Thoughts on being 35.

An interesting thing happened to me this last weekend. I had just finshed my yardwork (mowing, trimming, etc.), was standing on the porch surveying my handiwork and feeling the contentment of a job well done. Then I noticed those feelings of contentment were stronger than usual...almost TOO strong. Have I reached the point in life where my lawn is the yardstick (pardon the pun) for my middle-aged Dad productivity? I expect my officially issued black socks and sandals to arrive anyday now. I'm even starting to look at people wearing sweatpants out in public and am thinking, "Why the hell not?" Truly scary times.

I've been talking about planting bushes in front of the house for a few years now. I've always put it off as I always had more exciting things to do. But this year, as Spring was just suggesting it was ready to be sprung, I was at the Garden Center in Lowe's buying bags of mulch, fertilizer and boxwood bushes. 4 of 'em. And I spent the better part of a nice evening shoveling, planting, mulching and moving large rocks to line the edges of the beds. And I loved it. Now I find myself planning further landscaping projects. And I am also now the annoying driver who slows down in a parking to gaze at the plant sale that's going on out on the sidewalk. I used to be the guy behind that person, screaming curses for them to hurry the #@**&! up.

I first noticed my slow crawl to full-on adulthood a few years ago as I was driving past my old high school. As of last sumer, I was 16 years out of high school. 16 years. That means the kids there now were just being born when I was graduating *shivers*. I saw a group of kids hanging out in the same spot I hung out. And I said, in my out loud voice, "Look at those damn kids." I almost slammed on my brakes so I could compose myself, because as I uttered those words a great understanding came over me: No wonder nobody took what we said as kids seriously..we were full of shit! Was I ever as full of shit as I think those teeagers I'm looking at right now are? YES! I got it, finally. Kids know dick. Sorry, but it's true. Full of idealistic optimism, vision for the future and a much needed dose of naive innocence in this world? Yes. But grounded in reality? No. And I found myself missing the utter freedom of that a bit. As they say, true knowledge brings suffering. At this stage in life, suffering for them is having to be without a cell phone for longer than 2 hours. So then I chuckled and drove on, knowing that someday a group of snotfaced little pricks will be there to tell THEM that everything they liked is lame too. Ah, the circle of life.

35 is interesting. You're at the peak of your 30's and are getting ready to hit the other side of the slope, the quick downward slide to 40. 30 thru 34 are really just your 20's extended. Stretched to almost breaking, really. Before 35, you can still kind of get away with some of the boneheaded stuff your 20's are for. In your 20's, a hangover has a funny story attached to it. The deeper you get into your 30's, more and more your hangover stories become just kinda sad stories. And if you still have hangover stories once you're leaving the 30's, chances are your 40's will be spent in AA.

Other changes happen too. Going away becomes alot more complicated. I remember when I could leave for a trip with literally just an extra shirt and a toothbrush. I'll be fine, let's just DO THIS!! YEEEEAAAAHHHHHH! Now even going away for just one night requires a checklist: prescriptions, antacids, headache medicine (gotta be the right kind, because that other kind just doesn't work for me), my brand of toothpaste, allergy pills (non-drowsy for daytime please), cold medicine and imodium (just in case I get sick while I'm gone), dandruff shampoo, that special bodywash that doesn't dry my skin too much, sunscreen (the skin cancer, you know) and various other lotions, meds and tidbits depending on what other affliction you're dealing with at the time.

Speaking of afflictions, you'll begin to notice more chronic things beginning to pop up. Aches and pains that come from nowhere and stay around alot longer than they used to. When I was 20, I could get hit my a truck in the morning and my bruises would be healed by dinner. Now I stub my toe and I'm limping until Christmas. Your bounce back doesn't quite bounce as much. And medical issues become more common. I got diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease (a thyroid disease) over a year ago. It's a pain in the ass for sure and now I have something to bond with my family over on holiday gatherings, which ultimately turn into a listing of medical maladies they've all dealt with for the year. Now I'm part of the club. And it's nice to belong, isn't it?

