FRESH BAKED MUSIC: the truth blitz

here are a few albums that i scored recently. both great efforts.

brother ali - the truth is here

lyrical assassin that is keeping it fresh in the old school.

the yeah yeah yeahs - it's blitz!

music to grade to.

OBTAINED: lucha libre tag team headwear

last year, i came across a hat that embodied so many things that i love.  the red, new era fitted that features a masked mexican wrestler could not scream BUY ME any louder.  

my brother bought it for me.

it even has the laces that real lucha libre wrestlers have on the backs of their masks.

recently, at the same store in the same SALE area, i found my red hat's blue counterpart~!!!  AND IT WAS CHEAPER~!!!  it was a dream come true.  i could finally complete the tag team~!!!  notice the gold teeth on the wrestler.  bonus points for bling.

and bonus points for the outline for the laces.

now the tag team is complete.

one thing that i noticed was that the mask that the wrestler on the hat is holding is rey mysterio's mask.  i wonder why.

wrestling, check.

lucha libre, check.

masks, check.

fitted new era, check.

tacky loud colors, check.

victory, check.

TRANSFORMED: new devastator

this guy is going to hit the shelves soon.

i wonder if i like it enough to buy it.

+

+

+

+

+

=

as you can see, he's come a long way from this:

OBEY: the law

one of my favorite artists, shepard fairey of obey fame, second to tonyhong.net, was arrested recently on his way to give a lecture in boston.

i love his philosophy of phenomenology and his propaganda is an inspiration to a certain extent.

read about his arrest and let me know what you think about this reporter's opinion.

hit this link up for the full story.

and while you're in the clicky clicky mood, hit up www.cosmonautlife.com for some cool shirts.  new designs coming soon, junior.

MONEYMAKERS: highest revenues in the music industry

this is a list of the top revenues in the industry.

1. Madonna: $242,176,466
2. Bon Jovi: $157,177,766
3. Bruce Springsteen: $156,327,964
4. The Police: $109,976,894
5. Celine Dion: $99,171,237
6. Kenny Chesney: $90,823,990
7. Neil Diamond: $82,174,000
8. Rascall Flatts: $63,522,160
9. Jonas Brothers: $62,638,814
10. Coldplay: $62,175,555
11. The Eagles: $61,132,213
12. Lil Wayne: $57,441,334
13. AC/DC: $56,505,296
14. Michael Buble: $50,257,364
15. Miley Cyrus: $48,920,806
16. Taylor Swift: $45,588,730
17. Journey: $44,787,328
18. Billy Joel: $44,581,010
19. Mary J. Blige: $43,472,850
20. Kanye West: $42,552,402

i will manage all.

