Young and Beautiful

Remember....when your young and beautiful everybody wants you. Its when you get older, nobody wants you around. Be careful of jobs like bartending or being a waitress. It can back fire. Education is your answer to success. Listen to what I tell you, I'm on your side!!!

Delivery Driver

even tho the idea/work has been around a long time I believe that a new trade has formed that is Delivery Driver. There are skills needed that some folks have and some don't. Let me state a simple yet hard to achieve skill, a smile. yes smile. Knowing locations in case an app sends you the long way you know before do to experience that yes it's the right direction but the long way. The more you pick up in a shift the more you make. With Amazon Flex now in full swing you have a new trade that has developed out of need....welcome to the 21st Century

Vermont

Vermont...the Oregon of the east coast

Cornwell Tool Box Drawer Slides

OK, there's a problem with Cornwell tool boxes. The company does not support older boxes. I'm not bad mouthing them but they do not provide new slides for the drawers of their older tool boxes. The original manufacture states that Cornwell bought all the left over slides and no longer carrier replacements. This means your older box because obsolete with limited resale power if your looking to upgrade your tool box. Me, Im frugal and plan to hold on to my box for many years to come. I've owned it for a while now and they flat out cost a lot of money to replace. Any mechanic out here knows what I mean. Yes Snap-on supports older boxes by providing replacement parts for the boxes if needed. They are double the price of Cornwell. Ya Snap-on is the best but can you afford the best. Like I always say "what you can afford and what you want are sometimes two different worlds." It's a problem for tool box drawers that has been holding a couple of hundred pounds of tools for the past 29 years that the drawer slides break. You can not order a replacement slide for the drawer. They were special made for Cornwell boxes. The measurements do not match any other commonly supplied slides, they make them for other companies as well but Cornwell are one of a kind. Waterloo and Accuride are two manufactures of older slides for drawers on Cornwell boxes. So I made my own fix that I hope helps others who have had the same problem with their slides that break. See pics below!!

Piece of square tubing cut with hack saw

With clamp holding piece in place. Notice the lip to right of clamp this helped with maintaining a gap. Not much maybe 1/8".

Pix with shim stock underneath to maintain gap

slide installed in box. I had to file some of the tab to get it to fit right. It took about 5 minutes!

School Future

In time schools will be replaced with web based learning. Different than what is today with online learning. It will be done by query to online organizations or companies that specialize in particular areas. An example of this is Chegg who helped me get through physics. I would not have passed the class without it. Teachers as we know it today will not exist. A learning platform as we know it today will not exist. There will be no need for a degree's but access to these organization and companies. This will l create a wider gap in society among classes of people. Teaching will come in the form of the ability to look up information with key words to receive the correct answer. The ability to ask the correct question will be taught.


evolve

Tesla Cybertruck

Ok...when I first seen this truck posted on the internet my reaction was "WTF is that" direct quote. Then I looked again without comments and by the time I looked at it for the 6th time "he's on to something here." Elon Musk is a bit of an eccentric because he is ahead of the curve in technology willing to break the molds and smash them to pieces. Who is Elon you ask? Well he runs Tesla and Space X and other companies. He get's financing for any idea he has. I could use some financing contacts for some of my idea's that would help evolve technology and humanity. I just don't have the connections. And connections is what it is all about no matter what your idea is on any subject. Thats one of the many reason's never to burn your bridges, connections. You don't own a crystal ball. I follow Elon mostly because I enjoy technology. He's continually bad mouth by people mainly because he is not part of the norm.  People in general don't like change especially the older they get.

The Cybertruck is absolutely tuff, hard edged, stealth and will become the definition to future truck building. Wide body, 6 seater, means the truck is not cramped like all gas saving trucks on the market today. Not only do have major room but it is electric vehicle. The aerodynamics has been around for some time now but Tesla is the first company to break out and build one. I believe the idea on truck building with such shapes started in the late 90's and strictly for aerodynamics but was focused on commercial trucking. Every mile per gallon counts on commercial trucks they pull off 1 million miles and an extra 2 miles per gallon translates to thousands of added profits. No one had the testicular fortitude to put it into production but Tesla has.

The mold will be broken with this truck and other manufactures will follow the leader in the industry, TESLA. Not only breaks the mold but smashes it to pieces. This will bring interesting design changes to the entire automotive industry, big changes. Remember Elon when your the best at what you do people and businesses will come after you. In droves.

Stay tuned to the next generation of truck building with Tesla setting the standards, the rest of the automotive will follow the leader....

choose life

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Summer Of Screams

It was Tuesday and I was still recovering from an exceptionally volatile weekend with Bohemian involving: booze, music and mayhem. I fell asleep Monday evening at 7:15 after glancing at the clock on my cell to time the hours of sleep I was about to get, 9. My brain was exhausted. I picked up 3 Gatorade and iced them in a cooler in my bedroom so I would not dehydrate overnight. Sounds like direct experience? It is. Waking up in cold sweats would dehydrate me by 3am.
"Hello,"my cell was on a third set of rings, I ignored the first two sets and some one was calling back for a third time, persistent. I glanced at the front screen, it was Bohemian. I turned it on"Yo Dess, this is Bohemian." "I know, I got you log in my cell, " He said"What's up for tonight." Nothing Bo I going to work on a second night of resting my brain.""EFF THAT," he yelled back, "I just scored some tickets to tonight's show, half dozen bands up at the Bungalow Bar and Grill (sorry no web site to date) with Mushroomhead headlining, you coming or what?""Ya but I'm still driving home, I'm passing the club now and they are lining up around the corner, good score come over we'll get a move on." "ON MY WAY" he yelled.

We hoofed it from my place to avoid any bad scenes with the cops after. Approaching the Bungalow we passed Cecil. Cecil is a cross eyed older black dude who owns the Bungalow to supplement his income. He about 67,retired and works part time but close to full time as fry cook and manager. Social security covers most essentials such as rent and food but falls short on booze and cigs. The Bungalow afforded him such sin's of human nature. Normally Cecil is a happy dude constantly half buzzed from sampling booze in between orders. This night he had that Grinch look. Scrunching his eye's apparently pissed off at some thing. It was none of my business and just gave Cecil a wave and a "Hay Cecil how's it going" with the intent on continuing walking by. Cecil stopped dead in his tracks and yelled back "HOWS IT GOING? LET ME TELL YOU KID, HOWS IT GOING. The cook "banged out" sick and I got 200 plus EFFING patrons with half of them ordering food. I'm the only EFFING one on.That's how's it going." I bobbed my head and started walking again. Bohemian looked over at and said "Wow he's pissed."" Ya I guess he had it in his head to sit by the dish washer all night jabbering to him self like he usually does sipping booze."
The show started at 5:30pm which left no time to go home and cook dinner before the show. That is if you worked for a living. They sold out on burgers and working on selling out on chicken fingers and fries. Cecil had the Grinch face all night while carrying plates of food above his head to avoid smearing ketchup over people who knocked into him. "WHO'S GOT THE FINGERS AND FRY'S." Most people had ordered fingers and fry's so the hole night was confusing on who ordered first with the bar tenders keeping track the best they could. Cecil didn't give a sh#t. Food ordering is secondary to booze ordering at the Bungalow. I guess if you own a bar and trying to move more food, try having a show start at 5:30 and watch.