On the more serious side of illnesses, you begin to notice the mortality in those you love around you more as you get older. My best friend since high school was diagnosed with leukemia just before Christmas last year (but is doing great now, BTW). I lost my grandmother in 2007. I lost my little cousin in 2001. You begin to see that the time we all thought we had endless amounts of is getting shorter. And therefor gets more precious by the day. So you begin to streamline life. You realize who you want to make time for and who you don't. The bullshit and drama you used to accept into your life has no place in it now. There's simply no time for it. And you find the cliche' of how fast time moves by to be disturbingly accurate.

But, I love being 35. I feel more like "me" than I ever have before. I've accepted my annoying quirks as lovable eccentricites (you learn it's all in how you label things :-) that I look forward to tormenting my wife with when we get older together. I have a son turning two this year and another one due in August that I'm excited to watch grow up. Sure, it's still disconcerting to hear songs you liked in high school pop up on Classic Rock stations and toys you used to play with be re-issued as a "Vintage Series". Hey, time moves on, with or without us. Accept it or don't. Either is fine by me because I've also reached the blissful stage of "I don't give a rat's ass."

So here's to my 30's so far. No doubt I'll look back at them once I'm 40 and say, "Man, I was a dumbass in those days, wasn't I?" Which, hopfeully, means that I got even smarter instead of just growing into a bigger asshole. Stay tuned.

Art Snob??

Sometimes I wonder if I'm an art snob because my gut reaction to art done on a computer is that it's not "real" art. What complicates this further is I can't really explain to you what "real" art is. All I know is that when I see a pretty picture and find out it's all digital, I dunno...I feel a sense that it's cheating. Cheating in the same way I see a DJ as not being a real musician. Pressing buttons isn't music and it doesn't feel like art to me either.

I'm no dummy, I fully realize the place digital art has in the world today and am trying to remain viable. I'm working against every old-school instinct and preference I have, though. I know, I know, you have to adapt to survive. I'm a Darwinist, so I get it. For the speed and versatility demanded by today's business models, digital art is a necessity. Newspapers and magazines don't have the traditional art departments anymore where people would labor over art boards, cutting and pasting copy by hand, manually cropping photographs and applying the registration marks for the printer themselves. All that is done on computers these days. Same for sign makers, stationary companies, etc. etc. Logos are all designed on computers now too. Which is nice, because lettering has always been my weakest suit when it comes to art. So I fully embrace the ability to do that on a PC.


But I enjoy looking at a painting and drawing that's been handmade. I like seeing the brushstrokes, the pencil and pen strokes. I marvel at the skill it takes to apply smooth shading, uniform lines, the knowledge of perspective. I like seeing the imperfections too. To me, that's almost more art than anything...the humanness of it. Look at an old Calvin and Hobbes book, you can see where the watercolor is just over the outline in spots and where the line value of the outline wavers just a bit. You know he sat down and did it himself. He worked it with his hands, paint, ink and a brush. Many cartoonists use the computer today not just for color anymore but for everything else too. They look great, don't get me wrong, but it's just a bit TOO perfect to my eyes. I like getting the sense that the person who drew something has a little bit of ink under their fingernails.