CONVINCED: this is what it takes

12:45:14 PM ME: come to the street fighter 4 release party with me tomorrow
12:49:23 PM mistaxbrian: lol wow
12:52:44 PM ME: lets go
12:52:49 PM ME: dj qbert is gonna be there
12:53:05 PM ME: you can dress up like guile
12:54:34 PM mistaxbrian: lol
12:54:39 PM mistaxbrian: i want to dress up like chun li
1:33:15 PM ME: do it
2:00:46 PM ME: lets go though
2:00:50 PM ME: you me mania paul kim
2:01:01 PM ME: but we should dress up like tekken characters
2:18:48 PM ME: but yeah
2:18:50 PM ME: lets go man
2:18:53 PM ME: i don't wanna go alone
2:18:58 PM ME: i'll be a loser by myself
2:19:24 PM mistaxbrian: lol
2:19:30 PM mistaxbrian: can we dress up like smash characters
2:20:05 PM ME: of course
2:22:12 PM mistaxbrian: lol
2:22:20 PM mistaxbrian: street fighter 4 opening?
2:22:22 PM mistaxbrian: what is that
2:22:25 PM mistaxbrian: arcade?
2:22:27 PM ME: its a party
2:22:30 PM mistaxbrian: wow
2:22:35 PM ME: for the game that's going to be released
2:22:36 PM mistaxbrian: i don't know if i want to go to that kind of party
2:22:38 PM ME: DOOD
2:22:40 PM ME: please
2:22:44 PM ME: i'll buy you a fitted hat
2:22:52 PM mistaxbrian: i thought you were giving me all of yours
2:23:27 PM ME: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10158546-1.html
2:25:28 PM mistaxbrian: wow
2:25:35 PM mistaxbrian: you know we can't go to this
2:25:48 PM mistaxbrian: at least you alrdy have a girlfriend
2:26:06 PM ME: dood
2:26:09 PM ME: me and sol are going
2:26:13 PM mistaxbrian: wow
2:26:14 PM mistaxbrian: you guys would
2:26:18 PM mistaxbrian: you guys also both have gf's
2:26:38 PM ME: doooooood
2:26:41 PM ME: who cares?
2:26:58 PM mistaxbrian: the ladies
2:27:20 PM ME: dooood
2:27:26 PM ME: you'll get a girl there
2:27:34 PM ME: i'll hook it up with the chun li costume girls
2:27:37 PM ME: the fat white ones
2:27:44 PM mistaxbrian: hahah
2:27:45 PM mistaxbrian: sick
2:34:51 PM ME: plllllleeeeeeease come with me
2:34:57 PM mistaxbrian: wow
2:34:58 PM mistaxbrian: dude
2:34:59 PM ME: i will give you a transformer
2:35:02 PM mistaxbrian: those places frighten me
2:35:10 PM mistaxbrian: i wouldn't even know what to do with it
2:38:20 PM ME: http://www.triumvir3.com/index2.html
2:38:26 PM ME: i know you like these shoes
2:38:51 PM mistaxbrian: what is this
2:39:02 PM ME: it's a urban clothing brand
2:39:15 PM mistaxbrian: why is julius ceasar flipping me the bird
2:39:56 PM ME: http://triumvirstore.3dcartstores.com/Triumvir-x-Street-Fighter_c_20-1-0.html
2:40:03 PM ME: we need to buy these and wear all this stuff to the party
2:40:30 PM mistaxbrian: wow
2:40:33 PM mistaxbrian: what is shadaloo
2:40:49 PM ME: it's m bison's crime organization~!
2:40:57 PM mistaxbrian: wow
2:40:59 PM mistaxbrian: how do you know that
2:41:46 PM ME: because i'm a nerd
2:41:46 PM ME: dood
2:41:51 PM ME: imma pick you up at around 7
2:41:53 PM ME: tomorrow
2:46:55 PM mistaxbrian: nopee
2:47:26 PM ME: too bad
2:47:30 PM ME: not your choice
2:47:34 PM ME: you have to come
2:47:38 PM ME: it was in the contract
2:47:41 PM mistaxbrian: i can't
2:47:50 PM mistaxbrian: i have prior engagements
2:47:56 PM mistaxbrian: like....
2:48:09 PM mistaxbrian: uhhh
2:48:30 PM ME: just remember this
2:48:34 PM ME: i went to all you IM games
2:48:38 PM ME: basketball and football
2:48:43 PM mistaxbrian: not even close to the same thing
2:48:52 PM ME: (oh yeah...i'm guitling you...shameless)
2:48:56 PM ME: it is the very same thing
2:49:11 PM mistaxbrian: absolutely not
2:49:23 PM ME: fantastic
2:49:27 PM ME: so 7-7:15
2:50:17 PM mistaxbrian: you can take rainbow
2:50:20 PM mistaxbrian: dress her up as blanka
2:50:49 PM ME: see~?! you know all the characters
2:50:53 PM ME: you'll fit right in
2:50:54 PM ME: niiiiiice
2:52:02 PM mistaxbrian: never
2:52:34 PM ME: thanks for coming
3:09:32 PM mistaxbrian: haha
3:09:40 PM mistaxbrian: i'm passin out right now
3:09:56 PM ME: tired?
3:10:00 PM mistaxbrian: ya
3:44:38 PM ME: get some rest tonight
3:44:42 PM mistaxbrian: lol
3:44:43 PM ME: rest up for tomorrow's party
3:47:21 PM ME: forget it...i'm not going to the party
