Thursday 15 December 2011

Merry Christmas


Hi everyone...I am taking a short break over the holidays.  I want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours the happiest of holidays and all the best in the new year!! I'll be back with a brand new post on January 5th!  In the meantime, please enjoy a couple of my holiday favorites......; )









Thursday 8 December 2011

Heartbreaker

I struggled this week with a subject to write about.  I've been listening to a lot of great music but not intently enough to write about it.  So I thought I might write about something else that's been on my mind, heartbreak, but really, how fucking depressing is that!  Then I thought I would take the lazy way out and just leave you the link to a dirty story I wrote, but fuck, I'm not the lazy type.

So I guess we're back to heartbreak.  I have made a deal with my head and my heart to never fall in love again.  And don't start thinking, "Oh Cat, you don't mean that" crap either.  I really do mean that.  But don't get me wrong, I'm not swearing off men.  I love men, I mean I really love men.  I love their bodies, I love their strength and I love their minds - especially when they're dirty, hehe!

I just don't want to give away that much of myself again.  I want my life to be my own.  I want to do my own thing.  I want control of the remote control!  What I need to figure out is how I can have my cake and eat it too.  How do you take what you need from someone else without giving something of yourself back?  Is it possible?  You know there's a comments box at the bottom of the page...if you have any advice at all, it would be very much fucking appreciated.

Fuck, I don't know how to do it!  And when a man is all of the above - sexy, strong, smart and dirty minded, well fuck, I might as well just break off a piece of my heart and hand it over to him!  Now you might be saying...well Cat, what's wrong with that?  Let me explain again...I want my life to be my own. I want to do my own thing. I want control of the remote control!

So eventually it's gotta end.  As a wise friend once told me, sooner or later it's going to be time to either move in or move on.  The worst part of it is - it fucking hurts to let go.  Fuck!  Considering I can't give up my passion for sexy, strong, smart, dirty minded men...and I want my own life, I have to expect that I will be hurting from time to time.  I guess I'll just have to deal.

But I don't want you to worry about me. There are actually a few tools I have learned about to help with this kind of heartache.  Let me tell you about them, perhaps you'll use them too someday.  First, I talk to people who really like me.  They tell me how fucking beautiful and smart I am.  Reminding me that I don't need to compromise who I am. And most importantly they make me laugh.

Second, I listen to music that lifts me.  For my last heartache, I called in the girls...Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Macy Gray, Sass Jordan and I topped it all off with Bif Naked's "I Love Myself Today".  Fucking A.  These chicks know what I'm feeling.  If I'm feeling especially angry I'll bring in Alanis Morissette and her Jagged Little Pill album too.  You're never alone if you have someone or something to relate to.  In music you can find that something...always.

And last but not least...and my personal favorite...I find someone new to play with.  I don't need to be alone.  I am a sexy, attractive, and intelligent woman and there are a number of sexy, strong, smart, dirty minded men in this great big world.  I'll keep myself open to new adventures.  Who knows what I'll discover.

In the meantime...I am willing to take any new suggestions of dealing with heartbreak or better yet how to avoid it completely without giving up relationships.  And for those of you over 18 years of age that would still rather read my dirty story....DM me on twitter and I'll send you a link........; )    

Thursday 1 December 2011

Will This Cat Cross His Path?

You know who I haven't talked about in a while?  Sully Erna.  In fact it's been months.  I bet he thinks I don't love him anymore...note to Cat - Sully doesn't know who the fuck you are, get over yourself! After all I have been talking about some fucking hot bands - Gift of Destiny, some fucking hot shows - Foo Fighters and how dark and ominous music fucking turns me on - Suboculis.

The truth of the matter is, though, he really has nothing to worry about...note to Cat - yeah! no fucking kidding! he still doesn't know who the fuck you are!  Sully still stars in most of my favorite fantasies - ooh la la!...note to Sully - I wanted to say something really dirty to you here, but everything I tried sounded fucking weird and stalker-ish so I'm just gonna let you know that your performance in my fantasies is even hotter than your performance on stage!

I've been thinking of Sully quite a bit as of late and no, not all of it has been dirty.  You see, I finally picked up Sully's book "The Paths We Choose....A Memoir."  I had to order it from the States...note to Sully - your book is not available in Canada! What the fuck?  I read the first 30 pages, put the book down in amazement, grabbed my post-it notes and started reading from the beginning again.

For as long as I have been listening to Godsmack, I have felt a connection to the music and an attraction to the voice relaying their message.  After listening to Sully Erna's solo album Avalon, well, I just knew that we would understand one another.   I also knew I had to know him better...and what better way to get to know a man better then to let him tell you his life story.

I returned to the beginning of the book because I was shocked by how many parallel experiences we both had and I felt a need to record them. Now I'm not saying Sully and I grew up in the same circumstances...in fact most of it's the complete opposite.  Our childhoods couldn't have been more different and yet we had very similar experiences. It was fucking freaky!

Let me give you just a couple of examples.  We'll start with the very first one I noticed.  On page 9 of The Paths we Choose, Sully writes about where he grew up:

                  "The Lawrence I remember was full of murderers, thieves, and rapists, and half the
      time those people were your next-door neighbors.  I've known young girls who got raped on
      the railroad tracks and watched them turn from wholesome schoolgirls into junkies."

I, myself, grew up in a number of small communities.  One of them being a small town just north of Edmonton Alberta.  Everybody knew everybody and the neighborhood was considered a safe place to raise a family.  At the age of 7, I was raped by my 13 year old babysitter.  I didn't tell anybody about it until I was 14.  I actually thought it was my fault because in my little girl mind I wanted this big boy to think I was pretty.  Well apparently he did.  At least it didn't turn me into a fucking junkie, but I do recognize it could of.  I've said before...the stock I was born from consisted of  sluts and addicts.

Who knows where my life would have taken me had I chosen the path with the partying rockstar wannabe boyfriend with the wild lifestyle.  In fact, I almost did choose that path.  The only reason I didn't was because I really fucking wanted to.  Even by the age of 16, I recognized that what I wanted usually ended up with me in fucking trouble.  So for a time, until I could trust my own judgement, what I did was the exact opposite of what I wanted to do.

I've used this kind of reverse thinking in other circumstances in my life as well.  My mother was never the maternal type.  We never bonded as mother and daughter.  I don't think my mom wanted to be abusive and neglectful, she just didn't know how to be a mom.  Plus she had her own problems that included control issues and alcoholism.  In my own experiences as a mother, whenever I have come to a point of indecision I think, "What would mom do?"  Then I do the exact opposite. So I nearly fell off my chair when I read in Sully's book pg 20 and 21:

                  "Now, I may not know everything about being a dad yet, but I do know what not
       to do through the experiences I've had with my father".....
       ....."At the time I didn't even realize that he had no clue on how to be a dad."

Throughout the rest of Sully's descriptions of his growing up I came across many more parallels including the fact that we both went to a number of different schools.  Now in Sully's case, it was due mostly to fighting and getting expelled from schools.  For me, it was because we moved around so much.  Regardless, we both know what it was like to always be the new kid.  I went to 13 different schools between Kindergarten and graduating high school.

I actually dropped out of school completely for a year after my ninth year.  I didn't struggle in school...I just found it so fucking boring!  When I adopted the earlier mentioned attitude of doing the opposite of what I actually wanted to do, I bit the bullet, returned to school and graduated three years later.

I loved that Sully wrote a small bit about his religion...Wicca.  He wasn't preachy about it but expressed a desire to resolve some misconceptions about the belief.  I myself do not belong to any religion, choosing instead to look inward for the higher power that is in all of us to find strength and guidance.  I try to take the most positive teachings from all religions and roll them into my own belief system.  And I do love the first law of Wicca - Do what thou wilt and harm none.  Seriously, how brilliant is that?  Go about your business, just don't hurt anything!  There is so much fucking pain and hate on this planet, why would anyone want to add to it. 

Admittedly, my favorite part in The Paths we Choose is when Sully writes that he has a soft spot for pretty blondes....note to Sully - look in the upper right hand side of this page!  Maybe not supermodel material but not fucking bad either!  I think if I had met Sully way back when, I might have caught his eye.  We might have gotten together and we probably would have broken each others hearts.  Damaged people tend to do that until they learn how to heal themselves.  For Sully and I both, that came later in adulthood after making and learning from many fucking mistakes.