Unsaid Fate started things off after some local bands doing cover's exited the stage. I always dig women singing metal just because it is fairly rare to see. Jackie LaPonza is a freak by nature. She entered into the bar and at first I didn't know who she was. With her tight belling showing. She was walking straight at me yet looked right through me as if I wasn't there. She was babbling incoherently to her self while making a bee line to the stage. I was wide eyed and  moved out of her path and she passed me babbling and pointing to the sky.I thought for sure I was about to be steam rolled. Not much better than a hot chick who's a freak. It just makes the conversation interesting. Freaks have a tendency to talk a lot about nothing yet seemingly making sense.  In turn you tend to believe the conversation hoping she's this freaky in bed. Her metal set turned out to be as good as her looks which is saying a lot. Unsaid Fate members kicked in a heavy set with Jackie providing the flare. You got to have something and this band has two. Heavy metal and hot chick!

Next up Kissing Candice. Heavy visual band, theatrical metal as I like to say. Most dudes don't like Theatrical Metal they prefer other names such as Heavy Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal and other names that sound cool.  Dressed up in masks and Halloween type costumes. I see it as a performance within a musical performance and when coupled with some simple choreography it becomes visually consuming. I expected a band like Kissing Candice to be second to last right before the headliner but this was not the case which is a case for showing up early. If you skipped out the early part of the show you would have missed Kissing Candice. A first rate Theatrical Metal Core band which are worth the price of admission alone. The show started at like 5:30pm and ended at 12:30am. They entered at about 7pm which is early. Maybe its me but I never seen a band sound so good and be early in a set. Major league visual band in costume, a movie vibe to the set endorsed by Metal Core. If your into Metal Core check these dudes out.

The Browning, well known to every one in the place but me and two others. They have been bitching sense 2005 out of Kansas City. Jonny McBee the vocalist was able to command the crowd at will. Setting up the "PIT" by telling the patrons which direction to move while moshing like a tornado effect. The final was a wall of death. This is where the crowd splits down the middle and upon command charge each other and collide center stage. The biggest mosh happened during there set if your into that and most of the crowd was. After The Browning exited the stage Jonny was signing CD's for fans and chatting. Later he joined the crowd center stage to enjoy the rest of the show.
Headliners Mushroomhead have one of the most visual sets I have seen to date. Their costumes are not complex but command attention when they are on stage. The lights play off their masks of a devils face. Using different masks at different tours. These masks where well thought out by some one into stage work and costumes and it was not a coincidence that the gear worked. Not only looked cool but worked with the light show that is part of the set. Pretty wild and something that I enjoy while watching metal bands perform that make use of Theatrical Metal.

Thanks Side Stage Magazine for the photo. My cell camera sucked as far as pictures as I was too far from the stage(for good reason:moshing) to get a publishable shot. That picture above is what was happening all night.I checked Mushroomhead images on google to get a good example of  that show and started to compare their image of this tour compared to other tours and I found this tour to be one of if not the most visual stage set to date. The band has two singers who play off each other in the songs and have much to say in their music. It is evident that they have a message, by the way they bounced lyrics back and forth off each other. This is coupled with two drummers who take front stage with batons playing in time with the beat. More as a show rather than part of the band. The drummer, Steve "skinny" Felton who has been a member with the band sense 1993 kicked ass in the back round. I watched him exclusively from time to time and he never let up. The image he gave me was that he completely enjoyed what he was doing complete with side smashes on the cymbals. This is when you take the stick and start on your right and smash the sh#t out of the cymbal on your left. I got a major kick out of watching him smash cymbals and twirl the sticks in the air and bounce them off the skins all in perfect timing. This is a direct result to a well rehearsed band.

Chevelle (band)

May 25, 2017, my daughter's birthday an easy day to remember and a memorable evening. As soon as the tickets came on sale, I bought two. Optimistic on having date to join me at the show. With one particular lady on mind. I've been patiently waiting to see the boys live for a couple of years now. Only recently in 2014 that I have heard of them. They have been around sense 1995. With 4 million albums under their belt from a total of 8 albums. Is alum the correct word to use today, idk. Albums have seen a recent return as of 2018 as band now start to release vinyl as part of their promotion package and receive a very serious cult following with their release. Albums are cool in their own way. You get the songs, some pictures of the band and usually some writing whether it's reviews or the band members chatting to an interviewer. Or should I be using the word CD. Today CDs are out, and music is downloaded so I guess CD word usage would be incorrect and album partially correct, and downloads totally correct. Rolling Stone uses album. what do you think?
The band started out with all brothers in the band. and later a brother in-law joining to fill a vacancy left by Joe Loeffler in 2005. It is rumored that he was sh#t canned yet the band members polity state he left on his own accord. Joe joins the band in its beginning in 1995 at the ripe age of 14. Drummer Sam Loeffler does most of the interviews for the band and enjoys talking about the band. The singer, Pete Loeffler keeps quiet. being together for 23 years to date and living together for years before that they amazingly retain enthusiasm for being out on the road. This was quite evident during the live performance as Pete poked fun at the more popular Sam. and Sam drew a loader applause from the crowd while being introduced.

At this time, I would like to plug the backup band. I don't know their name they never told us. Apparently, they assumed that we knew who they are, we didn't and the lack of tee shirt sales for the backup band should reflect this. The singer kept tell the audience that they were from LA. LA being the city of Los Angeles in California, USA. "We're from LA." It was stated at least 6 times during their set and not once did he mention the band's name. Where we to be impressed by where there from? This is a through back to the hair band days that all seemed to be from LA or at least claimed they were from LA. Today, nobody cares if you're from LA, NYC or Boise Idaho for that matter. So, stop telling us. I not necessarily bad mouthing them just stating some key facts, now I will bad mouth them. You put so much effort in a band to take flight in the form of going on tour and when the opportunity happens you put on one of the worst soundings sets, I have ever encountered. I have heard better sounding sets at clubs with 120-person capacity. The backup band was saving money of quality sound gear and personal and it reflected in their show. It was the worst muddy and washed out set ever. If I was in Chevelle I would have been pissed because people in the audience payed money to hear it. Chevelle absolutely floored them with quality of sound. By using quality equipment and not going cheap on a sound person. I will leave that at that. I'm not too big on negative writing but just couldn't hold back on this one.
Back to Chevelle. The crowd was diverse in age. From 18 straight through to all silver hair. This is prevalent at many shows today. The age barrier is disappearing as generation X'ers gets older and hold a different view on life than the generation before them who mentally retired at the age of 40. If you're a band and able to attract such a diverse crowd you're not a fade, you're in it for the long term. The light show that was put on during Chevelle's set was beyond impressive. I did not even remotely expect it. It was a performance on its own and worth the price of admission. I was particularly fond of the strobe lights being partial to the fact my great grandfather invented it.
I was accompanied by a friend name Bohemian (nick name). Weighting in at 270 plus as a direct result of his bad eating habits. Calories are not the concern taste is. "I've got tickets to tonight's show." he belched out. "What show" I replied. Chevelle at the Casino. We're off. I jumped into my yellow Chevy station wagon on loan from my father.

