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Thats right the Headbangers Ball is back! First episode to air on MTV2 on May 10th. Metallica is going to host the first show (fresh off of their MTV Icon induction, which I still haven’t seen yet). I was a little too young to watch the first headbangers ball, but I’ve seen bits and pieces and I look forward to the new version. Music television seems to more or less forsaken the “heavy” in leu of loads of hip-hop, rap and pop. There is certianly a place for that kind of stuff, but nothing gets the blood going like a good power chord distorted 12 ways to sunday. Rock on!

Ok I have been bad and not blogged for an entire weekend. I spent it getting remarkably drunk and recovering from said remarkableness. So now for the content ™.
I have had a shoucast server up for some time on one of my work machines. It just plays whatever I happen to be listening to on any given day. In case you haven’t noticed I am a bit of a music freak so it’s playing something pretty much 24/7. I’d like to hear any feedback people
have about the music so give it a listen some time when you get a chance. I have also written a little blosxom plugin that shows whats playing, its up there in the header (It still need a little work and documentation so no source for it yet).

I picked up a copy of the Red Hot Chili Peppers new album the other day and have been listening to it a lot. It seems to me that the longer the RHCPs are together and writing music the less sense their lyrics make. Consider:

Can't stop addicted to the shin dig
Cop top he says I'm gonna win big
Choose not a life of imitation
Distant cousin to the reservation
Defunkt the pistol that you pay for
This punk the feeling that you stay for
In time I want to be your best friend
Eastside love is living on the westend
Knock out but boy you better come to
Don't die you know the truth is some do
Go write your message on the pavement
Burnin' so bright I wonder what the wave meant
White heat is screaming in the jungle
Complete the motion if you stumble
Go ask the dust for any answers
Come back strong with 50 belly dancers 

What the hell does that MEAN?! I mean I love you Anthony, but you made more sense ON the drugs.. Regardless its got some really good grooves and that un-deniable chili’s feel.

I’ll keep listening until it makes sense.

So I didn’t blog last night. Why you ask? Well I was at the Leadway bar
and grill (Amazingly one of the few remaining businesses without a web
page).

I was hanging out with my friend Matt (it was him!). We struck up a conversation with a very interesting guy. He’s part of the Chicago School of Contraptionism and member of The Rubber Monkey Puppet Company.
His latest project involves machines that create paintings- they call it
Deus Ex Machina
(check out the pictures, some very interesting stuff there).
It begs the question: is it art? Or more specifically what is the art,
the machines or the paintings created by them? For that matter who is
the artist? Do you buy a painting by Joe Smith or is the real artistic
talent found in JoeBot v.2.3? What do you think?

Wow. I just got back from the JLC show and I am happy to say that they didn’t let me down. I am glad to report that their unique blend of indie rock, funk, pop and good old rock-and-roll is still drawing a crowd.
The HOB was pretty full for a thursday.
The sound guy must have woke up on the right side of the bed this morning- the mix was really good. I had such a good time I got a copy of The Early Years (Vol I) and Vertigo.
Time to relax and let my ears stop ringing.

I went trundling through a web site I haven’t visited in a long time today.
Deviant art is quite amazing- I wonder how much storage space this guy uses.

I’m going to see Jump Little Children tomorrw at the House of blues
JLC has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I’ll post back with a review of the show.