Category Archives: Bad Times

Missing Record Store Day 2009

I can not even tell you all how bummed out I am that I am missing Record Store Day 2009.


I’m sure many of you are aware of this amazing day dedicated to music in record format.  Tons of record stores across the nation will be engaging in the celebration of music and will all be selling special limited edition records from bands that I am sure will sell out before lunchtime.

This day I hope will help all the independent record stores out there continue to do what they love.  Sell music to music lovers.  In a day and age where downloading is killing the music industry it is nice to see a day that will be taking place inside music stores.

I have a list in my head of records I would buy if I had the day off but regretfully I have to work the entire day.

Yes, I have to work.  ALL DAY.

Sacrifices have to be made sometimes and I was unable to get the day off as I have other things going on the the weeks to come…  I am not happy with my decision and I am pretty sure that Matt from Addicted To Vinyl will be texting me every hour telling me what great record he just bought and how much fun he is having.

I am sure that on Saturday a single tear will drop from my eye.  I will feel pain every time a vinyl fan smiles.  The day will be the longest day ever.

Here is a list of local stores I wish I could shop at on Saturday:
Music Saves

Square Records
Spin-More Records
My Mind’s Eye
Ultrasound Music
Record Den

Here’s a list of other Ohio stores I wish I could shop at as well:
Magnolia Thunderpussy
Shake It
USED KIDS RECORDS

If you are a fan of vinyl you should check out www.recordstoreday.com and see what this is all about.  It is the perfect opportunity to but some really special releases that will only be available for a limited time.

So to all you jerks who are off on Saturday and are planning on celebrating Record Store Day, enjoy.

-Check out what Matt from Addicted To Vinyl is excited about…

-Are you going?  What are you excited for?

CKY Sneak Peek / True Story

This to me is exciting news…

Roadrunner Records and CKY (Camp Kill Yourself) are bringing their fans an early sneak peek of their new album, Carver City, with a FREE mp3 download of “Hellions On Parade” starting on 4/15. The digital single goes up for sale on 4/21 but you can  hear it first at ckyalliance.com and roadrunnrerrecords.com!  Just visit the page and supply your email address and you will get the download in return…

I’ve have been a longtime fan of CKY and I have Bam Margera‘s CKY skate videos to thank for that.  Back in 2000 a kid I worked with at Borders found out I liked skateboarding and made me a VHS tape that had Landspeed : CKY & CKY2K on it.  I remember taking that tape home and watching it twice.  Once for the shock factor and hilarity and the second time to find out more about some of the music that was chosen for the soundtrack.

One band in particular on the videos was CKY.  For those of you who may not know, CKY is a band that Bam Margera’s older brother Jess drums for.  The band caught my ear in a good way and before I knew it I was doing everything I could to find their CD.

It’s been 4 years since the band last released new material so needless to say I am really looking forward to their new material.

While I am on the subject I might as well tell you all a little story about stupid ol’ me…

I think it was October 2002, in fact I am pretty sure it was then.  CKY came to Cleveland and I was overexcited to finally see them live.  They played Peabody‘s in Cleveland with Atreyu and other bands on a week night and I made sure I bought 2 tickets seeing how I missed them the previous time they played at Blossom Music Center opening for some band that does not come to mind.  For all I know they played Cleveland even before then but I missed it…  The point being, I finally got to see this band that I quickly became a huge fan of.

It turned out that CKY brought along their friends Ryan Dunn and Rake Yohn from Jackass fame and being the generous guy I was I bought them drinks.  A lot of drinks.  I also drank a lot and I mean A LOT.  Drinking with people on shows I adore is fun.  Forgetting how much I actually drank before I left was not fun; more on that in a second.

I befriended former CKY touring bassist Vernon Zaborowski that night who kindly introduced me to the band before their show (more on him at the very end of this blog).  We chatted and drank and drank some more.  I felt like I was a rock star that night…woo.

Let me stop here.  I am pretty sure the following clip is an exact portrayal of how I was…

I’ve learned that when you drink a lot you do not act how you think you do…  For all I know I could have been annoying the hell out of the band.  I know drunk people annoy me these days and I don’t even drink anymore!  Point being, I am pretty sure I was making an ass of myself that night.

Throughout the night I hung around the bar with Ryan Dunn, Rake Yohn, and the lead singer of Atreyu even, who by the way was really nice as well.  I don’t even think I left the bar stool while CKY played.  I was too busy talking and sharing drinks with Ryan Dunn and Rake Yohn.  I watched the band from afar and kept to my debauchery.

I do remember CKY owning the night.  They sounded amazing live and had more energy on stage than I had seen in any band for years.  The fans, or CKY Alliance, were full forced as well surrounding the stage and singing along with fists in the air.  It was indeed a rock show that night.

After the impressive show my friend and I were invited upstairs to hang with CKY some more.  One of the members, I think it was Chad Ginsburg, later asked me if I was ok to drive home when we were saying goodbye.  I thought I was, my friend who went with me thought I was too…

I should have listened to Chad Ginsburg because apparently I was not.

That night I got my first, only, and last DUI.  I honestly thought I was ok to drive or else I never would have gotten behind the wheel.  I was not too far from home when I was pulled over.  When I got out of the car I suddenly felt real drunk.  Being the honest guy I am, I admitted drinking and when I felt myself stumbling I just gave up and was arrested.

I regret my poor decision in life and paid my fines, did my time, and moved on with life being a little smarter with how I do things.

A couple years later CKY returned to Peabody’s and the band remembered me.  Chad Ginsburg asked me if I ever made it home that night.  When I told him no he, rightfully so, laughed and took me back to tell the rest of the band.  We had a good laugh at my expense.

True story.  I am an idiot, got hammered with CKY, and got a DUI as a result.  Let this be a lesson to you kids.  If you want to get hammered with a band, go ahead, but make sure you have a sober friend who will drive your drunk ass home.  It is a lot cheaper.

Speaking of cheap.  How about free videos?

I was wondering what ever happened to Vern and found out he is currently in a band called Eastern Conference Champions.  Check them out on their MySpace page.

Gaslight Anthem Robbed In Sweden

Punk rocker’s Gaslight Anthem woke up at their Gothenburg hotel only to discover that someone had broken into their tour van.  Where no actual valuables were taken the band experieced a delay while filing police reports and missed a ferry that would have taken the band to Helsinki where they were to perform. 

The band posted the following on their MySpace blog:

Crap! No Helsinki show….
So, we were robbed the night after our Gothenburg show at a local hotel. Gunnar and I woke up to 3 windows smashed out and the back door shredded from prying. Luckily, nothing very valuable was taken, but, we had to get reports from Swedish police (slow as f*ck), and missed our ferry by MINUTES! We literally raced down the highways, freezing cold, for 5 hours and parked to watch it pull away.

We’re super bummed. We were all really looking forward to this show and pissed that this happened. We’re sincerely sorry this happened. But, I guess this one was out of our reach. We’ll keep you posted on any happening/reschedules involved with the show.

Thanks.
Benny.

Fire Destroys Home Of Unwritten Law’s Scott Russo

Seems like bad things always happen to good people.

Last Friday a fire tore through Unwritten Law lead vocalist Scott Russo’s home.  He and his family escaped and were unharmed but they lost everything.  To make matters worse they had no insurance so they have nothing.

According to San Diego’s Channel 10 News the damage was estimated at $500,000.

According to NBC San Diego the home was Scott Russo’s childhood home as well as the location where one of Unwritten Law’s videos was shot (“Teenage Suicide”).  It was reported that some of the family’s pets did not make it and Scott Russo also lost some life accomplishing items such as gold records and even one of his first guitars.

With no fire insurance the family (Russo, wife, and 3 kids) has nothing as far as belongings but thanks to local musicians and friends a benefit concert for Scott Russo and his family is being held tomorrow, 02/10/09, at the House of Blues in San Diego.

Tickets will range from $50 to $75 with proceeds going directly to the family.  Alongside Unwritten Law perforing will be Jason Mraz, Timmy Curran, and Switchfoot.

It’s nice to see people coming together to help out a family in need.

Donations for the Russo family can be made through PayPal or by mailing a check to:

Platinum Financial Management, Inc. for the benefit of Scott Russo
9200 West Sunset Boulevard
Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90069

The band also posted this BLOG about other ways their loving fans can help.