"We need daiquiri mix and strawberries". I demanded as he jumped in the passenger seat. We headed to Hampton Beach stopping at the store to pick up need fuel. Daiquiri mix and 2 dozen Coors Lights stored in a 48-quart cooler with 3 packs of ice, we were set. Checking in to the rooms and immediately mixing drinks with Bohemian dicing up the strawberries. "We have 2 hours to kill while we wait for the show" he blasted out that could be heard down the block. "That's plenty of time for a primmer session of drinks and beer. Bohemian wanted to get one room with 2 beds to save a few bucks, but I said no. He, at times, has trouble with soap and water and skips this part of the day. Lack of proper dental hygiene is another. I have explained to him on several occasions about bacteria growth and the trouble maintaining a conversation without looking away.

After "where from LA" exited the stage there was a short break in which me and Bohemian headed for the bar to douse an internal fire in our intestines. I yelled out "i'll take 3 Coors Lights" Bohemian yelled out "2 shots of whiskey and 2 Coors minus the light." "Please." The bar tender returned with my order first sense I ordered first. 2 Coors Lights. "That's it dude no 3...2."
Chevelle came on stage with a massive roar from the crowd and me and Bohemian pushed for the stage. At 270 plus he makes a good plow and plow he did to about 5th row to the right in front of Dean Bernardini the bass player. We would later refer to him as quiver lips. He was back up singer and at times no voice would come from his mouth. At first, we thought it was bad work at the sound board and somehow was left out of the mix. Not true. Bohemian yelled out "clear your throat Dean," "you have a frog in your throat!" Bohemian voice carried to Dean's ears with ease as he turned from the mic and coughed and returned to the mic to sing back up. I high five'd Bohemian, his foghorn vocals cut through the mix.

The crowd swayed from left to right and Bohemian was yelling "watch the drinks! watch the drinks!" Sweat started to pour from my pours and it was 50 f outside. Some influx of outside air would have helped. By the end of the set, I was personally satisfied, and glad Bohemian called me with the tickets.
"We're from LA..."

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Black Label Society

Three days earlier...

I was at the dentist having two teeth extracted for an unknown reason other than it was recommended by my dentist. They didn't hurt but infected, infected with what? I don't know. One was a wisdom tooth that my mother didn't pay to have removed when I was younger to "save a few bucks" and now was the time to remove it at my expense, thanks MA. This dentist office is a joy to visit. Full of lovely ladies who like to smile and make me smile for no reason other than seeing them smile makes me smile, OK? There slender bodies also are enough to make most men smile.        Walking in, I purposely ignored Chelsea (who is my favorite), to let her know that yes, I'm interested. This is how women like it: if you ignore them they love you if you show attention to them they can't be bothered with you. Got it? This usually true but not always. Chelsea is married but still can look. She had a baby recently and did not gain an ounce of weight. This pisses most women off. She has jet black hair and large "look at me" eye balls and weighs in at ninety-eight pounds on a rainy day. She's aware I'm playing the game and gets a chuckle out of it. I was lead into a small 9'x9' room. With the typical chair, overhead light, counter, movable shelf on the chair and vacuum used to remove excess saliva from your mouth.

My teeth were cleaned a month earlier when it was discovered I needed the extractions and other work that conveniently added up to the max amount allowable by my insurance minus a hundred so not to raise any red flags. The insurance pays 80% of most work being done. The bill is submitted and then there is a negotiated rate. The insurance company negotiates a lower price (never higher) as if cleaning teeth was something new and the cost needed to be negotiated. All these years I thought cleaning teeth was standard practice in a Dentist office and the fee for doing the cleaning is a "known." At first, I thought that the negotiation accrued after I had paid my 20% which would mean I paid more than 20%, follow me on that? After several phone calls the ladies straighten me out and rest ashore my 20% was after the negotiations had taken place. It would have meant that my 20% was 35%. Ever wonder why insurance is so much? I'm not cheap but I’m frugal and you’re not going to get away with that one with me, yes, I read the bill. This was all part of my theory on the "new style of management" that goes on today. Another is make benefits hard to get. My company has an eye doctor that we go get eye exams from, but you go to another to get prescription glasses. This is in hopes that you don't go (making it harder for you) so they can "save a few bucks." It worked I did not get any reading glasses this year because I keep forgetting to go to the "other" eye doctor to have them made and lost the original prescription paper work (I'm not that organized). My manager likes to tell everyone that he doesn't have a primary care physician, my theory is he is promoting to everyone not to have a primary care physician by use of power of suggestion, so they "save a few bucks" at the cost of everyone's health. He's sixty-four so he would be a damn fool not to have a doctor. They are a big company and they pay the bill not the insurance company (this is something new). The insurance company just handles the paper work but does not pay the cost of visits. Next scam: the insurance company payed for standard ex-rays of my teeth. The discovery of my rotting teeth was made with these photos. This was not enough, and a Panoramic view was needed by my Dentist and a new type of ex-ray was needed, the insurance did not cover this. Then I was told yet another view was needed, and I asked, "what view is that and does my insurance cover it?" It was a 3D view and no they don't cover it. Maybe it’s me but I get the impression when an insurance company won't cover it then it's not needed, call it logic thinking. Or better yet why don't we just take a 3D view of my teeth from the start that way I don't go through the added costs of a panoramic view and basic prints? I chocked it up as a revolutionary way of Dentistry (it must be a good thing) due to Chelsea's smile and payed the bill.
Teeth extraction... 

It was time, I laid (not sure which lay to use laid or layed, YES I GOOGLED IT!!) there in the chair with two assistance staring at me and an uneasy feeling rippled through my body. I forgot to check for excess build up in my nostrils and it was too late to check. The assistance was focused in on me. There are several rules when visiting a health care professional. First: Check for excess build up in your nostrils and second: check your drawers. I did neither. I was going to excuse myself to use the bathroom and double check. At that point the Dentist walked in and it was "time." My blood pressure was on the list of things to take and record. It was already taken earlier in the appointment, but I didn't want to be disruptive and tell them it was already taken. This time my pressure was high. It had gone up after the discussion on filming my teeth and how it was costing me an extra $800 plus, in photo prints. It was discovered that the pressure was taken earlier with lower numbers. I just smiled like Chelsea when they asked about the higher pressure. It was a 10-point increase. She was all business with six jabs of the needle to comfort my jaw with sedation. It turns out that she was " saving a few bucks" with Novocain and while drilling a sharp lightning bolt hit my spinal cord that straighten my back that only a chiropractor would appreciate. She asked, " did that hurt?" I answered with "GEEERG" due to the amount of saliva build up in my mouth and the fixture they had installed to keep my mouth open and not clamp shut on her fingers.

