Little Douche Coupe

So… with Princess Nomad needing transportation for college (and guilting me that I owe a car because she got pretty much a free ride with scholarships), I am in the market for the first time in a while. All I want is a dependable car- no leather, sun roof or any bells and whistles (though a horn would be nice).

The usual options apply:

1) Used car- caveat of course is that the car turns to shit in a couple of years and I have to start the process again. Benefit is price, baby, price.

2) Used “certified” car- caveat is that the pricing for this option is almost as high as a new car, and you don’t get the same warranty.

3) New Car – of course the price is heinous- but, as long as I don’t have any business disasters, I can do this.

The Princess would get my 2009 Honda Accord- an awesome set of wheels that I would be more than happy keeping, if I could find a dependable and decent used car. She is NOT getting a new car! Otherwise, King Nazz gets the new car and she’ll get the Accord. Missus Nomad is keeping her 06 Camry.

It’s been fun dealing with car dealers. I will not say the oft heard statement that car dealers are scum. As I am in sales, I know how tough selling is.

However, it is interesting to see how their sales styles differ.

I have been attempting to do this via the internet with a simple statement:

I am looking for (insert name of car with package and color), I would appreciate you sending me your best offer and PUT IT IN WRITING VIA THIS EMAIL. I have neither the time or inclination to speak to you in person unless you can send me this information.

I have on occasion given my cell phone number, but that always ends up with something like:

"Hi Buddy, this is so and so from douchebag auto sales. I can’t give you a number over the phone or via email, but if you come down to the lot, we’ll guarantee the lowest price."

Needless to say, those calls are hung up on or ignored very quickly.

The guy who I am going to use eventually is the guy as it turns out is in my neighborhood (providing he can match lowest price). He’s been low-key, very patient on test drives, and informative.

But… it is fun being the buyer and not the seller again!

Courtney Love- 6/29/13 - Huntington, NY

Saw Mizz Cawt-Knee Luhv Sat nite in the wasteland that is Lawn Guyland. The missus and I had a grand time (the missus more than I- not that I didn’t have a gas too). I don't know which of us wanted to bang Courtney more, actually!

The widow Cobain is Miz Nomad’s fave- and mi' wifey brought it all the way back to her old punk rawk days- tequila and beers in mas quantities (granted, the beer was Miller Lite- but the Cuervo made up for it). I stuck to IPA’s and Guinness- and something called a Dr Pepper- which was beer with a shot glass in the middle that had raspberry likker and rum. Not my fault- the friendly bartender poured it gratis for yers truly.

The goniffs inside the venue were charging $8 for a 16 ounce and $12 for a big‘un (24 ouncer) of what the kids call “craft beer”…Guess which one I kept investing in.

Well, Court-Court did not disappoint- she looked great from about 15 feet away and was pos-it-iv-lee lucid for the show. Her non-Hole sidemen were efficient; if totally devoid of stage presence... the better for Missy Lovey to radiate to her acolytes- the crowd had four distinct segments- Courtney-ettes of every female demographic, gay guys, dudes who had no clue but were escorting their dates, and me and a few other all-Merican guyz who had been thru the punk wars. I was sportin' my LAMF shirt- in honor of a certain chanteuse's track-marked past.

Caw-Caw came out in a nice black dress, took it off for a tighter outfit and later changed into an all white rig. Not as many clothes changes as Cher, but effective nonetheless. She had a Red Rickenbacker that prob cost more than my car- and she even played it a little- yeah- that barre chord where your pointer just slides uppp and dowwwnnn the neck.  I also spent a bit of the show grousing that I should be playing bass – as my old band used to kill it on “Celebrity Skin”. She played everything that you'd expect her to from the "Live Through This" and "Cel Skin" elpees, plus some of the "America's Sweetheart" stuff too. Only cover toon was the 'Stones' "Under My Thumb".

Afterwards, Ms. Nomad demanded to wait by the stage door with some other Love-ettes  for a glimpse of Ms. Doll Parts. I told her to come back with me and we’d scam to backstage. As usual, my statement was met with derision. So I went back in and got close (ie the same room) but no cigar to actual meet and great.

