Snow Day

or The Day My Inner Child Died

So school is cancelled until noon at IU (for now - maybe longer). The roads are a disaster. At 6:00 this morning there was already a death from a car accident announced on the radio south of town. So yeah. The pros? I don't have to do my french homework, and I can keep my laundry moving. The cons? I have 15 FUCKING HEARINGS i have to reschedule now before I leave tomorrow night. If my students all say they can't do a hearing this afternoon, I'm going to be one bitchy ass muthafucka with them this semester. Goddam kids. Because 15 hearings at 10 minutes a pop is a lot of shit I have to add to my day.
Snow days used to be magical. Now they're a pain in my crotchety old ass. If they cancel school this afternoon I'm gonna flip a bitch. I'll keep y'all posted, but I might be just a tad later than I planned on Thursday. We'll see.
-Cottonmouth out
p.s. I watched the movie "Go" this week. Twice. LOVED IT. Admittedly, it was much better when I was high the second time. And I wanted more gay action (not even a kiss? come on. I sat through all the scenes with the big bouncy titties (which were decidedly nice, in my estimation), and the gay couple didn't even make out)

This Is My...

...Theory of a Deadman who was Trapt because he didn’t give his Nickelback to the Disturbed Papa, Roach. He was given a Three Days Grace period, but was pushed into a Puddle of Mudd which Staind his Chevelle. The Fall Out, Boy was it bad. His Saliva started to Hinder his life. He had a Shinedown from heaven, and his head exploded!


Seriously, why are these bands popular? Most of them sound the same, and make me want to puke. Those weren't even all of the bands I thought of (Tantric, Crossfade, Finger Eleven come to mind, along with many others). The thing that's really bad is that I've listened to most of those bands and at some point, I liked them. Except Fall Out Boy, I never liked them. I guess I was just naive back then and was drawn to the catchy riffs and whatnot. I don't mind Disturbed, but mostly their older stuff. Their new stuff just doesn't have the pizazz of their older stuff. They also put on a rather entertaining show.

I wish Americans weren't so stupid. Why can't they like good bands (especially live) like 311, Raconteurs, Umphrey's, NIN, etc. If we just weeded out the horrible bands, then there could be more bands like that. If that were true, then maybe I'd have some faith in popular culture. Fucking America.

Mantis has arrived

Umphrey's McGee just released their newest studio album, Mantis!

I have been awaiting Mantis for quite some time now. I didn’t know how it would fare, given that it is entirely new material, never heard before. One of my favorite things about UM albums is the quirkiness of the recordings. The questions like: (a) How is Bayliss going to decide what lyrics to keep? (b) What are they going to add or take away and save for the jam-times? etc etc. Even if the album isn’t the best, all of the bonus material should more than make up for it. :) Here is Mantis:

Track 1: "Made to Measure"
The opening to Mantis is the first single. I'm not a big fan of this. I've always liked when a single is buried. I was at the show when this song was first played, but, alas, I was shitting. Okay enough other crap, the music: a very catchy song that has an air of cabaret type backing the vocals. It has classic UM vocal arrangements and even a clarinet breakdown. Very good, but not rockin' start. B+

Track 2: "Preamble"
Preamble as track 2? Not cool. Not really a song though. It just has some light piano probably from Joel Nathanial Cummins.

Track 3: "Mantis"
This song clocks in at an amazing 11 minutes and 51 seconds. It takes the listener on an audio roller coaster from the very get-go. The vocals are surprisingly bitter sweet as they begin: "We believe that something here is worth dying for." The lyrics have a biting cynicism to them, where Bayliss talks mostly in the past tense. After the verses, it spirals down to a dark minimal area (where they will probably put a jam when live). Some more vocals come in onto which they build up an almost march, then capping that section with a Pink-Floydian solo atop a driving beat, fading into the last moments of the track. It is everything a UM fan could ask for in a title track. A

Track 4: “Cemetery Walk”
This is one of my favorites from the album. It starts with a subdued piano intro and kicks it right into the upbeat catchy verses. The second verse of this song has the lyric that spawned the artist to come up with the album cover. “It’s not a cage if you’re feeling like a resident.” The choruses take the song into a nice slower pace, but only for a short time before the rock into some fast solos. The second half of this song is where I can see the title “Cemetery Walk.” It is very haunting.

