By Feb 2007, i was sick and fucking tired of being responsible for the kingsport work force. I decided that if i saw one more server snort a pill, or pass a sack of grass on premisis I would personally send them home for life, and if my boss didn't back me, i'd leave too. Bear in mind, It doesn't bother me to see people have fun. IT does bother me to see people unable to function because they are fucking strung out on oc's, Especially when they are preparing food. I digress.
Taken Away had just finished our mostly NC world tour, things were looking up, and we were to go record in spring @East KY Sound. By this point we had a small label from Phillie that wanted to put it out for us. So it was a killer feeling. I was the most excited musically that i've ever been in my life.
I was in one of my "i don't party" phases. I used to fall in and out of them. I didn't believe that there was a healthy medium for me. Anyway. It was a bullshit winter. I was sick of being sick, and cold, and miserable. Randy, my dear friend, asked me if i wanted to come to MB and watch slayer with him. So me and joey, armed with about 50 bucks a piece, and some chesse its left after work one night, and drove through the night to Myrtle Beach. Berfore the show we went and ate at some place near the hob. Randy's roommate and his friends got me good and drunk before the show.
I didn't mind.
Slayer were amazing.
The next day upon our arrival to JC. Joey broke edge. In leu of slayer being baddass.
My birthday was a few weeks later. My best friend now thrashed too. We partied for 4 days straight.
On the 5th day, i drove snake eyes to get the oil changed. I turned the radio to 101.5 and i hear
"spent the last year, rocky mountain way, couldn't get much hiiiiiigher"
It made me chuckle a little.
Crystal was working 3rd shift. She didn't seem to mind it. I never had anything to do, and was making better money since i moved my operation back to johnson city, and was working the hideaway and johnny bruscos. I didn't really have anything better to do than to at night than to go out and rage wherever everybody else was raging.
Suddenly i was back in shitheadville. I don't regret it, i don't think.
Taken away wasn't really at the tip of anyone's tounges in the band anymore. John Wes and jeoy had panzer. I was playing in goldenarm, it was a fun time. Joey and i talked about how he was going on ozzfest that year with showdown. Apparently nobody else in the band knew. We played a few shows. After we recorded that ep. and Tried to do a mini tour that May. with gnarwolf, and Lex vegas. We only made it to 2 of the shows. I think it kind of hurt nathans feelings. We couldn't all get off of work tho. I felt bad.
It was honestly a very frustraiting thing for me that i saw everyone and partied with everyone, but nobdy wanted to practice or play shows. Then joey left for ozzfest. I didn't really talk to anyone in TA except johnman.
I went to hang out at the charlotte date with my bro. We got shit hammered off of High life and Jager and started smashing bottles, and heckling this hill full of shitheads trying to get girls to show thier titz.
At one point Kevin talley tried to kick over the porto=john joey was using, that was funny. Then after it got dark, and we smashed more bottles, and raised more hell. The guitar tech from behemoth came out and said "C'mon guys quit smashing fuckin bottles, we gotta drive our busses through this!"
Joey exclaimed "fuck you faggot, don't you worship satan? Well if satan was here with me, he would be smashing bottles and telling you to FUCK YOU!"
I laughed untill i almost cried.
We really didn't play as aband after that. We just burned out together. We went to gatsbys every wed night and did karaoki, and just raged. That year i guess, wasn't a waste tho. I let off alot of steam, and became alot less high strung over the course of that year. All in all, it was a good year.
One day, I woke up with the worst hangover/cold/feellikeshit i could remember. I didn't have any dayquil, so, I Took 2 hits off of my bong, Took a dose of nyquil, drank an energy drink, and went to work to start a double Waiting tables. I was in the fuckin zone.
Then around I'd say 3 pm, crystal calls, hysterical. Thats when i found out I was going to be a dad.
Big things were happening for skeletonpecker at this time. We were jamming holes out, and loving it. That next day joey and I were heading to Skeletonpecker practice, wehn i receive another hysterical phone call that went like this. "i'm pregnant, and you don't care about anything except getting stoned with joey, and acting like a dumbass"
Of course that was one of my favorite things on earth to do, but that wasn't what i cared about, or even thought about. So i had to make the descision tha tover the course of a few months i would substancially cut back on my green intake. I pretty much quit all together.