I'm a little amazed at how two people who have lived such different lives can share so many similar experiences.  It's through our experiences that make us who we are, so even though Sully and I did choose very different paths we both kinda ended up in the same place - of mind.  That's right, we both love the band name Wargasm!  I am so glad I picked up this book.  I have such a better understanding of why I can relate so well to Sully's music, whether it is the group effort of Godsmack or his solo project.  I'm hoping one day, I might cross Sully's path and that we may have an opportunity to get to know one another.  I know we will be friends...note to Sully - with benefits, please let it be with benefits!.........; )

Thursday 24 November 2011

The Incredible Journey...of sound!

I love listening to new music.  And nothing makes me hotter than hearing something so different, so original, I can't even put a genre on it.  I had that experience last weekend, when I stopped on the Suboculis website.

I was about to cook supper and wanted to listen to something different for a change.  I had given Suboculis a quick listen about a month or so ago and thought his sound was pretty cool. His Infirmus album is posted on his website for anyone who wants to check it out, so I decided to take a closer listen.  I plugged in my speakers so I could turn it up and holy shit, am I glad I did.  I kept turning toward the speakers, thinking - fuck this guy is good!  Of course, I did what was the only logical next step.  I bought the album. And listened to it over and over and over...

Suboculis is the solo project of bassist Dan Menapace and his music is an incredible journey of sound. I say that because you don't fucking listen to Suboculis you fucking experience Suboculis. I want to call his style a sub genre of rock because it is somewhat reminiscent of Tool and Pink Floyd, but from there....

My favorite way to experience Suboculis' Infirmus is turned up while relaxing in a comfortable chair with my earbuds in and my eyes closed.  Then it's just him and me as the nuances of his music move over my body, sparking off all kinds of primitive instincts....fuck it's hot!

Now, there are two songs in particular on Infirmus that really do it for me.  The music seriously takes hold of me....the fucking music mixed with the sound of the vocals turns me on beyond belief....getting inside me and well, let's just leave it at 'they fucking turn me on'.   The troubling part of this is that these two songs are possibly Suboculis' two most politicaly charged songs.  The Sludge Chronicles lyrics are a narrative of John Gesselman's disturbing account of his experiences in the US Navy and dumping radioactive waste in the water at the Farallon Islands Nuclear Waste Site, 30 miles west of San Fransisco, California between 1955 and 1959 - and Narrow Escape speaks to the Cuban Missile Crisis.  So yeah - it makes me feel ashamed and dirty inside but these songs still fucking turn me on.

I am also impressed by how Suboculis is so successful in creating his desired atmosphere.  The titles of the tracks are pretty much spot on with where they take me.  I'll admit it, he did have me turning to the dictionary on more than one occasion.  Incursus is a perfect example of that!  When I sit and listen with my eyes closed, I get the feeling of having flashbacks of a night before.  You know how it is the morning after...as if the pounding head and turning stomach isn't fucking bad enough, your brain gets assaulted with flashes of all the stupid fucking shit you did the night before.  Anyway, after tracking the meaning of incursus through a legal dictionary...it means assault!

If you're afraid of the dark you may not want to listen to Phobophobia with your eyes closed.  This track takes me to places with all kinds of big ass spiders and shit.  Casuality puts me in some futuristic war trench with terminators storming past shooting lasers.  And this is all without the aid of hallucinogenics! 

Now, perceptions are of course filtered by our own personal experiences (and which movies we've watched) so whose to say how Suboculis will make you feel.  I encourage you to find out.  One piece of advise, and please take it  because it seriously does make a difference...plug in your fucking speakers or earbuds!  There are subtle nuances that tie the music together making it truly an experience in sound.

I hear Suboculis is in the process of recording new music.  If it touches me - hehe - anywhere near as much as Infirmus, watch out baby, this wild cat just might come to prowl.  And ooo baby, there's no doubt in my mind that you could make me purrrrrrrrrr........; )

http://suboculis.com/

Thursday 17 November 2011

Kids...

"TURN DOWN THAT NOISE GOD DAMMIT , OR I'LL COME IN THERE AND TURN IT OFF!"  I can still hear my mom bellowing down the hall when I played my stereo too loud when I was a teenager.  That noise was April Wine, Cheap Trick, Meatloaf etc.  I actually laugh out loud when I think if she were still with us, what she would think about the music her grandsons listen to...not to mention play!

Have you fucking listened to what the kids are listening to these days?  Have you heard the bands Lamb of God, Cannibal Corpse, or Whitechapel?  I fucking have.   In fact if you said no and saw the movie Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, you have too.  Jim Carrey's character Ace sang on stage with Cannibal Corpse in one of the scenes.  Many may think Jim/Ace was just making grunting, growling sounds, but he was actually singing the lyrics....who knew he was so talented!

I started listening to these bands through my twin sons a few years ago.  They started music lessons when they were 11 years old.  One wanted to play electric guitar, the other wanted drums.  The twins are the babies of the family, so of course they got what they wanted.  They took to music in a big way, practicing for hours every day.  If only they had dedicated that much time to their school work....

Anyway....they couldn't get enough!  They formed their first band through band lessons at Pruegger's Music in Lethbridge.  Poor Man's Wealth consisted of Marko on guitar, Moe on drums, their best friend Bret on bass and Branden, another talented kid from Lethbridge on guitar.  Mike, their music teacher sang for them.  Their covers included Metallica - Enter Sandman, Led Zepplin - The Ocean and Stone Sour - Through GlassPoor Man's Wealth performed yearly at the student concert as a full band and Marko, Moe and Bret performed for their school as a 3 man instrumental.  By this time, they had started to write their own songs too, albeit without lyrics.

The twins were constantly challenging themselves.  They both learned to play drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and both took a few vocal lessons as well.  It wasn't surprising that they would look to, then rise to the challenge of playing Death Metal with it's crazy fast guitar riffs and rapid fire double drumbeats.

I learned to appreciate the difficulty of playing Death Metal by watching my sons play....blurred hands, feet and hair flying as if caught in some weird epileptic seizure.   Although, one of the twins, Moe eventually turned to the more mellow and quieter sounds of acoustics...Marko continued with Metal and is now playing...uh, I mean fucking shredding for a Deathcore band.

Reborn Extinction consists of Rylan Pozdnekoff on vocals, Marko Hennebury on guitar, "Metal"Mat Yeomans on bass/vocals and Jared Gomany on drums.  As of yet they haven't recorded any music, so fans have to take in their live shows to hear them.  Fans got that chance last week when Reborn Extinction performed at the Moose Hall in Lethbridge along with Calgary's Fall City Fall and Edmonton/Vancouver's Deadbeat.

Now, I'll be honest with you.  You normally won't see me at a Deathcore show....unless my kid is playing.  Those kids are fucking crazy...and I'm not talking about the band...though, yeah in all honesty they're pretty fucking crazy too.  When I arrived, Reborn Extinction had just finished setting up.  I walked up to the band...screamed a hello at them - you know, to blend in with the crowd - then got the fuck out of the way before they started playing.  I moved to the side of the hall and perched myself on a table so I would have a clear view of the band and of the mayhem that I knew would ensue as witnessed at previous shows. 

Once the band started playing and Rylan's vocals rose from some hidden demon of hell within him, it didn't take long for the pit to get going.  The music is so fucking hard and aggressive that it isn't surprising that the dancing is as well.  Boys moving across the floor, arms swinging violently from one side to the other making contact with anything or anyone in their path.  Noses, eyes, jaws...doesn't matter.  In fact the recipient is usually quite fucking proud of his/her injuries.  Strutting with pride as if the blood that flows down their faces is proof that they are warriors of the pit!

The one thing I've learned from the years of watching these boys (and some girls) crash into one another is that for as violent as this all looks, these are nice kids that aren't out to hurt anyone.  No, really, I'm serious.  It's expected...if you're in the pit, you're gonna get hurt...duh...but the intention or emotion of the pit is not hateful.  It's not about us against them or me against you in the pit.  It's more like...I'M FUCKING HERE!! FEEL ME!!

