Ministry Bandleader Collapses in France - Orlando rock music | Examiner.com

Ministry Bandleader Collapses in France - Orlando rock music | Examiner.com

Get well soon, Uncle Al!

DC Comics and Film Stars React to Colorado Shooting Tragedy - Orlando Comic Books | Examiner.com (Director's Cut)

DC Comics and Film Stars React to Colorado Shooting Tragedy - Orlando Comic Books | Examiner.com

Yeah. Now, here we go.

First of all, I might be done reporting on this subject altogether. Unless it involves something positive (and no, I don't count the depressing stories of those who had so much to live for yet were gunned down in an act of heroism), I may well be done with this. You've probably noticed a pattern--hell, more like a glut of Examiner articles hitting this thing lately. There are (mostly business) reasons for that, but I have to draw a line at exploiting something like this for that purpose. Kinda like the Bret Michaels run I did when that dude had a stroke. But I digress.

I might be done with this because now the story is wading in to that dense, muddy swampland where there are monsters around every corner. Like the media (particularly ABC news) driving in to the ground as much as the ground the idea of James Holmes being called "The Joker". They take one witness statement and alluva sudden, they have their "hook". Makes me want to punch someone there in the dick for not only being un-creative enough to make the too-obvious comparison, but for forever associating that character and Batman as a whole with this nonsense.

You know, ABC...I was born at night, just not last night. (Actually that's a bald-faced lie; I was born on a rainy Monday morning, which explains quite a bit in terms of mindset.) You're owned by Disney, who now owns Marvel, who would love nothing more to crush their competition. But stop polluting and poisoning an iconic character just to sensationalize a tragedy and use it as a crass business move.

The next turn for the worse is Torrence Brown, Jr. You may not know the name offhand, but you will soon because he's filed the first lawsuit in regards to the shooting. A guy who saw his best friend die. But didn't take a bullet himself. And isn't related to anyone. Waited an excruciating five days to sue somebody.

Now, I'm all for a good lawsuit. If it were someone who actually got shot or a family member of someone who did, I understand it. This is uhMERR'ka, dammit. We have the right to haul infidels in to court and makes ourselves richer off the suffering off of others. And by suing the theater for not having a guarded back exit door (because what theater does?), Holmes's doctors (because they were just dying to conduct a psychological experiment on the man), and Warner Bros (because Holmes allegedly mimicked the content of a movie that he'd never seen before because it premiered the night this happened), that's exactly what this feels like to me.

Hate to say it Torrence, but if this is a cash grab off the misery of others, you're just as sick as ABC News for exploiting this for your own gain. And I can't be in the same company as either of you.

It's hard enough living with myself sometimes having to do several stories about something like this. There's a fine line walked between covering the news and exploiting it. I've always busted my ass to make sure I don't cross that line. Sometimes to extremes of ignoring said news altogether because I don't want to walk in to that trap. There aren't many "journalists" (and I use that term very loosely, especially when dealing with mass media) that have any kind of integrity, much less enough to realize when enough is enough in dealing with a particular kind of story and walk away. It's one of the reasons I did the piece on Steve Vai about the same time; something - and someone - I can at least respect and balance out this aberration to society. And that's to say nothing about the shooting and James Holmes himself.

So, no more Aurora for me. Done. I'm letting these victims and families - including that of Holmes, who had to have no idea this was coming and are living in their own private hell right now - get some peace in peace.

New Order Returning to the US - Orlando Rock Music Examiner

Steve Vai Brings New Album and Tour to Orlando - Orlando rock music | Examiner.com

Steve Vai Brings New Album and Tour to Orlando - Orlando rock music | Examiner.com

The first of two. Not much to say here other than, "Good. Can't wait to hear it."

Now, the next one? Yeah, I have something to say. Again.

Analyzing Two "Man of Steel" Trailers - Orlando Comic Books | Examiner.com

Analyzing Two "Man of Steel" Trailers - Orlando Comic Books | Examiner.com

Yeah, two of them. Very interesting marketing idea. Or just simplifying what played at SDCC and realizing this could have been a really confusing solo trailer...

More Details Surrounding "The Dark Knight Rises" Colorado Tragedy

More Details Surrounding "The Dark Knight Rises" Colorado Tragedy - Orlando Comic Book Examiner

All this going down the same day my family's involved in a hit-and-run auto accident (with no serious injuries, thank God)? Yeah, I'm contemplating petitioning Congress to make July 20 a holiday - "National Suck Day". Wherein we all get to stay home, not leave the house, relax, and just let all the bad news and vibes float by outside until it's all gone.

Violence Both Real And Imagined Surrounds "The Dark Knight Rises" (Plus Commentary)

Okay, here’s part one:

Violence Both Real And Imagined Surrounds "The Dark Knight Rises" - Orlando Comic Book Examiner

And that leads right into part two: nerd community, you’ve really started to disappoint me and piss me off here lately.

This is probably a somewhat overstated, but by far the most blunt example why. I can remember when being a “nerd” was akin to being an outcast. The reason this community started building a following was due to outcasts discovering each other through the internet and bonding over the likes that separated us from the rest of them.

The problem is now that, we’ve won. The kids that picked on us in high school now get what we were trying to say. Our mark is all over the culture. The comics we were made fun of for liking in middle and high school are now the subjects of billion-dollar franchise films and top-rated television shows.

That’s apparently given some of you some sense of entitlement to be able to dictate taste. Some of the outcasts have become the hipsters. That? By itself? Is bad enough. But the ones that paint themselves as some bastion of moral upstanding and tolerance and then went on to perpetrate a stunt like this?

To adapt and paraphrase Jesse Custer in Preacher, “Why is it that the biggest champions of the nerd cause are often the worst example of it?”

Yeah, I get it. “Batman” is the be-all and end-all. The last two movies took a character that looked outright stupid (no, Joel Schumacher, we haven’t forgotten) to an icon now and forever more. But people are allowed to have a differing opinion. it’s one of the things that makes us human. Probably one of the values some of these clowns held high around their buddies, but then go and betray with an anonymous screen name and license to be dick. Typical two-faced cowards. The bane of the existence of this community. And yes, I am aware there are unintentional puns all over that last paragraph.

But the point is, if you’re a “paragon of virtue”, then be what you claim you are. Being faithful to a character is fine, but losing your mind and behaving in a manner that said character would kick your ass for is idiocy. And it’s a problem we’re seeing too much of lately. Whether it’s something like this or people getting up in arms over a drawing, people are so eager to complain, whine, and puff out their chest for a ridiculous reason or cause, and it’s making the rest of us look bad.

There are certainly people that represent us well, and they’re all over the place. This is, in no way, an indictment of the whole community. But those of you that are losing your minds and letting the new vogue of geek culture influence you into thinking you’re now the tastemakers and that you can behave like jackasses? Knock it off. For all of our sakes, stop misrepresenting us and learn some modicum of human behavior.

And the ones that threatened Marshall Fine and Eric Snider online hiding behind a keyboard? I hope authorities can trace an IP address and lock your dumb asses up. That’d be a good start.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The above was written at roughly 5:00am. After waking up four hours later and seeing the news of the shooting, I feel that this is almost silly.

Almost? Yes, almost. Because what was said above still needed to be said. Matter of fact, I feel like it really needs to be said now. All the bodily harm those idiot anonymous commenters were throwing at Marshall Fine and Eric Snider? Yeah. This shooting is what those morons were “joking” about. This violence and senseless tragedy we're watching unfold now? This is what they wished on someone else.

I figured the Rotten Tomatoes bit would give the community a black eye, but this is so much worse. Take the two together and this is what people think. Strung-up nerds who can’t handle when a grown-up talks bad about their favorite comic book. Thanks a lot, you guys.

I feel really bad about what this could potentially do to the community. But I feel much worse about those no longer with us or badly hurt because of it.

Nerdapalooza 2012 Full Lineup Revealed (Plus News)

Nerdapalooza 2012 Full Lineup Revealed - Orlando rock music | Examiner.com

Yeah, I know. Talk all that trash about why I have to come back and then go away again for a while. Good grief, I’m starting to feel like The Rock.

I at least have a good(ish) excuse, though. I’ve been trying to get something huge off the ground. I don’t want to speak too much on it yet because I have a lot of work to do yet to see if it’s at a point that it’s even doable. Working on that. I’ll let you know more once I know.

Anyway, this is the good news. Next after this comes the bad news, along with something I need to say. Stay tuned

Examiner.com: Vital Pain Returns Home To Dominate

Vital Pain Returns Home To Dominate

Local metal has always been sorely lacking in Daytona. Glad to report there may be some hope.

