Thankful Givings

Happy Thanksgiving, Mother-Clusters!

I hope your days are wonderful with your families everybody.

Some thoughts:
Last night was fuckin' awesome! At the bar, we all got super gay and wouldn't have had it any other way. It was nice to see all my far-away friends: The Biz, B-Don, and even Kiznox (who really shouldn't and WON'T be a "far-away friend" anymore). After the bar, JCottonmouth, Hock, Kiznox all went to JC's house to after-partay...and who should show up, but Geggles and Justine Luttrell! So at two in the morning, a second round of awesome started. After putzing around for a while (and Kiznox passing out, and Hock taking him home) we decided to head into the hot tub, which is exactly what the doctor ordered. It was so relaxing...and plus Justine is super hot in a "bathing suit". So after an hour or so in the jacuzzi, we pulled our pruney selves out of the hot water and directly into the snow covered outside hell. We dried off and we went our separate ways. And I finally arrived home at 5:45 am. So I would like to THANK all of you for GIVING me a great night. (Double pun?)

And today the fun doesn't stop. Marky is having dinner with my family and later Claudio, Gegs, Justine, and possibly Hock are coming over to hang out after dinner! Fuck yeah!

Peace and Love, (Cluster) fuckers.

**Hope you all get super fat today!**

Sorry, Bro!

Didn't mean to block your cock last night. I thought you all came home at once. If I would have known, I would have guided the cock towards the prize. With all honesty though, nothing would have happened unless you kicked Hank out of the room for the night. Power to the people!

Chicago

So I was too busy and then too stoned to write about my weekend til now, but seeing as how my teacher just cancelled my lesson, I have a little bit of free time...

So Chicago was amazing.

I mean, Chicago is always amazing, but this trip in particular was fantastic.

I dropped off Sian at her hotel (she was going for her bachelorette party) and then got to Eric's at around 8:30. We quickly got the festivities under way with a glass of wine and a couple of rounds of beer pong. We eventually heard back from Eric's friend (from whom we were awaiting a call to see his plans) and we all went out to bars.

So I like Spiral and Xcel alright (in terms of gay bars), but I always have SO MUCH FUN bar hopping in Boys town. Even when the last time I went I may have gotten something slipped in my drink. It's always such a social occasion, I meet so many people (for better or for worse) make random friends in bathroom lines, etc. The last bar in particular (that we went to at like 2 in the morning - another plus side of that area is clubs frequently not closing til 4) was a ton of fun - there were a TON of people, everyone dancing to some pretty decent music. It was just excellent.

The next day I slept til around 11:30, and started the morning with mimosas and breakfast burritos (a bit of the hair of the dog to cure my hangover). Eric and I ran a few errands and then went back home. In the meantime, Eric's roommates and a couple of their friends dropped acid. Which was amusing. But made me jealous haha. We watched Mrs. Doubtfire til around 6, which is a fantastic movie by the way, it's way funnier than I remembered it. I also helped Eric begin his own highlighter bottle project, which he was very grateful for. We went to one of his friends from the burbs's place and bought pot, which he promptly smoked us down with to ensure the quality.

It was such a great session. Seriously. This guy is REALLY funny, very genuine, had a 3 foot glass bong with an ice catcher and two percolators which FUCKED ME UP. He threw on some loud music (an album which I have since downloaded by M.I.A. - oh my god I'm starting to like mainstream music - but it was sweet). He then with the music still going played geometry wars. Seriously guys. You need to download it on xbox live. It's free, and as Eric's friend described it it's like "playing the 4th of july". The graphics are sweet despite it being so simple and it's ridiculously intense. My heart was POUNDING just watching him, and the combination of good (non-rap) hip hop in the background and being baked made it AMAZING.

I went home, drank a few vodka tonics and had Eric drop me off at the bar for the concert. It was a small place, which was cool, and the opening act started at around 10:15. His name is Eliot Lipp, another DJ, and I REALLY liked his stuff. He used some of the psychadelic-friendly sounds that I've come to know and love recently and really played a great set. I have since downloaded a few of his albums and enjoyed them quite a bit, although there's really no comparison to him live. He played for about an hour then Bassnectar started. It was fantastic. I sparked up my "special" cigarette during a song I knew and loved (although I can't exactly remember what it was now) and his entire set was awesome - especially the end was sweet. He played for over two and a half hours straight, me dancing pretty much the whole time. Except for when I had to go to the bathroom or get drinks. I don't actually have a ton of recollection of the timeline of the night (I couldn't believe how late it was when I finally checked my watch, it seemed like no time had passed) but at some point I befriended a group of people when this guy who looked like a gay thom yorke (minus the lazy eye) started talking to me and dancing with me. We were probably the only two gay guys there, so it worked haha. I couldn't get a hold of Eric who was out at bars and had left his phone in the car, so I just went with them to an afterparty. Of course Eric called me on the way, and seeing as how I didn't have a key to his apartment and was technically a guest, I decided to leave early. I had to find an atm, hail a cab and remember where I was going, so I finally made it at like 3:30. Eric had passed out like the drunkie he is, so I had to lay on the buzzer til his roommate came down. Whoops.

