Hey bro, that Orchid review blew, talk more about the music then your own opinion, don't you know how to review music? Oh no, that was me? Couldn't be, yeah, suckssssssssss.
I have regular internet access now, and I'm gonna start writing cool stuff in here, probably some non-cool stuff too. My life is still not on track, but its somewhat better. No more cursing the universe for bringing humans into existence, no more crying myself to sleep, no more mental breakdowns.
I'd like to start with a little segment I like to call
--Spotlight On ______!--, where I write a short article or passage on figures (most of which will be musical) that I admire greatly/have inspired me/are genuinely awesome. First off is one of my personal heroes, never afraid to push the boundaries of music and just never giving a ****, Mike Patton.
Both of us are from Eureka, Ca, and my dad used to be roommates with Mike back when he was a long haired hooligan. My dad tells me Mike would drink glasses of vodka before noon, until the whole gallon was gone. Next thing you know, he's peeing out the window. I'd like to think he's more mature now, with a wife and such. If I had to take a guess, I'd say he, along with John Zorn (coming in a later article), have explored every genre of music imaginable. From the early thrash/death metal of
The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny, to the Italian pop of
Mondo Cane, to the Native-American chant rock of
Anonymous to the spastic avant-vocals of
Adult Themes for the Voice. These sounds just brew in his brain. I sometimes will play some of the weirder Patton stuff for my friends (some Disco Volante mostly) and they call it insane, or just a bunch of wacky noises. He's a genius to me, though, most definitely, and I'm sure many others as well. I call him a genius in the sense that he doesn't simply write a top 40 hit to make money. He basically does whatever he wants, and it entertains. A genius to me is somewhat that can do just that. If you can get up on stage, scream erratic incoherence for a bit, and get an applause, you're a genius.
“I’M NOT A POET. I’M NOT UP ONSTAGE TO GET SOMETHING OFF MY CHEST. I’M MAKING MUSICAL STATEMENTS, OR, MOST OF THE TIME, MUSICAL QUESTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO FIGURE OUT, AND I’M NOT GOING TO GET IN THE WAY OF THAT.”. Feel how you want about his songs, but Patton is an incredible singer. He can do everything from death growls to opera croons, even in fluent Italian, if he feels the need. He's done soundtracks for the films
Crank: High Voltage,
The Place Beyond the Pines,
A Perfect Place, as well as starring in the movie
Firecracker, and has done numerous voice roles. He owns the record label, Ipecac, which produces all kinds of good bands. He's the real deal, and he never even practices singing.
I'm gonna wait to do another one of these until I can write better biographical pieces. Not to sound egotistic, but I am a good writer, but it comes in more personal forms.