We'll Raise An Empire From The Bottom Of The Sea

Anyone that reads this is probably sick of me talking about Thrice but I don't care. They are my second favorite band of all time for a reason. Back in the day of being a young 16 year old high school kid with braces and down on his girl luck, I made a good friend named Badih through working at H-E-B. We either talked about how fucked up bitches were, or Thrice. Mainly just Thrice. He always knew of my guitar playing ability and he used to sing in a band when he was in high school so we started playing together. We played a horrible show on new years of 06/07. We played I think Saves The Day, Thrice, Rise Against and Judas Priest haha. It was a great time in it's own awful way. Me and Badih would later do little recordings of Thrice and Flight Of The Conchords. But it was around Christmas time of 2007 where we got the best idea ever. Do a Thrice cover show. Fucking why NOT? It's about the only way I'd be stoked to play electric guitar again. So I got my friend Joe who loves Thrice as much as me to play bass, and Badih got his close friend Matt to play drums. He had an empty house so we got to play there which was beyond amazing. We ended up playing:

1. To What End
2. Ultra Blue
3. T&C
4. Deadbolt
5. In Years To Come
6. The Beltsville Crucible
7. So Strange I Remember You
8. Trust

The show ended up going about a 7 out of 10. So Strange didn't sound all too great. But it really was a great time. Well we decided to turn this into an annual thing and are doing it again this year. But this time we have added our friend Vivek to play guitar to ease the pressure off Badih's singing. The songs for THIS year go as:

1. Deadbolt
2. Trust
3. That Hideous Strength
4. Firebreather
5. Cold Cash and Colder Hearts
6. Kill Me Quickly
7. Don't Tell We Won't Ask
8. Red Sky

July 31st. At Tanners shop. There may be some metalcore band playing before us. It should be just as fun as last year. Be there. Even if you don't like Thrice. Watch me play electric guitar for a change.

Michael Jackson straight up died yesterday. It's really a weird thing. I heard over the news, "Just like I remember where I was when Elvis died, I will always remember where I was when I heard the news of Michael Jackson dying." My experience? It had been a good day. I got snow cones with Bianca and then headed to pick up my brother from work which is at that huge building by the Omni downtown. I finished up my phone conversation with a good friend Oneida and once my brother got in the car, I just turned up the music. We were listening to Thrice. I actually tested him by showing him all the ending tracks to the Alchemy Index to see if he would catch that they all end in the same progression. He didn't. Anyway, it was at the light where Burger King was to my left where I got a text from my brother saying "Michael Jackson might be dead. He's in a coma." I remember my brother was talking to me about something and I just put the phone down kinda confused. Then I got another text saying "Confirmed." It was weird. I was on a curve, listening to Thrice, listening to my brother talk and trying to kind of grasp the text message I had just received. He's kind of just one of those guys that would live a long time secluded from the world. In come the never ending jokes about his death. I'm not down with it. I've seen people say things of "whatever, his music sucked anyway." False. I don't particularly enjoy his music but I don't think it sucks. The guy is "King Of Pop" for a reason. He had a bigger impact than arguably anyone did in mainstream music history. Sure, the dude had a fucked up last decade or so, but that doesn't undo what he did for music. He is an icon and a legend and will be deeply missed.

I talked too much about Thrice to not post yet another video of them. It's also kind of fun to post something off Identity in one post and then something off the Alchemy Index in the next. Completely different band.


Thrice-Firebreather

Tell me are you free
Tell me are you free
In word or thought or deed
Tell me are you free
While the gallows stand

And bullets lance the bravest lungs
We fold our hands and hold our tongues

Tell me are you free
When the fear falls on you
Tell me are you free
When the fear falls on you

Tell me are you free
Tell me are you free
In word or thought or deed
Tell me are you free
While the gallows stand

And bullets lance the bravest lungs
Will I fold my hands or hold my tongue

Or let the flames lick at my feet
Or breathe in fire and know I'm free
Flames will rise and devour me
Oh, to breathe in fire and know I'm free

Know I'm free!

Me and My Friend Rad!