During a Reborn Extinction show it's not unusual for "Metal"Mat to put down his bass and join the crowd in the pit....this night was no exception!  Pushing and yelling at the crowd to "get the fuck in the pit, you pussy motherfuckers!"   I tell you...even if you're not into the music, the show in itself is an entertainment that should not be missed!  Well, admittedly grandma and grandpa probably wouldn't appreciate the entertainment value - see first sentence in this post...'nuff said?


Even though I have admitted previously that I would probably not attend a Deathcore show unless my kid was playing, I always enjoy myself at a Reborn Extinction show.  These young men are very talented musicians...and I'm not just saying that because one of them is my kid...really.  I wish I could share their music with you and as soon as they get their shit together and record some, I will.  In the meantime visit their facebook page, they really are sweet ki....uh, I mean, they're fucking badass motherfuckers who will seriously fuck you up if you don't fucking "like" their facebook page.......; )

Reborn Extinction's facebook page

Thursday 10 November 2011

Gotta Have More of That Big Sugar, Baby

Back in 1994 I bought Borrowed Tunes a tribute album to Neil Young.  It consisted of two albums actually, Out of the Blue, an acoustic tribute to Neil Young and Into the Black, an electric tribute to Neil Young.  My favorite out of these two albums was Into the Black...and my favorite song on that album was Big Sugar's cover When You Dance, I Can Really Love.
It was the first time I had heard of Big Sugar.  In my own defense, I didn't hear of them when they released their first album in '91 because at the time I was living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  The only fucking thing I could find on the airways back then was country.  That was long before I had my first computer so I listened to the cassettes I had, over and over and over again.  I had a pretty good collection of music so it wasn't that big a hardship, but I certainly didn't get the chance to hear anything new.  I moved to Alberta in '93 and was a big fan of Neil Young and his songs, so when the tribute album came out, I picked it up right away.  That album gave me a look at a number of great new bands including Our Lady Peace (also killed with their version of Needle and the Damage Done) but as I've already mentioned Big Sugar's cover was my favorite.
Well, I must have a hell of a sweet tooth, because ever since then, I just can't get enough of Big Sugar.  Lead singer Gordie Johnson is like the Canadian version of the Foo Fighters Dave Grohl.  He's multi-talented, gets involved in a number of different projects and is just so fucking cool.  Or who knows...maybe Dave is the American version of Gordie!  Either way, they both have aligned themselves with great musicians to develop great bands and great fucking music - but I digress...I talked about the Foo's last week, this week I want to talk about Big Sugar and the fucking great show they put on with Wide Mouth Mason at The Stone in Lethbridge Alberta this week.
The last time I saw Big Sugar perform before this past week, was back in December of 2003, during their farewell tour.  In fact that was the first time I saw them perform.  I didn't get out much back then...you know how it is when you have small kids...but I was going to be damned if I didn't catch a Big Sugar show before it was too late!  Yeah, you heard me right...their farewell tour.  So yeah, I was fucking thrilled to hear they were back together and had another album out. 
Big Sugar is a rock band with a bluesy, funky, reggae flavor.  Revolution per Minute is a cool, awesome fucking album....I love it!!!! Apparently I'm not the only one who loves it because The Stone was jam-packed.
Wide Mouth Mason opened and that's not surprising as Gordie Johnson recently joined that band as their bass player.  Shaun Verreault's unmistakable vocals front Wide Mouth Mason.  His high energy along with Gordie Johnson and drummer Safwan Javed had the joint jumping right from the start.  Their show alone would have been enough for rock fans but then Shaun returned the favor and joined Big Sugar as they took the stage and proceeded to blow everyone away for over two hours.
They played everyone of my favorites including Nicotina, Turn the Lights On before You Lie Down, Heaven in Alberta, The Scene, Diggin' a Hole, and their cover of Traffic's Dear Mr. Fantasy.  They mixed these in amongst their new songs including Roads Ahead, Little Bit of A Alright and Come a Little Closer.  Fuck I had a good time singing and dancing all night.
But the fun doesn't end there boys and girls, oh no....
After the show I chatted with the security guys that wouldn't let me past into the dressing room.  You know, I've come across a lot of pricks that are full of themselves working security.  I'm happy to say that security at this show were fucking decent nice guys.  I'm sure if I gave them a problem it would be a different story but yeah they let me joke around with them and more importantly wait around.
I met Friendlyness from Big Sugar first.  This guy is so fucking cute...and nice.  No wonder his name is Friendlyness!  I love his Jamaican reggae rap and long blond dreads.  I shook his hand and thanked him for an awesome show.  I didn't want to let go of his hand...it felt so warm and comfortable that I just continued to hold onto it.  I'm still not sure how he got away from me, I truly don't remember letting go.
Then I had the opportunity to thank Gordie, himself!  Holy Fuck!! And my best friend, Jeannine was there to snap a couple of pictures for me!  Well, you couldn't have slapped the smile off my face, I was so fucking happy.  I can't wait until Big Sugar comes back, I'm gonna be there!  I really do love the music but I think maybe it's because I really want to hold hands with Friendlyness again...........; )

Gordie Johnson & Cat Hennebury


Wide Mouth Mason links:
Official Wide Mouth Mason website
Google +
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube...take your pick!


Big Sugar links:
Official Big Sugar website
 Twitter
YouTube...take your pick!
 Big Sugar Blog
Facebook


Thursday 3 November 2011

I Pity the Foo'

In the infamous words of Mr. T, I do pity the foo' who missed the Foo Fighters Wasting Light tour.  I was almost that foo' myself, but  thanks to Lethbridge radio station, Rock 106, I was one of the cool kids at the sold-out Calgary show.  The contest was text4tix.  Just text foo to a certain number then they would draw for tickets.  43 texts later at $0.25 a text and I got the call from Vince and Rosie, morning show hosts, that I won tickets!!  That's right, 2 tickets to the Foo Fighters for $10.75...score!!

I grabbed my BFF, Jeannine and off to Calgary we went.  Admittedly I was a little disappointed when I found that my tickets were fucking nosebleed seats near the back of the ScotiaBank Saddledome.  Although, if it's true that you get what you pay for, I still came out way ahead...I was in the fucking building with the Foo Fighters for just over ten bucks.  As we took our seats I still looked longingly toward the floor, where I would've been...if only I could have afforded the tickets when they went on sale.  The bonus from this height was I could see the stage had somewhat of a guitar shape.  The main stage was the body of the guitar,  the neck was represented by stairs running from the main stage to a pathway running down the center of the floor and ending at a second stage - the headstock - in the soundboard pit at the back of the floor. 

I hadn't heard anything about who was opening so when I saw the Mariachi El Bronx banner over the stage, I got out my BlackBerry and started a search for Mariachi El Bronx.  I hadn't heard of them before and my search wasn't helping much either.  It was even stranger when the lead came out and started yelling at the crowd, "Hey MotherFuckers!  You ready for the Foo Fighters tonight!"  He looked and sounded like a bad ass biker and then proceeded to play mariachi music.  It was something I had never heard at a rock concert and it was fucking awesome!

But that wasn't even the real opening treat.  Fuck, Kentucky rockers Cage the Elephant came out next and proceeded to shake down the house.  Those dudes are crazy, man, and they put on one hell of a show.   I especially enjoyed  "Shake Me Down", "Back Against the Wall" and of course "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked."  The boys were amazing and although I was getting used to seat dancing...damn seats, I once again looked longingly to the floor as Matthew Shultz, lead singer, vaulted off the stage and into the crowd. 

Now, I've mentioned in previous posts how I hate sitting at a rock concert and I've also talked about how I just can't bring myself to be rude enough to stand in seats forcing those behind me to stand as well.  Well, someone up above must have taken pity on me, because the two huge guys sitting right in front of us proceeded to stand up as soon as the Foo Fighters took the stage and stayed that way throughout the whole concert....of course forcing us to stand so we could see the show.  Fucking A!  Thank you very much, you rude motherfuckers!

The Foos rocked for two solid hours without a break in a high energy show, that included Dave Grohl, lead vocalist and founder of the Foos running several times down that guitar neck of a stage to the rear stage.  Highlights included a shirtless, muscles glistening with sweat, sexy  Taylor Hawkins on drums....and a kick ass guitar battle between Dave Grohl and guitarist Chris Shiflett....sorry Dave, Chris won it.

