Top 10 Albums of 2010 courtesy of Jay Porks & Reverend Justito

Words by Jay Porks/Reverend Justito


Every year I do a Top ten list of the albums released in that year. There's only one rule: Only new releases. No live albums, no reissues. Sounds easy enough right?

This year I got together with a buddy of mine the Reverend Justito; founder and head honcho over at the awesome website ConcertConfessions.Com and we decided to post our lists together; right here on this very website. Maybe give everyone a sense of the little east/west coast dynamic we have going on here-I wonder what the over/under is on how many albums we both have listed. This has all the makings for a fun read, and as the away team, let's lead off with the aforementioned Rev. Justito. Lets put his text in bold and text of my list in italics.

Picking a top 10 list for Mr. Jay Porks has been no easy task. Do I pick with my heart and give some of my all time favorite acts (Coheed and Cambria, BRMC) a spot based off loyalty? Or do I simply pick the 10 best albums I heard in 2010? Oh and what about critics darlings such as The Black Keys and Kanye West? Should I add them just like everyone else, even if they really don’t belong in the top 10? Take a peak below to discover Reverend Justito’s top 10 records of 2010.

#10 Dark Ages by Bison b.c.

Heavy riffs, great harmonies and ohhh fuck it this is the best “stoner rock” record of the year.

Recommended tracks – Stressed Elephant, Die of Devotion

#9 – The Fool by Warpaint

While most females in music are marketed to turn men on, Warpaint is the band that you first form a crush on before fully falling in love. Plus, these gals can play their asses off.

Recommended Tracks – Undertow, Baby

#8 – Destroyer of the Void by Blitzen Trapper

For those who have always wanted to hear what Bob Dylan would sound like backed by Modest Mouse. A compliment in the finest, Blitzen Trapper may be Americana’s best kept secret.

Recommended Tracks – Destroyer of the Void, Heaven and Earth

#7 – III/IV by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals

What does it tell you about music in 2010 that Adams shelved songs from ’07 make it this high on the list? Perhaps nothing actually, Adams is just that damn good.

Recommended Tracks – Happy Birthday, Death and Rats

#6 – Fragments of Form and Function by Allegaeon

Sometimes with metal, it’s hard to compare to other genres. Yet this album is the reason that Brothers by The Black Keys got the bump. These youngsters from Colorado made the most complex album of 2010, and look bored while doing so. If they can find a band willing to bring them out on tour (knowing that these Colorado natives will blow any headliner off the stage) expect big things from Allegaeon in 2011.

Recommended Tracks – Biomech – Vals No. 666, Accelerated Evolution


#5 – Spark by Alain Johannes

Never has pain sounded so beautiful. One can’t have a lump in their throat when listening to this record.

Recommended Tracks – Make God Jealous, Unfinished Plans

#4 As I Call You Down – Fistful of Mercy

Perhaps I am biased as I was blessed enough to watch Fistful of Mercy take shape in front of my very eyes during the first four months of the year, but this “super group” has put together a fine crafted album of folk rock masterpieces. Joseph Arthur and Ben Harper go together like peanut butter and jelly. Together, they are unstoppable.

Recommended Tracks – I Don’t Want To Waste Your Time, Restore Me

#3 Congratulations by MGMT

Let’s be honest, this album is viewed as a disaster by many. This is because most are not smart enough to grasp what MGMT accomplished. They have proven that they can write simple 3 minute pop songs for the masses. While I enjoy those songs, my respect was truly won by making an album that is full of amazing melodies, great riffs all while giving a giant middle finger to the simple minded masses. Enjoy your Kanye and Kings of Leon; I’ll stick with the freaks known as MGMT.

Recommended Tracks – Brian Eno, Siberian Breaks


#2 The Suburbs by The Arcade Fire

For a long time, I felt The Arcade Fire were over-rated hacks. Then The Suburbs fell into my hands the week I returned to Los Angeles from a trip to where I spent my first 21 years. I don’t care what you say; I won’t listen to your proof. The Arcade Fire wrote this album for me.