The rest of my year just revolved around going out when i could, Work, and Work.
Nothing overthetop memorable.
Oh yeah once johnny sixguns thought it would be funny to drop the N bomb from stage at the hideaway. It was so obsecene that even TimDave was pissed off.
It was a good year for shows in jc too. There were alot of metalcore shows, but, alot of new faces started showing up, adn that makes me happy.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Ship Shape
We tried to embarq on our tour on December 26. For one reason or another this didn't happen. Instead we drove to columbia south carolina to watch Have Heart, Kids like us, and where it ends. Day 2 was in summerville SC. It was awesome. I dont' remember the bands we played with, but regardless it was a killer show. The kid that let us stay with him had a super nice house and was an all around kiler guy. That next day was New Years Eve 2005. We played in Savannah GA. We got there kind of early, ate, and loaded in. It was in the basement of Rude Rudy's pizza in downtown. Man it was the funnest show i've ever played. There were 80 or so kids packed in there, all going crazy for every band. Once loaded in, i decided to adventure abou tthe town since it was new years eve. Rawg ended up drunk sway talking to this chick in the hyatt downtown that was trying to get him to take off his warriors hoodie. I ordered ayard tall rum and coke with 3 extra shots. By the time it was time for us to play i was out of it, i left soon after. Called the wife at midnight and told her happy new years, then spaced out for 2 days. I wasn't drunk or high or anything, i just got caught up, the next thign i know I'm in daytona eating an orange straight off of the tree so i call her to tell her about the tree. She says "hello, oh hi, you're alive huh?" Needless to say it was a ballbreaking i deserved.
The rest of the tour went pretty well, Minus the crackhouse we stayed at in tampa where the dude and his pizzaface girlfriend were having relations on the bed that we were in the floor right beside.. We were up and gone by 7:40 that day to find out that our next show was cancelled, So we drove up to the panhandle and stayed in Panama City with Randy and the dudes from Caldwell/Jump the shark. We played minigolf, and I bought some Legal Smoke from the headshop. It was a good day i guess. We found out later that night our fort walton beach show never got booked. Jon did a knockup job with this tour. The next day we ate ci ci's then drove home, We made it to Johnson city with $9.
The next day we played with secret lives at the hideaway. I fucking love my home.
That march, i guess, we recorded the Benedict EP. For a DIY effort, we sold alot of that e.p. I think people were pretty into it. As far as being from the heart, The lyrics for that EP were very personal. They were like letters to the friends that they are about. I was volunteering in the morning at a church outreach downtown. It was a coffee shop for homeless people. I got alot out of it. You could discern between the bums and the legit homeless. It broke my heart to go there and talk to some of these guys. But what can you do?
That spring we had what would probably be the best shows to date booked. We were to Play Brockton, Nashua, Westernmass, Maine, and Long island. The mass/up shows were with Cutthroat, the long island show was with Life in Your Way, Aloveforenemies and a few others.
Due to our van being fucked up and us not having money or cars reliable enough for the journey we didnt' go on this mini-tour. but thats w/e. It happens. Its all in how hard you are ready to work.
We tried to book another small tour that summer, but it didn't work out, we ended up playing like 2 shows. one in Blacksburg, and One in Harrisonburg. They were fun. Joey airborne crept on some scene girls.
Nathan was in a band called Push to Shove. A really kickass skinheadesque hardcore band. They are probably one of the best bands of that style to be from around here. It sucks that they didn't play for that long.
Over the course of about 6 months some things were stewing between our circle of friends. Someone had done a major misdeed as far as trust was concerned. It was nobody in IROM, but people that were connected to us. It was something that was looked into for a long time, and when the shit hit the fan, I handled it the totally wrong way.
Eric Rogers has been a close friend of mine since i was 16 or 17. He's a different kind of guy, with a really big heart for his friends. Instead of going to him first things first with this problem, I just let the powers that be work them out, since it didn't directly effect either of us. When it all came down, he didn't speak to me for like 2 weeks, and after a show i finally blew up on him. I called him a bitch, told him he was acting like a woman, said everything i could say to make him feel like shit. Then i told him to take his shit out of the van and take it home himself. 20 Minutes later I called nathan and asked him to replace rogers.
Not directly because of, but because of the events leading up to this meltdown. I lost a good year and a half of friendship. It sucks, try just seeing your best friend around that you have hung out with every day for years, and not look them in the eye or even say hey to them.
Scandalous women can make this happen for you. Eric. this one's for you.
With nathan in the band, andour music going in another direction. We changed our name to taken away. We started writing faster, heavier music. I loved it. Also with this new material, it kind of formed a concept album of sorts. I kind of drew back from working at the outreach.
One particular song, Hell is Now. Was about this kid that was homeless and orphaned. He lived out on the street here in jc bc once he turned 18, his foster care was finished. He came in one day and told me that someone picked him up to help do some work at their house, and then raped him. He acted like it wasn't a big deal. The guy was a doctor at one of the hospitals, according to this kid. I think the kid was autistic, there was something off with him. Someone took advantage of that. Once i realized what was going on i called the cops so that he could file a report and get checked out. I offered to pay for him to go to the clinic. I could feel my soul dying for this kid. Once the cops took him for the report, i locked up the coffee shop and broke down.
I called out sick for work that day. I don't know why, but for that one day i lost all faith in god and humanity. The more that i worked at the outreach, the more that i found out about this wierd underground of johnson city where alot of the homeless who are addicts and what not, were preyed on by deviant, predatory,horrible people. It made me ill to think about. These guys were drinking mouthwash to get fucked up bc it was cheaper than beer. That summer, i left the outreach and started working in kingsport. Honestly I haven't thought much about it untill right now.
That December-Jan we did a mini-tour with nathan on guitar. It was pretty sweet. We played Spartainburg, Greenville, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston Salem. Mostly Skateparks, tatto shops, and stuff like that. Everything went smoothly. I started the tour with a stomach virus. Joey had a cold. By the end of the week, i had a cold and he had the stomach virus.
I'm going to leave you with some lyrics. I wrote these when i worked the outreach.
Break the Mold and, Throw away the cast
You've got nobody fooled you two toned- iscariot.
Hello Dr jeckyl. Good morning mr hyde.
you spit poison with the mouth that medicates.
and you kill with the hand that heals.
(and in due time)
I don't know where and I don't know how,
but you've got yours coming. As soon as you let your guard down
and look the other way.
They will be right here, and we will be right here.
waiting in the shadows, We're going to put it in your fuckin face.
And when life comes down to the wrong you have done and the lives you've done to them.
you'll live like the life that you take.
You wanna live in it?
you got everybody living in it.
Hell is now
and you're faced with the lives of the ones that won't fight back.
hell is now
and you feast on the blood of the once with nowhere to run.
hell is now.
You wanna live in it? you got everybody living in it.
Hell is now.
American Gatorade__
And the sun comes up as he puts his hand and the bottle to his lips again.
he faces another day, and man i'd like to see things through your eyes.
Well, walk with me you'll see, Where do you lay your head?, where do you break your bread?
Well, let me take you to the place that i call home. You don't spit unless you are spit on. You've got so much to lose, you don't fuck with a man that lives in the street.
we slum the slums with the whores and the hags, We're even mocked by the trannies in drag
Ran out of money, Well i'm goddamn drinking listerine, We don't wanna be clean. We're the scum of the earth.
And let me take you to the place that i call home. Don't spit unless you are spit on. You got so much to lose, you don't fuck with a man that lives in the street.
you slum the slums with the whores and the hags. Even mocked by the trannies in drag, Ran out of money, well i'm God Damned, Drinking listerine. We don't wanna be clean.
We're the scum of the earth., We're the scum of the earth.
Don't fuck with us.
The rest of the tour went pretty well, Minus the crackhouse we stayed at in tampa where the dude and his pizzaface girlfriend were having relations on the bed that we were in the floor right beside.. We were up and gone by 7:40 that day to find out that our next show was cancelled, So we drove up to the panhandle and stayed in Panama City with Randy and the dudes from Caldwell/Jump the shark. We played minigolf, and I bought some Legal Smoke from the headshop. It was a good day i guess. We found out later that night our fort walton beach show never got booked. Jon did a knockup job with this tour. The next day we ate ci ci's then drove home, We made it to Johnson city with $9.
The next day we played with secret lives at the hideaway. I fucking love my home.
That march, i guess, we recorded the Benedict EP. For a DIY effort, we sold alot of that e.p. I think people were pretty into it. As far as being from the heart, The lyrics for that EP were very personal. They were like letters to the friends that they are about. I was volunteering in the morning at a church outreach downtown. It was a coffee shop for homeless people. I got alot out of it. You could discern between the bums and the legit homeless. It broke my heart to go there and talk to some of these guys. But what can you do?
That spring we had what would probably be the best shows to date booked. We were to Play Brockton, Nashua, Westernmass, Maine, and Long island. The mass/up shows were with Cutthroat, the long island show was with Life in Your Way, Aloveforenemies and a few others.
Due to our van being fucked up and us not having money or cars reliable enough for the journey we didnt' go on this mini-tour. but thats w/e. It happens. Its all in how hard you are ready to work.
We tried to book another small tour that summer, but it didn't work out, we ended up playing like 2 shows. one in Blacksburg, and One in Harrisonburg. They were fun. Joey airborne crept on some scene girls.
Nathan was in a band called Push to Shove. A really kickass skinheadesque hardcore band. They are probably one of the best bands of that style to be from around here. It sucks that they didn't play for that long.
Over the course of about 6 months some things were stewing between our circle of friends. Someone had done a major misdeed as far as trust was concerned. It was nobody in IROM, but people that were connected to us. It was something that was looked into for a long time, and when the shit hit the fan, I handled it the totally wrong way.
Eric Rogers has been a close friend of mine since i was 16 or 17. He's a different kind of guy, with a really big heart for his friends. Instead of going to him first things first with this problem, I just let the powers that be work them out, since it didn't directly effect either of us. When it all came down, he didn't speak to me for like 2 weeks, and after a show i finally blew up on him. I called him a bitch, told him he was acting like a woman, said everything i could say to make him feel like shit. Then i told him to take his shit out of the van and take it home himself. 20 Minutes later I called nathan and asked him to replace rogers.
Not directly because of, but because of the events leading up to this meltdown. I lost a good year and a half of friendship. It sucks, try just seeing your best friend around that you have hung out with every day for years, and not look them in the eye or even say hey to them.
Scandalous women can make this happen for you. Eric. this one's for you.
With nathan in the band, andour music going in another direction. We changed our name to taken away. We started writing faster, heavier music. I loved it. Also with this new material, it kind of formed a concept album of sorts. I kind of drew back from working at the outreach.
One particular song, Hell is Now. Was about this kid that was homeless and orphaned. He lived out on the street here in jc bc once he turned 18, his foster care was finished. He came in one day and told me that someone picked him up to help do some work at their house, and then raped him. He acted like it wasn't a big deal. The guy was a doctor at one of the hospitals, according to this kid. I think the kid was autistic, there was something off with him. Someone took advantage of that. Once i realized what was going on i called the cops so that he could file a report and get checked out. I offered to pay for him to go to the clinic. I could feel my soul dying for this kid. Once the cops took him for the report, i locked up the coffee shop and broke down.
I called out sick for work that day. I don't know why, but for that one day i lost all faith in god and humanity. The more that i worked at the outreach, the more that i found out about this wierd underground of johnson city where alot of the homeless who are addicts and what not, were preyed on by deviant, predatory,horrible people. It made me ill to think about. These guys were drinking mouthwash to get fucked up bc it was cheaper than beer. That summer, i left the outreach and started working in kingsport. Honestly I haven't thought much about it untill right now.
That December-Jan we did a mini-tour with nathan on guitar. It was pretty sweet. We played Spartainburg, Greenville, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston Salem. Mostly Skateparks, tatto shops, and stuff like that. Everything went smoothly. I started the tour with a stomach virus. Joey had a cold. By the end of the week, i had a cold and he had the stomach virus.
I'm going to leave you with some lyrics. I wrote these when i worked the outreach.
Break the Mold and, Throw away the cast
You've got nobody fooled you two toned- iscariot.
Hello Dr jeckyl. Good morning mr hyde.
you spit poison with the mouth that medicates.
and you kill with the hand that heals.
(and in due time)
I don't know where and I don't know how,
but you've got yours coming. As soon as you let your guard down
and look the other way.
They will be right here, and we will be right here.
waiting in the shadows, We're going to put it in your fuckin face.
And when life comes down to the wrong you have done and the lives you've done to them.
you'll live like the life that you take.
You wanna live in it?
you got everybody living in it.
