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:

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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.