Fear Factory Prepares The Industrialist

Fear Factory Prepares The Industrialist

Second verse...yeah, similar enough. Look, just because I'm sticking to writing about what I want doesn't mean I'm going to be stupid about possibly maximizing revenue potential, ah-ight?

The Industrialist: An Interview with Dino Cazares of Fear Factory - Blogcritics Music

The Industrialist: An Interview with Dino Cazares of Fear Factory - Blogcritics Music

First interview back in action. 'S okay. I could tell I was a little rusty at this sort of thing and it was really short because I guess Dino got a little ruffled at having to talk about the relationship between him and Burton yet again. But, dude, what do you expect?

I have a couple others I'm working on. I'm making it a habit not to announce any of those until after they're actually done. Had too much fall through and the ones I have done (and one tentatively confirmed), I don't want to jinx those in any way, shape, or form. And those should be a little better. A little longer, at least.

Don't Call It A Comeback

That’s right. I wanted to use one of the most cliched, trite, stale references I could think of in the title to explain that yes, I do plan on coming back. With more trite, stale references? Not if I can help it. Although even I’ve admitted that what I did was bordering on boring. And that’s kind of why I was away for a while.

At least, that’s what it boils down to. Initially, I had thought it was because I got the impression that people could care less about what I do here, despite the fact that I’ve done it for so long. I had mistakenly thought I had some sort of “name” out in the intrawebz and maybe thought that would get me over so long as I kept providing decent content. As time went on, I saw pieces I was writing for people to try and help them out and some of the other stuff I was writing that was important to me was all going largely unnoticed.

It got me to thinking - what the hell am I doing this for? To paraphrase Vince Russo (yeah, that’s right) on July 9, 2000, I have a wife and six kids at home and I didn’t need this crap. Not when I have my actual working career to focus on and with no reaction to what I was doing at all. The final straw came when I threw out on social media that I was thinking about walking away. Not so someone could beg me to stay around or to try and feed my own ego, but because I honestly felt I had nothing left in the tank and wanted to see if someone else thought different. To maybe gauge opinions.

The trouble is, there were none to gauge. No reaction whatsoever. No one said one way or the other that I should stay or go away. That utter lack of reaction pretty much became the answer to, “what am I doing this for?” If the answer was truly “nothing,” then it was time I stopped doing it. So I did.

And I’m not gonna lie, it’s been peaceful. I’ve enjoyed not having to chase scoops or be the first to post a damn thing. I’ve said it before, there are people out there (like Randy at Geek World Order and Z at Hipster Please) that are able to put in the time and dedication to that sort of thing and who are, quite frankly, a hell of a lot better at it than I am. It’s been nice just watching things unfold and witnessing the cycle of internet meltdowns from some fanbases without having to get involved. I was perfectly content with that.

But then, I missed the game. And I started to wonder what I actually had left in the proverbial tank. I recently heard an episode of the Extreme Odd Couple podcast with Rob Dimension and Steve Corino (WARNING: If you are easily offended, you’re better off not following that link). In particular, Episiode 27, where they discuss being older and past your prime in your profession and seeing if there’s anything left to offer. It inspired me somewhat when I was kind of thinking about possibly returning, anyway. It wasn’t the final straw, but it was certainly a push, especially when it help me realize my own boredom.

Ironically enough, I’ve spent just about the entirety of my writing career championing the idea of freedom of expression (no matter how hated the idea) and that people shouldn’t follow the other sheep and think for themselves, especially in a culture that ANYTHING could be taken as “offensive” and could result in someone being painted with the brush of being insensitive at best to evil at worst if they stepped out of line. It was already bad when I was in my teens, but now? We may as well be living in 1984 with how sanitized everything has become because of that fear.

And it was because of that fear that me, the guy who championed the idea of freedom of expression (no matter how hated the idea) and that people shouldn’t follow the other sheep and think for themselves? Remember that bit? (I hope so, it was only last paragraph.) That was me. I fell right into that trap and my writing style suffered because of it. I became sterile and boring just like millions of others who have a “Blog”.

Hell, no wonder no one gave a damn if I walked away! I was boring as watching paint dry. I was sanitized just like everyone else because I was scared to unload about how I truly felt. In order to do this right, I have to overcome that. I have to just let it fly, raw and uncut, without caring about about repercussions or having a automatic sanitization filter.

Now, this doesn’t mean I’m gonna just unload racial slurs, homphobic epithets, or other blatantly offensive language. For one, I don’t believe in any of that, and secondly, I don’t have to. At the risk of sounding like a braggart, my record shows I have enough of a grasp of the English language to make my point, however popular or un-, without resorting to cheap tactics and hateful speech. My wife can attest to my ability to verbally dress someone down and utterly destroy someone without uttering a single foul word.

But, this isn’t going to be about hate or griping or moaning. If I have some of that to do, though, I absolutely will. Despite the fact that I may be looking for the public attention to recognize what I do on occasion, this is my site. My corner of cyberspace. And I have no qualms about treating it as such. Nor do I have any qualms about putting my opinion out for public consumption, for good or ill.

One thing I won’t do is be a news hound. I did my time in the trenches, thank you. Done with that. Another thing I won’t do - and this is the most important - is slip back into that complacency nor be scared to publicly express what I feel anymore. I’ll apologize now if something I say or feel may rub you the wrong way, but that’s the danger of freedom of expression. Our Constitution guaranteed us, in the verbal and printed sense, a loaded gun. Don’t get all butt-hurt if it goes off once in a while. Nothing personal and it might not even be deliberate, but I’m warning you now it may happen.

One thing I will do is apologize for being that scared, sterile, boring guy that polluted the airwaves with nothing of note to say. That will no longer happen. What will happen is that I will post whenever it strikes me. No regular schedule, no format, no weekly anything. Links to my other stuff (yeah, that’s gonna happe--woops, too late) will be posted here because I like the idea that my site is inverted from most of the others out there (as Marc with a C suggested during my first appearance on The Real Congregation), but other than that, I'm now playing this game my way.

So, take any of the following statements as they happen to be applicable to you. Thank you. I’m sorry. You were warned. Deal with it. I’m back. And that’s a shoot.

Revenge Of The Nerds

First of all, a formal announcement will be made on this site, its future, and mine. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that. In the meantime, consider this a shot across the bow.

So I discovered that Substream Press changed their web layout shortly after they changed managing editors (which I knew about already). The result is that the piece below wound up homeless.

Hell with that. Not on my watch. There's no way I could let this fade away and die. Not after I spent five months working on this damn thing.

So, here it is. Originally posted in January of 2011, it's back as we now look toward Nerdapalooza 2012. Grab some popcorn and enjoy. And thanks again.





“Revenge of the Nerds”By: Michael Melchor


“Maybe Luigi wants to fuck the Princess!”

A crowd of several hundred shouted a chorus detailing the possible lonely desires of Mario’s oft-neglected (both in storylines and in fandom) brother back at British rapper B-Type. The audience shares quite a bit in common with the forgotten Mario brother. Always an underdog and somewhat cast aside, no one thinks about Luigi’s desires. Hell, not many bother to pay attention to him, period. He can’t even be referred to without mentioning his more popular brother!

Those fans screaming for a Luigi victory could be heard from the nearby busy Orlando, FL highway where A Comic Shop stood. Many times, they could even be heard over the heavy traffic, letting their enthusiasm carry them away. Some of them drove from right down the road, some of them flew in from across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to be at an event that could be on the cusp of being one of the biggest events on the music calendar. All of them were at the Eisner-nominated nerd haven on a steamy July, 2010 evening to be among their own for Nerd Music’s biggest event of the year.

Nerd Music is a movement that has been around for quite some time, but has gained heavy momentum within the past five years. While its lineage could arguably be traced as far back as Rush and even The Who, it is heavily agreed upon that “Weird” Al Yankovic is the father of the modern movement of Nerd Music. This was aided and abetted by his appearance in the documentary Nerdcore Rising, a film about the technologically-savvy, grammatically-refined Godfather of Nerdcore rap, MC Frontalot. “Weird” Al has been acting, playing, and singing like a nerd for a few decades. In doing so, he has inadvertently led what might become a revolution.