I woke up the next day at around 10:30, and shortly thereafter left to meet up with Sian and Leah for lunch, then headed on home, very sadly.

A couple thoughts on everything:

I ADORE Chicago. It's one of my favorite places, and I'm strongly considering moving there after my master's. I feel so good there, so at home. I meet people easily (even if a lot of them are through Eric, that's still fine). The people I know are my age or older and still know how to go out and have a good time til all hours of the night. It's like my ideal. Plus, had it not been for the fact that I was still technically visiting an ex, I totally could have gotten laid. Thom Yorke boy wanted me to stay out late, but I had to be good(ish) and head home.

Which brings me to my only concern with the weekend. I have a strange mistrust for Eric when we're out at bars. I don't know why. If he disappears for more than a few minutes, I start thinking he's gone off to hook up with someone or something, which is terribly unfair of me for many reasons. First of all, we've been broken up for years, it's none of my business. Secondly, he wouldn't do that to me, he's a good person. And thirdly, even if he DID find someone to hook up with, I'm sure I could (and probably would) too. It's just this weird feeling - like the two of us are bound to each others' actions. I dunno. I suppose part of it's just residual mistrust from when he called me at 5 in the morning when we were dating to confess that he had made out with someone else (which I immediately forgave him for, even though it did kinda bother me). I really just need to get some. Real bad. Not being able to hit the gym because of rehearsals is also not making me feel good. I just have this weird clingy side I've never noticed before.

Regardless, it was all wonderful. It's nice to feel like you're being noticed. And to feel like you're funny, and that people are happy to have met you. I don't get that feeling down here, and I don't know why (except occasionally at work, but that doesn't really count, and now that I got recruited to electrics, I don't do as much group activity).

Anyway, Cottonmouth out, miss you guys, see you in a few weeks at the wedding!

As if being known for an internet sex tape wasn't enough...

...Tommy Lee apparently asked a hostess at the Dune bar in the Hamptons "Is it cool to have sex in here?" Thinking (unwisely) that he was kidding, she replied yes, and Tommy Lee proceeded to fuck the living shit out of some girl on a nearby banquet table, much to the discomfort and disgust of other patrons.

Moral of the story? If you're a celebrity, you can LITERALLY DO WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT TO.

Fuck Yeah IU

Well gents, it's official. My school parties harder than yours. So although I will be visiting Michigan whenever I can, this leads me to one obvious conclusion:

You guys need to come here so we can get FUCKED UP!!!

I leave you with Champagne Stevens and Toilet McGroo:

Karaoke Round-Up 8/6/07

In what will sadly be my last Karaoke night (tear...) we had a highly successful evening. Despite early fears that it would not have the same crowd it usually did (thanks to one of our main planners ditching us for the good old C A of Nada, a good crowd showed up - including every writer on this blog. In fact, the bar probably had the largest crowd I've seen on a Monday night - we scarcely were able to fit at the table. Unfortunately, the influx of non-regulars meant that times up on the stage were few and far between. But we did manage to get a rousing "Flagpole Sitta" and "Clumsy" in there. The shot fairy came this week, and he bought us all a round, in addition to another that was apparently bought by someone else (I'm not entirely sure who). Thank God also that his threats to buy me a shot of Sambuca turned out to be baseless (last time I tried that particular liquor, I puked in Dakota's sink... sorry again about that buddy). The night had a great "set-list" with crowd favorites like Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Basketcase, Afternoon Delight, etc.

Terry was awesome as always.

The karaoke girl made fun of us a lot because we never got around to asking her to let us end with "Closing Time", but figured that with how busy it was, it could have been difficult to schedule. We told her that sadly, it would be some of us's last karaoke week, but she assured us that she would be there whenever we could be back for a reunion.

In other news, I dropped fifty dollars I didn't have and had nine gin-tonicas, including two doubles. Ouch!

Three of us returned to my house where I had one more beer and talked to J Wynn, while Kiznox proceeded to promptly pass out on the futon. good times

Karaoke Round-Up 7/30/07

In what was probably one of the most successful karaoke nights so far, performances were top notch from both our participants and the others in the bar. A quick summary of events:
-Somehow Cottonmouth was able to somehow make it through Radiohead's "Creep" without cracking and making an ass of himself. He was very proud.
-There was an amazing rendition of "Unchained Melody" by a cute boy who got a standing ovation.
-Scott and Cottonmouth rocked(ish) the shortest version of NIN's "Closer" ever with crowd pleasing results.
-Phil's Copacabana prompted an elderly couple to get up and dance together at like 1am. Rock on grandpa!

Known issues:
-Presence of Anthony Markwort, Cottonmouth's ex-best friend who would take every moment to talk about himself and brag. If you speak a word about yourself to him (i.e. get a word in edgewise) he sometimes just stops talking to you.
-Nate, Annie and J Wynn got pulled over and had to breathalize - J Wynn, having the lowest BAC was forced to drive home. Unsure of Nate's legal status

Funny Note:
-My mom asked me the next day "You didn't drive last night, did you?" "Of course not!" I replied. "Good, because you were really drunk last night. I could hear you stumbling around upstairs."