Hell is now
and you're faced with the lives of the ones that won't fight back.
hell is now
and you feast on the blood of the once with nowhere to run.
hell is now.
You wanna live in it? you got everybody living in it.
Hell is now.
American Gatorade__
And the sun comes up as he puts his hand and the bottle to his lips again.
he faces another day, and man i'd like to see things through your eyes.
Well, walk with me you'll see, Where do you lay your head?, where do you break your bread?
Well, let me take you to the place that i call home. You don't spit unless you are spit on. You've got so much to lose, you don't fuck with a man that lives in the street.
we slum the slums with the whores and the hags, We're even mocked by the trannies in drag
Ran out of money, Well i'm goddamn drinking listerine, We don't wanna be clean. We're the scum of the earth.
And let me take you to the place that i call home. Don't spit unless you are spit on. You got so much to lose, you don't fuck with a man that lives in the street.
you slum the slums with the whores and the hags. Even mocked by the trannies in drag, Ran out of money, well i'm God Damned, Drinking listerine. We don't wanna be clean.
We're the scum of the earth., We're the scum of the earth.
Don't fuck with us.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
(too)thousand Five (part Deux)
Go point a crooked finger, at everyone around.
Broken hearts, broken dreams, but
the band played on, we didn't miss a beat.
Kill the fatted Calf.
Your son that squandered his fortune,
well, he's coming home.
Expecting you to feed him, clothe him, and put him
on his feet, Honestly.
you're more of a man than i am.
I washed the sands from my feet.
You tell me now, Who was the catalyst.
and i double dare you man, Say that again.
We stood up and with a cup half empty and poured out
all we had!
and we gave of ourselves, Till nothing.. nothing was left
and man,
We gave and we gave and we gave and we gave.
Gave of ourselves untill nothing was left, Nothing was left to give
and man, we wouldnot and we could not, no we wouldnt, we couldn't, we Refused.
We refused to Recognize.
It all became so relevant to me in the summer of 05 when you spoke with your forked tounge and, through dirty teeth, dirty teeth, the band played on. The band played on we didn't miss a beat.
But it became too much. Ya it became too much.
Are you fucking serious???
Give us one last dance, Pack your bags and bid your farewells. Benedict, get out of dodge,
Now Johnson City Swims in quicksand, We'll get out soon enough. We'll run like a pack again we will howl at the moon, we're gonna paint the town in red, and howl at the moon, WE'll run like a pack again, enough said.
This is the first time i've ever written a song that blatanly told one of my close friends that i thought that they had fucked up big time.
Its fall, Johnman has practiced with us a few times, and now we is in IROM. Dean has packed his shit and moved away for the first time. It was good for him, he had some stuff to deal with. He's a genuinely good guy. I love him. I don't think we'll ever be as good of buds as we were when he first joined the band and slept on my couch alot, and we went to macrock. Some of the things that bother me the most in life are the things that just are. This falls under that category.
We geared up for yet another small tour at the end of november. This one would be the most assenine/fun yet. Johnman was in the band now in a big way. he was the perfect fit that had just been here forever. He used to come to shows with us when we would play in kentucky back in like 2001-2002. His mother is a saint. We left for our first day of the novemberathon in Chattanooga. This is my favorite town to play. The kids party hard, they come to shows by the dozens. Just all around a killer place. This particular show was with Maylene and the Sons of Disaster those guys were super nice. That day i ate a bunch of nachos on top of a gut full of wild turkey. I puked my ass off. it was cool. I guess. We stayed at jarrods' that night, and the next morning joey and i got into a mini altercation because he was feeding part of a granola bar to jarrod's dog, as his stepdad was coming in. And i was motioning for him to not do so. he took it as me telling him what to do, and we had a 20 second argument. It happens. We then drove to savannah. We had to stop about 20 miles out to get gas. There was a bird farm by the gas station with an ostrich looking bird. Maybe an EMU. Johnman had a dangle cig and was walking toward it and just flapping his arms We played that night in savannah with maylene and the sons of disaster. I spent most of the evening across the street at Fennigans Irish wake. It was sweet. We stayed with john mcclay at his house, it was 20 * inside and his heat was messed up. We found out that next day that our brunswick show was cancelled. So was our Dothan alabama show. We jumped on a show in hinesville with a NuMetal band whose name slips me. These kids were on their hands and knees worship head banging to these guys. Its all good i guess. The hc kids that came to see us with little notice, were cool. However, they were mostly not let in because the owner was kind of nuts. We stayed at a house party that night. Johnman Got but assed naked and sat on the porch eating pop corn.