Nerd music defines itself with its subject matter, but expresses itself with genre-breaking acts, a passion for both music and the state of being outcast from general society, and a passion for unabashedly showing their true selves. From the Mega Man-inspired epic arena rock of both the Protomen and The Megas to the quirky references of Nerdcore’s answer to the Wu-Tang Clan, Emergency Pizza Party to the catchy, punky comic-infused folk of Kirby Krackle, are all considered a part of the movement. Many different styles from all over the musical landscape are used in expressing the prides and passions of those who find joy in their fandom and alienation. More acts, like the Harry Potter-espousing electronica of Ministry of Magic to the 8-bit harmonies of Shael Riley to the dirty, funky, Guy Fawkes mask-clad Kabuto the Python, to even bigger acts, such as Barenaked Ladies and Weezer, are all considered part of the scene as well.

Calling Nerd Music a genre would actually be somewhat inaccurate because there are realy no bounds as far as style. Many influences from rock to rap to techno and even 8-bit old-school Nintendo-sounding Chiptunes are used to create the music, while the lyrics range in style from being about proud of being a dork to the finer points of The Legend of Zelda. All of this - and much more - falls under the umbrella of Nerd Music because it’s not as much about style as it is about subject matter. It’s a state of simply being more than it is any style of playing or singing. The one common thread among all the artists carrying the banner of Nerd Music is simply being an outcast from normal society since childhood and finding others that are like you that finally belong somewhere.

In that vein, Nerd Music is a fascinating scene that works, in many ways, the opposite way most trends and fads in music do. Most movements have artists that go out of their way to perpetuate and corporate labels go out of their way to force as the new cool of the moment to bring people in. Nerd Music, much like those that propagate that scene, know what they like and support those that sound like they feel. In most cases, fans follow a particular scene so they can be a part of it, but in the case of Nerd Music, most times the scene reaches out to the artists themselves and welcomes them in.

Such was the example of Schaffer The Darklord. Once a stand-up comedian (albeit simply to improve his performance skills) and metal drummer, Schaffer found his real calling with “The Rappist”. With straight-razor delivery and tongue planted firmly in cheek, Schaffer found his song - about he’s not a “rapper” in the truest sense, but since he parlays that talent, he could be considered a “rappist” - welcomed by what was thought an unlikely crowd. Since then, Schaffer has taken his place alongside giants like MC Frontalot and Random as one of Nerdcore rap’s biggest acts. His delivery and presence have helped him in his success, but so has being an explosive performer.

Schaffer (also a Burlesque emcee) explains how, at first, he was almost taken aback by the invitation. “Oh, no, man - they reached out to me,” he laughs. “I had no idea this scene was even out there, but apparently they found about me. They were really cool, too - like they invited me in, made me a drink and asked me to play some Mario Kart. They’ve been the greatest; once they like you and take you in, they’re so loyal to what you do.”

Schaffer earned their loyalty and his keep with his breakout performance at Nerdapalooza 2008. It is that event that B-Type had the unenviable task of kicking off this past July during the Pre-Party at A Comic Shop. It is also become the event on the Nerd Music calendar – a massive party amongst the socially unkempt. Baseball has the World Series, WWE has WrestleMania...Nerd Music has Nerdapalooza. The festival holds a few dozen acts each year over a July weekend each year in Orlando, FL, and has become the showcase of not just the best talent in Nerdcore rap, but all of Nerd Music. Aside from Schaffer the Darklord and perennial headliner MC Frontalot, many others in Nerd Music have seized their moment at that very show. 8-bit pop punk outfit I Fight Dragons were signed in February 2010 to Atlantic Records after a blistering set at Nerdapalooza 2009. This past year, Nerdcore luminaries ZeaLouS1 and Dr. Awkward joined forces along with a full backing band and blew the crowd to smithereens with the rap-metal fusion of attitude and video games known as the Bossfights.

Aside from being a music festival for a very specific crowd, the other difference between Nerdapalooza and a Bonnarroo or a Coachella is that here you can talk to, meet, and party right alongside the performers as they also take in the show and go out of their way to meet those that made a home for their craft. Each year, the performers go out of their way to give their best to those that have made them feel welcome and supported their careers by not only doing their damndest to decimate a stage, but to take the time to talk to, hang out with, and thank each of the fans that come to the event each year from far and wide.

Random, a Hip-Hop artist based out of Arizona, was also taken in by the Nerd Music fans right around the time of the very first (official) Nerdapalooza in 2007. It helps that his alter-ego is MegaRan, a character named after and based the Mega Man video game franchise. With unparalleled ability and a penchant for good, clean, video game fun, Random is another Nerdcore titan.

Random started out in Gospel very early on, but then moved in to Hip-Hop in 2006 with the release of The Call. However, it was after that he then found a different calling altogether. He explains, “Musically, I just wanted to take a new direction. I had no real intention or any sense of direction after that. I felt like I had said everything I wanted to say as a musician, I talked about everything that was bothering me and everything that was good with the world, and I felt like there was really nothing else to say. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a follow-up album and one thing I didn’t want to do was create the same album. I just sat music down for a while - didn’t make or play anything - and eventually I got back in to video games. I was playing a lot of retro stuff, especially the Mega Man series that I loved so much, and that made me want to do something with that. I wanted to do a Mega Man rap album. I searched around to see if anyone had done anything like that before, and no one had, so I said, ‘I’m gonna do it.”

Soon after, another door was opened – this time by the company that created his alter ego and means of becoming one of Nerd Music’s stalwarts. “The press release got out and it got out to a couple major gaming sites, and then I got a message on MySpace from Capcom. I was afraid of getting my MySpace shut down, but this wasn’t a cease-and-desist letter. They wanted to work with me. The head of the Capcom Community Division contacted me and wanted me to be a site moderator and invite me out to events and work with them. They invited me out to [the San Diego] ComiCon and I had a great time. I think a lot of game developers have a lot to learn with stuff like that. Capcom is way ahead of the curve there. They could have easily shut me down, but they realized it’s not hurting anybody and, really, all I’m doing is promoting their character. It’s been unbeliebveable since then; I can’t say it’s a dream come true, because I never even imagined something like this would happen.”

Random would seem, by the act of using such a noted game character as an avatar, to court the Nerd Music audience, but at that point they were almost too few to count. By the time they had grown, they found other musicians that had much in common with their way of thinking and invited them in to the fold. Such was also the case when the movement was brought to Orlando, FL’s Marc with a C. Marc, now a 12-year music veteran, started out with songs about an unhealthy love for That 70’s Show’s Laura Prepon and “Chicken Pox and Star Wars Guys” before growing both his subject matter and craft in to a loyal following, both regionally and worldwide thanks to a savvy use of the internet.

The invitation was extended to Marc in 2008 to be a part of Nerdapalooza - a move that both surprised and comforted him. “I was shocked at how a music scene I didn’t know was thriving was so open to embracing,” he explains. “I had played at so many smoky bars and sweaty clubs over the years and didn’t fit in with the Indie Rock scene, the bar bands, or the hipster set for that matter. It was comforting to see a weekend full of people from all over the United States that went, ‘you’re home. We like what you do and you’re now a part of this thing you didn’t even know was happening.’ As soon as I get on stage, there’s a kinship there that, I don’t have to explain what makes me nerdy. You can see it right off the bat. They get it. You can do a couple songs to establish some common ground, but they they’re just on your wavelength and excited to hear something a little different but with subject matter they can relate to.”

Another act seemingly born for Nerd Music is the Classic-Rock-and-Science-Fiction raised Sci-Fried. In-between their last album Geeks Unite and their newest effort set for release later this year, Future Tense, the fun-loving guys in Sci-Fried saw their star rise greatly thanks in large part to having their parodies of Indiana Jones and Battlestar Galactica out there. Soon, fans discovered that Sci-Fried was about more than just parodies. Geeks Unite featured all original songs all over the geek map from “Saturday Night on SyFy” to “Don’t Phase Me, Bro”. The humor was there, but as well was the inclination that Sci-Fried was as serious about their music as it was the love of geeks everywhere.

In-between albums, Sci-Fried made their first Nerdapalooza appearance last year and spent much of the weekend leading up to their set being stared at. In a world of social outcasts, Sci-Fried, looking like the Island of Misfit Musicians with their bar-band sound, were skeptically regarded among the established Nerd Music guard. However, three songs in to their set, Sci-Fried were being cheered as the crowd partied along. By the time they were done, they became only the second act of the festival at that point to earn a call for an encore - the first being the explosive Schaffer himself, who went on early while Sci-Fried did battle with technical difficulties and sound issues.

Geeks Unite, for the band, is as much a creed as it is an album title. The question Uma Thurman posed to John Travolta in Pulp Fiction about whether he was an Elvis person or a Beatles person - how one could like both but no one liked one more than the other and which one a person liked more - could just as easily fit the world of geekdom. Many fans like Star Wars and Star Trek, but there’s always a preference of one over the other, and which is preferred could reveal a lot about a fan. Sci-Fried realizes this, and uses it not to divide fans, but to unite them. Despite whether you like Star Wars, Star Trek, or even Stargate, all nerds are in the same boat, according to Sci-Fried, and should all get along equally and realize they have the power to change the world.

