This has nothing to do with whether or not an employer should be forced to offer healthcare. That is a separate argument. This also has nothing to do with whether or not an employer can pick and choose the level of coverage or what services are covered and what services are not. This is about a business claiming religious objection to services specifically for female employees who are not necessarily of the same faith. This allows an employer to apply their religious ideals to their employees regardless of their employees faith.
These are employers covered by title 7 of the civil rights act, preventing discrimination based on, among other things, religion and sex. What the Supreme Court has done here is overrule title 7 in two areas. Firstly, they are holding their female employes to the employer's religion of choice. This means that if an employer has a religious objection to something, in this case female birth control, but the employee is of a religious belief that doesn't object, the employer's faith gets applied to the employee.
Besides being religiously discriminating in violation of the civil rights act, this decision also discriminates based on sex. This decision by the Supreme Court allows employers to take away coverage on gender lines. There is no imperative to apply the same logic to women's healthcare and men's healthcare. Reproductive services for men, such as vasectomies and viagra, are still covered, while similar services are not covered for women.
It's also quite offensive that male employers worked with male Justices of the Supreme Court to take rights away from women. It wouldn't be right if women were making these decisions for other women either, but at least you wouldn't have one sex taking away the rights of another sex.
And yes, as I've already stated, this decision is taking away rights guaranteed under the law. Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states: "It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer
to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or
otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his
compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of
such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." The protections afforded you under this act are rights, but they've been taken away for some of us. Your employer, at least in some instances, is allowed to discriminated against you based on their religion or your sex.
We are not talking about churches, or religious groups, or religious based organizations. We are talking about for profit businesses run by someone with a religious belief. Hobby Lobby isn't a Christian business, but it is run by people of a specific religious faith. Those people believe that certain women's services are in violation of their faith. There is nothing wrong with that. There are almost as many religious beliefs as there are people on the planet. Everyone has a right to interpret that huge question of faith in their own way. Their belief system is not being challenged. Where they cross a line is when they apply that belief to laws that affect us all.
Once a certain religious belief has been turned into law then everyone who believes differently is forced to follow rules put forth by someone else's religious beliefs.
What could this mean? Well, now that we have allowed one major employer to apply policy based on their particular version of Christianity (it is important to note that not all versions of Christianity discriminate against women, reproductive health, sexual orientation, et cetera), the precedent has been set for more discrimination. For instance, an employer who is religiously opposed to same sex marriage may not want to allow vacation time for a gay employee to get married. They may be religiously opposed to psychiatric care, vaccinations, or women in positions of power.
If an employer holds a religious belief that women shouldn't be supervisors (not a far cry from not allowing women pastors, for instance) should they be allowed to deny female employees the promotions they deserve? What if they think that women shouldn't be in the work force? There are certainly religions that believe that men work and women maintain the home. Should those employers be allowed to only hire men. Can they post a sign out front saying "Now Hiring: Men Only"?
If you think this ruling couldn't lead to further discrimination, ask yourself this: Why would one particular Christian based view of women's reproductive health be protected without allowing other views equal weight?
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Adventure Time, featuring Black Flag and Robby Krieger.
After a remarkably easy drive into Chicago, we drove around for 45 minutes trying to park. We finally found a spot, for $2 an hour until 10pm (5 hours away), but you could only buy three hours at a time. We paid for our first three hours knowing we'd just have to come back out halfway through our night to buy more time, which is annoying but not devastating.
We were in town to see Black Flag at Reggies, with HOR and Cinema Cinema opening. Isaiah, who went with me, had his ticket waiting at will call. We went into the first of three Reggies, four if you count the rooftop bar, to ask about the ticket. The guy there sent us to the second floor Reggies record store for the ticket. The guy there said we'd have to wait until the show let in to get the ticket, so we decided to have a drink and kill some time. Our next stop was the rooftop bar at Reggies, which we soon found out was crazy crowded due to some sort of party. Rather than deal with the heat, noise, and standing room only crowd, we hit the bar downstairs at Reggies.
We took two seats and ordered two drinks. Before we could get our drinks, we were asked to move down a little (even though there was nowhere to move to) so the door-person could do her job. They were just about to start a show at the bar, in addition to our show at the rock club part of Reggies. Being that we had no place to sit, we headed out to the patio/sidewalk with our drinks. Finding open space at the end, we went through the crowd to our seat at the open table. As soon as we sat down, we were booted because the table was reserved.
Once back out at our standing room only sidewalk beer drinking spot, the lady that booted us from our seats explained that the party sitting down included former Doors guitarist Robby Krieger. To apologize for moving us around, she bought us the next round. Once we realized what was going on, and once we had free drinks in our hands, we started to appreciate the situation.
Black Flag was playing a free, all ages, "striped down kids show" at the rock club prior to the paid 17+ show. I had planned to catch both Black Flag sets, but it turns out they were only letting people with small children into the first set. As Isaiah and I stood around waiting for the main show and missing the pre-show show, another friend of mine, Jay, who happened to also be friends with Black Flag, saw us and let us in just in time to catch the kids show.
Black Flag played at a low enough volume for the small children, and they played fairly kid friendly versions of their songs. They changed the song Fucked Up to Fed Up, used kids shows for the shows shouted during T.V. Party, and ended the shorter set with Louie Louie while a few little kids danced on stage.
Then came the main event. Although the show was supposed to be just Black Flag, HOR, and Cinema Cinema, Jay Lipe opened the show with a short solo set. Jay played a similar set last time Black Flag played Reggies. Solo electric bass guitar with vocals. A somewhat uncommon set up, but it works very well. Short, fun, catchy, different. An excellent start to the show.
