divots in wax

somehow i always have money to afford new music. that may be the one steady economical trend that has existed over the past decade+ of my life. i have a formidable collection of Radio Kaos receipts to confirm that, as well as shine a light on my maturation in music. i have physical evidence of everything from coal chamber to slayer to elliott smith to eyedea and abilities (and then usually back to slayer). i also still have an odd practice of smelling new cd's when i open them. for some reason a familiar smell takes me back to the joy and stress of buying new music to hide from my parents. some cd's have THAT smell, others don't. even though i was older and didn't have to hide music anymore, when i bought Agoraphobic Nosebleed's "Frozen Corpse Stuffed with Dope" it had that smell. most likely because it's one of the sickest pieces of musical terrorism ever.
though i'm now over a hundred miles away from my beloved Radio Kaos, it's still hard NOT to make weekly trips to what is easily one of my favorite places in Madison, Ear Wax Records. i remember blood rushing to both my heart and groin when i first walked in some years ago, and nearly every trip to Madison involved a stop inside the store. i think Amoeba in LA has a pretty awesome metal section and all, but Ear Wax is top notch because it IS metal. so i do have to go elsewhere to get my indie fix, but i can live with that. happily.
since i've moved to Madison i think i've made 5 trips to Ear Wax, but walked away with only 2 cds. the rest of my purchases have been strictly vinyl, as it has become my preferred format lately. in fact my last 3 visits have been exclusively vinyl, and the online order i placed this afternoon was 3 more LP's. yes, i am totally taking part in the hip reemergence of vinyl. owning a cd isn't what it used to be. ever since i bought a computer, all cds have gone straight into digital form for my ipod and some are rarely played again. you can probably see where one might cut out a step in that process.
now it started out that i would only get really sludgy stoner stuff on vinyl, but i've been expanding on that ever since. im at the point to where i am now buying albums on vinyl that i already own on cd. that's not to say i have a huge vinyl collection because i certainly do not, but i have no qualms about repurchasing music that i like on a different format. i just bought 2 Daughters LP's that i already own, and i plan on buying Gaza's latest once the mighty slab of hardcore is finally delivered on wax. i certainly don't go out of my way to buy stuff i already have, but albums i really like and usually listen to all the way through are strong candidates.
artwork is another consideration that cannot be overlooked. there are some awesome possibilities that the gatefold holds that cd's just can't deliver, the most basic being size. take any album cover you like, now imagine it 6 times bigger. yeah.
to make a final point, buying vinyl is just more satisfying. maybe because it is bigger i feel i'm walking away with something with more meaning attached to it. in the end it's personal preference, and i'm not saying any format is better than the other. what i am saying is that i've found a new way to have fun collecting music.

it's a capital kind of strain

this thing still exists? i thought it would have vanished from the digital realm due to my inactivity some time ago, but it remains. and perhaps more importantly, i remember the password to access it.
much has changed in the near year since my last post. i have finally uprooted myself from my hometown of Stevens Point and been transplanted in Madison. 2010 started off quite rocky, but the year has pulled a severe 180 and positive growth has been reported in each quarter. i am set to end 2010 living the dream i have had for far too long. perhaps living alone in an efficiency apartment wasn't a specific part of that dream, but alas, i'm here. dreaming.
these last 6 months have almost gone by in light speed. i doubt i could recall all the good times had if i tried. and no, not because i was blacked out all the time. though i had my moments. it was a special time and place to be, at least for me. the people i've been fortunate enough to enjoy that time with probably don't know how much i appreciate them. and really, trying to explain it would be so awkward that it would border on insincerity. but as a general shout out into the binary coded world, i want to thank everyone who has helped me live in 2010. i hope you've enjoyed my company as much as i have yours. and believe me i miss it.

i smell. i have a mustache. i listen to metal.