It is that philosophy that leads Sci-Fried’s lead singer Dr. Vern to believe that the nerds are well on their way to taking over the world - and that Nerd Music will soon be as well-known and well-loved as any other genre. “Every other form of entertainment is inundated with material aimed at the same fanbase,” he says. “Movies, comics, games - they’re all aimed at the same group of fans. It would stand to reason that, the more fans that are exposed to this music, the more fans could be generated from it. When you’re talking about a mainstream, break-through audience, I believe that could be the case. A lot of people don’t know because the music industry doesn’t know what to do with geeks. There are a lot of things that people nerd out over, and there are more people writing songs about it now. The music industry’s not promoting it, because they think it’s bad and not a lot of people are buying it. And I don’t believe that.”

Marc with a C concurs with Dr. Vern’s statement, albeit on a wider scale. “It’s an interesting time to be in Nerd Music. With Nerd Music, you have to remember that it’s not all just comic books and video games. It extends to Wizard Rock, it extends to basically anything you can get more than three songs out of,“ Marc laughs, “someone else is going to be really in to it as well.

“Everybody is geeky about one subject. See George Hrab, who I just saw [at Nerdapalooza 2010] for the first time. All of his songs are based on science and also being a general skeptic about the way religion and history are recorded. He went over like gangbusters! Then there are the commercial successes - things like Transformers, X-Men, all these Batman films. They always do gangbusters at the box office, and they’re not just #1 for a week. It won’t be long before those interests spill over in to popular music. If the fans are this enthusiastic and hardcore, right now, about all the things we are all nerdy about and shows no signs of slowing down, how can it become anything but the next big thing in music?”

Indeed, the genre is growing. Nerdapalooza tops its attendance record each year, and more and more artists have been connected with the festival as far as rumored performers. The Fat Boys campaigned on Twitter to be a part of the 2010 iteration and missed it by a literal matter of mere days (although they are apparently intent on being there this year. Another, Del the Funkee Homosapien, is surely open to the idea of performing at Nerdapalooza while in the midst of recording a long-awaited sequel to his side-project with Dan the Automator, Deltron 3030.

When citing some of his influences, Del explains that, “I’m kinda dig some sci-fi. I’m not an incredible fan; I’m not a Trekkie or anything like that, but I like those kinds of themes that are out there. I’m much more in to Anime and Manga than anything else. I like that stuff but I’m not way in to it. I was when I was younger. I’ve actually been wanting to get back in to comics for a bit because you can read them on the computer now, and I’m on the computer all the time. I wouldn’t mind playing Nerdapalooza.”

Others, like the Aquabats and even Weezer themselves, remain just rumors. For now. It’s a very good possibility that artists like these - and many more - could be a part of Nerdapalooza in the coming years. Many of them, whether they realize it or not, are already considered Nerd Music by its faithful fans and would love for them to come on in, kick up their feet, play some Mario Kart, and be a part of the community, too.

With the success of films such as Iron Man and Transformers - not to mention that two of the highest grossing box-office films in history feature elements of science fiction (Avatar) and comic books (The Dark Knight) - the nerd culture has slowly taken over the entertainment landscape. How long will it be before that seeps in to music as well? Nerd Music is making an impact in music in ways that have been subtle but are about to become much bigger. The underdogs outcast in school could go on to become the dominant entity in all of music. And maybe Luigi will get his shot with the princess after all.



Photo of Schaffer The Darklord courtesy of Wikipedia user Salty Boatr.

Nerdapalooza 2012 Taking Shape

Nerdapalooza 2012 Taking Shape

Trilogy Of The Nerds

I know I’m hardly writing anymore. Hell, I can’t claim to be active in most senses of the word. But even I can’t ignore three significant releases all in the span of a week. (Okay, one’s a pre-release to those that went in on Mega Ran Random’s Kickstarter, but still...)

Firstly, the Nerdapalooza 2011 Live Recordings are here! It's a great bit of timing because Nerdapalooza 2012 was recently announced for August 3-5...right here, in downtown Orlando! (TM Mick Foley) It's about that time to get hyped for this year's installment, so this works out pretty damn well.

Now, if you’ve ever been here before, you’re familiar with Nerdapalooza. I don’t have to explain what that is right? Excellent. So, know then that the Recordings are single songs taken from each set at last year’s festival.

There’s a pretty good mix of well-known songs and some that are just good to have recorded that may not have been expected. Seeing Brentafloss’s “Tetris With Lyrics” and the patented Illbotz set opener “Illbotz Rock The Spot and Go Crazy” feel like a given, but they’re cool to have right on hand to relive. Bonus points for including a couple personal favorites in Soup Or Villainz’s “Game to Play” (which turned me into a fan of these guys) and Marc with a C’s “Motherfuckers Be Bullshittin’” which was given a whole new life due to the backing of Sci-Fried, captured here in great detail. On top of that, tracks I almost forgot about and fell in love with all over again, such as My Parents Favorite Music "Coffee" are here as well, and all of it sounds excellent. Hats off to the audio crew that busted their asses at the show, especially to turn out a crystal clear result like this.

All in all, it’s 36 tracks of live goodness with some great acts for only $7 on Bandcamp. For that price, you may as well be stealing it, so piracy’s not even a concern.

Not to be outdone, Adam WarRock turns his Nerdcore sights dead on a classic. Neo-Tokyo is a 7-song collection about Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira - a movie that makes my short list of favorites. (If I still did the C3C1 5, it would probably make the cut, but that faded out quick. Kinda like the rest of the site. But I digress.)

I will well, fully, and freely admit that the first time I heard this, I didn’t like it. That bothered me, because WarRock normally slaps it out of the park every time - or at the very least bounces it from the outfield over the wall for a ground-rule double. A baseball reference? Seriously? I mean, he was in fine form as the verses were straight dominant, but the production almost threatened to drown him out. Not in a “Rock the Bells” kind of way, but that the mood didn’t fit his style.

Then it hit me - maybe that’s kind of the point. The production creates a mood all its own that fits the bleak devastation of the Neo-Tokyo setting. WarRock kind of tones down his usual bluster in favor of relaying the hope-in-a-hopeless-place (no Rihanna references, please) story of kaneda, Tetsuo, and the inhabitants of the titular city. Admittedly it may take a few listens to fully embrace, but once the deliberate departure is realized, it’s worth every bit of its $5 purchase price and then some.

And finally, the aforementioned Random’s newest effort, Language Arts: Vol 01, which I remember he and I talking about when I interviewed him for “Revenge of the Nerds” for Substream Pres--

Wait. Whaddya mean, “it’s no longer there”?? The piece I spent five friggin’ months working on is gone?! You know what, that’s fine. Hunky Dory. Nerdapalooza’s coming up...I need to do my part to hype it...and that article seriously needs a home. I’ll have it reprinted here with in the week. And with all the formatting in the right place, too!

Okay, that bit of business out of the way. Sorry for the distraction. Language Arts. The album - and video game, and comic - are set for release on May 22 but can be pre-ordered now. Upon pre-order, you can download three tracks before the official release. Or, if you want a free single, ”Wake Up (feat. MC Frontalot)” is available for free.

However, I’ve already heard the whole thing. And it’s pretty damn cool. There’s a little of the video game-vibe here, but this more harkens back to The Call rather than having much in common with the Mega Ran and Black Materia (Hah! That one’s still there!). Language Arts: Vol 01 is a nice hybrid of the more serious, introspective work Mega Ran excels at along with some of the digital rush of the gamer material.

The best news? This is Vol 01 of three! Next chapter is due in August, and the final part of the trilogy in November. Plenty of time to enjoy what should be one of the best runs of Mega Ran music in a long time.

Spoil THIS.

Okay, I understand I’m walking a fine line here even before I start. Because, you know, God forbid I offend anyone in today’s uber-sensitive climate where people can have their feelings and sensitivities ruffled over just about anything. Even with that said, I’m trying to be the bigger person here.

So, I’ve seen and heard quite a bit lately about people having to read “spoilers” on their social media feeds. Now, we’re not talking about crucial plot points of a movie or show that hasn’t been released yet being given away to a mass audience. That’s more than understandable. No, this has to do with people commenting on events as they happen and rubbing those that can’t see it the wrong way.

