For most of us!
Hence why I haven't had the chance to really chime in here in quite a while. Music is such a big part of my life, so the initial point of this blog was two-fold. One, at a time where my "job" required me to crank out 5 horror related news pieces a day, with the occasional inspired essay, I wanted an outlet to write about music for fun. And two, it's my own document for the 3 year journey (and counting) that has been my new documentary project ANALOG LOVE. (Which I swear is alllllllmost done.)
But why so long between blogs? This is literally my second of 2018.
I have close friends say to me all the time, "I don't know how you do it all."
Well, to be candid, I can't do it all. I had a mini-meltdown; an anxiety and stress induced breakdown a few months back, which was scary for a few weeks there. But I'm totally fine for now. Sometimes, you really do have to put a halt on everything and figure out how to help yourself. And a big part of what's gotten me through has been new music. But let's go through the bullet points of what's happened this year and how I've managed to maneuver around it all.
NEW JOB!
Last week, we released TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY which, I believe, marks my 10th (!) movie I've helped release in 2018. 10 movies by July!
Here's the slate so far.
Currently on VOD: TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY, TERRIFIER, THE LODGERS, DIRECTOR'S CUT, VIDAR THE VAMPIRE.
Now streaming on Amazon Prime: IMITATION GIRL, ZOMBIOLOGY: ENJOY YOURSELF TONIGHT, #SCREAMERS, VILLMARK ASYLUM, ZONE OF THE DEAD.
Coming later this year: EXTREMITY, LASSO, SLAY BELLES.
Whew! On top of this whole movie biz thing, myself, Andrew Kasch and Jim Kunz have gotten involved in activism for some local causes we care about deeply. The first was the most personal to me. My best friend Jennifer Tung is one of the many victims of the Porter Ranch Gas Leak, which unbeknownst to the residents, was leaking and poisoning them between October of 2015 through December of that year. (It still leaks to this day.) Teachers from the area had died. Pets have died. And the people there have gotten very, very sick. I've never seen a more severe case then Jen's. And after nearly 3 years of frustration, delays in the civil lawsuit, next to no support from the press, Erin Brockovich doing her one public appearance & then swiftly abandoning these people, and a clear attempt to "cover" this all up, we got together and made the following video.
While drastic changes can never happen over night, I feel like helping to get Jen's story out there has finally shined a spotlight on this problem, and got some people talking about it. It's still not getting the press it deserves, but you can't deny the power of what we put together, and I hope it inspires more people to speak out and share their stories. You can keep following this story on the Facebook page we created.
After finishing this video, Andrew had heard rumblings that the rents in our beloved Magnolia Blvd. strip were starting to get doubled and tripled in some cases. This particular spot in the Valley is affectionately referred to as "monster row." It's where little independent stores thrive. And it's a destination for family and friends anytime they're in town. I live 5 minutes away from this strip, and I pop over there at least once a week. It's got that suburban quality you saw in all those indelible 80's movies we grew up with. And so far, we've lost Creature Features and Pin Up Girl, with Geeky Teas closing at the end of July. We didn't know exactly how we could help, but maybe another video could at least inform people of what was going on. And so, with Andrew taking the lead, here's what we made.
Much to our surprise, this became a viral sensation with close to 400K views on Facebook. (Almost 7K on the You Tube link!) And while it might not make a difference in the long term, the shops and community are aware and actively looking for ways to help. The Facebook page has also taken on a life of its own. What more could we ask for?
So to back up, I was doing this high stress level new gig and enjoying it immensely, coordinating and putting together these activist videos, co-hosting not one, not two, but three podcasts! Shock Waves, Two Dudes Talking and The 90's Corner. Trying to squeeze time in between all that to work on my documentary that's now going on three years in-the-making, and have fun somewhere in between all that? Something had to give, and it finally did. I woke up one day and couldn't eat. That night, I collapsed while going to the bathroom. I went to the doctor, got medication to spur my appetite back because you have to eat. And scaled back on all strenuous activities. As much as it broke my heart, there was no real legitimate reason for me to be co-hosting 3 podcasts, not to mention the numerous guest appearances I make on other shows like Just The Discs. Maybe a year ago, I felt the desire to "brand" myself more, but the current version of me doesn't share that desire anymore. I narrowed it down to Shock Waves, since it's the primary show most people know me from and has been active for 5 years now. (First as Killer POV, the last 3 years as Shock Waves.)
The one advantage is I get to enjoy The Damn Fine Network and all its shows as a fan now! I subscribe to the Patreon for $5 bucks a month and you should too, because if you take music seriously and you don't subscribe, you're missing out on some great content. Like... a stellar episode devoted to the film scores of Christopher Young, or an all HALLOWEEN (the franchise music) episode. Exclusive interviews, early episode access, and now the flagship show The Damn Fine Cast is a Patreon exclusive. Get to it!
Other podcasts I'm enjoying? My friends Chantal Claret and Jimmy Urine (who both appear in ANALOG LOVE) launched their own show chronicling their move to New Zealand! On top of being completely irresistible when they're together, it's been fun to hear about what it's like to live in a completely different country. Listen to PODCAST AT THE END OF THE WORLD right here.
Lastly, I'm a huge fan and admirer of Mark Ramsey and what he's been able to do with his "Inside Series," first focusing on one of my personal favorites with INSIDE PSYCHO, and then tackling the superior INSIDE THE EXORCIST. Right now, we're more than half way through INSIDE JAWS, and I'm loving it. You can find that show right here, and while you're at it, go back to the episode of Shock Waves where we had on Mark Ramsey and got to hear all about his creative process right here.