Recommended Tracks – Month of May, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)


#1 Diamond Eyes by Deftones

Who knows what the shelved album Eros would have sounded like, but with a heavy heart and an eight-string guitar, Deftones have created their best record since Around The Fur. The band has finally found the perfect mix between Elephant tit heavy riffs and lush electro-pop bliss. It’s rare that a heavy act peaks six albums in, but with Diamond Eyes, Sacramento’s finest will have a hard time topping this.

Recommended Tracks – You’ve Seen The Butcher, Sex Tape

We here at the Jay Porks Experience would like to thank the Rev for offering up his list for me to post here, and we also send our thanks over to the whole Concert Confessions Family for helping keep the Jay Porks band wagon rolling along. Again if you have never been, you gotta head over to ConcertConfessions.com and check it out-it's like a whole bunch of people like me in different parts to the states heading to shows and dishing out the experience-it's pretty neat.

Anyway it seems that time has come. Now ladies and gentleman The Jay Porks Experience Top Ten Albums of 2010:

10) MGMT-Congratulations

Boy am I glad MGMT turned cool enough for me to like, because I was starting to feel out of the loop.

>Recommended tracks: Brian Eno<

9)Dead Weather- Sea of Cowards

Sea of Cowards was the soundtrack to the couple of months of my life after I got the album on my iPod-and this is coming from someone who hates Jack White for a variety of foolish reasons we won't get into at this time. I mean when “Hustle and Cuss” comes on I don't know whether to head bang nod the head gently. Lots of cool stuff going on with this record. Give it a listen if you've been under rock the last year.

>Recommended tracks: I'm Mad, Hustle and Cuss, Old Mary<

8)Melvins-The Bride Screamed Murder

When the album came out it was exactly what I needed-I needed that fix of murky sludge rock I've been lacking in recent years. It seriously got my first pumping screaming out “yea! The fucking Melvins!” much to the chagrin of all other members of my household. And if there's one rule I have about records it's this: If it pisses off your mother, it has to be great!

>Recommended tracks: Pig House, The Water Glass, My Generation(The Who)<

7)Gorillaz- Plastic Beach

I mean, it's not like anyone is surprised that Gorillaz released another great record as they've been a custom to do time to time. The All Star guest list of performers on this record help propel it to another level of awesomeness. Like, now we even have all the mainstream people paying dues to Gorillaz, and that tends to usually make me hate things-but the music is so good I can't even drink the 'Hater-Aid' on this one.

>Recommended tracks: Somekind of Nature(Lou Reed), Cloud of Unknowing<

6)Scott Lucas and the Married Men- George Lassos The Moon

Local H frontman Scott Lucas decided to work with a full band for this record, and key word full. Violinist, accordion player, someone on keys, the full 9 yards. Throughout listening, the record maintains a consistent dark mood-harrowing acoustics with songs that build in intensity slowly.. violin and accordion sounds on the cover of Bob Dylan's “Positively 4^th Street” make it all the more worth while. This is not a Local H record by any means-but it's some cool music in it's own right. Hope they tour near me soon.

>Recommended tracks: Extra Special Bitter, You put a Spell on Me, Positively 4^th Street(Dylan)<

5)Devo- Something for Everybody

Another band I'm glad didn't try to “progress” their sound, and Devo rolls in with an epically Devo-esque recording. One of the funnest records I've listened to this year. In one of the songs the lyrics towards the end are like “Don't taze me bro!” repeatedly. Would've seen them this year had they not canceled their Halloween gig at Manhattan Center's Hammerstein Ballroom. Great record all around

>Recommended tracks: What we Do, Don't Shoot(I'm a Man)<

4)Hole- Nobody's Daughter

Don't let your disdain for Courtney let you look past an awesome listen. This album was way better than I thought it could possibly be. Some epic tracks on that record, some awesome guitar parts provided by Micko Larkin. The case was solitified when I saw them play songs off the record live at a two night Terminal 5 stint. Personal feelings aside, one of my favorites of the year.

>Recommended tracks: Nobody's Daughter, Someone Else's Bed, Loser Dust<

3)Neil Young-Le Noise

-Say what you want but get me Neil Young alone with a guitar and effects boxes and I'll give you a top ten record of the year. What makes the record so good is that I don't even think Neil wrote lyrics down, I think the whole record was done improv style. I was so surprised to hear such power, some of the “grungiest” guitar sounds I've heard in a while. Great album.

