Back

2010-12-13T18:27:00.000-08:00

Sure. Why not...

LISTEN TO

2010-02-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

PAID DUES 2010

2010-02-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

Guerilla Union's next endeavor...

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER COACHELLA

2010-01-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

Every April, you know where to find me!

INSPIRATIONS AS OF LATE

2010-01-11T15:07:00.001-08:00

inspiration and excitement are a lethally beautiful combination

SITTING ON THE SHELF

2010-01-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

this video makes me so retardedly happy
these two would have the cutest babies

thanks to @faimkills for the introduction

HEADER

2010-01-06T11:09:00.000-08:00

photo credits go to jeffmo :) yay, jeffmo!

(HAPPY) NEW YEAR!

2010-01-02T22:51:00.000-08:00

im not too ecstatic you're here, 2010, but im sure i'll become accustomed to you soon enough :)

my one and only new year's resolution:

[[ BE A BETTER PERSON ]]

REST IN PEACE

2009-12-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

saddest news of my friday :(

flight of the conchords just announced that they have no plans to film a 3rd season nor will they continue flight of the conchords as an entity.

i cant even count how many times ive played season 1 over and over again for about 2 weeks straight. and being halfway through season 2, i was hoping id have more of the boys to look forward to.

alas, all great things must come to end. i highly suggest you add the flight of the conchords season 1 and 2 to your Christmas list! here, i leave you with a few of my favorites:

[first song i was introduced to]

["depending on the street, you're definitely in the top 3"]

["they call me the hiphopopotamus, my lyrics are bottomless..."]
["my rhymes are so potent that in this small segment, I made all of the ladies in the area pregnant"]

["shut their motherboardfucking systems down"]
["binary solo!"]

["i put a wig on you when you were sleeping"]

["you know when im down to my socks its time for business thats why they call it business socks"]

["we need to spread the dicks out a little bit"]`

BARF

2009-12-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

phawhq (1:00:05 PM): hi babe

phawhq (1:00:11 PM): OMG

phawhq (1:00:17 PM): wrong window

Jojo Iuvs u (2:22:08 PM): ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!

phawhq (2:22:18 PM): HAHHAHA

LISTEN TO

2009-12-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

KILLER CALIFORNIA

2009-12-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite bands covers my ALL TIME favorite song. sadly (but expectantly), they fall far from doing it justice. in fact, it just makes me crave the original.

sorry guys. this is just one of them songs you can never, ever touch.

LISTEN HERE

TWILIGHT

2009-11-27T02:31:00.000-08:00

yep, i jumped on the bandwagon. and im somewhat not regretful. the movie was actually very intriguing, including the cheesy dialogue and the embarassing reminder how everything in high school is THE BIGGEST DEAL! plus, that edward cullen is something else ;)

A THOUGHT-GHETTO MESS TAPE

2009-11-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

CHECK IT

TOMORROW!

2009-11-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

first it was christina ricci.
then lisa bonet.
tomorrow its rosie perez...

FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3 FELT 3

STUSSY SALE

2009-11-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

getting an early start on Christmas this saturday!

OH BROTHER

2009-11-09T13:33:00.000-08:00

this movie looks GOOD

SMOKEOUT

2009-11-04T12:24:00.000-08:00

stay tuned for updates

FINALLY

2009-11-03T18:12:00.000-08:00

...back to where we need to be, deserve to be.
i got high hopes for the future of this team i love so much <3

[closer view]

WILD THANG

2009-09-30T21:34:00.001-07:00

yesss!
i dont know what im excited for more: the movie or the score. or a sexy fusion of the two.
karen o is a crazy childish genius.

DIABETES SUCKS

2009-09-29T00:18:00.000-07:00

my sister has been suffering from diabetes since she was 7. it's been a consistent battle ever since for her and our family. this is our effort to try and nick the terrible disease.

whatever you can do, will help. even if it is just passing along the word.

[take a minue out of your day, to help another's entire life, and just click]

TODAY

2009-09-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

LISTEN TO

2009-09-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

creepy

2009-09-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

him (12:16:21 PM): im sleepy!

him (12:16:23 PM): :[

him (12:16:25 PM): outta nowhere!

her (12:16:32 PM): awww

her (12:16:36 PM): whooaaaaa!!

her (12:16:37 PM): weird!!!

him (12:16:50 PM): what happened?

her (12:16:52 PM): im listening to the smiths.. and asleep just started playing!!

him (12:16:58 PM): creepy

her (12:17:01 PM): right when you said im sleepy out of nowhere

him (12:17:01 PM): CREEPY

her (12:17:02 PM): i knowwww

him (12:17:22 PM): i jus went on pitchfork morrisey is the headline!

him (12:17:31 PM): right when i said creepy!

her (12:17:44 PM): omgggg!

her (12:17:48 PM): wtf is going on?!?!

him (12:17:50 PM): lol

tomorrow

2009-09-15T00:05:00.000-07:00

yeeeeeees.

cutest thing ever.

2009-09-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

Puff Puff

2009-08-31T21:58:00.000-07:00

halloween costume. 1/3.

2009-08-30T00:12:00.000-07:00

finally decided!

shopping and makeup practicing ensues!

EDIT
if you know who this character is, you're great :)

RIP DJ AM

2009-08-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

they're droppin like dominos.

LISTEN TO

2009-08-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

inglourious basterds

2009-08-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

im sure every review of this movie you'll read will give you the same "glorious" remarks. and if they give you otherwise, they're full of shit. tarantino has one twisted, sick, and amazing brain and im so curious as to how he does it every single time.

easily on my top 5 list.

not to mention, the score.
the music in not just this, but ALL his movies, is so seemlessly genius.

left the theaters with this one ringing in my ears. so beautiful, and beautifully used.

far too much to type.
if you've seen it, lets have an intelligent discussion over a couple brewskies.
if not, get off the damn computer and go watch it!

Quickie

2009-08-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

looks like im on a once a month posting trend.

updates:

-rock the bells LA and SF
-new hair
-new room
-new music
-new movies
-etc

more soon!

Because celebrities are human too.

2009-07-20T13:05:00.001-07:00

...and i always thought they were immortal. they should be at least.

beastie boy, adam yauch, announced today on their website that he has been diagnosed with cancer. upcoming album delayed and summer dates cancelled.

:(

via billboard

Support Local Art

2009-07-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

"goodbye, chocolate people!"

2009-07-17T15:08:00.001-07:00

more money, more shoes!

2009-07-16T12:33:00.001-07:00

i always considered myself a big-saver. but once you go so long without the taste of money, you tend to miss it. and use it. and abuse it. a lot.

i just got word that urbn is having a "sale-on-sale" sale. i dont even know what that is, but it sounds amazing! so i did some online window shopping, which is completely out of my character. i think im just old fashioned like that. but these, i want, and they're just barely scratching the surface.

sale ends on the 19th. have at it!

[key words for a good time: "sale," extra," percent off"]

hiatus and alibis

2009-06-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

dusting off the cobwebs on this old and ignored blog.

my excuses for the lack of attentiveness:

1) sold my soul to a new entity called Guerilla Union. but, much like my former procurer aka 909, i am very much happy to have done so.

1 sub a) Rock the Bells. the tour officially kicked off this past weekend in Chicago and Detroit. learn about it.

2) lent my editorial attention elsewhere. The Assembled. good reads only one click away!