3:47:25 PM ME: i'm going to a different party
3:47:34 PM ME: come ok?
3:49:47 PM ME: if i get heesoo to come, will you come too?
3:50:32 PM mistaxbrian: you're really going to another party>
3:50:33 PM mistaxbrian: ?
3:50:47 PM ME: yes
3:50:53 PM mistaxbrian: lol
3:51:00 PM ME: it's a party with the models from victoria's secret
3:51:05 PM ME: and they all broke up with their boyfriends
3:51:13 PM mistaxbrian: oh the lies
3:51:16 PM ME: and they love single asian guys
3:51:30 PM ME: who can grown beards and play basketball
3:52:41 PM ME: heesoo's down though
3:52:45 PM ME: just confirmed
3:52:47 PM ME: you come too
3:52:49 PM ME: it'll be fun
3:54:19 PM mistaxbrian: wait really another party
3:54:24 PM mistaxbrian: or the street fihter party
3:54:26 PM mistaxbrian: fighter
3:54:31 PM ME: huh~?
3:54:37 PM ME: uh...
3:54:40 PM ME: another party
3:54:43 PM ME: with models
3:54:44 PM mistaxbrian: wow
3:54:45 PM ME: yeah
3:58:16 PM ME: but come with us ok?
4:00:10 PM mistaxbrian: 
4:00:25 PM ME: PLEASE~!!!
4:11:47 PM mistaxbrian: dude
4:11:59 PM ME: ?
4:12:20 PM mistaxbrian: i have a plan
4:12:23 PM ME: what?
4:12:24 PM mistaxbrian: how about we all not go
4:12:29 PM ME: NOOOOOOO
4:12:31 PM mistaxbrian: hahah
4:12:34 PM ME: me and mania are going
4:12:38 PM mistaxbrian: no you're not
4:12:52 PM mistaxbrian: i don't want to hear a million people yell hadoken
4:13:21 PM ME: dood
4:13:24 PM ME: it will be awesome
4:13:28 PM ME: you can get a custom fitted hat
4:13:44 PM mistaxbrian: lol
4:15:52 PM ME: if it's really gay we'll just leave and go to ktown
4:15:56 PM ME: and get dooboo kimchi
4:26:17 PM mistaxbrian: lol
6:07:13 PM ME: streetfighter party do it
6:07:19 PM mistaxbrian: lol
6:12:02 PM ME: sfevent@capcom.com
6:12:08 PM ME: send an rsvp email to there
6:12:16 PM ME: so you can get a place
6:12:41 PM mistaxbrian: lol
6:15:46 PM ME: ure coming right?
6:16:38 PM ME: i love pau
6:35:15 PM ME: paul is coming too
6:35:17 PM ME: you come too
9:34:05 PM ME: come tomorrow
9:34:08 PM ME: rsvp
9:34:11 PM ME: we'll pick you up
9:34:12 PM ME: bye
9:34:15 PM mistaxbrian: noo
11:11:08 AM ME: dood
11:11:11 AM ME: we're going alright?
11:11:28 AM mistaxbrian: lol
11:11:33 AM mistaxbrian: you are relentless
11:11:44 AM ME: you, me, mania, bowel
11:12:47 AM ME: we're gonna get our quarter circle jab on
11:12:48 AM ME: 
11:12:52 AM ME: yay yuh~!
11:12:53 AM mistaxbrian: wow
11:22:52 AM ME: do it homie
11:22:53 AM ME: rsvp
11:22:59 AM ME: sfevent@capcom.com
11:23:03 AM ME: just send an email there
11:23:18 AM mistaxbrian: lol
11:23:24 AM mistaxbrian: wow
12:36:46 PM mistaxbrian: what time is it at again
12:36:52 PM ME: 8
12:37:00 PM mistaxbrian: god demmy
12:37:05 PM mistaxbrian: let's jsut all not go
12:37:11 PM ME: noooo
12:37:12 PM ME: we gotta
12:37:19 PM ME: we're all RSVP'ed up
12:37:22 PM mistaxbrian: wow
12:37:27 PM ME: just do it man
12:37:36 PM mistaxbrian: you're so sick
12:37:43 PM mistaxbrian: what is everyone going to be doing?
12:37:49 PM ME: who cares
12:37:59 PM ME: i just wanna get a fitted hat and a picture of guile
12:38:01 PM ME: hahahaha
12:38:04 PM mistaxbrian: wow
12:38:10 PM ME: dood please come
12:38:17 PM ME: you'll have so much fun making fun of the losers there
12:38:26 PM ME: it'll be a boys night out
12:38:30 PM mistaxbrian: lol i have no right to make fun of anyone if i'm there
12:38:39 PM ME: and after we can get some drinks in a beaux
12:38:56 PM mistaxbrian: ah fine
12:39:01 PM mistaxbrian: do i have to rsvp
12:39:03 PM ME: YES~!!!!
12:39:05 PM ME: yup
12:39:08 PM ME: you gotta
12:39:14 PM ME: just send a blank email to
12:39:20 PM ME: sfevents@capcom.com
12:39:23 PM ME: they will reply
12:39:33 PM ME: and that's it
12:39:42 PM mistaxbrian: no subject line?
12:39:50 PM ME: just write rsvp
12:39:59 PM mistaxbrian: k done
12:40:16 PM ME: YES~!
12:41:37 PM mistaxbrian: this thing lasts til 12 am
12:41:39 PM mistaxbrian: u kidding me
12:41:51 PM ME: we'll just be in and out for sure
12:41:54 PM ME: i just wanna check it out
12:41:58 PM ME: and maybe win a copy of the game
12:45:10 PM mistaxbrian: haha

