Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Attention Everyone!  Especially you ladies!!   At the end of April a great thing is happening.  Punk Rock Picnic!!  Punk Rock 77 thru Today is offering an event to get there... 3 vans full of obnoxious, sweaty people driving up there to see FEAR!  $30 to get on the van, $25 to get into the picnic.  We will be meeting at 2 am here: Johnny's Easide Grill.  There will be tons of punkalicious talent there, including our friends at Section 242!!  So, Punk Vixens of Phoenix, I have a challenge!!  If we get enough femme representation on this trip, I will tattoo someones face on me.  Your choice!! 

Details for Picnic Trip

Punk Rock Picnic Tickets

Bands

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Chronicles of Live Shows ~ Two Nights of Rips and a Legend

Two nights of shuddering punk and eardrum bleeding grindcore metal.  Second night at Rips, and after the energetic pre-party of last night, the bar is dead. No patrons, no sign of bands. A precursor to a grind core metal show, it didnt seem very promising. Ive been wanting to see Blodskam for a while. I was promised a fantastically corrosive show by their fans. Corrosive is definitely my cup o tea. But... The early lack of scene was discouraging.

A regular at the bar, I chatted with Kenny, an old rock and roller past retirement age. The bar itself is an integral part of the historic downtown Phoenix area. Kenny mentioned his own preferences for the music, "It was great for a while but then the younger kids brought their noise. But im an old classic rock n roller. Music is just too loud for me." From what he said, punk and metal have recently been introduced to Rips. I guess you can say it’s a change older regulars like Kenny don’t appreciate but as the scene changes, so must the venues.

The first night was full of punk such as Casket Life and Jerk Officers, who took the stage with authority.  My favorite of the night was actually Dirty Hairy.  With an uber hyper, almost ADHD energy, the lead took the stage with a mic and running around like a three year old on coke.  Tossing party favors into the crowds such as ping pong balls, Star Wards playing cards and Dirty Hairy condoms, the floor got littered with Dirty Hairy paraphernalia.  And yes, I was tatted up by the band.  Dirty Hairy is definitely a fun and entertaining group of guys. 


About ten till nine the kids start arriving. Metal ts and jeans, and ladies in typical metal short skirt and tat fashion. After all the hipster, alternative, pop rock and garage surf creations ive been digging into lately I finally feel appropriately dressed in my all black attire.

Leftover from last nights mayley, Dirty Hairy ping pong balls are the entertainment until the stage is accosted by unintelligible vocals and all but graceful strings and drums. The waiting is unbearable to an extent... Outside, people watching and matching the dressed individuals with the genre. First fans I spoke with were connected to the band I came to see. Nothing but great words of course. When people ask who is playing, the answer is consistently Blodskam. Perfect. I got more excited the more people I spoke with. I have to admit... I love people watching at shows. Not much of a drinker at events, I watch fans and regulars alike getting more and more inebriated and energetic for the music. Its a genuine thrill to me to see these band passionate entities moving, appreciating and focusing on the music. Of course the regular fanbase is a fantastic involvement, but creating new fans and sharing the music with more and more individuals is what I aim at doing. Dispersing the local scene to you, my readers. So now, my music loving creatures, on to the bands.

Blodskam was up first, a gigantic ball of electric strings, thrashing drums and monster vocals.  After seeing them live finally, I appreciate the recordings I’ve heard and immersed myself into the music.  Continuing on, the next band to take the stage was Impregnator.  With songs themed exactly with the name of the band, they performed a raucous set of similarly caustic music.  The next band was Abiotx.  This was the second time I saw them.  Just as metally genius as the first time, Abiotx in this atmosphere was a great addition to the show, creative in solos and with a collective, true metal sound.

The last band: Bloodspasm!!!  They are in their 28th year!! Older than the typical punk band members, they have been a Tucson area punk institution for close to three decades.  Enjoying what they do and gaining pleasure out of getting a HUGE rise out of the crowd… the mashing and crunching of bodies was all over the place at Rips that night!  Affecting not only those on the floor but by me seated at the bar all the way to the DJ booth, bodies were being effectively forcefully moved from one place to another. Hail to you, Tucson Gods of Punk.  Worn as you may be, your vigor and ability to get a bunch of kids all jacked up on music is tremendously appreciated.  All this from the stage, donning your cane and a tired body, but still expressing the passion and gungho as any 20 year old on the floor that night. 


So at the conclusion of this review, I have to say that the two nights at Rips has been a very enjoyable and hopefully repeated experience.  Keep your punk fist strong and drumbeat furious, ye skinheads, skaters and grind core and other citizens of the punk community alike.  The goal is the same, to share the passion and an all but lost culture. 

Have a fantabulous week… I am taking a break and I hope to get some bands up soon!