3) laziness, of course.

christmas in april

2009-04-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

that's how my friend remembers my birthday. pretty neat.

and thanks, sephora :]
you guys are also pretty neat. but so is anyone who calls me beautiful, gives me free things, and makes me blush.

updates on birthday happenings soon.

coachella bound

2009-04-16T14:16:00.001-07:00

around this same time of my birth month, you'll know where to find me.
even if the lineup over these past years has progressively lost its ability to weaken my knees, i'm still gonna remain so loyal.

LEGEND
Million Circle: YESSSSSSSSSSS!
Double Circle: Hell Yea
Single Circle: Coo
Underline: Yea, sure. Why not?
Box: I don't know you, but it sounds like I love you.
X: I hate you.

MISSING
The Mae Shi
Chairlift
Passion Pit
Marnie Stern
Of Montreal
MORE HIP HOP, LIKE ALWAYS
Flight of the Conchords
These Arms Are Snakes
Kenna
and sadly, more.

[EDIT]

there is something about this place that makes me feel at peace and at ease.

and like a hippie.

best performance:

yeah yeah yeahs: hands down, my favorite band of all time. satisfied i FINALLY got to see them :)

other great performances:

ghostland observatory: since when the flamboyant become hot? crazy what huge sound only 2 guys can make
los campesinos: noisy! my eardrums were on the verge of blowing, but this 10+ piece band were outrageous!
amanda palmer: and the few moments i caught of her. that voice is so amazing
peter, bjorn and john + lykee li: amsterdam represent!

greatest disappointment:

MIA: who the hell put her on the main stage?! main stage is not meant for party.. thats what sahara is for. even she said herself shes doesnt know how to work the main stage. not until she brought up 100+ hipster kids from the crowd was she able to vibe off them.

other great disappointments:

silversun pickups: still patiently waiting for a song to replace "lazy eye," and until they do so, they remain overrated.
crystal castles: i first watched them at the glasshouse when they opened up for metric. anyone that has been to the glasshouse knows that, although it pretty spacious, it gets crazy! i was fearing for my life being in that crowd, and i wanted (and expected) to feel the same way at coachella, but instead i was only scared for alice busting her own head in with the mic. shes dope, the musics dope, but their performance just didnt do it for me. im blaming it on the natural light taking away from their stage lights
the black keys: music for car rides, reading, backgrounds, etc. but not for live show (sorry joanna!). the 2 guys are extremely, EXTREMELY talented, and they still remain one of the best bands i've heard, but they were far from commanding that big ass main stage (MIA-like dilemma)

biggest shock:

lead singer of junior boys: the voice definitley does not match the face. you never woulda guessed!
my bloody valentine: 10-20 minute feedback. come on, now.
the cure: if i wasnt flyering and didnt have to wait until the festival was over to be off of my shift, i wouldnt have cared that they played for 3 fucking hours.

biggest regret:

gang gang dance: my goodness, they are so good. and, so ive heard, even better live
pos: his performance just doesnt get old. long live afro-rap-punk
ida maria: just to check her out

blackberry detox

2009-04-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

pictures that have nothing to do with anything:

stalemate

2009-04-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

feeling uninspired.

i laughed at this. pretty hard.

haha. sorry.

ULTIMATE BRAWL 9

2009-04-10T21:07:00.001-07:00

Ultimate Brawl 9 Trailer from 909 Dance Troupe on Vimeo.

sick video. play and share please :]

one more time

2009-04-04T05:09:00.001-07:00

my 5 year competitive streak with 909 ends today.

world of dance.
goin out with a mutherfucking bang.

dance

2009-03-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

what i sold my soul to.

paid dues updates soon.

payin dues for a decade plus

2009-03-28T02:20:00.001-07:00

before that i was just another face on the bus, tapping my foot to the beat on the radio, dreaming bout the mic and the money and the ladies oh mom.. yada yada

today is paid dues.

we went on-site to the nos events center this afternoon for a bit of work. and i gotta say, it's still crazy being on the other side. not too long ago was i one of the 1000's standing in the pit, getting pushed and shoved and inhaling second hand dutchie.

still gets my all giddy and excited, after so long. now i just need to get hired in this bitch.

you'z a ho

2009-03-24T23:45:00.000-07:00

ok i admit. i used to be a tila tequila fan and am her myspace friend. but this was long before she fucked fame and became a national treasure.

so im bored and i randomly click on one of her bulletins for yet another crappy reality show and i find this garbage:

whaaat the fuuuck..

fuck it.

2009-03-24T14:55:00.001-07:00

friday, i shall get my consultation for my next tattoo.
fuck money. i want it. and i will sell drugs and porn to junior high kids to get.

hmph.

nerdcore cutie

2009-03-23T18:14:00.001-07:00

i cant seem to shake this fascination i have with ugly betty. and im dying now that ive finished season 1, and season 2 is expensive as shit.

not only is this great tv, but i found my most recent celebrity crush here <3. i dont care for anything of him externally from the show--his name, his previous work, his personality--im fine with just knowing him as henry the accountant.

but with the internet, you always get more than you intend.
so in my search for strictly pictures, i now know his name, his line of work, his age, how he looks disrobed and without specs, and a spoiler so overwhelmingly heartbreaking.

fan girl collage + favorite scene from him below

bye bye, henry :[

weekend recap

2009-03-23T01:03:00.001-07:00

friday evening, went to rage and reunited with some people i havent seen in years (or at least what felt like years). gay clubs are funner than straight clubs. and their drinks are harder. although i had to keep reminding myself to stop looking at the cute GAY and completely unavailable guy next to me.

saturday was an eventful one. only 4 hours of shut eye, and i was up again performing with 909 at barkada's sportsfest. i was so tired, dehydrated, not really given a damn that i hadn't even properly dressed myself..

after a meh performance and mild fuckery with the other dancers (and more wonderful reunions), we headed out to rancho for the grand opening of image boutique. hosted by major hype, the crew put out a pretty dope event with appearances from faimkills, dj cornbreeze, apostrophe, noa james and others not worth naming..

free sushi + local music + and all you can drink for only $5 = <3.>

..1:30am promoting at 'how sweet it is' till 5am..

then sunday..

sighhh.

2009-03-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

not that one dirty artist, but the random notices from twitter users. what a craze--i thought it was gonna die by now.

here are a couple from murs that i thought were pretty noteworthy. its interesting knowing what your favorite artist is thinking.. or doing, or wanting, or eating, or kissing, or watching, or smoking. whatever.

MURS still rapping about selling coke? really?! my nwerd!!! come on! am i wrong for wanting to fight these niggas. ya'll on here. holla lets go
about 1 hour ago from web

MURS this is why i don't watch tv. I try not to judge. but damn. you can't say anything better than that to these kids?
about 1 hour ago from web

MURS and yes i do listen to gangster rap. but when the dudes spittin are known cowards and their street politics ain't right that's what gets me
42 minutes ago from web

dear, recession

2009-03-19T23:52:00.000-07:00

..i love this thing we got goin on, me and you. but then again, i hate you. its complicated.

thanks to The Bush, 9/11, and the oil over seas, we here in america have SALES! another one to add onto your list right under starbucks and every other fast food chain: denny's! as if it weren't gross enough already, they have $2.99 all-nighter value meals.

i miss being a college kid and actually wanting to go here :[

who's saint patty anyway?

2009-03-19T10:45:00.001-07:00

"pshh i dont know.. lets drink!"

in honor of the mysterious st patty:

1. makeup for a night on the ~~town~~ couch. courtesy of manang/older sister/makeup artist.
2. the departed. courtesy of the irish mafia (and the wonderful leo decaprio).
3. and of course, dranks. courtesy of the irrrish.

[pictures soon]

flickr <3

2009-03-15T00:51:00.000-07:00

fun!