Track 5: “Cemetery Walk II”
I can’t help but think that think that this is the song that Andy Farag (the percussionist and beat guru) had the biggest hand in. It lays one of Joel’s piano parts from “Cemetery Walk” and puts some funky fresh beats on it. I like it a lot.

Track 6: “Turn & Run”
The song has a taste of country in it. It provides a jam with a little Southern twang to it. It has a nice refrain with some angelic backing vocals as well. This song has one of my favorite solos on the album. Right after the verse-chorus-verse-chorus thing they do, it starts to break down a little bit and the solo that rocks sounds like it is being played on a very small amp in a basement…and then the solo continues for a few minutes until the song fades out.

Track 7: “Spires”
My proudest UM fan moment on this record is the fact that I saw the verse of this song when it was being created in the form of a “Jimmy Stewart” with lyrics at Chicago’s Navy Pier in August of ’06. The song is pretty awesome and has some nice tandem guitar work near the middle of the song only to blast the listener right back into the rockin’ riff (added pinch harmonics). Where the radio edit of the song would stop (about 5 minutes in), a soaring vocal arrangement comes in and lulls us out of the song which had started so tough and gritty.

Track 8: “Prophecy Now”
Unfortunately, I would say this is my least favorite song on the album. It is slowly and dragging. It has a weird and interesting melody. It seems like it is the only lyrics that Jake wrote that made it onto the album.

Track 9: “Red Tape”
“Red Tape” begins with a riff straight out of the 80’s, but with a UM flare. The middle of this song reminds me of Frank Zappa. It has the offbeat going for it with a synthesizer over it. Very cool. The final solo in this song has the best start. I don’t really know how to explain it but it begins with a pizzicato (sp?) strum of the strings and, uh, listen to it. Plus, this song is another example of a song that just fades out. They aren’t going to do that live, so why don’t they end it on the album?

Track 10: “1348”
This is the best track on the album by far. From start to finish it delivers. It is definitely on the more prog-rock side of things. Maybe a little King Crimson-esque. It reminds me of the days of UM with Andy’s Last Beer and even JaJunk. The song has an metallic feel about a lot of parts. It has a killer riff-hook, pretty unique lyrics, and a driving aura about it. Give it a listen and eargasm. Perfect end to the disc.

After listening to this album many many many times over, I have concluded this to ROCK! It unfortunately has a severe lack of instrumental tracks, but Bayliss does not disappoint with his lyric mastery. Anyone who is anyone should buy this album (to support music) and give it the old radio-in-the-car test or the headphones-at-home test or find your favorite stereo and blow the lid off. Have fun kids.

Everything's Bigger in Texas!

That's especially true with their highway system. LETTT'SSS TALK ABOUT IT!!!!! They have off-ramps that go to other highways that are about 50+ feet off the ground. It's crazy. Too bad traffic here isn't any better than anywhere else.

Also, its so nice down here. Its been in the high 40s-low 50s since we got here. 80 by Friday, unfortunately when we leave, and we'll come back to freezing back in MI.

There's a store called Condoms To Go. That's just too funny.

Saw a Lotus Elise. Nice small car.

I could probably live in this state.

Random thought #5 goes here

Funk #49 rocks!

The guy I'm working with is such a tight-ass. He doesn't seem to know how to let loose. (No, this is not a gay joke, Goerg and Claudio. I know you were thinking it)

This Blogger Says...

Favorite:
10 - 1348

followed closely by:
4 - Cemetery Walk

thoughts?

I Don't Like This Trend...