>Recommended tracks: Walk With Me, Angry World, Sign of Love<

2)Slash-Slash

-Hey is that a new Ozzy song on the radio? Oh no that's from that Slash album. Wow new Iggy Pop they're playing? Oh wait, that's also from that Slash solo album. Wait I've never heard this Motorhead song before-it's Lemmy and Slash?? Damn-I have to get this album! It's amazing, and it comes with a version of Paradise City with Cypress Hill and Fergie(at least it spares us from Axel's annoying squeals).

>Recommended tracks: We're All Gonna Die(Iggy Pop), Dr. Alibi (Lemmy), Watch This (Duff McKaegen, Dave Grohl)<

1)Vaselines-Sex with an X

-I'm so glad that the Vaselines didn't try to “progress” with their sound. Their first record in 20 years picks up right where they left off before they broke up; that perfect balance how they distort guitar sounds yet still keep a steady jangly type flow. Heavenly harmonics equipped with humorous tongue and cheek type lyrics. Album kicks off with a banger song called “Ruined”, and will shred your mind for the duration of the CD.

>Recommended tracks: Ruined, The Devil Inside Me, Overweight But Over You<

Weezer Loyalist turning Skeptic?

        The recent announcement of Weezer's Blue Album/Pinkerton tour making a stop in New York City  at Roseland Ballroom Dec 17th and 18th should excite me. SHOULD.

     For those who don't know me personally, I'm a huge Weezer fan and in recent years have turned into sort of a Weezer apologist towards the many who cry 'sell out' and  have fell out of love with their later material. I would always wonder why everyone is so sour on Weezer. I mean,  I've consistently enjoyed the band's music and unless they "progress" drastically, I don't see a future where I dislike the music of Weezer.

    But this latest stunt really pisses me off. Weezer announced playing 2 nights in select cities playing  the self titled Blue Album on one night and Pinkerton on the next(with greatest hits played on both nights). I've seen this band twice, once with my father at Madison Square Garden(full experience can be viewed here) and once this past summer at the Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn(full experience can be read here). I actually had tickets to a third Weezer show in Nov or Dec 2009 but canceled when their tour bus crashed) Both shows I attended left me feeling unfulfilled. I left both of those shows thinking two things. A)That was about $30 over priced and B) I wish they played more songs off Blue or Pinkerton.

     Now, after milking me for plus 50 dollars on two separate occasions at venues with poor sightlines,  playing mediocre set lists, hopeless opening acts and 40 dollar tee shirts; NOW they've decide to go on the tour that every single fan of the band wanted to see in the first place. I mean, of course they played Buddy Holly at the shows I attended-but come on. This is a band with a back catalog containing all sorts of great songs that lots of people love-why did it take them so long to think of this idea(especially with the plethora  of bands to go on album based tours in recent years)? I always been one to believe that Weezer isn't a band about the bottom line(I'm aware all bands are about the bottom line, but I mean  I think their LESS concerned than other bands) but a band about having fun and making fun music. And most importantly a band to not ever take themselves seriously. 

     Even tho deep down I still think that first and foremost they're a band about having fun and I think the band has made enough money throughout their history to go on a tour without the intentions on making money being a top priority. But I've got to say, I'm starting to think that it is more than a coincidence that their doing this highly anticipated tour on the heels of their first record ("Hurley") released since 1993 that wasn't backed by a major label now that the bands DGC contract expired their currently singed to Epitaph Records(a label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz). 

     All this said if tickets don't sell out I will probably end up attending one or both of these shows. In the words of Peter Griffin "That really grinds my gears" and I just needed to get some built up angst off my chest.  I think my feelings on this matter are shared by many. As an avid concert goer and pseudo rock journalist-to put me at the point where I would even think of not going to a show involving a band who's records I all own, is disgusting. The bad taste in my mouth has been lurking for days despite an increased teeth brushing regimen.  

Stay Tuned for big things coming up in the near future at The Jay Porks Experience.. "Not just the review of the show-but the FULL experience!!

Follow us on Twitter by just searching for 'jayporks'

Jay Porks Experience now featured at Concert Confessions! 