* Type your answer to the questions into a flickr search (or photobucket or google or deviantart, just be consistent)
* Using only the first page, pick an image

1. What is your first name? anne
2. What is your favorite food? pizza
3. What high school did you go to? silverado high school
4. What is your favorite color? black
5. Who is your celebrity crush? henry from ugly betty
6. What is your favorite drink? new castle
7. What is your dream vacation? snow retreat
8. What is your favorite dessert? ice cream
9. What do you want to do when you grow up? chill
10. When is your birthday (month and day)? april 25th
11. Who/ what do you love most in life? god, family
12. Choose one word that describes you? contradicting

impromptu interview

2009-03-12T23:51:00.000-07:00

yesterday morning, murs and tech n9ne stopped by the office to finish up some business with the boss man. [PLUG: PAID DUES 2009. MARCH 28TH. CLICK.] my supervisor in all her genius came up with the idea to interview them before they head out, but conveniently, with all odds against us. meaning: no video camera, no mic, no interviewer. but here at gu, we get shit done. after a bit of chaos, of course.

the following is the unedited version of whats on the internet right now. recorded in the in-house studio, interviewer daylen from hip hop official over speaker phone, and me recording with some ghetto olympus. please excuse the poor quality.

i love my job <3

fuckery

2009-03-09T18:29:00.001-07:00

nothing good comes out of violence. right, ms. amy?

the infamous crackhead we all have grown to love was forced to cancel her appearance at coachella after being denied a visa to come to america. a poor unknowing fan requested a photo with ms. amy but instead received a nice pow right in the kissa. sad thing.

although she wasnt one of my priorities to watch this year, it would have been nice seeing her again. contrary to that face, her voice is mesmerizing live--recordings dont do her justice.

[coachella 07]

they should just replace her with this amy. i'm sure she can just stand there and get an applause.

[gotta thank joannanna for supplying these pictures to soothe our eyes!]

ignorant

2009-03-06T12:46:00.001-08:00

rant of the day: some ignorant writer from USmagazine calls MIA "latina"...

[muy caliente]

oh, come on! get your facts straight before you write an article to be posted all over the web and especially if you work for a major mag like US. who cares if her baby's name is ickett, you cannot pass up important details, such as her ethinic background. and her ethnicity/culture is the reason why her baby has such a "strange name" to you. gah.. go educate yourself. she's sri lankan, you idiot. [continue]

*EDIT:
AAAND the baby's name isn't even ickett..
so annoyed right now

marshall

2009-03-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

how ive missed you.

my long lost romance with eminem rekindled after hearing "crack a bottle" for the first time. regardless of all the crappy shit on the radio, i would sit on power106 just waiting, hoping itd come on. it was refreshing, and made me nostalgic for the "forgot about dre" and "stan" days. maybe im being a little to kind with my words (especially since we've all heard him do better), but it's just so good to have him back.

[hilarious]

but whats amazing (or potentially disastrous) is the release of not 1 but 2 albums this very lucky 2000of9. expect relapse to drop May 19th and relapse2 before the year ends. "A lot of people were expecting Relapse to drop last year," said Eminem. "I was one of them. Then Dre and I went back in the studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new music produced by Dre. Putting out Relapse 2 will let everyone get all of the best stuff." [continue]

excited.

now as for that 3rd wheel on the single.. ive had this hatred for 50cent since he first made headlines. but i gotta admit, his flow on "crack a bottle" isnt half bad. and all his music ive been avoiding have actually been pretty decent. i just hate the entrepreneur in him. curious how he is live? check it here:

[insanely random]

sigh. the lows they'll stoop to to save this festival.

rude

2009-03-04T00:35:00.001-08:00

sorry, blogspot. but time has escaped me.

its only 12:30am and im already sleepy as hell, which is weird. but just a quickie before i hit the good ole sack:

sublime "reunion"..?!
witness it here.

this morning, mr. bossman described to a few of us "the resurrection" of the legendary band that he was so lucky to witness last saturday. its a shocking fact to get over: someone actually replacing the late and great brad nowell. but if the 2 remains of sublime actually believe in this rome guy to be the new face, than i suppose we should all give him a chance. plus, mr. bossman was so damn enthusiastic about rome i couldnt help but respect his talent already.

click above and see for yourself. supposedly the video does him no justice, but for a lot of us, im sure we dont care. new brad has got a lot of proving to do before we transfer our loyalties from old brad.

kid and play

2009-02-06T23:54:00.000-08:00

i dont recall the last time i saw riverside at 7 in the morning. it was refreshing.
the combination of the warm sun with the freezing breeze and the just-fallen rain.. if the moment were a mixed drink, it would be my new favorite.

my sister, adm, grace, and i volunteered to help joanna in her classroom this morning because today equaled the 100th day her 1stgraders have survived being institutionalized in this great america! i guess they celebrate that nowadays?

:] it was tight.

..and fun, and extremely rewarding. as soon as we walked in (late, of course) we began our activities which consisted of:
-100 snacks
-100 smiley face stickers
-100 fruit loops as a necklace
-100 tally marks as a bracelet
-100 fun excercises on the blacktop
-100 seconds of quietness
-and 100 more things!

those darn kids are so freakin cute. maybe i'll want one of my own someday. they can call me 'ms. jo'

[thanks for the name tag, ms. molo :) ]

paid dues festival

2009-01-28T14:02:00.001-08:00

[click]

frustrated

2009-01-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

..with life and this generation of mindless copycats.

*i have the passion and the irritation to keep me typing of this topic till i grow sore, but not the time. more soon.

patiently waiting

2009-01-25T18:42:00.001-08:00

hurry the fuck up, goldenvoice.

i love to eat cereal..

2009-01-20T01:57:00.000-08:00

when im watching my cartoons

since my return from the motherland, ive spent the bulk of my time on the toilet (sadface) and watching cartoons. some pretty dope discoveries were made, courtesy of adm, which i now recommend to you:

first is chowder, the cutest little whatever the hell he is. im 2 years late as it debuted way back in 2007.

but my most recent obsession: the marvelous misadventures of flapjack.

better than spongebob. yea.. i said it. eff you.

catch them on the network of cartoons.

amerigo

2009-01-14T22:25:00.000-08:00

its a conflicting feeling, having two homes; a division of the heart, a dispute between those coveted most, wanting both but clearly, you can't.
who can, of course.

on december 18th, 2008, at 3:00 in filipino am, my grandfather passed away.
forcing my family and i on an [emergency] trip overseas.
forcing me to abandon all my responsibilities and duties lying fragmented, unfinished and static.
forcing me to face death; my worst enemy, my scariest thought, my biggest fear (not for myself, but for my loved).
forcing me to watch the tears im pained to see most fall from the eyes of the greatest man in my life: my dad.

of course there was a tinge of excitement to see my foreign family. but traveling for the reasons named, i initially didnt want to.

departed: december 26th
arrived in manila: december 27th
arrived in manabo: december 28th
funeral: december 30th

extremely long update short, im very thankful for this experience.
my tatang is no longer suffering. and as hard as the funeral was, it brought my family, foreign and american, together, family i never even knew existed. which brings to my fingers the famous cliche: a blessing in disguise. truly.

18 days in the philippines is no easy feat. it was overwhelmingly humbling as any person would expect a 3rd world country journey to be.

"you will never be successful if you will not look back to where you have come from"

yes, i come from many things. my parents. germany. childhood fears, mistakes. victorville. riverside. college. accomplishments, failures. all to say the very least. all of which define me.
but in my blood is the dirty, guttered, depressing, yet edifying, inspirational, beautiful in all its splendor and glory, the foreign lands of the philippines. and i am proud of it.

it was my 3rd time visiting, and the only time i really remember every minute.
my memory usually has the tendency to fail me, but to assist in ensuring i remember this particular vacation was my d40, which has gone through extreme periods of hell. poor thing.

