Sorry...

Don't even start...

When Fury himself is complaining about the lack of updates, despite his kids being featured on this blog, you know it's been too long. Hello, motherfuckers, sorry for the delay. If you want the real time shit, check my facebook status updates.

First off let's start with this awesomeness from Fernwood Gold III, the single best wrestling writer on the planet Earth. Here is his latest column, which is pure genius: http://tvblog.ugo.com/index.php/tvblog/more/who_booked_this_crap_with_fernwood_gold_the_iii_sting_is_stung/ I encourage you to follow his shit every Wed.

I am just back from three days on the road in Montreal. My unforseen mini vacation is close to an end, probably to Irene's delight. if you thought I was off the grid lately, just wait. Fuck you. I am happy to report only good things from Montreal. Family are fine and happy most of the time and nephew is, as always, the best. His love of the comic book has taken a great leap forward. Little does he know that he will soon be immortalized in the world of manga. More on that this fall. Anyway, he and I had a blast. Ate some sugar pie and played some xbox and took the dog out. I also took him to see Indiana Jones, more on that in a minute. The trips back and forth were without incident or delay. Also, it was good to get a break from the vacation, which is taking it's toll. Anyway, nephew looks awesome and here he is for you:



There has been a lot of familial of late, giving Irene and I very little free time. Birthdays, communions, christenings, and soon we have weddings (not ours), baby showers, and all that shit. And have I mentioned I don't have a working mobile? I won't even tell you who I have to thank for that, but I'm sure they are quite comfortable wherever they are right now. I'll be in touch with you on that shit.

The positive about the mini vacation has been the ability to play the music. B and I are in a good routine and have been very productive. It's all about guitars and vocals now, kids. We're in there, we're plugging away and yes I did more for album on Saturday then you did for your whole musical career, so fuck you. I burned a disc of the current version of the album and man, do I love it and it sounds amazing loud as fuck driving up north. Up next is mixing the SVI remix and getting to work on the Peka remix during the rare free moments. You'll see.

Onto Indy, which I have seen twice now. Here's what I wrote Fury after the initial viewing: "There were bits and pieces I liked, but on a whole its not a great movie by any means. I liked the first half, but thought the ending was really poor and unnecessary. I enjoyed seeing the character, but to me it just felt like a patchwork of scenes that felt like an attempt to appease the star, the director and the producer. You can tell who wanted what. Steven got the motorcycle chase (which was great), Ford got the character stuff, which I liked, and Lucas got anything that pretty much sucked (the ending). I felt like it was a rough cut that needed 15 minutes trimmed. I feel like Steven was doing this as a favor to the other two." The second viewing was in Montreal and I was able to enjoy it more thanks to the 9 year old perspective "It was creepy but I like the fights". me too.

How are you?

F

KRUGER BABY AWESOMENESS UPDATE

Matt Gentile Club Superstar Reports In from...

There was even a handshake with Hooky!

His full report upon his return.

F

Part1. "I Do Whatever I want"/Part 2. "The Rollercoaster Of Violence"

That title has nothing to do with me personally, but we'll get to that shortly. This week has been quite a week. Still in the midst of my semi-temporary-vacation, and still without an Xbox, your hero should be watching Indy 4 right now, but we got kinda fucked over on that one, which is another story in itself.

This was a mini-MOGpac reunion week and it comes in two installments. Musically, B and I got together Tuesday night, ate some Bozu (mostly cause I wasn't feeling a burger) and then got back to work on the tunes you will love to hear someday. We focused on Leningrad yet again and we're making some cool shit happen.

PART 1.

On Thursday, I returned to Brooklyn to check out Screen Vinyl Image and December Sound, both of whom I had been DYING to see again. This time, they were playing at Trash Bar, which is about a 5 min walk from B's. We were psyched and had thrown an invite to Ash, who in turn, threw an invite to Matt Gentile Club Superstar, and bingo, you had a mini MOGgang. It was fun catching up with the beers, talking music, life, philosophy of Ash (thus the part 1 title of this episode), and hearing about the horror that is Matt Gentile Club Superstars back rehab. I feel for that fucker. I am happy to report though, that his looks remain intact and those 11 stories to the curb probably still hurt like a motherfucker.

Anyway, SVI were very cool as always, but the Trash Bar sound system didn't do them any favours. I did enjoy their new songs and man their full length is on the MOGworld "anticipated 08" list. I think they got it. When it came time for December Sound, Ash and Matt Gentile Club Superstar where nowhere to be found. You can figure that out but while they were engaging in Fast Times at Chaminade High, they just happen to find the one ILM fan on the planet who ends up being the guy booking the gig. So they miss the whole December Sound set, which was kinda the point of them being there, but who cares, B and I watched it, had a bunch of more beers while the boys played billiards and we hung out with SVI Jake, who very much enjoyed the rough draft of the HF remix we played for him in his car. Finally got to meet Zach from December, who have a great new song they are playing in the current set. I predict big things for The December Sound, easily one of my top albums this year.

