Shit... I've been quiet. For the 7 of you who might be following, I apologise for being a miserable blogger.
And now that I am updating it, I have nothing to write about, so I'm going to wing it... I could lose "fan", but fuck it. I'm my biggest fan anyway.
I discovered the strangest thing today. Facing the Gallows (My band) has 18 songs... "So?" you may ask. We've been going for 2 and a half year, and of those songs, we play 9 or 10, and the rest, we don't even know how to play. The only certainty is the lyrics Bryan has for the remaining songs.
So we've come up with a master plan seeing as none of the others are recorded.
This brings me to my next point... Yes, we will bring out an album in 2010. So don't worry, if you were.
Next.
Die Hiernamaals (Side project) is doing great. We're owning our songs, and it looks like DH will be releasing an album before FtG, which is funny, but still cool anyway.
Next.
August Burns Red's album Constellations. is fucking awesome. Listen to it. Love it.
Next.
"Fucking" is in firefox's predictive text.
Next.
I'm going to play guitar now. The next update will be something more relevant. just had to keep you on your feet. I might even add some Poetry Orange to the line up...
The Prophet Cadillac;
Farewell.
I haven't put in an entry in a while.I just made a folder of Man Love on my facebook profile. Why you ask? Because, I have super awesome friends that make My life a party!
Mike Bell said he loves Poetry Orange, so I wrote him a poem... I think it's fucken awesome! Mike Bell of Mike Bell Photography. He takes pictures. Of many things. Some alive some not. MBOMBP. Whipped. A party is not a party. The capped wanderer, they call him I wonder why? See you on the weekend
Here's a little summin summin I thought I'd say about Jimmy's last show with Pestroy...
For over 11 years Pestroy has been playing shows and bringing the ruckus without fail.
Throughout high school I went to their shows, listened to their music and loved it all. I even went as far as emailing Jimmy to ask a few things about guitar. I'm still waiting for the reply.
Then I started my own band. We started playing shows, and making new friends with the bands we had shows with. And among all the people we met, were the lads of Pestroy. We partied a bit and have turned out to be the greatest friends. So to be at a show that would be one of my mentors and close friend's last, was an experience that can't really be explained. A brotherly poem from another great friend, Gordon Laws, had us all feeling like he wrote on our behalf. Gordy managed to point out everything great about Jimmy that we all had experienced somewhere along the line of knowing him. So already we were off to an early soppy start.
It was finally time for Pestroy to take to stage, after quite some time of chanting. And fuck! Was it worth the wait! Every time I see this band play I am blown away. It just keeps getting better and better. But this show had something different about it. everyone rocked harder, everyone played at their best, everything was louder. It was insane. As the first note of the intro hit I had goosebumps and was air drumming the shit out of that place!
It all seemed to be going well. Until Devided by Zero was played. I don't know what it is, but there's something about that song that I just love. It was during the first chorus where a little tear escaped, and I realised, "Shit, this really is Jimmy's last show..."
And you could tell. Every member of the band, made sure that Jim had the best show ever, and He made sure of the same too! Beating his guitar, singing out loud, pointing and winking at every person he could, and making sure every other member of the band got some Jimmy time.
You could tell that it was hardest for Craig. Watching him sing, you could see how difficult it was for him to belt out as hard as he could knowing that, next time, there would be someone different standing to his right. Craig, you did well. I could see the sadness, and you stuck it well.
So to keep myself together, the only thing to do was rock out! And so I did.
I'm sure most of my posts don't make sense. But to me it all does. So Jimmy, if you read this, I'll see you at the sea to own some surfing.
Much Love
C
I was watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition last night, as one does. And the family that they were helping out had 2 kids. They were both fairly young, I think 4 and 5. Anyway, the youngest kid has serious medical problems, he breathes through a tube is fed through a tube, can't walk, can't talk. You get the idea. So they came to build a safe living environment for the family and the kid... But what about the other kid?
He was neglected throughout the whole show, but was given a train themed room only because one of the hosts asked him about his train set, thus getting the kid excited for attention and he explained to the presenter what it was all about. SO they assumed he likes trains a lot and gave him a train room... Then they went back to the other kid.
My point... I understand the younger child is in need for 24 hour assistance. But give the older kid attention too! He's spent his life being number 2, just because his brother is handicapped.