I love my friends.
The next day, withfunds a little low, i realized it would be quicker for us to jump on a show in charlotte before we headed home. Luke for the Kids was hosting Backstabbers INC @ a garage in north charlotte. He aggreed to let us come and play. It was killer, we sold a few shirts, which put us over the top on our funds getting home. That night, we drove on home getting to Erwin around 5:am. Going up Derek's 14% grade driveway our carburator didn't go out, it just stopped working very well. I had to call AAA who got ther earound 6. Derek took everyone home in his car. I went to mom and dad's and slept for 3 hours then went to work.
Snake Eyes.
Jon from chattanooga was at that time booking our winter tour with WFOF. It was shaping up. Crystal and I bought a house and started moving in, all in all. Killer times.
Now, we didn't have the money to fix snake eyesbefore tour, so we took My truck, and Wes' pt cruiser. IT was killer. Funnest one to date.
I'll talk about it next week.
These were the times that led up to the Benedict EP 2006. I'm going to post the lyrics to a few songs.
(playing blind man)
Let the domino effect, reverse itself, where the last to fall are teh first to breathe a new life into the world that, has since, grown stale, like the seed that was scattered among the rocks, it comes to life with a fire, but withers fast, because the roots won't hold, and I will carry the broken, i will carry the downtrodden,i will make a way for those who are forced to live amongthe thorns. and i will carry the broken, i will carry the downtrodden, i will make away for those forced to live among the thorns.
And i'll be the drink of water, to a world of bitter tounges, and let the truth be heard
you generation of vipers, you strike at each other, you target every weakenss every move you make If you wanna play blind man, then follow the shepherd.
(set 2 dive)
dear everyone that i've hurt, and everyone, that i've let down, the souls that i could not save, and all the friends that i gave up on, and i drank my eyes heavy just to bring comfort to the room, i filled the air with mindless banter, forcing smile after smile, and nothing gives, well this is where it stops. And i whole heartedly apologize and this is where it stops because i refues to look in the eyes of a loving friend again and again and see every word they hold back, and they hold back, hold back every word. Hold back hold back every word. and see you hold back hold back every word, that you wanted to say.... And if the road to hell was paved in good intentions. then i'm set to dive. Set to dive, for the rest of my life, set to dive.
Because when it all comes down to it. its all amoung the smiling few. The ones that aren't scared to stand up and be that guy, sing every word as if it meant as much to you. Sing everyword as if it meant just as much to you.
Its johnson City's vice.
Broken hearts, broken dreams, but
the band played on, we didn't miss a beat.
Kill the fatted Calf.
Your son that squandered his fortune,
well, he's coming home.
Expecting you to feed him, clothe him, and put him
on his feet, Honestly.
you're more of a man than i am.
I washed the sands from my feet.
You tell me now, Who was the catalyst.
and i double dare you man, Say that again.
We stood up and with a cup half empty and poured out
all we had!
and we gave of ourselves, Till nothing.. nothing was left
and man,
We gave and we gave and we gave and we gave.
Gave of ourselves untill nothing was left, Nothing was left to give
and man, we wouldnot and we could not, no we wouldnt, we couldn't, we Refused.
We refused to Recognize.
It all became so relevant to me in the summer of 05 when you spoke with your forked tounge and, through dirty teeth, dirty teeth, the band played on. The band played on we didn't miss a beat.
But it became too much. Ya it became too much.
Are you fucking serious???
Give us one last dance, Pack your bags and bid your farewells. Benedict, get out of dodge,
Now Johnson City Swims in quicksand, We'll get out soon enough. We'll run like a pack again we will howl at the moon, we're gonna paint the town in red, and howl at the moon, WE'll run like a pack again, enough said.
This is the first time i've ever written a song that blatanly told one of my close friends that i thought that they had fucked up big time.
Its fall, Johnman has practiced with us a few times, and now we is in IROM. Dean has packed his shit and moved away for the first time. It was good for him, he had some stuff to deal with. He's a genuinely good guy. I love him. I don't think we'll ever be as good of buds as we were when he first joined the band and slept on my couch alot, and we went to macrock. Some of the things that bother me the most in life are the things that just are. This falls under that category.