Mudhoney-Touch Me I'm Sick 9/4/10 Bowery Ballroom

Vaselines to release first new material in 20 years!

I am no where near the first person to report this, but being such a fan I felt it was my do-diligence to post something on this record due out of epic proportion..  

Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, sharing stages together for the first time since 1990 can only mean one thing-The Vaselines are back! And it not just for kicks. After twenty years of being broken up, their 2^nd album, appropriately  titled “Sex with an X”, is set to hit stores September 14^th via SubPop Records.

July 2009 saw The Vaselines play their first ever show in the U.S. And followed by a handful of extremely well received American dates over the next year, they decided to head back into the studio to record new music-doing twelve songs in thirteen days with two b-sides.  

There are two tracks that are all over YouTube, one being the title track “Sex with an X” (which is also available for free download at the SubPop website), the other being the jangly and yet so true “I hate the 80's”.

In May 2009 The Vaselines came to the Music Hall of Williamsburg in support of the re-release of their entire catalog “Enter the Vaselines”, which remastered all nineteen tracks the band has recorded. Frances McKee, in a recent interview with KEXP Seattle, talked of the remastering:

“I asked Jamie(the engineer)why is there so much reverb on these vocals? He took the reverb off and oh my god, we understood they were so badly sung. Can you turn that back up?”

With Stevie Jackson and Bob Kildea (Guitar and Bass respectively) from Belle and Sebastian, and Michael McGaughrin from the band 'the 1990's' on drums who have all been filling out the lineup since the comeback, this tour is set to North America on fire- Look below to see if the Vaselines will be coming to town near you this year:

October
2 - Washington, DC, 9:30 Club      
3 - Philadelphia, PA, First Unitarian Church Basement     
5 - Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club     
6 - New York, NY, Webster Hall     
7 - Mexico City, MX, Vive Cuervo Salon     
8 - Mexico City, MX, Vive Cuervo Salon
9 - Guadalajara, MX, Teatro Estudio Cavaret     
11 - Carrboro, NC, Cat's Cradle     
12 - Atlanta, GA, The Earl     
13 - New Orleans, LA, One-Eyed Jacks     
14 - Houston, TX, Warehouse Live Studio     
15 - Dallas, TX, The LOFT at the Palladium     
16 - Austin, TX, Emo's Outside     
19 - Los Angeles, CA, The Music Box at Fonda     
20 - San Francisco, CA, Great American Music Hall     
23 - Vancouver, BC, Biltmore Cabaret     
24 - Portland, OR, Wonder Ballroom     
27 - Minneapolis, MN, Varsity Theater     
28 - Chicago, IL, Lincoln Hall     
29 - Detroit, MI, Magic Stick     
30 - Toronto, ON, Horseshoe Tavern     
31 - Montreal, QC, La Sala Rossa

As of September 1st, a tweet from the Vaselines confirmed that Bob and Steve from Belle and Sebastian will NOT be in the Vaselines touring band on this tour... for more up to date information on all things Vaselines, head over to their Twitter page at:

http://twitter.com/the_vaselines

STP pushing Local H out the door early for May 18th gig?

I know big business when I smell it.. and I smell something right now..

Lets go over the facts. Back in March, tickets went on sale for a show that billed "Local H" headlining at the Blender Theater at Gramercy on May 18th.. Tickets going at $15 a piece. Being the smart, Local H die hard.. Of course I've had my tickets since the day they went on sale on that Friday in March.

This morning, on the Wednesday May 12th, six days before the show we've been getting pumped up for months over, I look down to my iPod touch to a notification from the app 'iLike'- it locates local concerts that are happening and links you to where to get tickets and all that-it uses all the artists in your iPod's library, a useful app well worth the zero dollars I paid for it.   It says "Stone Temple Pilots have added a show near you".. Okay, so I notice it's also on May 18th-so I'm thinking "Wow, STP playing the same night as Local H".. then I see it say they're playing at the Blender Theater at Gramercy.. I was (and remain) bewildered.. Both events are listed as being held at the Blender Theater at Gramercy.. STP says show's at 7PM and Local H says show's at 8PM as per the local shows listing on Facebook..   Doing some investigating, I found myself on a Stone Temple Pilots fan site and in the message boards I found out somethings that are going on.. I can only credit to a user name here, but bare with it.

