New to Me

By the time Earth Crisis signed to Roadrunner and released Breed the Killers I had stopped paying attention.

I've heard a few things, but for the most part, everything after Gommorah's Season Ends is a mystery to me.

Slowly but surely I'm working on rectifying that situation. Winners or losers, I'm buying it all.

Earth Crisis - Breed the Killers. Amazon.com. Used.

Import, Domestic?

There were many times I passed on this album as an import purchase.

I don't remember the cover looking like it does here on any of those occasions.

I'm positive there had been a different, better cover.

Maybe not positive. But close to it.

Alpinestars - B.A.S.I.C. Amazon.com. Used.

Costumed

I loved it. It was ridiculous, but I didn't care. I'd watch the video over and over.

I never got around to buying anything else. Even though I've wanted to purchase the full-length for a few years now. I should get on that.




Relaxed Muscle - Billy Jack/Sexualized. Amazon.co.uk. New.

Go Buy It

Bad Seed. 6131 Records. New.

Go Buy It

Narrows - New Distances. Deathwish Inc. New.

Names

Tim sent me a CD-R rip of what was to become the final demo of American Nightmare. In fact, it might be the final release as American Nightmare.

Soon it was Give Up the Ghost.

And then it was over.

American Nightmare - Love American Demo (2002-2003).

I Was a College Sell Out

I wish I still had this t-shirt. Not that you can tell, but it's a Rigged long-sleeve:


Farside - Rigged. RevHQ.com. New.

Go Buy It

Jim Gaffigan - King Baby. Target. New.

Go Buy It

Mental - Get an Oxygen Tank! Amazon.com. Used.

Go Buy It

Righteous Jams - Business as Usual. Amazon.com. Used.

No Re-Entry

A few years ago I went to The Trocadero to see Denali and Rainer Maria.

I was there for Denali more than Rainer Maria.

This turned out to be a good thing. Towards the end of Denali's set I realized I had to poop.

Sure, I could have used the restrooms at the venue, but I didn't. Instead I left the show, walking the ten painful blocks back to Cathy's apartment to take care of business.

Rainer Maria - A Better Version of Me. eBay. Used.

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Thanks to the going out of business sale of an appliance/electronics store in the Carousel Mall, I managed to pick up Olympian at a deep discount.

I had heard of them through the British music press, but had never heard them.

Avoiding import costs for a random buy is never a bad thing.

There is no harm in a little Morrissey-worship. Although others might disagree.

Gene - Olympian. Amazon.com. Used.

Go Buy It

Robes - Nothing Can Save Us.

Dial Up

In my early days of Internet use I developed an email friendship with a straight edge girl in Victoria, British Columbia. This international friendship was made possible through CompuServe.

We met once, in Philadelphia. She was on tour with her friends, Breakwater.

I wonder what happened to her.

Strain - Here and Now. Long in the Tooth. Used.

Polydor (I Should Have Known)

A few months ago an Idolator post mentioned a new three-disc Britpop compilation.

I checked the track listing to see if there were any bands I had slept on all those years ago. That's when I realized I had never heard of or heard Dubstar.

I set out to rectify that.

Dubstar - Goodbye. Amazon.com. Used.

Grease Is the Word

Anytime anyone mentioned Kenickie I could only picture Jeff Conaway.

I was setting myself up for disappointment.

Kenickie in Grease possibly knocking up a forty year old Rizzo: Cool.

Kenickie the album cover: Uncool.

I couldn't bring myself to give the album a shot because of that cover. Not to mention the back.

It's the worst.

I didn't buy the album until last month. Twelve years later.

Kenickie - At the Club. Amazon.com. Used.

Looking

This was not the Hazel album I previously owned.

This was not the Hazel album I was looking for.

Hazel? Sub Pop? I'll take it.

Hazel - Are You Going to Eat That. Long in the Tooth. Used.

Video Break

Keep In Touch

I haven't seen Heidi in over ten years.

But thanks to Facebook we've been in touch.

So when she's looking for a song via the Newsfeed, I can fill that request.

Social network magic.

The Sounds - Dying to Say This to You. Target. New.

Going Negative

People have strong opinions about Circle Storm.

These opinions are almost always negative.

For as long as I can remember people have made fun of this band.

I get it. It's not Chain of Strength. But it's not that bad.

Not that it matters. In the end Statue comes out on top.

Circle Storm - Character Assassin. Long in the Tooth. Used.

Go Buy It

Pet Shop Boys - Yes, etc. Amazon.co.uk. New.

Soft

It sounds like a continuation of Second Coming. This is definitely not how I remembered the album.

I had heard it before, so I thought I knew what I was getting into.

It is still average at best. Although it isn't terrible, as I've so often stated.

