Saturday, April 14, 2012

cougar problems demo (2012)




new band from clawson michigan, fast ugly guitarless hardcore.........vaguely reminds me of judas iscariot but this is more straightforward and thrash-oriented....this is just a demo, but its definately a good sign for the future when it gets you dancing around in your living room ready to break shit........excellent stuff and i cant wait to hear more and possibly see them do this shit live.








Sunday, April 8, 2012

ill miss this band...........

its official...the shoppers have called it a day......i figure i would write about what they meant to me here........its a huge loss for me and im sure anyone else who was ever touched by this band's music/personal interactions.......



the loss of shoppers is an extremely painful one for me…its like losing a best friend at the height of your friendship…..i was lucky enough to see them multiple times and make one of my newest best friends from this band……they were on an amazing trajectory for sure and (almost) everyone who heard them loved them………in the 25 years ive been listening to/watching/buying music, ive seen/heard/known very few bands who had the kind of personal impact shoppers had on me……in fact i can count the number of bands that touched me in the way this band did on one hand…..once in a decade, once in a lifetime……its not often that you find people like this making music that hits you like a bolt of lighting, music that actually reaches inside you and gets into your heart…….i remember the first time i saw shoppers and how me and meredith talked for hours after the show..how she showered me with awesome free goodies after i told her how far i drove for the show (400 miles)….how i felt like walking on air and stayed up half the night in a hotel room looking at their lp and reading her zine (national handbag) i always had a euphoric feeling after seeing this band……talking for hours after a set with meredith became a tradition for us whenever i saw them……..she was/is (i should say) one of those very rare people i connected with instantly…..someone whos sentences i could almost finish for them…..its like i finally found someone who understands who i am……..in any case the loss of the shoppers is a tragedy…….but hopefully there’s some silver lining to these clouds…….i will support all the members in their future endeavors……i haven’t seen white guilt yet but id really love to…….im not sure if kari has any new projects…..i know meredith has a new band and i cant fuckin wait to hear them……anyways for the band…..you guys affected me more than you’ll ever know……you burned bright and lit up the world and burned out quick…too fast for my liking, but i look forward to the future and what it holds for all of us i love you all and from the bottom of my heart. THANK YOU.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

extremely important!


"Our good friend Sarah Kirsch was diagnosed over summer with Fanconi Anemia - a rare genetic disorder that causes Leukemia & other cancers. Despite being put through the ‘fn ringer by chemotherapy and long hospital stays, Sarah is staying strong and fighting hard, finally out of the hospital and at home with her amazing partner Jess and loving caregivers, Paul and Ilya.

Aside from the unconditional emotional and physical support Sarah has received from her devoted extended family, donations to date have been enormously helpful in lightening the financial burden of this kind of illness. The demand for supplies not covered by insurance is, however, unending - from food to cleaning supplies to lotion to kleenex to parking at the hospital…

If you’re able and would like to contribute in this way, please check out our Wepay account below. There is no donation too small, every $ helps.
Please donate if you can to help a dear friend who changed my life. But first I want to take a minute to say that even if you don’t recognize this name, you may know Sarah. She has been a huge part of the punk/activist community for decades as Mike Kirsch (Fuel, Sawhorse, Pinhead Gunpowder, John Henry West, Torches To Rome, Bread And Circuits, Please Inform The Captain This Is A Hijack, Baader Brains, Mothercountry Motherfuckers, etc….). She not too long ago came out as a proud trans-woman, and almost immediately was confronted with these terrible health problems. Money is badly needed— please help!"  


kirsch  has been in so fucking many bands that were influential to me while growing up….shes given so much to our community, id like to give whatever i can back……..i cant image the pain, stress and anxiety her freinds must be going through right now…..please donate if you can