Currently I'm taking a class on Adobe Illustrator. Like I said, I'm no dummy. I'm attempting to keep up. But I gotta say, when I complete a project I don't feel that sense of accomplishment I get when I complete a painting. I feel more like I successfully and correctly completed a series of commands rather than created art. I'm more relieved that I'm finished than proud of what I've done. There's nothing visceral about it, no connection. When I hand draw or paint something, I can stand back and still "feel" what I did. I can remember how smooth that line went down, how I struggled with that other part, the almost zen like peace of repetitively laying on some thick coats of color or shading. The painting has a tangible texture. I can trace my finger along a brushstroke and feel the ridges of it. I shift and turn the canvas or paper constantly while I'm working. I stand, twist, sit, bend, stoop to get where I need to be. It's a physical experience as much as it is a visual one. And that effort comes out on the canvas. You can see emotion and effort in a stroke. To go back to the DJ analogy, it's the difference between hearing a guitar sample and having an actual living guitarist in front of you with steel strings and electricty under their fingers, hearing what's coming out of their hands through a speaker that's moving air in real time. I think that's what's missing for me when it comes to digital. It's just me sitting, looking at a screen, clicking the mouse and pressing buttons. It's really no fun....nothing is moving except a cursor.


I'm fully aware of the possibilities and convenience computer art offers. You can scan in a line drawing, play with the colors, re size objects, create multiple versions of a work quickly and easily. It's much easier to line things up correctly, make it proportionally correct, center it, reverse it, etc. etc. And it takes a solid knowledge of color theory and design principles to make it all look good. I'll never accuse digital artists of being unskilled. One of my big artistic influences, Derek Riggs (the guy responsible for all that amazing Iron Maiden artwork) works exclusively in digital now. Due to his artistic skill, his current pieces are amazing. But for me, they are still missing something from the days when he was slaving over an art board with a pen and brush.


Many see it as just another medium for artists to explore and there is alot of truth in that. It's the latest tool in the artist toolbox. It's up to each artist to determine it's worth in relation to what they do. As far as being necessary in today's fast paced world, I accept it 100%. As far as liking it..well, I'm not there yet.

Hypocrisy

Accusing somebody of being a hypocrite is like accusing them of breathing. Hypocrisy is a natural part of human nature. I know nobody who is immune from this fact of life. The problem isn't recognizing the hypocrisy in others, it's recognizing it in ourselves. As I've gotten older, I've realized that people just need to shut the hell up. Seriously. People love to jump up on a self-righteous soapbox, pound their hollow chests and tell others how to fix things and how the world should run. Shut up. Pound yer chest and yell at yourself in the mirror. That's where everybody needs to start don't you think? And yeah, I know I just contradicted the statement I just wrote about telling others how to live their lives. Yes, I'm a hypocrite but so are you.

So how about we have a National Day of Shut The Hell Up where everybody takes their own personal mental inventory eh? Where we all discover we are all hypocritwes, one and the same. A day where the person who rages against a big block business like Wal-Mart yet fills up at a gas station on the way to the protest shuts up. Doesn't he realize that the oil companies have more money than ANYBODY and do more damage that Wal-Mart ever could? Probably not. And he'll probably stop at a Target or a Safeway on the way home. Shut up.

The person who complains about the Immigration policy in Arizona yet doesn't step up to sponsor anyone for citizenship. The person on the other side of the coin who complains about illegal immigrants and how America needs more jobs, yet hires the aliens under the table, tax-free because they are cheap just to save a few bucks. Shut up.

The Christians who spout Bible verses who have next to no knowledge of the origins of that book and who constantly speak of a God of Love, yet use those same words from a loving God to harm, divide and judge other people. Shut up.

The pro-lifers who aren't standing in line to adopt all these unwanted babies and who cry out against abortion but yet are against teaching our children the merits of safe sex (and abistence does NOT work people, get real). The pro-choice people who use abortion as a regular birth control tool instead of using an actual birthcontrol tool. Shut up.

The people who protest gay marriage and call it sinful, yet are barely holding their own marriages together because they are out banging their neighbors or co-workers. Shut up.

The white guys who say they aren't racist yet sweat a little bit everytime a group of black guys walk by their car. And the black guy who complains about racsim yet always feels the need to remind us that he's black. Shut up.

Anybody who rails against one political party, yet blindly follows their own. Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Janene Garofalo, Anne Coulter, Michael Moore, Bill O'Reilly.....God, just shut up. Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!