The auto industry is tanking, gasoline has its limits, and I don't have the money to have fun.

I know you guys don't really care about cars that much, but I'm going to rant anyways. The Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards are going to rise to 35mpg across all cars and trucks by the year 2020. While this is an amazing thing for the environment, it also shows a sign of the death of exotics and sports cars. And to me, the death of a certain fun. The way the industry is now, it shows only a little promise for fun electric/hybrid cars in the future. While the effort is there, right now I just don't see it happening. Also, the styling for much of these cars (right now all concepts), look futuristic but so much so that they aren't really pleasing to the eye. Why do they have to be so over the top? I don't get it.

I haven't had much change to toy around with a really fun car (the Biz's being an exception), but I hope to have my chance with something fun before I die, or gasoline is no more (if that happens in my lifetime). I would kill for my chance to drive a 1970 Dodge Challenger or a Ferrari F430. Hopefully someday I'll be able to own one and have some fun before its basically extinct. Kids of the 60s and 70s who grew up with my some of my favorite cars can't have all the fun, that's just not fair.

I do hope I'm wrong though. 2020 is a long way away. I hope there's some genius out there making a 500hp engine that gets 40mpg.

Well, no one cares but me.

Now get off my lawn.

Movie Review: Gran Torino

Wow.

Wasn't expecting that.

First off, I saw a movie that was filmed in and takes place in Michigan...while I'm in Colorado. Weird, huh?

This movie surprised me. It started off with Clint Eastwood as a grumpy, racist old man. He doesn't want anything to do with his neighbors and threatens them many times. But after one simple courageous act, his neighbors admire him (except for the old lady). Then things started to turn around. He starts to grow attached to his neighbors. It's surprisingly heartbreaking. You wouldn't expect it from watching the first hour or so.

Eastwood cracked some of the most hilariously offensive rasict comments I've ever heard. They are very prominent in this film, and they are very welcome. I can't help it, they just compliment the film so well...

I'm not exactly sure where the film takes place (the cop cars say Hazel Park...I think), but its still a very good story with some solid acting.

I give it 9 zipper-heads out of 10.



This is probably the shortest movie review I've ever done

On The Road: Colorado

Well, I finally made it out to Colorado. It sucks that I'm out here for work, but I'm glad I'm out here. The scenery is beautiful, especially with the snow on the mountains. I wish it was summer time, but it was 50 degrees out today, so I'm pretty happy. What was it in Michigan today, like -5? So far we haven't made it out to Denver (and we probably won't), but where we're at is pretty nice. I'm excited to see what it's going to be like to live here.

Hope you guys are staying warm. Be back Friday night/Saturday morning.

For now, here are some pictures from my phone (wish I brought my camera) from the back windows of the store:





Goerg and Claudio: how's the video coming along?

Psychedelics and Colorblindness

So I was thinking about this a little bit. I believe that one of the reasons I enjoy tripping so immensely is because I am more easily able to see/distinguish colors while in that state. There's a lot of evidence that states that when I close my eyes and watch the colors (as it were) that this could potentially be the only time I am able to properly see the full spectrum. The reason for this is that protanopia (or red-green colorblindness, which I suffer from) is a lack of certain retinal cones in the eye, which means that my brain is capable of comprehending any color, but my eyes do not recognize them. Since hallucinogenic visions are predominately a product of the mind, and not of the eye, it is only logical that I should be able to see every color, even if my prior experience (and fucked up state) leaves me incapable of understanding what I'm seeing. This is a brief article from the erowid experience vaults (which by the way is just about the BEST source of information if you wish to get a clear idea of the effects of various substances on the body, essentially a compilation of trip reports).

Colorblindness and Psychedelics
LSD, Mushrooms & AMT
by dk_trippy


DOSE : LSD
AMT
Mushrooms

BODY WEIGHT : 145 lb


I noticed there was some question on the effects of colorblind people and LSD. I am red green colorblind. I don't see in black and white but I cannot distinguish two colors of similar shades and I miss almost every number in the colorblindness test with the colored dots at the optometrist's (eye doctor).