For clarity’s sake, let’s use AMC’s The Walking Dead as our example. The season finale aired back on March 18 and roughly 9 million people saw it. (I wasn’t one of them because, between all the podcasts and online geek news I keep up with, I’m pretty much able to follow both the comic and TV series’ without reading or watching either one. I’ll probably get around to both someday.) While it was happening, a new charac--

Wait, wait, wait. So nobody gets mad at me, either...despite the fact that this happened nearly a month ago now...**SPOILER WARNING**, okay?

Anyway, a new character, Michonne debuted. By new, I mean new to the show, as the character has quite a following as far as the comic series fans go.

There, there’s the end of your **SPOILER WARNING**, okay? But it might come up again, because that’s the entire point of this piece, so maybe I need another **SPOILER WARNING** just for the rest of the column so nobody gets mad. We cool? Okay, great.

People watching the season finale live commented all over the place, as they were uber-excited to see an appearance from Michonne. However, there were people that had to work, or be somewhere else and couldn’t watch the show live, having to opt for seeing it recorded later on.

Despite being so busy they couldn’t see the show, however, they were certainly not too busy that they couldn’t check their social media feeds or go online and see people talking about this all over. And then they haul off and call the people talking about the show as it was happening “assholes” and other cute names just because they had the temerity to go online and read about what they weren’t able to see yet.

Now, let’s clarify something here. Despite how sarcastic (caustic, perhaps?) I’ve been up to this point, I actually try not to give away details of something I’m watching live. I definitely threw out a comment or two about WrestleMania 28, but I kept it to commentary and not giving away results or anything. I actually try to be careful about that sort of thing because, well...I’ve kinda walked away from being a newshound. I spent several years doing that sort of thing and, frankly, there are people like Randy at Geek World Order who have taken up that mantle and run with it better than I’m able to nowadays. That’s also one of the reasons I hardly update this thing anymore, but that’s a digression for a-whole-nother time.

Back to our point, I try to be careful about not giving away details when I’m watching a big event for the sake of those that may not be able to see it right then and there and don’t want everything given away before they can see it. With that said, I also don’t agree with those same people getting all mad and claiming the internet as their own sovereign ground, not to be disturbed or treaded upon by those who are watching whatever event live and want to express their excitement in the details they are seeing unfold.

It’s called “freedom of expression”. You remember that, don’tcha? The thing we’re all guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution? The same freedom that those whiny maggots who yelled loud enough to have the ending of “Mass Effect 3” changed have surrendered their right to argue in favor of ever again because of their over-inflated sense of self-entitlement disguised as nerd rage? Yes, we all still have it. We’re allowed to rant, rave, and yes, discuss things that are happening live, right here and right now, even if we’re told by a few that we’re not allowed because now they can’t be surprised.

If it’s that big of a deal, may I suggest not being on the internet while said events that you can’t see live are happening? Or, at the very least, stay the hell off of the social networks on your phone. The expression “curiosity killed the cat” exists for a reason. If you deliberately stick your foot in an ant mound, who do you really have to blame when you get bit several dozen hundred times? If you know all your friends are watching the show and probably talking about it, then don’t go near it until you’ve had a chance to watch it. It’s really that easy.

I’m sure this came off as being biased toward one side of the argument, but it’s really not. It’s a lesson we can all learn because it’s honestly not that difficult. For those of you that can’t see it as it happens, have a heart for those who can and let them enjoy it in peace while they’re watching it. If you know good and well everybody’s going to be talking about this thing, don’t be so egotistical to think the entire world’s going to steer clear of details because you can’t join the party quite yet. And those of you that are talking about it? Try and have a care for those who can’t see it quite yet. Commentary is fine, but you don’t have to give away every little detail before everyone can see it, because there will be those who simply can’t see it as it happens.

At the end of the day, it’s all about consideration. It’s not as tough as everyone thinks it is, though it does involve some effort in not thinking about just yourself. If we all spent a little more time looking at ourselves to see how we could me more considerate toward others rather than sticking noses in everyone else’s business and picking self-righteous arguments when anyone says something even remotely possibly insensitive toward anyone or anything, I swear to you this world this world would be a much better place. As my good friend Marc would say, “In a world of trolling and negativity, the most punk rock thing you can do is just be nice.”


The classics never get old



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Remember what I said about not breaking news like other dudes? Yeah, everybody and their mom’s already beaten me to this one, but I don’t have to care. I don’t want to be the first to share anything anymore; I just want to share what I like.

Sci-Fried has a new video out for a track called “Never Fall”, an anthemic ditty about the Avengers. So is the video. See, watch:





Oh yeah, and my buddies here are also trying to get to Bonnaroo. Can you find it in your heart to help them out? Maybe even once a day? I promise it won’t cost a dime.

Whatever You Do, Don't Get Killed.

Strictly considered, writing about music is as illogical as singing about economics. All the other arts can be talked about in the terms of ordinary life and experience. A poem, a statue, a painting or a play is a representation of somebody or something, and can be measurably described (the purely aesthetic values aside) by describing what it represents.
- New Republic, February 9, 1918

A day over 94 years later, I would finally find an album that lived up to that very description. Lord knows I’ve written my fair share of reviews about all sorts of madness. In some way shape or form, though, I was able to convey some sort of idea of what the sounds were like and how pleasant they were or weren’t.

Little did I know how tough that would be when I decided to give an ear to a podcaster I’ve come to enjoy over the last 6 months.



The podcast in question is actually plural, with both shows being from the same site. Panels on Pages is a tidy geek culture that focuses mostly on comics, but covers much more. Like video games. And wrestling. JFX316 - aka Jared Whittaker - is a site contributor and shows up on a couple podcasts a week offering his boisterous laugh and laser-focused opinions on a lot of subjects. After this long, I was aware of his music but hadn’t given it a chance until I was virtually dared to by the offer above.

The result? Okay, first, I have to pull a quote from JFX316 himself, from his Twitters:



Keep that exact quote in mind should you decide to make the intelligent decision to go spend $5 on JFX’s latest album, Don’t Get Killed. It speaks volumes about what you’ll hear once the download is done.

Looking for rock and roll? Trance? Trip-hop? A little metal? Dubstep? Where do I stop? There’s so much of a blender mix here it may be more apropos to describe it more like a microwave explosion. Sinking to cliches like “hodge-podge”, “mix of styles”, genre-bending”, and all the rest of those is certainly tempting. Cliches are such because they are true, and they all fit here. But going back to those wells to describe Don’t Get Killed does the record a disservice since it wears its insolence on its sleeve and, for that matter, on its Rusty Shackles-provided cover art:



The rhymes are sprinkled with metric tons of geek references from Tom Brevoort (look him up) to fellow PoP! cohort Dan Mahoney. Oh, and there are mentions of rasslin’ all over the place. And topical stuff that gets made fun of, too! Aside from all that, there are moments when these things are wrapped around JFX’s sonic fist like a chain that drills you right between the eyes:

Hip hop’s a dead man and I’m the White Lantern
Always backin’ up the fam, everyone else is catching a sidewalk slam...
All I wanted to be was the next Chuck D, MF Doom, Kool Keith, or DMC
Life in shambles, like DMZ
- JFX316, “Don’t Get Killed”

If you’re looking to dip out of here now and pick this up, I wouldn’t blame you one bit. But before you go, be warned now if you’re thinking this might make for a great record to have on in the background while you try and concentrate on something else, think again. The disjointed sounds alone will see to it that your attention is focused squarely on Don’t Get Killed whenever it’s playing. The closest thing this guy comes to a single is “Destitute”, which is still all over the place but somewhat refined with the most pop-esque sound you’re likely to hear out of JFX. Even that’s not very radio-friendly; in fact, it’s much more mocking of the idea of “let’s have a hit single” just in sound alone.



Self-effacing is something that JFX seems to do well. Not in the means that he has no confidence in himself, because it takes guts to put out a record at all in the world of digital media gluttony no matter who you are. It takes guts to make any kind of art, really. That having been said, he’ll apparently be the first to tell you:

A year ago, I was screaming “fuck you” on podcasts,
But now I get paid for shitty products like my name was Comcast...
I should change my name to Skynet, I’m self-aware, I’m everywhere
And I’m unsure why anybody fucking cares...
No producer please, sucker, please,
If you talk about me, please put the word ‘rapper’ in parentheses
- JFX316, “Sugary Disaster Cereals”

As far as the beats and the accompaniment go, not many dudes would be willing to make rap beats out of Nine Inch Nails and Danzig. I’m not sure how many would even be able. JFX pulls this off, and the kinda scary thing is those are probably a couple of the more tame beats on the record. An odd imaginarium of dubsteb, electronica, a dash of guitar, a slight hint of cacophony, and generous portions of middle finger are what the music itself is made of. Sits well right alongside the bouillabaisse of apathy, rage, disenchantment, disbelief, and generous portions of middle finger that comprise the majority of the vocals and rhymes.

