30 years ago today Machine Head played our first show at a house party on Woolsey Street in Oakland, CA. House party, Isn’t really the right word, our friend / man-of-many-hats Mike Scum was getting evicted, so as a fuck you to his landlord it was a “destroy-the-house-party “ with Machine Head as the soundtrack
House parties and kegger parties weren’t anything new to me at this point. Back when I was in Forbidden all the early shows we ever played were backyard parties, living room parties, community centers, VFW halls. There was always an insane vibe doing shows like that, and I wanted to recreate that feeling, especially since a couple of my guys were green AF and playing their very first shows ever. It was Tony Costanza on drums, Logan Mader on guitar, Adam Duce on bass.
Can’t remember the order, but set list would’ve been “death church”, “a thousand lies”, “blood for blood”, “nation on fire” maybe “rage to overcome”(?), “fuck it all”, and Cro Mags “hard times”, possibly Poison Idea “Alan’s on fire”. "Davidian" wouldn't be written for almost another year.
Across the street from Mike was an infamous punk rock house, called The Woolsey House, and all of them came over and gleefully took part in the destruction. Many a hammer was punched into the walls. We bought several kegs, and raged HARD. When the police eventually came, I proudly walked up to his glass front door sporting my “fuck the police“ shirt, and refused to let them in since they didn’t have the authority to enter.
It was a hell of a way to start this journey all that time ago…
Kinda blown away that I’m about to drop a new album in 2 weeks, and that anybody still gives a shit about the band.
If your still here all these decades later... thank you from the bottom of my blackened heart for going on this wild ride with me.
15 years ago… Just read a DM from a fan, explaining how his country was ravaged by war back in 2007, how his family had to flee, how this record documented so much of the pain and loss he was feeling.
And here we are in 2022, with another horrible war happening, perpetuated by yet another madman, war-monger and tyrant. Watching innocent civilians, women and children killed.
Innocent people are still being lost daily to gun violence in America… even if it’s not on-stage… and I hope they still burn in hell.
People are still struggling with depression and suicide.
Religious zealots and extremists are still trying to force their gods down our throats.
But the fight goes on.
The courage, power, and urgency to “fight for all that you love“ while watching corrupt politicians dismantle democracy and freedom remains strong in our bones.
We will not trade humanity for pearls of our slavery.
Our fists forever clenched in dissent.
]]>
What a night.
Beyond honored to be asked to sing one of my favorite songs of all time “A Lesson In Violence” with one of my favorite bands of all time. Absolutely EPIC Exodus show tonight in the streets of Oakland as part of the Oakland Metro's street fair. Pure mayhem!
Seeing Tom Hunting alive, cancer free, and kicking ass is one of the greatest things on earth. Watching original H-Team guitarist Rick Hunolt slay up there right alongside the mighty Lee Altus, paying tribute to Paul Baloff was amazing. Long-time scene-veteran Brian Lew has produced some Paul Baloff action figures which frankly, are simply awesome, Zetro up onstage hoisting it in the air for all to see was a fantastic sight.
This was some dream come true shit for me. Exodus was and always will be a more-than-words-can-express-inspiration to the music I write. It was a leave-it-all-on-the-stage-moment for sure
So many friends to hang out and sing-a-long with including Sean from Vio-lence, Sven ex-Mercenary, Lars from Rancid, ALL of Death Angel, Wayne from Hatebreed, Chris Kontos (sick stage dive!), and so many other friends, plus took Wyatt to his first Exodus show to see the thrash carnage firsthand.
Gary Holt you da man!🙏🏻🖤👊🏻
Watch the video HERE
]]>
XXX...
30 Years…
From the moment I saw you at The Forum bar in El Cerrito… laid your incredible eyes on me… flashed the brightest smile I’d ever seen… I was yours.
Genevra… what a name.
Fast forward to Paradigm Studios in East Oakland… white leather jacket, ripped up blue jeans tucked into square-toe motorcycle boots, a shock of red hair with blonde streak… you left me breathless.
I was so embarrassed when you noticed me singing Soundgarden’s - “Holy Water” under my breath, but then you joined in… who is this person?
11 dudes trying to pick up you, and somehow you decided to hangout with the one guy who wasn’t trying to pick up on you. I made you laugh.
Kissing your neck under the black light in the hip hop room upstairs at the Floppy House… a memory burned into this brain forever. Eternal. One of the greatest memories of my life. When I die it will be one of the last/best thoughts going through my mind.
Riding on your motorcycle back to your apartment, grabbing 40 ounces of Mickey’s beer, talking til 9 AM, watching the sun come up through your window overlooking the Bay.
You were/are so amazing to talk to. Who is this person?
We’ve lived ten lifetimes since then.