Bar Talk: Top 10 Favorite Bands of All Time

OK I know I'm way late but... I'm bored

Honorable Mentions
(To clarify this, I think all of these bands are amazing, but I'm reserving the top 10 for bands that I know most/all of their music and that I listen to continuously)
in no particular order:
The Beatles
Pink Floyd
Queen
Gorillaz
BT
Smashing Pumpkins
Silverchair
Minus the Bear
Ben Folds Five
Elliot Smith
Rufus Wainwright
Count Zero
(I know there's a lot, shut up!)

And NOW
the top 10





#11 Brand New - WHAT?! Mark's not allowed to do a top 11 is he?!?!?! Well here's the deal - in honesty, I listen to #11 more than I do #10 because I truly am a child of the nineties, but I strongly believe #10 is a better band. So that's how I justify it. Anyway...

#11 Brand New - I don't venture into the emo realm very often, but Brand New is a notable exception. Their lyrical ability shines on the band's second release, Deja Entendu, which proved that emo doesn't all have to be about crying over a break-up. Some song subjects range from a guy seducing a drunk girl in the wonderfully creepy "Me vs Maradona vs Elvis", to the loss of innocence in "Sic Transit Gloria: Glory Fades". Especially notable is their ability to write varied, accessible music. They're just an overall great band.
Favorite Song: Okay, I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don't

#10 Led Zepplin - Hearing live recordings of them is just unbelievable. Their music defined a generation and influenced probably thousands of musicians afterwards. Never since Led Zepplin can we truly say that we gave the world rock gods. They weren't afraid to push the envelope, with songs ranging from the slow, introspective "No Quarter" to the epic "Achilles Last Stand" to the bluesy "Dazed and Confused. They could do it all - and that's exactly what they did.
Favorite Song: Kashmir

#9 Beck - From the moment I heard his first popular single, the mopey "Loser", I knew I would be a fan. Beck's music is everywhere, used as transition music on radio stations, in television specials, commercials - and the best part about that? His music has not suffered for commercial success. His singles are staples on most major radio stations, like "Where It's At", "The New Pollution", "Sexx Laws", "Beautiful Way", "E-Pro", "Devil's Haircut" - and the list goes on and on. Able to produce incresingly unique albums, while still keeping his trademark sound, Beck is liable to be around for a while. Also he uses crazy puppets in his live show. It is nuts.
Favorite Song: Get Real Paid

#8 The Mars Volta - This band is basically what you get when you combine punk, psychadelic, progressive rock, and a complete loss of grip on reality. Despite the difficult time one has understanding their lyrics (seeing as how they speak a mixed-up, schizophrenic version of English), their albums are always thought provoking, and follow a concept that people devote entire websites to translating from Mars Volta-speak to normal English. Having seen them live, they know how to put on a great show, love to jam and use obscene numbers of people to participate in the dense music making.
Favorite Song: Viscera Eyes

#7 DJ Shadow - Trip-Hop legend DJ Shadow is a force to behold when you see him live - emplosive and trippy images accompany his unbelievable turntable abilities. He is able to seamlessly integrate portions from certain tracks into others to give each live show a complete unique sound. Everything he attaches his name to is thought out from the first second to the last, and it's impossible to hear his music and not want to dance. I also include UNKLE's first album under this number, because 90% of it is courtesy of Shadow.
Favorite Song: The Number Song

#6 Nine Inch Nails - It is almost unfair for me to put this band on this list considering I only got into them less than a week ago, but it's honestly like this band is an addiction of mine. I have already bought three albums, and plan to buy the others soon. Every dark, grinding, emotional song gets into my head so intensely that I feel like my thoughts sound differently now. The music is so beautiful in its own unique way. Trent Reznor's ability to create a cohesive album is unparalleled, and I think that "The Downward Spiral" and "The Fragile" are the greatest concept albums I've ever heard. Bonus points for sheer musicality, using rhythms and tone colors Stravinsky would have envied. Give me a few months and this band may even move up a few spots...
Favorite Song: The Fragile

#5 Umphrey's McGee - In my opinion, the undisputed kings of the jam music scene. With hundreds of songs in their repertoire of original material, and another couple hundred covers, of everything from the Beatles to Toto to Smashing Pumpkins. They tour pretty much constantly throughtout the year, generally playing two to four hours of sweeping jams and mind-boggling guitar solos. They never play the same show twice, and every show is a completely different experience to the listener. Their studio albums, though underappreciated compared to their live act, are all tight and varied, with a great usage of the benefits of the studio.
Favorite Song: Bright Lights, Big City

#4 311 - Another band you just can't help but dance to. Their live show is awesome, their music is fun and funny, and every track across their eight major albums is amazing, and they have experienced basically no dip in popularity since their first big release almost fifteen years ago. Their singles are known my pretty much everyone everywhere, and they are known for their catchy infectious riffs. Can't wait to see them in a few weeks!
Favorite Song: Omaha Stylee

