Why Do You Tap All My Phonecalls?

This Journal Is Over...

2006-05-04T22:07:19Z

Yep. Done. The end. Longest running LJ I've ever had and the one most neglected.

New one though and I promise it'll get updates almost every day (in story form - maybe I can make a novel out of it in a year or two!).

http://streetfeeling.livejournal.com

Add me. I'll add you back. Hooray for that.

hahah_siiike @ 2006-02-09T12:04:00

2006-02-09T18:10:04Z

Last night at Reckless, Mellie and I found the first Franz record ($7), Roman Gods by The Fleshtones ($4), Flash Flash Flash by The Explosion ($6), Teenage Depression by Eddie and The Hotrods ($6) and Ray Charles at Newport ($1).

Proof positive that vinyl is not only hip, but it's CHEAP too!

I've been digging into the bible more lately and I've been forgetting how much of a positive spin it puts on my entire day. I don't pout as much.

hahah_siiike @ 2006-02-03T13:50:00

2006-02-03T19:52:06Z

Yesterday when Mellie and I went to Dave's on Clark, we found Aretha's Greatest Hits, a Temptations record from '67, the first LL Cool J record, Catch A Fire by The Wailers and a few others...all for a dollar or so. Oh yeah...and some 12" singles for 25c each like The Concretes and Duran Duran.

Let me tell you...record hunting is my favourite thing in the entire world. Well...in terms of materialist hobbies I guess. Mellie's been telling me that I love my record collection more then her.

Now doesn't that sound ridiculous?!?

Only an hour more and I'm off work for today. It's so nice having Mellie back home now and not all the way in New Jersey, I look forward to seeing her each afternoon after I get off of work. I don't think I lose my excitement at all with each passing time either.

Not much else to write about. Life's pretty nice right now.

hahah_siiike @ 2006-01-28T17:06:00

2006-01-28T22:06:18Z

Ah dang. I'm back.

Six month layoff and now I'm using this thing again.

What's been going on in the last six months?

Well...I moved from Lancaster, PA to Chicago and I'm living at JPUSA again.

My record collection started back up and it's grown by about 450 (literally that many...I aspire to own half of Chicago's vinyl).

oh yeah...and Mellie and I are engaged.

You can't see the ring that well...but it's 14k white gold with a black onyx diamond in the middle.

We're in New Jersey right now and we're leaving to Chicago on Monday.

More later...I think.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-07-23T00:45:00

2005-07-23T04:46:46Z

Someone buy this dang iPod off of me.

It's two months old, has some minor scratches (which can EASILY be removed with a solvent), has somewhere around 300 albums on it and it's a 40gig.

I paid 400 for it but it's your's for 300. I'll even throw in a super hotttttt iPod case.

WHO WANTS IT!?

hahah_siiike @ 2005-07-20T02:31:00

2005-07-20T06:33:46Z

I never seem to write on here anymore...

We went dumpster diving tonight and ended up finding a gaggle of great things (most of them quite useless), the best one I found was a vinyl record with the theme songs from The Munsters and The Addams Family on it. This will be a gift for Mellie.

a few things on my heart lately though...

I read No Compromise, the life story of Keith Green today. As time has gone on, I've started to get more into artists that are relevant and spirit filled and I haven't had much interest in much of anything else (with the exception of all the Two Tone ska I listen to). I used to look up to musicians for the records they made and the image and attitude they put across.

It's odd to think that I'm only 20 and I've been into punk rock for the better part of 10 years. I've always had heavier music shoved at me from all sides, be it the nu-metal of my highschool years or the metalcore of my post highschool years and while I've liked a select few of the bands from each of those, punk rock always struck a chord because it hit closer to home for me. The anger wasn't born of teen angst by upper middle class whities (well, some of it was..but not all of it) and the attitude was just so upfront and unrelenting. Bands like the Replacements, early Squad Five-O, One 21 and several several others made sense because their music was working class and down to earth. I wasn't well off (still not even close...I'm well below the poverty lines by most standards), I was never really given much materially and over time I came to the point of not minding that. It made more sense to me because it wasn't superficial or shallow.