User : "live2cd" from Perrysburg, OH.. says he knows Local H's booking agent and placed in a call This was his comment as of 8:30PM Monday night May 10th:

" local h have the room booked and tickets sold. stp want the room. gramercy wants stp (the bigger band, more money, etc) and are trying to push local h out. local h is trying to work out an early show/late show w/ stp's management and the venue. its still up in the air but local h cannot move to another live nation venue as irving is booked that night. if local h dont get the early show (they want the early show, if stp get the early show, it would be impossible with production, etc) - they may be canceled. there is also talk about sharing the bill, but that would have to be approved by stp, etc. last i heard stp may be ok with taking the late show that night (after the local h show exits), but its still up in the air. confusing, but the info is correct. stp do intend on playing the gramercy and since they outweigh local h in popularity and would generate far more revenue, they can pretty much do what they want. "

-Then heading over to the Local H message boards from their seemingly official website has a post from a user who seems to be Brain St. Clair, the user name was 'Brainstclairlikesbirds'.. had this to say 

" STP are not the bad guys here. They actually are doing the later show after they heard we were playing the room on the same night. Our show: Doors - 7pm Show over by 9:30pm Come early to see Kinch! "-

Big business at work..  YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! AGAIN. This is the second abbreviated Local H show I'm going to attend.. last time I had the opportunity to see these guys I had to deal with the Electric Six as a headliner and a 45 minute Local H set of almost none of the classic.. now, on the "6 Angry Records Tour" where they will pick a name of one of their albums out of a hat and play it in it's entirety(In the pool: Ham Fisted, As Good As Dead, Pack Up The Cats, P.J. Soles, No Fun, 12 Angry Months)... lets put it this way: IT WAS BAD ENOUGH "HAM FISTED" WAS IN THE POOL, now what are we getting? These guys NEVER come to New York and now Scott Lucas is touring with a side project so who knows about the future of Local H, and now, AGAIN I'm being stiffed out of a full night of listening to a set of songs I love.. Are they gonna pull out the "No Fun" EP, play all six songs and say goodnight? Are they only gonna play the deep cuts that no ones ever heard of? And here's the kicker, I would get the STP tickets for the late night show doors opening at 10:15, allegedly, at a price of $50-but I ALREADY HAVE STP TICKETS FOR MAY 23RD IN CAMDEN-FIVE DAYS LATER! 

AGAIN, FUCKED BY STP.. WEATHER IT'S WAITING TIL 11PM FOR THEM TO GO ON AT PNC TWO YEARS AGO OR NOT LETTING THE MEAT PUPPETS PLAY LATER IN ATLANTIC CITY-A PLACE WHERE THEY LITERALLY HAVE ALL NIGHT TO PLAY-NOW THEY HAVE THEIR BOOKING AGENTS PUSH LOCAL H AND THEIR FANS OUT BY 9:30PM AT A ROCK CONCERT... FUCKED AGAIN! THANKS SCOTT WEILAND AND YOUR GANG OF CROOKS-I'LL MAKE SURE TO THROW SOMETHING AT YOU ON THE 23RD!

So as of now UNOFFICIALLY...  the Blender Theater at Gramercy on May 18th will have doors opening at 7pm for Local H and will empty out by 9:30pm to make way for a 2nd show the same night consisting of the Stone Temple Pilots with entirely separate admission and The Jay Porks Experience has also heard word that 101.9 WRXP is in bed with the STP show.. Stay tuned to the Facebook page for more information... 

Hole- Nobody's Daughter... Album Review

People of the rocker nation, I suggest you take some time out of your day and head over to Hole's Official Website and listen to the live stream of the new record, “Nobody's Daughter”, in it's entirety before it hits stores on April 27^th in the U.S. (The Jay Porks Experience will be in the building for both NYC shows 4/27 & 4/28)... This album is way better than expected.. I have it on in the back round for my forth listen, as this review is written..

