Upsetting a sensitive SYSTEM

This is part two of my special lecture series on the word DIDACTIC!

Here is an example: Ann Coulter: Didactic, John Stewart: Satiric
Which do you prefer?

Here is another example: Rage against the Machine: Didactic
System of a Down: Cathartic.
Which do you prefer.

Thus, I'm obsessing, my favorite band of the moment, is SOAD. Why? Well it always takes time for a band's ouvre to sink in.
These guys came out in 1998 just around the peak of the slew of bands that played "SICK" a subgenre of metal with radical
stylistic changes and extreme lyrics. But what I find very interesting about the Down is that for a band with so many songs "about Heroin" their music is a junkie's worst nightmare. Throw in some traditional Baltic-region influence, a furious attack and moment's of musical humor they shred with furious beauty. The operatic lyrics however describe and mock the floating and dreaming of heroin intoxication and suggest peddling your ass to prolong the experience. The consequences however, are left entirely up to you, have a blast.

To have this message of absurd worldless joy pounded into your skull is incredibly cleansing. You feel like a microbe in a sterile test tube. Impervious to the effects of chemical assault.

I did not quote Chuck Klosterman in this blog entry, so bah!

A Word for September

di‧dac‧tic  [dahy-dak-tik] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective
1. intended for instruction; instructive: didactic poetry.
2. inclined to teach or lecture others too much: a boring, didactic speaker.
3. teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson.
4. didactics, (used with a singular verb) the art or science of teaching.

(I will get to the groovy slideshow of P-Town pictures, just uploaded them)

I've had this word Didactic on my mind for a little while. I first heard it in the Minutemen documentary, We Jam Econo.
If you compare these two SST bands (Minutemen and Black Flag) you'll find that the politics are the same but the mode of expression differs. Rollins and the Flags other writers come off as typically angry punks. Ready to chuck a bottle at a cop at the next glance, piss on a wino, cut themselves with glass and overall sick-of-it-allness, (More on NYC/HC;s finest later, perhaps)

Upon discovering the Minutemen (I admit it, I'm late) it's quite surreal to hear a poetry-based punk rock band. I can't believe they were so universally accepted being so fucking Dada. But I think it's nice to be expressionistic, instead of being bitchy and irritating. there are other ways to get your point across. I don't consider the aspect of teaching to be a prime motive in the didactic motives of les Punx. They would not claim their opionions be the gospel for all, just those who come to shows and buy T-Shirts.

We're Baack!

Did you miss me? Or my girlfriend, who's the only other person reading this I bet...she's right here...

So I've been in Provincetown, Mass for the past two weeks. I'm back and I'm not gay. Actually it's just a fine, picturesque and cool place to hang out, relax, grill, beach-out and get your unwind on. I'll have more pictures later, just getting reconnoitered now and it feels like I've been gone alot longer. Glad I have a job to come back to and a paycheck a waiting. Actually that one's for the rent...never mind.

More Elevation

13th floor elevators

new Lyrics

Just having a mellow Labor Day, doing a bit of brunching, so I will forthwith finish my thoughts on what I still feel is one of the most remarkable bands of all time.
The 13th Floor Elevators

I've already espoused what a great "bench" they have, from acid-guru/Electric Jug-ist Tommy Hall's songwriting to singer Roky Erickson's profound James Brown in a young white body talent, to Stacy Sutherland's Duane Eddy meets Jeff Beck axe slinging.

There are scant live recordings of the Elevators, several Live releases being crudely overdubbed crowd noise over studio recordings, which is just wrong. This CD, Levitation is from a club in Houston, a short hop from their home town of Austin after their first record came out in 1966. The sound quality is remarkable for the period and of curse, the druggy circumstances. This band must have done nothing but rehearse and drop acid. Sutherland's guitar sounds as compressed and twangy as the studio recordings. Bands to this day can rarely achieve the right sound that took many hours of baffling, tweaking and room sizing to master in the studio. John Ike Walton's snare drum sounds the same and plays with the same energy.
What is most illuminating on this recording, particularly on the first song is Benny Thurman's bass playing. One minute he's in the pocket and sounding exactly as he does on the record. But then he gets lost, it seems he may have dropped something strong he veers off and loses the simple chord progression and throws Roky off completely. Which is most unfortunate. The band is a little spacey, but they definitely have their sound together, such a shame. They so fuckin' rock!
check em out at allofmpr3.com or if you desire full ownship, go to amazon.

Ernesto's my main Ho

DC is a hot, humid place. I've been here most of the summer and even the dry heat and space of Texas in August would be a relief. Still, I have to stay here and work.
Fortunately, Ernesto has blown in with moderate Tropical Storm-like intensity. The rain has been moderate, a bit sideways with the umbrella-crushing wind. The temperature is precipitously lower, like 20 degrees.
It feels GOOD! Soooo good. I wish to prance with the precipitation!
Ah, lovely lovely!