today was strange. i was at the buzz, and andi came over and took dictation. i've got a crush on her, i think. and then, i was asked to walk her to her car so she could change clothes. in the car. we talked for about two hours, in front of the buzz, watched some kids sit on scott's car. i taught her to waltz.



*sigh*



damn hormones.



i'm not single anymore, i'm glad of that, but i'm having a hard time adjusting.



i started a new story. it's called Seven Virgins. it's going to be fun, but it's slow going, as i'm actually having to make it up. as opposed to the other story, where i was just writing down stuff that happened...and changing the names. and inserting clever stylisms.



i read a bit of it aloud to joel, and realized it sucked, so i kind of started trailing off. he said "look, you got to read it like you mean it. speak like you have a pair." joel rocks. except then it was sort of embarassing. especially considering the fashion core trio was there, and they hate me. joel can get along with anyone he wants to. he's got an attitude, but can pull it off. i want to be like him when i grow up.



but as i told andi. i probably won't.



i talked to ania. it was silly nothingness for the most part. i feel somewhat doomed. i have clever things to say, but i say them without really meaning them. aaa. this is not good, not good. i hope i see her soon.

Ok, so this review has been a long time coming. I first heard the Gas Giants at the age of fourteen...august 7th, 2000, actually. it was my first concert ever, and from that day i on i knew i wanted to be in rock n roll. the show was great, the band put on a very tight performance.

Here's some history about the band...after MTV darlings the Gin Blossoms broke up in 1997, their singer/guitarist Robin Wilson went to Arizona with the intent of forming a new band. After recruiting Daniel Kenzerling on additional guitar and Phillip Rhodes on drums, Wilson formed the Gas Giants. Two bassists were featured on the album: John Hampton and Chris Wildmer, but Mickey Ferrel was the bassist who toured with the band.

From Beyond the Back Burner is a very solid rock n roll album...the pace slows only occasionally (such as "Who's Side are you On?"), but it is a controlled emotional cool-down...not the great dragging epic muddles the Gin Blossoms were prone to (mind you, the Gin Blossoms had seven people in it). The Gin Blossoms were also sometimes considered as emotionally one dimensional, that dimension being depressed...not so with the Gas Giants. They have their depressive moments ,"Letter" being an example. however, most songs on the album deal with serious themes without coming off as pompous or cliche (like "I hope my kids like Marilyn Manson" and the rabble rousing: "Circus of Stars.") Wilson has always been a good lyricist, and he really shines on this album.

This album is a great example of what mainstream rock n roll tries to be, but fails so miserably at. True, From Beyond doesn't break much new ground, but it manages not to be too cliche, too arrogant, or too stupid. The guitar solos are not too long, they actually have guitar solos, and they have good harmonies and pop production. They're loud and heavy enough (not so jangly as the Blossoms) to appease the rocker in you, but not so extreme that someone with more mainstream taste can't enjoy it too.

The Gas Giants - From Beyond the Back Burner

Grade: B+

Label: Mayberry Defense Dynamics, AP0002-2

See Also: http://www.geocities.com/gasgiantsbetweentwoworlds/gasgiantshome.html and www.allmusic.com

so yeah, i'm a total complete moron. i told emily i'd call her from the buzz around 10:30. and then at a quarter till eight that the sonic youth show was tonight...at 8:30! so i called her back, but no answer...no message, either. bummer. so i went to the show, and it was great. quixotic opened, not too bad...they're on to something, i'll give them that.

Sonic Youth. this show i've been looking forward to for years. SY is my favorite band that's still together. they were so together and massive and beautiful. i got all teary-eyed when they started up...a new song called Peace Attack. they played some new stuff, but also played Catholic Block, Bull in the Heather, and Disconnection Notice... it was perfect. thurston was so great, like a little kid. kim was a godess. she gets better looking as she ages. lee was super cool. too cool for words. steve was pounding away, exuberant as ever. and jim was doing a good job keeping up with everyone. he fits in well. the only problem with the show was that they played no songs from Dirty or Washing Machine...but that's ok. they're sonic youth, and they're the best band ever.

i owe too many people too much. and i think i fucked things up with laura.



on the other hand, things are going ok. band #2 has a gig. she wants me back. etc.



i was supposed to be this girl's summer fling...i feel kind of bad i can't oblige. if this was last year...when i was oh-so-young and carefree.



good luck, everybody. i love you all.

saturday night. around midnight. i was laying in bed with a girl. we were naked and blue from the light from the window, and i was reciting the words to a sonic youth song. i finished and brushed the hair from her cheek, and she said "you do that a lot. you must've done it ten times tonight."



"yeah," says i. "i've always got a song going through my head."



later that night we were sharing a rootbeer in the kitchen, and she took a sip and kissed me. "fizzy?" she asked.

i was just sitting on the linoleum, back against the wall, and i just smiled at her.

NP: The Jesus and Mary Chain - Head On



yeah. i love that song. and the pixies cover of it rules.

i heard the first half of the new Radiohead album over at NME.com . it's quite excellent.



my amp tried to kill me today, when i was jamming with dave. it electrocuted me a couple of times, the most memorable attempt being three hundred volts running up my left hand (guitar hand) through my arm, through my head, and out my lower lip to the mic. the right side of my face feels kind weird, still. and my kidneys hurt. and my arthritis in my right hand is acting up. but that's just the rain.



i wish the weather would change. it's about forty degrees out. and it's been grey. everyone's going away, to florida or LA. i guess i'm going to lexington for better weather.



Agent Deth Fuzz (the hardcore project) session #1 got rescheduled to sunday, due to patrick wanting in on it, and my amp having a psychotic episode.



i went to the buzz. ian and andi were giving each other hickeys. which is funny. they were literally trying to do this. for no apparent reason. they're not even really that interested in each other, and they only really met day before yesterday. they crack me up. andi and i were reading, albeit slowly, the french Iggy Pop book i got in paris. good times.



i dug out my mudhoney Superfuzz Bigmuff tape...rawk. i love this band so much, it's not even funny. mark arm is pretty much responsible for my first three years of musical output.

i'll keep it to the point.

i started reading artist of the floating world. it's good.

i met a girl named laura. she's cute. she can do the time warp.