I’ll be honest, after looking back at what I wrote objectively, it almost looks like there’s no discernible reason to give this a listen. But that might be the strength of Don’t Get Killed is that is might be a challenge to sit through. Let’s just shoot for a second - hip-hop, as we know it, is on life support at the very best. Cats like Apathy, Lyrics Born, Skratch Bastid, and Chuck D are doing their best to keep it alive when most of the art - or lack thereof - is slickly produced, soulless drivel that’s easily interchangeable. I can now add JFX316 to that list after haring an album that would rather stage dive in to a crowd of Occupy protesters on Wall Street from 50 stories up than be considered “Hip-Hop”. By being so openly defiant and not at all what the iPod crowd would probably not even consider actual music, Don’t Get Killed would probably shake the sleeping masses like a drunken nanny were it ever to reach them. For everyone’s sake, I would love to see exactly that happen, because this display of guts deserves that.

Go see for yourself and give Don’t Get Killed a try at the link your eyeballs just passed. If you think guys like Drake, T.I. and The Game are the kings of hip-hop, give up the mediocrity and pick this up. If you’re a music buff wanting to hear something different, treat yourself and pick this up. If any of those aren’t good enough reasons, this should be:

Dust to Dust

Mikal kHill is at it again, kids.

This time? A collaboration with Romero and a change of roles. With The Browncoats Mixtape, kHill mainly played the role of producer, putting together some great beats culled from “Firefly”. Now, he shows of more of his vocal skills on dust with Romero handling the instrumentals.

So how is kHill on vocals? Please. You heard him on MegaRan’s Black Materia album, right? Sure you did, on track 7. (If not, you have another chance because the remix album is out now, too. On that one, look for track 13.) Good stuff. Now imagine that dexterity, only grittier. Hungrier. Tossing the mundane frivolity of life’s inane prattling out the window. You have an idea on how good he sounds on dust.

And Romero backs him handily. For a guy in good company with 8-bit sounds and brilliant remixes of television scores, kHill sounds downright amazing backed by piano instrumentals, sirens, and whatever else Romero can get his hands on to make sure kHill’s vocals - and moods - shine.

The best part of this is? This show’s hitting the road, starting today. kHill is on a mini-tour with Jesse Dangerously and Shane Hall (also of Whatevermore: Live From The Raven). With them, in each town, are selected local acts. Giving back to the community and rocking out. I knew I liked kHill for a reason.

Catch the Humbled to Dust starting today at the following locations (courtesy of the tour’s Facebook page, which I just linked):


Feb 3 - Columbia, SC @ Conundrum 8pm door/ 9pm show / $6 over 21 / $8 under 21 (Mikal kHill, Tribe One, cecilnick, Shane Hall & MC Stealth)


Feb 4 - Orlando, FL @ Back Booth 7pm door / 7:30pm show /$7 ALL AGES (Jesse Dangerously, MC Wreckshin, Rainbowdragoneyes, Mikal kHill, Shane Hall, Slice of Life)


Feb 6 - Charlotte NC @ The Milestone 8pm door / 9pm show /18 and up/ $7 over 21 / $?-9 under 21 (ThoughtCriminals, Jesse D, Shane Hall, MC Stealth, & 6SIGMA)


Feb 7 - Durham, NC @ The Garage Bar @ Motorco -doors at 7pm/show at 8pm/$5 18 & up (17 and under welcome with a guardian) (ThoughtCriminals, Jesse Dangerously, Shane Hall)


Feb 8 - Baltimore, MD @ Bohemian Coffeehouse 7pm / 8pm show / FREE $0.00!!! ALL AGES (Collectible Humans, Jesse D & Shane Hall)


Feb 9 - Philadelphia, PA @ Little Bar ( Mikey Mo, Sketch Lightly, Jesse D, Shane Hall, Voss & LTC)


Feb 10 - Brooklyn, NY @ moon-ii [319 Rutledge St, Brooklyn] (Schaffer the Darklord, People With Teeth, Jesse D, Mikal kHill, Shane Hall, remind) Hosted by Shane with DJ Halo on the tables ALL NIIIIGHT LOOONG


Feb 11 - Worcester, MA @ 97 D Webster St. / $5-$10 suggested donation / ALL AGES (Jesse D, Mikal kHill, Shane Hall, Jon Von Wonderful, The Grand Arkanum, HW) with an opening set by DJ Snaxx


Oh, yeah. Here’s a video off the new record. Because I like you.

Kim Kardashian Admits It's All A Circus?

"Claims of tension in the marriage have spread across entertainment media for the past week, with reports of 26-year-old New Jersey Nets player Humphries' reluctance to play his role in the Kardashian brand and differences over where the newlyweds should make their home.".

- From Reuters

So basically, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce because Kris Humphries didn't want to join the media circus? Is that what I'm to understand out of all this?

Anybody who knows me and/or has read my ramblings for any length of time knows how pathetic I think prefabricated celebrity and corporate media both are. The above statement could very well stand as confirmation that the Kardashians are both.

So, why the hell are people still paying attention?
And the funniest part is? E! is still showing reruns of the "wedding of the century" because it's a huge ratings draw. Brilliant.


Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

C3C1 Mobile - 10.21.11

Meet the new Caylee and Casey Anthony.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Let's Hear It For Originality 01

Wait, why does this sound so familia--



Fergie, you thieving bitch.

WWE Walks Out - On Logic And Sense

How bad did the ending to this week's WWE Raw suck? Let me count the ways...





1) If the Board of Directors for WWE were the ones that gave Vince the Vote of No Confidence and had him replaced, why are they not doing the same to Triple-H?



2) How can WWE’s talent give him that vote when they’re not even technically employees of the company?



3) They’re all independent contractors, remember?



4) Why did this happen on live TV and not in the Boardroom? Name one other company that has televised a live “Vote of Confidence” meeting.



5) Wade Barrett railing against chaos and an “unsafe working environment” and being afraid of being “attacked in the parking lot”? Really?



6) Okay, that was actually pretty funny.



7) Mike Chioda is the spokesperson for the referees. The guy that just came off of a Wellness suspension. Because his credibility can’t be questioned.



8) Beth Phoenix? Of all people? Pulls the “we’re ickle pwetty girls and we could get a boo-boo” card? The girl who just recently had a Twitter profile pic of her holding an alligator>? Whose entire persona revolves around not being a Barbie doll but being tougher than the average Diva? Seriously?



9) And if you’re that concerned with getting hurt, ladies, then why on earth are you there?



10) I don’t know much about the “Vote of Confidence” procedure, but doesn’t everyone have to give their vote individually? And state their reasons for their vote?



11) So, hold on - everyone walked out? Isn’t that a resignation from the job? They just all quit, right?



12) Hell, buy TNA and replace them all! Not like they’re doing anything important!



13) What exactly happened to merit a “Vote of Confidence”, anyway? The place is an “unsafe working environment” and Triple-H “lost control of the company”?



14) Why wasn’t any of this done when the Nexus attacked in June, 2010? You mean to tell me a run-in from The Miz and R-Truth was worse that that?



15) I don’t think so. A couple referees and a few of the talent took a beating, but who else has been attacked?



16) Oh, but things were already bad before this? How? Name one instance that was worse than the end of the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view.



17) And no, the heels banding together to air their grievances doesn’t count. Claiming an “unsafe environment” for instances that you have done yourself isn’t even an argument?



18) Doesn’t all of this seem rather silly? Especially for a wrestling show? Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.



19) But, you know what? It’s their fault for trying to be more “realistic”. In doing so, logic has to be part of the equation. And it’s obvious that none was employed here.



20) If you want to be “more realistic”, try presenting WWE as an actual sports product. Focusing on the word “entertainment” isn’t working out for you.



21) Because all it’s lead to nonsensical storylines that are completely illogical. It may please the kids you’re coveting as an audience, but it’s driving long-time fans away who simply want their wrestling product to make some sense.



22) Oh, and please don’t give me the party line about how I’m a “hater” because I’m not willing to “see how this plays out.” I tried that once already. With CM Punk. And we see how well WWE followed up on that.



23) Speaking of CM Punk, where was he during all this? Isn’t he that guy that wanted “change” so bad? And he wasn’t there to vote?



24) For that matter, where were John Cena and Randy Orton, the two biggest stars in the company? Would this not concern them as well?

