Making Enemies Is Good

So...

2008-12-03T17:12:00.002+13:00

Now those pics down below don't quite fit, but if you click on them individually you will see the expanded versions. I'm so good with technology aren't I.
That's a nice cleavage shot of Jen. And how about that BIZARRE picture of me and Jen and Graeme and Sandra? I've been FUCKED by everyone in that picture hahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

More Wildhearts Melbourne

2008-12-03T17:06:00.000+13:00

Wildhearts Melbourne

2008-12-03T16:52:00.002+13:00

Oh Yeah Right That

2008-11-30T18:11:00.002+13:00

Well, it's Sunday in Melbourne and I just spent the day with my FATHER which is indeed a strange occurrence, but was pretty cool actually. We had a bit of a walk around, checked out his new office space and trading room(pretty fucking swish) and talked about business and life and shit. It was weirdly revealing. Turns out we BOTH spent a lot of our lives trying not to be our respective Fathers. How ironic. Dad also filled me in on exactly what he's doing workwise, and the offer is still there for me, though he now understands that I'm a bit reticent when it comes to me and him working together. But who knows? It does sound as if things are finally coming together for him, and I've told him that I'm gonna go ahead and do the Hamilton Island chef thing for now, and in a few months time we'll see where we stand. But there may be a fucking primo job coming up for me... and it would be in New Zealand. Anyway, we'll see. For now, on with the cooking and getting a tan and living healthily.
I have to say this: Melbourne is full of HOT WIMMIN WITH AWESOME HOT ROD TATTOOS. This town is mint, I tell ya.
I could live here quite easily, I mean the cafe culture is fucking awesome and there's great bands and art and HOT WIMMIN WITH AWESOME HOT ROD TATTOOS.

But hey, I guess I have to go off to a luxury resort full of bikini'd vixens first.

Maybe Melbourne later.

Or maybe back to New Zealand later.

Who knows? The world is my Oyster basically. :)

ps Jess get your no-good boyfriend to comment or at least leave a poo stain not that its not WONDERFUL to hear from you after such a long time, just that I miss the way he smells after a summer shower. Not that kind of shower.

Well Well Well...

2008-11-28T13:39:00.000+13:00

I've just scored a job as Sous Chef (but it's really head chef) of a restaurant on Hamilton Island, on the Great Barrier Reef. Random drug testing so it looks like a bit of a straighten up and fly right situation for me, which is exactly what I need anyway.
Me and Jen went to Melbourne and saw The Wildhearts and had a great time, and parted as friends. In fact it was probably the best goodbye I could've wished for with the woman I loved so much for the last coupla years. Well, still love. But not in a delusional way. Big difference, seeing as I can move on now and not hold anything against her.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, sometimes things DO work out. It just takes a bit of time and a bit of REALISTIC soul searching.
I'll update when I can, I won't have a computer when I get to the island, but I'll work on getting one. I don't leave for a week or so, and I'll try and post up some pics of the Wildhearts show b4 I go.
Life, Love, and Lanolin.

To Be Strong...

2008-09-09T15:14:00.002+12:00

Well it's been awhile hasn't it.
I've been blogging on Myspace for most of the last year, which is why I haven't been here. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) I've had to delete my Myspace account cus well, it seeems I'm upsetting my friends with my "disarming frankness". Fair cop, I suppose.
I'm just trying to keep my head up and be strong.
I sometimes wonder about my sanity lately.
The failures are mounting up, physically I'm a wreck, just been sent to a specialist about my knee.
I'm not doing a lot of drugs or drinking much, just so you know.
I just disgust myself, in that I can't appear to make a success of anything, and anything good that comes along, I blow it in the worst possible way.
So.
What to do.
Just try being stronger, try not being so goddamned fucking weak.
And maybe listen to other people for a change.
I'm a bit down on myself as you can see but by christ I hope this return to Making Enemies Is Good will not be a never-ending litany of self-pity.
I realise the only one who can change things is me. I just need to find some faith in myself, and I'm sure if I try hard enough, it'll come.
So, once again... let's wearily trudge up that fucking hill eh?

DIPSHITTEN

2008-05-29T14:43:00.001+12:00

Jennie and I broke up.
I'm quite depressed.
Someone tried to steal my motorbike last night.
I'm moving into a Hotel.

That is all.