She understood and stopped in inject more "juice." That worked, my entire left side of my head froze UP to my eye socket. "How’s that" she asked. I nodded yes. The temperature on my body was starting to rise and my skin became clammy with sweat. Not a full sweat like in the gym but mild stickiness: clammy. The Doctor dug in with several tools on the plate. She worked on the first tooth for over an hour and I started to get tunnel vision. My vision was cloudy on the sides of my sight and the paper work that I signed earlier was beginning to make sense. It was relief for the Dentist if I died on the chair while she worked on my teeth that this was a possibility. I have never heard of someone dying while at the Dentist but apparently someone has. Was I to become a statistic? She was no longer placing her tools on the tray but was dropping them on my chest. She yanked with full might and asked an assist to move the overhead light that was positioned behind her head. Apparently, she was afraid the tooth would let go and she would bounce her head off the light. She used no less than six different tools on my tooth. Finally, a loud cracking sound, Dentist said "it’s OK, your teeth are cracking and breaking free." One thing I would like to talk about is more directed to Dentists. It's odd to have someone ask you questions while your mouth is wired open and expect a "full" answer, Just odd. She asked questions while extracting my teeth and apparently understood my answers. Isn't it hard to understand someone who has three fingers in their mouth, 6 ounces of saliva in the back of their throat with trouble pulling the tooth out.
Show time.... 
I pounded down 1/2 a dozen Coors Light as a primer for the night. I knew or figured the club would be paying the rent on alcohol sales for the night. I stayed at a nearby hotel and had no fear of staggering back to the room. Worcester MA USA is an old working-class city that current home prices exceed two hundred thousand dollars which is passed what most working-class people can afford even today. I still seen building that are abandoned which was common place for this city twenty years ago. The club (Palladium)is an old theater that had been resurrected by someone who picked the theater up for ten cents on the dollar which was possible at one time in Worcester.

Complete with balcony seating. The crowd move quickly inside even with security checking everyone regardless of who they were or who they thought they were. I was expecting a minimum of forty-five minutes entrance time, it took ten. The entrance to the theater is all doors, If I remember right six doors, all glass fitting for a theater. Everyone was padded down completely. The line to the bar was thirty deep and I decided at that time not to bother with drinking it was just going to take too much time to get a beer. When you have lines of thirty plus people trying to get a drink it’s time to rethink your strategy for serving alcohol. I positioned myself to the left of the stage (while looking at the stage) and was about thirty feet from the stage. It was just under a small balcony and it had only one entrance to get in, it was above the ground floor, so I could see the stage perfectly. This perfect vantage point caught on after the second opening act (Red Fang) and started to get a bit tight. I was rubbing shoulders with the dude next to me (not cool).
Corrosion of Conformity....

You know what? I had forgotten about this band or should I say how much I like their music. There were four bands total and Corrosion of Conformity was the backup band to the main act, yet they could have headlined this show on their own. Zero egos in the way of this tour. Tonight show was going to be a "twofer." Two for the price of one. As they started playing I started recognizing the tunes one by one and an unavoidable smile came across my face with a light giggle. A light giggle because I had forgotten how much I liked them and realized that I was a part of a tour that is worth seeing for the price I just payed. I would have paid the same for just the main act. The band has had five albums in the top ten which translates into headliner. The band mainly consists of original members which dates to 1982. There were periods where there were different members, but the originals came back starting back in 2010. The band had called it quits before that for several years then realized how much fun they had. This is evident in their stage appearance, they generally seem to be enjoying what they do. This is a trait I look for when watching acts perform. Some bands I have seen look bored with the whole thing. Not true with Corrosion of Conformity. The lead guitarist, Woody Weatherman is powerful with his white worn SG. He played the same guitar all night without needing to re-tune. Pepper Keenan (guitarist lead vocals) was flipping guitars every song. Like burgers at McDonald's. Nothing like good ole cheap guitars. I could have sworn I seen Bill Lawrence pickups but could not find any reference to these on Weatherman's SG. Bill Lawrence pickups were made famous by Dimebag of Pantera. Pepper (cool name) also formed Down with ex member of Pantera Phil Anselmo. If you have not heard of Down and you like Corrosion of Conformity check them out. Both bands play heavy into the guitar riffs taking the lead. Pepper and Woody have a YouTube channel chatting about guitar riffs, Orange amps and other subjects that make a band click. Which is worth checking out if you’re interested in seeing band members hangout chatting.
Main act... 

Black Label Society is a band that I have been wanting to see for ten years but just unable to make it happen due to bad timing on my behalf. To join Black Label Society, you need to have a beard. No Beard= no entrance into the band. Not only to join the band but also to be part of the road crew. Everyone I seen setting up had beards. The backup bands had beards...everyone. No equal opportunity for employment here, you either have a beard or your gone. The whole thing reminded me of Chinese restaurants. I was interested in pairing Zakk Wylde up against Slash (no Ronny I’m not putting your name in here...stop) but quickly realized during the show that they are two different guitarist. Zakk (these days) is a shredder were Slash is more traditional rock and roll guitarist. Both are probable or arguably the best guitarist this generation is witnessing. At least for my style of music goes. I say these days about Zakk because at one time he played for Ozzy (last name not needed). Shredding was not Ozzy's style. During the show Zakk would change guitars to complement a sound for the song they were playing, it was evident. Guitarist get tuned into tones to a point that they change guitars for different songs, so it sounds right. Most people in the crowd can’t tell any difference but guitarist(musicians) can. They are fanatical about it. Half way through the set Zakk (for some unexplained reason) launched into a fifteen-minute speech about his band mates being sexually transmitted disease free. Commonly referred to as STD's. So, ladies, I guess this means green light. Later Zakk launched into a fifteen-minute shred that could be or should be entered into the Guinness Book of Records as the longest shred. He did this while hanging for the balcony. Yes balcony. He plowed through the crowd with his road crew and went up the balcony. The guitar never unplugged. The crew held it up over the heads of the crowd. Yes, there was one dude who tried to unplug the guitar and he was stomped like an old cig. Half way point in their set most of the women accompanying guys started to leave. One delicious blonde was rubbing the privet parts of the dude next to me which made me somewhat uncomfortable, I just felt like I was part of it and didn't want to be. On top of that there just wasn't room for this. They were generally board and becoming tired. This freed up much need space in the section I was in and I moved up even closer which was about thirty feet from the stage. John DeServio, "JD" as he is called was making connections with the audience with waves and smiles. The only thing was you needed a beard for him to make connection with you. Cool I thought but I also felt left out sense he was waving, at one point, to the dude next to me. Jeff Fabb pounded the skins for Black Label Society. Jeff has an impressive resume playing: Filter, Sixx: A.M. (Nikki Sixx of Motley Crew fame) and In This Moment. I passed him in the hotel apparently Black Label Society was staying in the same hotel. Dario Lorina, axe man for Black Label Society played a list of guitars not because they went out of tune but because he owned them. Dario looks comfortable playing the guitar at least that is the impression I got watching him. He also looks like he generally doesn't wear a beard but it’s a requirement in Zakk's band. The show was well worth the thirty-five dollars and many, including myself, would consider it a bargain as far as ticket prices go...Live Life!

