One Year Later... Hope For Us To Shine (The Black & White Version)

Good God, it's been over a year (Feb 2022!) since my buddy Robbie and I shot this music video on Windansea Beach in San Diego, completely improvised and in a few takes. When I was working on the edit, my friend Natasha suggested I try a black & white version because of how strong the contrast is. I loved the way it looked, but I didn't want to lose the vibrant colors that these latest iPhone's are capable of capturing. So we released it in color, knowing I'd eventually share this alternate version!

This album I recorded with Christian James Hand under the moniker of "Pike Project," and we released it last summer. I'm so, so proud of it. It's a positive that came out of a period of non-stop negative; amid the most difficult time of my life. But when I look back on that time now, I want it to be summarized by this song, "Hope For Us To Shine." If you haven't yet, give the whole record a listen.

Pike Project on:
Spotify
Apple Music
Bandcamp
Soundcloud

Watch all the music videos right HERE.

  

THE HIGH DESERT - A Graphic Novel by James Spooner

Recently read this great graphic novel memoir, THE HIGH DESERT by James Spooner, that takes place in the mid-to-late 80's in an isolated Califorina desert town. (With a trip to NYC in the middle.) Loved it. And because the author regularly references the punk tunes he was listening to on his walkman at the time, I made a mix / playlist of every song mentioned! An unofficial soundtrack! Check it out, and when you get the book, listen along.

1. Institutionalized by Suicidal Tendencies
2. Depression by Black Flag
3. No Values by Black Flag
4. Boys Don't Cry (Single Version) by The Cure
5. The Number Of The Beast by Iron Maiden
6. Police Story by Black Flag
7. A Day by Clan Of Xymox
8. F**k Authority by Wasted Youth
9. What Do I Get? by Buzzcocks
10. White Minority by Black Flag
11. White Noise by Stiff Little Fingers
12. Hybrid Moments by The Misfits
13. I've Got a Problem by The Meatmen
14. Parents by Descendents
15. Had A Dad by Janes Addiction
16. Attitude by Bad Brains
17. Degradation by Gorilla Biscuits
18. Straight Edge by Minor Threat
19. Take Warning by Operation Ivy
20. Boys Don't Cry (New Voice Club Mix) by The Cure

Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube

Headbanger Metal Mania! 🤘

Alisa had asked me a while back to put together a heavy metal mix. Took me a bit to figure out how to go about it! But it's a mix of classics and personal favorites. And I think it's pretty rockin' way to head into the upcoming week! Enjoy "Headbanger Metal Mania! 🤘"

1. Mouth Of War by Pantera
2. Master Of Puppets by Metallica
3. N.W.O. by Ministry
4. Mr. Brownstone by Guns N' Roses
5. Only by Anthrax
6. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due by Megadeth
7. Raining Blood by Slayer
8. Souls Of Black by Testament
9. Happy Song by Bring Me The Horizon
10. In The Meantime by Helmet
11. Wasted Years by Iron Maiden
12. Epic by Faith No More
13. Stinkfist by TOOL
14. I'm Broken by Pantera
15. Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne 
16. Twist Of Cain by Danzig
17. Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N' Roses
18. Dr. Feelgood by Motley Crue
19. This Is The New Shit by Marilyn Manson
20. Chelsea Smile by Bring Me The Horizon
21. (sic) by Slipknot
22. Dig by Mudvayne
23. Sugar by System Of A Down
24. Ugly In The Morning by Faith No More
25. Holier Than Thou by Metallica
26. Walk by Pantera
27. Train of Consequence by Megadeth
28. Back In Black by AC/DC
29. Breaking The Law by Judas Priest 
30. Ace of Spades by Motorhead
31. The Trooper by Iron Maiden
32. Midlife Crisis by Faith No More
33. Room For One More by Anthrax
34. 5 Minutes Alone by Pantera
35. True Friends by Bring Me The Horizon
36. Just Another Psycho by Motley Crue
37. Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth
38. Exactly What You Wanted by Helmet
39. Forty Six & 2 by TOOL
40. The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson
41. Just One Fix by Ministry
42. Crucify Me by Bring Me The Horizon
43. One by Metallica
44. Play With Me by Extreme
45. God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II (Live) by Kiss
46. War Pigs / Luke's Wall by Black Sabbath 
47. Crashing Foreign Cars by Helmet
48. Stigmata by Ministry
49. Mother by Danzig
50. Paradise City by Guns N' Roses

Apple Music
Spotify
YouTube 

MIDNIGHT MUSIC and The Lost Conversation with Mick Garris about Music!

The last podcast I put together back in early 2020 was a music-oriented show called MIDNIGHT MUSIC, which, sadly, never got a proper release. Which is a shame, because it features some of my favorite chats, like this one with my dear friend Mick Garris.

Not only do we listen to and discuss tracks from his band HORSEFEATHERS, but we delve into his early days as a music journalist; and how he interviewed everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Janis Joplin. We even talk about how he was at the legendary Elton John debut performance at the Troubadour, as depicted in epic fashion in the film ROCKETMAN!

Rare that the two of us get to have an enthusiastic conversation just about music, but it exists! Feel free to have a listen:

THE INCREDIBLE 2 HEADED BLOG · EP5 - MICK GARRIS & HORSEFEATHERS

2022 Music In Review, The Master Playlist!

As is the case with every year, I always reflect back through the music. I make about 4 mixes a year, filled with new music and new music discoveries, and at the tail end of the year, I collect them all into a "master playlist" and include bonus tracks! (Comes to 100 songs total! Over 6 hours of listening.)