[currently making a flikr for the purpose of sharing my pains and joys with you]

arrived in america: january 13th, with this conflicted state of heart. wanting to be here and there simultaneously. but alas, we all cant have everything we want.

till we meet again, my home.

say hello

2008-12-21T18:11:00.000-08:00

..to the newest addition to the Blackberry Family.

bye bye, sidekick.
bye bye, tmobile.

helloo, sexy.

i love..

2008-12-12T15:59:00.000-08:00

-the christmas season
-jersey's pizza in san bernardino
-this team:

-and britney spears.. again [currently watching: for the record]

ucr, done done it again

2008-12-04T05:45:00.001-08:00

on the lineup ~~[supposedly]~~:

-kid cudi
-circa survive
-she wants revenge
-n.e.r.d.

i cant stay

2008-12-01T03:37:00.000-08:00

im on this song's jock. and the voice behind it.

welcome

2008-11-30T02:03:00.000-08:00

the newest addition to the family:

brother and sister

i notice that i have the tendency to give a back story to almost every post. anyway, here's this one:
my sisters been looking for a dog for what seems like forever. this christmas i was planning on surprising her with the cliche dog-in-box-bow-around-his-neck gift. instead, today, roaming bored around the hometown, we found ourselves at petsmart checking out the adoption selection as we do every saturday/sunday. about an hour later and $160 broker, we walked out, labrador/german shepherd mix in arms.

merry christmas manang!

her name, initially spelled GEM but i took it upon myself to make her cooler by switching it to JEM [if you know why than YOU are that much cooler as well], is still up for review. either way, we're blessed shes here :]

[ EDIT ]
her name is now Mango.
but im gonna call her Girl.

thanks, cowboy

2008-11-28T23:25:00.000-08:00

on our summer trip to texas and new york, we made the harsh and harmful-to-my-heart discovery that our old friend/newly-made lieutenant didnt recycle. come to find out that his neighbor/my cousin didnt either, and assumingly nor did the rest of texas.

surprisingly, all my lectures and scolding made an impression as he sent me this via email a couple days ago:

thanks lieutenant :] it definitely made more than my day.

happy thanksgiving

2008-11-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

so i began writing this entry on this thanksgiving day as anyone would begin writing a thanksgiving entry: giving thanks in the form of a list. but then i got bored and each bullet following the 40th-something became more redundant and obvious than the previous. so i decided to take this unfamiliar, unconventional and more difficult route.

TOP 10 THINGS IM MOST THANKFUL FOR:

GOD
and my continuous battling relationship with Him. faith--its a scary feeling. but as my right wrist reads: "by faith alone." i am still learning, i am still growing, i am still mistake making, but through all my fuckups, i am most certain that He will always be there.

MOTHER
for showing me strength, beauty, and selflessness in its truest and sincerest form. she never stops moving, never stops inspiring, and i will never amount to her greatness. shes beautiful, corny, and goofy, and i feel most comfortable in her presence. she makes me smile. someday, i hope to be to my kids what she is to me.

FATHER
is the coolest. he is the purest example of what a man, husband, father, and friend should be. im discovering everyday how i take after my father more and more, and i couldnt be happier nor more satisfied. his strength, his humor, his composure, his charm and his ability to love and let people love him makes me proud and inspired. he is the definition of "man-up" and im growing anxious to teach my kids what hes teaching me.

SISTER
is my everything. shes the closest person to me in this world and without her...i dont even want to think about it. throughout all the uncertainties, the confusion, the doubt, the drama, the chaos, the laughter, the good and the bad ive been through these past 22 years, there was always one thing i knew i could trust that was unwavering, and that was if i looked to my side, she would be there with me every step of the way. shes beautiful, shes talented, shes funny. shes my best friend. and i will kill for her.

LUCA & PUPPIES
luca <3 face="trebuchet ms">they warm my heart, they make me smile, they make me scream, they make me sneeze, they make me cry, they make me laugh, but i wouldnt have it any other way. they make life just that much greater and if anyone dares to lay a finger on them i will go berserk.

MEMORIES
and the simple ability to have and keep them. there is no such feeling like the one you get when reminiscing. my memories are precious and equally fragile--they can be stripped away any day at any moment--which is why i hold mine so close and dear.

SENSES
the physical and spiritual ones. im thankful i can feel, hear, see, taste, and smell. and im most thankful i can feel, hear, see, taste, and smell pain, love, anger, greed, jealousy, comfort, laughter, joy, etc. without my senses i would not be able to hear music, to feel music, to see music. nor would i be able to dance to music, move to music, see and hear choreography to music. i wouldnt be able to sense what hurt and betrayal are, thus making me more thankful for the amazing feeling of love and loyalty.

INTERNSHIP
i truly lucked out and ive never been more grateful. to be consistently and so directly involved in the music industry is a dream. and sharing with others the kind of experience ive experienced is more than rewarding. im hoping for a promising future in this field. either way, im more than ecstactic [and still shocked] to be here.

SAFETY & HEALTH
of myself and every name i know.

EVERY NAME I KNOW
and every person ive come across, close to me or not. my friends are the best; i couldnt ask for a better group of people. my team, 909, is amazing! i love them so much. my roommates are so tight; i wouldnt choose to live with anyone else. my professors: thank you for making me that much smarter. my doctor: thank you for keeping me in check. our gardners: stop hitting on my sister, but thank you for keeping our yard pretty. luca's vet: we are truly grateful.
and etc. i am thankful for every person, great friend or not, that has walked with me on this path at some point(s) in my life.

but probably the most complicated, loving, hating, painful, wonderful name i know: adam daniel martinez. you truly are something else, you amazing, beautiful asshole.

------------------------------------------

OTHER THINGS OF LESSER IMPORTANCE, BUT AM STILL VERY THANKFUL FOR:

-going green, because i love this dirty earth and you should too
-my alma mater, my classes, my education, my college experience
-hgtv
-toblarone, and any and all chocolate at that
-magazines
-ice cream
-my filipino heritage
-america
-the internet
-rock band/guitar hero/resident evil/mario kart/etc
-photography
-microsoft excel
-card games
-beer
-anthony bourdain
-the godfather trilogy
-italians
-television
-paradise lost
-baz lurhmann
-etc [and constantly updating?]

yummy

2008-11-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

at it again

2008-11-15T21:48:00.000-08:00

my friend just sent me this picture:

picture location: the park up the street from our neighborhood
fire location: corona (15 mins from riverside)

wack.
be safe, my friends.

tis the season

2008-11-15T14:27:00.000-08:00

..to spend money, and so much of it!
thats why i pray for and bank on opportunities like these to ever so graciously present themselves to my broke ass:

spent $37 on 4 items for 3 people on my list; a pretty dope steal, not the best, but beggars cant be fucking greedy.

:]

stage time

2008-11-13T13:07:00.000-08:00

come watch the team i love so dearly at our first competition of the year.

PRELUDE SO CAL
DECEMBER 6TH
WHITTIER HIGH SCHOOL
$15 PRESALE
$20 DOOR

i<3909eversogreatly:]

yes we did

2008-11-06T15:59:00.001-08:00

where does one even begin to address the happenings, the debates, the heightened emotions, the heated arguments, the confusion, the anxiety, the reckless nerves, and finally the sighs of relief and the discovery of a new-found american pride birthed from these elections?

ive not a clue. and havent the energy to attempt it now.
but one thing i do know: never before have i ever been more proud to call the president my president.

and so it is

2008-10-19T00:42:00.000-07:00

new year.
new team.
new beginnings.

stay posted.