Chopper following

Bill the Cop circa 1994 with his 1971 Harley Davidson FLH big twin

Bill the Cop 2017 with his 1963 Harley Davidson Panhead Chopper

1963 Chopper with Vietnam Vet Rat ( Hawg Doctor from Somerville Mass (the 90's)) retired

1963 Chopper

Morbid Angel-Suffocation

Morbid Angel-Suffocation

Sold out: Two words I wasn't interesting in hearing when it came to seeing Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Revocation and Withered jam at the Brighton Music Hall. Those are two words I will hear if I didn't purchase tickets ahead of the show. With a paper ticket that are no longer ripped in half at the door I can hold on to a tangible piece of my memory.
Returning to Allston after being away for some time because of relocating to affordable living gave me an odd but delightful piece of mind. I somewhat forgot how much I enjoy Boston or city life for that matter. This part of Boston is one of the most diverse parts of Boston with a mixture of Asian, white, African American, Caribbean and South American folk. It's an artsy community with music small stores owned by locals and a night life that's hard to match. It's been this way for as long I have known and will remain this way because it is part of the culture of the area and why people move to the area. There is a serious amount of people watching that goes on and not a part of the city if you like to hang inside.
A legendary show was about to happen at the #BRIGHTONmusicHALL with #DEATHmetal headliners coming to town. Morbid Angel and Suffocation have been at it for some thirty years and counting. Death Metal has been way ahead of its time and is coming to the limelight as far as mainstream music is concerned. The whole thing reminds me of solar energy which has been around longer than thirty years and is just now coming to light. With Morbid Angel and Suffocation never given up on the music they love, and it looks like the recognition they deserve. With Morbid Angel being considered by most as one of the founders to Death Metal. The whole thing started out as a high school band making some noise in a garage. Turned it into a new genre of music. The same as, Led Zeppelin did with Heavy Metal. I came across the tour on, Blabbermouth or it was Loudwire not sure which one. I was glad I did come across it. I don't watch cable and haven't sense about 2009 but I'm constantly researching or reading online about the same amount of time as most spend watching cable. I ruled it out of my life for good and we are currently witnessing the end of cable TV as we know it right now (I'm not the only one doing this). I don't like someone thinking they are programing me to think like them and if I don't like the way a news article is written I simple switch to a different site. News media are so into getting people to politically think like them that this will old way of doing things will be their demise. Flat out- people are tuning into this and tuning them out.
#Suffocation is the major backing band to #MORBIDangel and for good reason. Sense 1988 theses dogs have been tearing up the fret board lead by Terrance Hobbs (guitar) and Derek Boyer (bass). Terrance runs the lead guitar with some of the most complex leads I have ever heard and ranks right up there with the best in the business whomever you feel is the best. I would pay cash to watch a transcriber work on one of Suffocation's songs never mind two songs. Halfway through their set I took a deep breath and realized I needed to practice more on my leads. Pro Jazz guitarists would be impressed. Engl-Amps use to endorse Terrance Hobbs, but he was playing through Peavey that night. It's in #Engl best interest to pick him back up as an endorser to his mad guitar riffs. Nothing against Peavey but Engl are the big dogs of metal amps. The next day after the show I started working on my leads on the guitar...thanks Terrance!!! Derek Boyer heads up the bass part of the band and stands that bass up on the stage like one of those old stand-up basses you see in an orchestra and nails it. The image I got while he was playing was that he was taking command of the troops and who out in the audience is going to back him. Count on me Derek and after this tour you should have an army to lead to battle...                                                             #Morbid Angel

Morbid Angel coming to a 500-capacity club in Boston was about to be and is legendary. Some shows I know will be legendary and some I don't know that I have attended in the past. Death metal has in the past been shunned by live music outlets in the past, but times are changing and changing fast. If you're a club owner who passed on Death Metal bands, you might want to rethink your past decisions and come up to mainstream and understand that Rock and Roll is dead to many, and metal is the new front.
Trey Azagthoth original guitarist for Morbid Angel, Scott Fuller on the burst drums, Steven Tucker on bass and lead vocals with Dan Vadin Von on the second guitar. Steve Tucker has been on and off with the band over the years and is in Trey's/ Morbid Angel's best interest to keep him at the helm. I arrived a couple hours early to the show to walk around and do some people watching. The band was hanging out front of the club on a bench and checking out the scene that Allston has to offer. With a couple of hot smoke'n groupies (I missed that photo op, I wasn't thinking). I didn't bother them with the big smile and start asking way too many questions that most do. Just treated them as part of the scene. about two hours before the show, they went inside to do a sound check which I could easily hear outside and took over their position on the bench. My feet needed some cooling off I must have done 8 miles of walking prior to that point. A pizza delivery dude walked by with 1/2 dozen pies and his girlfriend. He had his metal vest on littered with band patches and was all smiles on this delivery. Explaining to security at the door that he was making a delivery to the band and needed to enter the club before hours. Showed the dude the pie's and was waved in. Later I seen him inside the club during the show, he must have received a ticket as a tip and ya he was all smiles. Best tip he's gotten in a long time, I'm sure....                                    #Suffocation 

Suffocation exited the stage with a roar of the crowd both thanks for the show and anticipation of the next band Morbid Angel. I was 3 rows back from the stage and to the left as far as I go. I know better than to be anywhere near center stage and if you're interested in Death Metal and unfamiliar what goes on take my advice and stay left, right or out back things get wild center stage. A young lady apparently studying at Boston College or another institution (from the clothes she was wearing) wandered up center stage, with drinks in hand, looking around as to question why we left such a gap in front of the stage. Halfway through the first song of Morbid Angel I looked to see if she was still around. Gone ...she was engulfed by the mosh pit!!!! I just chuckled to myself.
The setup of the band was complete, and anticipation started to fill the air like humidity you could feel it. Morbid Angel took the stage and the packed crowd started to sway as people maned position for the start of the show. "ARE YOU READY" and the band launched into its set without any further hesitation. I immediately got splashed with a drink by an inexperienced dude getting too close to the "pit." Down went 8 bucks' cash. This was uncool mainly because I was driving home after the show and not a cop in the USA would believe me if I told them I wasn't drinking which I wasn't I just smelled like booze. Lesson learned...never bring your drinks close to a mosh pit. The echo used on Steve's voice was awesome sounding and I got this impression I was in a movie not sure why, but I just did. The burst drum is a fa-nominal effect used by the drummer where the bass drums are constantly pounding at a fast rate. The shock waves explode the foundation of the club and surly cracks were left in the cement. That was a great kick off to my summer and I hope it is an indicator of some good times to come this summer...Dess