Since I have done psychedelics, especially LSD and AMT, colors have become sharper and brighter and I can more easily distinguish similar shades in bright and pastel colors, but darker colors such as dark blue and purple, have become more difficult to distinguish because they seem to morph into each other. I do see all the colors and patterns very vividly when I trip and it seems I can more easily see them than can the people I trip with, most of the time I still see stuff after everyone else has come down. I can't tell you if the colors and patterns are the same as people with normal vision, because I don't know what normal vision is. Since I have tripped I have visited the optometrist once and got 8 of 15 numbers right in the colorblindness test when before I would only get 3 at the most.

taken from http://www.erowid.org/experiences/

Just thought this was interesting...
-Cottonmouth out

2008

2008 was a big year for me. Yeah yeah, I know it ended 11 days ago, fuck off I've been busy. smoking pot. A brief look back at my year

Spent my first full year living in Indiana
Saw the end of my longest relationship
Lived with girls (not recommended, unless you're fucking them, by the by)
Had my first (and probably only) time doing x
Had my first (and second (probably also final)) time trying coke
Had my first (and second and third and fourth and fifth and sixth and seventh and eighth (and hopefully not last)) time trying acid
Had my 20th time doing mushrooms
Went to my first rave
Worked for a union
Taught a college class (damn well, if I do say so)
Wrote music for the first time
Realized that, if only for a hobby, I want to learn to DJ
Learned Italian
Received a letter I wrote to myself my senior year of high school
Conquered a sushi buffet
Got my first professional singing gig (in March of 2009 though)
Sang two premieres, including a piece written for me
Sang my first voice recital
Sang at the MET competition
Hung out with my brother in law, and realized that he's the best guy for Sian. And he's just like me
Had a guy spend the night with me at my parents house (with them home)
Watched The Wall (like by Pink Floyd)
Watched the wall (like by myself on acid)
Hit my first (and second) deer
Saw (for the first time, and also hopefully not the last):
Infected Mushroom
NIN
Hallucinogen
Shpongle
Railroad Earth
Pnuma Trio
Orchard Lounge
Freezepop
Tom Foolery
My 15th Umphrey's show (I think)
Cracked a rib
Apparently contracted Scurvy
Apparently contracted HepB at some point and fought it off so I'm now immune
Finished two bottles of vodka with two friends and had an episode
Worked out hardcore for two months in the summer
Ate food hardcore for 5 months in the fall
Realized how fortunate I am to have the friends I do

I might add to this later :)

Sobriety

Well. School starts tomorrow. So I've cut the pot and alcohol out of my life for at least a couple weeks. I need to cut the pot out indefinitely, at least til after march 1, because I have too many big performances and early classes to be messing around with that shit. Sad thing is, though, cutting those things out of my life only serves as a reminder of how empty it really is. It's easy to feel like I'm "doing something" when I'm fucked up, even when I'm not. I'm more than happy to play gameboy and listen to music for hours. I can't do that really sober. In fact I don't really DO anything. My only good friend down here these days (besides my sis) is Doug, who I hang out with essentially every day. Jessy's off doing things I don't feel like doing with people I don't care to spend much time with, Adrianne rarely even comes home anymore (she just hangs out with the guy she gets pot from). I've been avoiding seeing Ben, because I know how different things will be since he found out he was positive - and we weren't exactly best buds before then. And the rest of my friends? Well, you live in MI. This is all compounded by the crush I have on Pat* (see below) and the fact that my schedule this semester is such that unless I get real close with people in the musical with me, I'm not going to be able to go and meet people.
I'm glad I've cut back on said substances, but it's just a question of if I can find enough to keep me satisfied in the meantime. I've been writing music, but that just makes me darker and more introspective. Hopefully I'll start practicing and going to the gym a lot. and maybe reading. How exciting am I...
Anyway. Any positive thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I'm in a real rut, and I recognize I'm on the verge of a new era in my life (the boring era).
much love
Cottonmouth out.