[ EDIT ]

2008-10-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

so. its been quite awhile.

unfathomable

2008-09-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

[click]

i still cant believe it.

[ EDIT ]
i never had a chance to really explain why this show was so hard to digest. it was an amazing lineup, and even more incredible being that it was his first REAL show aside from house parties and car rides. but more so because it was very personal to me. busdriver and 2mex, including the forgotten shapeshifters, was the first show to pop my underground hip hop cherry. i saw the three at the glass house my senior year of hs and i became an immediate fan. so to see mr faimkills, someone so close and immediate in my personal life as of now, OPEN FOR BUSDRIVER AND 2MEX, was simply ridiculous.

i dont rap.
i shoegaze.

texas and new york

2008-09-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

im back!
and far too tired to write,
so update yourself with my pictures.

DAY 1
1300 mile journey to texas
5 adults, 1 dog, 1 saturn vue packed to the brim
lunch break in texas = rock climbing, virgin mary alters, and mutant spiders
border patrol fuckers and speeding tickets
arrived, just shy of 24hrs, at 8:00 pm

DAY 2
good morning, universal city, texas
12pm drinking
the other purple haze
family reunion
kings, timeless

DAY 3

[updating]

deading my demons

2008-09-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

or so i will try.

get to rest little ones.
you make my eyes puffy and ugly.
and my glass heart frail and fragile.
you bring me the im sorry flowers.
and im tired of the im sorry flowers.

although,
they are very pretty to look at.

relapsing

2008-08-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

imploding
dying
crying
alone
lonely
confused
directionless
conflicted
miserable
angry
sullen
insecure
weak
worthless

to say the very least.

..again

humidity + flies + fatigue + boredom =

2008-08-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

YARD SALE!

currently, we're about $250 closer to texas and new york! which is a relief considering im broke as shit. we have about 4 more hours till we close out day uno. and for the past 9 hours ive been profusely sweating and fighting in a losing battle against flies, shooing them with one hand and typing with the other. yard sales are tough shit man.

lookie:

and speaking of junk:

poor phone. i hate you.
i think its about time to upgrade.

cute little thing

2008-08-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

kanye west's good morning

i love the 80's

2008-08-24T23:32:00.001-07:00

what a busy birthweek. happy birthday's go out to:

-macalalad
-stacycats
-rmt
-kristine

yesterday, my sister, benji, and marely joined me and cabinet for our performance at 3rd street. the day was really fun, and the night got even better once we arrived (5 hours late :/ ) to kristines THROWBACK 80's PARTY!

manang: jazzercise
bao anh: jazzercise
road head: hair metal
jo: material girl

[pictures soon. very very soon.]

crazy 4 cult 2

2008-08-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

penciled this in my schedule for sometime this week..!
i was really looking forward to going tonight, but i chose to spend time with my neglected couch and tv instead.

[scott campbell's poster. click for previews and more.]

dance

2008-08-18T12:31:00.001-07:00

909 is offering hip hop dance classes for the summer.

[click]

where: in front of UCR's rec
when: every wednesday
time: 7-830
price: FREE!

ps. that's my left elbow on the flyer haha

shop and sush

2008-08-18T01:35:00.001-07:00

in an effort to scrounge up some extra cash for new york, the roomies and i went to la to sell some clothes. i have a crazy sentimental / emotionally weak side, which explains why my closet is completely stacked--i'll spare anything that carries a memory regardless of how nasty it looks. for this reason i made a petty amount of cash at the exchange, so i settled for store credit instead and came out with more junk to add to my growing pile. [pictures later]

shopping makes you hungray.. so we stopped by this not-so-delicious sushi restaurant and ate enough just to get our money's worth. which was:

this much.

..and then some.

the other sea world

2008-08-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

today was family day! yay!
for victorvillians, or anyone in the high desert at that, going "down the hill" is like an adventure! its pretty hilarious. but an adventure we sure had..

we found our way to the bass pro shop in rancho.. that place is like a grown ass man's amusement park! its so much fun! and huuuge!

they had boats!, and camping gear!, and guns!, and grills!, and huge fake animals!, and waterfalls!, and fishies!, and everything!
i wasnt too fond of the hunting section :(
but the restaurant was BOMB

my favorites: the boats and the guns!
thanks to daddy dearest, i got a lesson on both toys.

to top the day off, i saw a woman that looks like zach braff.
hilarious? cruel? obviously, a sad combination of both haha

take it out your pocket, show it, then throw it

2008-08-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

update on the new job:

my boss is a money craving, christian metal music playing monster with a very nicely interior-decorated office who wants me to give up my internship so i can satisfy his never-ending hunger for the paper full time, 8-6, 5 days a week.

tragedies

2008-08-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

a whole list of.

RIP
-heath ledger
-bernie mac
-isaac hayes
-BE your own pet
-m.i.a. [back from the dead]
-n.e.r.d.

*unfortunately, constantly updated

lily

2008-08-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

FINALLY! i got a freakn job!
i work for an art warehouse / gallery selling art to businesses and whoever. its pretty dope--not exactly what i expected, but at least i get to be around art all day gettin paid, gettin paid..

anyway, on one of our stops i found an old issue of fashion mag (august 2006). and one of the articles featured marilyn manson and his then upcoming movie Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll.. and THIS chick!

creepy, yet oh so stunning. but i do believe this is due in part to aldridge's work.
anyway, i love this look.

a beautiful mind

2008-08-08T00:57:00.000-07:00

Steal Mantra Records' Artist of the Month: WHORE OF THE HABITAT

read on, friends:

Adam Martinez, aka Faim Kills aka Whore of the Habitat, is about as productive and multifaceted as Steal Mantra artists come. Yes, it's true all of the Steal Mantra family is interested in many different styles and I think it comes out on record, but no SM artist has made such a stylistic jump as Adam has between projects. Faim Kills is one of the most exciting personas in local hip-hop and without any second thoughts, he jumped to Whore of the Habitat, a very dark pop sound that is at once infectious and thought-provoking in its experimentation and interesting production value. Personally speaking, I find the debut Whore of the Habitat EP, "Calaveras" to be my favorite thing to formally come out on Steal Mantra. So, without further ado Steal Mantra presents the Artist of the Month spotlight for August 2008....Whore of the Habitat.

Love,
Danny De Maio and Steal Mantra

1. Well, it's only been a few months since you were the Artist of the Month and we normally wouldn't put the same person in the spotlight twice in such a short time, but let's be honest, Whore of the Habit is a totally different beast than your other moniker, Faim Kills. What event(s) instigated the formation of Whore of the Habit?

Adam: Well, I suppose it's the mere idea that there is a time and place for everything. There are certain ideas and emotions that I can convey better as Faimkills, and then there are moments and emotions that can't be presented and evoked in the same manner while rapping. You know, rapping has always been pretty aggressive, it's a contact sport sort of genre. It's all about braggadocios and swagger for the most part, but I just see how complex we as humans are, and some musicians have aspirations that exceed one genre. I feel that I am one of those people, and I look up to folks that are multi-faceted in music, I think most of the Steal Mantra camp is pretty well-rounded as far as musical taste, and the ability to potentially work in other genres with it's sounds good…or if it were to sound really shitty, the spirit is there. I really look up to Daryl Palumbo in this sense, he's the crazy lead singer from Glassjaw, the crooner in Head Auto, a DJ in Sports, a multi-instrumentalist, a graf artist, and a rapper (look up Brite One). He's got his hand in all sorts of shit, I sort of want to do that, but not to a point where none of the projects have focus, or direction, or that they don't really matter or say anything important.
Whore of the Habitat serves as much an important role in my musical career as does Faimkills. I've always wanted to have a situation where I'm making live music and though I played in a band…that didn't pan out, I'm still hoping for a full band situation one day…right now Whore of the Habitat is pretty much what you get with Dashboard, Bright Eyes (prior to the Conor Oberst Album) or The Mountains (Sebastien Grangier's new project), a one man band as far as recording goes.

