The Dirt...

I just borrowed The Dirt: The Autobiography of Motley Crue from a coworker, and I must say, it is freaking awesome. It so brought me back to all of the things that I love about metal and how freaking excited I was about music back then. I used to love finding out about the craziness that my favorite bands were always up to in magazines like Metal Edge and Rolling Stone; there was nothing better that lusting over pictures of Nicki Sixx, Tommy Lee (both from Motley Crue of course), Duff McKagan (bassist for G N'R), Sebastian Bach, Snake (both from Skid Row), Ian Ashbury (The Cult), and Tom Keifer (Cinderella) and my room was plastered with pictures of them. All reminiscing aside, The Dirt is an great read, told through all of the band member's perspectives (and Mick Mars is as insane as I always thought he was), with lots of commentary from band managers, ex-fill-in lead-singers, roadies, and some letters and scribbles from Tommy Lee when he was in prison. It really gives you an inside look at what the band was going through, their oft unruly passion for music and life, the insane amounts of drugs they put into their bodies, and really tugs at your heartstrings during moments. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a really engrossing summer read.

Wristbands Are Making A Comeback? Why, dear God, why?!

I’ve noticed that wristbands--not leather gauntlets a la Judas Priest, though those are pretty bad too--but wristbands (the ones that are supposed to be worn when working out or running or whatever) are making a comeback, and I can’t help but ask why? I’ve noticed them in lots of places--on male models, 12 year old boys, and cheesy pseudo 80s/emo bands (I think the singer or guitarist from Taking Back My Chemical All-American Fall-out At the Disco or something wears them). Who said wristbands are cool? Can I ask those same people if they’ve ever seen the video for “Let’s Get Physical” from Olivia-Newton John--only the most wristband-laden video ever made? I cannot fathom how someone could look at a wristband and think to themselves, “Gee, this is a nifty accessory, I think I’ll put it on and sport it like it’s 1983!” Wristbands are not cool. They have never been cool. They made an appearance in the 80s, God help us all, and for some reason, people have been thinking that 80s fashion was a good idea again. I know that these people that made this decision never actually wore the bad 80s fashion themselves, or they wouldn’t keep trying to shove it down our throats now. I mean, come on--leggings? Rubber bracelets? Bubble-skirts??? Next thing you know, girls are going to be wearing those annoying chain-link plastic necklaces and attaching large tacky plastic charms that look like a lipstick or a high-heeled shoe and guys are going to bust out the Skidz. And if that is going to happen, well will someone just shoot me now, please? I don’t think I can live through another decade of that.

So, if you really care about your loved ones, friends, coworkers, hell, even someone you find mildly interesting or entertaining, beseech them to abandon their wristbands, discard the leggings, banish all neon clothing in sight--because God help them (and you, for having to look at the atrocities) the pictures they take today will come back to haunt them later in life.

Guns N' Roses! I'm not ashamed!

Yes, I used to be a metal chick. I had the hair, metal t-shirts, ripped jeans, MC jacket and everything. Since the late 80s/early 90s the sun-in has grown out, I switched to designer jeans with holes in them, and I've given the MC away, but I still have metal roots. I don't care. Make fun if you so desire. But I am not ashamed!

A few weeks ago, Brad and I were talking about the possiblity of going to see Guns N' Roses--or the skeleton crew of Axl Rose and Dizzy that has become G N'R--but we couldn't get tickets. None were available anywhere, unless you wanted to pay $200 a seat on e-bay. Since I've seen them before (several times--including giving up my seats for a show during high school because I had to take a damned Regent the next day and my mom wouldn't let me go--grrrrr, I'm still pissed about it), it didn't seem worth it to pay that much for seats especially when it wasn't even the original band--just Axl really.

However, I just got an e-mail from Live Nation (basically, that's ticketmaster) saying that there were tickets available for this Sunday's show (probably because it's Mother's Day) so we're going! We're going! Yes, it's cheesy! And yes, Axl Rose is a money-grubbing fuck! But I don't care! We're going! And Izzy Stradlin is supposed to be playing these shows, so it's more like the original Guns (there have even been rumors circulating that Duff--my first bass-player lust--is playing with them too; I'm not sure I really believe that, but it would be awesome if he was). I'm really glad that I got to see them when it was really the whole band back in '91 at MSG (Soundgarden opened for them) when Steven Adler was still the drummer (is he even alive anymore? I thought he OD'd or something). I also saw them at Nassau and Giant's Statidum when they toured with Faith No More and Metallica, but I'm so excited that we're going to see them. Ahhhh, metal memories! I'm going. I'm going!!!

Displaying my metal roots at our wedding: