Speaking Of AFI...

Stumbled on this old video on the tube from the Black Sails in the Sunset release party back in 1999. Am I the only human that loved/remembers Davey Havok's mini-braids?




Nine years later, a solid cover of "Just Like Heaven" by the Cure.

AFI - Crash Love

I was lucky enough to get my pawz on the new AFI record, Crash Love, the other day (Did anyone else know that Hot Topic puts CDs out early?) and I gave it 2 days to sink into my veins. I've been an AFI fanboy for close to a decade now, so my opinion is fairly biased, but after a few spins around the block I can already rank it above Decemberunderground. While there are a handful of upbeat and somewhat "pretty" sounding songs, ie "Veronica Sawyer Smokes," a good chunk of the album has that glam-rocky feel that "Miss Murder" had. Just listen to "I'm Trying Very Hard to be Here" or the first single "Medicate" and tell me they don't make you want to strut down the street and slap the sweat off some joker's face who just doesn't quite understand why you are strutting down the street. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think "Sacrilege" may be the first song they've blatantly written about religion since "Prayer Position."

While I know they'll probably never write another Black Sails in the Sunset (personal fave), I'm totally down with their desire to challenge themselves as musicians and explore the realms of songwriting. At this point fan backlash is almost a given when AFI does something new. They got shit for Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes in '97 (too heavy), Black Sails in the Sunset in '99(too Goth), Art of Drowning in 2000 (still Goth), Sing The Sorrow in '03 (too Mainstream), and Decemberunderground in '06 (too WTF?). It's funny because the same people twisting their testes for changing their sound, are the same people saying stuff like "Oh Pennywise has put out the same record for 15 years...BORING!" Unbelievable. I guess you just can't win.

In any case, Crash Love, will be playing on my iPod for a few weeks and yes, I'm going out tomorrow to get the "Deluxe Edition" AND I will be getting it on vinyl as well when I see it. Can't wait to see them at the Starland Ballroom in a few weeks. Woot Woot!

Apparently there is a new Hatebreed record coming out tomorrow too. The songs I heard on their MySpace page sound BRUTAL. Gotta get that too.

Cheers!

Teenage BottleRocket - "Skate Or Die"

Here's Teenage BottleRocket's video for "Skate or Die" off of their new record, They Came From the Shadows. These guys keep crankin' out quality Ramones inspired tunes, and are gonna make you love REAL Pop-Punk again. Well them and these guys. Enjoy!

New 64GB iPod Touch

After the 120GB classic I got last Christmas was decommissioned this summer(Apparently they don't like multiple belly flops onto asphalt), I found myself doing some painful soul searching. Do I stick with what works and go with another classic, or dare I try the fancy pants Touch going for a whopping wallet pounding 400 bones. I love the large capacity of the classic, but the multi-touch screen, WiFi, external speakers, voice control, and the option to download"apps" just sound simply delicious. Apple ended up giving the camera to the Nano this year which is a bummer, but I'll let it slide.


Needless to say I ended up purchasing the new 3rd gen Touch yesterday, despite having to swim through a sea of lamewads and dingleberries that swarmed the Apple Store first. I'm still discovering all of the little intricacies to it, and trying not to drive into a pole while changing tunes in my car, but I'm loving it and I'm suffering no buyer's remorse.

For more info on Touch, visit apple.com, obviously.

New Blog for Eric

I've decided to give the blogging another go, despite my failed attempts in the past. In other words I can't remember passwords or usernames to get into them. I think I'm gonna use this one for randomness, things I like at the moment, pics, whatever. Hopefully I'll stay up to date with this.

Love um!