So let's all calm down and take all of our snappy, pithy bumper stickers off of our cars that let everybody know what we believe and how clever we think we are. I don't care who you're favroite political candidate is, or if you think meat is murder or you're a dickhead hunter. I don't care what church you belong to or if you think Jesus is Lord. I don't care if you just want to Co-exist. Everybody just knock it off. It all seems like just an effort to annoy the person next to them. Life is too complicated to be summed up in a clever slogan on a bumper sticker or T-shirt.

Everybody is breaking their shouldrs patting themselves on their backs. Everbody is talk, talk talking but nobody wants to listen. Everbody loves to point the finger but nobody wants to figure out their contribution to either the problem or solution.

And you know what? It's okay. That's who we are as a species today. A bunch of soft, big-mouthed idiots who when it comes right down to it, are too afraid to be genuinely inconvenienced or put out to really change anything. That includes me. Everybody is willing to go as far as the point of ALMOST being uncomfortable. I think once we all shut up and realize our own inherent collective hypcritical natures, the world would be a better place.

Living Colour review

Living Colour

The Chair In The Doorway

Living Colour are one of the most underrated and most lethal bands on the planet. Mainstream success has for the most part eluded them because while they have been able to straddle the both the commercial suburbs and underground/indie ghetto, they've more often than not chosen to ignore the safe side of the street and prefer to tread where you need to keep an eye out over your shoulder..the place truly great music is born.


The lads of Living Colour have always had that sublime marriage of perfect pop sensibilities mixed with a crushing heaviness and disregard for convention that often leads them off into free-form, cacophonous sonic explorations. But it's controlled chaos. That the sinister beauty of Colour's music...these boys know what they're doing. If a change or transposition is jarring, then it's meant to be. What may strike you initially as a disconnected flurry of notes or noises will turn out to be the central framework from which the rest of the song is hung if you give it another measure or so. They'll lull you to sleep with a feather one moment and break a cinderblock across your head the next.


This is a band of virtuosos who do everything in service of the song, which can be rare in a band with this much talent. Many times the song is relegated to the backburner, merely serving as the platform for which a musician can showboat and satisfy their own ego. But Colour takes all that energy and puts it into the arrangement, collectively taking the entire band to a higher level. They are a true BAND and a compete sonic experience.


Individually: Bassist Doug Wimbish is the MVP of the album. His use of effects and left of center tones are the perfect co-conspirators for Vernon Reid's guitar playing. It's been awhile since I've heard bass playing this creative. His lines are the meat and potatoes of many of the songs here.


Guitarist Vernon Reid is brilliant as always...unconventional, creative and effective. His use of the intangible elements of guitar playing (noises, tones, micro-tones, scratches, flutters, scrapes, feedback) married with his expert command of odd syncopations, polyrhythms and orchestral way of stacking his lines and melodies continue to inspire and serve the cause of Living Colour without fail.

When you have two forces of nature like Wimbish and Reid in your band, you need elements in it that can yoke and consolidate those energies. And that's what vocalist Corey Glover and drummer Will Calhoun do. While Reid and Wimbish may make you feel like you're flying off the rails with them, Calhoun and Glover give you a focal point to latch onto. Calhoun's somewhat restrained (i.e. not overly flashy) drum playing only serves to intensify what the Reid/Wimbish duo have going on. That's the sign of a truly gifted drummer: he both anchors the song and allows it to fly at the same time. And Glover is able to cut through the beautiful din of his band with vocal melodies that fit in snugly with the quirkiness that can drive the musical pulse of the song. He gives order to the chaos and gives it direction.


