So... I decided to do an artsy entry

Yes. I mean, I have nothing against artsy stuff, I actually enjoy art a lot, did it in high school to the point people thought I was gonna be an art teacher if not a pro baseball player (everyone thought music was just a phase). So anyway, since it's winter, and this pictures i took in wintertime, if I'm not mistaken in early 2008. Plus I took this with the camera I got for my birthday then, it's not like a pro camera, it's the stereotypical camera you buy, so it's not like awesome quality. So here they are:



This, I recall taking in the morning while on my way to work right after a snowstorm.



This was right after that, like looking in my perspective, by the Lilley Ave. Bridge, coming from Centerville towards the LeLacheur Park.



This is the canal, by Thorndike St.. Next to where that new Dunkin's is at. Before it was there.



On the way back from work. By the Textile museum. Thorndike St. This is like 4:30pm. I hate the winter sunsets.



At the same spot where I took the first picture. Just wanted to show how different it looks from daytime to night time.

Mean Season video.

Well, it all goes like this. Me and my boy Casper have been chattin' it online for the last like 3 or 4 hours. We're like talking about bands and stuff like that. Like recommending bands to each other. So as usual, i went on a tangent and sent him a link to a picture of the girl that sang for Gather (I think she's cute). I don't really listen to Gather a lot. I do every once in a while. After seeing that picture, and listening to a lot of Earth Crisis, I decided it was time to listen to Gather. Anyway, this isn't about that band. The whole thing is that the picture I showed my buddy of her, she was wearing a Mean Season shirt. And man, I love that band. Checkers recommended that band to me a while back.

So in the conversation we were having, I asked Casper if he knew that band, he said no, so I went and found their Myspace page so he could check the couple songs they have there. When I hit the search button, I see this video that says "MEAN SEASON - Lesser Man" one of their songs. Straight up honest. I love this band, but I am not a nerd about this band. Like most bands that are not Lifetime, Pennywise, H2O, Madball, and Sepultura, I barely know the words for any of the songs. I do listen to them a lot, but what I mean to say is that I am not a Mean Season nerd. So I didn't know they had a video for "Lesser Man". Anyway, I decided to post it here. 'Cause I am a good dude.


Mean Season "Lesser Man"

NewAgeRecords.com | MySpace Music Videos

My Mom Sent Me Carrot Cake via Express Mail

So the other week I was talking to my old lady. I love that lady, anyway, I was telling her how awesome is her carrot cake, and that it is one of my favorite things ever. So yea, couple weeks later I get a call from my mom in the morning, and she asks me what I was doing the next day. I said that I had the day off, so pretty much I was gonna take care of some stuff, you know. Things I needed to get done. She goes, "Well around 10 in the morning you're going to get a carrot cake I sent you." I got psyched. I live carrot cake, specially if it is my mom's.

Next morning: I set my alarm for 9:45. I really despise waking up early on my day off, but this time it was different. I had a mission to get that cake. So yeah, every five minutes after my alarm went off, I would go downstairs to see if I got it. Around 10:40 I went down again. No luck. I come upstairs, sit on my bed, and right then my roomate yells at me "you got a package". Well, it was the cake.

I ate it. And it was awesome. Best carrot cake in the world. And let me tell you this. I am not saying this because my mom made it. I am saying it because it is the truth. Many try to do it like her. No one can. I love my mom.

I love Rag Men

Well, I do love that band. I am psyched that I now have the album in both Vinyl, and Compact Disc (not to mention I also downloaded the mp3, so that would make it 3 formats). Anyway, this band sort of remained a very obscure band during the mid 00's. Which is really weird, because it was supposed to be sort of a Superband of those, since it featured members of really sick bands i.e. Madball, Merauder, Terror... I just don't get why a lot of people actually hated on this band. One thing for sure, every single year when I go to the Black And Blue Bowl (formerly known as Superbowl Of Hardcore), I am hoping for Rag Men to be the special guests. It happens every single year.

This album, is a reminiscent album of pretty much what would be a combination in a blender of Madball, and Merauder. You can see it in tracks like My World and Obstacles (a song which I really dig the lyrics). When I say it sounds like Madball, it's not Madball in the Henderson era, but Madball after the 2002 comeback with Mitts on guitar. Which is obvious, since he's the guitar player in Rag Men. One of the best things about this band is the Sepultura cover they do. If you know me, you know that I worship 5 bands, and one of those is Sepultura.

Some of you know, but some don't, that Jorge Merauder, actually tried out to be in Sepultura when Max Cavalera left the band. We all know the outcome of that. And I have to say, I love Sepultura without Max. Obviously not as much as I love old Sepul, but yea. One thing that keeps popping into my mind is what if Jorge actually got the Sepultura job. It would have definitely changed the whole metal and hardcore scene in Puerto Rico from 98 to a new direction. Since Jorge is Puerto Rican, to see a dude from the Island (or let's say, descendant) in such a huge metal band that does not sound like Poison.

Anyway this record, even though it's their only release ever. I keep hearing rumors, from people in and outside the band, that they are going to record a new album. I know Madball is still touring all the time around the world, and Merauder is pretty much back on track (with a new fucking awesome record), so that gives Jorge, and Mitts less time. But I know that Rig Ross and Buske are pretty much with no band (as far as I know). Although I saw Rig Ross is playing with Skarhead these days, which I fully approve of. So I see it more like rumors than facts. But I do wish this happens.



W-lo this pic is for you. Thanks so much. Bring back puntodenoretorno.

Halloween Playlist

So in Halloween I usually try to stay away from the Misfits in my playlist. It doesn't mean that I don't like the Misfits. But since it's too obvious, I usually try to go for something different. So this is my playlist so far for the day. As far as I can remember:

AFI - Black Sails In The Sunset
Belphegor - Necrodaemon Terrorsathan
Congress - Blackened Persistance
Morbid Angel - Covenant
Integrity - Those Who Fear Tomorrow
Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness
Samhain - November-Coming-Fire
Brujeria - Brujerizmo

It wasn't a long playlist like I would've love to. But I spent pretty much all my afternoon, and early night going to work, working, and comiing back. hahaha. But it's a pretty halloween playlist none the less.

Rag Men listening party with my mom in the living room

So as some of you may know, i have not been keeping up with the blog as I usually did. Anyway, this last summer, in between July and August, I visited Puerto Rico, for the first time in a couple years. I obviously went to visit my family and friends, but also the usual visit to play some gigs with my band(s). So yea. I did get a new pair of Vans Classics, which I only bought to skateboard since my old skating shoes were too destroyed and had no grip. And a couple other experiences.

As usual, me and my boy W-Lo exchanged some stuff. I still owe him the Nike SKU book, which i thought was smaller than it is, because that thing as almost as big as my suitcase, haha. So yea. One of the things I got was the Rag Men 12". God damn, I love that band. And I also had lost my CD copy of this which i got pretty much when that album came out some years back. I can't remember how long ago was this exactly.

The story of this was, I went to San Juan to drop the last 2 of my Los Bungalito's bandmates at the airport, and to also go to Old San Juan to take some pics and stuff. After I went to hang out with some of my friends, because I was departing the next day. When I meet W-lo... motherfucker gave me a gift, and it was Rag Men's 12". I really don't know how did he find this, but damn, it's the coolest thing I have gotten in a while (actually, maybe since I got my Olympic Nike Air Force 180's in NYC, April '08).

So yea, I have to say, this review of how I listened to the album for the first time in years, is actually by petition of master W-lo.

