My Journal. I like stuff

10:03am: Obama has finally ended, as the Iranian Times put it, the torture of Bush.

I have to admit, I'm a little bit concerned about this cult of personality, but it's hard not to get swept up in the promise of hope - after such a soul crushing 8 years of Bush's attempts to personally fuck every nation in the arse (not to mention Howard doing his dirty work here), the promise of someone who is actually a professor, a arbiter or change, and most importantly someone who appears to care more for the base person as opposed to his rich mates is a wonderful thought.

And he certainly can write a speech (even if he only co-authors them)

( Hope springs eternal )

8:43pm: What's that, a post?
So, it's been fucking ages since I've posted anything on here. I migrated to Myspace, which in turn led to Facebook, and my poor LJ was relegated to the occasional friends page checking, and that was about it.

I've been slack in many aspects of my life, including keeping in contact with good friends in Newcastle. Apologies if you haven't heard from me recently - I do intend on correcting my mistakes, but you have my number too :)

Anyway, what have I been doing? So much to talk about.
( Hey look, a cut )

3:41pm: I hope this day comes soon...

2:30pm: This is what my workplace is like
I'm thinking I might print this out and stick it on my office wall.

11:58am: 19th of July
To anyone that may like to attend, I'm playing on the 19th of July at the Lucky Country.

$6 entry, with two good bands this time. I promise they won't be nearly as unlistenable as the last two.

It'll kick off around 9pm.

If you want to get a sample of what you're in for, go to our Myspace site to lsiten to a few songs.

Hope to see you there.

9:42am: Also...
After you listen to the new tracks on the Storm Myspace, why don't you put hte 19th of July into your calendar, as our next gig at The Lucky.


That'd be tops!


Everyone had a good time last time, and I'm sure you will this time. We're playing with a great Newcastle band called Avenue of Allies, and another unconfirmed band.

1:26pm: Storm!
Hello Livejournal Interwebs Inhabitants,

We've very recently posted 4 Storm tracks on our Myspace, for your listening pleasure.

It'd be great if you could jump on there, give all 4 a listen, and leave a nice comment.

Get 'em here

Thank you!

11:10am: Strange, free laptop
So, about 6 months ago, I was given a laptop, as the hard drive had failed, and the owner wanted a new laptop altogether.

I wasn't going to complain.

Ten, very nicely, fixed me up with a hard drive (although considering it spent the majority of that night kicking around in Sez's handbag, it may not have been in the most pristine condition), which I installed.

Things went along ok for a little while, then I went to turn it on one day, and the PC speaker went on a full ball, and wouldn't stop. It also locked when starting up. It did that a couple of times, and I put it in the too hard basket and forgot about it.

When moving this week, I rediscovered it. I turned it on, and it still beeps constantly, but I think that may just be because I don't have the drivers for the soundcard.

I downloaded the drivers, but everytime I go to install them from either a USB drive or a CD, I got to my computer, and it just loads Desktop. I'll double click on My Computer, and it just loads Desktop again.

Has anyone encountered this before? I was going to try re-installing Windows, or punching it until it works, but I think both of those are unlikely to make it go.

I'm thinking maybe it's a HDD/CD Drive issue, but laptops really aren't my speciality...

Help?

11:27am: Saturday Night
Hi Everyone,

Unlikely, I know, but if any of you were planning on being, or would like to be, on the Coast on Saturday night, I'm playing at the Woodport Hotel.

The guy's given us the headline spot, with the view to get some more big support slots, and into some big name venues in Sydney.

The only problem is, the guy has booked three other bands that are unlikely to bring anyone - one Central Coast band that didn't bring anyone last time they played, a Newcastle band that doesn't know many people over 18, and a Sydney band with a similar problem.

So, it's up to us to bring people. And if we do, it'll put us in the good books with the pub owner.

Details:

The Woodport Hotel
The Entrance Rd, Erina
$5 entry if you let me know you're coming (so I can get a ticket to you), or $10 on the door.
Doors 8pm, we're on at 10ish.

Hope to see y'all there!

9:25am: Oh for fuck's sake Brendan...
Tantrum alert

Get over the fact you lost power, and sit in the corner and think about what you've done over the past 11 years.

Lower tax on petrol? Why don't we jsut follow Pauline Hanson's theory on solving the inflation crisis, by releasing more money into the system? That'll fix everything.

Your economic false idols, Howard and Costello, both always argued that lowering exise on petrol won't work. We need to decrease demand to lower inflation. That means stopping people buying so much shit.

Most economists agree that we shouldn't be having tax cuts, but we're stuck with them, because your mates promised it at the last election, and hoodwinked everyone into thinking it was a great idea.

Australia voted, quite clearly and emphatically, that your politics and idiology was not wanted. Your own leader lost his seat, a fact that hasn't happened in 90 years.