that's what it took.

ACCEPTED

to all the guppies at berklee, pack up your gear and swim quick because the shark is coming.

INTRODUCTION: super vinyl squad 6

super vinyl squad 6 is the superhero team of random vinyl figures that protects my desk from being overrun by transformers, gundams, revoltechs and other plastic villians.

respect the 6.

COSMONAUT: upandcoming

emerging los angeles artist tony hong has just revealed his cosmonaut clothing line to the public.  the first shirt to be released is a european take on the four gospels.  it is called, the storyteller.

i managed to get my gurbby little hands the very first packaged shirt.

i would tell you the philosophy of the pig logo and the cosmonaut brand name, but you should find out for yourself at,

WWW.TONYHONG.NET

and

WWW.COSMONAUTLIFE.COM

the brand carries a lot more depth than a stupid picture of some idiotic swarming koi fish or crystallized skulls. 

1/70 suckas.

tony hong is definitely making waves as of late.  he won the coveted, "best in show," award at the create:fixate lucky seven art show.

here are some people drooling over the immaculate design and ultra-detailed masterpieces of the man himself.

"his art was the best art of all the art."

-roy

some more people in shock and awe.

a message to all artists: keep it simple, keep it clean. 

the man, the myth, and the legend.  rockin' the eye of the tiger.

congratulations, mr. hong.  

you are on your way.

fin.

PS: BUY SOME SHIRTS AT WWW.COSMONAUTLIFE.COM~!!! 

PHOTOSHOOT: My Personal DUB EM DEEZ

it has been a long, hard (that's what she said) and expensive road to build the first element of my musical arsenal, but finally, i have a pedalboard that is worthy of showing off.  

name: pedal pad asx road series (customized)

msrp: $249.95

"always use protection"

i used to just carry my effects strapped onto a plywood board from home depot, but as my collection got more and more expensive, i realized that i needed to protect my investment in a serious way.  the pedal pad cases are definitely road worthy but i didn't like how the board inside was divided into two mini boards.  i used my home depot skills to manufacture a single board that would hold all my pedals without the divide.

before

after

name: monster rock instrument cables - 8 inch, angled plugs (count: 5)

msrp: $24.95 each

"get gold, or go home."

most people think that patch cables don't have an effect on the sound, but they are seriously mistaken.  as someone who has used both cheap and quality cables, i can confidently say that primo cables reduce noise and buzzing tremendously.  plus, monster cables are extremely reliable and coupled with a lifetime warantee, there's no other substitute.  

