Are the Dead Milkmen Back For Good?

On Friday, I lucked out and met Rodney Linderman, formerly and famously known as Rodney Anonymous, for the first time. We spoke for a moment and I admitted that, "I've heard of you guys, but I haven't actually heard any of your stuff." He later went on to say he was into KMFDM, which I thought was cool and he went to Digital Ferret a lot, too.

On Sunday I went to the Piazza at Schmidts to sell art (I don't plan to do so again anytime soon), and lo-and-behold, Rodney came up to my table! He got to check out my stuff, we exchanged pleasantries, and he finally said that he was getting really busy with the band after 15 years.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, are you guys finally going to go full-tilt and do a reunion?"
"Yeah, we're back together for good."
"Mind if I break the news on my blog?"
"Yeah, go ahead."

So it's official: THE DEAD MILKMEN ARE BACK FOR GOOD!

Back to School, and Back to Swine Flu

SWINE FLU - Beware The Pandemic! by LuvataciousSkull

Fall is nearly upon us, and with it the very real, very likely, spread of the Swine Flu virus. Although I did, admittedly, chuckle at the hysteria that was being created at the time when it first came out during the last weeks of April, it is safe to say that we could be looking at a serious health risk next month.

Why do I say that? Largely due to something based on personal experience. Every year when the school year started, I got sick. It's safe to say that the germs and microbes gathered by everyone over the summer came with them, and if you weren't ready... well, you got sick.

Will we see a pandemic come from this? Will the World Health Organization turn out to be correct, that this is a real threat? Possibly. I think it's going to be just like the normal flu, but we'll see.

The Demoness Said KILL! - My Sweet New Skateboard from Zazzle!

I came home yesterday to my custom skateboard deck made by Zazzle.com. I've trusted these folks with helping to spread my art and designs through merchandising, and they've yet to disappoint. This morning I finally cracked open the package of the skateboard I ordered and, well, it was AWESOME!!!!

For the skateboard techs, here are the stats:
Independent Stage 1 Trucks
Ricta Natural Wheels
Bullet Bearings

Really happy with the deck! Took it for a test run, and it ran smoothly out the box! No lie! Easy glide, nice turns... it was basically fine-tuned out the box! SWEET!



Make sure to get your own here:

The Demoness Said Kill! by LuvataciousSkull
Browse Demon Skateboards

PAUL ROMANO ART SHOW!!

I am pleased to say that Paul Romano will be doing this upcoming 4th Friday at Digital Ferret Records!

Who is Paul Romano, you ask? If the name doesn't ring a bell, you more than likely have seen his work! This flyer may, very well, ring some bells. Paul Romano has done all the album covers for metal band Mastodon, and has also done work for Trivium.

I knew he lived in Philadelphia, and it will be an honor to finally get to meet him! I'm really looking forward to this, and if you can, I recommend coming out! It should be a good time!

WHERE:
Digital Ferret
526 S. 5th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147

WHEN:
Friday, August 28th, 2009
7PM - 10PM

FLASH MOB! - August 19th, 6PM! DANCE AGAINST HATE!

I didn't post the story, but over the weekend, I had one hell of an adventure! I'll explain tomorrow, but on this adventure I came across Anthony Riley, the young man who was arrested for singing and later cleared of all charges. He was at 9th and Market, where he set up shop to sing... right next to a group of racists! In response, I, along with a few people, danced behind him in support.

On Wednesday, August 19th at 6PM, please come out to 9th and Market and dance!

Coming To Theaters: White Lies, Black Sheep - Life as a Black Rocker? Maybe

In 2006, a movie came out called "Afro-Punk". The film, by James Spooner, was toted as being a film that would explore the world of what it was like to be black in a mostly-white sub-culture such as punk and metal. The film was, as you may have guessed, slanted towards the idea that blacks were ostracized by their friends to some minor degree. It touched the idea of blacks into metal were considered by some whites to be called "Safe blacks", something I will admit I've felt from time to time in my life, but not really. I guess growing up in a major city in the 90's to today means the experince of the director and some of the people in the film would be pretty different than, say, a rural area in the 70's and 80's.

He has a new film called "White Lies, Black Sheep" and the description is as follows:

A.J.'s real name is Ajamu Talib. His dislike for his African name is the least of his problems, still it says a lot about him. Brooklyn born and bred yet outcast by his peers, his only escape was music. A.J. found freedom in rock n roll.

Tight clothes, straightened hair, popular with girls and partying every night, he is fully entrenched, in the debaucherous New York rock n roll scene. For once he feels like everyone else. Well almost.