Just fuck off back to your box. And take your mates, Hockey and Turnbull, with you. You are no longer relevant, and will remain so for a very long time.

8:43am: Guess who Storm is supporting next weekend?

11:54am: Don't forget:

1:27pm: Gentle Reminder
My new band, Storm, is playing this Friday Night at The Lucky.

It'd be great if y'all could make it (and bring all your friends). It's only $5 entry, and it should be a great rock n roll night.

Storm are a rock/hard rock band, playing almost entirely originals, in the vein of ACDC, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Guns n Roses, Motorhead and The Scorpians. Falling of One have recently supported The Screaming Jets, so you know they're a top quality rock band.

I'm running this gig myself, so if we don't get enough people, it's going to cost me money. So come along, bring some friends/workmates/random people, and if you're cute, I'll let you take me home for the night :p

Check us out at our Myspace site

2:25pm: Hey look, I finally made it into the paper for something other than public displays of vulgarity.

9:54am: I'd just like to say, that if at any time if you've seen me drunk or otherwise inebriated, it wasn't my fault, someone obviously spiked my drink, and then planted drugs in my pocket.

It's all because I'm a massive star, and everyone has tall poppy syndrome.



Take some fucking responsibility, you useless little twat. No-one thinks enough of you to waste drugs either spiking your drink, or planting GHB on your unconscious body. Learn to take them responsibily.

You fucked up. Admit it, pretend you're sorry (a la Andrew Johns), and make some more money admiting you have a mental illness that has driven you to drugs.

10:05pm:

1:27pm: For any of you who missed it through the multitude of OTHER social networking sites...
My new (and permanent, I swear) band, Storm, is playing a string of gigs coming up.

There's this Saturday in Sydney (the Lewisham Hotel). This one

But the big ones will be:

26th April - The Woodport Inn, Erina (near Gosford). Playing with Ethereal and New Sedition

3rd May - Pulse Nightclub, Gosford. Running our own show here, and t would be great if we could get a few people along to this one

9th May - The Lucky Country, Newcastle. Running this one too. Please come, Novocastrians

16th May - Sirens Nightclub, Terrigal.

More to come, as we book them.

9:48am: Too soon?


Can we have the gun back now, you cold hearted psychopath?

9:41am: The End of an Era :(
Unfortunately, it's just sitting around gathering dust, a tribute to my more metal days.



So, she's up for sale.

"The Bitch", as she was so lovingly known, will soon belong to someone else.

She was with me for countless gigs, impressing people with her size, shape, and evil growl when cranked right up.

I hope someone you know (or you yourself), will want to buy her.

As a warning, it's probably not the best bass to learn on, unless you have large hands.



$1,000, or nearest offer. Better yet, if you want to swap it for one of these, I'll be most grateful:

8:44am: For all you D&D nerds out there...
http://www.chaser.com.au/content/view/3483/72/

9:03am: 21st of March Gig
If any of you were planning on coming to the Storm gig on the 21st of March, it's been postponed until the 9th of May.

You can, of course, still catch us at the Grand Hotel, Wyong this Friday (the 14th of March), or on the 19th of April at the Lewisham Hotel (they liked us so much, they asked us back 5 minutes after our set).

I'll keep you posted as more gigs are booked and confirmed.

8:41am: Newcastle Gig
I know a lot of people go away over the Easter long weekend, but if any of you are around on Good Friday, it'd be really cool if you could make it along for this gig.

It's the first Newcastle gig for my new permanent band, STORM. It's also the first gig I've organised completely myself, so if you could me make it less of a financial disaster, I'd appreciate it :)

Details:



Catch you there!

3:07pm: Clarification...
Just a clarification, the "morons" term in my post yesterday is NOt about those who don't believe in personally apologising (you're entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong it may be :p ).

Rather, it was a dig at the talkback listening, Piers Ackerman reading people who are incapable of their own free thought who refuse to actually listen, and realise that Rudd's speech was an apology from the present and past Federal Governments and Parliments only. No where was it mentioned it was on behalf of anyone of these imbiciles, unless they happen to be ex Members of Parliment.

Your apology is left to your own devices, should you wish to give it.

8:51am: I'm Sorry.
Today is the first time in 12 years I can be proud of my Federal Government.

Firstly, for the morons out there who have been quoted as saying "I don't want the government to apologise for me".

This apology is from the AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT. It's not given on behalf of the Australian people, but on behalf of the current government, and previous governments. For the obvious wrongs conducted against Aboriginal people taken away from their families, simply because one of their parents or granparents were white.

Personally, I wish to apologise. I'm sorry those people were taken away, without any reason. I'm sorry families were torn apart, parents and siblings to never see each other again.

The text of the Australian Government's apology:

"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

We reflect on their past mistreatment.

We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations – this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."

3:00pm: Oh, and for your viewing amusement, a couple of pics of me on stage, during the Festival of the Dead tour, down in Wagga Wagga: