Sorry, friends. My computer has been “down” (I spilled beer in my keyboard).
So what’s up? Oh me? I got “laid off” from my job. They wanted to fire me, but couldn’t. Long story.
And now, I’m unemployed. Before you say anything like “Aw, I’m so sorry!” keep in mind that while yes, I loved my job, that doesn’t hide the fact the I worked for a company that quite as honest and savory as i would’ve liked. Plus, I haven’t had an actual vacation in quite some time (I don’t count going on tour as vacation). So now, I get to drink beer and write music all day!
My new band had our first practice not long ago. It went WAY better than I expected. We actually wrote a whole song! Granted, it was a song that I’d already written but the boiz added their own touch, and it sounds positively MASSIVE. I am very excited to take this somewhere.
Anyway, I’m drunk and kinda bummed out. Don’t worry, it’s nothing major. I get bummed out fairly regularly. Stupid thoughts and other such nonsense. Where is Doc Brown when i need him?

It’s come to my attention recently that I spend upwards of $160 a month on cigarettes. $160+.
Really!?
That’s fucking crazy. One hundred sixty plus dollars! What am I, an oil tycoon who sleeps in a bed made of cash? I think fucking not!
Sorry, kinda lost it there. It’s just crazy that I’d burn (ha) through that kind of money on such a stupid habit (beer anyone?). Do you know how many model ships I could buy a month with that money? A fuck ton, that’s how many. The kind with REAL rigging and mini cannons on the deck! And I could sail them through The Soapy Seas waging high stakes battles ON MY BELLY BUTTON!! Plus cigarettes smell terrible and occasionally cause what I like to call “lightning puke,” wherein I’ll take drag during a conversation, and mid-sentence, nay, mid-WORD I’ll inadvertently fire off a brief, shotgun-like mass of vomitus directly onto my shoes or someone else’s chest. I usually follow this up by acting as if nothing happened.
Not pleasant.
I really think I can stick with it this time. I’ve quit before and I only started again when my life got flip-turned upside down, and I had to move with uncle and my auntie in Belair. This time, it should be easier because a) a bunch of people I associate with are quitting, b) today cigarette taxes increased to $1.01*, and c) I really want to quit. I want to become more active, like going jogging, giving Dutch Rudders and riding my bike, or (novel idea alert!) spending the cigarette money on gym membership. Or model ships.

*Which brings my price up to almost $9.00 a pack. For less than 2 more dollars, I could be smoking crack!

I am taking a break from writing stellar riffs to riff on some ideas.
Or something like that.
Today I was thinking about a conversation I had with Andrew Moore. He was telling me about a certain local band, and how their guitarist was blown away that Kane Hodder’s The Pleasure To Remain So Heartless was recorded all analog, straight to tape.
“I just don’t think I could do it without that safety net [that Protools can afford you].”
What?
I really don’t understand how you can write music, rehearse it until you feel confident enough that other people should hear it…
…and then not be able to do it when you enter the studio.
Does that make any sense? I understand that digital recording is cheaper (no buying expensive tape), and I’m not against using it. Hell, all of my solo material was done on a computer. As were all of Claymore’s “releases.” And we (Claymore) had to rely on Protools’ magic several times, when we realized that there were major drum fuck-ups that simply couldn’t be redone. Should’ve paid more attention! I just personally think that a computer fall back should never take the place of practicing something until you have it fucking DOWN. That’s all!

In a completely unrelated topic (mind wander), I was think about how, as a young lad, I desperately wanted on of these:



Oh my god. My mom would’ve said “bed time, sweetest angel who completes my existence.” Instead of ignoring her and stuffing G.I. Joes into a rubber shark’s mouth (my favorite thing to do, to this day), I’d have raced to bed twice as fast as a Peregrine falcon (fast) and spent until the wee hours pretending I was racing across the streets of Paris, and go to sleep with a smile on my face as I dreamed of my trophy, and the large cache of Legos I’d receive as prize “money.” Damn you, mom.

Actually, I still want one…

Well. First “real” post. What matters of utter banal minutia shall we discuss, you and I? Ah yes.
I have news.
I can’t go into specific detail at this time,
but I am starting a new musical project. That will be playing shows.
I’m really excited about it.
I love being in Kane Hodder, and I’m not quitting.
I just have a lot of musical ideas that don’t fit within the “confines” of Hodder, and I really miss the emotional release of being able to shout my own sorrows and joys to a room full of strangers. I miss Claymore. But I have a feeling this will be even better. On top of that, I’m also supposed to be trying out as vocalist for Annulus sometime soon. That should be fun, just as long as they know that my other projects come first. Writing material for 3 bands and trying to squeeze time in to write and record new Vespula tunes!? Bring it.
Oh, and Kane Hodder is touring Japan for 10 days in June. For free. You can go ahead and be jealous.

Very rudimentary, I know.  But bear with me, I’m computarded. Room/bandmate Eric really helped me get this figured out. Some day I’ll acquire a far better layout, either by my own hand (not likely) or with help (likely). I’m really excited to finally have my own website (named after my favorite Frodus song). I fully intend to use it nearly every day, and at the very least a few times a week. I don’t write things as often as I’d like. Now, I’m going to. Bear with me, it’s probably going to be a strange ride. Let’s begin…