He begins to find that his chosen community, the white rock world, only seems to run smoothly for white rockers. A series of events force him to recognize his friends both exotify him and are in denial of his blackness. Black, but not "really" black. What's a young black rocker to do?

Shot in venues capturing NYC crowds, this film features live performances from Antibalas, Moldy Peaches, Theo, The SkyScrapers and Panther.

"White Lies, Black Sheep" is one of those films where the locations and the city itself are as important as the story. Much like Taxi Driver, Wild Style, Downtown 81, or Kids, "White Lies" is sure to be used as a reference point, establishing for future generations just what New York was like, back in early second millennium.

My thoughts? I think everything I just said is going to apply here.

The most annoying thing about being a black metal head or black punk (whatever I choose to do at the time) hasn't been from my fellow group of outcasts, but from other blacks. Ask any black person who is into a sub-culture; blacks tend to be insanely conservative and their hatred of outcasts, even in a major city, rival those of people in redneck areas. Its annoying, frustrating, and really, that's where I've seen the most problems in my life.

People in the metal and punk world tend to not care what someone is. In the end, we're all part of the same group of outcasts. Will punks make fun of emo-kids? Yes. Will emo-kids make fun of goths? Yeah. Does anyone give a shit about race? Only the skinheads, and there aren't a lot of those.

I do recommend giving the film a chance. Hey, $5? I don't mind! It could be good!

Where & When
Sedgwick Theater
7137 Germantown Ave
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19119
August 22, 2009
7PM
$5

The Philadelphia Alternative Comic-Con

The Philadelphia Alternative Comic-Con
September 13th from 12 - 6PM
951 North Front Street
Entry is $5, tables are $30

It should be good, and I already got my table! I suggest checking out the website if you can:
http://phillyaltcomiccon.wordpress.com/

That's about it. Hope to see you there!

Eagles Sign Micahel Vick, and I Die A Little Inside

The Philadelphia Eagles are dead to me.

Never, not in a million years, did I ever think I would say those words, type them, or arrange them in any sort of a sentence. Never, ever, ever, EVER. But as of today, they are.

They signed Michael Vick.

From the very moment I was born, there was an Eagles hat on my head. No, I'm not the most vocal fan. No, I don't own a ton of Eagles merch nor have I've ever been to one of their games. No, I don't own a Jersey, and no, I don't know the name and stats of everyone on the team. Am I still a fan? Hell yeah! Even during the 90's, when the average season resulted in only a lousy 3 wins, and I was with them during the highlights, when they went to the Super Bowl and when they almost made it back this year.

Michael Vick. Damn it! Why?!

I believe that once you serve your time, you should be allowed to re-enter society and get a job. I believe that once you apologize for your crime, and you make sincere effort to rehabilitate, you should have every single right to get a new job and make a living. This case isn't that different except for the fact that you also lose some privileges. One of them is to be a hero to kids by playing football in the NFL. Another is making millions by playing a sport.

On top of that, with all the problems in pro-sports today regarding the behavior of those who play sports professionally, having a federal criminal who engaged in a violent activity that harmed dogs doesn't help the image of the NFL.



Image thanks to Daryl Crages awesome blog!

I will not, in any way, shape, or form, be supporting the Eagles this season unless they agree to drop Michael Vick! I won't watch the games, I won't watch the news segments, I'll even turn off the TV if there's a news story about them!

Hey Andy Reid, can I ask you something: HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO STUPID?!

You know what, I'm going to turn off my filter. Look out for foul language:




WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE MOTHER-FUCKING-HELL?!?!?!?

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT! MICHAEL VICK?! THAT ASSHOLE!??!?!?!?!

FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU BASTARDS!!! WHY?! Why the FUCK would you sign this asshole?! No, seriously! WHY. THE. FUCK would you sign him?! Yeah, he has good states, yeah he's a good player... but as a human being, he's fucking scum! Hell, he's LOWER than scum! He's shittier than shit!

COME ON! TELL ME with a straight face you didn't know this was going to happen! The outrage! The anger! The backlash! Could you even fucking imagine the fact that even people who don't like dogs (like me) think what Vick did was so fucked-up that WE don't even want to associate with the fucker?!

FUCK YOU!









OK, I'm done. No more cursing.

I might even go further in this. I wouldn't mind picketing or protesting Eagles games over this. No kidding. I wouldn't mind.