tuesday nights have meant quite a bit to me over the past 3+ years as i've been djing a noise/hardcore/metal show on 90FM WWSP. lately, as ive been trying my best to stay away from over consumption of alcohol and mindless exhaustion of my paychecks, tuesday nights have become more important and entertaining than friday nights. im losing the desire to surround myself with drunken nonsense, though i still have my moments.
though music has been of utmost importance to me for many years, im finding more solace in it lately as i try to stay focused on finally leaving my hometown. while i still have my nostalgic moments and memories attached to certain albums and songs, they are serving more and more as motivation rather than artifacts to keep me content with my current situation. i certainly dont look forward to the last tuesday night i will have in the air chair, but i am working on making it happen sooner rather than later.
i've been slowly and sluggishly making trips into creative endeavors i haven't made in quite some time to keep me occupied. i'm drawing with colored pencils in a journal fashion. an animated entry of whatever's on my mind every so often. i figure i don't write in my journal enough so i thought drawing on a semi regular basis may stimulate some new ideas. im still messing around with my drum machine and in garage band. i am lazily compiling lyrics for a maximum carnage themed project that may take a lifetime to complete given my sloth like tendencies. and to make matters more complex i've decided to dig up my father's old guitar and see if it still works with a friends amp. if it does, who knows what sort of improv noise is coming. if not, oh well, it was worth a shot.
of course all of this is dependent on how much time i spend with my ps3. but one thing is certain: i've been really into pantera lately.

march moustache

march has rolled around all too quickly, but with London clearing up and allowing some sunshine through for a change im not complaining. i even decided to give my tight jeans a rest and wear shorts today to appease the sun. as for the moustache im now sporting, well i have no explanation other than looking creepy is a fun hobby i exercise every now and again. onto London then....
i left off with premonitions of cannibal corpse and karaoke, both of which rocked with great vigor. i am well on my way to being recognized as a bar star for my stunning renditions of Queen songs. i did take a break this week however, as i came down with cold like symptoms. im over the worst thanks to rest, pills, and vitamin c (thanks Kirsten).
Over the past few weeks i experienced the wonders of the London Eye, eaten some most righteous kebabs, wandered Hyde Park, and got my ears cleaned out by the noise rock group Young Widows. In a most decadent display of debauchery i visited the HMV Forum this past sunday for the Church. this holy ceremony only takes place from 12-4pm on sundays, and was one of the wildest experiences of my life. i dare not disclose details, but i do believe that the extreme circumstances led to my feeling ill.
work has been work and i'll leave that at that.
tomorrow ill be paying a visit to Bath, then on to take a look around inside St. Paul's Cathedral on sunday. loads of pictures will follow.
in disappointing news, i did not act fast enough to secure tickets to see Animal Collective, as they are now sold out. another time and another place i suppose.
the Packers are laying low yet again in free agency, but should be able to add some real talent through the draft, so worrying wont start for a while yet. were I in Ted Thompson's place i wouldnt have let Chris Canty sign with the Giants. but now that he has, make a run for Igor Olshansky!!! in addition, dont let Mark Tauscher walk via free agency! i havent been able to predict draft strategies after i made the right call with AJ Hawk, but i dont think the Packers can let BJ Raji or Brian Cushing fall past the no. 9 spot. theres my two pence.
and of course, the boys in red, the Badgers, are poised to make another March Madness bid and show that defense is important come tourney time!

amsterdam, bruges, live music

im a little closer to saying ive seen enough after this past weekend. Amsterdam was not a big surprise regarding what to do, but more so on the historical side. sure the lure of sex and drugs was enticing and marks an historical date on my timeline, but the city has so much to tell in its architecture, canals, and art, among other things. i managed to get a glimpse of both worlds, as my trip included a canal tour, a tour of the heineken brewery, an art museum, cheese, clogs, and windmills. the other side included a walking tour of the red light district, the most bizaare sex shops ive ever seen, coffee shops, and Oxford Collapse playing a gig at the hotel i was booked in. i decided to leave my camera in the room as i a) didnt want to be the annoying american taking pictures of a night on the town and b) would rather not chance a facebook scandal. the only pictures i took while actually in amsterdam were of the open air courtyard at the hotel. it was a calming place when i wanted to escape people and just listen to tunes.
my camera got plenty of action in Bruges though, as the parts of the city i wandered in were absolutely beautiful. i was only allowed about 3 hours in the city, but that was enough time to grab some gummi crocodiles from a confectionary shop, eat a lamb gyro, enjoy a cool duvel, and chillax with a voluptuous mermaid. time well spent. i hope i can do it all again before Amsterdam is shut down in the coming years.
in other news ive been fortunate enough to get out and see some live music. on the 17th i strolled over to soho to see Women. the venue was Madame JoJo's and it was underground, small, and quite intimate. Women played a good set, with multiple songs turning to white noise for a climax. tonight ill be paying the Forum a visit to see long running death masters Cannibal Corpse. i havent seen them for close to 5 years, so im pretty pumped. and of course after the gig ill be returning to ISH bar to tackle some Queen in karaoke.