This may sound insensitive, but if you have 2 kids, you give them both the attention they need, regardless of what their capabilities.
I just thought I'd have a short rant about something I feel is wrong. And if you ever have kids, make sure they both get the same amount of love and attention if you want them to live a happy life.
Dr. Cadillac, out.
Here's a breakdown of what happened on the greatest tour of all time...
It was the weekend 14 - 16 August 2009. A weekend that changed many lives. It was the weekend that Pestroy, along with Facing the Gallows and five champion friends Staab, Craig, Pete, Fabian and the great Heavy G destroyed The Red Door in Pietermaritzburg and Burn in Durban...
It started early on the morning of the 14th, with packing and coffee and a few other things to help wake us up... We eventually hit the road with the DVD players in the cars displaying generous amounts of porn to keep passengers entertained. Along with a few other things to keep passengers entertained... We eventually found The Red Door. It was from this point on when things started going downhill. We set up our gear, raced to the back packers, all agreed on pizza as well as a few other things to aid us with the eating of pizza...
It was show time, we hit it off with FtG opening for Pestroy. New assholes were torn. Nuff said.
It was time to party, many a litre of Jagermeister were had, many a shooter ere downed, as well as a few other things to aid us in partying.
We eventually got kicked out, or just left, I cant remember. So we headed on back to the backpackers, where most went to sleep after having a thing or two to wid in rest. While others stayed up to instigate a ruckus or two by waking up all the birds in the neighbourhood or merely antiquing the passed out drunk people.
Morning broke, along with the groans of the hung over ones. Some had tea, some had coffee as well as other things to aid us in waking up. Off to Durban where we were scheduled to bring even more noise! And so we did, after a semi chilled afternoon where darts were played, the beach was visited, drinks and food were had, as well as a few other things to aid in the killing of time.
From the Durban back packers, to dinner, to back packers, to Burn.
Burn: Called so after the burning sensation you get in your calves and knees after carrying gear up the 4 flights of stairs...
SO the bands played, as they do. Then the party started! Once again, drinks were had, shooters were shot and a few other things were had to aid in the partying. The dance floor was owned as well as the upstairs bar and roof top patio thing.
Some dick started turning the light's on as a rude attempt to get us out of the place. So as good gentlemen, we did. Off to the back packers again! Were some slept while others had some things to keep them awake for a bi longer before setting out into the main road to moon and flip the bird at innocent drivers at around 4am. Once that got old, which to be honest, it never got old, we set off to sleep... Not after waking everyone up and somehow ending up in fits of hysterics that lasted about 30 minutes.
It was the end, all the was left to do was drive home....
It is safe to say that this tour was one of the best weekends of my life... Ever! And I'm sure at least 14 other guys will agree with me.
I think I speak for a lot of people on this topic, the Binneman family...If you don't get a chance to meet at least Uncle Dad (Deon), you will not have experienced life in it's entirety.I've never met such a caring, giving bunch of people. If Bryan (Deon's son) or anyone in the band needs anything, they are more than willing to help out. Their house is your house...Deon has been supporting Facing the Gallows since day one. Missing less than ten shows out of about 200. Dedication! Everyone who has seen him at various shows and festivals will know him as "that old guy who parties so hard". And that he is. But don't let his age fool you. He'll drink you under the table and still drive you home safely.Gail on the other hand is a bit quieter and reserved. But her heart is bigger than you'll ever imagine. She is one of the most hospitable people I know. If you're at her house, She'll feed you, and She'll feed you well.I'm not bothered if no one reads this, it just made me feel better to write it. And I hope you get the chance to meet these great people! I just thought I'd give props to those who deserve it.Much love.
Tonight, the UJ fm Metal show is playing for the last time... What is happening?? Why is no one doing something to support LOCAL metal? I know I shouldn't really talk, because I'm not doing much, but I play in a band. So that is my priority. Once I get the time to start a radio show, or TV show, I'll get right onto it...
We all want ourselves and our friends in bands to make it, and follow their dreams, but we can't do it alone. Playing music isn't our full time job. We need to work at it. And it takes years. But if we work as a team of sorts, I think we can take over the world.
SA has bands that will smash most international "big bands". So why not take our smashing local bands abroad and show the world that we can do it just as good, if not better!