                                                            Morbid Angel

Sold out: Two words I wasn't interesting in hearing when it came to seeing Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Revocation and Withered jam at the Brighton Music Hall. Those are two words I will hear if I didn't purchase tickets ahead of the show. With a paper ticket that are no longer ripped in half at the door I can hold on to a tangible piece of my memory.
Returning to Allston after being away for some time because of relocating to affordable living gave me an odd but delightful piece of mind. I some what forgot how much I enjoy Boston or city life for that matter. This part of Boston is one of the most diverse parts of Boston with a mixture of Asian, white, African American, Caribbean and South American folk. It's an artsy community with music small stores owned by locals and a night life that's hard to match. Its been this way for as long I have know and will remain this way because it is part of the culture of the area and why people move to the area. There is a serious amount of people watching that goes on and not a part of the city if you like to hang inside.
A legendary show was about to happen at the #BRIGHTONmusicHALL with #DEATHmetal headliners coming to town.Morbid Angel and Suffocation have been at it for some thirty years and counting. Death Metal has been way ahead of its time and is coming to the lime light as far as main stream music is concerned.The whole thing reminds me of solar energy which has been around longer than thirty years and is just now coming to light. With Morbid Angel and Suffocation never given up on the music they love and it looks like the recognition they deserve. With Morbid Angel being considered by most as one of the founders to Death Metal. The whole thing started out as a high school band making some noise in a garage. Turned it into a new genre of music. The same as ,Led Zeppelin did with Heavy Metal. I came across the tour on ,Blabbermouth or it was Loudwire not sure which one. I was glad I did come across it. I don't watch cable and haven't sense about 2009 but I'm constantly researching or reading online about the same amount of time as most spend watching cable. I ruled it out of my life for good and we are currently witnessing the end of cable TV as we know it right now (I'm not the only one doing this). I don't like some one thinking they are programing me to think like them and if I don't like the way a news article is written I simple switch to a different site. News media are so into getting people to politically think like them that this will old way of doing things will be their demise. Flat out- people are tuning into this and tuning them out.
#Suffocation is the major backing band to #MORBIDangel and for good reason. Sense 1988 theses dogs have been tearing up the fret board lead by Terrance Hobbs (guitar) and Derek Boyer (bass). Terrance runs the lead guitar with some of the most complex leads I have ever heard and ranks right up there with the best in the business whom ever you feel is the best. I would pay cash to watch a transcriber work on one of Suffocation's songs never mind two songs. Half way through their set I took a deep breath and realized I needed to practice more on my leads. Pro Jazz guitarist's would be impressed. Engl-Amps use to endorse Terrance Hobbs but he was playing through Peavey that night. It's in #Engl best interest to pick him back up as an endorser to his mad guitar riffs. Nothing against Peavey but Engl are the big dogs of metal amps. The next day after the show I started working on my leads on the guitar...thanks Terrance!!! Derek Boyer heads up the bass part of the band and stands that bass up on the stage like one of those old stand up basses you see in an orchestra and nails it. The image I got while he was playing was that he was taking command of the troops and who out in the audience is gonna back him. Count on me Derek and after this tour you should have an army to lead to battle.
Morbid Angel coming to a 500 capacity club in Boston was about to be and is legendary. Some shows I know will be legendary and some I don't know that I have attended in the past. Death metal has in the past been shunned by live music outlets in the past but times are changing and changing fast. If your a club owner who past on Death Metal bands you might want to rethink your past decisions and come up to main steam and under stand that Rock and Roll is dead to many and metal is the new front.
Trey Azagthoth original guitarist for Morbid Angel, Scott Fuller on the burst drums, Steven Tucker on bass and lead vocals with Dan Vadin Von on the second guitar. Steve Tucker has been on and off with the band over the years and is in Trey's/ Morbid Angel's best interest to keep him at the helm. I arrived a couple hours early to the show to walk around and do some people watching. The band was hanging out front of the club on a bench and checking out the scene that Allston has to offer. With a couple of hot smoke'n groupies (I missed that photo op, I wasn't thinking). I didn't bother them with the big smile and start asking way too many questions that most do. Just treated them as part of the scene. about two hours before the show they went inside to do a sound check which I could easily hear out side and took over their position on the bench. My feet needed some cooling off I must have done 8 miles of walking prior to that point. A pizza delivery dude walked by with 1/2 dozen pie's and his girl friend. He had his metal vest on littered with band patches and was all smiles on this delivery. Explaining to security at the door that he was making a delivery to the band and needed to enter the club before hours. Showed the dude the pie's and was waved in. Later I seen him inside the club during the show, he must have received a ticket as a tip and ya he was all smiles. Best tip he's gotten in a long time I'm sure.
Suffocation exited the stage with a roar of the crowd both thanks for the show and anticipation of the next band Morbid Angel. I was 3 rows back from the stage and to the left as far as I go. I know better than to be any where near center stage and if your interested in Death Metal and unfamiliar what goes on take my advise and stay left, right or out back things get wild center stage. A young lady apparently studying at Boston College or another institution (from the clothes she was wearing) wandered up center stage, with drinks in hand, looking around as to question why we left such a gap in front of the stage. Half way through the first song of Morbid Angel I looked to see if she was still around. Gone ...she was engulfed by the mosh pit!!!! I just chuckled to myself.
The setup of the band was complete and anticipation started to fill the air like humidity you could feel it. Morbid Angel took the stage and the packed crowd started to sway as people maned position for the start of the show."ARE YOU READY" and the band launched into it's set without any further hesitation. I immediately got splashed with a drink by an an inexperienced dude getting too close to the "pit." Down went 8 bucks cash. This was uncool mainly because I was driving home after the show and not a cop in the USA would believe me if I told them I wasn't drinking which I wasn't I just smelled like booze. Lesson learned...never bring your drinks close to a mosh pit. The echo used on Steve's voice was awesome sounding and I got this impression I was in a movie not sure why but I just did. The burst drum is a fa-nominal effect used by the drummer where the bass drums are constantly pounding at a fast rate. The shock waves explode the foundation of the club and surly cracks were left in the cement. That was a great kick off to my summer and I hope it is an indicator of some good times to come this summer...Dess

Morbid Angel

Klark Teknik Sq1setting up as a limiter

Mackie Onyx 1640 EQ

Klark SQ1 insert cable

Klark Teknik Square one

Guitar Buckle Rash

Efficiency

Well as we evolve into an artificial world were efficiency is paramount to survival and blindly lose focus on what living and living things are about. Living animals are disappearing slowly but effectively. “Effectively?” yes effectively. In order for destruction to occur properly it must slowly descend upon us until it’s too late to recognize that it has happened. Human beings and animals are not efficient enough for the human mind. We continue to find ways to eliminate human’s involvement in work and in play. Some day we will be stagnant. Meaning no reason to move, it won’t be efficient. Animals are fun to look at we enjoy their looks and cuteness but could care less of their survival.Animals. Generally, they are in the way of progress. There is money to made from the fur. From the tusks. From their gallbladders and other parts, just toss the rest into a pile of waste. The human is far from efficient and replacement has come at an alarming rate. Many of you surly know someone or could have been you who has had to make a career change due to elimination of the inefficient human element. Welcome to the 21st century. You will need to stay on your toes in this new world as positions are eliminated and replaced by machines and calculations. It is far more efficient to have a computer run things than to have you run them. Today if you don’t have a degree in any field good luck finding a good paying job. Today’s corporate world won’t accept you like they did in the 20th century…why? They would have to teach you fundamentals and that is inefficient. Soon two degrees or more will be prevalent. I seen it coming a couple of years back and jammed the books.
Who cares about peace and love and humanity. There is no money in it dude.
Continue watching as animals in the wild slowly disappear and some day it is going to be you……..

