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Any thoughts on the Israel-Iran conflict?

On June 13 2025 22:26 PuertoRican wrote: Any thoughts on the Israel-Iran conflict?

No. Not really.

On June 08 2025 01:07 RiKD wrote: @Loco Remember when I said I was not sure about Death? That was foolish. I was not ready. I came across this today and I'm glad I did:

You might be ready for the best death metal / hardcore album of all time.



I made a cover of one of its songs 17 years ago

Thanks for sharing. I just sat and listened to it the whole way through. It will not be my last listen. I have a feeling leg day tomorrow is going to go well with it blasting through my headphones.

Young Loco killing it on the guitar. You made it look easy.

Not nearly as hard as their other songs, especially on the following album Awaken the Dreamers. Check it out too. More technical and varied, with some insane shredding. A little less brutal but some awesome grooves there too.
https://youtu.be/VRc4wZJ7tuQ

I listened to Awaken the Dreamers today in the gym. To be honest, I don't have much of a review because I was locked-in on the weights and I am biased by your comments. I listened through the whole album so went with The Price of Existence for my last sets and TPoE is more brutal. I like more brutal. At least in this case.

Not that biased is a bad thing. The album was everything you said it would be and more.

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Just kind of feels like a lazy Saturday. I am reading Baudrillard: Cool Memories. Not his best work and it is taking me a while to read it. Whatever. I read my sister's book too which came out last Friday. She asked me to write a review and I am blanking. Luckily, I did enjoy the book. I don't want to be the first review for some reason. I doubt there is anyone here who would like to read her book considering it is Romantasy (Romance + Fantasy) but if there is I can put a link here. It's a good story.

I am in one of those modes where I am not playing the guitar that much. Scales get stale and the song I was working on got to a point where it felt like I hit a plateau. The good guitarists would seize the moment and smash through the plateau until they get the song perfect but I am not a good guitarist. I just want another song that I can get excited about and work on the skills I need. There is no such thing as things falling into my lap. I have to do some research. I have to practice.

It's hard to compete with Grim Dawn at the moment. Any endeavour. Grim Dawn is peaking as I get my first character closer and closer to lvl 100. It is the first time doing any number of things. It's just a great ARPG. The best one I have ever played (I haven't played POE or POE 2). Steps of Torment runs are still exhilerating.

I would like my guitar playing to be as exhilerating as Grim Dawn but I don't think that's how it works. I cycle through these drugs. Not a whole lot compares to peak Grim Dawn. The sound of a legendary dropping has the same sort of ping as hitting the crack pipe. I am sure there will be a time again where I am engrossed in the guitar. It's just not now. I heard John Mayer say that guitar playing is like doing skateboard tricks except if you make a mistake you don't get wrecked, you just try it again. Grim Dawn if I die I just die and lose some experience. There is actually almost nothing at stake but it doesn't feel that way. Guitar there is almost nothing at stake when I play alone and it feels that way but I think it is more frustrating to make mistakes or not play a song a certain way that I want to. I never liked skateboarding because I was not naturally talented at it and the risks didn't seem to be worth the rewards. I remember hitting my first clean ollie though and that being pretty good.

I am on such a good Spotify zone right now. I would be in danger if I had a joint of that good stuff in my hands right now. Marijuana is a cheap vacation. Not for me. I could lose a lot. Not that I even have that much but I could lose a lot!

My friend sent me a newspaper article this morning about one of our acquaintences from university drunk driving and killing someone. That was a way to wake up.

Maybe I'll just chill out and make some synth sounds. That is why I stopped listening to music so loud. I was working on distorted synths and the gain on some of the distortion would make it so fucking loud I messed up my ears. So, I don't blast stuff as loud as I used to.

I found a new song. I was listening to White by Frank Ocean (John Mayer) radio on Spotify and came across this:



Just another smooth, clean guitar solo interlude. I thought I could play it. It's pretty simple on paper but has slide ups, slide downs, bends, pull offs, hammer downs, all stuff I have been working on. There is also the task of memorizing the damn thing.

This might be my thing for a while. Just finding cool little guitar interludes like these.

On June 21 2025 22:41 RiKD wrote: I am on such a good Spotify zone right now. I would be in danger if I had a joint of that good stuff in my hands right now. Marijuana is a cheap vacation. Not for me. I could lose a lot. Not that I even have that much but I could lose a lot! My friend sent me a newspaper article this morning about one of our acquaintences from university drunk driving and killing someone. That was a way to wake up. Maybe I'll just chill out and make some synth sounds. That is why I stopped listening to music so loud. I was working on distorted synths and the gain on some of the distortion would make it so fucking loud I messed up my ears. So, I don't blast stuff as loud as I used to.

that is so sad may that person RIP

I brought a joint last month and still haven't smoke it. I don't need a J that much anymore as my mind has slowed.

I can still get high grooving out to some music but it's not quite the same as marijuana-fueled grooves or alcohol / marijuana grooves or the ultimate speed + alcohol + marijuana + MDMA grooves. That's ok. I can't do drugs successfully.

I could use a joint to cut the tension. I could use about 3 bottles of wine to enjoy movement. Then, I could make some proper music. Music from the gut. Music from the sub-conscious. I'm out of practice sober. I am afraid. I am overthinking. There is no inspiration. There is no lightning bolt. There is no 2am sessions of singing Caruso by Andrea Bocceli.

For my birthday in 1994 one of my friends got me a bundle of cassettes. This felt like our music (it still does):











He also had the first 10 Spawn comic books and let me read them all to catch up. That is a true friend.

Avicii was a great DJ for the time (2008 - 2010). He kind of sucked as a composer which is why I think he killed himself. Although, I think he had problems with depression and anxiey with a substance abuse problem too. Sad story.

There is a sort of nostalgia for me surrounding 2008 - 2010 and house music but I just tried to find a good show from that time period and it's just bad camera work and wasted crowds. Seems like a waste. iTunes used to have good podcasts where you could listen to club events if you knew where to look. Sadly that iPod and Macbook Pro are long gone.

I've posted this before but this is a great spoof especially since all of those DJs seemed to take themselves entirely too seriously:

Man, I wish I still had my drum set. I used to love putting in some drum sessions. Such a good feeling. It's not quite the same feeling building up drums on Ableton.

I want to put some vocals down on another song but my parents are sleeping. Such an un-rockstar situation.

I had an electric drum set. Which is also not up to par with a proper drum set and hearing protection but I could at least play at night when I like to play.