We geared up for yet another small tour at the end of november. This one would be the most assenine/fun yet. Johnman was in the band now in a big way. he was the perfect fit that had just been here forever. He used to come to shows with us when we would play in kentucky back in like 2001-2002. His mother is a saint. We left for our first day of the novemberathon in Chattanooga. This is my favorite town to play. The kids party hard, they come to shows by the dozens. Just all around a killer place. This particular show was with Maylene and the Sons of Disaster those guys were super nice. That day i ate a bunch of nachos on top of a gut full of wild turkey. I puked my ass off. it was cool. I guess. We stayed at jarrods' that night, and the next morning joey and i got into a mini altercation because he was feeding part of a granola bar to jarrod's dog, as his stepdad was coming in. And i was motioning for him to not do so. he took it as me telling him what to do, and we had a 20 second argument. It happens. We then drove to savannah. We had to stop about 20 miles out to get gas. There was a bird farm by the gas station with an ostrich looking bird. Maybe an EMU. Johnman had a dangle cig and was walking toward it and just flapping his arms We played that night in savannah with maylene and the sons of disaster. I spent most of the evening across the street at Fennigans Irish wake. It was sweet. We stayed with john mcclay at his house, it was 20 * inside and his heat was messed up. We found out that next day that our brunswick show was cancelled. So was our Dothan alabama show. We jumped on a show in hinesville with a NuMetal band whose name slips me. These kids were on their hands and knees worship head banging to these guys. Its all good i guess. The hc kids that came to see us with little notice, were cool. However, they were mostly not let in because the owner was kind of nuts. We stayed at a house party that night. Johnman Got but assed naked and sat on the porch eating pop corn.
I love my friends.
The next day, withfunds a little low, i realized it would be quicker for us to jump on a show in charlotte before we headed home. Luke for the Kids was hosting Backstabbers INC @ a garage in north charlotte. He aggreed to let us come and play. It was killer, we sold a few shirts, which put us over the top on our funds getting home. That night, we drove on home getting to Erwin around 5:am. Going up Derek's 14% grade driveway our carburator didn't go out, it just stopped working very well. I had to call AAA who got ther earound 6. Derek took everyone home in his car. I went to mom and dad's and slept for 3 hours then went to work.
Snake Eyes.
Jon from chattanooga was at that time booking our winter tour with WFOF. It was shaping up. Crystal and I bought a house and started moving in, all in all. Killer times.
Now, we didn't have the money to fix snake eyesbefore tour, so we took My truck, and Wes' pt cruiser. IT was killer. Funnest one to date.
I'll talk about it next week.
These were the times that led up to the Benedict EP 2006. I'm going to post the lyrics to a few songs.
(playing blind man)
Let the domino effect, reverse itself, where the last to fall are teh first to breathe a new life into the world that, has since, grown stale, like the seed that was scattered among the rocks, it comes to life with a fire, but withers fast, because the roots won't hold, and I will carry the broken, i will carry the downtrodden,i will make a way for those who are forced to live amongthe thorns. and i will carry the broken, i will carry the downtrodden, i will make away for those forced to live among the thorns.
And i'll be the drink of water, to a world of bitter tounges, and let the truth be heard
you generation of vipers, you strike at each other, you target every weakenss every move you make If you wanna play blind man, then follow the shepherd.
(set 2 dive)
dear everyone that i've hurt, and everyone, that i've let down, the souls that i could not save, and all the friends that i gave up on, and i drank my eyes heavy just to bring comfort to the room, i filled the air with mindless banter, forcing smile after smile, and nothing gives, well this is where it stops. And i whole heartedly apologize and this is where it stops because i refues to look in the eyes of a loving friend again and again and see every word they hold back, and they hold back, hold back every word. Hold back hold back every word. and see you hold back hold back every word, that you wanted to say.... And if the road to hell was paved in good intentions. then i'm set to dive. Set to dive, for the rest of my life, set to dive.
Because when it all comes down to it. its all amoung the smiling few. The ones that aren't scared to stand up and be that guy, sing every word as if it meant as much to you. Sing everyword as if it meant just as much to you.
Its johnson City's vice.