Quoth The Browncoats, Whatevermore

Mikal kHill of the ThoughtCriminals has been one busy dude. Within less than a month, kHill has two releases in the can.

One, you may have heard by now, as kHill provided the beats and a handful of vocals on The Browncoats Mixtape. He and fellow Nerdcore star (I think we can cut “rising” out of the equation at this point) Adam WarRock have released an album dedicated to Joss Wheedon’s lamented “Firefly” series. Going in to this, I knew next to nothing about “Firefly” and wasn’t sure I’d pick up on a lot of what was about to transpire.

The good news, I didn’t have to. WarRock takes themes easily relatable - those of being your own man and standing by what’s right, relying on no one’s ideals but your own - and wraps them around stories involving the crew of Serenity. WarRock’s lyricism is deftly done here, as metaphors are easily woven in to the mix.

WarRock’s strongest asset as an MC is that he can spin lyrical tapestries that defy the human tongue, yet none of them are so heavy with slang and references that make no sense that they’re impenetrable. On the contrary, WarRock keeps things sophisticated yet simple. Anyone can follow along, but still marvel at how well the lyrics are spun.

In the case of The Browncoats Mixtape, WarRock has an excellent backdrop to tell his tall tales to. kHill takes the nouveau-Western music of “Firefly” (I assume) and turns them in to great accompaniment. The melodies are those of simultaneous despair and hope, capturing the feeling of not only WarRock’s stories, but of how many fans felt about the series itself.

The Browncoats Mixtape comes highly recommended, whether you’re a fan of “Firefly” or not. At the end of the day, it’s a solid hip-hop work. And it’s free! You can grab it from both the sites of Adam WarRock and the ThoughtCriminals.

After picking up The Browncoats Mixtape from the ThoughtCriminals site, you can then head to their Bandcamp site and pre-order the Thought Criminals live album. Whatevermore (Live from the Raven) was recorded not too long ago - July 31, as a matter of fact, on the second night of the “Pay What You Can” festival at The Raven in Worcester, MA.

For the live record, the ThoughtCriminals shared the stage with Shane Hall, a Massachusettes native with as much energy to burn as the ThoughtCriminals themselves. Having known each other a long time, 2011 is the year they started tag-teaming stages all over the country, starting at SxSW in March.

Here, the ThoughtCriminals and Hall are presented in all their independent, “no-money-mo’-problems glory”. That is to say, the record is a showcase of not only independent musicians dominating a stage with talent, guts and willpower, but also of the problems they face in doing so. The record is presented with technical problems intact to show the perils of independent art and touring, but those issues are actually rather minimal - a testament to the know-how of all involved.

And the music? You’re in for a treat. Whatevermore (Live from the Raven) represents the best of the ThoughtCriminals with tracks such as “Return of the Antagonist (Drastic Measures)” and “Warp Zone (1-2)”. kHill and company - Sulfur (vocals), Kevin Morgan (guitar), Alan Erickson (bass), Chris Wilson (keyboards), and Stephen Williams (drums) - combine to form a hip-hop collective that also include components of chiptunes (kHill does play an NES, after all), rock, punk, and just plain attitude. Hearing that on stage is a great time once it’s realized they waste no time bringing the energy. About halfway through, they are joined by Shane Hall. His manic, infectious rantings go perfectly with the ThoughtCriminals mentality of laying it all on the line each time they take the stage.

Whatevermore (Live from the Raven) can be pre-ordered now via the ThoughtCriminals’ BandCamp. On October 25, those that took the plunge will glad they did once the record is released. As Adam WarRock himself said, the album is “not just a great live RAP album, this album is a great example of acts sharing a stage, collaborating, melding hip hop and live instrumentation, and just making good damn music."

The Irrelevance of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Blogcritics Music

Or: Why we no longer care who’s inducted

This wound up going in a completely different direction from what I originally planned.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 Nominees Announced - Orlando rock music | Examiner.com

And the Nominees are...

Squash The Tomato...

...and play catch-up.



First of all, the "C3C1 5" series has pretty much determined on its own that it's going to be a bi-weekly feature. And that's depending on whether or not I make a pretty big creative decision, but that'll be in a minute.



Second, if you've been missing out on the Tumblr page, the New DC reviews have started there as an exclusive. Go get caught up:



Justice League #1



Action Comics #1



Swamp Thing #1



Detective Comics #1



They're hitting at the rate of 4 a week now, so keep coming back. It works.



Third, I'm weighing a decision to pursue something I've always wanted to do. Something that, because it would take a lot of effort to make happen, would seriously cramp my schedule (on top of already having a family, working full-time and going to school. This would be creative writing...on a pretty big scale if it gets published.



Bad news is, because of all of that, it would take me away from here a LOT more than I already am now. Like, I may be here once in a blue moon, but ANY regular updates would be out of the question.



Any thoughts?

WWE's Newest Signee Is...

(FCW = WWE's farm league Developmental Area, by the way.)

In case you may not know who that is, Arda Ocal, host of Right After Wrestling Aftermath Radio, explains a little more...

In case you still don't know who that is:

1) Get out from under that rock.

2) I'll then tell you he is a former Ring of Honor World Tag-Team Champion, along with Chris Hero - collectively, the Kings of Wrestling.

My question now is...is Hero coming with him? If WWE is serious about "rebuilding their tag-team division", I certainly well hope so.

Be that as it may, this is still pretty big news.

Count3rCu1ture, The New DC: Justice League #1

Exclusive to Tumblr! Starting today and twice a week for...probably a while, you can see how the New DC unfolds and how a jaded fan reacts with surprise (in some cases).

Oh, hey, while I have you here...

You may remember a while back I mentioned that Shinobi Ninja had their video for "Rock Hood" out for your perusal. In case you didn't catch it, let's go to the instant replay:



So why am I bringing this up again? Because this video now has a chance to be in regular rotation at MTVu. And you can help make it happen.

If it can be done, Shinobi Ninja has promised a surprise for their fans. I'll let them give the details (courtesy of the Facebook Event page they've set up for this):

If we win this contest, we're going to throw a FREE rooftop party/concert with all sorts of swag and food. Invites will go out to everyone who votes, blasts the link, and attends and posts on this FB event. If you aren't an NYC native, you'll get an exclusive invite to stream the show and party with us online.

Its been a long and winding road but today, we're here to tell you dreams really can come true!!! Right now at this moment, Shinobi Ninja is on the brink of something amazing. No label, no suits, no BS...All of it is because of the love and support that fans like you have given us over the past three years.

A few weeks ago, MTVU.com posted an interview with us on the "Hot Seat" section instead of adding our Rock Hood video into rotation. The response to the interview was so overwhelming that MTV's staff came to see us play later that week in NYC at Arlene's Grocery. The combination of our live performance and our incredibly dedicated fans earned us a shot at the BIGTIME!!!!

Every week, MTVU selects 5 new artists to compete for an add in MTVU's regular rotation.

Millions of people discover new music on MTVU every day.

THIS WEEK, ITS OUR TURN! Its the biggest thing to happen to us since we played our first show ever at the Knitting Factory in August 2008 (by the way we are about to play our SECOND show at the Knit this week...coincidence or destiny?!?!)

Help us write the last sentence in the first chapter of the story of Shinobi Ninja and vote for "Rock Hood" on MTVU.com!

Just a little hint, you can vote as many times as you'd like!

Share this link on your social networks and tell your friends to vote too!

Happy Voting!!!!

Terminator Dave + Shinobi Ninja

The reasons I'm putting this out there?

1) Hell yeah I want an invite to this show online!

2) After seeing their set and meeting them at Nerdapalooza, I can personally vouch for not only their talent and stage presence, but for the fact that this is a genuinely nice group of folks who love recording and performing. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and I can't help but dig that.

3) They said it themselves: Shinobi Ninja is on the brink of something amazing. No label, no suits, no BS...All of it is because of the love and support that fans like you have given us over the past three years. This is a classic tale of a do-it-yourself act that's gotten to where they are on nothing but hard work, fan appreciation, and an ethic that this site embraces. They deserve to see their dreams come true, and this could be the chance they have to make it happen.

So please, go check out the video and vote for them. I'm sure you want to be invited to the party too, right?

The New DC Flash: Why (Not)?

It’s been well-documented that I have my misgivings about “The New DC”. At the same time, I also understand why they’re doing it and what may come from it.* Some of the changes made to DC’s characters regarding the New DC I’ve agreed with, and some I haven’t. There’s one change, however, that I don’t know if I’m on board with or not.