As they varied between new songs from Wasting Light to old favorites, they definitely were playing to a receptive crowd.  I have been to a number of concerts at the Saddledome including The Who and Neil Young, yet I have never before heard Calgary make so much noise!  I thought we were loud singing along but holy fuck, the noise really started when the Foo's took their break, before coming back and encoring.

Dave Grohl and the boys are genius at keeping the crowd engaged during the encore break.  They have a camera backstage and encourage the crowd to make more noise for more songs.  We had Dave up to 4 songs when Taylor took over the negotiations.  We got him up to 6.  Dave came back out alone at first....to the fucking rear stage, to sing solo with his guitar to the bad seats.  His stage rose at least 20 feet in the air, and I finally got a half decent look at him without the aid of the big screens.

When he asked the crowd how many songs Taylor said they would do, we all answered 10.  Dave did 2 or 3 songs on his own and then the rest of the band joined him for about 4 or 5 more!  It was a fucking awesome show and 5 hours after arriving at the Saddledome we were on our way home.  I had even got over my disappointment about not being on the floor...I was just so fucking happy that I had been there for this amazing show!   I was so wired with adrenaline from dancing, singing, smiling and laughing all night, I didn't hit my bed until 9:30 the next morning.  The Foo Fighters are an amazing rock band with a lot of fucking talent, energy and great songs.  Dave Grohl is multi-talented, sexy and in my opinion the coolest fucking guy since the Fonz.  I know that dates me and I don't fucking care.  Any readers who haven't heard of the Fonz....oh, just fucking google him.........; )

Thursday 27 October 2011

Shooter's Kingdom of Many

I'm a country girl with a rock and roll heart...and every now and then I get out of the country and head to the big city.  This October I had the opportunity to go to Calgary, Alberta on business.  With that opportunity I had the excuse to trade in my jeans for a pretty (tight) dress and my leopard boots and catch some weekday night life!  Don't be so quick to laugh....

I headed to a neighborhood bar, Shooter's Bar and Grill, to catch a new friend of mine perform on open mic night.  Let's get something clear right off the bat....open mic night is not fucking karaoke night...it's an opportunity for talented musicians to jam and to try out new stuff in front of a live audience....it's fucking awesome!  I met Curtis Butala, my new friend, in Lethbridge this fall when rock band Kingdom of Few performed along with Punk Metal band Silo.  Curtis's amazing lead vocals, backed up by John Clarke on drums, Reno Serani's awesome fucking guitar, and Alex Parks' cool bass guitar make up Calgary rockers Kingdom of Few.  All the guys sing back up vocals and the band has a very solid rock sound.   I loved their fucking sound and I had told the guys then, that if I was in Calgary I would definitely check out a show in the city.

I didn't have to wait too long for the excuse to travel to Calgary to present itself.  The only downfall was I was only going to be in the city during the week...what were the chances that Kingdom of Few would be playing anywhere?  Well, turned out they weren't playing anywhere in Calgary that week, but Curtis mentioned he did some solo stuff and would be at Shooters on Wednesday night.  Curt really does have amazing vocals, so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.  And I wasn't at all, because as I came through the door I couldn't help but notice Kingdom of Few were playing!!  Fucking A!

The boys were tearing it up, playing originals "On the Corner", "Rich Man" and "All Night Long".  I would find out after their set that they were practicing for a big gig the next night.  They were going to be competing in the Battle of Bands competition in Olds, Alberta.  Again, fucking A!  I loved it that these boys were seeing some great success and I loved it that I that I had been lucky enough to see the whole band perform live again!  By the way....they fucking won that competition the next night!

But the fun doesn't stop there, boys and girls, oh no....
Kingdom of Few weren't the only ones to play open mic night.  Danny Nix was next to take the stage..fuck man, what a treat!  Danny started performing 20 years ago, when he was 14 years old.  Fuck, he's been playing the piano since he was 4 and writing his own songs since he was 8!  His performance of his original song "Lucky One" was enough to impress me, but then I was fucking delighted as he covered favorites of mine from Tom Petty, Def Leppard, The Rolling Stones and Pink FloydKingdom of Few gradually joined him, starting with Curtis on the tamborine and backing vocals, John joining on drums, and then Reno and Alex on guitars making it a full accompaniment.  Fucking A!

And yet there is still more!  Do you remember in the movie, Roadhouse, the skinny chick that slings beer in the bar gets up and rocks out with Jeff Healy....and blows the fucking place away.  Well, that came to mind when Tiffany the chick who was serving me, strapped on a fucking guitar and started singing.   Oh my god...she has a incredible husky voice that would give Sheryl Crow a run for her money!  Sorry girl if I spelled your name wrong...or fuck, got your name wrong!  Yikes, I hope not.....I did had a little bit to drink that night...

Next up was Barbie....Barbie is the persona of good and light!  She is the cutest, sweetest, most positive person I've ever met.  And the chick can fucking sing and play too! I couldn't believe my luck, being there, listening to great music and chatting with the artists after.  Fucking A!  I wish these artists all the luck in the world, because they already have all the talent.

Kingdom of Few is having a CD Release party in Calgary on October 28th at Original Joes Avenida, where they will be performing live along with Danny Nix and Silentpanic!  Congrats guys!!  You fucking rock \m/ ...............; )

Kingdom of Few links:
http://www.kingdomoffew.com/fr_kingdomoffew.cfm
http://www.facebook.com/kingdomoffew
https://twitter.com/#!/KingdomofFew
http://youtu.be/28MuPkMqiGo

Danny Nix links:
http://www.myspace.com/dannynixmusic
http://youtu.be/fEz-seVI-58

Hey Danny...what happened to the fro, man? Nevermind...way too windy here :).

Shooter's Bar & Grill:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3wu5h35
http://shootersbarandgrill.ca/



Thursday 20 October 2011

I Want This Mob in My Parlor....

In my last post I raved about a new band I learned about online.  This week I want to do almost the same thing.  I learned about New Jersey band The Parlor Mob online as well but they weren't my discovery.  The Parlor Mob first came to my attention through my one of my sons a couple of years ago.  We've always openly shared music to each other and all my sons know what I like.  So it wasn't uncommon for one of the boys to call me over to the computer to..."listen to this".

As I listened to the amazing riffs accompanied by the incredible vocals of "Can't keep no good boy down" all I could say is "Who the hell is this?  They're incredible!"  The Parlor Mob.  He had heard of them from a VJ on MuchMusic, who said they were her favorite band.  We looked up another song "Everything you're breathing for" and I was in awe.  These guys were a mix of Led Zepplin, Black Crows, and yes even Lynyrd Skynyrd.  This music was fucking timeless, I knew that it would appeal to my time trapped friends as much as it appealed to my son.  I bought the album "And you were a crow", listened and fell in love with it.  I bought 3 more copies to share with friends and waited for The Parlor Mob to become the next big thing.

What the fuck?  I've still yet to hear a Parlor Mob song on our local radio station.  Everybody I've told about them has loved them.  Makes me wonder who decides what is played on radio these days...let's face it, our kids had the right idea when they gave up on radio years ago, opting to decide on their own who and what they listened to.  I still listen to the radio's morning show, the guys are funny and I get caught up on the local news and weather too.  Not to mention that its a great place to win tickets to local events as well!  Other than that though, I've taken a lesson from my kids and turned to the choices offered online as opposed to the open airways. 

Fucking good thing too.  I might have missed The Parlor Mob's new album "Dogs".  When I created a twitter account this summer, I started following bands and musicians I liked.  Through the links offered on twitter profiles, I am able to get updates from the bands official websites or pages.  I can also subscribe to newsletters that also provide a lot of updated information.  As "And you were a crow" is one of my favorite all time albums, (that's right...it ranks with such greats as Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Tom Petty's Damn the Torpedos, and Eric Clapton's The Journeyman) I made sure to follow The Parlor Mob.  You can't even fucking imagine how pumped I was to learn that The Parlor Mob was getting ready to release their second album.  I previewed The Parlor Mob's "Dogs" on their official website and was able to pre-order the album on iTunes through their links.  