Nowadays I look towards people like Robert and Edie from Headnoise, Keith Green, the Psalters, Otto from Blaster The Rocketman, the guys in One 21, Reese Roper, Aaron Weiss and other musicians because of the things that they stand for. They all stand for Christ in real and relevant ways without any sugary pretense and even more then that, they're humans. They make mistakes, have struggles and deal with downfalls, hills and valleys just like anyone else. I don't look to them as idols, I look to them as examples of people who are living out their lives following the same Saviour that I do.

While reading Keith Green's biography today, I noted his zeal and his desire for truth. When he found it, he refused to let go of it. Many called him a legalist and an extremist, a religous nut. Many hated him for his stance and the platforms he took when addressing the church and the things he found wrong with Christians. As time has gone on, I've begun to realize that my hatred of legalism and things encompassed within the word have been borne of a lazy spirit. When Christ called us to live for him, he didn't call us to blow up abortion clinics or solicit people's money, but he did call us to seperate ourselves.

An apple tree is made an apple tree by the Grace of God, but in order to be considered an apple tree, it must produce apples.

It's a simple analogy I know, but it makes sense. As Christians, we're called to be set apart. We're not called to be religous elitists and we're not above anyone else. We're called to love people and we're called to live by the things set before us in the bible. Works don't get you into heaven, but Jesus said that if we loved him, we'd follow his teachings.

'Why do you say 'Lord, Lord!' and then not obey me?'

Keith Green made note in many of his journal entries about things that he struggled with and was constantly trying to work through them. Many of them were every day occurences and things that many of us have in common today. For me I know that I daily struggle with things like lust, feeling inadequate to the standards set before me by the world (one of many reasons why I've taken the crust role in my hygiene, appearance and beliefs), controlling my words, gossipping and slandering others (in the name of God half of the time no less) and not saying things in compassion and love.

Near the end of Green's life, some friends pulled him aside and informed him that while what he was saying while calling out the Christian right (and left) was correct and dead on, he often sacrificed love and tact while saying it. The goal is to find a balance. Yes we have Grace, but without showing it to others, without realizing everything within its meaning, it's absolutely worthless to us.

the rest of this is going to give you the impression that I'm an absolute weirdo...

Ephesians 5: 1Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.

3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. 4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes--these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world. 6Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him. 7Don't participate in the things these people do. 8For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! 9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.

Lately I've been doing alot of thinking about our society...well, America really. Over the past several months I've allowed God to have full reign in my life and I've grown happy due to that. My hunger for His word and my willingness to do things of Him have increased, but so also have the temptations and my struggles. I'm not mentioning my growth in Christ as a means to brag, rather I'm bringing it up to bring forth the idea that when one gives their life to Christ and begins to try to shape their lives 100% to His ways, their eyes began to open and the proverbial scales begin to fall off.

Several times in the New Testament, both Timothy and Paul make mention of how when we were sinful and lived in our own debauchery, we were unaware of the breadth and deepness of our wrongs - now with new life in Christ, we see those things clearly so as to avoid falling back into them.

This might sound judgemental (and by no means do I mean for it to be), but I've become increasingly appalled with the consumerist attitude that our country seems to take in stride as being casual and every day without a second thought. This hit me pretty hard when Mellie and I spent half a week in New York City after Cornerstone. We were walking around in the cultural beating heart of the Western world and all we saw were rotten things in the form of superficial glances, hi tech gadgets and people treating homeless people like scum and problems rather then seeing them as fellow human beings. Those who are below this caste system of consumerism, five and six figure saleries and mass culture rackateering are being kicked in the face, being shoved aside and ultimately being left to die right beside the very stores that are frequented and receiving so much traffic from those who choose to bat a blind eye.

As a people, we've let our possessions take over our lives. We work second and even third jobs to get the stuff we want. We take out second mortgages on our houses to get the latest things. And what's it for? To keep up with those around us? Why?

