nude highway driving

Most of the reason I did the magazine cover shoot was for the purpose of freaking people out. That’s how our family thinks. I didn’t tell anyone outside of work I was doing it. After the magazine came out, I mailed my parents a copy with no letter or anything. They opened it up without looking at the cover, trying to figure out why the hell I sent them a Japanese computer magazine. Finally, after closing it in frustration, they saw the cover and started laughing.

Since the magazine is kinda hard to find (I’m sure because it was the hottest-selling issue ever), I just e-mailed my grandparents a scan of the cover. My grandfather wrote me back to let me know they got the picture and that they were confused about why I was on the cover. He figured I wrote some computer article that got translated. My grandmother, who never minces words, said, “Computer magazine my ass; that’s probably a sex magazine and he’s on the cover because he won a contest!”

Now that’s family support.

I know he’s had a Web presence for some time now, but I just found New Wave Photos by Philippe Carly. Tens of thousands of photos from 70s and 80s concerts, mostly punk and new wave. This site easily can suck several days of your time — you can spend a whole day just on Siouxsie! (And who hasn’t dreamed of doing that? Sorry.)
You’ll find hotties. You’ll find scary people. You’ll find bands you don’t even think about anymore. And some of my college peers will even find find an old friend among the more modern pics.

Northrop Grumman Corp., the third-largest U.S. defense contractor, said Tuesday that it planned to finish within 18 months a prototype of a battlefield laser weapon capable of shooting down mortars and rockets, Chief Executive Ronald D. Sugar said.

(Note: It’s a non-registration link for now. If that changes, don’t forget our old friend.)

Bad Brains, one of my all-time favorites, is recording a new album with Adam Yauch from the Beastie Boys, according to Billboard. They’re doing it as Soul Brains, a name they’ve been using since at least 1999. The article says it’s going to be “straight up hardcore” and reggae. I had the privilege of seeing Soul Brains at the 9:30 in ‘99 (the night before I saw Brother Ray!) and the place was a total madhouse. HR is still insane (in a happier, more-mellow way) and the tunage was a reminder of why they are punk legends. Hopefully this gets captured on disc.

My dangerous friend Shane pointed out last month that Dead Can Dance is back together and touring soon. I avoided listening to them like the plague for many years because I associated them with people who wore all black and stared at the floor all day, chanting “melancholy” and not so much dancing as swaying back and forth whenever music came on. But I finally heard their stuff when I moved to Colorado, and actually caught a phenomenal overbooked performance in 1996 at the Boulder Theater (where you can see “The Vagina Monologues” and GWAR this month, but not together). A Dead Can Dance live show should not be missed. I hope they come to Japan.

I know many of you have given up on them, but I can’t wait to hear the new CD from nine inch nails. I know he misses sometimes, but when Trent is on, he’s fucking on. The tour begins in March, but only a few dates are on the list. They sold out two nights at the Astoria in London — killer place to see a gig (I saw the Revolting Cocks there in ‘91). The NIN show I saw in ‘94 in Kansas City still is one of the best concerts ever experienced by me.

Tonight I felt the fiery hand of rock n roll slap me in the face. I saw Death From Above 1979 in Shibuya. Even though I’m still bitter about the price, I’d have to say the gig was worth the okane. I can’t believe two people can tear shit up so well — they owned the stage, and the packed club went batshit with every song. Just when I’m ready to give up on rock, someone like this comes along and shows that people still feel the music. Damn. You should catch these guys if they come near you … if only for the joy of seeing them for $42 less than I paid.