30 years later, yours is still the brightest smile my eyes have ever seen, still lights up the sky… my world.
30 years later, you still leave me breathless.
To 30 years more my Sugar Pie
Berto
XXX
Great article from Kerrang! main-man Phil Alexander on the passing of legendary music journalist Malcolm Dome.
https://www.kerrang.com/features/malcolm-dome-1955-2021/
And another by Metal Hammer UK
https://www.loudersound.com/news/music-journalist-malcolm-dome-dead-at-66
Malcolm was a huge champion of Machine Head from the get-go and always had some thing funny and witty to say. But my favorite memory of him, is hanging out at an insanely packed night at London’s infamous Crobar, (which is one of the very best dive bars in the entire world). We were just sitting crammed in a corner by the front door talking about all the artists from the 70s and 80s that he had a chance to meet, drink, chat with.
He had gotten many opportunities to hang out with Bon Scott from AC/DC, and I just sat there mesmerized listening to him tell a story after story. He said Bon could “drink any man under the table, and get any woman that he wanted. His charms were irresistible”.
I don’t know what it is about the story that stays with me, but Malcolm was genuinely one of a kind. As a religious reader of Kerrang! magazine in my teenage years, so much of the early thrash bands that he championed would lead me to the path where I stand today
RIP Malcolm Dome
]]>
Took my kids in their first circle pit yesterday.
To say that this would be a “proud dad” moment would be the understatement of the year. I wanted to do this for so long, really since they were both born. In the past they were just a little too young, or Genevra was feeling a little over protective at the time, and it just didn’t happen. Now at 17 and 14 they were literally the perfect age, especially now that my 17-year-old is a giant musclebound galoot!
Both of my kids very first favorite songs when they were young were System of a Down songs. Zander‘s was “waiting for my girl" (aka: "Hypnotize") and Wyatts was “old school Hollywood” ("Tony Danza cuts in line"). We were there with their forever-friend Braeden who is a gigantic fan of both bands as well, but in particular is bananas about Korn.
So my friend Deen and I grabbed all three kids and made our way from the soundboard to the edge of the circle pit. From there, Braeden just bolted into it, zero fucks given. We quickly followed suit, and man, we had the BEST fucking time.
It’s been a looooooooong time since I’ve been in a circle pit, I think Gwar when we were on the Sounds of the Underground tour in '06 was the last one. It was a blast for me, but it was thrilling as fuck for the three of them! The excitement, the danger of getting knocked down, the vibe of everybody screaming along… man, it was so much fun. Maybe it was the two years off from live music, but it was exhilarating in every letter of the word.
Getting the opportunity to share that moment with my kids was fucking priceless.
Eventually Zander and Braeden got super close to the front row, and Wyatt and I stayed in the pit for “Bounce“ by a System which was absolutely bonkers.
It’s wild watching the kids grow up, it goes so fast.
And having been a metalhead dad that knew what a blast this was going to be, to literally watch this dream come true was truly special. I wish I could’ve hung out with the Korn and System dudes some more, but unfortunately I was having too much fun in the circle pit with my boys at their show!
Shout out to Shavo, Brian and Munky for the epic hang.
Women’s March for abortion rights, Martinez, CA. Oct. 2nd, 2021. Powerful signs, and even more powerful speakers detailing frankly horrific scenarios.
One older lady spoke about being gang raped in Ohio when she was young, and after finding out she was pregnant, not allowed to get an abortion in the pre-Roe V Wade world. After being denied by multiple doctors, she had to go to Mexico where the operation was botched and she bled for 3 weeks and nearly died. Only then was she able to get an emergency surgery, and she survived.
Another older lady (who had never told her story publicly), gave a powerful speech about having her baby die inside her during her 3rd trimester, and 10 different doctors insisting she carry it for 3 more months until it came out. Finally she convinced a retiring doctor to help her remove the dead baby from inside her.
Even after all these years her voice trembled with emotion.
The wisdom and courage of these elderly ladies was moving. They despised the pre-Roe V Wade world, and begged all the young ladies to fight like hell for their rights, and how important this moment is.
Inspiring.
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>I embarked on 2 month long tour through the US in early July and this week, 3 people took the rapid test and tested positive for Covid. Today is Saturday the 31st, and all members of the band and 16 crew members tested positive for Covid-19. All members of the tour were fully vaccinated.
I took a PCR test on Tuesday and the results came back with my worst fears were confirmed. The test the prior day revealed I have Covid. I received my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine on May 4th and tested positive for Covid 19. So far, I’ve had a bad headache, muscle aches and nasal congestion. I’m day 3 since testing positive.
I’m sharing this story because I am watching my peers prepare for the return of national music tours. Many of my colleagues are overconfident that the vaccine will protect them from the virus. Furthermore, tour promoters are operating under the assumption that their backstage protocols will keep the venue and traveling crews safe.
Since our tour started in early July, many of the policies put in place by Live Nation were not being followed by local venues and touring staff. We have played four indoor concerts, and three of these venues did not require that concert attendees wear masks. On Sunday, July 24th, we played a show at the an indoor theater - the touring crew was not temperature checked upon arrival, catering was open, and catering staff were unmasked, and none of our tour members were required to mask up while backstage.
The music touring industry is operating under a risk assessment model issued at the beginning of the summer that is no longer accurate. In late spring 2021, live events opened up under the assumption that the vaccine is effective enough to protect people as they interact with the public. Now midway through summer, tours are playing shows in areas of the country experiencing surges of infection rates while local venue staff, touring crew members, and artists are testing positive.
Millions of people are under the assumption that attending a concert indoors, without masks, with other fully vaccinated concert attendees is perfectly safe. Even when following the CDC guidance, the Delta variant is outmaneuvering the vaccine. 81% of our fully vaccinated touring crew came down with breakthrough cases.
If you’re working at Lolla or Rolling Loud, mask up and exercise as much caution as possible. Delta is causing a lot of break through infections and the CDC has not been tracking these numbers.
UPDATE:
I’m almost a full week into my self isolation. I’m feeling much better but I do lot want to get on a plane and return home if I am still shedding virus. The worst scenario I can think of is spreading this disease to my family.
After posting this, I received numerous messages from people confirming that there are other tours with positive cases. I don’t understand why every large tour doesn’t have a CCO on staff to conduct daily tests. A friend who is a VIP rep for Live Nation tells me it costs $200 per test per person and I can see employing a full time CCO would be expensive. However, is that cost higher than the cost of cancelling an entire tour and paying for 10 days of hotel rooms?
We need stricter guidelines if we want to return to our jobs full time. Sadly, my story is not unique.
UPDATE #2:
I am still locked down. The people who tested negative were able to return home.
I’ve been symptom free for 12 hours: no more muscle or headaches, my congestion has cleared up, and my cough is almost gone.
I am scheduled to leave at the end of the week. Thankfully, I am symptom free but my biggest fear is that I will still be contagious when I am sent home. All the literature I’ve read from MIT and the NIH suggests that people with Delta carry 1000x the viral load than the original covid strain. My worst nightmare is bringing this disease home, infecting my family and anyone else I come into contact with.
I’ve received a disturbing amount of messages from touring crews who are in similar situations. They are reporting crews that are testing positive despite being fully vaxxed, venues not following covid safety procedures, tours not conducting daily testing or traveling with a Covid Compliance Officer, and tours being grounded without any explanation to the public.
I don’t have a solution for this, I just push buttons. But I do know that information needs to be shared between touring crews, with promoters and the public. This Delta surge is going to cause an untold amount of infections as every concert is now a potential super spreader event. People are so excited to return to live shows but without accurate information, ticket holders cannot make an informed decision.
I got through 16 months without catching Covid and I became infected within the first month of our tour. I followed the rules and I still couldn’t protect myself. The amount of people in my orbit who are vaccinated that caught Delta in the past week is making my head spin.
Bottom line: if you’re on tour, being extra diligent, especially if you’re traveling through hot spots. Make sure your tour has a contingency plan if and when someone tests positive (our tour did not). Make sure people on your team are following guidelines. Wash your hands and don’t forget to mask up.
Most importantly: If you are on tour and someone on your team tests positive, let people know. The lack of transparency is causing the virus to surge unchecked.
Reply to thegenergmail.comaljournals@
]]>Robb shares some memories of hanging around while Joey was mixing the first Slipknot album, how Joey refused to drink on there first tours they did together, their epic night at a strip club with Chris Fehn, his infamous “Fuck Monte Conner” chant at Roadrunner United show, and more. R.I.P. Joey Jordison
]]>I probably owe Gary Holt from Exodus some royalties for all the riffs I jacked on this bad boy (including massive nods to both “Strike of the Beast” and “Pleasures of the Flesh”). More than a few nods to Lars and James band as well factored in, along with drawing massive inspiration from Cliff Burton on numerous songs.
But you might be surprised to know that equal parts My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park and even *gasp* Coldplay factored heavily into this album. The rapper Immortal Technique was also a massive inspiration to me lyrically during this time, as well as the book “Johnny Get Your Gun“. Ignite’s “Our Darkest Days” was also in heavy rotation and likely seeped into the overall vibe.
Random thought: I never liked this song “Slanderous“. It’s “all right”... not bad... but the stinker of the record for me. Not that I'm complaining… I’d rather be the guy who wrote "The Blackening”, than the guy who didn’t. Good problems to have, right?
A year before it's release, I made the absurd claim that I wanted it to be the "Master Of Puppets" of it's generation. Not sure if we accomplished that, but it certainly connected with folks.
I've been a lucky enough man to have had a few moments like this in my musical career... Life was never the same after this album.
And the funny thing about music, is that while all of the songs were intensely personal to me, they are no longer “my” songs. They’re your songs now. They are the soundtrack to your life, to your moments… and to someone else’s life far into the future.
14 years... crazy... happy birthday #6
A year ago today, I livestreamed an acoustic show on Nugs.tv with my son Wyatt on cello. It was a loose, fun, short online show, and while I can't remember the entire set, I do remember playing "Circle The Drain" (for the first time) maybe "Deafening Silence", and "Darkness Within”.
I never get nervous onstage, and yet, considering there was no audience in the room, I found myself extraordinarily nervous. It was made all the more bizarre that I was streaming it through an app I had never used, where I could not see any comments or interaction of any kind, including if anyone was even watching. I kept on telling myself “dude, what the fuck are you nervous for, no one is even watching!?”
A big part of it with the fact that I was nervous was that for the last 30 years, I’ve sang heavy, brutal, vocals, and here I am clean-singing an entirely acoustic show. Looking back, it was pretty bad. But at the time I didn’t give a fuck, the world had just went on lockdown and life was crazy, and I needed to play music. Plus jamming with my son was priceless, seriously… one of the proudest, coolest moments of my life.
In the end I had about 75 people watch it which was cool. But I felt completely disconnected, and so much of the reason that I do what I do is to feel a connection. Having done a Facebook live on every Friday at noon, and Instagram-lives from the jam room regularly since August 2017, it was definitely a bit of a head fuck. At least on those platforms you can see how many people are watching, can interact with people in the comments, see people laughing with emoji’s, likes, hearts... It sounds ridiculous to say, but it feels like something. There’s a connection.
And so I determined to start doing an acoustic show every week. At first I did them on radio stations Instagram pages or Facebook pages where I did a “takeover”, as we were still promoting “circle the drain". I enjoyed that, especially because if I sucked, most people probably wouldn’t even see the damn thing, kind of like “woodshedding". I decided pretty quickly I would just start drinking beer during them to kind of turn it more into a “party“ so it didn’t feel so “formal" or “professional“. I began to call it a happy hour.
Then I started regularly doing them on Facebook live. And turned it officially turned into "acoustic happy hour” and by April had figured out a way to monetize it with Facebook “stars” and PayPalMe links for “beer money”. The money isn’t earth-shattering, but it keeps the lights on, and has purchased some especially delicious Coffee Stouts and Peanut Butter Stouts.
At the time, I was the only person allowed in my building, so I would head down there, drink some beers, play some acoustic songs, talk to the people through comments and joke around. It was such a goddamn fun time, it made the lockdown (which was especially strict here in the beginning) so much more enjoyable.
I made a point to learn and/or re-imagine 3 new songs a week, and between the rehearsals for them, and the 2 hours for the show, has kept me in top playing shape, not to mention kept me sane!
As restrictions starting to ease up and more people were allowed into my building, Jared started coming down around September. And it morphed into an "electric happy hour/acoustic happy hour".
It’s kind of amazing to think that I’ve done 46 “online shows” since then, but yeah, here we are.
And week after week I read your comments saying the same thing… “These two hours every Friday get me through the week", that you “look forward to this so much during these completely insane times”.
I tell you what… it means the world reading and hearing that.
On a bigger note, it’s giving me a sense of purpose. Knowing my clean singing needed to improve, I strived to better my clean singing voice, I ended up taking vocal lessons from Mellisa Cross to work on just that, and I’ve made leaps and bounds. Still got a long way to go, but fuck… if there was ever a time to better ourselves, we’ve all got the time to do it now!
One of the coolest parts of the Happy Hours, was that we started doing full-album-play-throughs. We started with “Locust" in September, and have now done “ through the ashes of empires“, “bloodstone & diamonds“, “catharsis“, and as of yesterday for the first time in it’s entirety, “the more things change“.
Some people have commented, that it would be better with a drummer, and we’re working on that. But since there is no one local who knows the back-catalog like that, and Matt currently resides in Germany, we’re trying to figure out a way to either get someone down, or live stream them into our feed.
But I tell you what… there may be A LOT of shitty things about the pandemic, but Electric Happy Hour has been one of the most fulfilling parts of it. As a musician to just be able to do a spontaneous jam once a week, no set lists, no order, just calling songs out off the top of my head, as well as focusing on album anniversaries… it is really, really rewarding.
We never would have done this type of stuff had the pandemic not hit. It's important to acknowledge the good stuff.