Now tipsy (in my case), baked (in theirs) or both (B), we went to someplace in BK called Radegast Beer Hall which is German or something. I don't remember. Anyway, I got way too big a beer and started drinking even more Spaten, which didn't help at all. Then i went to the toilet where some dude came in, stood at the urinal two over from me, started to pee and said "MAN, IT'S SURE HARD TO PEE WITH THIS HARD ON" while looking at me. Me being me laughed my ass off and called this guy a genius. He then went onto explain how he has tried that line in various bathrooms around the world to varying reactions. All Brilliant. I even brought this guy, George, over to meet the fellas just to confirm I wasn't making this story up.

I have little recollection of Ash and Matt Gentile Club Superstar leaving, but I remember trying to knock a barrel over and when I almost got it over, B deemed it time for me to go home, but not before telling the singer from the Bravery that his band's career was "an honest mistake". B tells me the cab driver was scared of your hero, but I got home and supposedly was such a wreck, the lady with the ring who lives here was not happy with me and I have the scars to prove it. Sorry, love.

INTERLUDE 1

Friday was a fucking wash. I did however wake up and run errands and successfully cleaned the house. How I did this, I have no fucking idea my friends. I do know that we had dinner with Jess and Chino's and I passed the hell out by 11:30.

INTERLUDE 2

IB and I had to be up early on Saturday to go to Staten Island for my little cousins First Communion, which was enjoyable as IB got to finally show off the ring and I drank wine and beer all afternoon while eating salami (not code). Then we finally got home and went to some new Ramen place, Hakata Ippudo, on 4th Ave, which was like a trendy version of the little dives I hit with G and Evan quite often. I give this place props cause they have the GOOD Shochu, not the bullshit and I got me a few glasses of that and I got some serious props ordering the drinks in my limited command of the Japanese lingo. I was super hungry and I was super impressed. It was the quality. Read this about this place and another noodle place I have been going to: http://www.chow.com/digest/3106

PART 2.

So I thought everything was done for Saturday. I was having my noodles, preparing for a quiet evening at home when I received messages from QUEENS (thats G and Kidd to you) inviting me (G) and begging me (K) to get down to St. D's for the first time in decades. What got me down there? Well, Peter was there. The original owner, a big part of my late 20's and an all around helluva guy. I always walk by and peek in hoping he'd be there, but no such luck, but the lads brought us together on this evening and it was a wonderful, insightful and warm reunion. We had a bunch of pints, caught up and discovered we were both in a mutual place of pure happiness in our lives. I have tremendous fucking respect for this guy and meeting his wife, Priscilla, was a total joy. Me, G and Kidd also clicked glasses to my newest writing assignment, which you can see now somewhere on the Internets, and despite Danny being a Rollercoaster of Violence (supposedly threatening lives over Gin and tonics and using lines that I heard such as "i dont even like myself" and "I am not even interested in being alive right now") I had a great time, only a few beers, and by the time we walked out of St. D's, I was feeling great and ready to call it a night.

Except the Kidd needed a wingman. He was determined to meet a lady and maybe touch some boobies. Who better to be his wingman than his engaged older brother? I mean really, I won't cockblock, I have no agenda other than to help my mates, so I am the fucking man, right? Well...This asshole gets us out of St. D's, and long story short, he couldn't seem to find where his fucking friends were and the three of us, true story, end up sitting on a stoop on the side of Tompkins Square Park, for like 2 hours. How this happens, I have no idea, but of course we begin our usual accosting people, the kidds big pick up line being "do you like edemame", which I actually thought was fucking hilarious. Anyhow, one thing leads to another and this tall handsome black gay kid walks by and the kidd says to him "hey, is that an Iphone" and the next thing you know, this kid is the Kidd's new stoop wingman. Because let's be honest, a gay wingman is much better than the engaged wingman. Women will always trust the gay man over the engaged man. So what do you know, this gay kid's got a lot of advice for the kidd about women and a lot of pot for Danny. The kidd loves this guy so much he goes and buys him warm Mikes Hard Lemonade (not code) and beers for us.

