Chops

Everyone has that one defining feature about them. For some it's obvious, others maybe not so much. Mine happens to be my chops, my sideburns, the ol mutton chops, etc. People are amazed by them at times I swear. Kids lock on to em and stare vacantly into my soul. I get asked quite often why and how long have ya had em. Truthfully they've been there a while. I started growing them my sophomore year of High School, so what over a decade now. Why is probably a better question and therein lies an odd story.

So back when I started to appreciate music and get into it more is where the story begins. Before I started middle school we moved out of the LA valley and up into the desert. It was definitely a change. I went through middle school pretty quietly, then you know the best years of your life hit, high school. I got into different bands, more into the metal scene, but still was riding the grunge wagon. One night we were bored and we stumbled onto watching VH1, you know back when they played videos and not this stupid 'reality' shows. Anyways, they were showing some old Neil Young videos, and those of you familiar with Neil will realize throughout his career, he's has some pretty epic chops. I was digging the music, after all this is the godfather of grunge we're talking about. So as I got more into the works of Neil, I found out he did a record with Pearl Jam called 'Mirrorball'. Yeah you read that right, but then again, his albums are pretty diverse. So like I said grunge was still kinda relevant, we were still mourning Cobain, Pearl Jam put out the last good record in 'Vitalogy' and Soundgarden was still cashing in off 'Superunknown' and somewhere Layne was still keeping it together with Alice In Chains. So I went off to the local record store and picked up 'Mirrorball', it was kind of a dirty grunge record. Then again I've always favored Neil's more rocker albums. And on a side note, best version of 'Keep on Rockin' In The Free World' was done with Pearl Jam at the VMA's, seriously go you tube that, that was a kick ass version.

So what does this all have to do with chops? Well in the following weeks I grew tired of my hair and decided to change it up some. So I chopped it down and decided to see if I could even grow em. Few months later they took shape and the rest is history. In the decade or so I've had em, I've shaved em off completely only twice. I tend to look like a chubby teen when I have shaved em off. And yes they are currently long and are starting to make a comeback. It's funny, in my old job I inspired people to try and grow em. It was told they were my source of power and knowledge and that they generally kicked ass. I continue to let em grow and on occasion they do drive my mother crazy, they will continue to be a part of me for many years to come.

A lot of things with me come full circle with music. This is just another example. I still have yet to see Neil in concert, but the man has so many archives to release, it's pretty well guaranteed his music will live on for many years. Interesting bit of useless knowledge, Neil played with Rick James in his early years, yes that Rick James. So for the jukebox selection, it's Neil's 'Greatest Hits' album, a really good selection of his work. Enjoy!

Download

The Birth Of Cool...

Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music. ~Jimi Hendrix~ Fitting way to start things, after all it's Hendrix who started me down this path of obsessing over music. As far back as I can recall, and sometimes it's not that far back, music has always had a place in my life. Growing up it was a soundtrack to my weekends and my sleepless nights. I grew up listening to everything from Motown to rock to jazz and what seems like everything else in between. Those who know me, know I have a rather large amount of music, whether it be on CD or LP. I have just about everything from early blues, to punk, to jazz, to genre defying heavy metal. It's been somewhat of an obsession since my teens. I love discovering new bands and unearthing classics. I grew up with parents who believed music was an essential part of life. My mother always playing jazz, oldies, and some classic rock. My father on the other hand was more of the rocker. When it was me and him the playlist usually included the likes of Hendrix, Joplin, Clapton, and Zappa. Somewhere in my teens I started to appreciate the music more and more. I found myself immersed in Hendrix. The way the guitar sounded, the way he made that guitar wail so beautifully. My father was a huge Hendrix fan. Every year we found different and sometimes odd Hendrix things to get him. One Xmas I got him a cassette of 'The Ultimate Experience' from Hendrix. It was the latest greatest hits package the family had issues at the time. From the album, I knew music was gonna be an obsession. I recently stumbled upon that album and after turning it to 11, I realized how much I loved that album. I thought back to all those times we played that tape on the weekends and just jammed out to it, like there wasn't a care in the world. Three years ago I lost my father suddenly. I remember coming home and listening to 'The Wind Cries Mary', I couldn't keep it together. Somehow through it all music got me through all the dark times. Few months after his death I was in my local record shop at the time in AZ, Zia Records, and on the wall the had a huge framed poster of Axis:Bold As Love. I really didn't have the money to buy it, but I did anyways. I thought what better way to honor him then that. I went back to my apartment and hung it on the wall so the first things you saw was that giant poster. I've moved around some and the poster currently sits in a closet until the next move. But it will always serve as a reminder to the man who opened my eyes and my ears to a world of great things. So welcome to a place where the jukebox will always play something new and something old. Grab a cold one and enjoy the tunes.

Download