Dear Friends,
I’ve been a bit restless as of late. It is a combination of things, I know. I’m looking at the world a bit differently through completely sober eyes, for one thing, and I’ve been writing a heck of a lot more than in the past year. Even in the first year of the blog, most days I was getting to that 1000-word mark by the skin of my teeth.
This year, it’s a little different. I’m having fun writing about the records, for sure, but I’m also starting to think about entering some fiction competitions. It’s time to get more stuff out there. You might have noticed that I’ve been promoting the site more. I hate that shit. I am a terrible self-promoter (mostly because it makes me feel like a total crudball) and have this urge to just kick myself right in the balls every time I post something on social media.
I am realizing, though, that I have to put myself out there if I want people to read this stuff. I also realize I have to get cranking on a lot of these ideas. They aren’t going to write themselves and the stuff I’ve worked out in my head for things like “The Bet” and “The Trees,” as well as “Rye’s Above” and “The Baseball Story” aren’t going to magically go from my brain to the page. I also have like four other stories that I really want to write right now.
So…bear with me and this weird diary.
*****
For those of you who live and breathe by the Cocaine Baby (I know there are a few), he got into another fight yesterday. I also learned that his dad’s girlfriend moved out two weeks ago. Bless her heart. Bless him. It explains a lot.
For the past two weeks, he’s really been struggling. I didn’t even think that there could be that type of domestic upheaval for him. The prevailing thought around the water cooler (and he’s pretty famous around the school) is that this is just setting up yet another move out of state for him. Part of me wants to feel relieved by the possibility of this, but it would also feel like a failure, too.
I know that is not a healthy thought for me or for him, but it would feel like I failed him. There is a part of me that wants to be a difference maker in his life. I want to help him realize that the things he wants and needs are within his reach. He just needs to accept a few key things like “respect is earned” and “honesty is the best policy.” He wants respect so badly, but he doesn’t realize he has a level of personal responsibility.
That’s a tough lesson for people without the considerable challenges the Cocaine Baby faces to learn, so it’s gargantuan for him. It’s in there, though. He needs to trust that he can be kind and caring and not get stepped on by others. He just doesn’t see it.
Today will be a new day, though. Rooting for him.
*****
The kids are all right. If you don’t believe me and you love punk rock, listen to Violent Closure by GEL. It’s everything you could possibly want.
I got a text message from my buddy, Mike, who is a very cool and terribly underrated local band, Sick In The Head, in 2022 asking me if I was going to go see GEL at some house near downtown. In my head, I was like, “Who?” So, I checked’em out and holy fucking right on, Batman, I was stoked on them immediately.
Stupidly, I was not feeling too hot the night of the show, so I bailed on it (Huge regret), but I did see them last summer when they played the Rebel Lounge. In the time since that fateful text from Mike, though, I have told anyone who would listen to check out GEL.
Violent Closure is just over ten minutes long but because of the immenseness of the rock contained within, it seems longer. It’s like the six-million-dollar woman started a hardcore band. I kind of love that idea.
What if they rebooted the Six Million Dollar Woman and she was the front person of a hardcore band like GEL? That would be epic. She could have the stage name, Jamie Bummers. TV world, are you listening to me? You should.
Back to Violent Closure, though. The first thing I noticed when I listened to them back in October of ’22 was how ferociously they attacked these songs. Sometimes I want a band to just attack me with their music. I want to feel like they are sizing me up, giving me the stink eye, and ready to throw blows. GEL does that for me.
In fact, at first listen, I didn’t realize the band was female-led. The vocals could go either way. I watched a video for “XOXO,” I think, the opening track and was blown away. These young people were tearing this music a new one. After the show at the Rebel, my buddy, Aaron, and I went back and said hello to the band. They were super kind and cool.
“XOXO” just kicks you right in the balls. Fuck, the whole seven-song EP kicks you right in the balls. If you don’t have balls, it’ll still kick you there. There is a reason the Rebel was packed that night back in July, too. GEL brings it, every bit of it, live.
“Violent Closure” is just pure sickness. At just under two minutes long, this is the way punk rock should be played. I’m sure there is some fancy new genre name for a band like GEL, but goddamn, this is punk rock. When the band does a little pause around the :45 second mark, you have a chance to catch your breath and then the assault continues. It’s fucking fun.
GEL makes me want to cuss a lot. Maybe because it speaks to my inner teenager. I’ve developed a pretty big musician crush on these lot if you can’t tell. I’m old enough to be their dad, for sure, and maybe their granddad, but I don’t care. I will do my best to make every show they do in Phoenix from here on out.
“Assumption” is another great song. I love how Sami, the singer, staggers her vocal attack on it. “Bitchmade” is also quite badass. We talked to Bobko, the bass player, for a bit. He was pretty darn cool, too. At least I think that’s what he said his name was. By the end of the night, he and Aron were hugging it out. I love that many of my friends can make new friends anywhere.
“Freaks” is another good one. Just punk rock. Most of these tracks are right around the 90 second mark in length. Listening to them makes me want to do a straight up punk rock band like this but I don’t know if I could do more than a 15-minute set. Anyone want to do this with me? I guess Hillbilly Devilspeak needs some new songs.
“Turbulence 2.0” and “P.O.V.” are the two last songs. I haven’t talked about lyrics at all in this missive because I have no idea, nor do I really care what Sami is singing about. I met her, she seems very positive, and the kids love GEL. If the kids love GEL, they aren’t talking shit about anyone or doing anything bad. You can take that to the bank. Plus, my friend MJ likes them, and she wouldn’t support a douche-y band.
There are a handful of bands that are putting out new punk rock and doing it right. Count GEL among them. Give it a shot and put some in your hair.
*****
See you tomorrow.
My blurry live shot of GEL at Rebel Lounge.
I'll have to check out GEL.
I have a hard enough time writing one blog post a week, let alone every week. My friend Terry Davis keeps encouraging me to write a book. I hope he's not too disappointed that I doubt that will ever happen. It is nice knowing an award winning writer said that. Keep it up Tom.