Cinema Cinema, a guitar/drums two piece played next. They were noisey and energetic, and fun. They closed with a Nirvana cover, School, which happens to be both one of my favorite Nirvana songs, and one of the first songs I played with other people when I first started playing guitar.
At some point Isaiah went out to have a smoke. He wandered next door and crashed the private roof party. Then he went into the other Reggies show, which was The Doors' Robby Krieger and three former members of Frank Zappa's the Mothers of Invention. Tickets were $50 and sold out, but they let Isaiah just walk on in. He said it was really great.
Greg Ginn's band HOR was supposed to play before Black Flag, but Greg Ginn and the Royal We played instead. The Royal We is basically pre-recorded/programmed drums and bass, Greg Ginn playing guitar and theremin, and a video collage on a projection screen. I'm a huge fan of Greg's many bands, and the Royal We definitely didn't disappoint.
Then came Black Flag, for the second set of the night. They tore into their set, as expected, and were just on fire. I was at the stage but all the way to the left edge. Standing behind me, basically using me as a shield, was a pregnant lady. She was trying to stay out of the fray, which was difficult the way the people moshing were trying to run all over and bump into everybody. I did manage to keep the pit from spilling over her way a few times. She gave me a beer, which was pretty cool, and really hit the spot.
Near the end of the Black Flag set, Robby Krieger, whose set had recently ended next door, surprised everyone including the band when he came out on stage, plugged in, and played two songs with the band. The first was just a jam, I think. If it was based on a song then I didn't recognize it. Greg and Robby went back and forth on the soloing. At one point Robby insisted that Mike Vallely join in, so Mike sang a verse. Then they played Fucked Up, which is basically another jam, based on Kickin' and Stickin', one of the last Black Flag songs recorded before they initially disbanded in '86.
After Robby left the stage, Black Flag tore through Revenge, then ended their set, as always, with Louie Louie.
Outside, post-show, Isaiah used his phone to take a photo of me with Greg Ginn, and then I took a photo of him with Greg Ginn. He had taken many pictures and video of both the Robby Krieger show next door and Robby Krieger with Black Flag, but he somehow managed to delete all of it when taking the pictures with Greg. He was understandably very upset at this turn of events. I would have loved to see his footage.
After a little hassle trying to buy beer in Michigan City, our once in a lifetime adventure ended with a long, dark drive home, with distant flashes from the large storm to the north. Have been to some great shows and I've had some great adventures, but this night, with Robby Krieger playing onstage with Black Flag, is the only time I've seen history unfold.
We were in town to see Black Flag at Reggies, with HOR and Cinema Cinema opening. Isaiah, who went with me, had his ticket waiting at will call. We went into the first of three Reggies, four if you count the rooftop bar, to ask about the ticket. The guy there sent us to the second floor Reggies record store for the ticket. The guy there said we'd have to wait until the show let in to get the ticket, so we decided to have a drink and kill some time. Our next stop was the rooftop bar at Reggies, which we soon found out was crazy crowded due to some sort of party. Rather than deal with the heat, noise, and standing room only crowd, we hit the bar downstairs at Reggies.
We took two seats and ordered two drinks. Before we could get our drinks, we were asked to move down a little (even though there was nowhere to move to) so the door-person could do her job. They were just about to start a show at the bar, in addition to our show at the rock club part of Reggies. Being that we had no place to sit, we headed out to the patio/sidewalk with our drinks. Finding open space at the end, we went through the crowd to our seat at the open table. As soon as we sat down, we were booted because the table was reserved.
Once back out at our standing room only sidewalk beer drinking spot, the lady that booted us from our seats explained that the party sitting down included former Doors guitarist Robby Krieger. To apologize for moving us around, she bought us the next round. Once we realized what was going on, and once we had free drinks in our hands, we started to appreciate the situation.
Black Flag was playing a free, all ages, "striped down kids show" at the rock club prior to the paid 17+ show. I had planned to catch both Black Flag sets, but it turns out they were only letting people with small children into the first set. As Isaiah and I stood around waiting for the main show and missing the pre-show show, another friend of mine, Jay, who happened to also be friends with Black Flag, saw us and let us in just in time to catch the kids show.
Black Flag played at a low enough volume for the small children, and they played fairly kid friendly versions of their songs. They changed the song Fucked Up to Fed Up, used kids shows for the shows shouted during T.V. Party, and ended the shorter set with Louie Louie while a few little kids danced on stage.
Then came the main event. Although the show was supposed to be just Black Flag, HOR, and Cinema Cinema, Jay Lipe opened the show with a short solo set. Jay played a similar set last time Black Flag played Reggies. Solo electric bass guitar with vocals. A somewhat uncommon set up, but it works very well. Short, fun, catchy, different. An excellent start to the show.
Cinema Cinema, a guitar/drums two piece played next. They were noisey and energetic, and fun. They closed with a Nirvana cover, School, which happens to be both one of my favorite Nirvana songs, and one of the first songs I played with other people when I first started playing guitar.
At some point Isaiah went out to have a smoke. He wandered next door and crashed the private roof party. Then he went into the other Reggies show, which was The Doors' Robby Krieger and three former members of Frank Zappa's the Mothers of Invention. Tickets were $50 and sold out, but they let Isaiah just walk on in. He said it was really great.
Greg Ginn's band HOR was supposed to play before Black Flag, but Greg Ginn and the Royal We played instead. The Royal We is basically pre-recorded/programmed drums and bass, Greg Ginn playing guitar and theremin, and a video collage on a projection screen. I'm a huge fan of Greg's many bands, and the Royal We definitely didn't disappoint.