I'm not saying it's wrong to want to own things. I myself am saving to get my sleeves done (and tattoos are NOT cheap either!). It's not wrong to want things and it's not wrong to buy nice things. Priority is key here. If you're too busy running to the Apple store to get that new iBook to notice the homeless guy emaciated and starving on the corner as you pass, then there's a problem. I understand that consumerism and buying things are what fuel are economy, supply endless amounts of jobs and give our country its standard of living. But not prioritizing will make those things double edged swords. I love tattoos and buying new records, but if I'm too fixated on buying those things before helping a person whose down on rent and needs a bite to eat, well - I stand for re-evaluation.

We (America) are faltering faster then ever before. We're so puffed up with pride and focus on ourselves that we can't see others. We don't see the ripple effects that our own selfishness, carelessness, arrogance and pride are having on others. Each day Christ is giving me oppurtunities to hold my tongue in combatitive situations. Each day I'm given oppurtunities to die to my flesh and take up my proverbial cross. Each day I'm shown that my pride can still be taken down a notch. I'm not saying I've made it to a higher state of spirituality with God and I'm not saying I'm better then anyone else, all I'm saying is that I'm trying.

Stagnancy is no longer a viable option.

Over the past couple of months I've begun to lean more towards a lifestyle that many define as Crust. Crust by definition means not showering all that often and not washing clothes. It's a state of filth. Now I don't stink or anything but I have found freedom in this new state of living. I wear the same clothes (now quickly becoming patched up to preserve them) and I'm even thinking about dreading my mohawk once it grows out more. Where I've traded in a vain and self centered sense of fashion for a more apathetic life style in my own clothing and grooming habits, I've gained an awareness for the world around me. I've realized that there is more then my record collection and my immediate friends circle. People are dying every day because we as a country (America) and even more so, we as a CHURCH BODY have failed to help them.

Instead of taking up Jesus's challenge to die to ourselves daily and feed and care for our fellow brother, we've opted instead to care only for ourselves and our immediate friends.

Even the tax collector will take care of his own friends...

True Christlike love involves caring and being compassionate towards EVERYBODY. True Grace is seeing that Jesus forgave his murderers WHILE he was dying on the cross and STILL chose to forgive them and ask his Father for their pardon...shouldn't we apply that to our own lives? Especially since no one's trying to crucify us or put us to death, since for many of us it would seem that a spilled drink or a harsh word is the peek of what angers us. I'll enjoy killing my pride and dying to myself every single day...somehow living for me me me just isn't all that satisfying anymore.

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' and then I will declare to them 'I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Hey America, we're gonna start a war...

hahah_siiike @ 2005-07-06T19:57:00

2005-07-06T23:59:25Z

So...Cornerstone.

Just where do I begin?

I arrived in New York City on Tuesday and we hung out. It wasn't as impressive as people have told me, but it's big nonetheless.

I'm still looking for those Ninja Turtles though...

We left on Wednesday morning to get to Illinois and 30 minutes into the trip the tarp flew off the top of the mini van followed soon after by two pieces of luggage. How we managed to get them all back in one piece (on a major six lane highway no less) is beyond me. Once we put everything into the van (no sense strapping it to the top again right?) we were off. Literally moments after we got back onto the road, a tire blew. This put us back a couple of hours. The trip total was around 20 hours with us leaving at 7:30 in the morning, getting onto the road after the tire incident around 11 and then arriving around 4 on Thursday morning.

As in years past, I would describe what bands I saw...but I'll give a list. Take a moment to marvel at how short the list is while still being more awesome then your list (which I'm sure is four times longer).

Spitfire (STILL good after seven years!), One 21 (last show ever. Probably one of my favorite bands of all time...ALL TIME. Let me repeat this...ALL TIME.), Red Lipstick Death (death rock that actually ISN'T irritating), Hyperdrive Go! (my good friend Scott Potter's band. Remember that guy? We terrorized EVERYBODY at Cornerstone '03), The Huntingtons (final show ever. Went on a stellar note. Good show Cliffy!), Headnoise, American Culture eXperiments (uhm...yeah.), Bloodlined Calligraphy, No Innocent Victim, The Showdown (go in the pit and git 'em!), Divebomber (what...no Evil Robot!?), Hook Line and Sinker (oh yes. Ska. That's right...SKA!), The Satire, and countless others I'm sure.