#3 Incubus - Another band on my list which went through a big change throughout their career, from their Primus-inspired roots to the pop-rock stardom they've achieved today. Incubus became a household name after their release of the single "Pardon Me", and since then have been dominating alternative radio stations with each release. The concert we attanded last thursday was absolutely unbelievable, busting out basically whatever they wanted from their whole career, including some amazing, guitar heavy songs from "A Crow Left of the Murder" along with their new favorites "Anna Molly" and "Dig". Brandon Boyd sings like an angel and is also hot as hell and likes to take his shirt off. :)
Favorite Song: Just a Phase

#2 Muse - Finally having shucked the critics' beliefs of being Radiohead wannabes, with their newest cd, Muse is basically on top of the world. They have had 15 singles on four albums, and are currently wowing crowds with their high impact live show. Their music is like minimalism meets angry rock. Especially on their sophomore release "Origin of Symmetry", lead singer Matt Bellamy is not afraid to scream and wail, in complete contrast to his normal vocal crooning or ridiculously high melodies (that rival even Freddie Mercury's range). Owing to their recent success, they have already announced a return to the studio for a new album, probably due out late next year. Thank God.
Favorite Song: Space Dementia

#1 Radiohead - are my idols. They have continuously reinvented themselves with cds that range from poppy acoustic songs to full blown techno, and yet when you hear them scroll through their repertoire in concert, they are so consistent in their sound that you'd never question that the songs belong to different genres. Thom Yorke sings amazingly, and there is not a track they've released (since their questionable premiere album, Pablo Honey) that I do not have the utmost respect for. This review also includes Thom Yorke's "The Eraser", which although is not part of the band's repertoire, still shares a lot of similarity with their b-sides.
Favorite Song: How To Disappear Completely

I can't get back to sleep

So I'm already awake at 7:30 because my dad is on a conference call in the next room, and he's a deaf old man so he has it on speakerphone on the loudest setting. So I'm posting

Karaoke is an interesting affair. Last night was definitely the most painful of the nights we heard, but there were some really good people. The main thing I've always wondered is this: I consider myself to be a talented singer. But put me up on stage with the words in front of me, and it is usually a disaster. I did manage to not make a TOTAL ass of myself singing "Your Woman" by whitetown, but come on eileen was awful (I TOLD Scott I didn' know any of the words to the verses, but did he listen? No...).
A plea to sorostitute types who do karaoke. If you're unwilling to sing a song by myself, you will not end up singing better with your two best girlfriends. Having three people in the group and holding a mike does not make you the dixie chicks - chances are, if you're completely tone-deaf, throwing your two best tone-deaf friends in the mix will likely not turn out so well. I don't mean to be totally elitist, but if I have to hear another group of people caterwauling in the completely wrong key I might start punching babies.
Speaking of punching babies, highlight of last night: The approximately six-year-old child that was just running loose in the bar. Our pal Phil managed to scare him out of where he was hiding with his karaoke stylings, and so out of nowhere, a little kid went running through the bar. Little children in completely inappropriate places makes me happy. Hell, my dad used to take us out to the pub after his rugby games all the time. Then my sister hit puberty and his team-mates started making comments so it wasn't family pub time anymore. Also I'm pretty sure people got really drunk and started acting completely inappropriately. Ah those were the days...
So back to karaoke. Basically my problem is this: every popular song from the last 40 years or so is part too high for me to sing. What's with that? Whatever happened to crooners like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin? I mean I love Incubus, but if Brandon Boyd sings any higher on his next cd, he might break the sound barrier. Can anybody honestly sing along to the refrain of dig without singing completely falsetto? I mean it's goregeous, but I know girls who wouldn't feel comfortable singing up there. I'll have to get real drunk for that concert. This thursday - fuck yeah!

PS Brandon Boyd, you are still the love of my life regardless of the fact that I could never dream of singing the notes you can hit.

Guitar Hero 80s edition comes out today. I'll have to con one of my ps2-owning friends into buying it. I have to admit, a few more well-known songs would have been appreciated (I still can't believe they didn't put on my sharona. That song rocks) but it'll be nice to maybe play a few different tracks. I'm just waiting for GH3. Although I'm not buying it because I don't want to be a lazy shit this year at school.

Continuation from last night: being stoned and listening to NIN is fucking awesome. I got the new album (which is amazing) and the remastered edition of The Downward Spiral, a cd I can't believe I haven't bought yet. It's so angry and vulgar I just can't help but feel great when singing along. My new favorite quote (from I Do Not Want This):

I want to know everything
I want to be everywhere
I want to fuck everyone in the world
I want to do something that matters

I mean, there's no question, that is really fucking hot. It's intense, aggressively egotistical, and it's the type of thought you have when that little devil pops up on your shoulder and you smile to yourself for knowing that the human mind is capable of being so dark and arrogant. Trent Reznor is the man.

Drunken Epiphany

I'm a useless waste of space. I had ample opportunity to talk to many a hot chick tonight and I did jack shit. I guess waiting for a girl to come up and talk to my ugly ass is way too much to ask.

P.S. I drove home drunk tonight. It was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. I am so sorry.

Tonight...

Whats a guy to do on a Saturday night?

