With the Lights On, Shit-Pop, and Going Back Home

Yes, the electricity did come back late Sunday afternoon. I screamed like a kid on Christmas when the power came back on. I never realized that electricity in our lives. Living without it for 45 minutes is tolerable, but for over 3 days, it's mind numbing.

I have been watching a lot of movies the past few weeks. I still have a lot of movies to watch on my laptop AND external hard drive. I thought I would watch movies on my external hard drive during the summer and I still haven't finished some movies. For the past week, I saw War starring Jet Li and Jason Statham with Wency and watched The Kingdom starring Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, and Chris Cooper with Jorge.

War is just painful. The story is clichéd, the characters are clichéd, and the ending was just plain horrible. The only good thing about the film was the twist which I honestly did not see coming.

The Kingdom on the other hand is well made, shot with that vomit inducing Bourne Ultimatum style, well-acted, and well directed but there's a huge problem. It's downside is that it's too goddamn predictable. The way scenes are shot give way to predictability. It's sad that a well made film such as this cannot be enjoyed because you have seen it so many times before in much better films (such as Black Hawk Down).

My musical tastes seems to go towards rock (classic and modern) and alternative, some jazz, some classical, and some experimental. There's one genre I want to talk about and that's Shit-Pop. Yes, it's not a real genre but it's a type of music that I truly hate. I do have my guilty pleasures such as Rhianna's "Umbrella" or Paramore's "Misery Business" (this is a great pop rock song, btw) but there's another level of shit seething within MTV and MTV is doing all they can to serve it to the masses. One of these bands is Gym Class Heroes. Aside from the fucked up and annoying name, the music is also annoying. If the Roots have perfected the art of rap rock, then Gym Class Heroes wants you to destroy it completely from your mind. None of their lyrics make sense, the images on their music videos are unoriginal, and most of all, there's no musicianship in the group. There's no passion from playing their instruments. Most musicians make music because that is what they love. Yes, they love making money off of it but GCH seems to forget the entire subject of becoming a musician and just wants to revel in the stupidity of it all.

Other musicians that I feel seem to be in the Shit Pop canon are:
Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
Sean Kingston
Jonas Brothers (another Disney shit band)
Hurricane Chris (listen to "A Bay Bay" and you'll want to kill yourself)
Mims
Boys Like Girls (this is actually a band name, talk about originality)
T-Pain (is there a song where he doesn't use so many goddamn filters on his fucking voice?!)
Shop Boyz (I want to kill the person who wrote "Party Like a Rock Star")
Hannah Montana (bitch created by Disney who doesn't sing her own songs live)
Cartel (this band just pisses me off!)

Feel free to add more in the comments section below.

ARGH!!!!!

Oh yeah, I'm going to the Philippines on December 16th if I haven't told anyone here yet. I'm staying for a month over there, smoking weed, drinking pop (can't drink alcohol), hanging with Mozzie, and filming a documentary about J.L.

To end it all, here's one of the worst covers by Gym Class Heroes performing "Under the Bridge":



Listen to how the lead singer says that he can feel what Anthony Kiedis was talking about when he was growing up. Yes, you were addicted to drugs when you were fucking 11. The song is about Kiedis' reflection on his drug addiction and listen how they fucking play it. They play it like an uplifting song (I love it at how the guitarist has no playing ability for this type of song whatsoever) when it's one of most somber
and dark songs Kiedis has ever written.

Here's a recent acoustic version of "Under the Bridge" done by the Peppers themselves:

With the Lights Out

Man, it really sucks without any electricity. For more than two days now, we don't have any electricity and it's pissing me off. Everywhere you go there's fucking electricity......unless you're on route 53 between North Avenue and St. Charles road. And if you think I can't take it, just imagine my dad. He's literally going nuts. I told him something about Tita Ellen and he proceeded to talk to himself for about half an hour.

Failure to Launch

I know it's been awhile since I posted on this blog. I could tell you to watch Superbad (it's FUCKING HILARIOUS!) and skip Rush Hour 3 (it's fucking stupid). I could also tell you how I want to watch Stardust but I don't really want to pay for it. I could also tell you about my great experiences at the internship with Avenue Audio. But I want to tell you about someone else, my brother. For weeks I have been telling Jorge to give me $100 if he wanted to know the secret of all secrets. Well, the secret is out, my mom knows, my dad knows, and even some of my cousins know.

The secret?
Wency's gonna kill me for this but I don't care. He didn't plan shit. He just winged everything. That so-called website for R&R Textiles? I've never seen it. I am so pissed at him right now for procrastinating with such an important matter like his diploma. He waited so long to do something about it and now it's biting him in the fucking ass. Okay, now on to the secret: He NEVER graduated. There Jorge, you can keep the $100. He was 3 fucking hours shy of graduating. But the problem was bigger than that.