Highlights for the fest...hmm...finding a Lust Control record for a dollar and giving it to Doug. Some dude coming up and telling me that it was odd for him to meet someone whose stuff he's read 'all these years' while I was in charge of the HM table (it caught me off guard. It was also another example of how my pride will never die regardless of how much I try to kill it...dying to one's self is any every day thing). Getting kicked in the face by Austin at the Goodyear (beautiful...simply beautiful), Sean...the dissapearing and re-appearing boy, hanging out with David and Anna for a good part of the fest, all the new people we met along the way, seeing alot of JPUSA's for the first time in nearly a year and being greeted warmly by the greater majority of them, and of course...spending the whole time holding hands with my dearest Mellie.....

I learned alot at this year's fest. Alot about Grace and forgiveness. I rebuilt a bridge with a fellow Jpusa who thought I was just as mad at him as I thought he was mad at me. It was yet another reminder of why forgiveness, grace, and love towards others is such a needed thing day after day in our lives.

That's really about it. Cornerstone was rather uneventful this year but I don't mind at all. I've noticed that as the years go by, the focus is less on the music for me. It's more on hanging out with people and actually building and working on relationships. The first year I went, I wanted the music streamlined into my veins. Last year I still wanted to load up on shows but not as much because conversation with new people and old friends was starting to take precedence. This year the conversations won out and I ended up missing alot of shows due to them. I don't regret it a single bit either...

I'll be in New York for the next couple of days and I'll be back on the weekend. The manager from Seattle's Best (the coffee place in the mall) called Chris and Beth and left a message asking if I still wanted a job. God provides. All this time I was worried and God's going 'idiot! I'm still here!'.

Mellie and I are praying about it, but we might be going back to JPUSA in the next couple of years together. We talked to a few people and it's all clear for us to come back whenever we want. Ah man...can you imagine that? Me...married. akdjfjasxdflkasdlfasdkfjsd

This has probably been one of the best weeks of my life...

oh...and uhm...

and am I the luckiest guy ever?!

Shyeah!

hahah_siiike @ 2005-06-11T12:43:00

2005-06-11T16:45:18Z

i find myself walking around the streets of Lancaster alot these days. Downtown is probably my favorite place and it's best to walk at night.

God's doing alot of great stuff right now and I'm growing very rapidly in light of the stand still and stagnancy that I had just three months ago.

i think i'm going to close this journal because I never use it...

hahah_siiike @ 2005-05-24T15:24:00

2005-05-24T19:18:46Z

Right now one of my favorite songs is The Beat's cover of Smokey Robinson's Tears of A Clown. I've hated every other cover of this song because they were all so poppy and sugarcoated. This one is too but it's got that two tone thing to it.

I've been unhealthily addicted to two tone and first wave ska lately.

All I've been able to listen to is The Beat (the ENGLISH beat for all you Americans), Madness, The Selecter, The Specials, Prince Buster, The Ethiopians, Laurel Aitken and GAGGLES of others...

I really like ska.

One band I LOVE is Not For The Crowd. They were a band during the third wave thing a few years back but played a sound that was distinctly two tone and first wave crossed together. Does anyone (and by anyone I mean Raye or Tiffy) have anything by them that you can push my way?

Phillipians 4:8 - Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is anything of virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-05-13T14:48:00

2005-05-13T18:49:10Z

My sweet Jesus,
I love you.
And I'm trying so hard.
It's not so easy,
down here anymore.
Everyone just treats me,
like I'm crazy or something.
Sometimes I feel like I am,
because no one seems to understand.

But if I'm a fool, I'm a fool for you.
And if I'm alive, I'm living just for you.
If I sing a song, then I sing for you.
I sing all day long, in everything I do.

