Hear No Evil

During a fit of dementia, Vincent Van Gogh mutilated the lower part of his left ear on this day in 1888. Finding very little appreciation for his work, Van Gogh led a life impoverished and battle with insanity. He spent time in mental institutions and finally shot himself at age 37 on July, 27 1890. He died two days later.

Home

The past week or so that I've been back has been great. I initially came home with intentions to continue updating this as frequently as I had been, but apparently didn't. It's been nice relaxing. It's been nice to not have to worry about being somewhere at a certain time. It makes tour almost seem like a job.

Since I've been home, I've made several trips to the discount theater. There's nothing like seeing movies fresh off the silver screen. American Gangster and Bee movie just hit that theater so I foresee at least a couple more trips to the theater this week.

Today, my family hosted our annual Christmas party. This year there were 142 people who RSVP'd for the event. Luckily not everyone showed up at the same time. We made candy canes and peanut brittle, ate too much and did our best to drink the contents of the "adult ice chest."

All in all it was a good day, but I'm ready to hit the hay. Good night.

Blood, Guts and Green Burgers

As I sit here writing this I can't believe that we are already five days into tour. Time really does fly when you're having fun. It's been a few days since I've made an update. Here goes:

Day 1 - Haverhill, MA
The first day of tour was a blast. We played the basement of a record store in downtown Haverhill called Welfare Records. Aside from a pretty sweet assortment of punk/indie/hardcore records they have an amazing venue going on there. Props to the people who run it and all the kids who came out. Our set was pretty intense and with the beating my body took was a good indication of things to come.

Day 2 - Perth Amboy, NJ
As we got off the freeway to where we thought the show was (we had the wrong directions for the hundredth time) we spotted a liquor store. Being the manly men we are, we agreed that we would enter the store to sample their wares. Aisles upon aisles of liquor were ready for consumption, and to be shoved down the front of our pants. That's when I saw her. She was beautiful and in just the right outfit. She was a $1.98 flask of vodka. Perfect for a pre-show buzz, I drank her and got exactly that... my pre-show buzz. By the time we played it had worn off, but the hour or so we spent together was glorious. Somehow during our set I managed to smack myself in the forehead with the bass. I looked like Harry Potter.

Day 3 - Brooklyn, NY
Spending the day in Brooklyn without having to provide my own transit proved to be very nice. My previous experiences with the big apple had left a sour taste in my mouth. This time however, was different. The show was held in the basement of a bar/lounge in Brooklyn. Zed came out and provided some comedic interaction with spangers while outside of the club. Little does he know (until now) that I actually am considering the life change that he and I have tossed around. Look out New York!

Day 4 - Lemoyne, PA
The last time we played Championship records we showed up early, but just in time to catch the tail end of a top secret undercover police meeting. This time we had no such luck. Twice the amount of kids showed up this time as last time and the show was an all around good time.

Day 5 - Kernersville, NC
They kept their bible belt. I kept mine. We played in an offshoot of a rad skate park. The stage looked like the set of a Fury of Five video shoot. I was waiting for Stick Man to come stick mosh at any second.

Day 6 - Lawrenceville, GA
The show ruled, except for the part where I hit myself in the face with the tuning keys of my bass. That's a habit I really need to get out of. Nick getting a concussion and puking all over the place wasn't too great either.


Earlier today, en route to the gig, we stopped off to get some food. While Cruel Hand and most of my band ate at Sonic, Jason and I made the 3/4 mile drive to Wendy's for some hearty dollar menu items. The burgers weren't green, but they were sure advertised as such. I feel like I was played.

**pictures coming soon

On the Road Again

We're now officially back on tour and it feels great. Aside from the fact that I have been given the opportunity to spend the next two weeks traveling the country with great dudes in great bands, I am also on my return trip home. I haven't come as close as even seeing the outside of my house since mid July. I can already smell the piny scent of the huge evergreen that inevitably is waiting within the walls of my parent's suburban home. The fridge is most certainly stocked to the guild with delectable foodstuffs and the chillest of beverages. The thermostat is set comfortably at 68 degrees Fahrenheit and my bed will still hold that warmth (even though it's changed rooms). On top of all the creature comforts my house holds, I get to see my family. I know it's easy to take family for granted. I've been guilty of it before. It makes me feel like a huge piece of shit to think that I don't always give them the thanks and praise they deserve for all of the love and support they've shown me. When I decided to stop going to school, my parents, although pretty heated, respected my decision. They continue to respect what I do, even though they don't quite understand why I would choose to live in a van 8 months out of they year with little to no food and even less money. I love them with all of my heart.