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.