And we’ve reinvested that “beer money” you all have been supporting us with into the Happy Hour itself. We upped our production value, incorporated our live sound rig into the show, as well as our pro-cameras and lighting. Yesterday for the first time we live-streamed to three different platforms at the same time, my Twitch channel, our Facebook page, and our YouTube page, and had our biggest viewership to date.
So a year later… yeah... what can I say… it’s been a fucking wild, at-time-shitty-and frustrating year, BUT there’s have been some really amazing things that came out of the pandemic, and to all of you who continue to spread the word about these Happy Hour's, who tune in every Friday, who support us and stand with us, who sing, and dance, and vent, and laugh, and sometimes cry, and headbang and circle pit in your living rooms, and who host Happy Hour “watching parties” with 25 people all drinking and hanging, thank you all so much.
In case you missed it… Here is last nights full album-play-through of our second album “The More Things Change”.
Below that is a snippet from the first show a year ago.
Keep your head up!
]]>
Korn guitarist Head joins me to discuss his band Love and Death’s new album, writing with Breaking Benjamin, the completely insane early-days of Korn, the massive success of “follow the leader“, the toxic environment that caused him to quit Korn at its peak, his two year addiction to methamphetamines, the warts ‘n all documentary he put out about his journey towards sobriety “Loud Krazy Love”, and how religion has kept him sane.
Must listen!!
]]>G and I rocked this album for "date night" on Saturday. Fuck man, what an album! SO many good songs, from the start all the way to the last song “eyes of a stranger”.
I’m generally not a big fan of concept albums as I often find that it doesn’t translate lyrically, but everything fell into place with this album.
I remember getting turned onto Queensryche from Ron Quintana’s rampage radio KUSF in San Francisco. He was playing the track “Queen of the Reich ” pretty heavily, and it was some good shit. I continue to follow them through the next few albums, but this album really hit home.
I vividly recall being on tour for the first vio-lence record eternal nightmare, and listening to this on endless repeat on my cassette Walkman. It got played a lot in the van deck as well. The lyrics are quite gritty, dealing with heroin abuse, prostitution, and assassinations. As I was essentially a fully functioning drug addict at the time, it definitely connected with me.
I got to see them supporting Metallica a couple years after this release, but it was just the hits. Caught them about 10 years ago playing this album in it’s entirety at the Warfield, and it was fucking awesome!
The Operation Mindcrime wikipedia has a great breakdown of the concept/story, was very cool to read up on some of the background details that I didn’t catch while just listening to the record.
Well done Queensryche, these songs are timeless. 🤘🏻
Anyone digging this album currently or back in the day?
My podcast was #7 on Apple (music podcasts) last week. Thank you all SO MUCH for supporting No Fuckin’ Regrets. My top podcasts have 30,000 to 40,000 views on YouTube, and we just broke the threshold of 10,000 audio downloads per episode, which means we can start making a little bit of ad money. 😃
The guys and gals at Gas Digital Network have been kicking ass for me, and I gotta shout Ralph, and my producers Francis and Irish for delivering big time. As most of you know, my podcast has only been going for about a year and a half now. I wasn’t even sure if I was going to LIKE doing something like this, but having these wild, intense, hilarious conversations has been one of the most truly rewarding parts of this, along with watching the impact that these wild, intense, hilarious conversations have on you guys and the world at large.
Shout out to my guests for going along with the loose, raunchy, sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll aspect of this podcast and often times delivering nuggets of information that the public at large even knows about.
Are there times when I dislike being a former-touring-musician, and it seems like I’m a full-time podcaster now? Yes!
Are there times when my throat hurts, and my back hurts for sitting up for three hours doing a podcast? Yes! Are there times when I never want to do another podcast again? Yes!
But you guys spreading the word, telling your friends, writing in, and being apart of this, has really kept me going, and seeing how much you all dig it is bad ass!
Thanks for always supporting, you are the best!
Shout out to Ryan Downey for compiling.
Enter code NFR and get 10% off subscription, where you can watch in HD, 3 days early.
https://gasdigitalnetwork.com/live/
ICYMI... DAVID ELLEFSON (MEGADETH)
]]>
Dave sits down with me for part 2 of his incredible journey in life to share stories of the early days of Megadeth rehearsing in a brewery, Paul Balloff of Exodus hanging at their apartment, his 1st Megadeth show at Ruthies Inn in Berkeley, his “Peace Sells” bassline on MTV, their 1st tour with legends Motörhead, his slutty-era in the 80’s and 90’s, his years long battle with heroin and how he managed to work as a fully functioning drug addict, Dave and him quitting heroin during the "Rust In Peace" album, and his incredible life turn around to being 29 year sober.