*come on, was anyone really surprised about this? it was only a matter of time - I've liked HIM for ages, and now he likes me. We decided not to do anything long distance but that doesn't really change the fact that we call each other every few days and want to visit... the definition of bittersweet. nice to like and be liked, sucks that it's from 5.5 hours away.

One of the best articles I have ever read

I don't know if any of you on this blog are Mitch Albom fans or not. I have read his books (Five People You Meet In Heaven, Tuesdays with Morrie, One Last Day) and I have enjoyed each of them equally as well (I'm partial to Five People). I don't get the Free Press so I don't necessarily get a chance to read every article he writes, mostly sports. However, this article was brought to my attention this morning. He did a guest spot in Sports Illustrated about the courage of the city of Detroit. How throughout all of the shit that happens, we still cling to hope as a city and, even though we may be missing some of the landmarks and events that caused this city to be so great in the past, we still cling to the hope and the belief that we will be back to that city soon. Read this article and tell me that you disagree with any of it. We don't live in Detroit, but we live in a suburb of it and we hurt as Detroit hurts. I love a lot of things about the city, besides it's parking and crazy streets. I love the sports stadiums that I frequent. I love that we care so much about those involved in our city that we hurt as they hurt (the Konstantinov accident comes to mind).

This is one of the best articles that I have read because I knew exactly where he was coming from with it. Most of the outsiders looking in from other states and Canada would think we were just trying to make them feel bad. You read this article and tell me if you disagree with it.

Happy New Year all, let's hope Mitch is right and this year will be a good one.

Boring!

You guys suck.


Especially you, Claudio. You need to contribute more.


All of you...


This site got boring fast.


Crispy Chicken Crisper Tacos from Chili's are pretty damn good, and fun to say

My New Year's Eve Eve

I started off my day by driving to a nearby town to drop off Gilmour to my mom so he will be taken care of while I am off having the time of my life. I impatiently wait around for JCottonmouth's call. His car took forever to get fine-tuned. But sooner or later, it was done and he was off. I swung by the trusty 711 for some peanut butter and bread for the "snacks" later. I hit the road with some Umphrey's blaring and headed towards Hammond, IN.

The car ride was easy and uneventful. I arrived about 2o minutes after JCottonmouth (JC) did. It should have been sooner, but, of course, I took a wrong turn at the very last moments of the trip. Psh. I pulled my shiznit out of the car and hauled my ass into Room 240. JC and I 'relaxed' for a bit and then set on to Chicago! Fast forward 45 minutes!

We get to a parking garage in Chicago and eat a couple sandwiches (I think they were moldy, wink). I grabbed the tickets and we head toward the streets. We get lost a little walking but we eventually find the right path....and panic! I can't find the tickets! I must have dropped them somewhere along the way. Self-loathingly and trudgingly we head back to the car to look for them. We decided to go to the show and buy tickets and suddenly, JC has a great idea. He asked the hotel front desk for help and they knew that there was a FedEx Kinkos right next door. We went there. I sufficiently made an ass of myself in there. We left. With super speed we walked to the concert.

Unfortunately, the concert was already 30 minutes in when we arrived. (wah wah wah) We still had a rockin' time at the concert. A solid set and a half. Both sets were peppered with new (Wizard Burial Ground, Rocker (Part 2)) and classic (DBK, Ocean Billy, 40s Theme) UMaterial. Each set had some guests: Joshua Redman on Sax (in DBK!) and Stanley Jordan (on Great American!).

After the show, we hiked a mile or two to Reggie's Rock Club to see OTT and Pretty Lights. I do not know much about the DJ style of music, but I dug it. Pretty Lights was a lot more hip hop sounding, but still very dancy. By the time OTT had come on, I was exhaaaaausted. At one point I was falling asleep in the chair in the club (that guy!). The club was a frickin' sweet place with an upstairs viewing area fenced in by pieces of, well, fence. JCottonmouth and I headed back to the car (via a Taxi, this time) and back to our hotel room in Indiana.

