I’m alive!

I’ve still been listening, still been buying. I got a nice pile of records in the mail today even. I’m not really sure where to start with it all though.

Not so much with the listening, but the blogging. The listening is the easy part. But writing? Its never been my strong suit and I’m drawing a blank as to what to say besides “these records are cool” and “ooh coloured vinyl.”

Maybe tomorrow. But for tonight, just know I’m alive, I’m listening and the music is awesome.

I think about you during the commercials

My friend Damo picked this one up for me in his recent travels to Japan. I like when my friends know exactly what I need.

Its in practically mint condition, lookout! records first pressing. I’m pretty sure it came with a poster which is missing. I’m alright with that. Sounds awesome.

Now I just need a copy of “Storm the Streets”.

Drinking Beer and Wearing ADIDAS.

The Bouncing Souls have been one of my favourite bands for over 10 years now. I’ve seen them live countless times, I’ve made some of my best friends because of them, I’ve even met them a few times.

The first album I ever bought by the Bouncing Souls was “Hopeless Romantic”.

I’d heard the title track on a Punk-O-Rama compilation and thought it was pretty rad, but I didn’t really get into them until one day I found myself in a record store, looking for something new to buy so I had an excuse to talk to Hot Dave, my record store crush at the time. I remember him telling me it was one of his favourite albums. It’d only been out for a little while, I lived in one of those areas where if it wasn’t the most current album good luck finding it. As it was the punk selection was very limited.

It starts with a record crackle. Even on the vinyl. Which is pretty funny because one day it will crackle anyways. I was hooked from first listen. To this day I think it barely goes by a week that I don’t listen to at least one track from this album.

I remember in high school my friend Fran and I were pretty obsessed with the song “You’re So Rad”. Especially the line “if you were a fabric you would be plaid, because everybody knows that plaid is so rad”.

A lot of my favourite memories involve the Bouncing Souls in some way.

I remember driving around with my little sister, singing along to “Wish Me Well (You Can Go to Hell)”. I remember meeting them at an instore and having Bryan marvel at the way lines work. “You were over there, now you’re over here!”. I remember being drunk with my friend Vivien and heckling them and offending Greg a little bit.

Earlier this year while I was in Boston I was lucky enough to see the first two nights of their “Songs for the Unheard” tour. Playing all 8 albums back to back. The second night was “Maniacal Laughter” and “Hopeless Romantic”.

I’m a dork and I wear red shoes because of them and I even have a Bouncing Souls tattoo.

Thank You Bryan, Pete, Greg, Michael and Shal for giving me some of the best music. I’ll sing along forever. xo

Christmas in October.

It’s not really, but it feels a little bit like it might be. I just keep getting packages in the mail, and I keep forgetting what I’ve ordered. So opening up these boxes has been pretty fun.

Life Won’t Wait by Rancid. This one is a double LP which they really should have done with the …And out come the wolves reissue. This album just reminds me that my music tastes have really not changed at all since highschool.

Goddamnit by Alkaline Trio. I don’t remember the last time I listened to this album. I’m really enjoying re-listening to it now though. Its never sounded this good.

My cat is looking at me super weird as I sing along, but at least she’s not scared of this one.

Radiosurgery by New Found Glory. Yellow/Pink version. Only 250 of these were pressed. I also have a few other colours of it, I just like to have all the colours you know? haha. Its not New Found Glory’s best album, but its not bad either. It’s a fun listen as to be expected.

There’s more but I think I’ll leave this post at this. I don’t really have much to say anyways besides “YAY VINYL!” so I shall wash some dishes and then make myself some dinner.

Mail Order is FUN!

Now that I’m not saving I’ve been buying records off the internet like crazy. Here are a few that have come in the post this week.

The Reissue of “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by A New Found Glory. White with yellow flecks. However mostly it just looks cream. I like that they left it as A New Found Glory even though they dropped the “A” at some time in 2001 or so. I’ve never stopped saying it.

This album is pretty fun. Like everything NFG release.

And adding to my Bouncing Souls collection, the split they did with Anti-flag for BYO records. These BYO splits are pretty awesome. I’m not a big Anti-flag fan at all and it turns out my cat hates them. She’s still hiding under my bed because of this record. It probably doesn’t help that its raining either.

This one is an old favourite of mine. Less Than Jake covering all of your favourite songs from Grease. Crank it up and sing along. This reminds me of highschool so much. Also the pink and green? GORGEOUS.

And this one wasn’t a mail order at all. I went into Tym’s Guitars in the Valley over the weekend after a delicious brunch with a friend and I couldn’t help but buy a few albums.
Unfun by Jawbreaker. I like 24 hour revenge therapy better, but this is still a good album. There has to be something wrong with you if you don’t like Jawbreaker.

There’s more but I don’t want to bore you and I’ve got some more chores to do. Boring. At least I’ve got some good tunes to listen to while I do it.

So Long Dear Friend

Today I bought myself a brand new record player. I’ve never done that before. Every record player I’ve ever owned has been given to me and old. Sadly the lovely brown number you’ve been seeing pictures of has been put out to pasture.

Its had timing issues the whole time I’ve owned it. It used to be that it was too fast. Recently it’s been playing too slow. It got to the point where I couldn’t listen to 7″s anymore. Last week it started to play too slowly on LP’s. And lets not forget that the counterweight was broken. So I’m afraid its been put out to pasture. It’s 37 years old and kind of works. That’s pretty good. I can’t bring myself to get rid of it though, too many memories.

Goodbye old friend. You lived a full life.

And this is my new record player. I quite like it. So shiny and new. I did end up taking the headshell off the old player though, the needle that came with this one was shit and it was just easier to attach the old headshell completely.

One of the first records I decided to listen to was the Fancy Boys 7″ that I boughtat their show with Dick Nasty and Violent Soho on Friday night. It’s only a two track EP (“We Love You” and “Molecules”) but they are about as much fun as I had on Friday night, pop punk awesomeness. I’ve even been listening to this on my old record player. My 7″ is number 12 out of 35. Which really seems like a small pressing.

A highlight for me on Friday was their cover of “Leather Jacket” by Screeching Weasel. I do love Screeching Weasel and Screeching Weasel covers.

I’ve been trying to remember the last time I saw the Fancy Boys. It would have had to have been sometime in 2005 (Was that when Marky Ramone was at the Depot?). Its probably been about that long since I’ve seen Dick Nasty. My friend Vivien was only up for the weekend, and she still managed to know exactly what was going on in town. Bless her, I’ve missed her ability to find fun things to do.

This one comes from the stack of records I bought while in the states. Marvelous Darlings – Live at Gales. Due to this record requiring 45rpm’s I was unable to play it properly until now. I’d tried listen to it before, but it just sounded terrible.

Luckily it turns out that it isn’t an awful record. For those that aren’t aware Marvelous Darlings is one of Ben Cook from Fucked Up’s many projects. They’re amazing. Perfect lo-fi punk tinged-pop songs. I’d recommend getting your hands on everything you can find.

Baby Likes To Dance In The Dark

Today’s purchase:


I really like Lady Gaga. This one is probably my favourite album too. I bought this from JB Hifi of all places. I know down south they stock records, but its quite unusual to find any in a Brisbane store. However the girl at the counter told me that she had heard that they are going to stop stocking vinyl again. Lame. They should stop stocking cds instead.

I don’t really have much to say at all today. Its wet and rainy and I’m just chilling out. I’m about to get up and put another record on and start making myself an early dinner.