Surely there can be something fun and exciting for me to do.

Phone call...please hold...

Whats that? "Bar," you say?

Where the fuck are my keys?

~An ode to fantastic phone calls.

Bar Talk: Top 10 Favorite Bands of All Time

We all have our favorite bands, ones that we will listen to when we are excited, when we are depressed, when we are just relaxing, or when we simply want to sing. These are the bands that have always done those things for me. Nothing beats driving with the windows down, the bass up, the music blaring, and singing every lyric to every song. That, my friends, is heaven. I will never be able to do this list justice as there are many bands that deserve to be listed, but to me these bands are ones I can always turn on when I simply want to drive and jam.

10. 311

This band mixes many different types of music from hip hop to punk rock to funk. Yet without failure they can play you a slow song (i.e. a cover of the Cure's "Love Song") also. Having seen the band in concert twice (with #3 coming next month) they have won me over on some songs I did not like otherwise. Plus without a doubt anyone who listens to their music would love nothing more than to go to one "311 day" (Held March 11) in New Orleans is out of their fucking mind.
Favorite song: I'll Be Here Awhile

9. Ozzy Osbourne

I agree with Hock that the man cannot speak English (nor speak period) very well but when he sings you listen. The man has made some of the most recognizable songs in history either by himself or with Black Sabbath. He commands respect when he stands at that microphone...plus he is just a little south of crazy. Ozzfest is also a concert I would love to attend one day, just to say that I did.
Favorite song: Perry Mason

8. Incubus

I've never been the biggest Incubus fan you will ever see but dammit if they don't suck me in every single time I put on a song. From "Make Yourself" to "Light Grenades" Incubus has found new ways to top the charts year in and year out. Incubus also does a fantastic job with their DVD releases of their live concerts (one of which I own: "Live at Red Rocks"). I have also seen them live several times (with Hock) and we are in agreement that they can rock like nobody else.
Favorite song: Privilege

7. Fuel

This was the first band I ever saw in concert and they will always hold a special place in my heart for that. It was St. Andrews Hall in Detroit and they blew the roof off. There is not one song on their CD Natural Selection that will find you not wanting to turn up the volume and rock to it. Brett Scallions as the voice of Fuel will be missed, as he departed the band last year, but he left us with some fantastic songs like "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)", "Sunburn", and "Bad Day." Now the torch is passed to Toryn Green (former lead singer of Something To Burn) who takes the reins of a band that has a wonderful future ahead of them. If you want to hear their new stuff with the new lead singer, the new CD "Angels and Devils" will be coming out August 7, 2007 and their new single "Wasted Time" is currently out on the radio and iTunes.
Favorite song: Sunburn & Hemorrhage (In My Hands)

6. Linkin Park

There is something about this band that simply makes them one of my favorites but it is difficult to pinpoint just one reason. I have not seen them in concert (yet) but the first CD I owned "Hybrid Theory" was one that first turned me onto the band. This was the time I was coming into touch with hard rock and they were a definition of that with songs like "Crawling" and "One Step Closer." The continued to win me over with their mixture of guitars, keyboards, and drums with their CD "Meteora" and songs like "Breaking the Habit" and "Numb." The new CD "Minutes to Midnight" was several years in the making, and time spent by me upset a new CD was not out, but was worth the wait. When Chester and Mike stand up at the microphone, either together or separate, I know that we are ready to rock.
Favorite song: Leave Out All The Rest

5. Aerosmith

I know that some of you reading this who know me may be surprised by this one. This is one of the bands that I grew up listening to with my dad before I knew what music I really liked. I remember sitting in the backseat driving to the Detroit Lions games and singing "Love In An Elevator." True, I did not know all the words, but something about that song, and many others, had me tappin' my toes and ready to sing. Aerosmith has defined many generations of music and continue to do so, or at least try, to this day. Steven Tyler's voice is unmistakable and Joe Perry's guitar skills are unbelievable. Aerosmith has entertained fans for many years and they released their first album almost ten years before I was even born! They are currently working on their 15th studio album, slated for release next year.
Favorite song: Love In An Elevator

4. Queen

I would have liked to put this band lower on my list but I would feel that would not do the lower ones, that I have liked for longer, justice. That is not to take a single thing away from this terrific band. They have been a mainstay of pop culture and music for a very long time. Unfortunately their band is linked with another singer who left us too soon in Freddie Mercury. AIDS awareness was raised by his death, so it was not in vain. Hearing Mercury's voice with Brian May on guitar and Roger Taylor on drums is enough to make you pay attention. The band found new life with Paul Rodgers after Mercury's death and, from what I hear, will be producing a new album and will tour again in 2008!
Favorite song (with Mercury): Fat Bottomed Girls
Favorite song (with Rodgers): The Show Must Go On

3. Rascal Flatts

Here resides my country section of the Top 10. A major reason for my liking of this band is the fact that I was not the one to discover it for myself. An ex of mine turned me onto this band while we were dating and it has stuck with me ever since. They have released four major CDs in their years together and I could probably sing you every song off of every one. Gary, Jay, and Joe Don have grown with each album yet their overall sound has remained true to form. When you cannot pick one single song as your favorite (don't worry I will) because you are torn amongst ten, that says something about how much this band gets to you. Also, I have seen them in concert several times and have never been disappointed.
Favorite song: Waiting All My Life