Then came Black Flag, for the second set of the night. They tore into their set, as expected, and were just on fire. I was at the stage but all the way to the left edge. Standing behind me, basically using me as a shield, was a pregnant lady. She was trying to stay out of the fray, which was difficult the way the people moshing were trying to run all over and bump into everybody. I did manage to keep the pit from spilling over her way a few times. She gave me a beer, which was pretty cool, and really hit the spot.
Near the end of the Black Flag set, Robby Krieger, whose set had recently ended next door, surprised everyone including the band when he came out on stage, plugged in, and played two songs with the band. The first was just a jam, I think. If it was based on a song then I didn't recognize it. Greg and Robby went back and forth on the soloing. At one point Robby insisted that Mike Vallely join in, so Mike sang a verse. Then they played Fucked Up, which is basically another jam, based on Kickin' and Stickin', one of the last Black Flag songs recorded before they initially disbanded in '86.
After Robby left the stage, Black Flag tore through Revenge, then ended their set, as always, with Louie Louie.
Outside, post-show, Isaiah used his phone to take a photo of me with Greg Ginn, and then I took a photo of him with Greg Ginn. He had taken many pictures and video of both the Robby Krieger show next door and Robby Krieger with Black Flag, but he somehow managed to delete all of it when taking the pictures with Greg. He was understandably very upset at this turn of events. I would have loved to see his footage.
After a little hassle trying to buy beer in Michigan City, our once in a lifetime adventure ended with a long, dark drive home, with distant flashes from the large storm to the north. Have been to some great shows and I've had some great adventures, but this night, with Robby Krieger playing onstage with Black Flag, is the only time I've seen history unfold.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
My 2014 New Years Resolution
Rather than a traditional statement about doing this better or starting this endeavor, I posted this on Facebook on New Years Eve. Kind of a statement rather than a resolution, I thought I'd post it here for posterity's sake.
While I'm ending 2013 broke and with no idea how/where I'll end up, I can't say 2013 hasn't been an important year. I ended an abusive relationship with my former employer, the awful and destructive Coca-Cola company. My main band, Waiting at Sea, has been making great progress. We played our first show, although it was just an open mic. I put out my second solo album on Cities of Agartha Records, Getting Fired, and although I have yet to get any feedback on it, I love it. I also put out three other releases on the label. I recently started a new label that will be putting stuff out very shortly into 2014. I've written quite a bit, and I've finally started real work on my cookbook. I started working at the Klassic Arcade of Gobles, the first job I've had since Wechter that I actually wanted. I love the work and I love what I'm learning. Thank you to those of you that participated in my discussions on here, even when they got crazy and heated. It's fun to debate with you all, I hope none of you take it TOO seriously. Thank you to my new boss for giving me a chance. Thanks and welcome to my life to my new friends on here. Thanks to my wife and kids for sticking by me through this transition, even when food is scarce, bills are behind, and prospects are scary. Thanks to my mom, dad and step-dad for helping us out and putting up with my new direction. Thanks to all my old friends whom I love dearly and miss all the time even though I appear to make no effort to contact you. On the rare occasion we see each other it feels as though only days have passed. Lastly, a big thank you to my friend, songwriting partner, and band mate, I believe in your music as much as I believe in my own. Here's to 2014, whether it brings utopia or apocalypse, it's here and the change is inevitable.
While I'm ending 2013 broke and with no idea how/where I'll end up, I can't say 2013 hasn't been an important year. I ended an abusive relationship with my former employer, the awful and destructive Coca-Cola company. My main band, Waiting at Sea, has been making great progress. We played our first show, although it was just an open mic. I put out my second solo album on Cities of Agartha Records, Getting Fired, and although I have yet to get any feedback on it, I love it. I also put out three other releases on the label. I recently started a new label that will be putting stuff out very shortly into 2014. I've written quite a bit, and I've finally started real work on my cookbook. I started working at the Klassic Arcade of Gobles, the first job I've had since Wechter that I actually wanted. I love the work and I love what I'm learning. Thank you to those of you that participated in my discussions on here, even when they got crazy and heated. It's fun to debate with you all, I hope none of you take it TOO seriously. Thank you to my new boss for giving me a chance. Thanks and welcome to my life to my new friends on here. Thanks to my wife and kids for sticking by me through this transition, even when food is scarce, bills are behind, and prospects are scary. Thanks to my mom, dad and step-dad for helping us out and putting up with my new direction. Thanks to all my old friends whom I love dearly and miss all the time even though I appear to make no effort to contact you. On the rare occasion we see each other it feels as though only days have passed. Lastly, a big thank you to my friend, songwriting partner, and band mate, I believe in your music as much as I believe in my own. Here's to 2014, whether it brings utopia or apocalypse, it's here and the change is inevitable.
Monday, December 30, 2013
A Rant (It's Just Another Day).
You know, I'm not saying this to be pro or anti Affordable Care Act (you realize that's the same things as Obamacare, right?), but you should all remember that easily half the bad shit you hear about the ACA is bullshit. Some is simple ignorance and misunderstanding, but plenty of the info is out and out lies. Personally, I think the entire medical system in this country needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. Our problems are many and they are deep. BUT, if nothing else is going to happen, then everyone needs access to health care, and most people cannot see a doctor without insurance. ACA is definitely something, and if all the energy that was used to try to stop the ACA was used to try to build something useful whether with the ACA or as a replacement, we could do great things. Never forget this whole mess started with a congress with many members that openly stated their mission to stop Obama's success at anything. This is something that should be unacceptable to anyone participating in a democracy anywhere. An elected official that has decided to make it their mission to stop another elected official from accomplishing anything should be run out of the country, or at the very least out of office. We are not talking about politicians that oppose this or that from another elected official, we are talking about politicians that openly oppose anything from an elected official, regardless of the affect on the public. How has our system gotten so bad? We are up shit creek without a boat and we're all to drunk to swim. Corruption and fraud are so rampant but we all turn a blind eye to it in the never ending fight of "our side" verses "their side". I'm not a Democrat, or an Obama supporter, not in the least, but I'm not going to blindly oppose his very existence and everything he says and does just out of spite. I oppose plenty that has happened on his watch. I disagree with plenty of what his administration has done. I will not, however, allow party politics to persuade me to blindly oppose anything that comes from one particular politician or party. Fuck that.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
25 More Albums.
In 2009 I participated in a Facebook thing where you list 25 albums that are important to you. I turned it to this post in 2013. This is a sequel of sorts. 25 more albums that affected my life.