let there be rock

just finished my pseudo-sushi lunch and i have some time to get a blog post in during my break. today is great so far. i spilled indie tracks all over the airwaves this morning, the sun is actually shining today, and i got the cool kids in my ears. word.
last week i went down to Proud Camden to cover "AC/DC: Let There Be Rock" for Invincible. i highly advise you to check out the Proud website, www.proud.co.uk. this was the premier night for a new exhibit of rare and unseen photos of AC/DC from the 70's. they were all courtesy of Phillip Morris and the collection was quite amazing. I arrived on the guest list and helped myself to a bunch of free beer while i mixed and mingled with the crowd. i took a bunch of pictures and wrote up a review for Invincible. after 3 hours of chatting, interviewing, drinking, and taking pics the tribute band Dirty DC took the stage. im not much for tribute bands, but they pulled it off. i stayed for 3 songs then booked it. the gallery up at Proud Camden is everything from sweaty live debauchery to smoky candid studio shots. really intimate stuff that helped me realize a bit more respect for early AC/DC. select pics are up in facebook.
in other news, im booked for Amsterdam and Bruges this coming weekend, and lots of live music in the near future including: Viatrophy, Young Widows, Fleet Foxes, Cannibal Corpse, The Cure, and Crystal Castles.

i am evan's superbowl blog post

as promised i will retell my superbowl night and my opinion on the outcome. the night began at 7pm with a beer pong tournament at the ISH bar. i teamed up with my roommate Nick and we volunteered to play in the first game of the 8 team tournament. what was unfortunate about this is that the table was 3 tables put in a row, making the completed table a good 3-4 feet longer than a standard pong table. the cups we had to use were smaller than your standard 10-12 oz cups as well. nothing about this says reguation. but thats what we had to work with. the game ended up taking 35 minutes due to the near impossibility of hitting a shot. Nick and i ended up losing by 2 cups and proceeded to walk away with bruised WI reps. fittingly, after our game the consensus was to remove the shortest table to make the game more manageable. not expecting to lose that early, i found myself with 3 hours until kickoff and no desire to watch that much pregame analysis. the group of WI students/interns played a few rounds of flip cup with our left over pong cups, but one can only play it so much. i made a dash for my room to get some food and less expensive drinks, returning in time to miss a good chunk of the national anthem and see the opening kickoff.
i'll say right away that im not a fan of either arizona or pittsburg. and i dont revert to an NFC team just because the packers play in that conference. i was pulling for the steelers for the fact that they have an outstanding defense, and i greatly appreciate any good defense.
watching the defensive player of the year, James Harrison, return a pick for 100 yards was a dream come true just watching. i honestly thought after that the cardinals were done. that was a tough blow to take right before halftime, but credit their desire and passion to play for not bowing out. it's hard not to love a reciever like Larry Fitsgerald. he doesnt boast or talk trash or make everything about himself. he's a true team player, and is fun to watch. im sure he'll get a ring at some point in his career. by the time the fourth quarter rollled around it was 2.45am in london. i was crashing pretty hard, even nodding off momentarily. but thankfully i was awake to watch the magnificent final drive by big Ben and the steelers. there's nothing more that can be said about Santonio Holmes' td catch that hasnt been said already so ill leave it there. this was a fun game to watch, debatable as the best ever, but needless to say at 3.30am when the final whistle blew i was ready to get to bed. and thankfully due to the massive amount of snow that was coming down, i got to sleep in the next morning.
cheers