Tuxedos are too expensive. What's the difference between a suit and a tux? A vest? Why was I wearing a tux? My cousin was having a wedding and well, I was a groomsmen. I looked sharp! Ok, get to music. Got it. When I got to the church, the first thing I saw was this magnificent, sweet as hell organ. I just wanted to play the melody of the brandenburg concerto I play on it. It was incredible. Anyway, I tend to forget how traditional weddings are. I tend to forget that the actual wedding march is played during weddings haha. I couldn't help but laugh. But the laughing quickly stopped. What I heard was a disgrace to the Wedding March. What I heard was a disgrace to anyone who has ever touched an organ. What I heard was a disgrace to music. The organ player must have been 98 year olds and yeah, he was hitting all the right notes, but for some reason decided to harmonize the right hand with nothing but MINOR 2ND's. It sounded awful. Painful. I'm sure everyone in the church was wondering like I was about to vomit. I couldn't take it. How could he do this? Does he not know? Does he think we're all too ignorant to notice? I wanted to stop it immediately. Seriously, it's the wedding march. The WEDDING MARCH. Have some respect. Not only for the people at the church, but for the sake of traditional music. This will not happen at my wedding. My wedding will consist of a string quartet playing all the brandenburg concerto's along with some other Bach favorites of mine. Then I will have a piano player play a piano version of May 16th for me and my wife's first dance. Seriously, the whole wedding could be nothing but pink flowers and yellow ducks, I won't give a shit as long as I'm in charge of the music.

Hit The Switch just recently put out a new record, "Observing Infinities." I had been waiting for this for so damn long. Their last record, "Domestic Tranquility and Social Justice" was fucking perfect. Not a single song missed. People compared it to early Thrice and we all know how great Thrice is at any stage of their career. Well I just got the new one in the mail and I do dig it, but I'm sad to say it's not as good as their last. The opening track is just way too long. Opening tracks should be sweet and to the point. No 2-3 minute music intro with mediocre music once the vocals kick in. What about a really heavy build up opener and then the second track is really good and energetic? That's good. But this was all on one track. Anyway, they seem to have a different sound. Kind of? It's like I'm listening to two different bands. One kinda skate punk and one a little more thrash with some sort of rock guitar and vocals. I don't completely dislike it but I definitely prefer the more skate punk songs. They were a little thrashy on Domestic and I loved it. Nishtagea Theory was my 3 or 4th favorite off that album. But this is in a different way that I can't really find the words to describe. There are a few songs that leave me just kinda confused with why the song just happened. Tidal Wave is great. Even though Ample Bright leaked about a year ago, I still love it. Last Light is incredible for it's intense outro. I don't think I've dropped my jaw in awe over a gang vocal outro like that in a long time. The last track, The Everfading Afterglow is easily one of the songs of the year. The melody is outstanding. Matt's voice just goes to all the right notes at the right times. Just when you think it can't get any better, it does. You really just have to listen to it. Buy this. You won't regret it.

I mentioned Thrice earlier. Early Thrice that is. For the people who haven't heard Thrice, you should scroll down and watch the Thrice video I posted I think 2 or 3 entries ago. Completely different than what your about to see. This is a song off their album, Identity Crisis. It's actually called "A Torch To End All Torches" not a turbo torch. I posted this rather than a sweet live video so you can view the ignorant user and forever remember him as a dumbass.



Misguided satellite
I circle by habit,
can't find my orbit to save my life
I want to fall,
I want to burn,
like an ignorant craterless meteorite
Long ago I was derailed,
long ago the mission failed
but in the distance there appears a light

Disgruntled architect
building a palace
cant make it perfect to save my life
victimless crime ride the wrecking ball in
evacuate now while I breathe dynamite
Efforts all to no avail
I'm perfection's countervail
torn in pieces, I am made contrite

And in my darkest hour
the brightest light draws near to me
a torch to end all torches,
this is the light that sets me free
all shadows burn away now
but by his grace I am sustained
though all was lost,
now all is found and more is gained

Lift me up and make me whole
Instill in me a new hope
Breathe new life into my soul