I was so fucking excited to get the email declaring my download was now available!  I knew "Dogs" was no "And you were a crow" because I had previewed it already.  And when I say that, I in no way mean to say that "And you were a crow" was a better album because I don't think it is.  I don't think it's a worse one either...they are just different from each other.  The best way I can describe it is that "And you were a crow" has more of a earthy tone?...where "Dogs" I would describe as more urban?  See, I'm not even sure how to explain the difference. 

These guys are fucking incredible!  These guys, by the way, are singer Mark Melicia, guitarists David Rosen and Paul Ritchie, drummer Sam Bey and bassist Anthony Chick.  Anthony Chick replaces original bassist Nick Villapiano, who left the band on amicable terms.

I would have to say that one of the possible differences in their new album is that their sound has matured.  When I listen to "Practice in Patience" "Slip Through My Hands" and "Hard Enough" I want to cry.  That's because these songs, though they still have amazing guitar riffs and incredible vocals, also have the underlying honesty of adult relationship struggles and heartbreak that can be felt more than heard. 

On the other hand, one similarity between the two albums is the bands apparent political views continue to be voiced through their songs.  Songs such as "Take What's Mine" "American Dream" and "How It's Going To Be" speak of their strong social and political stances.

The Parlor Mob has definitely picked up the pace on their second album....it's has a much harder rock foundation than their first and seem to be a little more daring with experimental guitar without losing the simplicity that makes their music timeless.  In other words...this band has it fucking all!   Some people will prefer their first album, some will prefer their second.  I think a lot will be like me and love them both.......; )

The Parlor Mob can be found at the end of the following links:
http://www.theparlormob.com/
http://www.facebook.com/theparlormob
http://theparlormob.tumblr.com/
http://www.myspace.com/theparlormob
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/artists/parlormob/
https://twitter.com/#!/theparlormob

Thursday 13 October 2011

Oh My G.O.D.

When I was a kid, you had one genre of music that you liked and you stuck with it.  In my case it was rock music.  Back in those days if you dared listen to anything else...such as country, or (gasp) disco, your friends would turn their backs on you, you would be stripped of your coolness credibility and publicly shunned.  So you can imagine what a hypocrite I was when at the age of 15, I got pissed off at my mother (who was a country/western fan) because she wouldn't even give the music I listened to a chance.  How dare she judge and call great fucking music (The Rolling Stones, ACDC, April Wine, BTO, Pink Floyd and oh so many more) noise without the benefit of sitting down and actually listening to it!

Hypocrite or not, I was pissed off enough that I swore that when I had kids, I would not judge the music they listened to.  At the very least I would sit down and listen to it with an open mind.  It must have stuck with me, because as my four boys grew (they range in age now from 18 to 26) I most definitely gave the music they liked a listen.  As they were drawn to different kinds of music they shared their interests with me, opening my world to hip hop, rap, punk, metal, and yes even death metal!   I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed an awful lot it.  I gave my sons exposure to greats like Queen, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendricks, Janis Joplin, Beatles, Led Zepplin, Aerosmith (and oh so many more) and in return they introduced me to The Game, Kid Rock (his early stuff) -fuck, I still "wanna be a cowboy, baaaby", Eminem, Kottonmouth Kings, ICP, Mudvayne, Hell Yeah, Korn, Disturbed, Slipknot (and oh so many more).  In fact the curiosity of my kids actually exposed me to older music as well.  Namely the punk that I had overlooked in my youth because I was too engrossed in my hard rock music to listen to anything else.  Artists such as The Ramones and The Misfits.

Now I'm not putting down any kind of music but I am thankful for one thing...though I probably would have given Britney Spears, Hillary Duff, Mylie Syrus, the Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber a chance had one of my kids been into this kind of pop music, I'm a little fucking happy I didn't have to!

Because I've been able to keep an open mind, I have not yet fallen into the time trap that many of my friends have.  I still seek out new artists to listen to.  Social media sites such as Facebook,  twitter, ReverbNation, myspace etc are great places to find new music.  In fact it was through my twitter account that I first heard about and took a listen to Arizona Punk/Metal band, Gift of Destiny.

I need to apologize in advance...when I get excited I say fuck a lot! Hmmmm.  Excited.  Fuck.  I can't imagine why I would link the two......

Oh My fucking G.O.D....this band is fucking amazing.  I took advantage of their free download "Raise Some Hell" on their website http://www.giftofdestiny.com/ and within the first 10 seconds of listening I was fucking hooked!  I listened to the song a second time and then returned to their webpage to buy the album.  No Fuck.  These guys definitely have a tight sound...and I'm going to assume from the fact that they recorded their debut CD, Throttle, in just 5 days and came out with such a fucking amazing product that the personal chemistry of the band is spot on as well.  

Fuck, I have to tell you about Throttle!  From one song to the next, I was fucking blown away.  In fact, I think I may now be one of Gift of Destiny's biggest fans!   I've only been a fan of Metal for about 4 or 5 years but I've been listening to great music long enough to know fucking talent when I hear it.  Gift of Destiny reeks of musical talent.  I don't know what these boys were doing before they were Gift of Destiny but I'm pretty sure it fucking rocked - because not only do these guys reek of talent, they also reek of experience.

As I listened and fell more in love with these guys by the minute, I was reminded of some of my other favorite artists.  Mudvayne, Hell Yeah, Korn and yes, The Ramones as well.  That being said...Gift of Destiny has a sound and style that belongs to them and to them alone.

Not only are they fucking musically sound, they are fucking lyrically sound as well.  I'm going through some personal shit (probably why I've been drawn to Metal music lately), and I could very much relate to songs such as "The Reason", "Far Away", "You Don't Know Me" and "Waiting".  Want to know what kind of fucking shit I'm going through?...buy the album and listen to the songs...I'll bet you"ll fucking guess!

Regardless of my own pain and anger, listening to Gift of Destiny makes me feel better...happy even.  It's no wonder, boys, that women call your name in their most pleasurable intimate moments....ah, ahh, ahhhh, YES, OH G.O.D., YES!!!!    Los, Mikey, B-Low and Jake...thank you for the music!  I look forward to one day seeing you live...oh, and just to give you fair warning, hehe....I already have the bottle of tequila.....; )

Check out Gift of Destiny at any of the following links
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/giftofdestiny
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/throttle/id427404755
http://www.amazon.com/Throttle-Explicit/dp/B004T6COL4/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300770853&sr=301-1
http://music.napster.com/artist.htm?id=13596792
http://www.giftofdestiny.com/
http://www.myspace.com/giftofdestiny
http://www.facebook.com/Giftofdestiny?v=wall


Thursday 6 October 2011

Blast from the Past!

Last Thursday I woke up exhausted to the alarm clock at 4:30 am.  Waking up at 4:30 am is part of my regular weekday routine.  I've mentioned before that I'm in my 40's, so to keep in shape, I start my day with an hour long work out.  Early morning is my time, it's quiet and the world outside my window is still asleep.  It's at this time I grab a couple of hours just to myself and I cherish the time but it also usually requires an early bedtime.  The past week though, I had been staying up later at night, usually writing....I had a creative wave hit me, taking me in a bunch of different directions.  The result being, I wrote a whole bunch of different kinds of stories, none of which are any fucking good, because none got the proper dedication and attention they deserved.  That being said, I have a whole bunch of skeletons that need to be fleshed out, so to speak....should keep me busy for awhile...who knows, maybe that Pulitzer is in hiding in there somewhere :)

Anyway, getting back to last Thursday...I woke up exhausted and swore to myself that, no matter what, I was going to go to bed early tonight!  I was also a little fucking pissed.  Randy Bachman and Fred Turner were going to be playing in Lethbridge tonight and not only could I not afford the tickets (end of September bills to pay) but my efforts to win tickets had proven to be fruitless as well.

I persevered though, and was getting through my work day in between yawns, when at about mid afternoon I received a phone call on my cell that changed my day completely.  "Do you want to go see Bachman and Turner tonight?".......stupid fucking question!!!