However, I did pluck this lovely tusk/phallic symbol from the dressing room area. It looks great in my living room.

Really a fucking fantastic show, and much better than the last show I didn’t get to see because I was in jail!

Chicks Rule!

Chicks Rule

Been digging the shit out of a couple of all gal bands as of late.

Heliotropes are NY based and have sort of a 60’s Pink Floydy vibe. Not really the Syd-Floyd era, more of the “Meddle” era Floyd. They've got buzzy guitars and also a sound that reminds me of early Smashing Pumpkins (in a good way).  The songs are well thought out and somewhat complex. They take their time to develop and have a sinewy bottom end. Yum… “sinewy bottom ends”!!!!!  They got a serious edge to them. Check out “The Dove” and “Psalms”. Good acid music!!!!

Savages are from across the pond and make dark, bass heavy post punk that reminds me of early 80’s bands like Au Pairs, Siouxie & The Banshees, and Delta Five. Throw in a little bit of the echoey production of the Factory Records bands and wrap it all up with some extra drama.  Not quite as dancey as the bands of that era, but very enjoyable and “different” than 99% of the shit that passes off as New Wave these days. Yeah, I said it. New Wave. Check out the songs “Shut Up” and “Husbands”. Good ‘lude music!

And… I am going to see Ms. Courtney Love tomorrow night. Hopefully, I won’t spend THIS show in the inside of a NYC jail cell as I did the last time she played these environs!!!!!!

Amnesia RockFest - Montebello, Quebec

The past weekend was spent in the urban wilds of Montreal, as well as the rural wilds of Montebello, Quebec at the Amnesia Rock Fest.

Amnesia Fest is a Punk/Metal music fest that was developed by a Canadian teenager about 7 years ago. It takes place in Montebello (about 70 miles North of Montreal) and for 2 days- was the Great White North’s version of Woodstock.

Not this this was a completely good thing! The festival reached critical mass this year and three hour waits to pick up tickets were de rigeur. Fortunately, your humble narrator took care of his shit long before the day of show, and J-Lo, Davey-boy and old Nazz sauntered in leisurely both days. And, since the last big crowd headliner's bore no real interest to us (Rise Against and The Offspring-  been there done that for both bands), we also were able to "get outta dodge city" both nites without too much bumping.

 

Black Flag

The good-

• The people of Montebello (including law enforcement) could not have been nicer and more laid back. 50,000 plus punks and metalheads invading a town with more cows than people could have been a disaster- but civility was the name of the game. In fact, the only interaction we had with the long arm of the law was a photo op! The townspeople were wonderful- and as a result, the vibe between attendees, cops and natives was extremely cool.
• $5 beer inside the venue (and lots of it!)- beer kiosks were everywhere (albeit Budweiser) and vendors were actually triasping thru the mud (more on THAT later) to serve us! Kinda weird that they couldn't get Canadian beer sponsorship- but, on the other hand, I guess Bud is exotic in Canada since it's an import!
• Poutine- Inside the show- Pulled pork, gravy, fries, cheese curds…mmmmmmmmm – aside from a convenience store/ gas station sandwich that’s all I ate for the 4 days!
• The bands!- Holy shit!!!!!!  Let’s see, the best bands of the 20 or so (there were 5 stages and about 100 bands that played) I saw were: FLAG (ie – the non Gregg Ginn version)- Keith Morris, Dez Cadena, Chuck Dukowski et al brought it waaaaaay back to 1979!, our NYC homeboys Agnostic Front and Anthrax were great; DropKick Murphys, old skool L.A. band The Adolescents, old skool crust punks Subhumans UK, Alice fucking Cooper, Social Distortion, Rancid.
• But the best band I saw all weekend was FUCKED UP. Lead singer Pink Eyes and his preppy looking band absolutely tore up the freakin’ place. Pink Eyes (all 250 plus hairy lbs of him) spent the entire show singing whilst being held aloft. After the show, he spent about an hour posing for pix and hugging anybody that cam within hugging distance. 