Tons of interesting people would stop by, mostly to bum smokes off the Kidd, while the gay kid and Danny chatted. Here's some advice for the Kidd, the next time a girl approaches us on a curb, and I hand her one of your beers and tell her its from YOU, don't take the beer out of her hands saying "no, this is mine". Yes, rehab is in your future, but so is single life if you keep pulling that shit. but I digress.

Then we walked a bit, so these guys could smoke. However, Danny took it as an opportunity to delve into the gay psyche. It was not unusual to hear Danny asking questions such as "What is your stance on ass to mouth" and then be given a full detailed answer. The Kidd and I clutched onto each other in laughter. Eventually, Sean, lost the pot and it becomes him and the kidd wandering around 4 blocks trying to find it. Of course by then I could not get a fucking pretzel. Then Danny and I ran into Kirsten Dunst. Then we walked around more, realized we were getting nowhere, had a very awkward goodbye with Sean and left. As I am revising this entry, Danny tells me that Sean shook his hand and said "I don't have many friends" and Danny just shook his hand again and got in the cab. Now we are the assholes. This was easily a lame ending to a good evening. Now I type at you with 2 hrs sleep.

Finally, I just saw LARS AND THE REAL GIRL finally, and I'm glad I saw this without Lurch so he didn't have to see my tears. Back to masculinity, I encourage all of you wrestling types to read the best wrestling column on the internet: http://tvblog.ugo.com/index.php/tvblog/more/who_booked_this_crap/ The guy who writes this knows his shit big time and echos all of my own opinions of the great sport.

Until Indy, see you later in the week.

Life Replacement

Hello to all the mothers out there. I'm glad you are all not getting the shit weather that has made this week wet and silly. Anyhow, for all you mothers who read this blog, and Bob, here's what's goin' on...

For the first time in probably the history of this blog, I am excited to report that I love something new from Nine Inch Nails. The new album, The Slip, is in my humble and occasionally accurate opinion, a super return to form. It feels fresh and sharp and destroys anything and everything that has come in the post Fragile, sober Trent, second stage of NIN. While I did dig GHOSTS, and my cool package came this week for that album set, I am truly enjoying this as a genuine NIN album. Almost 3 years ago this month, I was lamenting where Trent and NIN fit in this modern world, and guess what, he figured it out by becoming a true pioneer in releasing music for a new age. Now he finally has the tunes to back it up. And them playing here on my birthday might cement their coming around full circle as a band I have have loved who have returned to relevance. Let's hope.

It's been a week where the music has taken focus. First, on Wed night, we hit the Dokebi for the first time ages (maybe like 2 weeks) and then sat and recorded B playing some sweet E-bow on LENINGRAD. This is the one song where there's a lot of room to be experimental, wacky and different, but he's got some sweet little melodies going on there. Structure wise, it's possibly the most unusual thing we have ever written. Where the song starts isn't quite where it goes and where it goes isn't quite where it ends up. However, that's the beauty of it cause it has a wonderful coherence to it and by the time it's over, it makes perfect sense. I take great pride in that arrangement and the basslines I wrote. It's a cool out of nowhere track that appears 3/4 into the album and it kicks it real nice. Now it's up to B to have some fun with this shit and take it to some new places on his 6 string.

Yesterday I was delayed going to B's because of some friends who needed some tunes for their trip to South Africa, but when I got there, we hit the ground fucking hard and fast and I did my vocals, in spanish no less, for our rocker OUR FAITH, which is our collaboration with Leo. I'd been listening to this track all week to get ready. It's one thing when you have to sing, but it's another thing to sing in a language you don't speak. I had focused on this song a lot during my vocal lessons, and I think, while typing here listening to the results, we got some magic down yesterday. The song songs epic and I'm really enjoying listening to it with nearly finished vocals (we want to re-track Leo and I have to re-do a few lines). I think back to when B first presented the track as this wax trax sounding thing to when Leo and I sat in his old apt in LA coming up with the structure, cerati style guitars and vocals and then back to B laying down that sick guitar solo at the end and I can stand behind this song as something massive. What a journey!

Speaking of the Argentina, your hero cooked the mothers day feast today back at 141F and made the Argentinian steak for Moms, Dads and Fiancees. Full success, it was a lot of fun, but now I am beat. I'm too tired to get into SPEED RACER, which we saw on Friday night, but I totally enjoyed it and I think it's getting a bum rap, but honestly, its too fucking long. Also, it's marketed wrong. It's much cooler than you would think. IRON MAN destroys it, for reals and I am hoping INDY is the real deal this summer. I already know Batman is going to own.

I don't know why I am dead psyched about this new 90210 show. Maybe it's cause I am still sweet on Jeannie Garth, I don't know. It's nowhere near as good as the best show on TV, which is UNSTOPPABLE MARRIAGE, the hit Korean sitcom that we are watching daily. Thanks Oma.