2. Where does the name itself originate from?

Adam: It actually came about from a conversation I had with my girlfriend last year. She has a degree in Art History and she was telling me about some pieces of artwork she'd been into as of lately. One piece was called "The Horror of the Habitat", I never actually got to see it because she couldn't find it online, but the phrase stuck with me and somehow I started to think of the world as a large habitat, and defining what a habitat is. The world is comprised of smaller habitats, and those fractioned off into even smaller habitats, to such a fine-tip point that even our bodies are a habitat. It's a place where we exist, where we utilize, where we exploit. It's cultures, counter-cultures, subcultures, commodifications, ideals, religion, war, science, racism. We are all whores of any given habitat because we all utilize, selfishly at times, and we all exploit something for some greater cause. We exploit our skills, our talents, we smoke, we drink, we fuck, we pray. Hence, Whore of the Habitat (p.s. go fix the names on the Steal Mantra page! lol).

3. I know we've talked about it before, but am still amazed by your recording techniques for it being recorded in your room and not a proper studio? Any tricks of the trade you've come across that help out?

Adam: Sorry Kimosabi, these are ancient secrets that I share with no one! Haha, no you know I use my aged Toshiba laptop with an external M-Audio Preamp/USB interface. I use two mics, Marshalls, both condenser, one I use for Vocals, and the other I tend to use for recording guitars, but most times I'll just plug my instruments right into the Preamp and add effects later on. I use Ableton Live 6. I am so happy with my investments from early this year. Right at the beginning of '08 I went to Guitar Center and Bought all of this equipment in a bundle that was literally no more than 300 dollars. It shows a drastic change in sound quality if you listen to my first Faimkills EP, there is a ton of white noise. As far as techniques, I always record when no one is home, unless I'm on a roll, then I record late at night when all my roommates are asleep, and wake them the fuck up! Close all the windows, light incense, turn of the fan, sweat like a fucking pig, it gets physically draining. Constant takes over and over until I get it right. Then I'll clean it up with vocal effects like Male Vocals, it just cleans up my voice as far as emphasizing the…you know what, I have no fucking clue exactly, but to me, it's like red-eye removal. And whatever effects I put on my instruments. I'm still not great at mastering and I constantly have to go back and change volumes.

4. Honestly, I was personally surprised by what I was hearing from you when I heard the first tracks you posted under Whore of the Habitat. Obviously, people know you're a hip-hop head, but more importantly I think you're a MUSIC head, a whore in that way if you will. I find that something to really admire. What albums, specifically influenced the new EP?

Adam: YES! I'm so glad you picked up on that, I am a whore when it comes to music, I indulge myself in so much, and so do you, that was another factor that made the name all the more promising and efficient. And I'm really glad you were surprised, that's kind of the reaction I want, in both Whore of the Habitat and Faimkills, it's kinda like when people find out I'm Mexican, they're like "what! I thought you were [insert pretty much any ethnicity you can think of]" Like I'm just some goof, but in my head, I can get kind of cocky, like "damn this sounds dope".
Albums that influenced this EP, there are no specific album, but it's more holistic vibes I get from certain musicians or bands whether it be vocally, instrumentally, emotionally, and it can be a specific sound from an album, a song, a career. I'd say my primary influences came from Jesse Lacey, vocally, Brand New's latest album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me", the Devil and God contrast has been evident throughout my lyrics across genres, so that album is a really influential album. The Raveonettes, beach music, shoe gaze, dude sometimes I feel that "Bitter, Bitter" is such a lame excuse for a generic version of "Seductress of Bums" off of Pretty In Black, and yet other times, I feel like it's a nice homage to that era of music, as well as the Raveonettes, and also, the end breakdown of that song has a sort of epic feel to it to me, something along the lines of The Arcade Fire, with a rockabillyesque bassline. Dude, you know me, so much influence, Damien Rice, specifically the song "9 Crimes", Glen Hansgard of The Frames check out The Swell Season, Jens Lekman, Coheed (Claudio Vocals and guitar riffs at times like at the middle/end of "La Pelona"), Nirvana (especially the riff on "Luke Havergal and the Ballad of Hell"). Older Radiohead, like Pablo Honey, The Smiths' The Smiths and The Queen is Dead, Sonic Youth instrumentally at times, primarly in "La Pelona", Daryl Palumbo and Max Bemis vocally and the vulnerability of Lightspeed Champion lyrically. I'll stop there for now, but I'm sure we can debate and have plenty of conversations about influences through out.

5. I've listened to the EP at least 9 or 10 times through since I got it and I find this interesting juxtaposition in the songs between relatively being guitar figures and really dark lyrics. Where you aiming for that or did it just sorta end up that way?

Adam: I think it's a little bit of both. I think this idea rings true the most in "La Pelona" and "Luke Havergal and the Ballad of Hell". And I think you are right. For these two songs, I did have dark lyrics in mind. Most of these songs lyrics have been written for a span of about two years, and the music for the most part, well the initial ideas for them have also been boiling in the pot for at least half a year, but I'll tell you something, the lead guitar part, I came up with them on the spot during each recording session, so let's hope I remember them by the time I get ready to perform.
I'll say one more thing about that juxtaposition, I don't like having total control, I like to think, to hope that the music guides you and is a medium to convey things you yourself couldn't have imagined.

6. To me "La Pelona" is the darkest song on the record, both instrumentally and lyrically. Thinking of the steps towards creating something, do you sit down and know you're going to write a dark song or do you just wing it and see what happens?

Adam: My songs are pretty much collages. It takes bits and pieces of lyrics I've written down over time, they seems to all match in some way, and I'll go off that. So I usually know thematically what I'm going for, dark, romantic, nostalgic, etc. I don't really know how everything seems to work out together, that's a good sign right? Maybe I've got some talent afterall.

7. How about the What Hands Are For reference in "Luke Havergal and the Ballad Of Hell" ? Intentional?

Adam: Absolutely, I had the makings of these lines ready to go about one year ago. I fell in love with that band man. I respect them so much, they're really talented. The Loud Ass EP is so consistent and pretty unforgiving. It has this swagger that is a rarity to me in this type of music, sort of a "fuck you" attitude, lyrically, it's so direct, and unremorseful. It's become a 2008 favorite and listening to it versus the first demo, wow, they've improved so much. I haven't seen them play for awhile, but every time I see them, they get better. I can't wait to see them play with Spirit Fangs!!! Also an instant Steal Mantra classic. I hope to play some shows with both bands whether it's Faimkills or Whore of the Habitat. Our scene is thriving in my opinion, there are a lot of bands in the Inland Empire that deserve recognition, and it makes me puke to think that people automatically assume that you have to be some fuck from Los Angeles to have talent, or that you have to venture out to a metropolis like L.A. to be somebody. Fucking do something with what you have, where you live, when you have it. Support local art. My only complaint is that I would like some more recognition from some bands I admire, but that's really up to my isn't it?