My sweet Jesus,
I'm sorry,
that I let you down again.
It's not so easy,
Down here anymore.
Everyone just treats me,
like I'm crazy or something.
And sometimes, I feel like I am.
Because no one seems to understand.

But if I'm a fool, I'm a fool for you.
and if I'm alive, I'm living just for you.
If I sing a song, then I sing for you.
I sing all day long, in everything I do.

I will rejoice in this foolishness.
I will rejoice in this foolishness.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-05-01T20:08:00

2005-05-02T00:09:42Z

Saturday, April 30, 2005

So yesterday at work during my downtime, I was doing this study that I found by this theoligan named Bob Deffinbaugh on the subject of having wisdom and discerning the will of God. He brought up some excellent points in it - for example:

"Our inability to grasp God's ways and His will stems not only from our human frailty (our simplicity), but from our fallenness. If being human hinders us from knowing God's will, our sinfulness hinders us from seeking it or submitting to it."

the basic translation for that could be found when Paul says "I do what I hate to do..."

Deffinbaugh later goes further in detail about this nature by saying "before we can answer the question, 'what shall I do?' we must first ask the question, 'whom do I trust?' The greatest obstacle to my seeking the will of God and doing it is my attitude of self-sufficiency and self-trust".

Lately I've started to understand the power of words and the damage they can cause. I've also noticed the good they can bring as well. Though it may take years for me to achieve it, right now I'm trying to think on every word that leaves my mouth before I say it so that I don't slander or put down anyone. This was somewhat hard at work yesterday when one of my managers brought up the subject of their beef with another manager. I just sorta sat there and nodded my head.

I'm already accepting that I'm gonna be sitting out when friends are joking around about stuff that isn't of the nicest variety. I'm not trying to be a stick in the mud, I'm just wanting to regulate and be in control of my words.

One's character, his way, can be discerned by the pattern he has established in his conduct.

Today...

So initially I was thinking that controlling my words and my actions were going to be a war in themselves. I didn't know that those were only a part of it. Not only do I have to think on my words and the things that leave my mouth, but I also need to think on how I deliver those words.

Sometimes when our words have the best intentions and our motives are in the right place, the person receiving them can take them completely wrong and be offended due to how we're saying them. Oftentimes I've been told that the way I deliver words is in a condescending or exaggerant tone. These tones don't indicate love and they don't indicate grace. They seem more like instigation. My hope is that my ways of saying things will go hand in hand with what I say in becoming more and more like Christ.

I've also begun to realize how judgemental I am. I don't mean to do it, it's something of a subconscious thing. That's no excuse by any means - but none of us like to admit our faults do we? Especially when there are so many faults to come clean with in the first place...

Everyone needs love and grace regardless of what they look like or who they are. This applies to the punk rock girl at the show or the middle aged yuppie at the Smoothie King. I'm not saying that we need to sit there and talk to every single one of them, but I am saying that we're supposed to look at them with love and not condemnation or an evil eye. Our hearts are supposed to be soft and merciful and our patience and forgiveness is supposed to be limitless.

I seriously didn't know this was going to be a constant thing. I didn't know I was gonna be monitoring this every second. Sometimes I say things before I even think them and in my eyes, that's the worst state a person can have if they can't even control their words. I want every word that comes out of my mouth to be constuctive and full of love whether I'm talking about Christ or whether I'm talking about a pair of shoes.

It's only through interaction with others that these things are realized and can be improved upon. I'd like to be thankful for everything that comes my way and be patient with everything and everyone I see...

Jesus my heart is all I have to give to you.
So weak and so unworthy, this simply will not do.
No alabaster jar, no diamond in the rough.
For your body that was broken, how can this be enough?
By me you were abandoned, by me you were betrayed.
Yet in your arms and in your heart forever I have stayed...
- Showbread

hahah_siiike @ 2005-04-28T18:05:00

2005-04-28T22:05:45Z

Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
5:2
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
5:3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
5:4
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

wow.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-04-21T22:35:00

2005-04-22T02:42:18Z

It seems like the more I'm willing to live in obedience to God, the more things he finds and goes ok. I'm gonna take this now. and proceeds to pluck them away. One by one, He's looking through each area in my life and I'm getting rid of things and walking away from others.