J-Lo, Pink Eyes & Davey-Boy

The bad-

• Yeah, it was a lot like Woodstock- overflowing toilets, shit piss and mud rivers bisecting the festival grounds. Canadian kids must not have gotten the word on littering, strewn everywhere were empty beer cups, soda bottles etc- though this was at least in part due to the organizers, who did not have enough garbage cans.
• Band cancellations and bad info- several bands such as Lagwagon and The Mighty Bosstones  got shifted around in times and stages- and no one was informed- so we missed them.
• The lines- as said- waiting three hours to pick up my tickets would have been a disaster.
• Old age - I overindulged big time too early Saturday & sorta had to take a rest for a couple of hours in a parking lot in the early afternoon– But that was cool- I arose feeling refreshed and ready to mosh!
• Cookie Monster bands- Christ, is there some sort of Canadian law that every metal band has to sound like the Cookie Monster is their singer?

All in all- a great weekend. I hope to go back next year (it was a pretty long drive) but I am glad I went!

Paul McCartney 6-10-2013

Some thoughts on the Paul McCartney concert I was at last nite.

It’s Paul fucking McCartney! Nuff said

Paul played guitar and piano much more than he did bass.

His back-up band has been playing with him for more years than the Beatles were together!

He brought out several chestnuts never before played on tour: “Lovely Rita”, “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite”, Your Mother Should Know”, “All Together Now”.

The dude is 70 years old and played non-stop for 2 ½ hours! He looks great.

That being said, the video close-ups on Paul were not that close up… high res 70 feet high does not make for a pretty picture for an old guy, no matter how well preserved.

Average age of attendees was probably about 45. After all, what young one could afford tickets that ranged from $100 to $500 (without mom and dad, of course!)

Great light show- “Live And Let Die” had lasers and explosions.

Emotionally tingling moments: “Hey Jude” (complete with audience sing-a-long), “Something” (dedicated to George and played on Ukelele, before th whole band joined in), “Here Today” (dedicated to and about John).

It was in Brooklyn… so the “Fuhgettaboutit Paul” sign was especially apropos.

He played “I Saw Her Standing There”- that song is 52 years old!

Cool Hendrix tribute!!!!! With a “Foxy Lady” jam in “Let Me Roll It”  -plus a great story about Hendrix playing Sgt Pepper live only 2 days after the Beatles released it!

“Yesterday” was played of course, but then Paul did a couple of lines from the original song title: “Scrambled Eggs”

When you think about the catalog of material that McCartney has, it’s absolutely staggering.  And when you hear 30 plus songs representing the best of 20^th century music, it is humbling.

$10 beers and a horrible seating scheme (the upper deck is sloped dangerously steep) did not make for a fun customer experience.

Total dick move of the night- some old fuck ratted out a couple of people smoking some grass and they got tossed.

It’s Paul fucking McCartney! Nuff said

But the best part of the show was watching the joy my daughter displayed seeing the show!

The set list:

1.   Eight Days a Week 

2.   Junior's Farm 

3.   All My Loving 

4.   Listen to What the Man Said 

5.   Let Me Roll It 

6.   Paperback Writer 

7.   My Valentine 

8.   Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five 

9.   The Long and Winding Road 

10.               Maybe I'm Amazed 

11.               Things We Said Today 

12.               We Can Work It Out 

13.               Another Day 

14.               And I Love Her 

15.               Blackbird 

16.               Here Today 

17.               Your Mother Should Know 

18.               Lady Madonna 

19.               All Together Now 

20.               Lovely Rita 

21.               Mrs. Vandebilt 

22.               Eleanor Rigby 

23.               Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! 

24.               Something 

25.               Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 

26.               Band on the Run 

27.               Back in the U.S.S.R. 

28.               Let It Be 

29.               Live and Let Die 

30.               Hey Jude 

Encore:

31.               Day Tripper 

32.               Hi, Hi, Hi 

33.               I Saw Her Standing There 

Encore 2:

34.               Yesterday 

35.               Helter Skelter 

36.               Golden Slumbers 

37.               Carry That Weight 

38.               The End