Powerman 5000

Powerhouse 5000 or otherwise known as Powerman 5000 has launched an assault on the United States.Powerman 5000

true meanings

1. Socialite= rich man's party girl,
2. dancer= stripper,
3. model= prostitute
4. self evaluation= Human resource department tool used to not give you a raise
5. Hi= I don't have time to talk or even look at you
6. good morning= I mean it
7. Blue eye shadow= she's on the hunt: the darker the shade the more they're looking,br> 8. not looking or paying attention to you= they are interested (possibly, keep testing),br> 9. the stare with a hand shake (with no blinking)= some odd test people do at work (dude, absolutely disturbing)
10. the new way to interview= not given the resume from Human Resources of the person your interviewing to see if the interviewee can explain there back round to you. Complete waste of time on both sides. 9 out 10 times you don't qualifie its just H.R. cant find anyone who does.
11. Favorite sport= women's beach volleyball( my all time favorite sport). I always get a blank look when asked whats my favorite sport and with this reply.
12. EFF= polite way to say f#ck
13. classic, "I only had a couple,"= completely smashed and forgotten how many
14. a long "HHHIIII" with a smile= I'm being forced to meet you
15. red blotches on the neck= they are embarrassed

Know who I am before I leave you behind

Home Owners Insurance

I started to talk about this about 10 years ago about pex tubing and the problems that will be coming. Insurance companies need to be more involved in building materials used to build homes and commercial properties. Any involved in auto parts will confirm that the quality of parts made in China have an unreliable performance compared to quality, more expensive parts. Personally I have moved away from brands I have never heard of or can not find info on and stick with name brand manufactures. Pex tubing made in China is now starting to split and loose its seal and insurance companies are paying the price. For some reason many trade companies will buy what ever is the cheapest to "save a few bucks." This attitude is costing Insurance companies millions. The pex tubing that was installed 10-15 years ago is starting to fall apart inside walls. Water damage is the worst especially if your not home and it has time to form streams through out your house. Copper tubing would last some 100 years in comparison. Insurance companies should start classifying homes based upon quality of build. List can be as simple a A, B, C. With well built homes being classified as A build quality. The cost to insure this home should significantly be lower to offset the increase in cost of materials. Meaning it needs to be worth doing. The pay back should be within 5 or at the most 7 years. It is in the best interest to insurance companies long term profit to do this. The better the property is built, the less likely damage will will happen due to junk building material such as pex. This could be an example of most building products. Windows come to mind, there are junk windows that will start to leak from day one not only from quality of the window being installed but also the craftsmanship of the installation. I could not tell you the amount of time corners are cut in the name of "saving a few bucks" at the future cost of insurance companies. These classification could also be extended to companies. Some companies just flat out don't care about quality and are bidding jobs as the low bidder with out concern about material being used, as long as it makes the 1 year warranty mark. This will never happen on its own and will only happen if Insurance organizations get to together and start doing it on its own. This is done now with worker compensation. As companies are rated on safety based on based on the amount of claims. If there are a lot of claims or IE hospital visits, the companies is clearly not following safety precautions. There is no guess work and over a short period of time the insurance company can put companies out of business who are not safe in work habits. They put them out of business due to cost to insure the company and it does not matter which company you go to, it is all linked like auto insurance. I'm a fan of this because I personally take pride in my work which takes a bit more time but far exceeds expectations. I don't fit in all companies because some companies just don't care because it cost more to do so. Until insurance companies work out a scheduled quality of build grade it is going to continue to cost them money and more so in the future because quality of products sold is ever decreasing and will continue to decrease. This plan will benefit American made products that understand quality of components and also supports the trades. It just a win for most.

Guitar dreams

I'm thinking my life will be complete when I'm able to acquirer a (white) Fender Jaguar,Gibson Les Paul (goldtop),Gibson Les Paul (honeyburst), Gibson SG (any color), Schecter hellraiser FR (black cherry) and some EAW monitors

Stevie

Look it, I lost your number and I'm getting a head ache. I've got an idea that is industry related. That side job at the candy factory will be zero in revenue in comparison. Your friend in Pelham will need to help. You have the connections I have the idea. Bring Mr Hennessey if he's around.There are other industries interested also including the Commander. Dude no joke, I'm being shaking down, mad a mistake and displayed at school. Besides I hear you have a good spot for trout fishing...later Dess

Small Dogs

Small dogs are all the rage ....I wonder why?