]]>
The snakes come slowly slithering through thickets in the grass
Their snake eyes slowly hypnotizing millions of mice en masse
Pupils slanted upward, tongues flicker left and right
Pulling taught their scaled bows, arrows in words from the sky
Stabbing deep into the hearts the words release their poison.
Twisting and defiling any reason with its toxins
Endlessly the lies repeated sinking fangs so deep
Harvesting the mice's souls the reapers blade did reap
And all the snakes nodded along, come join us in our folly
Are cause it’s just, who can you trust? Our fight is now you’re calling
The mice wiped off their tired eyes so beaten and abused
The predators circled above the snakes comforted their views
The eagles wish to hunt you down, the snakes they slyly hissed
With talon‘s coming razor sharp and beaks a deadly kiss
Let us constrict around you we’ll protect you from that fate
Our blood is cold, but our scales are soft, and now it’s getting late
And so the mice decided that the snakes they must know best
Scared of ending up the prey, fed to the eagles nest
To show them their affections the snakes open up their jaws
Climb inside, will go and hide, and all your stress will pause
Thank you, thank you, thank you the mice all screamed aloud with glee
The fields have been treacherous the snakes will set us free
And the last thing that the mice remember in their fatal celebrating
Were the jaws closing behind them, tenderly asphyxiating
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>
And all the while remembering
The wolves are at the gate,
Smiling as their teeth drip blood
The fascists lay in wait
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>Good times in my DM‘s and General Journals emails today. Just a little taste. By no means the most threatening or egregious ones.
Listen to me… I have literally dealt with this for 30 years. Before it was in mail and hand written letters, then it was emails and message boards, now it’s DM’s and the comment section.
Just so we’re all crystal clear... I am not going anywhere.
I will not shut up.
If you don’t like the things that I have to say here, or on my personal Instagram account, unfollow. I’m not here to please you, or give you some watered down version of what you think somebody in metal band should be.
Don’t agree with my politics? Again, go ahead and unsubscribe. Zero Fucks Given. No one is forcing you to be here. You are free to reply to me and speak your opinions, as long as you are respectful and not spamming. And so it’s said, I keep a pretty long leash on what is “respectful”. I won’t respond to emails. But I’m happy to share other points of view in my journals as well.
“Shut up and stick to music”? I’ll do just that… By singing songs like a “nation on fire”, “Davidian”, “clenching the Fists of Dissent”, “ in comes the flood“ and “halo”.
And for those of you here who wrote these to me... consider this a warning. I purposefully left your names off of this journal. This is the last time I will do that.
Let there be no mistake, I will not hesitate to Dox you the fuck out.
I’ve been a public figure for most of my adult life, since I was 19, I’m used to people threatening me. I had over a thousand death threats after the “racism in metal“ video, I still get death threats at least twice a week. I accept it for what it is.
But the second people start threatening my wife and my kids, you’ve crossed the line, a line that I will never accept.
Don’t believe me? FUCKING BRING IT!!
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>Charlatans with no morals, have brought us these sorrows, and we have no one to blame⠀
But ourselves we’ve allowed, what can only be now, called a moment of national shame⠀
With confederate piousness, standing tall on the Dias, armed gunman plunder our Congress⠀
When American flags, are replaced with Donald Trump flags, only now do they⠀
see how we’ve regressed⠀
⠀
Fiery speeches, puked by lecherous leeches, the vomitous creatures and cretins⠀
Conspiracies shouted, her truth has been routed, as liberty lays raped and beaten⠀
And we would be fool, not to call this a coup, months in the making this game⠀
Too little too late, did the tech giants wait, as the country went up into flame⠀
⠀
The police remained calm, as white men looted on, the Qanon's who feigned so much disgust⠀
At when Kaepernick kneeled, because black boys were killed, in silent protest to the unjust
They attacked freedom‘s property, then claimed that it ought to be, OK to kill black kids for the same⠀
God forbid it was Target, that might make them a target, police trigger-fingers itching to tame⠀
⠀
Black folks died for fake $20's, for toy guns they lost plenty, 2020 our national reckoning⠀
Now in 2021, the Maga’s have come, to the tune of Trump's pied piper beckoning⠀
And with nary a scratch, a few cans of teargas, to the terrorist attempting a coup⠀
They looted with amnesty, to democracy's travesty, oh to be white, in the red, WHITE, and blue
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>"Law and order" bellowed the most corrupt of presidents.
"Law and order" echoed all the throne-sniffers and sycophants.
"Stop the count" and "stop the steal" cried most constituents
Swallowing their every lie, content in their belligerence
The lying lawmakers made it known the rich need breaks on taxes
12 seditious senators subvert the People’s will all to distract us
Racist thugs descend on the cities itching for reactions
The so-called patriots-for-Christ, fascistic in their actions
And all the while pandemics raged as leaders they vacationed
The leaders golfed and played their games to America’s conflagration
They dined with golden cutlery on freedoms mutilation
And wiped their filthy lips with rags of family separation
The bread lines forms for miles and miles as good folks lost their salaries
The tech barons robbed and robbed and served up plates of empty calories
Billionaires lobbied for protections against workers and equality
While nonchalantly outsourcing their jobs with camp frivolity
The people thought the rich would let them climb inside their axis
Pretending that they cared, while they besmirched and then attacked us
Their bellies getting fatter off the lower classes taxes
Well I say "eat the rich" my friends, start sharpening your axes
🪓
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>Traitors and the treacherous.
Pardons for the pardonless.
Forgiveness for the unforgivable.
Caress me abuser, for why I want thy love?
Asking for respect from the ones who only shun.
Inequalities left barren as were cast unto the flame.
Sycophants and senators laughing with no shame.
Snake oil salesman salivate, the fools they have unearthed.
Predators of prey they come to pounce as they subvert.
The lying liars lie their way to ever-growing heights.
The dollars given daily drench the flames of the far-right.
Proud boys proudly pandering to racist thugs with crosses.
Invited by, inciting endless violence for their bosses.
Never let the naysayers needle us with guilt.
Fight the bloody battles against the horrors that they've built.
Be warrior, be wanderer, be seeker full of rage.
Nomadic laurels never rest, they free this mortal cage.
This failed coup of Ku Klux Klan should serve all as a warning.
Democracy is dying, her eagles head hung low in mourning.
- RF
12-23-20
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>
]]>
]]>
This photo is so powerful to me.
So sad to hear about Tony Costanza passing away today.
]]>
Hmmm…
Probably should leave this alone, but I’m not as impressed as most people seem to be by what this officer said.
According to him, in the last day or so, he has since been placed on administrative leave and is pending being furloughed.
And while I will say that what the officer said in the video above was well-spoken, and is clearly the "truth" that he believes, it’s what what he DIDN’T say that has left me quite disturbed.
What he didn’t say is that we should stop arresting black and brown people for not social distancing in the minority filled parts of the city, while passing out masks and gloves in white parts of the city.
What he didn’t say is that we should stop covering up the murders of Ahmaud Arbery.
What he didn’t say is that we should continue to shelter in place, social distance, and follow the rules so that we can all get through this global, once-in-a-century, pandemic together, and that officials, governors, mayors, et al., are doing the best they can, under circumstances that are quite frankly, unprecedented with no rulebooks for modern history.
Instead, what I got out of it, was a bunch of right wing militia clichés about “freedom”, “tyranny”, and “liberty” while quoting some 200-year-old document written by slaveowners who didn’t classify anybody other than "white men" as humans, and felt women did not have the strength nor brains to vote or even work.
A document which by the way, went on to remove the freedoms and liberties of the original native Americans living on this land, while inducing it's own form of tyranny over them.
But Tyranny…? Germany...?
Please.... cops aren’t being asked to slaughter Jews, no one is being asked to gas homosexuals, by handing out citations to businesses violating shelter in place.
What I wanna know is, where was this dude standing up for everyone’s “freedom” and “liberty” during the Black Lives Matter protests? During the Standing Rock protests for Native Americans? When Trayvon was shot by a self-appointed neighborhood watch person? Or when a 12 year old Tamir Rice was shot for playing with a toy gun? Or when Eric Garner was choked to death for selling cigarettes on a street corner?
Were those not freedom loving Americans?
Where was he when a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh or a church in Charleston South Carolina was attacked by a white terrorist? All those pieces of shit always stand against tyranny too.
Why is it only now when a bunch of straight, white, males who are “inconvenienced“ does he think the police should suddenly stand up for everyone’s “freedom“ and “liberty“.
If this administration/country followed in the footsteps of other first world countries and offered national health services, while covering 90% of that nations citizens wages (UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany) rather than Americas profit-over-everything approach, while bailing out the zero-tax-paying giant corporations with billions, while simultaneously fucking the small businesses, people wouldn’t have to worry about protesting to go to work.
No one would be forced to make the choice between losing their job / healthcare, or getting sick and possibly infecting / killing, an entire ecosystem of family, friends, elderly people around them.
What I DID hear him say is that anybody who is defying the governor or the mayor (orders that people worldwide are following) are somehow some kind of “patriot” and “hero”.
I disagree.
In my opinion, anyone defying these orders is a selfish cunt who was basically telling me “fuck you, I am more important than you”, “I do not respect you”, and “We are NOT in this together“
Nevermind that this guy, just like most of the protesters very conveniently leaves out, that the rules and guidelines these governors and mayors are following are the same ones that the White House / Trump admin (and even the president himself) has said to follow, but then of course pivoted on, and now deflected to governors, now that this administration realize that COVID-19 is primarily affecting black and brown people.