8. To preface this next question, I just want to let you know that I wouldn't say this if I didn't mean it, but I truly think that you have created my favorite record thus far on the Steal Mantra label. Now, are you, personally happy with the record?

Adam: Thank you for that…if I can get a reaction like that from someone like you, I feel like I've done something right, and that in itself makes me happy. But you know how it is, as an artist, you've always got multiple voices in your head. Some days I hear the EP, and I'm very satisfied, I love it, I think it's better than a lot of shit out there. Other times, I am embarrassed, it's the worst thing I've ever heard, and I can just point out every little mistake and I find new ones over and over. But I think that comes with the territory, so overall, yes I am personally happy, I got a lot of experience, and I think I've come a long way from the beginning when I started recording acoustic stuff back in 2004. I think I cam close to achieve what I wanted sonically, lyrically, vocally, thematically, although I know I need some vocal training.

9. Did you get any help writing/recording the record or did you do it 100% on your own?

Adam: I'm a lone wolf man. I wrote and recording everything on this EP 100% on my own. I was supposed to have my roommate play violin on two songs, it ended up working in my favor that it didn't occur. I had to improvise and I honestly think I'm happier with the sound than if I had the violin.

10. What do you think "Calaveras" main theme is?

Adam: It's bareness. It's showing your vulnerabilities and insecurities. It's confronting things that you don't want to confront and pondering inevitabilities. It's getting to the bottom of things. It's based on artwork I hold dear and am fascinated with as a part of Mexican culture, as a part of my roots. Calaveras were lithographs made by Jose Guadalupe Posada. La Pelona is lady death, a figure in El Dia De Los Muertos, and there are a few other figures that I tried to personify in making this EP. There is also a certain story that I've tried to rationalize after making the ep lol. The sequence of songs, specifically the track listing can tell a story on it's own. With characters and a plot, it's up to you to understand it I suppose. It's romantic and dark at heart, but it is not a concept EP. It's about romanticizing heartbreak and loss.

11. You've released the debut EP in the dead of summer, a time when it seems like a lot of people find and get attached to records for the rest of their lives. Any summer records that have stood the test of time? Any new ones that you find might still be in your head in the years from now?

Adam: I think you're the only music geek that get attached to records. No just kidding, it's just that, I was more of a late bloomer as far as realizing and listening to and fully appreciating all kinds of music. In high school, I can remember the summer when Blink-182 released Take of Your Pants and Jacket. I'd say that mostly all summer records stick with you purely for nostalgic reasons, well I guess all music sticks with you partially for the memory of what was going on in your life at the time of listening. One of the roughest summers for me was in 2003, and I can remember two albums that really stuck with me, even to this day. Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head, I'm not sure if that album even came out in the summer, I think it came out in the summer a year earlier. That album is still my favorite Coldplay album (although Viva La Vida is slowly taking over), and one of my favorite albums ever. Towards the end of that summer, the most memorable album for me was N.E.R.D.'s In Search Of…, as well Clones the Neptunes album. Those albums helped me get over a lot of the shit that sucked about that summer, and it was late summer when I listened to these albums, so they are feel good records, and putting that summer behind. In the summer after high school, I was loving Hot Fuss by the Killers, still one of my favorite albums of our generation, also My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, that album is so dope, Tim his the one who turned me on to both of those albums, and I just love them to this day, I'm talking front to back. Brand New's Deja Entendu.
In college everything changed though. We're living in day and age where people don't really listen to albums anymore, they just have a "best of" sort of play list with their favorite songs from their favorite artists, and I'll admit I fall into this category. In the first two summers of college, I loved Bloc Party's Silent Alarm, Sage Francis' Personal Journalist, Atmosphere's old albums, The Gorillaz Demon Days, and Pharell's In My Mind, Mew's And the Glass Handed Kites, Head Automatica's Popaganda, M.I.A. Arular. Now I can see some albums being important summer jams, Girl Talk Feed the Animals, Atmosphere's When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint that Shit Gold, Ghostland Observatory's old album, Paparazzi Lightning, and plenty of Raveonettes songs.
But I'm a seasonal music listener, I attach albums and songs to different seasons, I tend to be excited for winter, there is something about walking on campus in the cold or even in the rain and listening to those songs that got me through the first years of college.
One more thing, the summer of 2003, I will never forget it's still engrained in my mind, I remember being in Mexico, driving on a highway by the coast and listening to There is a Light that Never Goes Out by the Smiths, and it since has always stuck with me, I love that song, and for some reason when I listen to certain 80s punk or even New Wave, I get this vision of a Mexican Oceanside, and it keys me in to magical realism in literature of Latin American artists. Weird how the mind works, memory.

12. "Calaveras" is one of the few Steal Mantra released records where I find real, unadulterated, sincere beauty. It doesn't seem jaded or confrontational, and there is especially a section in "We Are A Birch Tree" from 3:17 - 5:20 where I find this really gorgeous, spacious passage. As a lyricist, being 22, do you find yourself jaded in a time where there is so much shit to drag your spirits down? Or is it easy to put yourself in a place where life isn't rife with nonsense that can make someone jaded?

Wow, thank you for that, sincere beauty, I wish I had a publicist to quote you. I'm actually listening over the record right now, have been since I started answering these questions to get a full focus. This is a really sincere song, maybe the most sincere of the EP, and it was the first I recorded, and the one I hold close because it's quite possibly the most personal. Being 20 something is jading, being any age is tiresome, we always things to complain about, being in your 20s is an evolved version of teenage angst, problems you have are most likely more important than those of a teenager, financial, romance, friendships, they all start to say something more about the person you are, and they are all your responsibility. You know we start to be unhappy with things because aren't the way we want them or expected them to be a few years back. So I think embracing these gripes and being jaded help, just as long as you aren't bored with your situation, the way see it, as long as you can turn it into a positive by releasing it in some sort of medium, and creating some raw emotion in the visual, spatial, physical sense, it's worth it to put up with the shit you go through, A) because we have no other choice and B) because it makes for good music.

13. Was "Calaveras" recorded in the now, or did you reach back a few years to draw lyrical passages?

I'd say it was recorded in the now, I reached back no more only maybe a year in my mind, just to see what I thought about certain things and see that growth, and negotiate that into lyrics. I think I'd really like to draw on older stuff in the future though. I'd like to make music that can reach different ages. Even those annoying teenagers who think their lives are miserable.

14. I see at least two Steal Mantra records coincidentally have titles relating to death/skeletons ( "Calaveras" EP and "SCENE SKELETONS" LP). What made you choose the title?

Adam: Well, like I said, the whole Dia De Los Metros thing and Jose Guadalupe Posada, I have this fascination with Mexico, I think it's because I just recently became a better Spanish speak, and because I'm so far removed from this culture, that I want to be a part of it, or at least appreciate it on some greater level. And like I said going back to things reminding me of Mexico, even if I've only been there once, it's so rustic and beautiful, I'd love to travel to central parts, I somehow correlate skeletons and the ideals behind Calaveras with some surrealist notions. I am just intrigued by it.

15. Also, Julian Rubalcaba aka Portrait Fiasco was rad enough to do both of our artwork for our albums. How did you like the finished product? Did you direct him what you kind of wanted or did you just let him run loose with his own ideas?

Adam: I loved the album art, 100% as soon as I saw it, I just told him briefly what I wanted him to draw on, and somehow he came up with something even better. It reminds me so much of Dante's Inferno, the River Styx, and death, and romance all in one image.

16. So what's next for Whore the Habitat?

Adam: I hope to do some shows, most likely acoustic sets. I want this EP to be heard, I think I'm proud of it enough to have people listen and critique it, enjoy it, hate it, I would like to be a greater part of our music scene.

