Europe day 11

   Soooooo, my original intention with this blog was to update it everyday while on the road.  I didn't take in to account how very unaccessable the internet would be while I was here.  We played Groezrock festival last Saturday which was our first show.  We met up with Nations Afire which was excellent.  Two of the guys are from Ignite and we love those dudes.  The other three guys are pretty great too.  Overall, I'm really excited to be on the road with these guys.

   After Groezrock we went directly to France for two days...... weak.  No offense to French Hardcore kids but I just don't like France.  SAHO!  I'll skip over France.

   Fast forward to Spain.  I LOVE Spain.  We met up with Walls of Jericho and Final Prayer for 4 Spain shows and 1 in Portugal. The shows were great, Spanish women are beautiful, beaches were great and the weather was excellent.  Spain and Portugal are by far my two favorite countries to go to in Europe.  I do have one complaint.  ATTN Spanish gas stations:  Step up your FUCKING FOOD SELECTION.  Egg and potato casserole on bread with ketchup IS NOT GOOD.  Also, if you give somebody ham, cheese and bread, please provide mayonaise.  NOT KETCHUP.  And to the sound man in Madrid: You're a fuckin douche bag.  Please kill yourself. Anyways, onward with the tour. 

   Yesterday we left Durango Spain and headed toward Germany.  We didn't have a show, just a long drive back to Germany.  We stopped off, ate some McDonalds and drove 13 hours through France (whack shit) to Freiburg Germany.  We arrived at WaleFisch bar where we were staying for the night.  Now let me tell you.  This bar served me the BEST meal I have ever eaten in Europe.  Cordon Bleu with gravy and fries.  Also for the first time all tour, I drank decent beer.      Anyways, the night continued with more beer drinking and a few shots.  Yes, for the first time in 3 years this DID include Frankie.  It was really funny watching Frankie get drunk but it was a lot of fun.... so I thought.  

   We waited for Nations Afire to arrive and just bullshitted for a couple hours.  We all settled in and were about to pass out upstairs when Nations Afire arrived.  That's when things got weird.  I can't really describe what happened when NA got upstairs and interacted with Frankie, but it was kind of violent and definitely a little gay.  The night ended with Frankie hitting me in the nuts so hard that I couldn't get up.  SHITTY.  

   Woke up this morning, had some coffee, ate Subway, and headed to Solothurn Switzerland to play with Death By Stereo.  I will try and update this more often now.  Welcome to gig life.

They call me the breeze....

   So the Juice man drove me up to charlotte to catch my plane to frankfurt. Easy check in, easy security, no sweat. I got on the plane and noticed that I was sitting in an aisle next to a couple and their son was in the middle seat one row behind. I offered the kid my aisle seat so he could sit next to his parents. I figured that it was a nice thing to do. I immediately regretted it when I sat down in a middle sit for 8 hours. Although the other middle seat was empty so it made it somewhat tolerable. At any rate I could tell the family appreciated it and I figured I can use all the good karma I can get at this point. 

   My flight wasn't too bad despite having the worst airplane food of my life. Pasta with peppers peas and mushrooms (the only 3 vegetables that I will not eat). I tried to pick them out but the disgusting pepper taste soaked in to everything so I just drank a ton of water. 

   We landed about 7 am in Frankfurt. Got through customs super fast and net a soldier that was from Colorado Springs. He was a nice kid and I felt bad that I'm not more social because I know I came off like a dickhole. Truth is, I am just not good in stranger social situations. I tried though.          Anyways, got my bags and met up with the band. It was good to see everybody and finally for the first time in weeks, I felt like I was doing something. Our driver, Schlumf, picked us up in a highlighter yellow gig machine and we started heading to the house we were staying at. 

   It was great to fuck around with the dudes for the hour ride. We got to the house which belongs to Ralf (nations afire's driver). He has the biggest collection of motorhead memorabilia in all of europe. It is incredibly impressive. The rest of the dudes went with schlumf to pick up our backline and I stuck around with ralf and exchanged money. 80 usd got me 58 euros.... Shitty. Then we ate burger king and I passed out for a couple hours. 

   About 7 we went and ate at a local restaurant that served us a shitload of grilled meat, rice, fries and veggies. It was excellent. Then we went back to ralf's house and bullshitted, drank beers and got ready for gig life. I love the time before tour when we're organizing merch, changing drum heads, changing strings etc. I feel like a knight about to go in to battle. It's the best feeling in the world. We all passed out early. A great start to the tour. Tomorrow, Belgium, Nations Afire, groezrock, mosh.

