Holy fucking shit, I am DYING. Probably had one of the best nights of my life and I just know that the next two weeks are going to be similar.
Unbelievably stoked on life right now, Summer is going to go off.
[video]
http://punktastic.com/news/tom-gabel-comes-out-as-transgender/
So I just woke up about 45 minutes ago and as you do I decided to check Twitter to be greeted by the news that Against Me! frontman, Tom Gabel has come out as Trans-gender.
Now, my opinion in the grand scheme of things means fuck all, it probably won’t reach Tom Gabel and it probably won’t ever go as far as being seen outside of this blog, and really, nor should it, the only opinion that matters is that of the person who is going through what they’re going through.
Punk, as a scene, isn’t generally known for it’s tolerance to this kind of subject, but I think it’s unfair to jump straight in and attack Punks who haven’t been given the opportunity to voice their opinion just yet, from what I’ve seen so far, Tom Gabel has mostly been offered a lot of understanding, respect and acceptance in this biggest of life choices, I have seen a few awful comments, and while the existence of these comments are obviously unacceptable, it would have been naive to think that they wouldn’t be made in the first place, but thankfully, so far they have been in the minority and have been quickly shot down.
I can’t quite contemplate what must have been going through Gabel’s head when the decision was made to make this public news, it’s an extremely brave thing to do, it wasn’t a decision that HAD to be made any time soon, any one person whether they’re prevalent in the music scene or just an average Joe has the right to a private life, but on the flip side, I guess that in today’s modern society it’s something that needs addressing before the rumour mill starts.
The impact that this news could have could be incredible, again, I refer to a modern society full of incredible and an eclectic mix of people, this can be a stepping stone for Punk in a lesson of tolerance, only if it’s allowed to be, I want to call on anyone reading this to show your absolute support to Tom Gabel/Laura Jane Grace, in a show of strength against all pre conceptions against our music scene. Fuck the bigots who aren’t thinking twice about passing a shitty comment, they don’t represent me, what I stand for and what my friends stand for.
My support is unwavering, Tom Gabel/Laura Jane Grace has my full understanding, my full respect and my full complete admiration, I hope yours is too.
Introducing The Tower and The Fool and their debut album How Long.
I do posts like this every so often because I think if someone you know advertises a band so strongly at you then you’ll listen so that’s what I’m hoping for. This band are signed to Run For Cover records (and you know pretty much every band on their roster and associated to the label are awesome) and have ex members from bands such as Hot Rod Circuit and Therefore I Am.
Although not sounding particularly like their previous work, there is something here that I feel people will connect with. This is music that you will find feelings from. I will tell you now that it’s not a particularly upbeat album but most of my favourites aren’t so you know, that’s where that goes. If you’ve listened previously before the album then you’ll be sad (as I was) to see songs rerecorded from the EP and previous releases such as the song from the RFC compilation. Don’t fret though, the new songs that are fresh are great.
There’s a range of sounds and the genre is hard to pin down but there is a nice trade off in the nicer croon of Alex in contrast to the rougher (chuck ragan esque?) vocals of Chris. The sound is only comparable to Young Statues on this roster and is pushing the boundaries of what should be considered this Run For Cover/No Sleep group of bands (you know). There is particular standout songs with ‘Scoliosis’ coming early in the album to tell you ‘So don’t give up/on me/please’ and though it may not seem much written down it is very heartwarming to hear. Furthermore, ‘Die Alone’ from the RFC compilation is still stunning and the lyrics and sound combine to bring you a great sound from a fresh band.
However, it is the title track ‘How Long’ where the band shines the most. It encompasses the band at their most vulnerable lyrically and shows a real heart to the album. This is the song that we can all relate to. The feelings I experienced the first time I heard this was one of introspect in my own life. The vocalists trade lines such as ‘well how long/how long am i going to feel this way?/how long until something washes this away’. However, it is lyrics such as ‘because each day im still burning in water and drowning in flames/and at night when I sleep, her ghost crawls in my sheets and I hear her voice call out my names’ and lamenting that ‘only time will heal the pain’ (you can click through the album artwork to hear this beautiful tune).
So with lovely vocals, relatable lyricism and a unique sound in the scene that they have found themselves placed in, give The Tower And The Fool the chance. Seriously, they are worth the time and How Long is definitely one of the best albums I have heard in 2012 that has come out of nowhere. Get on this.