Payback Time

2008-01-01T21:55:00.000+13:00

HELLO folkses, I realise it's been...6 fucking months *shame* since I made a post, but hey Im very busy these days and I don't actually have a computer anymore ok?
Well the biggest thing for me is that me and Jen are still together, though we broke up for like 3 weeks at one stage which, of course, involved me getting suicidal and using a hypodermic needle for the first time in 2 years or something. Dick. Anyway, it all got sorted out. So me and my girl have been together for a year. I can't fucking believe it. This is like, unprecedented. And I'm really, truly, happy. Weird eh.
I got thrown out of the band. I was drinking too much and missed a vital practice so they told me in the nicest possible way to get fucked, which is understandable. I sold my drum kit and brought a Guitar and amp. And this year I have a mission to get a new band going. And drink less. And not smoke. And exercise. All sorts of stuff. And all things going well, me and Jennie will be visiting Europe together around September.
So because I've been away a while, I'm gonna post some pics of stuff from my phone that I just downloaded. I'm pretty hungover, so tomorrow I'll do a much more dynamic post. :)

Cue throngs of fascinated readers suddenly popping out to get some milk:
*Jen showing off her new Motorhead thong, drink in hand
*My little sis, Gillian dropping me off completely drunk at Christchurch airport after my Grandfathers Funeral
*My dear ol Mum at the funeral
*Jennie looking gorgeous early morning on the beach, both of us on E and crazy in love
*Yep, no shit, there is a building called the World Trade Center in Wellington
*Jen looking gorgeous again at an Italian restaurant
*One of my final pictures of the rat hole I lived in for 6 months this year, they call it apartment living...urgh.
*The smile I would die for

So there. Will write again tomorrow :)

I Love To Roll

2007-06-06T12:43:00.000+12:00

So these are the Woodford sisters, l to r Monique, who runs Eyeball Kicks in Cuba St with her partner Calvin, Jennie, who runs Miss Demeanour in Cuba, and Allana who runs Goblin Cafe in the James Smith building.
Jennie and I are er... well, ... I dunno. Seeing each other. I feel strange saying that, it's been a long time since I've had a regular relationship. But it feels pretty good. It feels fucking wonderful, who am I kidding. It's actually been like around 6 months now, on and off. More on now of course that we've sorted some of our shit out.
Anyway.
2007.
I knew it was gonna be a fucking great year.
And yeah, I think I love her.
So there. :)

Blitzkrieg Loveshock

2007-03-25T01:27:00.000+12:00

Oh, Johnny, you LOUSE.

I'm very tired as I type this. I am now working back in Wellington, at Zico on Courtenay Place, the restaurant where I basically started my tuition in La Bella Cucina back in 2001. Now I'm the Head Chef.
It's a pretty prestigious and high paying job, but pretty stressful. Oh well. Atleast I'm not burying myself in a haze of alcohol and drugs. No, I appear to be finally past all that crap. Nearly two years since I've stuck a needle in my vein. It's a weird thought. Kinda like all those years weren't even REAL. Hmmm.
So Sick66 have recorded all the songs for the album. I heard the unmixed tracks last night and they're fucking fantastic. I honestly didn't know we sounded that good. I suspected we were okay, but man, I fucking love what we've done with these recordings. We are playing next week with a Clash tribute band at the SF Bathouse, then on April 27 with The Bludgers, Black Chrome and The Bali Bombers. It's gonna be great to play live again.
I have a new Tattoo, an Andrew Bawidamann pic called Bad Habit, on my collarbone. It's that pic of the satanic Nun that you see on this very page, just scroll down to the right a bit and you'll see her.
And I'm a two timer. From all that zero to too much. Feast or famine I guess. I dunno, I'm in a strange but cool relationship(?) with an amazing older woman, and also falling in love with a beautiful 21 yr old photographer who lives in a different city. But she's coming to stay with me for a while.
I don't want to deceive. One of them knows about the other one, the other doesn't. I have to fucking sort it out really.
Selling my motorbike.
Oh, and I'm getting an apartment.
Over and out for now, my liebchen :)

Too Many Things To Do Before We Die

2007-02-10T22:32:00.000+13:00

So.
We recorded the album, the bass and drum tracks at least, up at the WETA Miniatures Studio a coupla weekends back. Cheers Belinda!
It all went really fucking well. I drummed for 7 hours solid though, and the next day was quite painful. So now we just need to do the Guitars and Vocals. I think I'm going down to Wellington on Friday to do some vocal tracks with Cale (Adam's on holiday).
The job is going ok, but I got offered an even better one the other day. So I'm gonna look into that when I'm in Wellington. If I take it it means moving back to Wellington obviously, and I'd have to find a place to live, etc etc BUT: It really is going to be quite a big deal. And the band is in Wellington. And... uh. Well, I'm kinda seeing someone down there. Which is a bit weird. But so fucking awesome. Anyway, I'm trying not to get too carried away about the whole thing. But she's pretty fucking wonderful.
Anyway.
Hopefully we're doing a show in April with the Bludgers, and then doing a mini-tour of the South Island. Then halfway through the year, it's ove to Melbourne and Sydney. And then next February, we'll hit overseas proper.
I'm really liking the songs we're writing at the moment, they're fuckin groovy.
And we're even doing some semi acoustic stuff, bizarre eh?
Life is odd isn't it.
I have to go to Wellington on March the 17th to do a promotional circuit for the launch of the ad campaign I've been featured in. It involves me cooking for celebs and ad execs, being filmed, staying in hotels, and going to the races and spending the day in the corporate box getting fucked up.
I sorta keep waiting for something really BAD to happen.
Keep my fingers crossed I guess, and keep believing in myself. :)