2. Metallica

The band that defines heavy metal, it does not get much better than that. Hetfield's vocals are a definition and a staple of Metallica and it's fans. I grew up with this band as well, listening to the Black album in the backseat of my dad's car. "King Nothing" was constantly sung by my brother and I. This band has been through death, alcoholism, drugs, and new band mates and yet has survived to produce some of the greatest music ever written. The guitar solos are simply amazing to listen to and Lars on the drums always keeps the beat going in every song. I agree with Hock when he mentioned the "Mandatory Metallica" makes the band just that great.
Favorite song: King Nothing

1. Disturbed

They simply rock. Down to my core and those of their loyal and adoring fans. I have seen them live several times also and they never cease to amaze me, especially this last years performance at Cobo Arena in Detroit. This was shortly after the release of their latest album "Ten Thousand Fists" and the pyrotechnics, the lights, and the stage were absolutely fantastic. They got everyone on their feet, except maybe Kiznox, on every song. For those fans of the band you know there is nothing better than rockin' out to "Down With The Sickness" live and in living color, or even on your own at home. They are my favorite hard rock band and they continue to amaze me with every new CD.
Favorite song: Stupify

Honorable mention: 12 Stones, System of a Down, Green Day, Alice in Chains, ZZ Top

Bar Talk: Top 10 Favorite/Best Bands of All Time

So, we were drinking at the bar tonight, watching a bunch of music videos that were played on the TV because Mondays are music video nights and we come up with the idea of a top 10 list of what we think the best bands of all time are. Now, this will be very biased, due to the fact that they are our opinions and our favorite bands, so just bear with us. These are the bands that I can listen to over and over again without getting annoyed with it. Also, this was extremely hard to narrow down to just 10, as there are so many good ones out there. My list is as follows:

10. Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath
Sure, he doesn't speak English very well. Sure, he's a crazy fucker who bit the head off of a bat. None of that matters when he picks up a microphone and starts singing. I just love his voice, it has a soothingly rock style. He brought us Ozzfest, along with some of the best songs ever.
Favorite Song: No More Tears

9. Jimi Hendrix
He was one of the best guitar players ever, in the history of the world. He also had an amazing voice to go along with his insane guitar work. His rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock is absolutely astounding. He definitely died way too young and if he was still alive, he would still be doing some amazing work.
Favorite Song: Purple Haze

8. Nine Inch Nails
Industrial rock shines with NIN. They have some of the best sounding songs I have ever heard. They have a wide range of songs, from the pseudo-ballad "Hurt" to the extremely graphic "Closer" that shows they have the skills to play everything and do it amazingly well.
Favorite Song: Closer

7. Alice In Chains
Another player in the grunge rock movement, they are simply amazing. Jerry Cantrell wails on the guitar, while Lane Staley (another singer to leave us too soon) has the voice that just works. If the new singer can come close to what Staley did, then this band is back.
Favorite Song: No Excuses

6. The Beatles
A band that my parents grew up with, still remains one of the best ever. They put out album after album and didn't disappoint. The British foursome seems to receive a new fan everyday, even though they have been disbanded for decades.
Favorite Song: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

5. Nirvana
Without Nirvana, there would of been no grunge movement. Kurt Cobain, rest in peace, was a tortured soul and his songs and eventual suicide prove it. But don't let that turn you off from this band. They are one of the greatest 90's bands ever.
Favorite Song: Heart Shaped Box

4. Pink Floyd
Psychedelic rock shines with Pink Floyd. Another band my parents grew up with and another that grew on me. Their album "Dark Side of the Moon" is one of the best albums ever made by any band. Not only can it be synced up with the movie "The Wizard of Oz" but it is an absolutely brilliant album. They are just awesome.
Favorite Song: Time

3. Incubus
Having actually seen this band live, I can guarantee you that they put on one hell of an awesome show. This is one very talented band that, hopefully, will continue to produce albums. If you need some proof that they are an awesome band, pick up a copy of "Make Yourself" or "Morning View" trust me, you won't be disappointed.
Favorite Song: The Warmth

2. Metallica
Metal was brought back because these guys simply rock. They are relentless with their execution of their songs. With the use of dual guitars, along with James Hetfield's vocals, they have produced some of the most amazing sounding songs I've ever heard. When several radio stations have a "mandatory Metallica" spot, you know that this band has to be great.
Favorite Song: Fuel

1. Led Zeppelin
It's freakin' Led Zeppelin. 'Nuff said.
Favorite Song: No Quarter


Honorable mentions: The Doors, 311, Umphrey's McGee, Tool, Aerosmith, and The Police

Breaking out the Classics...

This is one of the best Op/Ed pieces that I have read in a college paper...and it is so, so true.