Sonically, this album is cherry headphone material. The album is full of direct, bludgeoning riffs played by a band that means what they're playing. It's very focused production for a very focused band. The core of the album is what the four of them are playing together. But there are so many layers and tiny moments thrown in that give a song it's character and that can change the atmosphere of the song in a drumbeat. Little notes, licks and harmonization's that bubble up out of the soup and recede again. At times it's like just the reverb or decay from a note hits you without ever having been sure you heard the original note at all. And what can sound at first like a simple lone melody line can upon closer inspection be three or four guitar tracks weaving around , swelling and deflating against each other. It's a treat to just sit and listen to this with headphones. You realize that as much as Living Colour has the ability to stomp your ass, they also have an incredible sense of the subtle as well.

Songwise, there's not a clunker in the bunch. This is one of those rare albums that keeps me hooked in for the entire thing and I can play it straight through. This is also becoming rarer in today's musical climate where emerging artists are all vying for the one big single that puts them over the top instead of focusing their energies on making the ENTIRE album good.

These are master musicians doing what they do. And they do it with craft, intention and the joy that true musicians have when they are making music together.

KISS Goes BOOM!!

KISS-SONIC BOOM Review

Usually when a band makes a conscious attempt to recapture the vibe of an earlier period, it’s typically with mixed results. They usually walk the line between original and derivative, or inspired and lazy. They can really recreate that magic or sound completely contrived. With the new KISS album Sonic Boom, they’ve managed to be both completely derivative AND inspired.

If you’re looking for something groundbreaking, completely original and something you’ve never heard before, this ain’t it. If you’ve never liked KISS, this album isn’t going to do a thing to change your mind. However, if you ARE a KISS fan this album is likely to be an answer to your prayers. KISS has gone back and evaluated what has been most KISS-like about the albums of the past. And they have taken all those elements and crammed them into one album. The running commentary from the band during the recording process is this is a throwback to the mid-70’s era of KISS, but this album really plants it’s flag in ‘80’s KISS though plenty of the ‘70’s and 90’s are both well represented.

This is unabashedly a KISS album. Big, dumb, loud arena rock and roll fun. No social commentary or attempts at being “relevant” here. Just big silly anthems about bad girls, good times, great sex and standing up for yourself. Lyrics are cheesy and simplistic in that classic KISS tradition and clichés abound, but if you’re buying a KISS album it’s not Shakespeare you’re after to begin with.

MODERN DAY DELILAH- Strong album opener and one of the best songs on the album. It’s Paul’s best song and also one of the strongest riffs. Surprisingly, for a KISS album, Sonic Boom is short on big memorable riffs. Most of the hooks on this album come from the vocal lines and choruses. It’s not a big, big deal but it is a bit disappointing the riffs are a bit on the anemic side. But this tune is the complete package: big riff, great vocal hooks and plenty of that Paul Stanley swagger.

RUSSIAN ROULETTE- Finally Gene remembers that we actually WANT to hear him play bass and we love it. His bass is front and center for this sleazy bit of classic ‘80’s Gene. For years, he’s delegated the bass playing to others during recording sessions and it’s a great pleasure to hear him finally step up to the plate again. The opening riff reminds me heavily of “Love’s A Deadly Weapon” on 1985’s Asylum album.

NEVER ENOUGH- Here’s where the derivative thing turns negative. The very first thing that screams to mind when the verse kicks in is Poison, as in the band Poison. This is 1980’s hair metal all the way. Paul is one of the most versatile writers in the band, in my opinion. He can write in any style he wants at will. Why he wanted to channel the Crazy Nights style (one of the fluffiest and poppiest albums in the KISS catalog) I’ll never know. Weakest song on the album for me.

YES I KNOW (NOBODY’S PERFECT) - When they talk of the ‘70’s vibe of the album, this is the tune they are talking about. This drips with that Rock and Roll Over/Love Gun sheen. One of the best Gene tracks. I hear shades of “Love’em and Leave’em” and “Mr. Speed” on this one.

STAND- Only KISS could get away with a chorus this big and syrupy. I could hear this one playing in a Disney movie. Yet as grandiose and overly dramatic as this tune is, it’s guaranteed to get every fist in the arena up in the air. This is what KISS is all about...getting fists into the air and singing along in spite of ourselves. Paul and Gene do the classic vocal trade off during the verses, always a welcome touch on a KISS album.