So I’d say it’s been about a month since I started working for Punktastic, it feels good to be a part of a website where I have a role and where I’m trusted and encouraged to be as creative as I can, writing about music is what I know, it’s one of the only things I’m good at that could see me make a career. This is just the beginning but I’m optimistic.
TOMORROW.
SGDFHDKJFHKJDHFJKDHFJKDHJKDHFJKDHSJKDHFKJSHFJKDHSJ.
This is happening you guys
Looking through videos and pictures of things we have done and realised that we have done A LOTof stupid things for our own entertainment.
- We had two drummers for Download 2010 because, and i quote “we had enough room on stage”
- We had two 16ft hands with all of the fingers tied down except the…
Say what you like about the band, but this is fantastic, clearly a band that absolutely love what they do.
The Tower and The Fool - How Long
Well she might not know it but she wears my heart on her sleeve, and i know this for sure, I’ve got a hole in my chest and the blood stains that run down her street and I can’t deny all the times I’ve tried, tried to get her out of my mind. Boy, I believe you, it’s not easy to do, it’s just going to take some time.
Well how long am I going to feel this way?
Because it’s been almost one year since the last time that I saw her face, that pretty little girl with the smile of a sheep and the style of a wolf with drawn fangs and once in a while i still walk down the road, down the street where we had lived, I bet you’re hoping to see her and not really meet her and thinking to yourself;
Well how long am i gonna feel this way? Well how long ‘til something washes this away?
Because each day I’m still burning in water, still drowning in flame and at night when I sleep, her ghost crawls in my sheets I hear her voice calling out my name. Man, I’m not gonna lie, I’ve fought and I’ve tried so hard to push it away, boy I see right through you, you loved her you still do, only time will heal your pain.
Well how long am i gonna feel this way? Well how long ‘til something washes her away?
Because she wears me down man, she wears me out, like the knees in my blue jeans and I can only patch them up so many times with Whiskey before it starts killing me.
Yeah she wears me down man, she wears me thin like the threads in that old dress, like the one I got for her out in Albuquerque when I was heading home from the West Coast
Well she might not know it but she wears my heart on her sleeve ‘cause i stitched it on tight, that day in November, the last day that she would see me.
I can’t wait for you all to hear this album, it’s fucking stunning, the above lyrics and song have just smacked me around the head about a million times.
My friend Rob Lynch is going out on tour with Shane Henderson of Valencia fame, I know just how hard they’re working on this so give them all the support you can!
London tickets are available here
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/153484
Music can do absolutely wonderful things, it can take you to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, I really believe that.
Today I listened to perhaps the most important song of my life so far, a song that told a story of the most difficult period I’ve ever gone through in my life, it was a period of my life where I withdrew from everything and became a person I no longer recognised, I forced through the end of relationships that I didn’t want to end, I turned close friendships into distances, I thought that taking myself out of the situation and as far away from it as possible would help, it didn’t, it made it worse.
I was not myself for a good three or four years, and I would like to think that after taking the relevant action and working on getting myself better, I’m almost the person that I was before.
Today I listened to a song called The Trip by my friends in The People The Poet, and it feels almost as if it’s brought things around full circle.
I can’t really find the way to thank them enough for that.
Hello Tomorrow, Goodbye Yesterday, Thank you for the Present, Thank you for today.
the People the Poet: New Tour/New EP -
As a band, we’ve always been influenced by music a lot softer than a lot of our output actually portrays.We’ve never really felt like it was the right time to strip it all back and show that side, until now.
We are fast approaching our first tour under the new name of ‘the People the Poet’ which…
This EP is going to break some hearts, really can’t wait to hear this.
hahahahahahahaHaa.
(Source: jimidefiance)
I still tend to over simplify certain situations like the time, the time she told me that she fucked him and I thought I can’t believe this, did she not know that I loved her? I’m gonna smash this bitches face in and find the cunt and stab the fucker, yeah someone’s gonna die for this tonight…
..but you know that it’s not right to punish her when you couldn’t ever say that you never did play your part, you never did shit that you shouldn’t, that you never did things that you said that you wouldn’t, you never said shit that you wish you hadn’t now.
Yeah.