Below you'll find "2022, The Master Playlist" as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube playlists. 

Here are the bonus tracks!

89. Winter Wonderland / Don't Worry Be Happy by Pentatopnix (Featuring Tori Kelly)
90. Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) by Bruce Springsteen
91. Old Man by Beck
92. Strung Out Johnny by Iggy Pop
93. Shut Up by Alan Walker & UPSAHL
94. Otherwise by Julia Wu
95. Lux AEterna by Metallica 
96. Pistol by Cigarettes After Sex
97. (You Made It Feel Like) Home by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross from the film Bones and All
98. Remember Me by Schuyler Fisk
99. One More Try by Crosses
100. Go To Hell by Bayside

The Best NIN Gig We Were Never At!

I've been fortunate enough to see Nine Inch Nails perform live several times over the years in multiple iterations. Everything from the Downward Spiral tour to their co-heading stadium tour with David Bowie, and beyond. But lately, I'd been going down the rabbit hole on YouTube for a series of videos I remember being posted on their official YouTube page. Live performances shot by their friend and collaborator Rob Sheridan directly on stage. The frantic nature of the footage, bouncing from band member to band member, coupled with the excellent sound mix straight from the soundboard makes for some of their all-time best performances!

I also found some recent uploads from their drummer Ilan Rubin; a drummer cam, if you will, and these performances of "The Perfect Drug," "March Of The Pigs," and "Piggy" were next level. 

I started collecting a bunch of these videos into a YouTube playlist and realized I was basically putting together the ultimate live Nine Inch Nails setlist! Since there are plenty of fellow NIN lovers out there, I thought I'd share what I consider to be the best NIN gig we were never at!

Nine Inch Nails: Live

1. Somewhat Damaged live from on stage Roskilde Festival, Denmark 7.3.09
2. March Of The Pigs / Piggy Live from The Santa Barbara Bowl 9.13.22 
3. Last live from on stage in Holmdel, NJ 6.06.09 
4. The Becoming live at Sasquatch Festival 5.24.09 
5. I'm Afraid of Americans live from on stage in Toronto, 6.02.09 
6. The Perfect Drug live from The Santa Barbara Bowl 9.13.22 
7. The Fragile live from on stage, Adelaide 2.28.09 
8. Burn live from on stage, Melbourne 2.25.09 
9. Survivalism live w/ Saul Williams, Atlanta 5.10.09 
10. The Big Come Down live circa 2013
11. Closer from the live CD / DVD "And All That Could Have Been"
12. Wish live in Cleveland 9.24.22 with NIN alumni Richard Patrick,  Chris Vrenna, Danny Lohner
13. Head Like A Hole live circa 2013

GUARDIANS 3 and the "Turn Of The Decade" Analog Love Mixtape

I love, love, love the new trailer for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: VOLUME 3. And I also loved the way James Gunn incorporated the Spacehog song "In The Meantime" into the trailer's score.


It reminded me that several years back I had made a mix that kicked off with that track, but also celebrated some of my favorite one-hit wonders from the 90s. I'm not talking about any of the now-classic grunge era hits, but most of the big radio & MTV hit singles in a post-Nirvana world. 

I couldn't resist also using a few tunes in the same vibe from the early 2000's, including a few tracks from the Spider-Man soundtracks, and so instead of naming it something 90s-centric, I went with "Turn Of The Decade!" I guarantee there will be a few of these you haven't heard or thought of in years! 

1. In The Meantime by Spacehog
2. Sex & Candy by Marcy Playground
3. Down Baby by Loud Lucy
4. Monster Slide by Addict
5. Laid by James
6. Believe by Dig
7. One Headlight by The Wallflowers
8. No Rain by Blind Melon
9. Groove In The Heart by Deee-lite
10. Superman (It's Not Easy) by Five For Fighting
11. Save Me by Remy Zero
12. Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger 
13. The Distance by Cake
14. Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
15. What It's Like by Everlast
16. Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry
17. Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind
18. Out Of My Head by Fastball
19. Breakfast At Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something
20. Closing Time by Semisonic
21. Your Woman by White Town
22. Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve
23. The Freshman by The Verve Pipe
24. Hero by Chad Kroger featuring Josey Scott
25. Learn To Crawl by Black Lab
26. Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional
27. Float On by Modest Mouse
28. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
29. Natural One by Folk Implosion
30. Low by Cracker
31. Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Quite a lot of these bring back fond memories. (And melodies!) The Addict track "Monster Slide" comes from the movie DISTURBING BEHAVIOR. Couldn't resist the one-two Superman themed punch of the Five For Fighting song with Remy Zero. (The theme for SMALLVILLE!) I was actually at Woodstock 94 (an awful experience I'll save for another blog) and I have a distinct memory of getting there early in the evening of the first night, setting up our tent and hearing in the distant James performing "Laid" and later slowly drifting to sleep as Deee-lite performed their big single "Groove Is In The Heart." 

Fastball, Third Eye Blind, Snow Patrol, Marcy Playground, Eagle-Eye Cherry! Remember these names?! Kick back and let's go on that ride....