Shut The Fuck Up

2007-01-08T22:08:00.000+13:00

Well, 2007. Getting older, and wiser.
Had a great New Years, was working for most of it, but I got a chance to go to BelindaLee's Birthday Bash at the Brooklyn Masonic Hall in Hellington, which was a blast. Sick66 played, we did an acoustic set even, which was really well received and it was a great show. A GOOD thing when you're playing to a couple hundred folks who work for the movie biz (BLee is the head of WETA Miniatures, you know, P Jackson's models dept)!
Got SCONED after the show with some nice amsterdam E, and had a beautiful night krumping around on the dance floor convincing ladies to kiss me and murmuring esoteric masonic nonsense to anyone within reach.
Ended up at Jenny's watching the sun come up, drinking wine, getting beaten with a piece of wood, headbutted, and kissing her. It was great.
Back in Wanganui now... the chef trundle goes on, I was interviewed on the radio the other day... Saatchi & Saatchi are due here on the 19th to film me for an ad for New World supermarkets in which I am to be "The Chef".
It's all going pretty good.
Gig on the 26th in Hellington with Sick66, we're supporting Horror Story and Der Ramoans, should be a laugh. We're also recording an album in that week, I have taken some time off work so I HOPE we're still recording...
Love to you all peeps.
Might be the best year yet. Who knows? :)

Powderhead

2006-12-04T23:22:00.000+13:00

So I'd make this a detailed post but I'm just so fucking TIRED.
I've spent the last 3 days doing paperwork, creating menus, reading contracts, talking to my staff, organising meetings, checking suppliers and sourcing new ones, talking to the owner about new menu ideas, trying to fire people, trying to re-hire them, fuck me if I feel like my head is about to fall off. And I am booked up till Xmas and more. Tonight was the second of my Italian Themed nights and fuck it went off. I had customers coming up to me and shaking my hand and shit like that.
I really am good at what I do. I always sort of suspected it, but I now have PROOF. I just wish it wasn't such HARD WORK hahahaha.
Vega restaurant, where I am Head Chef: http://www.vega.net.nz/

To all those detractors: I think you look silly now, but hey, I won't hold it against you, I'm an understanding kinda guy.

The Mess-Age (How Could I Be So Wrong)

2006-12-01T19:00:00.000+13:00

Back I am, with a new look and new altitude, I mean attitude.
Firstly, I am promoted and now head chef of Vega Restaurant in Wanganui.
Second, I crashed my Motorbike andended up in Hospital, so we'll be selling that I think.
Third, I'm gonna come back here a lot more in future and spend more time on my revamped Blog. I've been spending a lot of time on my myspace site, and I think it's time I put a bit of effort into this one again, seeing as Blogger have made the effort to make it a bit more user-friendly.
Anyway, I can't dawdle, off out to have a beer.
Be seeing you all soon with news of adventures and stress and laughs and love and lunacy.

Subculture Hero

2006-10-27T12:20:00.000+13:00

Hello. Yes, still here. No computer yet but soon, soon.
Well, the big news first: I haven't had a cigarette in 13 days. After 25 years of smoking, I've decided to kick it in the head. This is something I never thought I'd be able to do, quite frankly. I'm feeling MILES better, and I now notice how much smokers STINK. I'm using nicotine patches, of course the first one I got I put over my HEART before reading the instructions while wobbling gasping and falling over which read, of course: DO NOT APPLY TO HEART AREA. A true Johnny move, I think you'll agree.
I haven't had a drink in a Month. I nearly died (it's complicated, trust me, it was fucking scary)about a month ago from a seizure and I've finally wised up. The enzymes in my liver are a major part of the effectiveness of my epilepsy medication, and I just can't drink or I'll die. So there you go. It's not like I haven't had a good innings. It's really not so hard once you make up your mind... and what appears to be different from all the other times I've gone sober is that I'm making a big effort to still socialise and go to bars and stuff with my friends, and I'm finding I enjoy it, albeit on a different level.
Drugwise... I had a puff on a joint on the weekend. I think I'll always smoke pot, but I'm not gonna buy it anymore. I know I can't ever have Amphetamine again. I actually had some about 2 months ago, first in...hmmm...well let's be brutally honest here, I had some on Xmas day in Australia, so it was the first since then. And I didn't shoot it. But still, it was like an old friend walking in the door. I enjoyed it way too much, so yeah, never again. And after my BINGE on Herbal Highs when I got back to NZ, I've totally sworn off 'em. God knows what damage those things do. They're too powerful to be any good for you. So that leaves... maybe E. Which I haven't had for about 2 years. So if any comes my way and I feel right, I may indulge. But drugs as a lifestyle is a thing of the past.
I just returned to Chefing full-time. I'm working in a place called Vega in a town called Wanganui, in the lower North Island. My agency called me, after about 8 months of nothing, and offered me 3 months work here for a lot of money. I only had 3 days notice. So I've given up living at the beach, our lease runs out on the 19th Nov anyway. I'm sure gonna miss living with Claire though. Me&her went through some pretty fucked-up shit there for a while, but it made us closer in the ened I guess. I have so much respect for that lady. I shouldda known really, her little sis being such a fuckin great girl too. So anyway, here in Wanganui I'm staying at the Restaurant Owner's house while I work here. Well, it's not actually a house. It's a MANSION. Sauna, Home Gym, HUGE swimming pool, 40 inch plasma screen TV, the works. And the Au Pair, Martin, is a personal trainer. He's gonna do up a programme for me.
And Sick66? Well, we've been through the wringer a bit lately as well. Me and Adam had quite a falling out, but god bless him, being the New Yorker he is, he made me confront him with my problems, he confronted me with his, we got'em all out in the open and now we're the best of friends again and we understand each other a bit better. Bands. They're like family. So we're playing support to Sticky Filth(one of NZ's legendary punk bands, it's their 21st anniversary tour) at Bodega in Wellington this weekend. I'm gonna pack all my shit up out at Paekakariki the next day, and ride my Kawasaki up here on Monday.

