the shit

np: Kiss "(Music from) The Elder"
nd: Westmalle Tripel

Hey pals. I have been absent. I do that. Have I mentioned that I fucking hate computers? I am always anxious to get away from the machine. So if I post I am either really far up my own ass, trying to hustle some bread, or there is no one around to entertain or fuck me (i.e.-tonight). And yeah, I was dead ass broke there for a while and had zero time.

So I have been a happy man these last months. I pull out The Elder every two or three years and I still don't know if I like it, but there's definitely entertainment value for days. I can say with certainty that the track "Mr. Blackwell," co-written by Gene Simmons and Lou Reed, is a fucking badass song. Like many of my generation, there is plenty of Kiss that I like, Lou I was obsessed with as a post-adolescent, and Ezrin has been behind a good number of records that got encoded into my DNA... so I can't resist it.

My wife is back to bartending and has a part in revamping the beer list at The Royale. So there has been some very classy drinking chez Griff lately. After a couple Belhaven pint cans and an Odell Extra Special Red is probably not the time to be drinking Westmalle, but wtf. It is delicious, and I can pour half a glass, right?

So what's going on, reconnection, is the point of this post. Thank you for giving a fuck. Despite the release of Dirty Moons (and some more nice press that I'm too lazy to link to atm), it would be unwise to expect our activity level to increase. We might play a couple shows next year. There may or may not be more recordings. It's just not in the cards for the Enk, he's all about the rustic (and the limitations of horse breeding)... I can't hold it against my dear friend that he has found a good place. Caged birds do not sing. But I do know exactly what Prisonshake record I want to make next. It will be ideal for post-midnight listening.

That said, I must rock and I have ideas and passions. Lately we've been working up some of Joe Thebeau's new songs for Finn's Motel (and they certainly go in some new directions) and we'll be doing a show opening for Tommy Keene at Off Broadway on April 25.

np: Sabu "Sorcery"

There will be some recording of said new material after that, including an alternate writing of one of Joe's songs from my point of view. Further on I'd like to work up some material of mine, some of which is rock and some of which is fucked, and some both. It's not in or out, baby. The parts that are not Prisonshake-ish will be released under yet to be determined names, the ones that are as....

Transitional Pussy!

Is that the best name ever, or what? I can't imagine playing shows as Prisonshake without Enkler, it doesn't feel right. I toyed with Prisonshak (no E), but that just seems dumb (and done). 100% credit to my wife for the name, which came up in conversation with a gf of hers. I wasn't looking for it, it fucking fell into my lap. Life is so easy sometimes. If we play out, and that would probably include PS songs I sing, it will be under that name.

So, yeah, music will keep happening, there will be reissues too, and I might even post to this blog more. I do fully intend to do the concordance thing I mentioned. I am slow, but I never leave anything unfinished.

\m/

happy sol invictus and new year

np: Queen II
nd: Duvel

I haven't had the bread to buy records or new music lately, though I guess I could steal it - but when you've got too many records (modest by hoarder standards, but I've got a bit over 2,000 LPs), it's not like there's nothing to listen to, and I don't iPod or listen when I am at the machine. And god knows most of the shit out there is either too inept or gay to rock out to anyway, so wtf. Thus, much of the canon has been getting a lot of 'table time lately: Electric Ladyland (would love to blog about that album someday), Exile, Double Nickels, older AC/DC, Sonic Youth, etc. Tonight, Queen, a band I first met in fifth grade, circa 1975. The record, A Day at the Races, a killer. II I acquired later in life, maybe 10 or 15 years ago. I love the sound, juicy tones, solid rock action paired with apparent excess. No surprise, I prefer side black to side white. If you're a Queen virgin (to their entire albums, that is - god knows we've all heard some of their songs well beyond the breaking point), get Races or Sheer Heart Attack. Everything from the debut through Jazz is cool with me. And good value for money - I don't know for sure, but can't imagine any of them sell for more than $4 secondhand. Hipsters and crate-diggers don't grok Queen as far as I can tell. The Duvel (Dutch for 'devil') was a nice score, my local spot has it on sale this week for $10 for a 4 pack. Easily in my top 5, and I like the 8.5% ABV.

So Pickering emailed me this youtube video. My guess is that it was a project by an Oberlin student circa 1985. I don't remember doing the interview that's part of it, but there I am, with hair my 13 year old daughter is jealous of. The back of it was red, black and gray. There's lots of later era Guns footage (2 guitar lineup) bookending interviews with various scene folks (Larry Collins... really? These people had to be from out of town.) The band I refer to as 'we' is Spike in Vain. Other interviewees include Knifedance, The Guns, and a tantalizing few seconds of the old Chris' Warped store - that was cool to see.



Hope you all have a great '09.