Suddenly, It Hits Me; A Feeling I've Never Known

What's today? The 13th? What does that mean? Does is mean the 500th monthaversary with a girl? No. Does it mean the 300th monthaversary with a girl? No. It means it is the 2 year anniversary of the day I embarked on the best 3 weeks of my life. Think about the best experience of your life. Think about the best days of your life. They probably and hopefully have an album or a selection of songs you can tie with, right? In the summer of 2007, me and about 5 other of my all time best friends went to Europe together with 30+ other people of 3 weeks. We had known about it a year in advance and we hyped it up to be the best experience we'd ever get. Usually, things won't live up to the hype. This trip lived up and surpassed it. This trip was Lebron James. I got to completely escape my home life. I remember feeling terrible before I left. At the last second I asked myself, "Wait! Why do I want to leave my kick ass life behind for the 3 weeks?" But it was just anxiety. Being able to escape. Being able to vacation was absolutely amazing. Not only because of where I was going but it left me off the hook of my restrictions at home. My parents, my girlfriend, my job. All the things that were kind of like chain balls on my leg, I got to get away from and do what ever I wanted with out their permission. Anyway, I had known that The Swellers LP, My Everest was going to come out just days before the trip started. Me and my friend Joe labeled that to be our Europe anthem the day we found out the release date. It was just perfect. Mostly happy. Up-beat. Great melody. Great everything. But not only was it the anthem for Europe, it was also the anthem for the month after the trip as well so there are memories I'd rather not reflect on. My twin brother Romey was listening to it on his laptop in his room with his door open and I literally got up and closed his door because I just don't want to hear it unless I choose to. There is one song on the album called "Skoots" which was always my favorite. It has an acoustic song called "Keep Looking Where Your Eyes Are Looking Now" before it to kind of build up to it. A prelude, if you will. Kind of like The Kids Are All Wrong to May 16th by Lagwagon. Or Feels Like Home to International You Day by No Use For A Name. Not only does this song completely get me nostalgic about Europe, it also gets me nostalgic about the day I got home from Europe which all bitterness aside, is still one of the happiest moments I've ever experienced. So obviously, there is no way I can listen to that and if I do, there is no way I can listen to it with out working up a tear or two. ESPECIALLY when the guitar solo starts and then the bridge and outro. Terrible! But I really just can't explain to you what the album means to me. It was playing on my ipod 24/7 in Europe and was playing in my car(my dads car) all through out summer. The people I grew close with on that trip were people I had known for so long yet never gotten tight with. It really was a beautiful thing. The trip created so many memories. Memories and stories from Europe that can never get old to tell. Stories that I probably shouldn't tell and memories that I try to forget.

I posted about Chris Issac the other day on the tragic accident he lost his life to. I went to his funeral a couple of days ago. Every time(which thankfully isn't often) I go to a funeral, I think of what my friend Joe said to me while we were on our way to our friends dad's funeral. He said, "We should listen to Skoots, man." I asked why and he replied "Cause I don't have clothes for days like these, I never thought they'd come to me." Anyway, I headed to the funeral in Robstown. There were hundreds of people. You couldn't move 2 inches it was so packed. I saw lots of faces that I missed. Funerals are never an easy thing to attend. Hearing from his mom was heartbreaking. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. He idolized his older brother for his guitar playing and his older brother played a very soothing explosions in the sky esque song for him. His mom expressed how he always loved music and always chose to pursue it. It really hit home with me. She then said a number of times for people to always do what they love. Chris's love and passion for music really is an inspiration. It's what he wanted to do. It's what Kayla wanted to do. I wasn't very close with either of them, but I'll never forget them while I'm on this long road with music. The words Mark said to me as I hugged him are words I'll never forget.

Here is a live version of The Swellers-Keep Looking Where Your Eyes Are Looking Now/Skoots



Six of us pack in the car and stare out at the stars
Wondering if you're up there
When I heard the news I went numb
At first in denial but somehow, I knew

Don't look down
Set yourself up for falling
Don't look back; the past is never good enough
Don't look up, you won't find answers in the clouds
Keep looking where your eyes are looking now

Death, another waste of plans
I'm shaking, I can't stop my hands
I'm writing words but I still lost my voice
Shoved in the back room with old friends, we had no choice
I never thought I'd see you here

I don't have clothes like days like these
I never thought they'd come to me
But I'm still here
It wasn't hell that turned you black
The ashes did when you got back
I'm sorry

The same six at all the shows
But now that its a funeral
The room has overflowed
So good of you to finally show support when the admissions free
And the congregation shows their gratitude

I don't have clothes like days like these
I never thought they'd come to me
But I'm still here
It wasn't hell that turned you black
The ashes did when you got back
I'm sorry

Would you have said what Father said you'd say?
Is it hard to set words straight once you're away
They made you speak out of your lifeless mouth
I read words you wrote when you were around
You'd want to be a tree strong in the ground
And you would have said, Keep looking where your eyes are looking now

I'm Going To Get There. Your Going To See Me. Your Going To Say That So Much Has Changed