OK, back to work on the beats. I am dead psyched to see SVI and December Sound this week. Cannot fucking wait.

F

WTF The Recap

Thanks to that desert bullshit Cochella, we got us some gigs this past week that we normally would not be seeing till later in the year (or next, or not at all, who the fuck knows) Anyway, let's get into it:

THE VERVE: I was originally very hesitant about this reunion. It initially felt cheap to me and a sign that Dickie realized his solo stuff was flaccid and was gonna go for the quick buck. Then they did interviews, which felt sincere and actually happy to be together, they released a "jam" which sounded good, and then they played some gigs in the UK, which got some rave reviews. Also, they looked really good too (important). The question was, was Dickie cashing it in or did he finally realize where his bread was buttered. Well, we got the chance to judge for ourselves on Monday when we went to the Theatre at MSG (where will be seeing the Bad Seeds come October).

I am happy to report that Dickie, like the remaining Durans 5 or so years ago, realized the strength was in the numbers, and got these guys back for one simple reason: without each other there's just no magic. Cerati is one example where going solo was better than the band, but Dickie is the opposite example. He needs these guys, they need him and the chemistry is a thing of beauty. It was like nothing ever changed and they were better than when Danny I saw them 10 years ago at Irving. They busted out the older songs, because Danny was there, and they played two new songs which felt fresh and relevant and worthy of the Verve, especially the last song, which Jenni and Skott was dead right about. Amazing. Easily, the first Gig Of The Year. Bring on the album, bring on more shows and let these guys take the place in history they deserve.

GOLDFRAPP: The next night, we went further uptown to the Beacon to check out the Frapp. I was very interested in this gig, mostly to see how they were going to pull off the folk/acoustic new album in contrast with the electro glam dance of the previous one. The venue was right for this kind of thing. The solution to this was very simple. Get a band and perform. 7 people onstage playing songs. Smart. The new stuff felt very strong live and despite Ms Frapps complaints about her "cold", she sounded fierce. Though I have to tell you, she scares me. Shes a bit intense and almost killed her monitor guy a few times. I fear for that dude. Anyway, their Wicker Man hippy shit looked and sounded great but damn did the crowd explode when the older dancey shit was played. She always has good musicians, but the additional ones really added a lot and they did a super job. However, where does she go from here?

This week was also a good time to check out some movies...

IRON MAN is quite possibly my favourite Marvel character based movie that's not a sequel. It's a really good movie made tons better than it should be thanks to the great cast who are game for this kind of movie. Downey becomes the next Depp with this one. He deserves every accolade he gets for this because he totally owns this character in a way similar to Mr. Bale over in the DCU. They wisely avoid all the pitfalls that have befallen similar projects and I gotta give the credit to Favs for directing the shit out of this. It's fun, smart and very exciting. Just enough character stuff and they don't overdo the CGI action sequences ala TRANSFORMERS. I kept saying that after the amazing marketing job that the only thing that could hurt this movie was the movie itself. Instead, the opposite, the movie justifies the hype. Look, it's not the classic BATMAN BEGINS is, but it's a lotta fun and fucking entertaining.

REDBELT is the new Mamet movie with the greatest actor on the planet Chiwetel Ejifor doing MMA and trying to keep it real for the real martial artists around the world. On paper, sick awesome mogpac friendly awesomeness. On screen, pretentious wacktitude saved only by the greatest actor on the planet being in it. Tim Allen? Come on. Ricky Jay, what the fuck. Danny and I saw this for free after eating Oysters and lobster rolls and watching the SPIRIT trailer, but even that awesomeness couldn't save this from being the dull. It's like Mamet wrote a cool movie for 2 acts and then had no idea how to wrap it up. Basically its Mamet using MMA to comment on his thoughts about the movie business. It's bullshit and his way of saying FUCK YOU HOLLYWOOD WHORES I KEEP IT REAL. Great. Except the movie falls apart.

Anyway, the weekend was spent going to cool aunt's (yes, bringing her to Duran again this month) surprise 60th Bday which was a a good excuse to see the little folks and tell the engagement story a few times and then it was my folks 41st Anniversary this week so we rocked the Ruths Cris. Hadn't been there since Kidd bday ages ago. Tasty shit.

GTA4 is occupying so much time, I think I crashed the new Xbox. Really. It keeps freezing. Shit. This game is the one though. It's amazing. It's got the Russians. What more can we ask for.

And now I am downloading yet another new NIN album. This guy. Geez! So far, it's actually pretty good!

F