Revere Beach 1997

The mother of my daughters decided she would rather drink Captain Morgan spiced rum than maintain a marriage so out the door I went. I left with exactly I came into it with, 2 trash bags of dirty laundry, a car and a 702-credit score. Most if not all people who get divorced know that the divorce is coming, it's just a matter of the best exit time. Mine was plain difficult because of my daughters and the whole thing was devastating. I will spare you the details of it all only to address younger people who think a parent is walking away from them. That's not the case in a majority but in a small percentage it is. I tried for several years after the separation to make things work, not because I wanted her back it is because I wanted to be with my girls.
On occasion and becoming more and more frequent I would take rides with my daughter Nicole out to Revere Beach and hang out seaside while walking up and down the boulevard. Nicole needed more attention than the average child or in my case her twin sisters who are 1 year behind her, so it was like having 3 at once. I would get calls from her mom, "come pick up your daughter. "Entering the apartment, the both of them would whimpering and Nicole would come running with her arms up for me to pick her up, which I would. "Please get her out of here." My big secrete with being able to handle her was taking her walks in a carriage and going for drives in a car. She was a car sleeper or motion sleeper, better put. As soon as you dropped her in a car seat or rocker, she was out cold. Many times, she would fight sleeping all together and become over tired and couldn't sleep in a crib and the only way she would sleep would be go for drives or walks. Today I still get texts at 3 am from her as she fights going to sleep, "hay Dad...what ya doing." Jaclyn will pick up a conversation at 2:30 am were she left off at 4 in the afternoon, texting.
After tormenting her mother, she would be prime for a good nap. She was 2 and everything you heard about terrible 2's is true. It's a brute period that requires a lot of patients, which her didn't have. Another big secrete I had is all 3 would nap at the same time. If 1 wanted to nap earlier than the others I would keep her up until all were ready. When they took a nap so didn't I. As simple as that sounds many people don't do it. If you have one kid your out of topic here. That's a 2 or more thing. (Being able to handle my kids bothered Lee on some sort of personal level). I would also wake them up in the middle of the night when Nicole wanted a bottle. The other two likely would sleep through most of the night but not with Nicole. When she got up, I got all of them up and all got bottles at once. She would wake up every 2 hours. I didn't sleep right for over a year. There are 4 thing a child wants: 1. food 2. attention 3. their diaper changed or 4. remove gas from their bellies. If you try all 4 and if it doesn't work, she's probably sick or has an earache and you will spend a better part of the day holding them. Those were some of my big secretes.
There is old school way of thinking that women are the only parents that can care for children. This is an old way of thinking and today's society doesn't want any more. If you think in these terms you need to understand why younger people look at you with a blank stare when you talk to them. You're not wanted any more old man and your old ways are not valued. My first wife had some sort of resentment towards me because I was able to handle the stress of having kids. She felt she was a woman and it was her divine right to care for kids, the problem was she couldn't handle it. I know many of young dudes today who are completely involved and able to handle taking care of kids more so than the women they are with. Many old school women will at first get pissed reading this but it just a fact.
The recent attack in France is an extreme example of what I'm talking about. These religious fanatics don't like change and advancement of society. It is also why they don't like education because when you educate people they start to question and have open discuss on topics which is an advancement because the wrong whys of thinking are weeded out. Heavy metal and coffee shops represents the new generation, they represent change in their world, this is why they chose these places as targets. Heavy metal because it is new music to them. Coffee shops are where people talk openly about things and meet. I hope you follow me on that. I going to cut the talk short on this subject because it starts to get a bit deep, but I believe you can follow what I'm saying with those points, and it is important for you to think about it and evolve your own thoughts. It tends to stick better rather than just reading someone else views, gut it?
Back to Revere Beach. While traveling with Nicole I had my eye on place call "The Cove."They had one of those cheap hardware store signs out front that said, "room for rent." The good part was they were located 1/2 a block from the beach. Location, location, location. The beach is filled with night clubs, pizza joints and fast food take out. Is very active with both young and old, age is no issue. If you can afford to live in Massachusetts and looking for a town with action head for Revere Beach. I say afford because Massachusetts has become what New York is. New York has priced the working class out of the city. New York New York rentals are grossly overpriced, and Massachusetts is not far behind. If your working-class person and looking for an affordable place to live not far from your family, try New Hampshire. You work an average job and afford to live at the same time. An $800 apartment in NH is about $1300 in MA. Today NH is expanding at a rapid rate if you're in the trades. A trend I have noticed is: during the 50 and 60's Boston was expanding, during the 70's 80's inside the route 128 belt was expanding, the 90's it was inside the 495 belt and today it is in New Hampshire. The commercial market is just starting. There is still plenty of room which keeps sale prices lower. In the town I went to High school, Lexington MA, they are tearing down ranch houses to build bigger houses with much bigger prices (there's no land to expand on).
I walked into the Cove to inquire about the room for rent. The Cove was a dimly lite night club that your shoes would stick to the floor as you walked from old, spilled beer. A DJ station that was several feet up from the ground floor overlooking people that was boxed in from view from people below. Rocking Rick manned the DJ station most nights. Carmella, the bar tender said "ya there are 2 open." The rooms were located above the night club which made things convenient. I chose a room that was near the fire escape because it was set apart from the other rooms which I thought would be quieter. It wasn't the music from the DJ would bounce off the rear of the building which I was above and made a rumble that kept me up most nights until midnight when they would start to cool the place off for the night. On a couple of occasions, I chatted with Rocking Rick on why he had the music so loud on Monday nights, pointing out that there is no one in the joint. "Dess, the owner/manager wants me to maintain a certain atmosphere in the club each and every night whether or not there are people in attendance." The cost of the room was $110 per week which at the time was about $10 more than the going rate but the location you couldn't beat. I didn't have to drive to head out for the night and a walk down the beach was all that was needed. Generally, I would prime up at the Cove and then head out. The Cove was filled with a mixture of characters. Rock and Rollers, bikers, motorcycle club members, construction workers, locals and lots and lots of party girls. One of the first person I would hook up with was a dude who went by the name of Mike Mass. He was in tune with the Metal scene and was in the business of having women pay his rent. He showed me around the beach and showed me who was who. Our regular spot became a place called "The Tank" and the Metal scene that was starting to take root. The Tank was a half decent club with a capacity of about 500. Fairly large for local music. Today the club is called H2O. Managed by Chris who was always tolerant and inviting mainly because Mike did most of the promoting for the club. It was 1997 and promoting meant cold calling people to get them to show there was no internet and social networking as we know it today, the internet was around but not everyday use. Mike was capable of filling the club by making phone calls to people to get them to show. He had an address book loaded with names and would spend a better part of his time making contacts. Me and many other people would buy Mike a beer to keep him fueled during the night. He didn't maintain employment. This oddly occurred to me one night when he sat next to me at a table put his fore arms on his thighs inter laced his fingers together, looked at the floor and asked me what it was like holding a full-time job. The funny part he wasn't joking he was dead serious. It turned out he had never maintained full time employment. I explained the negatives of waking up every day but in the long run it payed off because I normally had money in my pocket. "Ya, I see, "in deep thought. A couple of years later the manager of the club Chris offered him an opportunity for a career in the family business of a marine mechanic which Mike jumped on board. If you're a local band from those times or today you should shake Mike's hand, he played a large part in helping to establish the Metal scene of Revere Beach that is still going on today at Sammy's Patio. I lost contact with Mike and can't find him on the internet. I've seen his sister but am afraid to ask. The last I heard he was on his 3rd heart attach trying to keep up with everyone, that was years ago.
Some of my personal favorite bands were(in no particular order): Bad Mother Seed, Barrel of Monkeys, Uncle Freak and a rock and roll band called Boston Brats( they were grandfathered into the Metal scene). Another metal band called Godsmack played several times at the Tank before taking flight. I had a brief relationship with a groupie of Godsmack named Susan who would play their CD in 1998 before they took flight. Susan would travel around to the Red Rooster, Wally's Pub and the Tank snapping photos of the band in action, she most likely has a large collection of early days of the band. I was an equal fan of the local bands including Godsmack at about the same level. We were hanging around Fleetwood Studios one night when talk of who was going to back the band up in their upcoming tour when I mentioned that most likely the band has no say in it and that the record company will be telling them. You don't get that sort of control until your 3rd CD at least that was true back then. A second brief relationship I had in those days was with a stripper named Brittney. She was the number one at King Arthur's Lounge(Latino dudes of Chelsea would debate me on that, some of the Caribbean women were smoking hot). My failure was trying to maintain an off and on-again relationship with my daughter's mother. Man did I blow it.
Boston Brats were a highly entertaining band that almost too flight. I believe one of the main reasons for not taking flight was their studio album. It did not capture the energy of the band. A groupie of the band gave me their compact disc and a hand full of trinkets baring the band's name and logo (coasters, drink mixers and assorted odd items, one of those things you throw out and latter wish you didn't). I first became aware of "capturing" a sound and understanding how important it is by Kiss. In my opinion the CD was over produced. I remember playing it and popping the CD back out several times to see if the CD was theirs and not some other band. Someone put a large amount of money into the album, but the album failed to capture what the band was actually like. If they liked what they seen and heard with the band, then why did they change that with the CD. If what attracted, you to the sound the band makes try to capture that and not change it. I get the impression the producer was paid hourly and maximized the number of billable hours. Bad Mother Seed is or was, not sure which another great band with pure old school Metal groove. Last I heard the sing was talking of moving to Waltham MA and that was the last I heard of them other than they released a CD in 2008 "puff." That CD captures what the band is like, 100% perfection. If anybody knows what if anything is going on with that band leave in the comments section and I will gladly link. Tommy Lanzillo's "Uncle Freak" was capable of packing a 600-person club which is pretty remarkable for a local band. The jack ass whistling at this show was me, sorry Tommy I was under the influence. There was trouble with the sound early on that night, so I interrupted the set and positioned the mics the way they are supposed to be, at an angle and not pointing directly at speakers which I constantly see bands do. I'm not an expert but do know some things. Capture the sound as it goes by the mic. I learned that at some formal training I had in sound engineering. Pro mic set ups you will notice today have that angle built into the mounts for drums mics. It makes sense if you sit back and think about it. The sound waves are hitting a brick wall if you point the mic directly at the speakers because of peaks and high amount of compression added to combat them which will dull the sound (forget it way too much info). Anyways, felt I needed to inject that. The trouble Tommy had was he wanted to do it all himself. Many people do this and eventually burn out. If people are willing and looking to help the band out ya know what? Let them, it will relieve some of the stress upon you as a band leader. And don't expect perfection and criticize every small mistake, most people in the crowd don't know the mistake was made only musicians notice and they know better than to point it out. If you don't like the mistakes being played live, then blame yourself for not holding more frequent rehearsals. Apparently, they are needed and that's how you lead. Pointing the finger at others is not how it's done. Remember some of your biggest critics are your biggest fans. As far as Barrel of Monkeys, as of this writing, there is no internet presence and the band that comes up while searching is not the one I mentioned (I was hoping to link to some reference, none).
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