name: dunlop dc brick

msrp: $190.95

"you've got the touch, you've got the power!"

ask you can see, i only use mxr/dunlop effects so it would make sense to use a power supply from the same manufacturer.  this power supply sits velcroed under my pedal board where it silently feeds power to 9 volt and 18 volt effects.

name: dunlop zw-45 zakk wylde signature series crybaby wah

msrp: $200.55

"don't wake up the baby."

my guitars enter the effects chain via zakk wylde's signature series wah.  this wah features a fasel inductor like the vintage dunlop wahs to get that classic sound.  however, this wah is tuned specifically to zakk's standards so it nails those thick tones exceptionally well.  it is also adjustable via the torque wrench so you can set the speed of the wah's pedal mechanism.

name: dunlop jd-4s rotovibe expression pedal

msrp: $371.46

"good vibrations"

this effect is probably the least used of all my effects, but just like the tweezers on a swiss army knife, i do need it once in a while and am happy when its there.  this pedal switches between chorus and vibrato modes, but i use it for the vibrato exclusively.  this pedal gives me the watery sounds of hendrix and robin trower.

name: mxr EVH signature series phase 90

msrp: $247.95

"set phasers to eruption"

this pedal is irreplaceable.  i use the script switch to bring out the vintage sounds of the original scripted phase 90 to spice up solo riffs and even clean strumming and picking.  if i use this with the chorus, you can bet panties will be on stage in a second.  and the eddie van halen taped paint job is just icing on the cake.

name: mxr zw-44 zakk wylde signature series grind and clear overdrive (dunlop custom shop)

msrp: approximately $300.00

"put it into overdrive!"

you couldn't buy this effect even if you wanted to.  there was a very limited run and i was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time.  i replaced my original wylde overdrive with this one and i haven't looked back.  people say that this overdrive is too weak, but that's because they aren't throwing it in front of a distorted amp like zakk does.  do your homework junior!  i almost always have this pedal on and cranked to maximum to get the notorious wylde tone.

name: mxr m-134 stereo chorus

msrp: $314.79

"it ain't over 'til the fat pedal sings."

this may be the bread and butter of my effects chain.  i always have this pedal on.  in studio guitarists can double, triple or even quadruple their guitars on any given track, but live, you have to rely on a nice chorus pedal to fatten up your sound.  the stereo chorus does a great job of warming up any guitar and with the three band eq built in, i can create any chorus effect i need.

name: mxr m169 carbon copy analog delay

msrp: $254.61

"there's been a slight delay...or a long one...depending on what you want."

this is the newest addition to the family and a welcomed one at that.  the analog delay gives my solos the extra "bam!" that they've been needing.  and since it is analog, i'm not falling into the compressed, digital conversions that sound so fake. keepin' it real, baby.

name: mxr m-135 smart gate

msrp: $229.47

"smarty pants"

i acquired this pedal to tame the noise that the overdrive produces in front of a distorted amp.  this pedal really lives up to it's name.  it really is smart about what to silence, and what to let go.  the unwanted noise is gone, but my tone rings true until it's last dying breath.

total msrp: $2484.48

is it worth it?

you bet.

electric drool

i am never going to get all these auto show pictures up.  i don't even know how the guys at speedhunters do it.  anyways, here are shots of the dodge ev.

it definitely stands out in a crowd of ugly electric vehicles.

if it looks familiar, you wouldn't be all that far off.  lotus makes the lightweight chassis for dodge, tesla and other electric auto makers.

i like these stock wheels.  stylish with a racing bloodline.

check out the aerodynamic undercarriage.  since the electric powerplant isn't built to bang out major amounts of horsepower, weight reduction and aerodynamics are key.

much prettier than a prius.

i don't get it

this is a given.

this is deserved.

this i completely do not understand.

read all about it here.

i mean, come on, its called the ROCK N ROLL hall of fame, not the ROCK N ROLL SLASH RAP hall of fame.

what do you think?