So, there you have it. The angriest man in Philadelphia spreads his hate about his used-to-be favorite football team. I'm now stuck finding a new football team to root for. Maybe the Arizona Cardinals? Cleveland Browns? Or maybe the Oakland Raiders. Hell, look at their fans!

But, give me this: I still fucking hate the Dallas Cowboys.

You Don't Shout Fire in a Theater, and You Don't Bring Loaded Guns to the President

I love the fact that, in this country, we have the Bill of Rights. We're allowed to say what we want and to carry weapons to protect ourselves from those who would do us harms. To a degree, we have laws and customs regarding these two rights, and to a large degree, I don't have have a problem with them. You don't shout fire in a crowded theater unless there is one, and you don't bring a loaded gun to an event with the President of the United States. Simple, common-sense stuff.

So it's aggravating to see this asshole ruin it for the rest of us:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The man went to a town hall event where the President was speaking. He held up a sign with a quote from Jefferson paraphrasing the line, "The tree of liberty needs to be watered from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots." He also carried a loaded gun. All in the name of reminding us of our rights.

To some degree, I agree with what his point was. Reminding people of our rights to freedom of speech and to bare arms is a good thing, but the way this was done was foolish, unwise, and fails in explanation. The fact alone that he carried a gun that was loaded makes his argument moot because, while one may have the right to carry a weapon in this country, its not a very responsible thing to have it loaded when you're near the leader of the free world.

Rights are one thing, using them responsibly is another.

Lamb of God - "Laid to Rest"

One of the greatest metal songs of the decade. That's all I have to say.

Megadeth - "99 Ways to Die"

Over the weekend, I read an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about the murder rate in Camden. For starters, I was shocked that in order for it to be one of the most dangerous places in America, it only need less than 40 murders. Compared to Philadelphia's nearly 300-average, it doesn't sound like much, but then again, population density tends to change the story. It was also interesting to hear that they are using CompSTAT, or something similar, to track crime patterns and attack hot spots. To that end, violent crime rose 9 percent despite the new policing.

That said, enjoy today's metal song of the day, Megadeth's "99 Ways to Die".

We're not ready to see you yet.

Waiting for the new IHOP!

For the past few weeks, a new IHOP has been built from the remains of the old Dunkin Donuts around 13th and Walnut. I've been waiting for it to open, and I look forward to it.

Me? I LOVE IHOP! The only one I can get to easily is in South Philadelphia near the pier, a strip club, and a Chuck E Cheese. To have one in the middle of Philly... I look forward to it. Imagine going to work and heading out for lunch and saying, "I'll be back soon. I'm going to IHOP for pancakes." I look forward to that. I look forward to that a lot!

These are the type of incredibly awesome news stories that most blogs will not report on... because its too damn awesome!

What I Learned about Philadelphia on First Friday

In a previous post, I outlined, in very blunt terms, what I thought about the Philadelphia Art Scene and why, in turn, I despised it.

Last night I did my 3rd First Friday and my second of the year, and it was really interesting seeing people react to my art. I was surrounded by basically what you would expect: Framed photos of buildings, silk-screen t-shirts with abstract designs, and hand-made prints. Across the street from me was Geek Boy Press, setup not too far from Brave New World's comic book shop who was holding the "8-Bit and Beyond" show for the Autumn Society.

Then... there was me.

I was set up next to Christ Church, mainly because it was the last spot I could get on the lower-half of 2nd Street. Since my pallet is mostly primary colors... well, it's hard to miss me. I had all my prints mounted and on display, and the star of it all was my "False Messiah" piece hung in the recessed side of the church, creating a sort of alter for it. Reaction was generally positive, and whenever anyone asked what the piece meant, I was able to explain it pretty easily. I was a showman through-and-through, doing my best to sell myself and personality to people who were interested in my work, giving out my card and whatnot.

It was refreshing. The previous month I felt largely ignored, but looking back, it was largely because I wasn't on a good side of the street more than anything else. Getting positive feedback is good, ad even negative works well. I had some lady say, "You suck!" because of my Obama piece and then run off. Coward.

I came back home to a bunch of hits on my website and some e-mails. I've gotten a few requests to do gallery shows in the coming months, some for interviews, and from people who liked my work and wanted to buy prints. Working since February on my art show in May was a big deal and June was a fairly quiet month in comparison. In a lot of ways, it was the only month I had off and now I'm doing as much stuff as possible.