Suddenly I had bounds of energy.  Randy Bachman and Fred Turner were two very vital members of the '70's iconic Canadian rock band Bachman Turner Overdrive or also popularly known as BTO.  You may also know Randy from a partnership with Buton Cummings  and their little Canadian band called The Guess Who!  I could hardly fucking wait! I spoke in my last blog about how a song can take you back to a particular place and time in your memory.  BTO was there when I first discovered rock as a young teen and their music managed to survive the years, becoming a part of my memories for decades.  There was no doubt....I would not be fucking going to bed early tonight!  I blasted through the rest of my work day and booted it home to change out of my business suit and into my jeans and jean jacket.

My ticket was being held at the ticket office in the Enmax Centre where Bachman and Turner were playing.  I was pleasantly surprised to see my ticket was an eighth row floor ticket.  True, not as good as first or second row but still fairly close to the stage.  I had to laugh at myself when I entered the floor and started looking for my seat.  Concerts just aren't drawing the fans in anymore and the Enmax had been half closed off, bringing the stage to sit at where center ice would be.  Eighth row, while yes it was fairly close to the stage, was the last row on the floor.  The only people behind me were the sound crew working on the soundboards and of course those who were seated in the stands. At least I was center.

This seat turned out to be perfect for me....you see, I can't stand to sit through a concert.  It's just not right.  Live music is not just something to be listened to politely...fuck, you can do that at home with a CD.  I need to be up on my feet, dancing, stomping, clapping and cheering!  As always though, with a classic band and, lets say, more "mature" fans, there was floor seats.  I hate floor seats...with floor seats if I want to spend the night on my feet, I will no doubt be pissing off the more "mature" person behind me who can't take being on their feet that long and essentially ruining their evening.  So, my seats at the back still allowed me to be the polite rude Canadian I am - I could be up on my feet, stomping, clapping, singing and dancing without pissing anybody else off.

And from the time The Odds (who opened) took the stage that was where I was, on my feet!
The Odds are another Canadian band who has been around for a number of years.  They don't go quite as far back as BTO, but I have been listening to them for at least 20 years.  Being the type of person I am...when I hear a song I like I have to know who does it, so I was very familiar with The Odds, having owned a couple of their albums, liking their sound and their sense of humor. They have had a large amount of singles played on Canadian radio, so almost everyone here has heard and liked their tunes, many just don't pay attention to who it is.  And it doesn't help that they release their records in secret.  There never seems to be any talk of them releasing a new record...a single just appears on the radio, leaving fans to wonder....." The Odds have a new CD?"  If you haven't heard of them, you should check them out...I think they would be the result if Lenny Kravitz and The Barenaked Ladies had a baby together.  Truth Untold, Eat My Brain, It Falls Apart, and Satisfied are all just a few of their songs that warrant a listen.  My personal favorite, though has to be Heterosexual Man and man did I have a blast dancing and singing along to this song live! My dancing had also given a few others in the audience courage, coming back to where I was, and dancing as well....polite Canadians, I'm telling you.

When Craig Northey, lead singer, announced the band would be available to sign autographs at their merchandise table during intermission, I made a beeline for it.  It was there, as I was waiting for the band to show to sign the CD I just bought, that I spoke to a nice looking gentleman who commented on how much he was enjoying the show. He also mentioned he didn't know The Odds did all those songs...I smiled.  It was something I'd been hearing through the crowd as I had made my way to the table.  See guys, quit being so secretive...people really like you, they do!

I never pass up an opportunity to flirt with the band and this night was no exception.  The guys were great!  Really friendly and funny.  I enjoyed meeting them.

Bachman and Turner took the stage next and I took to my feet once again.  Again I was mostly alone in my dancing...most still opting to sit...fuck, what is wrong with people?  These guys (and seniors themselves) fucking rocked!  They opened with Roll down the Highway, a great song about being on the road, on their way to the next show.  They got a few more people on their feet when they performed American Woman, a Guess Who classic.  Fred Turner's vocals were spot on in his raspy blues best doing Blue Collar - by the way, this songs speaks to the early riser in me - and Four Wheel Drive.  But by the time they wrapped up their encore with fan favorite Takin' Care of Business, everyone was on their feet, dancing and singing along!  Randy had even made mention that it had been suggested to him that the Lyrics to Takin' Care of Business should be on the Canadian Citizenship test.  They are just something that every Canadian knows!

You get up every morning, from the alarm clock's warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There's a whistle up above and people pushin' people shovin'
and the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train's on time, you can get to work by 9
and start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed, look at me I'm self employed
I love to work at nothing all day
And I'll be takin' care of business.........

.....yep, I'm Canadian!
It was a fucking awesome show and a fucking awesome night thanks to the very talented musicians that make up The Odds and Bachman and Turner!  I do want to give a special shout out to the sound crews for both The Odds and Bachman and Turner, though.  They kept the sound spot on, regardless of the fact that I was shaking my ass - and it is a very fine ass, even if I do say so myself - right in front of them all fucking night!

Band and singer names are links once again...check out The Odds and Bachman and Turner, their music and their solo careers as well...........; )

P.S. On Friday I set the alarm for 5:30 am....I figured I got enough exercise the night before!

Thursday 29 September 2011

Ahh Memories

You know how an old song can bring the past back like it was yesterday?  When I hear Charlie Pride's The Snakes Crawl at Night it takes me back to the backseat of my parents Ford LTD, singing at the top of my lungs.  Of course that would be a likely memory with a lot of music.  I sang along with all the songs, I couldn't help myself.  Come to think of it...I still do.

I love how a song can spark a memory.  For instance, whenever I hear Lynyrd Skynyrd's  Free Bird, I can't help but think of a road trip I took when I was fifteen.  I had run away from home and was pretty much living on the streets.  My best friends seventeen year old boyfriend was telling us about how he was going to drive to down to California.  It was August and in a couple of months, it was going to be fucking cold where we were, in Prince George.  The beach and sunshine sounded pretty good to me.  I asked if I could hitch a ride and a couple of days later we hit the road.

We left Prince George, and headed south.  We had Lynyrd Skynyrd's Gold & Platinum in the 8 track player, a case of beer and a bag of weed.  With the windows rolled down in his Nova and the wind whipping through our hair, we wound our way down through those mountain highways.  There had been no time in my life up to that point when I had felt more free.  By the end of the day we had made it as far as Cache Creek.  We found a place to camp and set up a tent to spend the night.  I can't tell you what happened in that tent that night!  That's for a whole other kind of story, hmmmmm......

Anyway, the trip turned out to be a bust.  The next day, after a little more X rated fun in the tent...he decided he needed to go back to Prince George, I can't even remember why.  So we never even made it to Vancouver let alone California.  The trip was still a lot of fun though!  And by the way, if you are feeling bad for my best friend, she stole him from me first - and I didn't even steal him back - I just sort of borrowed him...

There are a number of songs that bring back that summer.....Boston's More than a Feeling, brings back memories of push starting a friends volkswagon bug.  He always had to jump the clutch to get that thing started.  ACDC's Highway to Hell takes me to a wild house party with a 5 foot bong....yeah I couldn't take it all...choked every time...fuck!

The one song that might mean the most to me from that year though is Smokey Mountain Rain by Ronnie Milsap.  This song will always remind me of one of the most pivotal people to come into my life.  And he came into my life in the early fall of 1980.  Roger was a guardian angel disguised as pizza delivery man.  The night I met Roger, I was with a young friend of his, we were checking into a hotel room because his parents wouldn't let me stay at his house...hehe.  Anyway, Roger was delivering a pizza to the hotel.  His wife was driving the car because Roger was on an acid trip.  Keep in mind at this meeting he had only seen me for a couple of minutes and he was stoned on acid.

Two nights later, as I was wandering the streets, Roger was out delivering pizza again.  This time he was straight.  He recognized me, even remembered my name and asked me if I needed a ride home.  When I told him I didn't have a home to go to, he took me to his.  His live-in babysitter was taking care of his and his wife's two children plus her own child.  He felt she could use a hand and asked me if I was interested.  He would give me room and board and $50 a month.  I had nothing, I had nowhere to go.  He took me in and never once laid a hand on me.  His wife, who was a saint by the way, was kind to me as well.

Shortly after I started working for them, the babysitter I was supposed to be assisting ended up taking off all the time leaving me with the three kids.  Roger and his wife asked her to leave and gave me the job.  They raised my pay to $150 a month plus room and board.  They saved my life.  I can only imagine where that young 15 year old runaway was headed without the intervention of this particular guardian angel...can't you?