So lots is happening.

I haven't found that girl yet... but I figure with me being sober and happy and fit and positive and all that good stuff... chances are a lot better that I'll meet someone someday. And I'm kinda ok with being alone these days. Not TOO comfortable, you understand, but I'm learning to live with this misfit personality of mine. :)

Pretty Ugly

2006-09-06T17:53:00.000+12:00

My bikes fucked, did I mention that? I signed on the dole today. I think my flatmates hate me. But hey, at least I have my Penis, right?

No point getting down about shit when there's punk rock music to be played and shitty leather jackets to be worn, mi amigos. My hair's quite long now too. And black, even. I thought I might form a band... maybe call it the Ramones...

Love you all, you know. Just cos I'm not online much doesn't mean any of that's changed. I still think about you all, and miss yas.

Then I go and do a GREAT BIG GROGAN and usually, I feel a bit less melancholic.

A QUICK ONE WHILE HE'S AWAY

2006-07-14T20:22:00.000+12:00

A quick update:

My computer's fucked, I miss you all, I was 36 yesterday, I'm living at the beach with 2 amazing ladies, my band has started playing live shows, life is fucking awesome, I have no money at all but a lot of inner peace and self-exploration, not around my crotch you understand, but within my soul, is taking place. I miss talking to you all heaps and hopefully soon I'll be back online. Oh and very soon now you'll all be seeing some PRODUCT, yes I'm writing again HOLA!

Peace all,
Love
Johnny XXX

We Go A Long Way Back

2006-05-16T13:58:00.000+12:00

Ooocha.

I feel like shit today, I've been drinking a bit lately, which I don't do very often anymore. Hazards of living in town I fear. Never mind, Saturday, I'm off to my beachfront retreat.
Went to a record shop the other day and found an LP with a pic of me on the cover. Ahhh sweet memories... so I picked it up, found another with me on a compilation, bought that too. Sometimes it feels like it was a different person did all that stuff. Funny. hehe. Good that I'm playing music again now though.
Adam's offered to let me use his parking space over at Jackson's studios for my bike until I move to Paekak on Sat, so I guess they have better security there than the place I'm parking at the mo. Inner city parking is so expensive. I hope a fucking Troll or Giant Ape doesn't come along and bash my cycle.
Oh and this is the bike:

Nice eh.

Work is pretty cruisy, apart from the fact I turned up drunk on Saturday and leaned against the bench all day breathing heaVILY. hAVEN'T DONE THAT IN A WHILE HUR HUR. Woops cap lock.

Went out last night with Beanie, a chef I worked with in the Army, she's off to Aberdeen soon to work on a Russian Liner. Great to catch up, play pool, drink etc. Good people.

Band Practice tonight... things are going really well, my Cymbals have arrived out at Stone St studios this morning apparently, so I'll pop out there this arvo and see Adman and get all music enthused. We've written quite a few new songs in the last month, so hopefully by the time we play live we can include at least 3 or 4 of em. They are, in general, pretty fast, and I guess a bit hardcore-ish. But maybe a bit like Snuff, in that they have vocal harmonies and stuff.

Righto, I'll go sort out riding to Miramar now I guess, try not to wipe myself out on the way. The bike is bigger than anything I've ridden before, so I have a bit of, uh, performance anxiety riding it at this stage... it was wet and windy when I got it yesterday, and I nearly locked up the wheels going around Basin Reserve at 40mph when I dropped into the wrong gear... did i mention I don't have a licence either?

I just LOOOVE doing things in halves.