"Recently, a few friends and I coined a term that I love. Never before, in recent memory, has a phrase stirred my mind's eye or filled my heart with such hilarity. The term to which I refer is, of course, "The Ugly Lights." What are The Ugly Lights? When does one see them? Why are they so damn ugly? How do they have anything to do with sex?

The Ugly Lights are those especially bright lights that are turned on near closing time in a bar. A staple of bar-goer lore, children of The Ugly Lights respect them and know them well. Thou shalt not disrespect The Ugly Lights, for they shalt disrespect you back. If alcohol is a social lubricant, The Ugly Lights are a dry fuck with the lights on.

In the strictest sense, "ugly" refers not to the lights themselves necessarily, but to the people now illuminated by the lights. You see, the dimly lit landscape of the bar scene before last call provides ultimate seclusion and an element of mystery for every insecure 20- or 30-something who dares dabble in New York nightlife. Cloaked in the velvet backdrop of the crowded bar, patrons revel in the consistent yet timid flicker of candles and bouncing shadows produced by faintly lit lamps. Sexual prowlers, now armed with anonymity and a vodka-cran, can roam freely and comfortably while seeking sexual diversion.

But at 4 a.m. the jaunty sexual antics end. In a broader sense, "ugly" refers to the events that may ensue at closing time when the loss of both booze and ambiguity comes to fruition. Maybe a fight breaks out. Maybe you momentarily make eye contact with someone you made out with at the bar last month. Maybe you bump into your ex, who then gives you a full discourse on how you wronged him or her or both during the relationship and during its dissolution. Closing time at a bar isn't a pretty sight-the ugly lights complement ugly business.

As members of the elite group of individuals who enjoy a tasty beverage far too often, we have a duty to our fellow drinkers to go forth and add ... no, force this term into the general bar vernacular. And it already has begun. The other night several friends and I were out at a bar and I asked the bartender, "How long until The Ugly Lights come on?" The bartender responded, "What are the ... Oh, about 15 minutes." One down and 10 million more New Yorkers to go.

Sexual networking in the bar/nightclub scene provides an advantage over typical meet-and-greets: 1) There's alcohol; 2) It's dark; and 3) It's loud. No one knows your name or your face and the music is too loud to discuss the weather or politics. It provides maximum exposure with very little pressure. It's like being on a date with hundreds of people you don't know very well and knowing that afterwards they'll definitely be some nookie in sight. Don't believe me? Since February 14, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has provided free NYC-themed condoms to hundreds of bars and their patrons across the city-a list of these establishments is available online. Someone in their offices recognized the power of The Ugly Lights, no doubt.

An occasional romp in such a setting is fine by me, but don't throw caution to the wind. In my opinion, those who frequent these nocturnal hotspots all too often aren't usually of the dating caliber, and The Ugly Lights remind us of this.

The moment of The Ugly Light is a defining one for every bar-goer. It is here that any haziness vanishes and life comes into blinding focus. Like looking into Stephen King's Dead Lights, one is rooted to the floor unable to conjure any kind of thought or will any kind of movement. Only seconds away from being corralled out the door by the now not-so-friendly bar-backs and bouncers, the patron is faced with the unenviable task of surveying the vast wasteland of desperation and deciding whether to walk home alone or with company. For the followers of The Ugly Lights are a self-selecting breed. People possessing any kind of sexual orb have invoked their wizardry long ago and since left the bar with a hottie or two by their side. What remains is the seedy underbelly of the bar. Once cloaked in dim light and loud music, it now lies fully exposed.

And so, friends, take this lesson: The Ugly Lights are a power not to be feared or shunned, but rather to be used with knowing caution and restraint. Wielded wisely and respectfully while monitoring your alcohol consumption and allowing thoughts of safer sex to dance through your head, they can be used to your advantage. Allow them into your life every now and again, but don't abuse them.

The next time you find yourself bathed in The Ugly Lights, please remember: you're not still there because you couldn't find a hookup, nor are you still there because you're ugly. You're still there because you want to be. You have a good reason. And that smell of desperation? That's coming from the other children."

And now for a quick summary...

But only if you come to terms with the fact that quick generally means long-winded.

I am back from the wedding and back from the few days I was without computer access. So how about an inside look into my wonderful life since then?

(and bullet points are just keen)