My brother knew that he didn't graduate since the middle of FUCKING JUNE! Yet, he didn't do anything about it. He slacked off for two and a half months while doing nothing at all. He kept on complaining that he couldn't find a job because he couldn't drive (BULLSHIT). When he drove, he never remembered what little things to do or even where the streets are. In the end, he just started working at R&R Textile Mills with my mom. I kept on pushing him to do something about his classes but he just waved me off and kept on telling me, "Shut up, Daniel". Now he's fucking downstairs getting ripped a new asshole from my dad and that is another thing.

My dad kept on asking him the past few weeks, "Wency, did you get your diploma?" He just nodded along like an asshole. One time, while driving, my dad asked him the same question and he responded, "I'm sorry Papa, I'm driving, I can't do two things at once." This past evening, our dad, my brother, and I were eating dinner when he suddenly asks, "Did you get your diploma yet?" My brother stood there silent for about three minutes. It was a freaking deafening three minutes. I kept on saying to myself in my mind, "Wency, tell him NOW! TELL HIM THE TRUTH!" I couldn't take it anymore. I had to tell my dad. I couldn't fucking give up this charade anymore for my a pussy like my brother. I finally said, "He never graduated. He's 3 hours shy." The worst of the worst finally happened. It was my brother's problem and I had to tell our dad myself what it was.

And that is why I am so pissed with my brother. Most of the time, my father is wrong but this time he is 100% right. "Didn't you have a plan in mind?" my father asked and my brother responded, "NO." Now I understand what Jorge is talking about. "A wasted opportunity" Jorge tells me on Messenger. I never understood him before but looking at it now, I understand completely.

All of you others can say, "But you haven't graduated Daniel?" Well, that's the thing, I changed my major. Instead of four years, it took six. The thing here is that I got GREAT grades. I love what I do. My brother on the other hand would barely pass his major classes (with the exception of a few where he did pass with flying colors). It felt like he never really wanted to do computer science. Why would you do that? Would you want to go through your life wasting away at a job you don't love and probably never even like? For me, um, hell fucking NO.

I'm sorry Wency but this is not a betrayal but just a post to FUCKING GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!

Journey to Lollapalooza

I have never been to a concert before last Saturday. Again, I have never been to a concert before last Saturday. It's not that I don't like concerts but I always thought to myself, "Why the hell should I go to a concert when I could listen to a musician's work on CD?" Silverchair then had to play Lollapalooza. Aside from the 'Chair, Regina was playing, the Roots were playing, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were playing, and Muse were playing. I wished that my cousins from the Philippines to watch with me (they're insane about concerts).

When I got some money, I immediately bought two tickets. Because I bought two tickets, the third one was free. I planned to bring my brother and Jorge. I asked my brother to go with me and he gave me an emphatic NO. I asked Jorge but he tells me that he's going to a CSI exhibit that Saturday. I didn't panic because I could just ask some friends to come. I e-mailed almost everyone I knew but only one responded. Seth told me that he'd be excited to come and asked if his friend could come as well. I said yes and then the search was over......until 2 days later. Seth gives me an urgent e-mail that he can't make it. I still don't panic because I email everyone I know again. The new problem is that no one fucking responds to the goddamn mail and I'm beginning to get so fucking goddamn pissed. It's already Thursday and the tickets I bought are for Saturday. Then a miracle fucking happens.

My brother finally relents to going with me. But there's a problem, who's taking the last ticket? Friday afternoon, I call Jorge and he tells me that Analyn has work so he's free that day. Finally, the first two who were originally going with me to Lolla were the actual people going with me on Lolla Saturday.

Friday night I pray that I won't take a shit in Grant Park because I hate taking shits in Porto-Johns.

Saturday at around 12 PM, Wency and I pick up Jorge. We then drive to Oak Park and park there. We grab lunch at Subway and eat. We then take the Green Line to Adams and Wabash. From Adams and Wabash we walk to Grant Park. We arrive at the park around 2:30 and just get in time to see Silverchair playing their first song.

Silverchair (2:30 - 3:30)
AT&T Stage
It sucks that we were late for this show because it kicked my ass. I couldn't believe I was seeing my favorite band on stage. They began with "Young Modern Station" and ended with "Freak". Lead singer Daniel Johns dedicated "The Greatest View" to Oprah and Steadman while popping jokes in between like "Hey, I smell pot over there!"

Without You at Lolla 2007


With no other noticable bands playing at the time (and Regina playing at 5:30), we went to the Bud Light stage (the other end of Grant Park) to see the Roots. If you have the chance to see the Roots live, you will not regret it but they fucking rock.