And it must be said, has deflected responsibility to governors, so that the Prez can try and rebrand himself as the "hero to the people”, while making the governors the bad guys and gals.
Instead, what he DID say is, cops should stand with anybody who defies these orders, because that’s the “right thing to do“. While simultaneously implying that anybody who ISN’T defying orders is some type of sheep who loves tyranny and ISN’T doing the right thing.
And by standing with these protesters, many of whom are violent armed militia’s who aren’t really “protesting” at all, but testing, threatening and intimidating RIVAL political public officials like democratic governors and mayors, does that mean that these public officials (ALL of whom are ALSO freedom loving Americans) freedoms are not worth protecting?
Can you imagine Obama openly and angrily encouraging protesters (like say, BLM activists) to storm Republican governors houses and state houses like our current leader has?
Liberties get changed all the time to suit the needs of the people. You can't drink and drive anymore. You can't smoke in restaurants anymore. You have to wear a seatbelt. Have to wear a helmet. Call it tyranny, or call it the greater good.
And does that mean that this dude stands against anyone else who is trying to be a good citizen in the middle of a global pandemic?
Does that mean that those people who are choosing to shelter in place and follow the rules are now the enemy because they DON’T have what he calls "the American spirit of defiance” and thus don’t deserve protection?
I am one of those people.
I believe that this pandemic is going to last at least two years, I’m choosing to shelter in place and social distance and will continue to follow the rules and guidelines. I will not endanger my fans, my band, my family, or my crews lives to work, and while hoping for the best, am expecting no active touring to happen for at least 2 years. Hell, I’ve actively begun looking for other work, I got bills to pay just like everyone else. A lot of responsibility falls on my shoulders, the possible loss of touring for that amount of years will be heartbreaking and will likely bring us to financial ruin, but peoples lives are more important.
We gotta ask ourselves some tough questions: when one groups “freedom" infringes on another groups “freedom”, who’s freedom is it right to protect?
Do we stand with the violent armed nationalist or regular law abiding citizens?
Because you can't stand with both.
Or do we just side with whatever white person screams “I am an American patriot” the loudest?
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>Debbie loved to cook fresh Dungeness crab every New Year’s eve. Up until that point in my life I'd never had fresh crab (artificial crab doesn’t count right?) Hell, I’d never seen a live crab cooked before. So as she started placing the live, still moving crabs into the pot of boiling hot water, my instant reaction with was to go into mock-tortured-voice of what the poor crabs were saying, screaming in pain “aaaaaaaagggggh", "Debbie stooooop," "the water sooooooo hot, ooooouuucccchhhh”.
Needless to say she was thoroughly annoyed, “OH STOP THAT!” she yelled. And I was howling with laughter. In fact, I was howling with laughter so hard, she then started with howling with laughter. And there we were both howling with laughter.
We shared a lot of laughter together, back in the 80s I dated her daughter Gina, and I spent a lot of time around her and her family, living at her house on and off. She was one of the most spirited, fiery, spicy women I’ve ever known in my life, and she was downright fucking amazing.
In many ways she was a second mom to me.
She had a devastating wit, she had the ability to size somebody up, find all of their cosmetic flaws, and then make a devastating joke about them if need be, and the time arose.
Later on, Genevra and I would go out to sushi with her on a regular basis, and we would have these incredible conversations long into the night, well after the restaurant had closed it’s doors and all the patrons had left. We would drink sake and talk, laugh, and sometimes cry, and pontificate about life and the world.
She was tough as nails, so many battles with cancer, and she beat them left and right. She lost a breast and didn’t blink an eye, would make jokes about it being gone!
She also was one of the most giving people I know, almost to a fault. She funded most of the Bay Area metal scene in someway or another, often times not getting paid back.
Her funeral with a who’s-who of metal royalty. Hetfield showed up and spoke at it, which was very, very cool of him. The first time that I ever hung out with Hetfield with at Debbie’s house before going to the 49er game with her, her son Ricky, James, and Gina. Fun fact: we went to sushi after and that was the first time I ever ate sushi.
Her death was only slightly overshadowed by the death of Ronnie James Dio the same day, I paid tribute to the 2 of them by covering Black Sabbaths incredible Dio-era song “Die Young”. If you’ve never heard it, you can listen here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1YmDXTV2VyDo72p7iJeKfb?si=-a96yGxuS_O3bvIgvL2tIQ
10 years... man… that’s crazy… I'm glad you were part of my life Debbie Abono, the words of wisdom that you gave me during our long conversations will stick with me forever.
Love you.
🖤🖤🖤
Photo: Gene Ambo
Subscribe to The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings
]]>