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)
From the champion, Gordon Laws:
ReplyDelete"I totally feel that, Caddy. You can't buy a personality. You can't buy an identity. this is somehting that society teaches the opposite of, and people are lost before they have the chance to find themselves. I've long believed that we walk amongst a society of the dead. All waiting to be told what they like, who they are and how to fit in. It's sad, but it's the reality of life. I'm yet to get an answer as to why Ed Hardy is "cool". A lot of defensive responses, but no answer so far. "It's 'cos it's about tattoos, and because it's the coolest band around." I'm like "Do you have tattoos? No? Then why are you representing that shit? What do you actually love? And why is it cool? Why is the person who told you it's cool right? Have you asked that question?" They look at you like you're mad.
But, I don't agree that life sucks until thursday. That's the ticket, right there. do what you love every day. Work at it until you're exhausted every night. Become better at it, every day. You don't need a suit to make a living. anything you're passionate about, if done with determination and drive, will never feel like work. And it's impossible to fail if you're good at something. Anything. As long as you love it, are good at it and dedicate yourself to it, you will succeed!
Love you, bro!
Gordy."
"I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with me. Brotherhood is a two-way street"
ReplyDelete-Malcolm X-
Love you bud.
Shane