Through all of the above stress, the overwhelming workload, the concern over Jen's health and beyond, I've been cranking the following tunes very, very loudly.
L7 - I Came Back To Bitch
L7 is currently recording a new full length album. Last year, they dropped the one off single "Dispatch From Mar-a-lago." Earlier this year, they dropped "I Came Back To Bitch," which has got that catchy "Pretend We're Dead" vibe to it. More than anything, it's just good to have them back, especially in a time when there is plenty to bitch about!
A Perfect Circle - Disillusioned
I rather like the new album "Eat The Elephant" from A Perfect Circle. They started by releasing three songs several months apart before revealing there was a full album forthcoming. And "Disillusioned" was the second single. The album, and this song in particular, are fairly different than what we're used to from this band, but I also don't want artists to do the same ol' thing over and over again. This album is a reflection of who they are in 2018, and it'll forever now be one of my soundtracks to this era in my life. Structurally, "Disillusioned" feels like the verse is the rockin' chorus, and the chorus drops down to a fragile, melodic verse. It's experimentation like this that excites me, and although it might not stick with you on first listen, trust me, keep listening to this song, and album, on repeat and you will develop a deep, deep appreciation for it.
Pearl Jam - Can't Deny Me
If you go way back to the beginnings of this music blog, you'll find my Nirvana Versus Pearl Jam debate. I will forever be a Nirvana guy, but I also love and appreciate that Pearl Jam is still around and making music. Not sure when the full album is coming, but this is their first single in 5 years. And it's a pretty straight forward rock tune. Looking forward to hearing more in the context of a full album, but for now, I'm happy to groove to "Can't Deny Me!"
Stone Temple Pilots - Meadow
Scott Weiland may be gone, but the guys from Stone Temple Pilots have decided to carry on. And much like Alice In Chains before them, I'm glad we continue to get new music from these artists. New singer Jeff Gutt sounds very much like Weiland, but if you strip away the tragedy behind the band and their former singer, you just have a straight forward, totally rockin' album with their 2018 self titled album. Here's the first single "Meadow," one of the many stand outs.
Belle & Sebastian - Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
So, this is an old song, but a new discovery for me. We shot a whole bunch of new footage for ANALOG LOVE last month, and the main new segment featured me trying to help a 15 year old gal make a legitimate mix tape for her dad, as a surprise to him. (And it was!) We combed through his music library to figure out the appropriate songs to put on his mix, and she pulled this song out. I knew Belle & Sebastian, and I even had this album in my collection! But it wasn't until I heard it in the context of this mix tape that I fell absolutely head over heels in love with this song. The sentimental dork in me loves the line, "I always cry at endings." Because I do!!!
PS: Can't wait for you guys to see this scene in the doc!
Nine Inch Nails - God Break Down The Door
Finally, Nine Inch Nails have completed their ambitious 3 EP series with "Bad Witch," which dropped earlier this summer. Overall, I like all the EP's but think they play better as one consecutive album. So, do what I did - make a playlist in your iTunes, and put all three in order: Not The Actual Events, Add Violence and Bad Witch. The result sounds like what you'd expect as a proper follow up to their album "Hesitation Marks." (Which is much better than you remember!)
The Polyphonic Spree - Lithium
Once in a blue moon, I'll stumble down the rabbit hole looking to discover cover versions of my favorite songs. I'm not even sure how I found this one, but basically, I was looking for alternate versions of Nirvana's "Lithium," and low and behold, I got this Polyphonic Spree reinterpretation, which apparently appeared on the soundtrack to SUICIDE SQUAD!? It's actually a rather beautiful version of this classic tune, although I'd recommend not watching the live video floating around You Tube. The music on its own is so, so much better.
2 Cellos - Eye Of The Tiger
I love 2 Cellos! These guys are talented lunatics and more metal than most metal bands! I discovered them when I saw their video for their killer cover of Iron Maiden's "The Trooper," and now they tackle the theme to ROCKY III! (As performed by 2 cellos!)
The Pauses - Go North
If you read my last entry, you'd know a bit about the band that backed Jonah Matranga on his recent tour celebrating 20 years of FAR's "Water & Solutions." The day after the show, I randomly picked up an album by The Pauses titled "A Cautionary Tale," and fell in love with this song, the album opener. You can find even more from them on their official Bandcamp page.
Marilyn Manson - Cry Little Sister
I like Marilyn Manson, but I wouldn't call myself a big fan. I check out each album as they come out and dig them, but that's about it. However, I will say, the man is damn good at cover songs! His biggest breakout was probably "Sweet Dreams," but now he tackles the obvious theme to THE LOST BOYS "Cry Little Sister," and rocks it! He really should do a collection of all cover songs one of these days.
I don't know what I would've done without these songs and podcasts over the course of this extremely difficult year. And hey, there are a lot of terrible things happening right now, both in this country and the world. So, I consider myself very fortunate. I only hope that the power of music can help you the way it helps me.
And again, I'll try to be a more frequent contributor over here on this blog. If anything, to make some recommendations. Until next time, take care of yourself.
Oh, and if you get a chance, please go see the documentary WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? It is absolutely the type of positive influence we all need right about now. You won't be disappointed. And hopefully, you'll walk away inspired...