The title track 'Nobody's Daughter' leads it off.. and right there is when you listen and start to realize that this is in fact really happening.. the band is back-only this time they have a better guitar player: Micko Larkin. He also re-produced all the tracks that were worked on originally with Linda Perry and Silly Corgan.. Next up is the single “Skinny Little Bitch”, which bangs through your speaker unexpectedly next... its a rocking track, expecially with the old school rave-up and the end.. and it works well between 'Nobodys Daughter' and 'Honey'... a hard pumpin' song in between two really tight, well worked songs. And you gotta love that bass riff, I think it's like two chords.... Speaking of 'Honey'.. who know Courtney still had it in her? Song is amazing... An calmly strum acoustic layers in the back round while Micko Larkin lays down chords that strike like lightning(Larkin is an amazing guitar player, proves it throughout this record-think he's only 20 years old) ... the bridge is solid too-and all these lyrics are golden.. 'Pacific Coast Highway' is next, and that song is deep.. it starts off soft and opens up little by little along the way... really kick ass. The chorus is catchy- “Your whole world is in my hands”-and if you're gonna send the Courtney's a murderer e-mails when hearing lyrics like that in these songs, save them-we don't do out of whack conspiracy theories at the Jay Porks Experience or websites affiliated with it.. Next up, 'Samantha', the song that Hole as been playing live on such shows as “Friday Night with Jonathan Ross” and at the “NME” Awards.. I was dying to hear the final cut studio version of this song, after hearing quiet acoustic demos on YouTube then the drastically differing live version... well, this song is frickin' perfect... lyrics like “Can't take the gutter out of the girl” and “Will you sing my hallelujah, will you tell me when it's done” lead the charge in this heavy riff driven, aggressively brilliant put together recording.. if you've seen the live version, just imagine that, just they nail every note and every lyric.. this is the best 40 something minutes I've had in a while, this record is awesome...I keep waiting for the fall off, and next up, 'Someone Else's Bed” was suited for it until about 5 seconds in when I realized it was another song I needed to pay attention to... especially the line where she said “I want to be able to watch the View”, referring to the TV for women who are going through meta-pause, I believe.. 'For Once in your life' is the first song on the record where I detect key's and a possible violin.. has an orchestral sort of feel... this is a great song, but this ranks as the least liked song on the record in the opinion of us here at the Jay Porks Experience, again it's a great song-but ever other song is better... and 'Letter to God', the next track is the epic Ballard of this record... lyrics ask vague questions to the assumed god in this scenario... but it builds and builds and after the dust clears may end up being the stand out track on this album..the pace changes quickly with “Loser Dust”, which sounds like song from the Courtney Love solo era... it's bubblegummy, simple riffin' with a screaming Courtney dragging out those words in that dare I say 'grunge' fashion, that she is the queen of... I mean lets face it, who's a more relevant, infamous female figure in rock music? The next to last track is the raw sounding “How Dirty Girls get Clean”.. excellent guitar play on this track after the acoustic lead-in.. once the chorus hits, the song blows up and rocks harder continuously.. Browsing the demos leaked on YouTube, their were two versions of this song, a “candy version” and a “Filthy version”.. the candy version was more pop where the filthy was, obviously, a lot harder.. I had heard they went with the candy version for the record, but they didn't-this is another stand out track on this album- this and every other track on this record.. fittingly, the last song on the track rides us out acoustic, with the twangy “Never go Hungry”.. the song sounds like the band was listening to Blind Lemon Jefferson and Leadbelly for days before writing it.. it's got like a throwback feel to it, very folky.. it brings the brilliance to a blissful end.....

The one is getting four and a half out of five joints in the Jay Porks Experience ratings... expect to see it high on the list of the best albums to come out in 2010 when that blog is up around next year

Buy the record when it comes out on April 27^th in the US as they are playing a show the same night in New York City, so it's basically going to end up with an album release party sort of feel.. and you know The Jay Porks Experience will be there in full force with a crew of people wearing “Your Favorite Band Sucks” tee shirts... except for me.. I'll be in my “Fuck Terminal 5” tee shirt, Terminal 5 is the name of the venue they are playing... Head to JayPorks.com for the full experience of that show and lots more to come... thanks for your bullshit-LATE

US Coast Guard suspends SI Ferry service-halts Jay Porks Experience catching Henry Rollins...