17. Anything new in the land of Faimkills? Should we be keeping our ears open for some new material in the coming year?

Adam: I'm working on new Faimkills materials now, I'm hoping to put out anywhere from 2-4 Eps before the end of this year. My plan is to put out material and use it as a resume to get more people fucking with me, then I feel like producers will be more inclined to make beats for me since they've heard a few different sides of me. Expect some new remixes, and a different sounding Faimkills, hopefully getting better with age.

18. Any plans on performing as Whore of the Habitat?

Adam: Like I said I'd love to perform, it just a matter of how can I convey these songs with the same feelings as you get when you hear the EP, all the drums are digital, and I played al the instruments and backing vocals, so if I do acoustics, it could take away, or it could be something different, we'll see. I'm just looking for opportunities.

19. Any albums your looking forward to in the second half of 2008? Is the new Lil Wayne all it's cracked up to be?

Adam: New Lil' Wayne album had a good marketing plan, that's all it was, it's not the best, I read an article about NME, and how Brits are starting to take interest in American music again, there list of top 25 artists making America cool again was horrid, no offense to the British people, but dude, there is so much good shit in America, Lil Wayne should not be your 2 vote, and Vampire Weekend shouldn't be 1. Listen to Faimkills, or Whore, lol just kidding. As far as 08 goes…Dr. Dre's Detox album is my most anticipated, if it comes out this year, or ever for that matter. The new Killers album is supposed to drop before '09 I believe. The new Kings of Leon, I admit I wasn't initially a fan, but they're infectious. There's this band I'm getting into called Crystal Stilts, they're from Brooklyn, their debut drops in October. Interested to hear the new TVOTR album, as well as Q-Tip's Renaissance and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II.

20. What did you take away from your 48 state road trip this summer?

Adam: That people change, and you have to accept that and if the friendship means enough, you'll accept those changes and hopefully those same friends will accept the new you as well. Also, I did a lot of internal meditation and realized that things, negative things, you have to get rid of them, and move forward, even if sometimes you are so disgusted with yourself, you have to drop them and see what else is out there for you. Most importantly though is the fact that I LOVE CALIFORNIA, there is no other place in this country for me. I love the diversity and the culture more than any other place I visited.

21. Last words before we go?

Adam: Yeah when are we going to form a super group with Portrait, the Fangies, and the Whore? Listen to www. myspace. com/whoreofthehabitat and listen to www. myspace. com/faimkills .

shady antics

2008-08-06T18:56:00.001-07:00

..or not?

i have a weird feeling about this

politics x pop culture

2008-08-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

i cant count the number of attempts the media / politicians have taken to "dumb [the political jargon] down" for us dimwitted, carefree kids. some pass, a lot fail. heres an example of an A+ in my eyes:

an animated fusion of justice's genesis and the "gasoline" dilemma brought to you by goodmagazine.

If we're addicted to oil, our twelve-step program should begin with admitting that we have a problem. As the price of oil creeps higher, finding new energy sources is more important than ever. But the search for alternatives, combined with environmental disruptions, is putting new pressures on other essentials like food. There are some things that are going well in the world. Right now, the economy is not one of them.

i couldnt help but feel helpless after watching this.

guess who's going green!

they're not dead!

2008-08-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

this band is too good for mishaps and break ups.

the killers squashed all their break up rumors when they announced day and age as the title of their 3rd album.

a friend told me once that their live shows are "epic"
and so right, she was

new york

2008-08-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

..i love you, but you're bringing me down

if you've been keeping up, you'll be glad to hear that my new york dreams are close to coming true.
sorta.
actually.. not very close at all.

BUT, i will be going for a quick vacation. 4 of us opened up a joint bank account to help us save for new york and texas. thanks to those that love me and gave me money at my graduation party, i was able to drop $700! its no residency, but a visit is better than nothing.

aside from the obligatory tourist usuals, id like to go to the studios that i researched just over a year ago. i plan on moving there still. probably as soon as 909 banquet ends. crossing my fingers!

VEGAS

2008-08-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

.. get ready
we're coming for you

[[EDIT]]
just kidding
maybe next time, my friend

GUERILLA UNION presents

2008-07-17T01:18:00.000-07:00

ROCK THE BELLS SERIES 2008

work has been owning me lately. tomorrow, my coworkers leave for the first show in chicago and its pretty exciting. ive been doin a bunch of street promoting for it and the reactions to my passing out flyers and yelling have all been beautiful. RTB is getting mad love--and it should! its an experience, a wonderful one at that, one that every person must experience before they die.

[click]

one of the best lineups ive ever seen if you'd ask me.

ALSO, don't forget to check out this one:

"THE JONES EXPERIENCE"

actual talented rappers are fearing extinction.
thankfully, one of the few of them is showin these shwayze punk ass bitches how to create music that doesnt make you dumber when you listen to it.

[click]

i hate shwayze.
we'll save that post for next time.

road rage

2008-07-17T00:49:00.000-07:00

cash ruins everything around me

today i drove the 30-some minute commute to work completely aware that i had no gas. i planned on filling up during my break after id buy myself a delicious strawberry-banana smoothie, but prior to making that much anticipated trip, i checked my bank account which shot my day to hell. my 30-some minute commute turned into a 60-some minute commute as a i drove home going 40mph from another 10am-7pm day with nothing in my system but stale chewing gum from the morning. i cant tell you the number of people's days i ruined by driving so slow.
why is everyone in a rush anyway? gas is expensive! slow the fuck down!

i need a job, no joke.
this lack of cash is taking a toll.

[ EDIT ]
i like to push my luck, but today was one of those days i pushed far to hard.
i attempted to drive back to work on 'e' stopping at a gas station on the way, but alas, my car died just as i was about to exit. i already was $10 negative in my account and i borrowed $10 to put in my tank, but that $10 had to be put towards the tow truck that came to put just enough gas in my car for it to start and transport me to a gas station, where i had to put another $10 in my tank just to get me to work, bringing me $20 negative in my account and owing $85 worth of overdrawn fees.

not a good day.

Back

LISTEN TO

PAID DUES 2010

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER COACHELLA

INSPIRATIONS AS OF LATE

SITTING ON THE SHELF

HEADER

(HAPPY) NEW YEAR!

REST IN PEACE

BARF

LISTEN TO

KILLER CALIFORNIA

TWILIGHT

A THOUGHT-GHETTO MESS TAPE

TOMORROW!

STUSSY SALE

OH BROTHER

SMOKEOUT

FINALLY

WILD THANG

DIABETES SUCKS

TODAY

LISTEN TO

creepy

tomorrow

cutest thing ever.

Puff Puff

halloween costume. 1/3.

RIP DJ AM

LISTEN TO

inglourious basterds

Quickie

Because celebrities are human too.

Support Local Art

"goodbye, chocolate people!"

more money, more shoes!

hiatus and alibis

christmas in april

coachella bound

blackberry detox

stalemate

ULTIMATE BRAWL 9

one more time

dance

payin dues for a decade plus

you'z a ho

fuck it.

nerdcore cutie

weekend recap

tweet

dear, recession

who's saint patty anyway?

flickr <3

impromptu interview

fuckery

ignorant

marshall

rude

kid and play

paid dues festival

frustrated

patiently waiting

i love to eat cereal..

amerigo

say hello

i love..

ucr, done done it again

i cant stay

welcome

thanks, cowboy

happy thanksgiving

yummy

at it again

tis the season

stage time

yes we did

and so it is

unfathomable

texas and new york

deading my demons