*giggle*

I Got Spades

2006-05-15T15:29:00.000+12:00

Hey yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I am living in The Hotel Cambridge in Wellington. I am moving on Saturday to Paekakariki (pronounced Pie-Cock-A-Reekie) to a beachfront flat with my two awesome mates Clazza and Phoebe; I bought a Kawasaki EX500 this morning (its black and red and WICKED); I've spent a grand on Drum equipment in the past week; my band has 3 shows booked in the next 2 months; I'm working at the Cafe in the Wellington Train Station, TRAX, 3 days a week; I went and saw the HardOns last Saturday and they fucking ROCKED more than when I saw them in the 90s!

This is a quickie, more when I've got time. Life is good, still drugfree everybody, lovin and livin. Hope you're all safe and well. - J \m/

People Like People Like People Like Us

2006-04-18T12:35:00.000+12:00

Urrrrrk.

I'm sick. It sucks. Great ropes of Phlegm fly outward from my Facial Orifii.

Haven't posted in awhile because I lost my blogger password etc. Looks like I'm not doing the Pukekohe job, but never mind, I got a call today giving me some work at the Police College. I worked there a coupla weeks ago. It was fucking bizarre. Especially when I first got there and I walked into this Cafe full of COPS. No humans, dear readers, just COPS. I've never felt quite so inexplicably Guilty.

Anyway, I finished the Kim Newman books, I never wanted them to end. Fucking awesome, especially the last one, Judgement Of Tears which was very heavily influenced by Argento's Profundo Rosso, Suspiria etc. Fully sick mate.

Anyway, now I'm plodding my way through Martin Amis' The Information, which is making me laugh out loud a lot. Amis has this fantastic way of describing pitiful losers, it's great. Characters (usually male) that break down in tears every ten minutes because they can't deal with opening a packet of Crisps, that sort of thing.

The band trundles on, I wrote 6 new songs the other day... and I have to book us a show by the end of the week. If I can stop coughing long enough.

These are the times I rue being single. I need someone to make me soup and listen to me moan while making supportive cooing noises.

Oh and I think I've finally found a flat. I will be living with like, 4 women. Who are all mates of mine. I hope they make me Soup. Just soup. It's all I ask.

Oh I feel AWFUL.

2006-03-29T11:41:00.000+12:00

Shit I'm forgetful... I'm really only halfway through that post.

Other stuff:

Those books I got from the Library? To reiterate-

Well, they're FUCKING AWESOME.
I'm just about finished the last one (Judgement Of Tears), which is set in "La Dolce Vita" - era Italy. Really, Kim Newman is fantastic and I reccommend this guy to anyone who is interested in Horror Fiction, or Crime or Adventure or Romance or anything really, it's all in these books. Great stuff.
I went back to the library the other day and discovered they have a huge Graphic Novels Section *swooooon*. So I finally got hold of some Hellblazers I've been meaning to read for a while, some Alan Moore Tomorrow Stories (they didn't have Top Ten; my search continues..), and this, which I've been meaning to get a hold of for some time:

I wasn't able to get hold of any earlier ones, it's about the 4th in the series, but what a GREAT PREMISE! Mob "cleaners" giving people briefcases containing 100 bullets and a gun and the promise of immunity for clearing up whoever's responsible for their problems! Really well written, and the art is sensational. A new favourite, I think. And that Dizzy...

Also I manged to get some films from the Library:
I've never actually HEARD Wilco, but I liked Uncle Tupelo a lot, and I've heard that this is just a really good rock film. The Tarantino one... I just figure there's bound to be some funny moments. Half of that film was actually good (Dusk Till Dawn; it's a doco about the making of it), so it'd be interesting to see if there's any clues as to what went so radically wrong. And the Herzog film is about the Oil Fires in Kuwait during the First Gulf War. Typical fucking Herzog. Find the most dangerous place on earth at the time and go there with a film crew. They also had My Best Fiend in there, the film about Herzog's relationship with Klaus Kinski, a fucking wonderful film. Might get that out next week.

Oh , and DEADWOOD? That's one sick fuckin programme. When Ian McShane bashed that little Shyster's skull in? Eeeuuuurrrgghhh. Not for the faint hearted. Fucking great show.

Eight Balled

2006-03-29T10:51:00.000+12:00

Well, where were we?

Me and Cale rocked out in the garage/rehearsal room the other night, it was my first thrash on my new drumkit. The pedal is dodgy as, the cymbals & hi-hats are like aluminium, and I'm gonna break the snare within a month. Still. We wrote a pretty cool song. It was just great to be playing again. And it's actually been a long time since Cale and I wrote a song together. Years even. Good day, on the whole.
I've been doing a lot of work on the band's Myspace site, which has attracted many folk to come listen to our music, which is cool.
Workwise: Well, I've pawned both of my iPods in the last 2 weeks, so I've been getting a bit worried... the Ministry Of Food gig I went for doesn't seem to have panned out, I went for another job which I was overqualified for... so I went and saw a Temp Agency yesterday, signed up with them, and they've got me a gig catering a Wedding on Saturday, which will be good money. And my other Temp Agency rang me 2 days ago and asked me to do this:The V8 Supercars!
I'll be getting flown up there and back, and I get to stay in a flash Hotel and stuff, and the pay is REALLY GOOD. So that's 20 something days away.