Can you believe I'm going to play there? I'm losing days. Only about 60+ left. But I've been having a really good time in each one so it's all good. I made my first friend at the school over a facebook group. A guitar player actually. He's from Sweden. From Sweden. I was looking over the pictures of all the kids in the group and they are mostly foreign names and have these professional pictures of themselves and their instruments. It makes me wonder what in the hell I am doing going to that school. I'm just hoping I'm not going to be the only guy who enjoys going out and having a good time. But then I think about it and realize all these kids are my age so there's no way it could be like that. Not that partying and stuff is my top priority, but you have to have balance, you know? I recently stopped hiding from my fear and started practicing rasgueado. I dislike flamenco music for the most part, but it's a great technique to have. It's been frustrating. It's not my style and my right hand just isn't handling it well. But I have to keep practicing. I've only been doing it for two days so I'm hoping I see results soon. Just talking with another guitar player got me inspired. I already started to feel that competitiveness flow through my body. And again, it isn't so I can be better than him and he feels like he's below me or anything like that. It's just because I want to be the best at what I do. Not to gloat. But for self satisfaction. Because I don't believe in having limits. Rarely will I ever say something is too hard. Challenging yourself is the best possible thing. Especially at the level I'm at.

Lets talk about bands that used to be good but aren't anymore. That list could go on for a while but for now we'll talk about 2. One more so than the other. When I go to work, physically I'm there but not for a second am I there mentally. All I think about is music. Whether it's my guitar playing, classical music, or punk music. Through out the shift, at least 5-10 songs will be stuck in my head and I'll be singing it to myself in my head. One of those recent songs was Punchline's "Getting There Is Getting By." Probably still on my top 20-30 favorite pop punk songs of all time. It come off Punchline LP "Action." back in 2003? I believe. I got it in 2004 for my birthday and it really was a solid anthem(along with other bands) for my first semester of sophomore year in high school. I still consider that year huge for the fact that I developed so much. I experienced dealing with extreme regret, missing another girl who literally flew out of my life, introduced into classical guitar, started going to shows, and just a bunch of other stuff that I hadn't experienced my freshman year. Anyway, one of the guys who made that band was the guitarist/singer who gave them that real pop punk sound. He left after that album was released and that's where it went to crap. They got another guitarist and released an album, "37 Everywhere" and wow, it was some wuss-ass pop music. It was always wuss stuff but this was just bad wuss stuff. I know bands on Fueled By Ramen aren't tough dudes but fuck, it was just painful to hear. A band with genuine pop punk in them, gone down the toilet.

Anti-Flag. I don't know where to begin. They ran my life 9th and 10th grade. I thought I was SO punx listening to them on my huge discman. Especially in "Police Story" where Justin sings "What a bunch of fucking shit!" Then onto how cops beat up homies and stuff. A New Kind Of Army is still easily on my top 10 favorite albums of all time. But boy have they take a turn. In 2005, they signed with major label RCA and released "For Blood and Empire" which I will admit, I rather enjoyed. There were a few really bad songs but I approved of it for the most part. They somehow got put on the Madden 2007 sound track which was a bad sign. Then they released "The Bright Lights Of America" and good god, it was terrible. It's just this radio sounding/call out to the mall punx/immature crap put onto a disc. Unbelievable. They left RCA and hooked up with SideOneDummy which had some sort of hope in it. Nope. They just released "The People Or The Gun" andI don't know what it is, but I'm done with Anti-Flag. Maybe I'm just over the whole gimmick? Maybe I'm over the same recycled, more whored out than my ex-girlfriends guitar riff that they seem to use in at least 4 songs on every album. But the thing is, I did give this a listen. I did give it a chance. I know I was skeptical about it, but I always try to have an open mind. This is just not good and it's a little depressing to see a band that meant so much to me growing up just go to waste. Not every band can be Lagwagon and Thrice I guess, right? Here is a little something nice for you people. Even nicer to have the Souls covering it immediately after. A song that you've probably never heard but you've definitely heard of...

Anti-Flag-That's Youth

When all you hear is that, "you cant " or "give up" or "you're a fool"
and you're so sick of all the in crowd and trying to be cool
And you still dont, still you dont. still you dont know what to do...
But in the end you do your own thing, and you tell'em to get screwed!!!

This World Cannot Be Saved

It was about midnight friday night where I was just sitting and playing Call of Duty pretty bummed that I'm not going to do anything on a friday night for the first time in months. I had the opportunity to go to a party out on the Island but didn't feel too much like going because it was too far. My friend was trying to convince me to go but I was being kind of lazy. But he said he'd drive so I didn't turn it down. We went down staples up to the freeway and saw that it was closed off with tons and tons of cops surrounding it. Figured something bad went down. I texted my old friend Oneida to see if she wanted to join and she responded saying her friend had died. I asked if it had anything to do with the freeway and she called me and told me all the details. My heart sank. My body just went numb. 3 guys headed to the movies around 9:30pm were rear ended by an underage drunk driver. 1 kid died on impact. The other is in critical condition with very little chance of survival and another that only has a few scratches. One of the main reasons I've always liked my friend Oneida is because she's so thick skinned. A tough girl. And to hear her tear up was very difficult. These guys were just headed to the movies with friends man. All about my age. They have so many loved ones. There is no reason for this kind of thing to happen. They're too young. It really put things into perspective. They just had no idea. The rest of the night I was just kinda rattled and hardly talked at the party. Didn't take one drink. It infuriated me that this all happened because a couple high school kids were being nothing but a couple of fucking high school kids. They were charged with vehicular man slaughter. I hope they serve a damn good amount of time. You can read the story here.

