeling we'll be seeing them around here more and more. At least until they get banned here too.
Soundtracking Our Lives.
If you're like me, music is an important part of your everyday life. From the moment I wake up, to the moment I go to sleep (and often throughout the night as well), music plays a pivotal role in defining who I am at that very moment. Like any great movie, the soundtrack to your life can make or break your story. Sure, we're all entitled to our guilty pleasures, but they're like the comic relief character. Well, if music can be considered a character - I'd like to think it could and you can't deny that it certainly adds to your character.
This is why I don't get a lot of music today. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a victim of growing up (at least not yet) and I do like a great deal of new music. You've got to sift through the shit and skim for the gold, but it's out there. But to me, music means something so much more then background noise, which I feel a lot of new music today is. It's music without soul, music without meaning. It's just there. It exists and you exist with it. It's forgettable and therefore, so are people’s “soundtracks.”
I don't think I've ever been in an environment or situation where I was not fully aware of what was being played on the stereo. I can pinpoint exact moments in my life with songs; I’m brought back in time with particular records. It has all played a part in what has made me the person I am today and it’s comforting to know that I can organize my music chronologically.
This comfort is why I think we should all pay closer attention to our soundtracks. Whether we realize it or not, these songs, albums, and artists truly define us as people. Even your biggest musical injustice/mistake serves its purpose. For me, that’s probably Aqua. There was a legitimate time in my youth where I was like “Man, this is cool.” There was even a worse time in my early twenties where two friends and I actually got back into listening to Aqua on road trips. Interesting fact I know. Even more interesting that we are all straight – but this is all beside the point. For whatever reason, Aqua found its way into my soundtrack and it played its role. It came in initially at a time where I was really young and naive; where I was making mistakes as a part of learning how the world works. The second time there isn’t really a good excuse, but I can look back on those road trips fondly and know that it brought three friends closer together through laughter. Even with mistakes like Aqua in my soundtrack, I still know how and why they exist in it. Does anyone else pay this much attention?
I’m not trying to sound like an elitist or judge anyone, my respect for music stems from the fact that it’s the only form of media that everyone enjoys and has an opinion on. What I am trying to do is challenge the listener to really suck in that experience. So much is forced fed to us through the Top 40 charts and music videos that I question the impact it has on people. I mean, if you enjoy “pop” as we know it today, then more power to you, but I hope that it connects with you on some level and it’s something you can look back on fondly.
For me, I take refuge in the fact that I remember the first time I heard Nirvana and how it made me feel. I take solace in the memory of hearing “Basket Case” (Green Day) and “Self-Esteem” (the Offspring) and knowing that things, for the first time, made sense. I get goose-bumps thinking of those old local venues, where I watched Grade and Jersey play their hearts out and I knew that I finally belonged.
That brief list may seem like a “when I was a kid” message, but it really isn’t. It's all the stepping stones to how I got here and pieces of my life's puzzle. What's yours? If you had to, could you write your life story based solely on music? What are the songs on your soundtrack and are they going to be memorable in five or ten years? I hope they are.
So friends, here is my challenge for you: top five songs that defined your life up until now. Post a comment or send me an email with your list and let's see how your soundtrack is. Here is mine:
- Van Morrison, “Sweet Thing” (mp3) – Quite possibly my favourite song of all time. My earliest memories as a child were surrounded by my parent’s folk music, but this one has stayed with me forever. Originally released in 1968 on the album Astral Weeks, this classic song has always been one I can run home to. The lyrics say it best: “You shall take me strongly in your arms again. And I will not remember that I ever felt the pain.”
- Green Day, “When I Come Around” (YouTube) - In 1994, an album that would change my life forever was released. That album was called Dookie and it grabbed my attention as something unique from the moment I heard the first single “Longview”. But it wasn't until a year later that I really started to take notice; “When I Come Around” had the raw emotion of the grunge movement, but with a catchy melody and a lyrical story to tell. I bought this album strictly because of this single and thus, began my love affair with punk rock.
- Grade, “Triumph And Tragedy” (mp3) - Around '98/'99 I started becoming more and more interested in the local scene. I started to realize that the music I had embraced and grown to deeply love wasn't just from far off places. It was alive and around me. Not only that, but there were actually people out there into the same things as me. I soon got my hands on a copy of Under the Radar and was converted. I've been supporting the 905 scene ever since.
- The Fullblast, “Miss You” (MySpace) - We had reached the new millennium and the world didn't end. I was 16 years old and had my first kiss under my belt thanks to the Y2K threat and a lovely girl’s kindness. I had the world in the palm of my hand and every day I was discovering new music thanks to MP3.com and Napster. It was that summer that I decided to attend my first local show at the Pineroom in Oakville. On the bill were future successes Boys Night Out and Silverstein; some local favourites in Safewayhome and The Pettit Project; but nothing would be more memorable to me then the moment The Fullblast took the stage. All of a sudden I had my very own version of Lifetime (a band I never got to experience live until they reunited) playing in my hometown and playing their hearts out. I decided right then and there that I would do anything to help bands like them succeed. This is the exact moment when I decided I would work in the music industry.
- Jack's Mannequin, “Dark Blue” (mp3) - This one is a little personal and I'm not going to go into too much detail about why. I will tell you this: two years ago this song played and my life was inspired and renewed. For a moment, nothing existed or mattered except what was around me. Every day since has been a blessing and this song will always remind me of just how lucky I am.