1. Willie Nelson - Teatro. There are so many Willie albums that could be on this list, but Teatro is such a great album. From the Django intro to the overall atmospheric feel of the album, listening to this one always makes me play guitar better.
2. Misfits - Legacy of Brutality. The entire original discography is essential, and all equally good, but Legacy is the first Misfits album of mine and still contains some of my favorite Misfits songs. I learned to play guitar to this album. To this day the first thing I do when I learn a new instrument is play a Misfits song or two on it.
3. Frank Lynch - Static Aether. This might seem a little self serving, but it's true, this album is very important to me. It was the first time I released MY music. I'm still proud of the work I did with Fled Records, but releasing my own material was something I'd been meaning to do since high school.
4. Various Artists - The Year In Seven Inches. Both this and Flex Your Head had a big impact on me, but since I already went into Flex Your Head here, I'll discuss the other great early Dischord comp this time around. The bands on here inspired me to write some of my first songs. I still love the short, no nonsense hardcore these bands played. Just direct, simple, fast, heavy music.
5. I Hate Myself - 10 Songs. I'm not sure how I discovered this one, but it fast became a favorite of mine after I found it. The CD version is actually 11 songs, as it includes a comp track that wasn't on the LP version. This band satires a genre while exemplifying it. To A Husband At War is one of my favorite songs.
6. Buckner and Garcia - Pac Man Fever. Eight songs about eight great arcade games, made at the height of the arcade craze. I know it sounds a little dated, but I love it. We listen to this almost every time we go to an arcade. This was out of print for a long time, and when they re-released it on CD they had to re-record it for the release, as they could not obtain rights to the original recordings. This brings up two things I don't like about big record labels. First, it's their music, yet the label isn't allowing them to put it out there. Second, not only is the label preventing the artist control over the recordings, they are just sitting on them. If they don't want to release the music, they should allow someone else to. No one should hide art.
7. The Booked - Feel The Pride. We were going to work with The Booked with Fled Records before we ran out of money. I absolutely love the sound on this album. The songs are heavy and catchy, just the way I like my oi. The split 12" we were working on would have been great.
8. Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe. This one kinda surprised me. With Youtube on my tv through my PS3, browsing and enjoying random videos is easier than ever. I clicked on a video of Chvrches live on some show, and although the music was very different than what I would normally pick up on, it stuck. Enough stuck with me to get me to track down more of their music, and they quickly became favorites of mine. They not only inspire me to explore more and more music, but they inspire me to make music.
9. Youth Code - Youth Code. Another Youtube find. I had yet to get really into industrial music. Maybe a little here and there. I cannot get enough Youth Code though. They got me to start my own hard industrial project, though time will tell if I stick with it or not.
10. John Coltrane - Soultrane. Technically not my first Coltrane album, as I've had and loved Miles Davis' Kind of Blue for years. This is the first proper Coltrane album for me though, and it holds a special place. His music is so great, and this is the one that started my collection. I love driving around northern Michigan listening to Coltrane.
11. Paramore - Paramore. I've been into Paramore for a long time, and I really enjoy their earlier music, but this album is something else. It's their first since the original band splintered, and while it sucks that half the founding members left, it's proof that the remaining members can endure. What I like most is that this is one of those albums that is more a complete work than a collection of songs.
12. Black Flag - What The. This didn't make the list because it's my favorite Black Flag album, rather it's on here because of what it represents. The return of the almighty, always controversial, one and only, Black Flag. Greg Ginn is one of my favorite guitarists. I've gone on and on about the Black Flag/FLAG controversy, and that's not what I'm doing here. Before the reformation (or reformations, depending on your point of view) Black Flag was one of my all time favorites. Because of this reformation, I got to see the legends in action. Black Flag live was one of the best shows I've ever seen, which is saying something.
13. Guy Clark - Old Number 1. While an older album, I only got into it recently. This is definitely a songwriters album. The kind of album that makes me wanna go lock the door and write song after song. I love any album that makes me NEED to write.
14. John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band. I admit that it took me a long time to jump on the Beatles bandwagon. It's not that I didn't used to like the Beatles (and related material), it's just that one, I was a bit put off my the pedestaling done to them, and two, I hadn't got around to them yet. Now that I've opened myself up to their catalog, I am enjoying it. Besides Beatles material, I've gotten into John Lennon's post-Beatles work. This album in particular is so good.
15. Bad Brains - The Omega Sessions. Perhaps I should have put the Roir tape, or I Against I, or one of the live ones, but I chose this EP for the list because of one song. Stay Close To Me sounds like something I've imagined but never found, until I heard this EP. There is just something about the way this song sounds.
16. Rancid - And Out Come The Wolves. I really thought this was on my first list. This is one of those rare albums that seem to never get old. I had a cassette copy in my car that went everywhere with me. I love all their albums, but Out Come The Wolves will always hold a special place with me.