Check this out... and make sure you look at the full range of weird dolls:

Rocker

2006-03-24T13:45:00.000+12:00

Well the Misfits was ok. It was a pretty fucking awful sound mix, all swampy and blurry, the instruments couldn't really be distinguished from one another but hey... Dez Cadena looked like he'd seen better days...Jerry's singing was ok I guess but I have to say I didn't really hear his voice much, I was too busy SINGING. Hahaha. Great excuse to jump around and scream Misfits songs anyway. Spent a lot of time on the balcony getting pissed and chatting with various folks I hadn't seen in a while.

Went for 2 jobs yesterday, one of which I'm overqualified for, always a nice feeling... I'm hoping I've got the other one, which is a company that caters for the Films here in Wellington, and with Halo starting shooting soon, we'd be catering for Weta, the sfx lab out in Miramar. Which would mean shitloads of work and shitloads of money.

Today I'm meeting Bucky and Robb at 5 to have a chat about this new flat we may be getting. 8 bedrooms, spa pool, swimming pool... this could be a lifestyle thing.

I Love To Roll

2006-03-22T17:33:00.000+12:00

Misfits tonight, WOOOHOOO!

It's kinda my last night of freedom too, I've spent the last 3 weeks lying around on my ass doin ABSOLUTELY NOTHING so... I'm down to about 50 bucks, so I rang 7 jobs today, I got 3 interviews tomorrow. Also gotta go look at a Room in a Flat in Petone 5pm Friday. So I'm sad that I can't lie around being a prone object any more, but hey, needs must eh.

I added some links over there to my buddies and other interesting sites and other shit. That sidebar will gradually grow like some beautiful Fungus, have no worries.

The Kids Are Right For Doing Wrong (Everybody's Scene Is Better Than Me)

2006-03-21T15:30:00.000+12:00

Oh. My. God.

My beautiful friend
Millie directed me to this DISGRACE, simply known as REVOLTING SOFAS.

Shudder and Cry. No use hiding behind the Sofa.

Highlights

2006-03-21T10:26:00.000+12:00

It has been brought to my attention that some of you don't know where to find sound bites of the Band I'm in, Sick66. Well I'd better give you some links then...

You can find us on Garageband.com
here, or you can find us at Myspace here.

You Tell Me You Love Me You Lie

2006-03-20T23:16:00.000+12:00

Wow...SECRETS...

So we put the Studio together, in Cale's Garage. Soundproofing and much sage nodding of heads...Adam, Cale and I had somewhat of a Construction Session Sunday. Adam has a fucking Nikki Sixx Gibson Blackbird and a '74 Les Paul since he got back from NY.
Sheeeeiittt.
It has fucking IRON CROSSES all up the NECK:

Look At You

2006-03-16T16:45:00.000+13:00

LOOK OUT!

DEATH FROM ABOVE!!!

Ghetto You

2006-03-15T18:52:00.000+13:00

Hahahaha:

Heaven 2.9

2006-03-15T17:35:00.000+13:00

So today I paid for the Drumkit, it's a brand new Wine Red Dixon 5 pce, which isn't all that flash but it's what you add to a kit that makes it, and it means its game on for the Band (Sick66) now, so what the fuck. I also paid for my Misfits tickets today. And it's been 2 days of Sizemore's influence strangely enough...

...I remember Mikey telling me aaaages ago about Kim Newman and his crazy Vampire Novels, and I'd tried to find them but of course in Australia Libraries only have Haynes Manuals on Holdens and Fords, and of course I was a drug addict so I wasn't in Libraries much anyway, and I spent all my money up my arm, not on Books (or ANYTHING).

Indulge me: Drug Addicts are like Flies that have just been sprayed with Flykiller, dontcha think? Bzzzzzzz bzzzzzz *thwacking offa walls*

Anyway:

So I was browsing the Wellington Library online and saw, quite by chance, that they had all the Anno Dracula series. So I went and got them, and I must say, for an afficionado like myself(from the age of about 12 I was obsessed with Vampires in fiction and film; by the age of 25 I'd burnt out, having seen nearly every Vamp film ever made and read nearly everything written on them), it's a real treat with characters like Ruthven from Polidori's The Vampyre, shit like that. Good stuff.

Oh and Mikey had also raved about a programme called Deadwood, a Western Nasty, which I've never seen. And today buying the Tickets to the 'Fits, I glance across at the DVDs and what do I see?

So I bought it.

Is this because I'm writing in Cyberspace again? Does Mike Sizemore have a Brain Control Helmet? Hmmmmmmmm...

Let's Go To Hell

2006-03-13T15:01:00.000+13:00

Today I've spent most of the day on the Internet, something I haven't done in a loooooong time. It's been fun. I used to do this all the time, but my computer is bunged up and I've been away and etc etc.