It's all part of the whittling process I suppose. All of it is God preparing me to work towards the goal that I was made for. Everything works out. I believe in the ministry that I've been called into.

It's good to have genuine faith in something and it not be fake. First time in my life I've felt 100% real about something and not hesitant in the slightest. It's good to be straight and on track with atleast one thing these days...

So what's my music box playing these days?

Well I did make a rather nice mix earlier.
Check it:

Danielson Famile: Nice of Me
The Shins: Young Pilgrims
Fairmont: Shooting Yourself In The Foot
Wilco: Ashes of American Flags
Mates of State: Fluke
Jimmy Eat World: If You Don't
Elvis Costello: I'm Not Angry
Driver Eight: Waiting For Godot
Say Anything: The Writhing South
Starflyer 59: The Big Idea
The Close: Daine Don't Dive
Ted Leo and The Pharmacists: Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?
Morella's Forest: Glitter
Nancy Sinatra: Bang Bang
Kevin Max: Deconstructing Venus
Jesse Malin: High Lonesome
Fine China: For All Centuries
Tom Petty: You Wreck Me
Weezer: The Good Life
Embrace: Last Song

Have an awesome night!

hahah_siiike @ 2005-04-19T09:28:00

2005-04-19T13:30:08Z

up the punx...or something.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-04-13T14:18:00

2005-04-13T18:19:29Z

God's bringing revival.

Just you watch...

It's time to stand up and count yourself among those whom you serve your allegiance too.

I would die tonight for my beliefs.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-03-25T11:08:00

2005-03-25T16:16:29Z

So one of Les's friends has been staying with us for the last few days and she has this little eight week old dog. The thing's cute but it chewed through my iPod cord which means I can't hook it up to the computer now.

sweet.

Chicago at the end of May and it's gonna be gooooooooood.
I should have enough money saved up to hang a month or two of rent and Kyle and I should have something nailed down by early July.

Speaking of Kyle, I've rejoined Day of Reckoning, the old school hardcore band that I played in for a hot minute before leaving Chicago to come back to Atlanta. Kyle's their guitarist and by all accounts after speaking to Jake (their drummer) and Andrew (their vocalist), I'll be in action once I get back up there. Listen to DOR

Next show will be on June 4th at The 5th Annual Great Alrington Heist w/Righteous Jams, Mental, Kill Your Idols, Slumlords, The Killer, Death Before Dishonor, and Madball.

anything else to report on?
life's positive.
keep it that way.

ex ex ex

hahah_siiike @ 2005-03-08T14:51:00

2005-03-08T19:58:19Z

Strikefirst Record's Hit The Deck are almost 99.9% positive that they'll be going with The Forensic Scene to take care of all of their booking needs. I've been in correspondance with Jordan their vocalist about it and he's pretty excited. It'll be good to have a band on their level with the agency along with the others that are already on. I'm excited to be doing this...

Chicago in three months.
Holyyyyyyyyyy cow am I excited.

As of right now it's looking like Mellie, Kyle and I with one or two other people (possibly?). It's gonna be some good stuff and some goodtimes.

I'm seeing Comeback Kid and Bane on Saturday with Lett.
posi x 5

hahah_siiike @ 2005-03-03T16:47:00

2005-03-03T21:52:44Z

So in an attempt to start networking across the country using an obvious tool. Forensic now has a LiveJournal. As of right now I'm in a bunch of communities for the purpose of getting contacts so that I can book the bands I have when they go out on tour.

Add it! _forensicscene

and if anyone has any good contacts or has any good venues in their states ... let me know! I need all of the contacts I can get.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-02-27T14:58:00

2005-02-27T19:58:41Z

I never really post here anymore.
How's everyone been?

hahah_siiike @ 2005-02-18T17:45:00

2005-02-18T22:53:21Z

Alright dudes, new number!

