A quick one, while he's away.

Just wanted to mention this, I suppose this will be a good place to find the heavy stuff for SXSW. Another showcase has been announced, this time from Detroit MI's Small Stone Records. If you love weed, booze, riffs, or all three, chances are you dig these bands. Here's the skinny:

The Small Stone Showcase @ SXSW 2008 will take place on Friday March, 14th at The Room 710 in Austin, TX - (512) 476-0997. We will be taking over the 710 for the entire afternoon & evening of rawk and what not. The final line up this year is the following:

Night (the Official SXSW Showcase)

8pm Shame Club
9pm A Thousand Knives Of Fire
10pm Roadsaw
11pm Dixie Witch
12 mid Puny Human
1am Sasquatch

Day Party (Free Grub & Free Entry)

1pm Dead End Lake
2pm Blood Of The Sun
3pm Tia Carrera
4pm Iota
5pm SuperHeavyGoatAss


You bet your ass I'll be there.

There's nothing wrong with Molly Hatchet.

I'm being serious. Why is it necessary to knock bands like this? Yeah, their fan base is mostly made up of people whose family trees have no branches, but that's no reason to not indulge in riff-rock boogies now and then. Case in point: "Fall Of The Peacemakers", an 8-minute epic with all the makings of a "Freebird" or a "Green Grass & High Tides", yet it's been unjustly forgotten by the rock masses. Fuck it, I'm bringing it back. Call up your nearest cock-rock radio station and request it. Or download it, but don't ask me where. I'm a sap that doesn't know the free sites.

Yes, I still buy CDs. I enjoy buying CDs. The used section at the local FYE is wonderful. I can go in there and methodically go through each letter, perhaps coming across a buried gem. Like yesterday, I picked up these albums:

Fu Manchu - King Of The Road
Type O Negative - October Rust
Cathedral - The Ethereal Mirror
Sepultura - Morbid Visions (!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Yes, I found the first Sepultura album in a fucking FYE for 6 dollars! Try doing that at a Virgin megastore. I got all 4 of these albums for less than 30 dollars. "Yeah", you might say, "but I downloaded them all for free rofl!!1". Well guess what, Sally: I've got the artwork and an actual physical product in my hands. What happens when your computer crashes? Oh noes!

I'm not knocking everyone who downloads all their music. I've done it with a few songs and albums here and there, singles and other stuff I can't find elsewhere. It's a good thing to do with bands you're not sure of yet, too. I downloaded an Angel Corpse album, and totally dug it so now I'll most likely buy a CD of theirs next time. What I can't stand are the elitist pricks that think buying CDs is for "sheep" or "consumer whores". Hey asshole, it's not like I'm clamoring for the next Timberlake album. 95% of what I buy is on independent labels or at shows directly from the band, so it's helping in a small way. Music Nazi punks fuck off!

I was going to do an album review, but I don't feel like it anymore. Here's today's cool live video: Napalm Death in Vienna last March.

The Big Bang

So, this is where it all begins. I'd like to go into intricate details on numerous topics...but not now. Some other time. I'm tired.

Since this will primarily be a music-related outlet, I'll start off with my top 10 albums of 2007. Here it is:

BARONESS - The Red Album
PIG DESTROYER - Phantom Limb
DOWN - III: Over The Under
A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS - s/t
WITCHCRAFT - The Alchemist
MAYLENE & THE SONS OF DISASTER - II
THE RED CHORD - Prey For Eyes
KING DIAMOND - Give Me Your Soul...Please
NUNSLAUGHTER - Hex

There are plenty of honorable mentions as well:

Zozobra - Harmonic Tremors
A Life Once Lost - Iron Gag
The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying

Now I know I'm probably missing a lot of hipster indie shit that indicates supposedly "good" musical taste. You know what? Fuck you. Yeah, I have A Place To Bury Strangers on my top 10. I work for them, so go ahead and call me biased. But if they sucked, I wouldn't. And they don't, hence the top 10 position. They're the most aggressive, abrasive, exciting band in this whole mess and I wouldn't have anything to with them otherwise. So there. Don't believe me? Check this out.

I'm coming from a metal background, so I've had the fortune to come into this other New York/Pitchfork/wherever scene with fresh ears. Four months ago, you could have played me a Battles song right after a Holy Fuck song and I would've thought it was the same band. Hell, I probably still would now. (And admit it, you argyle-sweater-wearing indie Nazi, you can't tell the difference either.)

So go ahead, make fun of the mongoloid metal guy who doesn't know what he's talking about. I've got a Master's in Say It To My Face And I'll Prove You Wrong Before Melting Your Face.

So, we've gotten that out of the way. On to other things.

The End Records has announced their SXSW showcase lineup, which is:

March 15th, 2008
The Ale House

ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO
JARBOE
TUB RING
MADE OUT OF BABIES
NADJA
GIANT

This is a great bill, showcasing some serious talent and energetic live acts. Giant is The End's newest band, I've heard nothing but good things about them and can't wait to see them in the flesh.

There will be album reviews, show reviews and all kinds of fun shit in future entries, but like I said, I'm tired and that'll be all for now. I will, however, end each entry with an awesome obscure live video. So here's some vintage Corrosion Of Conformity, from my beloved state of Connecticut.

The Man has left the building.