I stayed with them for nine months.  I came to realize that I wanted more options in life, so I moved to Winnipeg to live with my biological father.  I've never forgotten the gift Roger gave me.  To this day, he is still one of my most highly valued friends....BFF's, right Rog?  And you know I'm waiting for you there, Roger,  somewhere in the Smokey Mountain Rain.......; )







Thursday 22 September 2011

Cat or Cougar?

In my previous post...Summer of Rock....I spoke of my very non cougar behaviour at a recent Godsmack show.  I do normally go for guys around my own age but I gotta be honest with you...those young sexy rockers and their high energy shows get me pretty fucking hot too!.....I'd like to experience that kind of energy in another, more private way, if you know what I mean.

Saving Abel is a perfect example.   I had the chance to catch their show this summer when they had a stop in Lethbridge, AB.  I had heard a handful of songs by them and I liked every single one.  Lead singer Jared Weeks with his very strong and sexy vocals is backed up by very talented musicians Jason Null, Scott Bartlett, Eric Taylor and Rick Anderson.  When Jared invites his listeners to "come and tell me what my kiss tastes like" in Sex is Good...oh fuck baby...and touch and lick and suck and whatever else you want to do to me!

My very favorite Saving Abel tune is Mississippi Moonshine!  I've never performed for anybody but my cat and dog...okay and a bar full of patrons, but not onstage and that was after a lot of fucking beer....but Jared, if you're reading, I have this awesome fantasy of you and me performing that song as a duet....hehe, not my only fantasy featuring you, you know just in case you missed my subtle hint above....anyway, give me the second verse (change around a couple of words) and second chorus and we could rock that tune like Johnny and June going to Jackson!....baby, call me! 

Jonas and the Massive Attraction stopped in Lethbridge this summer as well, so guess what?  That's right, I was there.  This band is from Montreal and if you haven't heard their huge rock hit Big Slice, where the hell have you been?  They've been overplaying it on every fucking rock station across Canada.  After they fucking rocked the house, I ran (to the other side of the bar) to buy the CD and they quickly became one of my favorite listens this summer.    I had the chance to hang around and talk to the boys after the show....super great guys...oh yeah and fucking hot too!

 I won tickets to the My Darkest Days show in Lethbridge from local radio station, Rock 106 - thanks again guys!  Talk about cougar bait!  These guys are to middle aged women as the full moon is to werewolves!  No shit, they'll fucking turn right before your eyes. These young guys from Toronto have a huge popular hit with "Porn Star Dancing" featuring artists Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) and Zakk Wilde (Black Label Society) that literally turns middle aged housewives into gyrating sex kittens!  It was incredible!  I'd never seen anything like it!...don't get me wrong, I'm not judging, as a matter of fact  I like to be a gyrating sex kitten myself and usually am, believe me... but then again, I'm a bit of a slut...hey...in a good way...

And of course, if I am going to speak of My Darkest Days, I have to speak about local boys Double Jack (Lethbridge).  They won our local Battle of the Bands competition and opened for My Darkest Days.  They're a hard hitting rock/metal band and their music, whether it is their original stuff or covers, blows me away....and their covers....fuck yeah...Pantera, Tool, Metallica, and my personal favorite, the only dance tune they do (they'll tell you that) Black Betty by Ram Jam!  I love these guys!  And you want to talk sexy...Jack Stevens...Marc Belisle...fuck yeah! 

And last but certainly not least are two bands from Calgary that I just recently saw in Lethbridge.  Kingdom of Few and Silo are two very class act bands.  I had only heard clips of their music online in promotions and was impressed, but holy fuck...their live show fucking rocks!   Kingdom of Few took the stage, opened up and blew me away! They possess a sexy, energetic rock style and an even sexier lead singer Curtis Butala.  
Silo didn't disappoint either.  Their hard hitting metal/punk sound, amazing guitar riffs - you fucking rock, Youngblood!- and for lack of a better word, crazy stage show was fucking incredible.  I get happy just thinking about their show!  I can't wait to see them again! 

I've been focusing on the live shows I've recently been to see, but I have to wrap up this post with a shout out to a couple of very different but equally talented artists I've recently come across online...
  • Metal/Punk Fans - hey, pay attention - Gift of Destiny  These fucking guys rock hard!  Raise Some Hell is one of my new favorites!  Listen to it...it'll be one of yours too.
  • Rap fans - Mezziah is going to be huge, huge, huge...this guy is one of the best rappers I have ever fucking heard!  His talent, intelligence and integrity will take him far....mark my fucking words...huge! And he's Canadian!  Yay us! 
Have some fun with these links - band names...if you haven't heard of  some of these bands, check them out...the ones you've heard of, check them out again.... ; )



Thursday 15 September 2011

The Summer of Rock

I dubbed the summer of 2011 "The Summer of Rock".  I decided to make live music and supporting musicians a priority in the summer of 2011 for a couple of reasons:

  • First and most importantly, I had heard a music manager say (and this was heard by me second hand so I won't use his name, let's just refer to him as asshole) that he wasn't interested in listening to any new rock bands because rock music wasn't marketable!  - really?  What the fuck?  Weren't fans supporting rock music enough? - Was I supporting rock music enough?
  • Second, it was summer, I was laid off of work (I am every summer...I know, it's rough right?) so I had the time, unfortunately there was still a problem with cash flow - did I mention I was laid off work?

In any case I decided I was going to take in as many shows as I could.  I started listening to the local radio station with a passion.....Rock106 you're awesome.....winning tickets to a number of the shows I ended up attending.  In all I ended up checking out Jonas and the Massive Attraction, My Darkest Days, Chilliwack, Double Jack, The Chevelles, Hippodrome, Texas Flood, The Sam Roberts Band, Nazareth, Saving Abel and of course Godsmack!  Some of these shows I did pay for and some were free to the public, but just goes to show if you're fucking serious about making something happen then you can fucking make it happen!

Bob Seger was right when he said "you can come back baby, rock 'n roll never forgets." I had a blast at all of these shows, rocking out and soaking up the energy of the crowds.  I went for the music, I wasn't interested in hooking up with anyone or getting drunk or stoned.  - yeah, okay...I was driving....yeah, okay I'm responsible....fuck!

Because this is a blog and not a book the one show I'll focus on is Godsmack in Calgary August 31.  This show wrapped up the "Summer of Rock" and it was the one that was most anticipated by me.  In case you haven't read my previous posts I guess I should mention I have a small obsession with Sully Erna - Godsmack's hot lead singer!   Even as I got ready to go, I selected my prettiest bra and thong to wear....a matching hot pink number, you know...just in case.  I topped it off with skin tight jeans, a pretty tank top from Vegas,  Playboy jean jacket and heels.  I looked hot!

Unfortunately for me my travel time back and forth to the show was 6 hours round trip.  Again,  I took in the show sober as a judge.  No problem, on this night I was so fucking high from the excitement of finally having the chance to experience Godsmack live! 

I took up my usual spot by the soundboards - I  can see the stage perfect, I don't get bloodied and bruised and if a band member does come out into the crowd, he will usually pop out near the soundboards somewhere and then I'm right fucking there!  

Even though I was alone at the show,  I didn't have to stay alone for long.  A very sweet, good looking and very drunk young man thought I looked lonely and invited me to join his group.  When Godsmack took the stage, my new friends moved closer to the stage and I took up my space at the soundboards, getting into the music, raising my arms in the air and moving my hips to the rhythm  as Sully belted out "Cryin' like a Bitch".  I was having a great time dancing and singing and every so often a man would appear at my side, introduce himself and ask me if I was enjoying the show.  I always shook his hand, introduced myself, told him yes and went back to enjoying the show.
  
That is until Fred the lights roadie took his spot beside me.  He asked me if I would like to watch the show side stage.   Are you fucking kidding me????  Yeah!!!!  Sully was now within 5 meters of me, on stage and just out of reach.  Now here is the problem with going to a rock show sober in your 40's.  Fucking maturity takes over.  I thought about rushing the stage...did I?  No.  I was actually worried I might get kicked out and I hadn't heard Voodoo, Touche, or Whiskey Hangover yet.  Then if that wasn't bad enough, Sully came backstage to change a guitar.....did I run over, rip off my shirt, and show him my tits?  Or throw myself at his feet and beg him to let me.....?  No....in fact, this thought literally went through my mind "Leave the man alone, he's trying to work"....what the fuck is that? 
Despite the fact that I let these chances pass me by, I did love the show.  Fred and I left side stage to come out front and watch Sully and Shannon perform their drum battle - two full sets of drums facing each other down and bringing down the house!  Sully and Tony's rendition of "Serenity" blew me away.  It's one of my favorites and Sully sings it so hauntingly beautiful.