17. Frank Sinatra - Nothing but The Best. Sinatra is another one I should have been really into for a long time, but I've only recently got really into. He is a classic for a reason. Although he didn't write (he has a total of seven songwriting credits, all shared credits), he is an inspiration as a performer. I listen to his singing like I listen to a guitarist, if that makes sense. I wouldn't normally write about or even collect a "best of" style compilation, but this is a great start to any Sinatra collection.
18. Dead River Drag - Dead River Drag. Rollinghead and Dave Grant in particular were big parts of the 90s Kalamazoo scene and a big influence on me when I was getting into playing music. After Rollinghead broke up, Dave went on to form the short lived Dead River Drag with a few ex-bandmates. I didn't get a chance to see them live or pick up their one release when they were around. I did pick a copy in a used bin quite recently, and I'm happy to take another trip back to some of my early influences.
19. Django Reinhardt - Any. I know it's a cop out not naming an album. I did this last time with Motorhead, and I'm doing it this time with Django. Easily the best guitarist I've heard. There is just no one who plays quite like him. He does stuff with two fingers I won't ever accomplish with four. His body of work amazes and captivates me.
20. Chuck Higgins - Pachuko Hop. I picked this up in a little record store on the Kalamazoo mall based solely on the album title. Mano Negra covered Joe King Carrasco's Patchuko Hop on their Puta's Fever album. I hadn't got into Carrasco yet, and when I saw this album I couldn't remember who Mano Negra covered. I bought this album just in case. The album I got is actually a singles compilation, not the album by the same name. Either one is great. I love the sound of these songs, and I love the sound of Chuck's saxophone. Chuck Higgins and John Zorn both make be want a band with a saxophone.
21. Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil and I. Another songwriter's album. I just love the songwriting on this one. Kristofferson is one of my favorite songwriters. He writes the kind of songs that I wish I could. I love his singing/playing style and I love the overall sound of the album, but the songwriting is my main draw.
22. Willie Nelson - Heroes. I know I've already done a Willie album, but his body of work is such an inspiration to me that I cannot stop at one. Heroes is not only a great album, it's one of those albums that works great as a whole piece, not just a collection of songs. While not an out and out concept album like Willie has done so well several times in the past, the album nonetheless has an overall theme that just works. This quickly became one of my all time favorite albums, and it always makes me want to play guitar and write songs.
23. The English Concert/Trevor Pinnock - Vivaldi Conceri L'Amoroso. Vivaldi is one of my favorite classical composers. While his "Four Seasons" is quite well known, I really like his concertos. This album in particular really sounds great. While I've liked classical music forever, I've never got really into it. Now that I am starting to really explore the genre I am finding it fresh, exciting, and full of possibility. It's like this huge world I am lost in. It's such a deep and varied genre, and there is a lot to explore. It really brings me back to a time when more genres felt large and unexplored.
24. The Animals - The Animals. I discovered the Animals in my parents record collection. Their mixture of covers and originals and their way of making the covers as much their own as their originals continues to influence me. While I could have picked any Animals or Eric Burdon and the Animals album, I picked this one cause it was not only among my first, I always wanted to pay homage to the packaging on this one, especially the "Life-lines of the Animals" on the back of the sleeve. Maybe if I put out an album with a full band sometime I will.
25. Sonic Youth - Sonic Youth. I used to hate self-titled albums. Not the albums themselves, but the lack of an album name. It always seemed like a wasted opportunity to me. I've included five self-titled albums in this list. It doesn't really bother me anymore. Sometimes I even kinda like it. Sometimes it feels right. I'll probably do it myself before too much longer. Anyways Sonic Youth was a big influence on my noisy approach to electric guitar, as well as in influence in my noise recordings.
Well, there you have it. 25 more albums that have been an influence. Some have been in my life for a long time. Some I should have brought up last go-round. Some are just really new and sticking with me right now. I'll have to do this again in a few years.
1. Willie Nelson - Teatro. There are so many Willie albums that could be on this list, but Teatro is such a great album. From the Django intro to the overall atmospheric feel of the album, listening to this one always makes me play guitar better.
2. Misfits - Legacy of Brutality. The entire original discography is essential, and all equally good, but Legacy is the first Misfits album of mine and still contains some of my favorite Misfits songs. I learned to play guitar to this album. To this day the first thing I do when I learn a new instrument is play a Misfits song or two on it.
3. Frank Lynch - Static Aether. This might seem a little self serving, but it's true, this album is very important to me. It was the first time I released MY music. I'm still proud of the work I did with Fled Records, but releasing my own material was something I'd been meaning to do since high school.
4. Various Artists - The Year In Seven Inches. Both this and Flex Your Head had a big impact on me, but since I already went into Flex Your Head here, I'll discuss the other great early Dischord comp this time around. The bands on here inspired me to write some of my first songs. I still love the short, no nonsense hardcore these bands played. Just direct, simple, fast, heavy music.
5. I Hate Myself - 10 Songs. I'm not sure how I discovered this one, but it fast became a favorite of mine after I found it. The CD version is actually 11 songs, as it includes a comp track that wasn't on the LP version. This band satires a genre while exemplifying it. To A Husband At War is one of my favorite songs.
6. Buckner and Garcia - Pac Man Fever. Eight songs about eight great arcade games, made at the height of the arcade craze. I know it sounds a little dated, but I love it. We listen to this almost every time we go to an arcade. This was out of print for a long time, and when they re-released it on CD they had to re-record it for the release, as they could not obtain rights to the original recordings. This brings up two things I don't like about big record labels. First, it's their music, yet the label isn't allowing them to put it out there. Second, not only is the label preventing the artist control over the recordings, they are just sitting on them. If they don't want to release the music, they should allow someone else to. No one should hide art.
7. The Booked - Feel The Pride. We were going to work with The Booked with Fled Records before we ran out of money. I absolutely love the sound on this album. The songs are heavy and catchy, just the way I like my oi. The split 12" we were working on would have been great.
8. Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe. This one kinda surprised me. With Youtube on my tv through my PS3, browsing and enjoying random videos is easier than ever. I clicked on a video of Chvrches live on some show, and although the music was very different than what I would normally pick up on, it stuck. Enough stuck with me to get me to track down more of their music, and they quickly became favorites of mine. They not only inspire me to explore more and more music, but they inspire me to make music.
9. Youth Code - Youth Code. Another Youtube find. I had yet to get really into industrial music. Maybe a little here and there. I cannot get enough Youth Code though. They got me to start my own hard industrial project, though time will tell if I stick with it or not.
10. John Coltrane - Soultrane. Technically not my first Coltrane album, as I've had and loved Miles Davis' Kind of Blue for years. This is the first proper Coltrane album for me though, and it holds a special place. His music is so great, and this is the one that started my collection. I love driving around northern Michigan listening to Coltrane.
11. Paramore - Paramore. I've been into Paramore for a long time, and I really enjoy their earlier music, but this album is something else. It's their first since the original band splintered, and while it sucks that half the founding members left, it's proof that the remaining members can endure. What I like most is that this is one of those albums that is more a complete work than a collection of songs.
12. Black Flag - What The. This didn't make the list because it's my favorite Black Flag album, rather it's on here because of what it represents. The return of the almighty, always controversial, one and only, Black Flag. Greg Ginn is one of my favorite guitarists. I've gone on and on about the Black Flag/FLAG controversy, and that's not what I'm doing here. Before the reformation (or reformations, depending on your point of view) Black Flag was one of my all time favorites. Because of this reformation, I got to see the legends in action. Black Flag live was one of the best shows I've ever seen, which is saying something.
13. Guy Clark - Old Number 1. While an older album, I only got into it recently. This is definitely a songwriters album. The kind of album that makes me wanna go lock the door and write song after song. I love any album that makes me NEED to write.
14. John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band. I admit that it took me a long time to jump on the Beatles bandwagon. It's not that I didn't used to like the Beatles (and related material), it's just that one, I was a bit put off my the pedestaling done to them, and two, I hadn't got around to them yet. Now that I've opened myself up to their catalog, I am enjoying it. Besides Beatles material, I've gotten into John Lennon's post-Beatles work. This album in particular is so good.
15. Bad Brains - The Omega Sessions. Perhaps I should have put the Roir tape, or I Against I, or one of the live ones, but I chose this EP for the list because of one song. Stay Close To Me sounds like something I've imagined but never found, until I heard this EP. There is just something about the way this song sounds.
16. Rancid - And Out Come The Wolves. I really thought this was on my first list. This is one of those rare albums that seem to never get old. I had a cassette copy in my car that went everywhere with me. I love all their albums, but Out Come The Wolves will always hold a special place with me.
17. Frank Sinatra - Nothing but The Best. Sinatra is another one I should have been really into for a long time, but I've only recently got really into. He is a classic for a reason. Although he didn't write (he has a total of seven songwriting credits, all shared credits), he is an inspiration as a performer. I listen to his singing like I listen to a guitarist, if that makes sense. I wouldn't normally write about or even collect a "best of" style compilation, but this is a great start to any Sinatra collection.
18. Dead River Drag - Dead River Drag. Rollinghead and Dave Grant in particular were big parts of the 90s Kalamazoo scene and a big influence on me when I was getting into playing music. After Rollinghead broke up, Dave went on to form the short lived Dead River Drag with a few ex-bandmates. I didn't get a chance to see them live or pick up their one release when they were around. I did pick a copy in a used bin quite recently, and I'm happy to take another trip back to some of my early influences.
19. Django Reinhardt - Any. I know it's a cop out not naming an album. I did this last time with Motorhead, and I'm doing it this time with Django. Easily the best guitarist I've heard. There is just no one who plays quite like him. He does stuff with two fingers I won't ever accomplish with four. His body of work amazes and captivates me.
20. Chuck Higgins - Pachuko Hop. I picked this up in a little record store on the Kalamazoo mall based solely on the album title. Mano Negra covered Joe King Carrasco's Patchuko Hop on their Puta's Fever album. I hadn't got into Carrasco yet, and when I saw this album I couldn't remember who Mano Negra covered. I bought this album just in case. The album I got is actually a singles compilation, not the album by the same name. Either one is great. I love the sound of these songs, and I love the sound of Chuck's saxophone. Chuck Higgins and John Zorn both make be want a band with a saxophone.
21. Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil and I. Another songwriter's album. I just love the songwriting on this one. Kristofferson is one of my favorite songwriters. He writes the kind of songs that I wish I could. I love his singing/playing style and I love the overall sound of the album, but the songwriting is my main draw.
22. Willie Nelson - Heroes. I know I've already done a Willie album, but his body of work is such an inspiration to me that I cannot stop at one. Heroes is not only a great album, it's one of those albums that works great as a whole piece, not just a collection of songs. While not an out and out concept album like Willie has done so well several times in the past, the album nonetheless has an overall theme that just works. This quickly became one of my all time favorite albums, and it always makes me want to play guitar and write songs.
23. The English Concert/Trevor Pinnock - Vivaldi Conceri L'Amoroso. Vivaldi is one of my favorite classical composers. While his "Four Seasons" is quite well known, I really like his concertos. This album in particular really sounds great. While I've liked classical music forever, I've never got really into it. Now that I am starting to really explore the genre I am finding it fresh, exciting, and full of possibility. It's like this huge world I am lost in. It's such a deep and varied genre, and there is a lot to explore. It really brings me back to a time when more genres felt large and unexplored.