I wrote in the pass that the Philadelphia Art Scene annoyed me for one reason or another and, in reality, I now see what the problem is. I learned that it isn't the art scene that's the problem. No, that isn't it. The problem isn't with the galleries, either, and I'm willing to admit off the bat that I haven't tried to do a "gallery" gallery show yet since I don't have the money to get Gicelle Prints and a lot of fancy things. No, the problem is with what certain people think is "good" when, in reality, they seem to be out out touch with what people like.

People like a pop-artist who will tell them to their face that the person they admire suck and is willing to actually be himself. Who knew?

A Thought About Spongebob Squarepants' "Plankton"

Considering the fact that Plankton's restaurant, The Chum Bucket, has basically gone entire years without customers and is one of the dirtiest places in all of Bikini Bottom... why is his restaurant still around? How the hell is he able to afford all the computers and technology and stuff?

I'm shocked the health inspectors haven't come in and shut him down! Or why hasn't a bank reprocess the place? Does he get loans?! How?! He has no collateral!

These are the thoughts that run through my mind when I drink Red Bull and procrastinate on something I'm trying to get done.

Twisted Sister - "Love is For Suckers"

I was getting my CD's together to listen to at work today and I wound up putting in the Dee Snider solo project/Twisted Sister album "Love is for Suckers" into my CD Wallet. The first thing to come to mind was this song. Borderline cheesy, but just fun and interesting enough to be awesome.

Overkill - "What I'm Missin'"

So I'm contemplating a "Metal song of the Day" feature to help keep this blog lively on top of everything else I do. I hope you enjoy today's selection!

Now You're Playing With POWER!

I did this piece for an upcoming art show called "8-Bit and Beyond", which is being held by The Autumn Society of Philadelphia, a group of illustrators from Philly and the surrounding areas. It was really humbling to get to do something for it, and I was really psyched to get it done! My friend posed for this and, well, it was a ton of fun! Mixing illustration with pop-art techniques and elements of 80's graphic design... good times!

Special thanks to everyone who supported me in this, and I can't believe what I went through to get it done! From taking risks by just doing the sketching and seeing what happened, inking it a lot more loosely than I normally do instead of being incredibly rigid, the adventures of going to Center City to get a reduced copy only to realize I left the original on the copier and being forced to get it back, to coloring it.... Just so much fun!

Also, feel free to check out the piece and buy a print from DeviantArt.com!

MAJOR SKATEBOARD SALE! 40% OFF ALL DECKS!!!!

OK, this is just plain AWESOME!

Zazzle, the company that produces my skateboards, has a sale going on where you can get 40& OFF ALL SKATEBOARD DECKS! No kidding! 40%!

Basically, the decks cost about $25 - $30, which is the CHEAPEST you'll ever find these for anywhere!

The sale is going on until Monday, August 10th! In order to get the deal, just type in the coupon code BTS40OFFSALE.

Order today and get one soon! Who knows, maybe you can shred around Philadelphia on one of these! Skateboard shops Nocturnal and Exit: GET THESE DECKS NOW! This is basically a wholesale price for you guys, and if you get them now, you'll be able to buy them cheap!

Please check out the selection, I'm sure you'll be amazed!

Status of the Blog: Update

Hello one and all!

Sorry about the lack in posts overall as of late. Things on my end have been incredibly busy, and I wanted to at least make a statement about where this blog is and where it is going.

First, no, there are no plans to stop this blog at all. The lack of posts lately as well as more of a focus on arts is just where my mind is right now.

Second, it's important for me to note that the reason for the current direction IS largely because of the fact that I've done a ton of art-related things. I've spent the last month cranking out work for an audition for a TV show and an art show this coming Friday. On top of that, I'm preparing for a convention in September and ANOTHER art show in October. I'm also trying to get stuff together for a possible calendar and a comic book within this month. Its safe to say, things are hectic.

So, to a degree, this blog is going to be less active this month than usual. Sorry about that. I'm going to TRY and start writing again, and who knows, maybe 8-Album Mind will return. I'm literally am right where I left-off and it would be cool to get back to it.

So that's it. Look for more posts soon!

I've Got Your 8-Bit RIGHT HERE!

Conker 8-Bit by ~luvataciousskull on deviantART

This one was pretty fun! I did this for the upcoming 8-Bit & Beyond art show. In case you don't know who he is, it's Conker from Conker's Bad Fur Day, a video game for the Nintendo 64 that has a very large cult following for being a very fun and especially raunchy game for the system.

This piece was a lot of fun to do and I did it pretty damn fast! I tried a few different things and I like the effects I used on it.

EDIT: Sadly, this piece will NOT be in the show. Sorry about that. But hey, check it out, anyway!