People Who Died

This is a video of some guy performing one of my fave songs of all time from one of the greatest poets of all time, Jim Carroll's "People Who Died". Too fucking funny. Sick and twisted. Enjoy.

Totally Gay Happy Meals

While it is far too long to copy/paste here, I am including a link to my boy Mark Morford's column in the Chron today (reproduced at their on-line site, SFGate.com). The teaser I like best is actually the last paragraph:

"And when it comes to the sad Christian nutballs, well, the lesson appears to be wildly obvious indeed: Avoid the sad Christian nutballs, now and forevermore. Hell, even God could've told you that."

Read the whole column by clicking here. Do it. Do it now, dammit.

by the way.......

If you like and/or are curious about my profile picture, it is a painting I own by a local San Jose/Campbell artist. Mike Kjolhaug is an exceptionally talented artist as well as just an all-around cool guy. You can check out his stuff on MySpace at www.myspace.com/threepointfiveink. Go there and give him some props.

NIN - The Slip (ADDENDUM)

This is pretty cool, something that might give you a better idea of what I was talking about in the review below. Below is an embedded high-definition video of Nine Inch Nails working in Trent's rehearsal space, performing "Echoplex" from The Slip. I am digging that it appears as if Robin Finck is back working with Trent and will be touring. Robin is awesome live........

NIN - The Slip

I guess it isn't really all that "new". But it is new to me as I just came across it yesterday during one of my desperate searches for new music on-line. Set-up on May 5th, 2008, The Slip actually turned out to be a full fucking album's worth of music. For free. Thats right.....I said for free. Just go to www.nin.com and follow the links and instructions. Amy isn't too sure about all of the songs presented, mainly because Trent has had a tendency in recent years to delve a little too much into the experimental side of industrial. I mean, like, REALLY industrial: static, completely detuned guitars (when used), lots of random keyboards and drums......can get a bit annoying here and there. I am sure hardcore fans will appreciate, but those who only really know Nine Inch Nails from singles such as "Closer", or "Head Like a Hole" (i.e. the frat boy/sorority chick crowd) will be in for a little shock to the system. Although, I must admit, there are several actually cool singles on this release that I can imagine hearing on AOR radio. Check out "1,000,000", "Discipline", and "Echoplex", each a great example of Trent's ability to whip together accessible tunes and lyrics and combine them with just a hint of avant-garde electronica, bringing early 80s and 90s experimentation to mind. "Corona Radiata" and "The Four of Us Are Dying" are mainly ambient in tone, providing the listener with a lead-in, more or less, into "Demon Seed", the final track which builds from a rather staccato drum and electronic base into a fairly cohesive piece that serves to pull the entire album's worth of music together, closing out the story appropriately (in my humble opinion). Tracks 3 and 6 - "Letting You" and "Head Down", respectfully - do not really do anything for me, really just providing an assault on the senses more than anything else; I could have done without these two offerings personally. Not exactly what I would consider emblematic of Trent's better work. "999,999", the opening tune, is - like "Corona Radiata" and "The Four of Us Are Dying" - ambient with undercurrents of Trent's voice building as it leads into "1,000,000" (get it?).

There is a lone "ballad" written, "Lights in the Sky". At first listen, I wasn't too sure about it. As I write this, I am actually on my third take of it, focusing more on the lyrics since the music is a fairly basic, yet darker, piano track with some barely perceptible electric keyboards providing something of an accompaniment. Fairly short and sweet, I guess it isn't as bad as I had first felt it to be. It may take further listening to truly absorb. I guess he regards this more as the centerpiece since the tour is called "Lights in the Sky".....

Overall, this is a pretty cool Halo (for those not "in the know", Trent calls his releases "Halos"; this one is noted as "Halo Twenty-Seven"). Touring the band site, I can see what Trent is doing and I really like it.......but I long for a full-on release without the need to endure ambient music pieces. It should be noted that one can actually buy a CD/DVD version of The Slip which includes videos and rehearsal footage (which also appear on the official NIN site). Check it out and let me know what you think. This is, after all, just my opinion.....

Editing/Self Censoring

Here is quite a dilemma for me to ponder. Should I self censor myself, knowing that some who read this blog may very well be shocked at language and/or my general sense of self coming through or should I simply say "fuck it" and let it all fly? Most who know me know my predilection for rather colorful language....but there may be some (whom I currently work with, for example) who do not or do not really know how I am when encountered out of a particular element. One could say that a blog is there for an individual to vent their inner-most thoughts in whatever fashion they deem to be appropriate. But how far is "too far"?

Thoughts?

Not really my first blog......

Yo. So, this isn't really my first experience at blogging, but I think it will prove to be something of a better one. MySpace just doesn't really allow for as wide an audience and since I am an attention whore, I am changing to joining the plethora of individuals out here!

Ooooo....I just saw there is a function to upload videos....vewy vewy cool. Will have to log that in the back of my wrinkled little brain for some future use.....

Ok, anyway, right? My name is Sean and I am sometimes know, affectionately and otherwise, as DevilBoy. Sort of came up with that on my own when I originally set up my MySpace page. Have something of an obsession with all things devil-related.....goes with enjoying shocking people in general as well as straining against conventions. My mom hates it, as you can imagine.

About myself, since this is something of an introductory blog: turned 41 this year, look better than most at this age, even if I do say so myself. That doesn't mean I have an A&F body by any means, but I certainly don't look 41. Have a 13 year old daughter who has quite a unique and rather eclectic sense of style; I guess I should be thankful she is not attracted to the "hootchie-mama" fashions many girls her age are experimenting with. Am married - very happily so - to my wife Amy who is pregnant with our first baby (her personal blog is located here). Work for a great company in Palo Alto, a non-profit that handles research and development for the power industry (I work in the technical publications department).

I also enjoy writing, having focused on band CD and live-show reviews fr the past couple of years now. Have edged off of it for a bit, but perhaps this venue will provide a more interested audience. Maybe. So don't be surprised if you see writing of that nature out here from me. Also have directed and produced two music videos with my brother Nate, who co-directed/co-produced/edited each, for a local band......we may do more, who knows. Nate is very talented, working as a film editor in L.A. (is currently part of the team editing the upcoming movie April Showers). For my other writing interest, Nate and I have toyed around with an idea for a horror movie script and I am bouncing around two other ideas I may try to pen down....dependent on how much open time I am allowed after the littlest addition to our family arrives!

Which pretty much brings me up to current. I am really quite excited to be a father once again. Yeah, I know it is going to be rough getting back into that mind-set of no sleep, dirty diapers, etc. But.....I am looking forward to it, as sick and twisted as that may sound to some. Amy and I had been trying for almost three years and had pretty much decided, well, let's not worry about it anymore, we can focus on it next year (this was in October/November of last year). All of a sudden, come December......it happened. And, thankfully, it has been a really rather uneventful pregnancy. No morning sickness to speak of, nor real issues....until this last month or so. Poor Amy has been dealing with the backaches which are all to common for pregnant chicks as well as - and I am really putting myself in the in Amy's cross hairs here by saying this - some testy moments brought on by her bullshit level being at, well, pretty much zero! But thats cool......goes with the whole baby thing, right? Overall, I think I have been pretty supportive and helpful......right, honey?

Anyway, that my intro blog. Look for more whenever I get a break at work or whatever......

Vaya con Diablos ~