It was around 9pm. Obviously the night before I left. I go and put my new record on the turntable that's in the living room. (Note, the turntable in my room wasnt working well.) So yea. I start playing the record and My World comes in, and I start losing it. So I go up to my mom, she's in her room watching some soap operas or whatever she watches, and I make her come to the living room, and I pretty much made her listen to the whole album with me. And I know she must have hated it, but i was siked. I think I actually played it twice, I can't remember properly.

About the other records I got while I was down there, was a very old copy of Dead Kenedy's "Give Me Convenience, Or Give Me Death", and The Misfits' "Die, My Darling" from W-lo. I bought two 7 Seconds records. I got a copy of "The Crew" and a copy of "New Wind". All 5 records great. I think I have a picture.

Outstanding Split Albums

I was just thinking about split albums. In hardcore and punk, it is a very common thing to see, bands doing split albums, pretty much collaborating in exposing their music.

There are a lot of split albums out there, but most of the time, these go forgotten pretty quickly. But there are always those that still remain over there as famous, or notorious splits. Sometimes bands release their best songs in some of these, or simply some are that good, that they become well known.

I am gonna mention some of the ones I really enjoy, and like listening to a lot. Not saying these are the best ever, because to be honest i don't own a lot of split records.


The Suicide File/Hope Conspiracy split "Dead Man's hand #1"

This was the first of the Dead Man's Hand series that Deathwish Inc. was releasing back in the early 00's (which actually the 4th one never came out). Anyway, this split has only 3 songs. Two Suicide File songs, and one Hope Con. Probably the best Hope Con song I ever heard, and some of the best songs by the Suicide File. This is the first time you hear the song "Ashcroft" by Suicide File. I mean, I really love this one because at that point they were pretty much my favorite hardcore band.


The Bouncing Souls/Anti-Flag split

This one came also in a pretty good era of splits. This was when BYO was releasing splits with awesome bands, for example the NOFX/Rancid, Hot Water Music/Leatherface splits also came out during this time. But this one for some reason is the one I really loved from these series. Although I admit I haven't heard the HWM/Leatherface yet (and I really want to). Both bands in this split do covers of each other, and Bouncing Souls is so outstanding that they play Anti-Flag songs better than Anti-Flag themselves.



Tropiezo/La Armada Roja "Mal Caribe"

This is probably one of my favorite split albums all time. Tropiezo, one of the best hardcore bands in Puerto Rico, and La Armada Roja, Dominican Republic's best band by far doing a split together. I still remember when my friend Javi introduced everyone in PR to La Armada (although other people claim it was them). They took the Island by storm on their first P.R. tour. La Armada's songs in this album kinda remind me of like Sick Of It All meets DRI. It's fucking insane. And Tropiezo up to this point never failed to deliver. Still listen to this one in a regular basis.



Terror/Ringworm "Dead Man's Hand #2"

This is the second in the Dead Man's Hand series. This one marked the return of Ringworm, when everybody pretty much thought that Ringworm was dead. I mean, they did use the same songs of this split for the next album, same with Terror, but I remember I was waiting for this one to come out like no one's business. I have an orange copy, and I dont really care about "collector's vinyl" but this one was just sick looking. I don't listen to this more often, for 2 reasons. One: I don't own a record player right now. Two: My copy of this one is in Puerto Rico, almost 3,000 miles (almost 6000 Km) away from me.




Juventud Crasa/La Experiencia "No Funciona/Precios Bajos"

One of the first split albums I ever got. Two of my favorite punk bands growing up. This is one of those records that almost everyone that's involved in punk or hardcore in Puerto Rico, you know of this record, even if no one ever mentions it, everyone listens to these two bands in a regular basis. The songs from La Experiencia in this recording happen to be even older from the one's in their first album. But they still own. La Experiencia is pretty much the band that got me into punk and hardcore from Spain, but also introduced me to the whole world of hardcore and punk in Puerto Rico. I really get bummed out these guys don't play as much anymore, but they are amazing. And this album owns. For some reason I don't have this in my Ipod, but am going to get on this A.S.A.P.