Our fight 2009

   In the year 2009, the ethics I grew up with in the hardcore scene are virtually non existent.  I grew up fortunate enough to have an older brother to teach me how things should be.  I was brought up in this scene knowing that hardcore was a self sustaining industry meaning: Hardcore relies solely on the people who are involved.  Unfortunately in recent years, it seems the number of sincere people around is dwindling but more people than ever are flying that flag.  I feel like the ethics of hardcore maybe weren't properly passed down from generation to generation.  Still, hardcore is something I believe in strongly.  

 

   As somebody who has booked shows in my local scene for 7 years, books tours for bands (bands that I was in or just bands that trust me to do so), has played and continues to play in touring hardcore bands, has put out records, opened my house to any and every hardcore band I could, and attended shows and fests all over the world, the state of the hardcore scene is important to me.  

  

   I feel that hardcore has given me so much, that it is my obligation to give back and set an example for younger kids in my local scene and across the country.  Hardcore IS more than music.  It is more than a look or a social group.  Hardcore is a way of life.  It is MY way of life.  Unfortunately, it's something that I feel like, gets twisted and distorted and raped on a daily basis.  

  

   DO NOT get me wrong.  I'm not talking just of the faceless clones on a message board.  I'm also talking about people you see in the hardcore scene, in bands, doing labels, doing shows, who are there for nothing more than status or to gain a buck.  

  

   I am in the unique position to be able to observe the actions of  every over hyped, over appreciated, bullshit artist fraud from the inside.  And let me say, for every band, label or person that is deserving of their hype and mean what they say, there are 500 that don't.  So from me, a true believer, a lifer, I give you my sincerest "fuck you".  Your band or label may seem important today, but it will not last.  You will move on, and you will be forgotten.  At the end of it all, I will still be here.  

  

   With that being said, I still find people in hardcore that inspire me to succeed in everything I do hardcore or not.  As much as I want to dislike the hardcore scene today, some people make it worth it.  

  

   Thanks to hardcore I have made the realest connections with some of the best people I could ever want in my life.  I'd like to take this time to acknowledge those people.

Juicy Joel - You are the reason I am who I am and you constantly motivate me to be the best musician and man I can be.  I love you.  We are not meant for this world, but we ride together forever.

Joe Hardcore - You always manage to give the best advice whenever I'm in need of it.  The love you've shown myself and more importantly, my brother will always be appreciated.  You have certainly earned your title.

Scott Vogel - The positive attitude towards hardcore is a constant inspiration to me to keep my eyes on the prize and appreciate what I've got.  You are the realest of the real.

Richie Krutch - You are a wise man and I'm proud to consider you my friend.  You have so many years under your belt in this game and still remain true.  Truly a man to respect.

Zoli Teglas - For constantly pushing me to do more with my musical talent and leaving me obscene messages in the middle of the night.

I would also like to shout out the following people for inspiring me to keep pushing on and overall being great friends that I met through hardcore.  David Wood, Smac Man, Alysha Romero, Sam TUI, Javi and Marshall from The Warriors, Dave Heck, John Bowes, Liz, Ethan Nation, Bryan Harris, Frankie (lifts weights) and my band, COA, Mickey, Chimpo, Mike C, Pete DON, Jeffy, Gabe Wells & Rob To Live, Stu Brundy, Bruce LePage, Terence and Rachel, Chris NASE & Wisdom In Chains, Daniel Die Young, Laredo, TX, Jake, Joaquin NM, Mary KC, Jamie & Andrew in Socal, Mikey Gonsalves, Timmy Peterson, Whiteboy Ben & Andrew A Block, Chedge, and other people,  There's too many to name.

"If you ain't feelin this, them damn it, this ain't for you"

They call me the breeze, ride along as I proceed...

Playlist:

Anxious

  I fly out of Charlotte, NC to Frankfurt Germany next Thursday, April 16th. This is one week away and I'm pretty ready for it. I have relocated to Greer, SC for the time being and so far it's pretty great. 

  Today Bryan sent me the first mixed track off of our new record. The song is called "Peace & Quiet" and it is way beyond my expectations. Thanks a ton to Jon Cohan for providing me with great drums to record with! The album is entitled, "Better Ways To Die", and will be out on Bridge 9 Records in July. 

  We will also have a 7 inch out with 2 new songs and a cover of The Bruisers "Intimidation". The 7inch will be called "Glory Days" featuring art work by the other half of The Goddamn Murphy Brothers, Juicy Joel. I'm so excited that my own brother is doing the artwork for this and can't wait to lay my eyes on it.  

  Anyways, I have posted the dates for the Euro tour and will be updating with a tour diary as much as possible while we're gone.  Everybody keep a look out for new DBD jams on myspace next month!  

  

  PS More tour updates coming soon including US dates with This Is Hell as well as 5 shows in Mexico!!!!