OOhhh look at these two... my perfect glittering Heroines:Cherryfuck Fanzine

Aren't they great?

Today I also found many magnificent pictures of Club Sandwiches on the 'Net.

It's really nice to be doing some productive work again.

Oh and sort of part 2 of the Misfats thing: apparently Doyle, the missing link, (Jerry Only's little brother and Misfits Guitar Behemoth) has been co-opted by Eye Of The Tiger Workout Videos and Mysterious Bookshelves, and defected to the Danzig camp. That's right. Doyle and Glenn have been teaming up lately for Live 30 min Misfits sets on The Evil Gnome's latest Tour:

Spotlight The Sun

2006-03-13T11:01:00.000+13:00

Got this off Mikey Sizemore's site, via Doc:

"From your playlist at the moment (ie. whatever's on your iPod, CD changer, HD, etc. and which you have listened to fairly recently), recommend me a song for each of the 10 categories, answering with the artist, song title, album and a brief anecdotal explanation if you feel so inclined.It'll give you a nice insight into how eclectic (or not) your current playlist is and you might even have to use google for a couple of your answers. Post your recommendations as a comment and cross post it to your own jounal to receive recommendations from others.There are no right or wrong answers, the only criteria is that these come from your own playlist!"

1) Impressive - recommend a song which has a high level of musicianship in it, doesn't matter whether it be instrument, vocals or composition. Just something which which makes you think "Wow... that guy is good."
The Wildhearts - Schitzophonic, off Fishing For Luckies, it's over 7 minutes long, it fucking SOARS, the guitar solo rules, and just the arrangement is superb. It's really hard to write a great Pop Song, and Ginger makes it look fucking effortless. I mean, it's a B-Side, for fucksake!

2) Old - recommend a song which is as old as you are or older.
The Ruts - West One (Shine On Me), off The Crack. A really reaalllyyy sad song, but bustin out at the same time, with that big dub-like bass line and the soaring Sax of guest muso Gary Barnacle, this song conjures up images of 3am motorways and being too pissed to stand up properly. Malcolm Owen died a week before this single was released, I think it was 1981, of a Heroin overdose, which makes it even more poignant. I loved The Ruts. They were in that great middle ground between Oi yobbishness and Punk intellect, with that great undercurrent of Jamaican influence. More's the pity the great man karked it.
Oh hang on. Older than me. Oh. Well, the song's not older than me, but I wrote all that heartfelt guff now so fuck it. A song older than me? Hmmmm. Volare by Dean Martin. Cus it makes me want a Martini.

3) Instrumental - recommend something which has no vocal parts.
Theme From Das Boot, from Classic War Film Music: It sounds like propellers and HIDDEN MENACE.

4) Unconventional - recommend a track with is something other than the typical "bass/guitar/drums/vocals" lineup. It can be an interesting solo artist, electronic music, an odd two piece, or even ochestral.
Jimmy Carter by Electric Six, off Senor Smoke. It has a very menacing air, this one, with talk of Hotel Maids being beaten and Reagan dreaming of the Apocalypse, with a background of soft guitar and Radio White Noise fritzing away merrily. And that creepy quote from Yeats' Second Coming at the end. It just gives me shivers.

5) Embarrassing - recommend a song which you find slightly embarrassing to listen to but really like the track anyway.
Comin' Under Fire by Def Leppard, off Pyromania. I found myself listening to this a LOT when I was walking around the Army Base, it just makes you wanna pump yer fist and put on a Headband, and what can be wrong with that? It's so FUCKING CHEESY!!! I can't count the number of "oooohhh babe" references there are in this song, but the solo makes me wanna put my foot up on a chair, every time. My favourite album for 5 minutes when I was 14.

6) Live - recommend a track by a band you have seen live.
One Wish by Sommerset, off More Songs. The best NZ Punk band. I didn't like all their albums, I had disagreements with the guys themselves (usually when I was drunk and toppling over their equipment onstage), but they fuckin ROCKED live. Fantastic band, and I got them to play this song 3 FUCKIN TIMES at one show at the Stomach sometime in the late 90s.

7) Long - a piece of music which is over 6 minutes in length.
Beijing (Too Many People) by Elliott, off Song In The Air. It's just beautiful, and all dreamy, and the strings, and the haunting nature of it, and the feeling you're lost in a big crowd....

8) Sleepy - a track which you can happily fall asleep to.
Cold Enough To Break by Knapsack off This Conversation Is Ending... Starting Right Now. It's all snowy and sleepy, and kinda sad and dramatic, it's kinda like slowly dying in Alaska.

9) Nostagic - a song which reminds you of when you were younger.
Jinx by Peter And The Test Tube Babies, off The Mating Sounds Of South American Frogs. I had janola'd jeans, I had Doc Martens, I had no hair and usually a black eye. No one had died yet, no marriages or friendships were dissolved, there seemed to be an endless Flagon of Beer in my hand, all the girls wore fishnets and leather minis....*sigh*

10) A shit song off an otherwise fine album... one to avoid.
Putting It On by The Wildhearts, off Coupled With. Great album, but what the fuck is he going on about? Condoms? It sounds like the theme for a Home Renovation Show.