Friday

• Arrived in Albany, NY fairly unscathed but exhausted from the flight and the constant rushing around airports. The 7 minutes that I had to get to my next flight were rough, as the gate that I needed to get to was roughly further away from me than my graduation date.
• Decided, around noon, that Ipods are the greatest fucking invention ever. Also, wondered why the hell my phone does not have the same battery life.
• Went to the tux shop. Fuck the tux shop. I hated those bitches. Somehow, it would seem, that my neck being a 15 1/2 dictates that I have a shirt with the chest and abdominal measurements of a sumo wrestler or possibly a manatee. And heaven forbid I ask for something that might fit me a little better! The charcoal weary eyes of the woman behind the counter instantly shifted from the daze only held by someone contemplating suicide or a handy rampage through her place of employment to a severely fiery "fuck you, and fuck no am I going to waste my precious time looking for a better fitting shirt you out of town fuck." Its true, though, NY really has gotten friendlier.
• Played softball at a gorgeous park near my brother's cottage. Played well, actually. The Cox on Cox battle that was my brother pitching with me swinging brought me 2 doubles, 4 base hits, and 5 RBIs. Beautiful. Until my brother dislocated his left shoulder on the last swing of the game, which was caught by our second basemen. Oddly enough, it was our third basemen who had a medical background and was able to pop it back into place.
• The rehearsal was great. In fact, it was how I would hope any rehearsal would go for a wedding. Yes, all of the boring parts were included. "Stand here" and "read this when they announce this" and all of us felt shamed into wearing suits. So there we stood, the wedding party, outside in 90 degree weather, sweating our balls off, fighting off flies that love sweat oh so much, with BEER AND NOT COMPLAINING. And that is how you know you have a superb wedding planner.
• Dinner was interesting. It mostly consisted of appetizers and beer. Though, when I tried to order a Bud Light, the woman looked at me like I was absolutely crazy. What did they have on tap? Pipi's, (and no, not the Longstocking) Kell's, (a decent draft, but a tad bit irony) and DogFishead Ale, (which tastes exactly how it sounds)
• Then my brother and his wife asked that everybody tell stories about them. Fucking great idea. I loved it. Everyone was drunk, the stories were truly amazing and so well told, and it did not take four hours of the wedding the next day.

Saturday

• After having slept on the most comfortable couch ever, I woke with a supremely disappointing headache, a dry mouth rivalling sandpaper and cotton, and no clue as to where the hell I had placed my glasses.
• The Wedding party assembled at the Inn for pictures around noon. Drinking commenced almost immediately. Billiards were also played.
• The wedding photographer was amazing. I have no idea how they found him, but I can only imagine that the two of them followed a rainbow to his home. This man, no taller than a bar stool, danced around more merrily than any leprechaun I have ever imagined.
• The wedding itself was gorgeous, and my quick moment reading a Maya Angelou poem went as smoothly as it could have gone. Interestingly enough, staring at the crowd really helped more than I thought it would have. Probably because I was nearly drunk and my brother has some really beautiful friends.
• And the reception. Oh the reception. The bar was open, the food was a delicious buffet, the bride and groom were swooning over each other, the bar was open, my mother was having a great time and actually danced, the bar was open, my brother gave a rousing speech that I hope to someday rival, the women were amazing, the bar was open, and everything was wonderful.
• I made out with a fucking beautiful Asian. Thank you, Jesus.
• The bar was open.

Sunday

• Another day of car rides, waiting, and plane trips. I spent roughly 5 hours at the airport in Albany before my flight took off. Not because the flight was delayed, but because my ride to the airport was driving and wanted to get as much time in on the road as possible.
• Another moment where I say the Ipods are the greatest invention ever. And hooray for their battery life.
• Cell phones are also a great thing to have. Especially when one is increasingly bored and looking for something to do. Friends are also helpful, even though we all know that nobody wants to talk to an energetic and impatient Me.
• After landing in Chicago I made my way toward the next gate. This time I was at the airport for 2 or 3 hours....and this time it was because the fucking flight was delayed.
• I arrived at Metro at 1am. The flight attendant had told me that we would not be arriving until 130am. Consequently, my friends who were coming to pick me up were planning for a 140ish-am curbside pick-up. Fuck you, United flight attendant. Thanks for the screw up that allowed for me to sit on a dirty curb for 40 minutes waiting for my ride.
• I finally got home. And I realized that I had never wanted to leave.

So that was my trip. I come home legally bound to an Italian family, and able to put a partial check mark on my Asian to-do list.

Reflecting on the whole situation, I am pretty happy and impressed with weddings. It always seems to be the best day of the Bride and Grooms lives...and I can see why.

Happy Memorial Day!

Its strange...I really have no idea how I feel about this holiday. I mean, for the current war that is going on. Actually, I might just have to consider myself such a hippie that I have a hard time really feeling anything about this holiday for anyone other than the draftees of Vietnam and the wars prior. (I mean, you gotta take out Hitler.) We run a volunteer army. As such, I have a hard time really finding that warm spot in my heart for people who voluntarily got themselves into this quasi-war. Yet, there's the rub. How can I not feel for these people who may have volunteered with the same information that the country was given for initially getting into this mess. So here we are, at this weird little crossroad, and I stand perplexed with flags at half mast.

Other thoughts:
*So Scotty is turning 21. Interesting. I wonder if he'll actually be a bit more social now that he can actually go to the bars and hang out with a crowd. I hope so. It could do the guy some good.
*Excited for the Family Guy season opener. Basically, anybody that is willing to do Star Wars is going to skyrocket their ratings. And rightfully so. (thanks for the tip, B)
*Also, that Robot Chicken rendition of Star Wars looks fucking amazing.
*Transformers is going to save Michael Bay's career. Or completely fucking tank it.
*Pudge Rodriguez may have carved the Grand Canyone with his freakish jaw. Its possible. I swear.

And best of all.....

Its RetroWeek at YesButNoButYes.com...hooray!

http://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/2007/05/retro_week_ode.html

http://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/2007/05/retro_week.html