You're probably thinking, "Fuck you bro, you do it...". I'm doing my part. I'm playing and writing, I'm getting the idea into peoples heads. And hopefully one day, the right person will read one of my messages, and they'll contact me and say, "Hey dude, let's do this!". And I will...
If I could send all my favourite local bands overseas to do their things, I would in a heartbeat. But I can't. So for now, I'll just have to spread the idea.
I would really like to hear people's comments, and ideas too. And one day, we'll all be happy that one person took the last step to sending our amazing local acts overseas to show the world what we have. Hopefully I'll get the chance to be one of those bands. But if I'm not, at least I know, I was part of the journey and I had something to do with it.
Kisses.
A few years ago, I started a group on myspace called "Poetry Orange". I used to write shitty pointless poems on it every day for people to read. It served no purpose. But who cares. Poetry Orange for life!Return L'Orange:The Orange has returned,
Like a dormant volcano erupting,
Pleasuring minds and ears alike.
Where have you been oh Orange?
"Just taking some time off", said the Orange
Poetry is power.
Orange power
Wow! I'll be honest now and say I never really heard Have Heart and Shipwreck AD before they came out here... And at Cool Runnings last Thursday, I asked Myself, why the hell didn't I ever hear this before??
I have never heard such powerful, epic, emotional and meaningful music in my entire life. I'm talking Dashboard Confessional deep... At one point of Have Heart's set, I had goosebumps all over My body! I've never, ever had that before...
I can't exactly find the words to express how insane the shows were. Those bands managed to touch every nerve. They get you feeling happy to all emo in about a minute and a half, and you're standing at the edge of the pit about to have an emotional breakdown, then you realise you're at a hardcore show, and it just wouldn't be manly to cry. "No ous, I wasn't crahying, ah. The'z just heavy smoke in yah, ah!"
Please, do yourself a favour. If you haven't properly listened to a Have Heart song, like actually put it on and just lay on the couch or on your bed, with the volume at a moderate level, and just listen.
If you feel nothing, you're heartless. I'm sorry.
Chat later!
Do you know what I love most about good hardcore? it's that when they play, you can see they're passionate about what they say, and they mean what they write. That gets me so amped! Have Heart and Shipwreck AD managed to succeed in that last night...
The other thing about hardcore is that it brings out sides of people you never see. From the gentlest, most chilled person loosing their shit in the pit, to the savages of guys, just chilling and admiring what he sees.
At shows like this I usually find myself on my own mission, standing in the crowd looking to see how different people react and how all the drummers air drum and talk to each other about how solid the drummer is and how cool some of the fills are, and how all the guitarists fall to their knees when the band breaks in to a powerful riff. It's awesome!
It's stuff like this that makes me love the people I hang out with and the people that come to shows. We all have shit jobs, never see each other during the week, but when Thursday comes, everyone's happy. Everyone wants to party, everyone loves everyone and everyone is just generally happy that the weekend is here, and they drop all their worries and have savage good times.
Things like good friends in bands from Durban and Cape Town that come up to Joburg, and for that week or weekend, we're all like a little family from this happy village somewhere that no one knows of. It's fucken amazing!
Everyone shares, stories, lame jokes, drinks, food even recreational drugs in some cases. and there's this mentality that everything is everyone's.
And every so often some ignorant knob head comes from a club or a bar, smashed out his face, and thinks he fits right in. But he doesn't know, that years of care, music and friendship have built what we all have. And he comes in and moshes and just loses his shit while everyone stands back to just let him do his thing. Because they all know. He's just a knob head, trying to have fun in a new environment, and in a few minutes, he'll realise that the people aren't moshing idiots, they're just cool people and "heavy music" isn't actually that bad, and he'll calm down and the night will go on.
If my life didn't have all of this, I can honestly say I don't klnow where I'd be. I don;t need a fancy degree or a high aying job to be happy. Just give me my shows, the people involved in them, abd some random knob head that no one knows and I'll be the happiest dude ever.
Simple things.
(Photo: Facing the Gallows, Pestroy and 16Stitch, 2008. Wayne Nel)
It took me a while to decide on this, but my amazing girlfriend, Indianna, recommended it, so far so good. So from now on you'll be seeing random stuff done by Me, for uh... Me I suppose. Let's see how this works out :) Photo: Dr. Jack Photography