24. The Animals - The Animals. I discovered the Animals in my parents record collection. Their mixture of covers and originals and their way of making the covers as much their own as their originals continues to influence me. While I could have picked any Animals or Eric Burdon and the Animals album, I picked this one cause it was not only among my first, I always wanted to pay homage to the packaging on this one, especially the "Life-lines of the Animals" on the back of the sleeve. Maybe if I put out an album with a full band sometime I will.
25. Sonic Youth - Sonic Youth. I used to hate self-titled albums. Not the albums themselves, but the lack of an album name. It always seemed like a wasted opportunity to me. I've included five self-titled albums in this list. It doesn't really bother me anymore. Sometimes I even kinda like it. Sometimes it feels right. I'll probably do it myself before too much longer. Anyways Sonic Youth was a big influence on my noisy approach to electric guitar, as well as in influence in my noise recordings.
Well, there you have it. 25 more albums that have been an influence. Some have been in my life for a long time. Some I should have brought up last go-round. Some are just really new and sticking with me right now. I'll have to do this again in a few years.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Rich Verses Poor (Poverty is a Cyclical Beast)
Dave Ramsey angered some people when he shared this list of the habits of the rich and poor. Tim Corley is responsible for the researching and compiling of this list. Ben Irwin wrote this alternative list for his blog in response to the Ramsey piece. Tim Corley's under-researched list, that Ramsey shares and defends, would be better put as a list of what rich
people do BECAUSE THEY CAN. The assumed shortcomings of the poor in this
list are actually by and large symptoms of poverty. Yes, poor people
could want to read more, or want to gamble less, but, Corley's article has more to do with the symptoms of poverty than the underlying cause.
Some points about Tim Corley's article:
1. Rich people eat better, eat less junk food. Of course, they can afford better food. That one's a no brainer.
3. The rich can afford gym memberships, and aren't as often to be stuck in situations that do not allow them to exercise, like working 80+ hours a week.
7. Wealthy parents have time and opportunity to make their kids volunteer.
10. Wealthy are more likely to get a job that demands that much career based reading.
15. This is entirely dependent on the job. If you have to go to work at three a.m., then that means you wake up at midnight. Not very practical. Also, as Irwin writes, poor people are more likely to have multiple jobs, not allowing for a full nights sleep between jobs. His article is more accurate, more in touch with the reality of poverty.
The less a person is paid, the harder they tend to work. I spent time working with people making 9 bucks an hour, less than half of what I used to make. These people worked very hard, a hell of a lot harder than by buddies at my former job (including me at the time). The worst working, laziest, dumbest people I've ever had the misprivilege to work with made much more than me. Poverty level jobs are more likely to be inhibiting to advancing your situation. Take my former employer, for example. Your schedule was up in the air, you only knew it for sure a week ahead of time, and sometimes not even then. You were regularly worked 60-80 hours a week and your shift could change on two days notice. You usually didn't know what you were working Saturday and Sunday until that Friday. With a very strict attendance policy you couldn't call in very often when work changed your plans. You can't plan college or other job training around that. You can't plan anything around a job that gives you zero planned free time. Many people also work multiple jobs just to make a living wage, which doesn't leave time for stuff like college.
Poverty can be all consuming. It's hard to plan out your career and your life goals when you have to make three hundred dollars a week cover four hundred dollars a week in bills, and then feed your family on top of that. You can work hard, full time and then some, but still fall short. When you can't afford the gas to drive to something even if it's free, you are much more likely to spend your free time in front of the t.v. You are much more likely to despair if your situation looks bleak. Poverty is a cyclical beast. Yes, it's true that some people make it from poverty, but they are the exceptions. Most get caught in the cycle, for many reasons continuing the often generational poverty.
Maybe it's hard for those with opportunity to understand. The fact is, the current system isn't one that works if everyone pulls themselves up from the gutter and becomes a successful business owner. the system relies on poverty, it relies on the poor. Whole industries are structured around an underpaid workforce and a devalued consumer. Corporations have many lower level employees yet few upper level employees. If everyone was on top, who would be doing the work? Success does come from hard work, but it also takes luck and circumstance. No one makes it without all three.
Some points about Tim Corley's article:
1. Rich people eat better, eat less junk food. Of course, they can afford better food. That one's a no brainer.
3. The rich can afford gym memberships, and aren't as often to be stuck in situations that do not allow them to exercise, like working 80+ hours a week.
7. Wealthy parents have time and opportunity to make their kids volunteer.
10. Wealthy are more likely to get a job that demands that much career based reading.
15. This is entirely dependent on the job. If you have to go to work at three a.m., then that means you wake up at midnight. Not very practical. Also, as Irwin writes, poor people are more likely to have multiple jobs, not allowing for a full nights sleep between jobs. His article is more accurate, more in touch with the reality of poverty.
The less a person is paid, the harder they tend to work. I spent time working with people making 9 bucks an hour, less than half of what I used to make. These people worked very hard, a hell of a lot harder than by buddies at my former job (including me at the time). The worst working, laziest, dumbest people I've ever had the misprivilege to work with made much more than me. Poverty level jobs are more likely to be inhibiting to advancing your situation. Take my former employer, for example. Your schedule was up in the air, you only knew it for sure a week ahead of time, and sometimes not even then. You were regularly worked 60-80 hours a week and your shift could change on two days notice. You usually didn't know what you were working Saturday and Sunday until that Friday. With a very strict attendance policy you couldn't call in very often when work changed your plans. You can't plan college or other job training around that. You can't plan anything around a job that gives you zero planned free time. Many people also work multiple jobs just to make a living wage, which doesn't leave time for stuff like college.