Thankfully I've never had someone extremely close to me lose their lives. But last night reminded me a lot about November 20th, 2004. The night Kayla and Jilayne lost their lives. I'll never forget how that night played out. I'll never forget that sinking feeling. A music scholarship was created to honor Kayla's love for music. I got it my senior year and was quite proud and honored to represent Kayla. I didn't know her personally, but I feel like I owe it to her. Not only do I represent her in that, but in the Thrice cover show I do every summer, the singer, Badih, dedicates it to Kayla. You can read about her story here.

I know this pretty much has to do nothing with music but I thought it should be mentioned on here. Today was a day where I couldn't listen to The Descendents. A mourning day if you will. I listened to Joey Cape last night and today. I've been pretty bummed so far. It's hard to cope with an innocent kid your age dying. And it's hard to not have words for a friend.

Don't drink and drive.

Joey Cape-Home

It's your time
The lights will line your way home
Can you see them?

We Are But Wayfarers With A Wish To Stay Alive For A Cause And For A Dream

I've known this way cool girl named Kara for a really long time now that I think about it. She texted me the other day asking me to essentially introduce her to punk music. I'm always stoked to do this for people. I've been doing it since the summer before 8th grade where I made a compilation for my future girlfriend/best friend. Had some legit stuff, but also had a bunch of Rufio and Matchbook Romance(West For Wishing EP). The funny thing about when people ask me to do this is that while they see this as just a tiny favor, I see this as a huge deal. I'm having to introduce someone into the music that has ran my entire life. Introduce the music that describes who I am. Introduce someone punk rock music. Such a huge thing to ask of someone. Initially I thought: OK! Here comes 28 or 29 songs of my all time favorite punk songs! Go! But then with help, I realized that it would be clearly just overloading. Too much for someone to handle. Sure, I would expose her to tons of bands, but she wouldn't be able to grasp all the sounds of punk music. So it was decided that I will put 3 songs each by 4 bands. Selecting these bands was really difficult. I debated with my brother which ones they should be. We came up with Hot Water Music, The Descendents, The Get Up Kids, and Audio Karate. Why? Well you get the "orgcore" beard punk. The geeky fun punk from The Descendents. Essentially true, legit emo from The Get Up Kids. And easily one of the most underrated pop punk bands ever, Audio Karate. So the track listing goes as this:

1. The Descendents-Sick-O-Me
2. The Descendents-When I Get Old
3. The Descendents-She Loves Me
4. The Get Up Kids-Holiday
5. The Get Up Kids-Action and Action
6. The Get Up Kids-My Apology
7. Hot Water Music-Wayfarer
8. Hot Water Music-Trusty Chords
9. Hot Water Music-The End Of The Line
10. Audio Karate-Get What You Deserve Inc.
11. Audio Karate-A Whole Lotta Weight
12. Audio Karate-Gypsyqueen

Happy June everybody. Seriously, these summer days are great. I'm really enjoying these last few months living in Corpus. Nights are fun. Days are good. The grass is good. The heat is good. The Descendents are good. The friends and parties are good. It's just been very good. Except for the fact I haven't touched my guitar too much lately. But I told myself I would change that starting this month and I plan on living up to it. I learned the Barrios prelude, I have gotten the first page to Generalife by Turina and I plan on finishing and perfecting the 996 Bach suite. It's that time of the year to where I start playing electric guitar again. Yep. You guessed it! The annual Thrice cover show has come and I couldn't be more stoked for it. Thrice is my 2nd favorite band of all time. I can't begin to tell you how much their music has done for me. I think we're taking it down a notch this year though. Supposed to play slower material but still doing some old ones. Sell outs, huh? Here is a video of one of my top 5 favorite songs by them.


Thrice-Cold Cash and Colder Hearts


We've learned money matters most
So we keep our cards held close
Here at the top of the world

We hold our own by keeping our hearts cold
And we've learned what matters most
So we keep our hearts cold