HOT AND COLD-When you combine hot and cold, you get lukewarm. And that’s how I feel about this Gene song.

ALL FOR THE GLORY- Another one of the strongest songs, this one sung by drummer Eric Singer. Singer has never been the weak link in anything he’s ever done and this album is no exception. His drumming is stellar and his lead vocal debut is impressive. KISS has always managed to hire drummers with great singing voices and Eric is a highlight on Sonic Boom. One of the most memorable songs here.Tommy Thayer quotes a few licks from “Parasite” and “C’mon and Love Me” during his solo.

DANGER US- A Paul tune, sounding like it could’ve come from the early ‘80’s Killers era.

I’M AN ANIMAL- The best Gene tune and a big highlight. The biggest, meatiest and heaviest riffs on the album are to be found here. Giant and lumbering in the grand tradition of “God of Thunder” “War Machine” and “Unholy”. A favorite.

WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES- This is Tommy’s tune on the album. His voice is surprisingly strong and he really takes this one by the horns vocally. The song is very enjoyable with great energy, though I found the music to be a bit on the generic side..very AC/DC-ish .

On Tommy’s playing overall on the album: I’m not going to get into the whole Ace Frehley vs. Tommy controversy here...that’s for another time. I’m just going to judge what’s on the album by its own merits. I will say this: The ghost of the Original Spaceman looms HUGE in Tommy’s playing on this album... He didn’t just drink from the Frehley well, he fell in and drowned. At times, it’s almost as if they just cut and pasted together pieces of the original recordings of Ace’s classic solos. I mean, Ace was a big influence in Tommy’s youth, he played the part of Ace for years in the tribute band Cold Gin and then has played note for note renditions of Ace’s solos with the real KISS since 2003. So I imagine a lot (a WHOLE lot) of “Ace-isms” have melted into his own personal style. But like I said, this album isn’t about creating something brand new, but about re-creating a vibe. To that end, Tommy has done a great job. His playing isn’t very original, but it’s solid, consistent and fits the spirit of the album.

YEAH- Paul closes the album up strong. Another big ‘80’s riff with a big arena “let’s all sing it now” chorus.

Is this the greatest KISS album ever? No, it’s not. But it’s a very fun and enjoyable album that’s been long overdue. And I think that has a lot to do with how this album is being received. I’m very curious to know how this album will rank overall on KISS fan’s lists once the novelty of the first KISS album in 11 years has settled down. This may very well be the last album of original KISS music we’ll ever get and it’s a great way to cap off an illustrious career. It’s not THE definitive KISS album but it does justify that age-old rule of show business : leave ‘em smiling and leave ‘em wanting more. This album does just that.

The Ace Has Landed!: Ace Frehley Anomaly Review

It's been said that KISS is like a family. People may leave home but they are always a part of it. The original KISS was a family. Gene and Paul were the Mom and Dad; they were ultimately in charge, attempted to keep everyone in line and kept the whole thing going. Peter Criss was your crazy uncle...alot of fun to be around and warm-hearted but one too many stories about him ended with something to do with firearms, an ingested chemical of some kind or a car-crash. But Ace was your cool older brother: he had all the good albums, the best weed, threw the best parties and knew all the latest dirty jokes. He was always a blast to be around but he never got along really well with Mom and Dad and would eventually split from home under not so great circumstances. But even though he had his share of personal demons, you always knew how talented, smart and good-hearted he is and you just keep rooting for the guy to get his shit together someday, no matter how many times he's come close to total self-destruction.

Well, the prodigal son returns! Ace is back and he is sober. Also, refocused and more creative than he's ever been. Anomaly is a record from a man who has come to terms with who he is, what he's done and knows where he wants to go.