Four Oh Four . Two Four Six . Oh Eight Six Four

send me love.
no crazy people calling though.
fruits.

I'm seeing Ashes Fall and Come Out Swinging tomorrow night at Penny 2.
Gonna set things with getting Ashes Fall signed onto Forensic.
Come Out Swinging is interested in doing the same.
Two for the price of one.

Rockage.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-02-14T14:59:00

2005-02-14T20:00:43Z

The Forensic Scene now has its own myspace account.

Since last night it's gained 70 friends and counting and I've already received offers and inquiries from 5 bands in concerns to booking.

Search and add it through theforensicscene@gmail.com
The name is The Forensic Scene Booking and Publicity Agency

I'm getting a new cellphone on Friday.
I'll be sure to pass you the number.

Holla!

hahah_siiike @ 2005-01-21T13:32:00

2005-01-21T18:36:36Z

I never update this anymore.
I never see the use.

A cliffnotes version of the last two weeks:

- Les is starting a label called Carpe Diem. Our first signing is looking to be The Last Starfighter from Texas. We'll see.

- I've started a booking agency called The Forensic Scene. Currently I've already preserved a web domain and have two bands on the roster: Macon, GA's Torriadora and Texas's The Kirby (who record on DollHouse Records). Torn From Red (PA HARDCORE!) may very well be signing on in the next two months as well. My fees are a flat rate of $100 a month per band (most booking agents charge ten percent off of what you make per show..so this is a REALLY good deal) with a contract of 6-12 months to officially be with the agency. I already have contracts drawn up that will be sent to every venue I book a show at (to insure bands get their guarantees and whatnot). If you're interested - pr@dollhouseinc.com or coffeeshophorror@gmail.com

- I might be quitting my coffeeshop job in the next three months. I just need to pick up six more clients and I won't really have use for a job so to speak since I can stay at home and do booking.

- Lots of hanging out with new people.
It'd be cool to hang out with some of the old ones too (since Tuesday night bible study is no more).

Fun.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-01-14T00:47:00

2005-01-14T05:48:10Z

So assuming that my paycheck tomorrow permits me a little bit of extra money, I might be getting a new tattoo on Saturday. It wont be anything really big. It'll be a small 1 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch filler piece of the black wooled sheep off of Minor Threat's 'Out of Step' LP. It's not too big of a deal and it should only cost 50 bucks since it'll take less then half an hour to do...but it's a space that's needed to be filled since I've wrapped up the forearm sleeve back in May. So it'll actually make a good bit of difference in how the sleeve is seen visually. That one little bit of space will solidify the whole thing.

So lately...I've really been getting into alot of the hardcore that I listened to back in my highschool days.

Do you remember the days when you first discovered it? For me it was when I was a 14 year old kid in the eighth grade. I was fully consumed in the whole Third Wave Ska thing. Five Iron Frenzy dominated my stereo. Then I had stumbled onto Squad Five-O and the world of punk rock was opened to me. But a few months later, I happened upon the first compilation that Solid State Records had put out (you know...back when they were GOOD). Alot of it didnt really catch my attention. But there was one track on there by a band called Stretch Armstrong called 'Outside Looking In' and man..that just did it for me. Caught my attention and never let go. From then on, I was in love with this raw form of music known as Hardcore. From there I got my hands on everything I could...now obviously this led me down the road to Minor Threat, Dischord Records and so on and so forth. But back in those old days, I was really into all of the bands that were associated with what's now called the Spirit Filled Hardcore movement. The way they praised God with such fervor and passion with music that wasn't cheesy or youth group friendly. It was raw, abrasive and damaging to the ears.