       All seemed to be going well.. Tickets to countless shows, The Jay Porks Experience was entering it's 24th installment and also was the first show since September 24th 2008 (an experience that can be viewed here), in which I would have a seat and not have to stand up like a savage for 6 hours.. There was to be no music played, just spoken word from the lips of former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins to my ears-in an intimate setting... The review was set to be a lay-up..... and then the rains came, literally.

For those not from the tri-state area let me break it down for you.  My trip plan was to take the train to the Staten Island Ferry, take the ferry to lower Manhattan, and hop on the 'N' train from there to 14th street where I would have been walking distance from the Pseudo-Fillmore at Irving Plaza

It was raining and it was windy-the ugliest day of the year not involving snow.. just cold and disgusting, and I vowed to not waste money on cabs once I got to the city as it's one train to get to where I'm going. So I got to the Annadale train station a few minutes after 6pm and the train is running extremely late, like I'm out there for a good half hour.. This is the prelude to my night.. this rain is slowing everything down.. I make it on the train and we arrival at the Ferry terminal in time for the 7PM boat.. I walk in, grab a coffee and head to board the boat (without realizing that something was a brewing as shitloads of people crowded the vestibule thing) an announcement is made over the loud speaker : "Due to the intense wind conditions, the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended ferry service indefinitely"...   That story broke on SILive.com here at 6:03 P.M... also known as, I already left my house and don't have a steady wiFi connection to stay updated on stuff like this via iPod touch.. Had I known this before I went all the way down to the ferry I could have taken an Express bus into the city from directly down the block from my house, but having gotten to the ferry around 7, having to take the train I just got off, take it  back a few stops to take a bus(that who knows is running on time) into Brooklyn and then try to finagle my way into the city through the subway there which I'm unfamiliar with-I had no shot.. We were dead before the ship even sank.. or before the ship even had it's service suspended.. 

So in suspending the Staten Island Ferry service between the hours of 6 and 9 PM Saturday night.. The US Coast Guard is to blame for the Jay Pork Experience's 24th venture to be an evening with Henry Rollins.. there's $47.50 washed away down the drain with the rest of the water from  some of the flooded, destroyed roads in Staten Island... what a night.. wish I wasn't saying that in a regretful tone... Anyway, April 27th Hole @ Terminal 5 The jay Porks Experience will be in full swing with posse and all.. stay tuned for that over at JayPorks.com! 

Artists crying about people downloading songs

There's a reason why every rock show you go to there's someone wearing a Black flag tee shirt. The money is made from touring. Bands these days that won't go out and earn their money- "here, we spent seven years recording this- now buy it every time we re-release it on different formats" . If Billy corgan should be mad at anyone it's himself. Do yourself a favor- grab your acoustic, walk into a bar to play and charge 20 bucks at the door. Just promise to play some stuff off Siamese dream, the only album you put out that anyone cares about. I don't see any advertisements for the Smashing Pumpkins(this is a generalization, it's not only Billy Corgan, but all bands who complain about people download their music) doing a tour- it's because  they're not touring. In fact, I have no idea what they're doing. I think they're in court along side James Hetfeild and Metallica trying to sue the three people who they caught "pirating".  And the Red Hot Chili Peppers with their own lawyers trying to convince a jury that they invented the word "Californiacation". That's not going to make up for the ten years of crappy music they've been putting out and watching sit on shelves. But Rolling Stone calls the latest efforts of bands like Radiohead and the god-awful(worst band in the entire world), Pearl Jam as "groundbreaking" so the park slope scenesters will know it's okay to listen to. "Is this album cool? said one skater kid "You're allowed to buy this- Spin said so". The music industry is in absolute shambles- and there's nothing being done about it besides clueless Internet bloggers (hey, how are ya) complaining about it in message boards. People like me are only here trying to fight the good fight and yet I'd be labeled a "hater". I just like good music. and to be honest :I don't want my mainstream rock radio anymore- it's becoming more  and more reminiscent of an unfinished blow job to me every time listen.   At the beginning I always think(for some strange reason) there's hope for a future but ten minutes in its like -you know this isn't exactly working for me..............