Bloggables

The Ergs! (Record review)

The Ergs!/The Measure[SA]-Split 7″(s)
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So The Ergs! are obviously going to the same recording studio in Mexico that 2PAC has been chilling at. The band has released a couple of records since their break-up last year and apparently there is more to come. I remember reading about this split at the bottom of the No Idea site for a while and eagerly have been anticipating it’s arrival. I ended up scoring a bunch of stuff from No Idea for my score and grabbed a copy of this slab o’ wax for myself. When I went to put it on the record play I notice that is said side C and D and was wondering what this nonsense was about. I then went to check the pressing info (thank you No Idea for doing this for us nerds!) out and found out that The Ergs and The Measure had fooled all of us instead of just having one split there are 2 versions out there.

These tricksters made a cover with Chevy Chase and Norm McDonald and flipped out the 2 bands names on both versions so they look pretty identical but those with a quick eye can see what is going on. On the records with Side A and Side B, each band covers the first song from each other from Side C and D, plus another song by each band. The highlight of these 7″s for me is The Ergs’ cover of the Measure’s Workage, it sounds like a classic Ergs style song with a good Dub tone to it. The Measure’s Songs are great and do a choice job of the Male/Female Vocals in an appropriate way between the songs.

The sadness of the Ergs departure will always be there, but there is a ray of light with the Measure continuing to crank hits out and hopefully not stopping soon. If you find yourself with one of these records immediately seek out it’s sister, brother, cousin, friend or what not so you may be complete. The Sneakiness and Quality Tunes of this gets an A+++++.

– Curtis www.rorschachrecords.net

Posted December 6, 2009 by Lee Sizemore

Metallica – Live in Albany

Bob Rock. Napster. Haircuts.
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Over the past two decades, Metallica have become better at alienating their audience than downing Jaeger pints and crying in therapy. For a period in the late 90’s ‘“ early 2000’s, it seemed like there wasn’t a news story or music video that didn’t cause thrashers raised on Ride The Lightning to run back to their vinyl collection and pray for Cliff Burton’s resurrection. That’s the anomaly of Metallica’s career: they created 4 of the greatest records of all time, and no matter what bullshit they now feed to their fans, the diehards will still show up in droves, hoping that the power that drove the band through the 80’s will shine through the graying, inked-up, family man façade that is Metallica in 2009.

This was my 2nd time seeing Metallica; the previous being on my 21st birthday, where I didn’t even get shitfaced pre-arrival because I wanted to actually see/remember the show. For the rebate performance, that idealism went right out the window. Four Loko, Sparks and a Genny Cream Ale were my beverages of choice to prepare for the 1 mile stroll to the arena. Lamb of God and some insufferable Social Distortion imposters were the openers, which we managed to miss due to the aforementioned drinks at hand. While waiting in line for an overpriced Coors Light, ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ chimed over the house speakers, which is the cue for the set to start. I didn’t rush out of line, however. Metallica records and sells each show as a digital download, and if you check out LiveMetallica.com, you’ll notice that each set is almost the same every night, save for switching out a few older tracks. This makes skipping a song to piss a whole lot easier.

Green Hell.

Being born in 1983 kept me from witnessing any of the legendary tours of the bands prime, but I can’t imagine the crowds back then being nearly as lame as the one that gathered at the Times Union Center. The ‘that guy’ rule was definitely not in effect; you couldn’t walk 3 feet without bumping into a brand-new $30 tour shirt, or a faux-vintage Master of Puppets tee that was likely purchased at Macy’s or Hot Topic. The nerdy dudes I was surrounded by in ‘the pit’ were almost oblivious to my intoxicated headbanging and constant screaming in their ears. If this were a Slayer show, I probably would’ve been punted about 4 songs in, but these guys just took it. I thought I would be into checking out the new songs live, but they don’t really sound any better in person. In between the new material were choice cuts from the first 5 records, spare ‘The Memory Remains’, maybe one of the worst singles they ever released. As ‘Master of Puppets’ came to an end, a pre-recorded tape chimed the opening acoustic notes of ‘Battery’; after that, the rest of the night was a blur.

This might sound like a bad review, but the show itself was a great time. There is no real way to compare the Metallica of today to the Metallica of yesteryear, but if you’re young, you wouldn’t know better anyway. If you get the chance, don’t pass it up, heed these words, though: keep your expectations low, and your blood/alcohol content high.

Couldn't eat the bear; it was just out of hibernation.

Posted November 24, 2009 by Brien Kielb

Fine Foods…

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These guys sell a lot of PBR, and 50 cent cans of Superchill soda Pop, their names are Shaheen and Rubel. They are the owner/ operators of a convenient mart at the end of the alley, called Fine Food. They also let the “fine food cat” chill outside the entrance, and they feed it canned cat food, as if it’s their pet. In August, on a saturday morning at about 11 (am) they allowed a crazy parking lot concert, for a band called Magrudergrind. I had seen them play once before, and I liked it, but on a saturday morning, with hundreds of sub culture heathens rolling up on bikes, and brown bagging it, I was nothing short of amazed. I have never seen anything like it…but that same morning, I did witness some crusty punks turn a cardboard box into a cooler, filling it with ice and 40 ouncers of malt liquor, only to pick it up, and have the soggy bottom of the box give way. That was pretty funny…

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Posted November 16, 2009 by Lee Sizemore

Free James Brown…

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I went to James Brown Plaza recently, and I don’t think it was a lifelike statue, in the most accurate sense, as it seemed like he was 5 foot 2 inches tall…. So I decided to findout how tall he was and this is what I learned…-

“A 70-year old man shot his friend after the two got into a heated argument over the height of recently deceased Godfather of Soul James Brown, according to reports.

David James Brooks Jr., 62, walked into police station to complain that he had been shot and was quickly rushed to a hospital for treatment. The shooter, Dan Gulley, later turned himself in at the police station. Witnesses told police that after Gulley and Brooks’ argument escalated, Gulley began shooting at Brooks, hitting him twice. Brooks, already wounded in the abdomen, went to his vehicle, got a gun and fired back at Gulley but missed.

Both men had been at a friend’s house when they argued about just how tall James Brown was. Officers did not believe alcohol was a factor.

So exactly how tall was James Brown, who died of heart failure last Christmas? Well, at the risk of being riddled with bullets, the Godfather of Soul was 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) tall

Posted November 16, 2009 by Lee Sizemore

Van Troubles….

On tour. Portals west coast tour a couple years back….962663tour

Posted November 16, 2009 by Lee Sizemore