Poverty can be all consuming. It's hard to plan out your career and your life goals when you have to make three hundred dollars a week cover four hundred dollars a week in bills, and then feed your family on top of that. You can work hard, full time and then some, but still fall short. When you can't afford the gas to drive to something even if it's free, you are much more likely to spend your free time in front of the t.v. You are much more likely to despair if your situation looks bleak. Poverty is a cyclical beast. Yes, it's true that some people make it from poverty, but they are the exceptions. Most get caught in the cycle, for many reasons continuing the often generational poverty.
Maybe it's hard for those with opportunity to understand. The fact is, the current system isn't one that works if everyone pulls themselves up from the gutter and becomes a successful business owner. the system relies on poverty, it relies on the poor. Whole industries are structured around an underpaid workforce and a devalued consumer. Corporations have many lower level employees yet few upper level employees. If everyone was on top, who would be doing the work? Success does come from hard work, but it also takes luck and circumstance. No one makes it without all three.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Abstract Music (Pure Art).
Noise music, experimental, avant-garde, whatever you want to call it, my first experience with it had to be seeing the Boredoms open for Nirvana. I wasn't quite ready yet, but I started listening to the Boredoms a lot within a year from seeing them. Then there was Sonic Youth, and Thurston Moore hosting MTV's 120 Minutes. By the time I was introduced to John Zorn, noise music as an art form had become a part of my life that wouldn't ever go away.
Evolving seemingly independently, I got into playing noise music shortly after I started playing guitar. Maybe because I didn't know how to play properly, maybe because I was too stubborn to learn, but it did seem what I was naturally drawn to. I made many recordings and planned releases, most of which have still never seen the light of day. I was even in a few noise bands, but they were mostly one offs, getting together for one show, or even just one practice.
I was musically adventurous, and I frequented record shops. I found many great and diverse titles that I still love, such as The Miracle of Levitation comp, Azonic Halo, Lull, Yamantaka Eye's violent Hanatarash, and Lee Ranaldo's Scriptures of the Golden Eternity. I was in a record shop in Washington D.C. when I came across John Zorn's Naked City project for the first time. That one really blew me away.
I think, when it comes down to it, noise music is just abstract art. I find my self drawn to abstract art and extremes of art in all forms of art I enjoy. The abstract and the extreme aren't the only things I like, but I certainly have a major affinity for it.
Abstract art is often brushed aside by people as talentless noise that anyone could do. It is true technical skill isn't a factor in abstract forms of art, but that is where the real beauty in the whole thing lay. The way I see it, you have two major factors in a work of art. The artists technical skill, and the artist natural artistry. It's that natural artistry that music cannot do without. That hard to pinpoint "something" that is essential. Technical skill can cover up for that missing "something" to a point. If you have no artistic heart whatsoever, but you have a great talent at, let's say, guitar, you can still make music that people will enjoy. There is nothing wrong with working really hard to get good at playing an instrument.
When you take away the technical skill, however, all that is left is the pure artistic "something". Anyone can bang some instruments together, or splash paint on a canvas randomly. A true artist can make exceptional art without that technical skill. Noise music is that pure boiled down something, with no technical skill hiding it. It's raw, it's extreme, it's real. There is nothing left for the artist to hide behind.
That's not to say experimental musicians don't necessarily have technical talent. Take John Zorn, who makes music many people would call pure noise. He has a technical proficiency in his compositions that would rival the masters, but his chosen field is one where that technicality takes a back-burner.
Honestly, I listen to a very wide range of music, but I have a special place in my heart for "noise". Take away all the polish and technique and training, and you have something as close to pure art as you will ever hear.
Evolving seemingly independently, I got into playing noise music shortly after I started playing guitar. Maybe because I didn't know how to play properly, maybe because I was too stubborn to learn, but it did seem what I was naturally drawn to. I made many recordings and planned releases, most of which have still never seen the light of day. I was even in a few noise bands, but they were mostly one offs, getting together for one show, or even just one practice.
I was musically adventurous, and I frequented record shops. I found many great and diverse titles that I still love, such as The Miracle of Levitation comp, Azonic Halo, Lull, Yamantaka Eye's violent Hanatarash, and Lee Ranaldo's Scriptures of the Golden Eternity. I was in a record shop in Washington D.C. when I came across John Zorn's Naked City project for the first time. That one really blew me away.
I think, when it comes down to it, noise music is just abstract art. I find my self drawn to abstract art and extremes of art in all forms of art I enjoy. The abstract and the extreme aren't the only things I like, but I certainly have a major affinity for it.
Abstract art is often brushed aside by people as talentless noise that anyone could do. It is true technical skill isn't a factor in abstract forms of art, but that is where the real beauty in the whole thing lay. The way I see it, you have two major factors in a work of art. The artists technical skill, and the artist natural artistry. It's that natural artistry that music cannot do without. That hard to pinpoint "something" that is essential. Technical skill can cover up for that missing "something" to a point. If you have no artistic heart whatsoever, but you have a great talent at, let's say, guitar, you can still make music that people will enjoy. There is nothing wrong with working really hard to get good at playing an instrument.
When you take away the technical skill, however, all that is left is the pure artistic "something". Anyone can bang some instruments together, or splash paint on a canvas randomly. A true artist can make exceptional art without that technical skill. Noise music is that pure boiled down something, with no technical skill hiding it. It's raw, it's extreme, it's real. There is nothing left for the artist to hide behind.
That's not to say experimental musicians don't necessarily have technical talent. Take John Zorn, who makes music many people would call pure noise. He has a technical proficiency in his compositions that would rival the masters, but his chosen field is one where that technicality takes a back-burner.
Honestly, I listen to a very wide range of music, but I have a special place in my heart for "noise". Take away all the polish and technique and training, and you have something as close to pure art as you will ever hear.
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