STAR WAR (So Whaddya Waitin For)

2006-03-12T16:57:00.000+13:00

Borg/Dregen.
Lennon/McCartney.
Tequila/Lime.

Great combos never die... they just get more tattoos on their necks.

Fill Up This Bad Machine

2006-03-12T16:08:00.000+13:00

I just saw Hayden and Stig at the shops, they invited me around for weekend beers but I just want to have a nice lie down and read my new book:

I must be getting old... this morning, me and Cale and Boo went to a 2 year old's birthday party. It was nice seeing some old mates, even if they're looking harried and tired and lots of baby strollers were around...

Oh, saw Kung Fu Hustle and Hotel Rwanda last night. The former was just insane and quite beautiful to look at, while the latter was awfully sad and really made me angry at the UN, Dictators and just human inhumanity in general. Don Cheadle was great, really made me squirm at times.

This week I need to find a flat, catch up with Brenda, and maybe start looking for a JOB (groooaann).

Making Enemies Is Good

2006-03-11T17:44:00.000+13:00

I just bought a Drumkit.

WOOP WOOP:

Say When Is When (Once Again)

2006-03-09T09:46:00.000+13:00

So last night Robb and I went looking for Flats in the greater Wellington area (apartments to you dear, quaint, American readers). We found quite an awful Tower Block close to town, and I'm meeting the very foreign and quite weird sounding Landlady in a coupla hours. We also drove really fast and screamed a lot. My old boss from the Army, Hamish, lent me his jeep for a week so we went fangin'.

I just got my sweaty little paws on this:

Now, I hadn't really read any War books for a while, but when I was working for the Army, of course, their Library was full of WAR BOOKS. So one day , attracted by the simple primary colours and short monosyllabic words in the Title, I checked out the first book in the WW2.2 series, Weapons Of Choice. And welly welly well. The author, John Birmingham, is an Australian, which gives him an edge in self-deprecating wit for a start. The premise of the books is that while on maneouvres around Indonesia sometime in the 21st Century, the American Pacific Fleet (including some British and French ships & subs) is transported through a wormhole (created by accident by a civilian Experimental Physics Research Ship that happens to be travelling with them) back in time to 1942, and geographically displaced so they suddenly appear in the middle of Admiral Ray Spruance's Midway Fleet as they journey to face the Japanese Fleet. A bloodbath ensues, some ships even appearing inside other ships (gruesome stuff).
Anyway, the thing that really gets me about these books is that there's a bunch of military spec wank, sure, but there's also a bunch of really interesting historical stuff like Kruschev's execution and Beria's usurping of him once Stalin learns things about the future of the USSR, shit like that. And the social effects are a big part of the books, with the US Military not being able to accept that women are Captains and coloured people serve equally in the forces of the future. It's pretty cool stuff. Oh and little things like the Captain and First Mate of the French Ship are called Goscinny and Uderzo. Hahahaha.

Oh I blew my computer up yesterday. I shouldn't really have plugged that plug that I thought went into that other pluggy bit without consulting a Roadmap, I guess. But I might have found someone who'll fix it for a bottle of Bourbon.

And in other news, you will notice I have a beard and mustache, yes, I'm going through one of my PHASES again. It'll get itchy and smell of old milk too much soon and I'll destroy it in a fit of pique, don't worry.

2006-03-08T12:08:00.000+13:00

Wednesday th 22nd I'll be seeing these guys, they're playing here...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mC_g5CzHkMk

I guess it'll be weird. They were my favourite band for the whole of the 90s basically. They may suck, but I have confidence that I can drink enough Vodka to forestall any lingering disappointments. Nigel's band, Horror Story, are supporting, so I might even get to meet the 'Fits.

It just doesn't seem quite as exciting as it did when I was 25.

Geez Robo's FAT.

2006-03-08T12:02:00.000+13:00

http://mchammer.blogspot.com/

Wow MC HAMMER just wants to dance... when he's not having nightmares about being strung up for having "Chocolate Skin".

Dear Cyberspace: You Missed Me, Right?

2006-03-08T11:06:00.000+13:00

Hello Everyone. I'm back. I've just completed a stint in the Army, and, well, I suppose I have a few interesting things to say now. Also I'd like to use this blog in an entirely different way from the old one, that one being the infamous Von Kobra's Kommand HQ For Delusional Submariners. That blog got a bit TOO personal... I admit I was having a few problems there, ie distinguishing fantasy from reality, suicidal thoughts etc, but then again I had a raging drug problem and some serious relationship issues to work through.

I'm not saying I'm normal now, just more well adjusted. And I have a better idea of what makes a Blog Readable to the Masses.

Anyway. Nice to be here.