The album opens strong, with three solid from-the-hip rock n roll tunes: "Foxy And Free", "Outer Space" and "Pain In The Neck". Nothing subtle here as the album blasts to life with big riffs, kick in the gut drums and lyrics sung with that quirky "wink, wink, nudge nudge" style we all love from the Spaceman. The only "meh" moment is the weak chorus on "Neck".

Next up is his stellar cover of Sweet's "Fox On The Run". Gene Simmons once said Ace has the incredible ability to take some else's song and make it all his own. He has "New York Groove", "2000 Man", "Hide Your Heart" and "Do Ya" under his belt and can add this one with pride. I'd love to hear a total covers album from Ace someday. Most bands who do that with mixed results but I think Ace could hit that one out of the park. (Hey Ace, you'd sound amazing doing Joan Jett's "I Love Rock n Roll", Motorhead's "Ace Of Spades" and Alice Cooper's "School's Out". Just sayin'.)

One of the coolest tracks is "Genghis Kahn". It's got a plodding "Kashmir" type groove, with a tight riff played with a scritch-scratchy guitar tone that reminded me distantly of the James Gang "Funk #49". It's one of the brightest spots on the album, marred only slightly by a pointless chorus. There are no other lyrics on the tune, so the chorus sounds a bit misplaced. Edit those out and you'd have flawless instrumental. It also features the best guitar solo on the record. You know it's an Ace Frehley solo within the first three notes but you quickly see that Ace has (gasp!) matured with his playing over the years. There is a freshness that hasn't been there in a long time and you hear the wah-soaked solo just open up and blossom.

Ace threw us some curve-balls with "Change The World" and "A Little Below The Angels". Some pretty personal, socially-concious lyrics on these, where Ace confesses the mistakes of his past and how he wants to reconcile with the world for the future. Mellow and melodic, we see yet another side of Frehley's muse rear it's head. It's great to hear him still trying new things..he's obviously creatively rejuvenated and is being fearless with what he's allowing himself to express. There's a slightly cringe-worthy moment in the middle of "Angels" where he talks to his daugther (talking in a song is always lame to begin with) but it's tolerable and doesn't get in the way of an otherwise beautiful song too much. If we're talking cheese-factor, I'd still take it over anything from KISS '87-90 period.

Mr. Frehley has always sighted another New York native, Leslie West of Mountain, as an influence (listen to the first riff on Mountain's "Never In My Life" and then listen to Ace's "Rip It Out") and you can really hear it on the instrumental "Space Bear" (if you don't kow what Ace means by the term "Space Bear", do yourself a huge favor and seek out the 1979 KISS interview with Tom Snyder). A thick, back-beat hugging twisted heavy blues riff that sits on yer chest, refusing to let you up for air.

"Sister" is a song that has been floating around in the bootleg world for 15 years on demo reels and live-bootlegs. It finally makes it officially recorded debut here and it is a pummeling, crushing bit of Space Rock. Strong enough it could've served as the album opener with ease if they had wnated it that way. A favorite.

The album closes with another instrumental "Fractured Quantum", the fourth in the "Fractured" series. This is by far my favorite of the sequals to the original "Fractured Mirror" from his '78 solo album. This left me with the same feeling I had the first time I heard "Mirror" and that's saying something. Ace is one of the flashiest lead guitarists in the world who came to fame in one of the world's flashiest bands, but this isn't some guitar-hero wankfest here. He shows the caliber of his compositional skills by building a beautiful crescendo throughout the piece with simple melody, dynamics and instrumentation. Leaves me with goosebumps everytime.

The only bland spots in this album are "Too Many Faces" and "It's a Great Life". Neither are bad tunes and are enjoyable, they just simply didn't make much of an impression on me the way the rest of the album did.

Overall, I love this album. It's just what I wanted and expected from Ace, plus a little more. Ace has claimed that he's going to be putting out albums with more regularity now and this is he beginning of a long creative streak for him. To that I say with much affection, "Welcome home big brother. We've missed you."