We got back in the room and did some more 'relaxing' and talked of the many concert/psychedelic experiences we've had. Good fuckin' day.

My New Year's Eve day began with JC and I parting ways. I then had to occupy 6 hours of time by myself in a town I know nothing about. Great. Needless to say, it was boring as shit. I spent over 1.5 hours inside a KMart and 45 minutes in Best Buy. At one point, I just said, "Fuck it. I'll go see a movie." After turning around many times and asking for directions even more, I found the theatre. I ended up seeing The Spirit.

The Spirit was too ridiculous to be taken seriously. It was a little over the top and over acted, I think. After looking past the visual effects, there isn't much left. The plot was a little weak.

From here on out my day is pretty much the same as Hock's so I will just comment.
-Hock changing over four lanes of traffic was fucking exciting! He nailed it. I couldn;t have done it.
- The seats were high up, but every seat in that house was perfect. JC and I were in the bottom level, back of the theatre, and even there it rocked!
- Nate is the king. He called that UM would play Wappy wrapped around Auld Lang Syne way before the show even started.
- Hock pretty much nailed the feeling of the night. ..."with balloons and confetti and the lights and the ohh my god super-awesomeness."
- UM played "With a Little Help From My Friends" with the mass choir. I nearly shit myself.


Amazing. Every bit of it.

G-O-E-R-G

New Year's Eve with Umphrey's

What a night.

To start my day off, I had to work in Macomb, IL, which is about 4 hours southwest of Chicago, until 2pm then had to book it to Gary, IN to meet up with Goerg. Got there in 3 1/2 hours. Goerg was in a movie, so I waited. I wanted to leave as soon as possible because I didn't know how bad traffic was going to be. Luckily, it wasn't too bad. Even when I missed my exit (in downtown Chicago) when I had to get over 4 lanes, I was still able to make it. Go me! We got to the hotel at around 7. Had to use to hotel's valet service (for 50 fucking dollars)! Check-in was a breeze and the room was probably the best room I've ever stayed in.

So we changed and left for the show. Well, I tried to GPS it on my phone. That didn't work too well. So we walked around for 5 minutes before asking someone for directions. That person told us to get a cab. Fine, that got us there in like 5 minutes. Easy pleasy lemon squeezy.

We were sort of high up, but it wasn't so bad ("I've never been so high for an Umphrey's show"...talk about double entendre). We were able to see the whole stage perfectly, along with the crazy-amazing light show. The guy next to us, Nate (who has seen 45 shows), told us that the light guy was the former guy from moe. It was unbelievable! There were a couple of times when they just flashed a bunch of colors at once and my eyeball/brain connection definitely couldn't comprehend the sheer awesomeness of that effect. They played an awesome cover of "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" with a horn section and a disco themed light show. Again, unbelievable.

I don't know how accurate they were at counting down the new year, but I don't care, because they way they did it was fucking intense. Wappy Sprayberry into Auld Lang Syne back into Wappy Sprayberry with balloons and confetti and lights and oh my god super-awesomeness. They also played a bunch more songs with horns, Koko Taylor, and the Chicago Mass Choir. If I can fanagle it, I'm going again next year. Totally worth it.

I'm sorry for those who couldn't come. I wish you were there, you would have loved it.

After it was over, we met up with Jessy, I picked up the show, we lost Jessy, and took a long, cold, but ultimately entertaining walk back to the hotel. I do wish we found an afterparty, but I still had fun anyways.

My favorites of the night: The techno-y intro into the funky awesomeness of "Nothing Too Fancy," "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough," "With a Little Help from My Friends (w/the Chicago Mass Choir)," and "Much Obliged (with the Closer tease)"