I miss those days...when hardcore bands weren't ashamed of their beliefs. When they stood up for their God and didn't shy down when God Free Youth spat in their face. Where did that integrity and honesty go? I miss the days of being into hardcore and not knowing that there was a dress code for it. I miss feeling like it was mine and not something that everyone in my school got in on because it was a trend. I miss walking down the halls with Focal Point blaring in my headphones while everyone else was rockin' the Linkin Park. Now all of those same kids are claiming they're into grind because they own a Daughters record. I'm not being exclusionary...I just wish it were back to the days where the outcasts were welcome and had something of their own. Now the 'beautiful' people so to speak have come in and taken over yet another thing for themselves. I didnt even know the phrase "sick mosh" until a year ago. I'm no old guy by any means...but I've been in this for nearly seven years now. Can we go back to a time before Norma Jean and combovers? I can only hope so...

Anyway...here's a mix I made. Enjoy it. Go down memory lane. If your highschool years were like mine...you'll totally be into this. Most of the tracks are easy to find since they were released on compilations. I have the full recordings but since these were the tracks that led me to the bands, they're the most memorable. I threw some more recent stuff on here too to tie everything together.

Stretch Arm Strong: For The Record
Hanover Saints: Salutations
Jesus Wept: Father, Forgive Me
Zao: Repressed
Eso Charis: Once Upon A Fashionable
Unashamed: I Surrender
Focal Point: Neglected
Anguish Unsaid: Confession In Times of Tribulation
Innermeans: Dischord
Overcome: New Life
Comeback Kid: All In A Year
Hit The Deck: Heads You Lose
One 21: Morality
Born Blind: Nothing More, Nothing Less
No Innocent Victim: Reunion
Day of Reckoning: As Truth Rings Out
Unashamed: Meet Us Here
StrongArm: Council of Perfection
Dodgin' Bullets: Black and Blue Ego
The Deal: Fight Town
Officer Negative: J.C.H.C.
StrongArm: Stand Together
No Innocent Victim: Strength In Christ

hahah_siiike @ 2005-01-12T18:35:00

2005-01-12T23:39:47Z

Life is awesome.
Stay positive and look at the good.
There's alot more of that then the bad anyway.

coming soon on DollHouse Recordings:

Infirmity EP in February
Blue Print Car Crash (courtesy of The Militia Group)/The Kirby split ep in March
Evelynn/Dreaming of The Fifth Split ep in March
The Kirby/SHOWBREAD(courtesy of Tooth and Nail Records) split EP in April

I've been doing this for a month and I've already hooked two bigger label bands onto splits with our own label's bands. I'm talking with Rory at Militia about using some of his bands (Cartel, Copeland, etc) for a compilation to be released later this year.

2005 is going to be a great year.
My goal is to quit my dayjob to do this record label thing by New Years Day.

hahah_siiike @ 2005-01-08T01:25:00

2005-01-08T06:25:51Z

Went to see Showbread and it was amazing!

One of the opening bands was The Last Starfighter from Texas. Musically, they were what you'd usually hear from the Beloved brand of emo/mosh genre. But the way they got the crowd going was jaw dropping. The vocalist worked them into circle pits and had them in the palm of his hand in every literal sense. The sincerity that they had ... all of it combined to being quite a live experience. After they played, I went to their table and told them I'd like to keep in contact with them in the future and told them about Doll House Records. They gave me two copies of their record and we traded contacts. So who knows? Maybe they'll be doing something with the label in the future...

Tank also introduced me to one of the dudes from Becoming The Archetype (formerly The Remnant) who just got picked up by Solid State/Tooth and Nail. The guy was really interested in having me do some interview work for Decapolis and was also interested when I bought up the suggestion of a split with a DollHouse band in the future.

oh...and one final thing. I went to the Showbread show mainly to talk to Josh. I've been speaking with him for a little while now about the possibility of them doing a split with The Kirby. Well...him and Matt talked it over with the higher ups at Tooth and Nail and they've gotten clearance to go ahead and do the project! I nearly jumped out of my skin when he told me. As of right now, the plan is to do two new originals and a cover (Nine Inch Nail's March of The Pigs) for the split. The set time frame for them to record is around April/May with a summer release date on the record. So Zach...how is that for only being a DollHouse employee for one month!?

it's been a great night!