DC Editor Brian Cunningham, who now takes over The Flash in the New DC, announced recently that in the new Flash series, “The Flash is a single man. He’s a bachelor who has never been married.”

Let me translate for those of you that may not grasp what just happened. Barry Allen and Iris West Allen were married in Flash #165 (vol. 1), which came out in November of 1966. With one stroke, a 45-year character marriage has been wiped from history.

My initial reaction to this? “Um, excuse me, Mr. Cunningham, sir?”





Let’s clarify this before it even starts: I didn’t decry this just because DC ditched a 45 year-old marriage. The problem here was that marriage came to define Barry Allen’s character as much as the costume he wore.

As stated before, what got me in to the Flash - and in to comics as a whole - was “The Trial of Barry Allen.” Allen was on trial for the murder of his arch-nemesis, Eobard Thawne (Professor Zoom), who had attempted to murder Allen’s fiancee. Allen killed Thawne not just because of the attempted murder, but because Thawne had also murdered his wife, Iris, the same way. That emotional turmoil was at the center of this story, and has been at the center of so many more.

In fact, the relationship between Barry and Iris was so strong that it became a focal point of the entire Flash Mythology, period. The original Flash, Jay Garrick, always his spouse, Joan, at his side. Barry’s successor, Wally West, was married to Linda park, and writer Mark Waid used that relationship to emotionally ground West just like his predecessor, Barry, was grounded by Iris. In “Flash: Rebirth”, the series that brought Barry Allen back proper - and actually began the series of events that would lead to the New DC in the first place - Allen escapes the “Speed Force” by remaining connected to his “lightning rod”...his wife, Iris.

Many comics fans are mad as hell over this particular change. Voiding the marriage of Superman and Lois Lane? not so bad; they were married for 15 of the character’s 73-year history. But this one? Oh, man.

Here, I’ll give you an idea. Ari Berenstein, writer of 411 Wrestling’s Column of Honor” and comic fan, offered me a quote for this story: "DC you don't have to undo marriages in order to create personal conflicts and tensions in a story. If you can't create an interesting story with conflict and tension without saying "this didn't happen and we're starting over" then get out of the industry and stop writing comics, stories, anything!" There are many more sentiments like that out there, and I was certainly one of them.

But then, I started thinking about it a little more. Iris West Allen wasn’t all that defined Barry Allen as The Flash. She was certainly a constant, but this was only a piece of the puzzle. Barry Allen was always - with or without Iris - defined as a good man who sought justice. A little vague for a comic book superhero, sure, but Barry Allen was one of the few that exemplify the values of a superhero.

Why can’t he do that as a single man? I mean, wasn’t this one of the qualities that Iris Allen fell in love with about him in the first place? Seeing Barry Allen redefined as the same person he ever was...actually sounds fascinating. And there’s no reason this can’t be done.





However, I’m not 100% sold on the idea quite yet. That task is going to fall on Francis Manapul. Manapul can certainly draw The Flash. Not since Carmine Infantino himself was an artist born to draw Barry Allen and his adventures. But, is he as good of a writer as an artist?

The immediate, knee-jerk answer is...I have no idea. I’ve never read anything that Manapul has written. I’m not sure he’s written anything at all, to be honest and if he has, I haven’t seen it. In that regard, Manapul certainly comes off as a wild card here.

All in all, I’m curious to see how DC can redefine a character in such a manner. I’m curious to see if Manapul can pull this off. I’m curious to see, since Cunningham also revealed that Iris West will still be around, if this will eventually tell the courtship of Barry and Iris. if that’s the case, I’m curious to see how long they can keep away from that.

As you can guess, though, I’m certainly curious enough to pick up the first issue of the new Flash series. This will have to be seen to be believed and examined further.



* - (Cheap plug time: I wanted to wait a bit until after everybody else and their mother had their say so I could have some time to not be influenced by the reviews. Now that enough time has passed, I’ll be reviewing selected new books starting tomorrow, at the rate of two a week. Those reviews will be brief, and available exclusively at the Count3rCu1ture Tumblr page. Bet you didn’t even know I had one of those, did you? You do now. Go check it out.)

C3C1 5 - Superheroes

Welcome to as personal of a look at me as you’re going to get here.

“C3C1 5” is a series of lists detailing my personal favorite...whatever topic I happen to choose. I am trying to make these a weekly ongoing feature. Of course, my reputation for regularity isn’t the greatest in the world; heck, I’ve already skipped a week due to having to get a lot of other work done while adjusting to a new schedule, but now we commence with round 02.

The reasons and rules for this are available in the first installment. Suffice to say, they can be summed up very simply with this statement:

The views and opinions expressed herein are those solely of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of the rest of the human race.


Welcome to round 02 (Fight!) of C3C1 5. This week’s list of five is:

Five Fave Superheroes

It’s that simple, folks - the big guns. The guys we all know and love from the funny book pages. I was actually going to save this because I wasn’t sure I wanted two comic-centric lists back-to-back, but there is a particular reason this is going up now. You’ll get a hint later and find out exactly why tomorrow.

Enough of the jibba-jabba. Let’s do this:




05: Green Lantern

Admittedly, I’m a little late to the game here. And Geoff Johns has a lot to do with GL’s placement this high on the list with the way he’s completely redefined the mythology. All that out there, Green Lantern - and make no mistake, this is certainly Hal Jordan we’re discussing here - has always fascinated me because of the idea of redemption. From losing his dad early on and living up to the ideal he thought his father would have had, to losing his schtuff when Coast City was destroyed, setting him on a path of evil and a return to righteousness, Jordan’s story has always been one I’ve enjoyed following and, at times, certainly relating to. And let’s face it, that ring can do some amazing stuff.






04: The Hulk

(A momentary aside: you can tell I’m pretty much a DC guy when there’s one Marvel character that cracks the C3C1 5. Not that I hate Marvel at all; I grew up with the X-Men. I dig the Avengers trinity as much as the next fan. But, when it comes to individual characters, you can tell which publisher has always had my attention more than the other.)

Anyone who’s seen my temper up close and personal knows exactly why The Hulk is on this list. I can rage with the best of them, and most times it’s for the same reason - I’ve always let myself be walked on when it comes to relationships with other people. When I see just how bad I’ve gotten the shaft for how long...yeah. I don’t grow to 5x my size or turn green (or gray or red), but this is pretty much the result. Nowadays I’m a lot better at not letting my temper get that far. However, if I went through what the Hulk did in Planet Hulk, I totally would have done what he did in World War Hulk (one of my fave Hulk stories). And I wouldn’t think twice about it.






03: The Flash

The Flash is what got me started on comics in the first place. It was The Trial of Barry Allen, and the end of his first series. Watching a man go through losing his first wife and then almost having his new fiancee murdered by the same person was captivating. That did it.

There’s a lot more to be said for The Flash and Barry Allen (the version represented here, although Wally West is a very close second). And it will be said tomorrow. Some news came about The Flash in the New DC that has to be discussed in detail. Yes, The Flash is the reason this list was posted now instead of later. Stay tuned.






02: Batman

Bat man is a straight-up icon of a man honing himself to be the pinnacle of human achievement using only his mind and his will. It’s the reason he tops probably a couple million “favorite superhero” lists - he has no superpowers; he’s just a man that built himself to be the best, an ideal most o0f us strive for.

What made me love Batman was Batman #400. It was here that Batman’s nightmare came to life, putting him against odds he couldn’t possibly overcome. And yet, he did. It’s a story that sums up his will and ability to overcome anything, all done in a beautiful, self-contained story.






01: Superman

If you don’t think the comic book fanbase has its share of hipsters, think again. It’s all the rage to hate Superman nowadays. “He’s too powerful”...”he’s such a boy scout”...”man his recent stories have really sucked.”

Okay, I can’t argue with that last one. But everything else is excuses in the form of gross oversimplifications. Superman was the first superhero. He captured imaginations in 1938 for the same reason he does now - who doesn’t want the ability to do damn-near anything? Many fans that bag on him now cover that jealousy with another excuse: “He can do anything he wants, yet he chooses to be a good guy?”

Yes, he does. And for all that ability and power, Superman is still mortal. He’s just as human as any of us. The best stories illustrate this perfectly, and even comic creators tend to screw that up. Hell, J Michael Straczynski inexplicably wrote one of the best and worst superman stories ever!

He’s a tough character to nail because not any people can fully grasp how someone so all-powerful can also be so vulnerable. But when he’s done right, Superman shows us that he is our actual self, while Batman is our ideal self. Batman has made himself perfect, while Superman was made perfect, but continues to show us how human we all are.