Jim's Fashion Rules

I don't have much fashion sense nor do I care to. I find the world of fashion devoid of anything redeeming in humanity. Having said that, as a person living in the real world and having to be forced to contend with the outbreaks of various trends I see around me, I DO have a few fashion observations of my own:



If you're over the age of 12 and wear your ball cap backwards, to the side or anyway else but straight forward, you look like an imbecile. Grow up and turn that thing around.



Guys: let's all just take off the necklaces okay? The 70's was a long time ago. And let's give the diamond studs in your ears to your wives/girlfriends. I have earrings myself, nothing against guys with earrings. But guys in diamonds are pussies. Not to mention a bit creepy in that date-rapist kinda way. Sorry, no exceptions.



Shirts should never be tucked in when wearing shorts. It screams, "I'm comfortable, but still REAL uptight".



Rock T-shirts and sports jerseys are not to be tucked in...ever. EVER.



If you're a few years out of the military but are still sporting the haircut, time to try something new.



Let's stop with the God-wear please. Enjoy your faith, be proud, whatever. But stop treating your faith like a rock band and cheapening the sanctity of it by slapping it on a T-shirt. It's obnoxious and trust me, you're not "spreading the word", you're just annoying people.



All you "rebellious" folk in the combat boots, dark-rimmed glasses and wildly colored hair..you're not so rebellious. You're just conforming on the other side of the spectrum. Nice job and enjoy your uniform. And spending $100-200 on Doc Martens at Hot Topic or Journeys isn't that rebellious is it? Giving your money to a big business is what it is. How indie. Slum on down to the thrift shop or Army Surplus store like REAL punks had to do back in the day, okay rebel?

Obama shirts. To quote Bill Mahr, "Hey, I like Obama too. But let's not make a religion out of it."
I like Obama, but I hate to see anybody glorifying ANY politician. Because after all, he's still a politician. Black people, you get a year extension as far as wearing Obama images goes...the first African-American President is a big deal and a historical milestone. Celebrate and be proud. But a year will tell us if he's going to actually be any good or if it was all smoke and mirrors. You get another six months if things are going well. White people, time to dump the shirts...your shoulders must be sore from patting yourselves on the back for voting for the black guy.

Guys who are really, really skinny or really flabby, out of shape wearing a wife-beater out in public. Big, in shape guys who wear wife-beater's in public are douche-y because they're just trying to show off, impress people and are basically insecure. But at least they can fill one of those out in the correct places of the garment.

Extremely out of shape people in athletic/work-out clothing. Okay, I understand that may be the only comfortable thing you can squeeze into. But nothing calls attention to how unhealthy you are than athletic clothes hanging off a completely unathletic body. This goes for the trendy Affliction shirts as well..most people I see in these things would die of coronary failure within two minutes inside the octagon.

Those super tight and skinny emo jeans. They just look uncomfortable. But most emo guy's balls have yet to drop, so I guess there's room a-plenty.



And these are things that instantly put you in douchbag territory:

A faux hawk.

Men: flip-flops with long pants.

A polo shirt with the collar flipped up.

An eyebrow ring.

Clothes ridiculously too big for them.

Clothes ridiculously too small.

Camoflauge outside of hunting activities (WTF???)

Anybody who wears a T-shirt of a band they don't own at least one album from.

To narrow it down even more, anybody who sports Motorhead or Ramones colors and can't name at least five songs from each band, one of which ISN'T "I Wanna Be Sedated" or "Ace Of Spades". Yeah, those bands are cool. But what's even cooler is actually listening to them.

Crocs. Unless you are a nurse or are over 50.

Tye-dye. There, I said it.

Sunglasses worn indoors will get you a first-class ticket on the train to Doucheville.

Young guys in fedoras. You don't look stylish, slick or at all sophisticated. You look like you got lost in your Grandpa's closet.