I was still on cloud nine when the lights did go up.  I was making my way out when  my new very sweet, young, good looking and very drunk friend found me.  "Hey, it's hot cougar" he shouted "Did you like the show?"  You couldn't have slapped the smile off my face!  

The funny part of being called a cougar is this:  I was only interested in doing one guy there and he is about my age....not really cougar behavior.  Still I enjoyed the sentiment.

I had a great time and it was the perfect end to the summer of rock.  Next time I go to see Godsmack though, I'm getting a room, a cab and a bottle of tequila.  Maturity, responsibility nor respect can survive tequila!  Watch out Sully......

Just an end note:  All the shows I went to see over the summer were not very well attended....lot's of standing room left.  I can't help but think about what asshole supposedly said about rock not being marketable.  I'm going to do what I can as a fan, you know, buy the music, go to the shows...from what I hear  rock stars just want to get ahead...or was that they just want to get head?......oh, and sorry Fred, at the very least I should have showed you my tits  ; )

Thursday 8 September 2011

Speaking of sex......

In my last post I touched on the sexuality of music.  Rock is what helped me identify what I was feeling when the first stirrings began.  Let me explain....before rock came into my life as a young teenager, I was feeling at odds with myself.  I was restless, distracted, feeling trapped and held down.  I felt if I could find a way to run faster than my skin I would have done it to break free. 

Rock, with it's steady bass lines, cool guitar riffs and suggestive lyrics helped me name the restlessness within me....holy shit, I was horny!  Don't get me wrong...I was still a very good girl at this time.  I was also very shy and inhibited - I couldn't even look at myself naked in the mirror let alone get naked with someone else!  I knew I wanted to try sex but I had no idea about how to go about getting laid!

At this time in my life, mom was spending all her free time in the bar, my stepfather was a bartender so he was never home and my younger sister - that I was in charge of while mom was in the bar...- was always at one friends or another.  In other words, I had the house to myself.

 It was Saturday afternoon and my best friend and I decided to have a drink of my stepfather's whiskey while we listened to music outside.  The whiskey was straight up because we thought the neighbors would think it was apple juice and the music - April Wine's Stand Back as a matter of fact - was coming from my parents 3' speakers, placed outside the side door facing the street...you know, just in case someone didn't notice us.

We reasoned that we should finish the bottle so my parents wouldn't notice that some of the whiskey was missing.  For the life of me, I still can't find the logic in that plan.  My friend fucked off after 2 shots but I stuck to the plan.  When my stepfather drove around the corner to see me puking on the front lawn, I ran away from home to...get this...'the house across the street'.   I was pretty fucking drunk and couldn't walk a straight line let alone run but he was fat and out of shape so he still couldn't catch me.  I took the long way - around the block...okay 3 blocks...yeah, I got lost...I was drunk...but doubled back through the alley, so my stepfather was never the wiser as to where I ended up.

As luck would have it 'the house across the street' was full of teenage boys - parents were gone for the weekend, they had dope, pills and booze - the party was on.  Let's just say it was that weekend at the tender age of 14 when I learned what effect alcohol had on inhibitions and how easy it was to get boys to fuck me!

Songs such as Boston's Party, Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Foreigner's Dirty White Boy, and lets not forget Pat Benetar's ode against the sexual double standard Hit Me with Your Best Shot gave me inspiration to explore my sexuality with confidence.

It was the '70's.  Everybody was fucking everybody, swinging and divorce were fashionable for our parents.  The gene pool  I came from was comprised of sluts and addicts, I was a teen with raging hormones...it was my time!!    I went from being a very good girl to being a very very bad girl in a very very very short time.  I loved sex...I still do, only difference is today I don't have those raging hormones to fight against and I now have the strength be a lot more discriminating.

That being said...music can still ignite a primitive fire in my body, grabbing me by the cunt and making me horny beyond belief.  The music of bands such as Hinder, Saving Abel, Shinedown and the Stereophonics  all turn me on, get me in the mood so to speak...but admittedly the band that has the biggest influence on my sex is Godsmack.  There is something so sexy in their music style/sound/image - whatever - that when I hear it, I just want to throw myself at Sully Erna's feet and beg him to let me suck his...well....you get the picture.

On retrospect I thought it might be just because of Sully and that I was attracted to him, but no...I'm old school, I hear my music long before I see it and Godsmack as a package, their music, made my panties wet long before I ever saw Sully.  When I did finally see a video, Sully's beauty and sexy body just gave me a very desirable object for my dirty little fantasies. This has earned Sully a place on my 'Bucket List' - you know - the things I want to do most before I die.
In fact he is in the top 3......

Cat's Bucket List

1.  Make or win more than $1,000,000.  Desired outcome - Share the wealth ensuring financial stability for all my loved ones.

2.  Purchase estate big enough to hold entire family.  Desired outcome - Provide a place for loved ones to gather ensuring the strength of the family bond.

3. Rock Sully Erna's world!  Desired outcome - ahhh, aaaahhhhhh, aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh, AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!! ooooooooo Sully :)

4. Get a boob job! Desired outcome - respectable, high, firm C cup
......(I don't want nor need gargantuan tits - I bet it feels just as good to me when my bitty B cup titties get fondled, sucked, and fucked as it would if I was packing a pair of DD's)

and the list goes on..........hmmmm, I wonder if Sully would prefer to be moved down the list a notch?

Speaking of Godsmack....they were my Grand Finale to my "Summer of Rock".  I caught their show in Calgary, August 31, 2011.  I had a blast!!!  That's a great subject for my next post!  Hints of what happened at the show are:
  • Roadies rock
  • Caption on my photo on this page 
  • Had to use all my self control!  
..........; )


                                                                      

    Saturday 3 September 2011

    Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N Roll!

    Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  My biological father was a drummer in a band in his younger years.  He was drumming for Gary Fjellgaard's band when he caught my mother's eye.  Yeah, he was married to someone else at the time, the dog...but that didn't stop him and my mother from getting fucking naked and sweaty - resulting in me.

    Even though my dad's first wife kicked him to the curb and he married my mom, their relationship didn't make it to my first birthday.  Separately they still both managed to become raging but functional alcoholics.  So you see, sex, drugs and rock 'n roll are literally in my blood.

    My mother loved country western music and this is what I grew up listening to.  Her favorites included Johnny Cash, Charlie Pride, Charlie Rich, Don Williams, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty....and the list goes on and on.  I guess I was about 10 years old - that was in '75 - when we started listening to AM Radio.   At that time the airways were filled with easy listening - Gordon Lightfoot, Van Morrison, Carly Simon, Simon and Garfunkel and of course a whole lot of Disco.

    When I was 13, my mom and stepfather bought me a stereo for my room.  I couldn't wait to start buying vinyl of my own.  Being a 13 year old girl raised on country and am radio, my first albums were the soundtracks to Grease and Saturday Night Fever.  Very uncool back then - classics now...go figure!

    It would be a year later that a friend brought over her brother's April Wine, Stand Back album.  I was fucking blown away...I had to have that album.  I ended up trading my Billy Joel Glass Houses album for it (I had played it to death by that time anyway).  From that moment on Rock music took control of my heart and hasn't given it back since.

    It turned me on.  I was coming of age and rebelling against the abuse I was facing at home.  I was looking at boys in a whole different way - I was no longer interested in holding hands - instead I was more interested in investigating those impressive bulges in 17 year old boys' jeans.  I was rocking out to AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Boston, Kiss,  Lynyrd Skynyrd and their music was telling me it was okay to be me.  I could let loose, give into my impulses, party on and they wouldn't judge me, in fact they would cheer me on.  They did and during those partying years I smoked many joints, drank many bottles, sang, danced and investigated many a bulge - I loved every minute of it! .....; )