Perhaps I'm getting soft in my old age.

Yes, it still pales in comparison to Brown's post-Roses output. But it does make me more willing to take chances on additional Squire material.

The Seahorses - Do It Yourself. Amazon.com. Used.

Drawing Blanks

The show that stands out in my mind took place at the Philadelphia Ethical Society.

An unconventional venue for shows, but one of the nicer ones.

Today the idea of a show right off of Rittenhouse Square is laughable. At least to me.

I remember Denise was there. I can't remember who else.

I remember Texas Is the Reason and Sense Field. I can't remember who else.

I swear there was someone else.

Texas Is the Reason. Amazon.com. Used.

Oh Yeah

Now I remember why I sold this the first time.

That isn't fair.

But is mostly true.

Painstake - Consecrate. Amazon.com. Used.

Cameo

"Did you know the singer of Velocity Girl was on The Adventures of Pete & Pete?"

No I didn't.

My brother informed me of this a couple of weeks ago. One line in a great episode.

I also didn't know Sarah Shannon appeared on a number of Severin tracks.

A repurchase of the album and a look through the liner notes informed me of this.

Severin - Acid to Ashes Rust to Dust. Amazon.com. Used.

Dead Format

Many of my friends attended Penn State University. Because of that I've made my fair share of trips to State College, Pennsylvania. Football games, Arts Fest, Halloween, random events. Gas was cheap and travel was fun.

When going anywhere, I tend to find myself in record stores. These road trips to Penn State were no different.

It was during one of these obligatory music stops I purchased Yes, Please! on cassette.

Sure, cassettes were obsolete. But they were cheap. Not to mention perfect for my 1989 Volvo wagon.

Happy Mondays - Yes, Please! ??? Used.

Final Act

For the longest time I thought the Ride story ended with Carnival of Light.

It turns out I was wrong.

While going through Cathy's unsorted disc pile a few years ago I came across this.

Another album. It was the first time I had seen it.

And now, I have my own, unscratched copy.

Ride - Tarantula. Amazon.com. Used.

From the Left

Bobb called me from Amoeba Music asking me if I needed the Hurricane #1 album.

At the time I thought I already owned it. So I declined the offer.

It turns out I did not.

To this day I appreciate the cross-country thought.

Hurricane #1. Amazon.com. New.

Now That's What I Call a Maxi-Single

Eight tracks of Erasure.

This is "Maxi" even for Maxi-Single.

Long live the Maxi-Single!

Erasure - Drama! (Maxi-Single). Amazon.com. Used.

Never Say Never

I never thought they would get back together.

Yet, there they were. Part of the Hellfest lineup.

As much as I wanted to go, I couldn't bring myself to buy tickets to the massive event.

Lucky for me, things fell apart.

They scheduled two shows in Philadelphia. I had to get tickets to at least one. I waited in line at Spaceboy and got my tickets to the Starlight Ballroom. The bill featured 108 and Lifetime.

I thought that would be it for 108 (and Lifetime for that matter).

That wasn't the case. In addition to new material, both bands have continued to tour.

I've seen 108 multiple times since that weekend. Hopefully they have a few more shows in them.

I know they have another album. So I like my chances.

108 - Curse of Instinct. Long in the Tooth. Used.

Happy Fourth of July

All states have their pros and cons.

But when it comes to crazy, I think Florida takes the cake.

When I see a crazy story on the news my first thought is always "this must be Florida."

More often than not, I am correct.

Something about the state attracts the crazy. Something about the state breeds the crazy.

I'm sure many will disagree. My own anecdotal evidence isn't an exact science. Unless something or someone shows me otherwise, my mind is set. It hasn't happened yet.

This isn't to say I don't like Florida. I do. Regardless of my views, I never met a state I didn't like.

The differences are what make this country great.

Bloodlet - Eclectic. Amazon.com. Used.

Cheap

Primal Scream played in March.

I thought about going. It would have been my first time seeing them.

Once again I didn't feel like spending the money.

I miss more bands that way.

Hardcore has spoiled me when it comes to ticket prices.

Primal Scream - Xtrmntr. ??? New.

Demo Gems

How cool did seventeen year old me think it was that Zack de la Rocha appeared on the Scrap compact disc?

Really cool.

Although this didn't make my non-hardcore Rage Against the Machine listening friends any more likely to check out Farside.

But I tried.

Farside - Scrap. Long in the Tooth. Used.

Grow Up

I refused to listen to Murphy's Law in high school because of the drinking and the drugs.

I preferred my hardcore straight edge. Or at the very least, not overtly promoting drinking and drugs.

I was a stupid kid.

Murphy's Law - Murphy's Law/Back with a Bong! Long in the Tooth. Used.