The Roots (4:30 - 5:30)
Bud Light Stage
I don't know what songs these guys were playing but they blended every song they got with a few covers of "This Is Why I'm Hot" and "Rapper's Delight". And you can smell the stickiest of the ickiest all through the crowd while this group was performing. Wency got so into their performance that he began popping his head back and forth while moving his arm up and down! At 5:15, we left the Roots performance to go the Adidas stage to see the beautiful Regina Spektor and I think it was the biggest mistake of the day.

The Seed 2.0 at Lolla 2007


Regina Spektor (6:30 - 7:30)
Adidas Stage
When she came out, it's like she was so shy. Jorge and my brother found he to be weird because of the way she spoke but I think that's what makes her unique. She began her performance with an acapella version of some song I've never heard before. Before she played her next performance I sadly had to leave her performance. My legs were in such pain that I had to sit down somewhere there wasn't any gravel. So we left while Regina was telling security that someone had fainted in the crowd. We then walked to this Sony PS3 tent where they had all these nerds playing PS3 games.

Fidelity at Lolla 2007


I rested at the PS3 tent for about 15 minutes and left for the AT&T stage to see the fucking Yeah Yeah Yeahs. We went to the AT&T stage too late because the crowd was already so fricking huge that we had to settle for standing next to the handicapped people.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs (6:30 - 7:30)
AT&T Stage
Perry Farrell introduced the band and instead of saying the band's name, sang it. I don't know what song they sang first each and every performance they did had so much fucking adrenaline and energy that all you wanted to do is fucking dance (I bet my cousin Felice would have absolutely dug this show). During "Gold Lion" when Karen O screamed "C'MON CHICAGO!!" the crowd fucking roared. But throughout the show, there's was one annoyance, this one weird chick with her boyfriend. While Jorge was taking pics, the girl was moving as if she had epileptic seizures. She began twirling head like the bride of Satan or something and accidentally hit Jorge on the shoulder. After every YYY performance, she would scream to her bf, "I WANT TO HAVE HER BABIES! GOD, SHE IS SO FUCKING HOT!" During the "Y Control" perf, Karen O began deep throating her mic. "Jesus Christ, this bitch is nuts," I told myself and I was totally loving it.

Phenomena at Lolla 2007


The Muse set didn't begin until 8:30 but we wanted some good places to stand (not to sit in but TO STAND). My calves were so painful, my feet were aching, my abs were being twisted and my back was numb BUT I had to push through and watch the final performance by Muse while standing for one hour. Some people began smoking weed while it began raining harder and harder. 8:30 came but there was still no band. 8:40 came and finally Perry came out, "Chicago! We have history! In 2007, this band has been coming on, and coming on, and coming on. Let the skies rain from heaven and let the air be filled with MUSE!"

Muse (8:30 - 10:00)
AT&T Stage
The show began with a speech spoken by JFK and Muse started out with "Take a Bow". The crowd was going fucking nuts. If the Yeah Yeah Yeahs gave an aural experience, then Muse gave both an aural AND visual explosion. With lasers, fog machines, and projection screens, this set was absolutely worth the $80 I paid for each fucking ticket. When "Starlight" began playing, the crowd even went more nuts. Wency and I were singing every lyric to the song along with the crowd. When their set ended, they had a fake encore, and came back out again for "Plug-In Baby" and finally, the ultimate set ender "Knights of Cydonia". Their were absolutely awesome during the "Knights" perf as the lyrics began filling the projection screen so everyone could sing along. Muse's set was absolutely no-holds barred, spare no expense, and the best of Lollapalooza I've seen.

Starlight at Lolla 2007


Muse's set ended at exactly at 10:00. As much as Lolla was an endurance test for the body, I'd go through it again in a heartbeat. In the end, Wency didn't regret missing work as he finally saw Muse live (his favorite band) and Jorge saw his second concert. We ate at Denny's that night (don't expect leaving the restaurant clean if you're eating a Full House burger).

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: They were really, really awesome live! Too bad I didn't get a lot of pictures because of the crazy girl wanting to have Karen O's babies next to Jorge and me.


Before the Muse set at 8:30. It was either Muse or Interpol. I overheard that there wasn't a lot of people at the Interpol set.


Perry Farrell introducing Muse: "MAY IT RAIN FROM HEAVEN: MUSE!"


Muse's first song and my GOD what a performance! Wency and I were singing the lyrics along with many others. My GOD what a performance! My back, my feet, my calves, and my abs were hurting like hell after standing for almost 6 hours the entire day. But I was pumped the entire show (even during Supermassive Black Hole, a song I hate).

Lollapalooza 2007

Silverchair: A great performance from these guys. I wanted to sing every lyric but I was kinda scared because no one knew the words except me.


I think you can see Daniel Johns there!


The Roots: Their performance was motherfucking awesome. Even Wency was bumping his head up and down.


Regina Spektor: She came out and she was beautiful. Wency and Jorge found her to be a weird person I think that's just part of her personality and I think it makes her cute.