Cheers!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Chronicles of live shows: Vag at the Palo Verde

Fox Vag Fest III.  It is exactly what it sounds like.  Femme angst riddled with a raucous energetic musical undertone.  As a three night event filled with free music, womanly  absoluteness and fun local bands, Fox Vag is the ultimate local femme fest.  Bored with nothing to do, I happened upon this festival of vag angst when I stopped in at the Palo Verde Lounge.  There is still one more night tonight at the Yucca, so if you are in the Valley check out Fox Vag!!  Palo Verde was suggested to me by an associate of mine, and it is a stage-less venue.  Tucked in an untoward area of Tempe, Palo Verde proves to be one of the last local dives standing here in the Valley.  With cheap beer (I paid $3 for my kilters), a packed floor space and introducing underground femme fronted bands, Palo Verde is the ultimate warehouse experience smack dab in the city, without the warehouse, and without the threat of punk busting coppers. 

Though the crowd behaved themselves, the bands and patrons unequivocally provided a peacefully caustic musical experience.  Which is a good thing.  An all but ambiguous set of punk, garage rock and more punk, even if you are a woman hating, wife beating man you still will like the fierce vocals, thrashing strings and pounding beats.  Just don’t reveal yourself, for hell hath no fury… Oh… and we cannot forget the organist… more about her later.  I myself am an independent and in a way man caustic woman, however for these ladies… to them, I am sure I hold no candle. 

I actually got there a bit later, after an apparently all high school girl band whose fathers supported and doted over their daughters, playing camera man, roadie and all around protective mainstays.  This I regret missing.  However, the first band to play after I got there made my boring night and catapulted me into a thankful energy that pulled me from my funk.  The French Girls.  With a pink and black clad femme at the helm, her knee high boots and poof hairdo emulated the image that their name and genre hinted.  Speed and consistency were their game.   Fairly new to the scene as a band, though the members are several year veterans, they bring a prodigious presence to our talented valley.  If you have not heard or seen this amazing group of capable individuals, I challenge you to look them up.  Click here to visit their Facebook page. 

Usually the talent at the shows Ive been to get better and better.as the night goes on.  In this case, however, it simply maintained an animated and creative event.  The next band to charm the audience was called JJCnV.  I am still today unsure as to what this stands for, however they have a website you can visit to figure it out for yourself.  So click there and check out their digs.  Another femme lead vox, this girl was full of a charm and fierceness that if I were a guy, I wouldn’t even question.  Typical garage punk fashion, vox was angry and loud.  Strings, I have to make special mention to the bassist, as he definitely knew how to play a punk bass, and the same ferocious talent that expressed the band’s vocals played a great punk guitar.  Now, the drummer… an interesting individual.  Dressed in shorts, a cheesesteak t and donning a gigantic cheesesteak hat, flung the sticks with vehemence and passion.  Check out JJCnV!

The last band to take the stage was The Rebel Set.  Now, I mentioned earlier an organist… This band has one.  With a surf-rock versus synth garage attitude, The Rebel Set plays a fun set that gets the interpretive dancers on floor.  I am not sure if this guy was channeling Bullwinkle or a goat on acid, but he was all over the floor and outside the front door with hipster attitude.  Now, I do have to say that the hipsters tend to make me balk, but I have to give this guy props for sharing his love for the music as much as anyone else.  Back to The Rebel Set, whose music I was not entirely digging.  Talented and clean nonetheless you can tell their fanbase and others enjoy them thoroughly.  Tis simply my taste in music differing from that of others… if you dig this type of tunes, definitely check them out.  They are on Facebook. 

This experience for me at Palo Verde was definitely a positive one.  With a bouncer named Wookie, a tall and social individual, as well as a bartender with a friendly face and even more so attitude I raise my glass to you, my small yet fierce and mighty pit in the middle of a parent funded college town.  Surviving the rash of a downturned economy and a largely competing corporate venue clash, Palo Verde is a thriving underground venue that operates mainly by word of mouth.  Popularity at its purest they remain an old and true entity for local music.

I know this month to date has been slow with bands and chronicles… the reading material that remains at your toilet’s side I am sure has been getting use more so than last.  I just want to say keep supporting local music and let’s keep this ship sailing!  Off into the night, without fright… push into the future and build this scene into an epic adventure!  Cheers to you, Palo Verde, and all those local bands who play for the sake of sharing their musical souls. 
Enjoy the music, check out the bands and happy music making!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Chronicles of Live Shows ~ Going Rogue at the Rogue

If you haven’t yet been to the Rogue bar in Scottsdale, you are missing a great dive experience, bar none.  With the exception of the expectation of Scottsdales upscale reputation, this venue is nestled in a strip mall by apartment complexes and carwashes.  Permeating grungy grimy gargantuan dive energy into every patron that walks through the doors, it provides a ample floor space for audience movement and a wide stage for band performance antics.  Creating an atmosphere in the true dive spirit the Rogue Bar exemplifies what local music is all about… a genuinely music focused entity.  Situated throughout the long space of the facility are static tables, and roomy booths line the walls.  For a high energy girl like me, however, the seats were too comfortable.  Aiming myself at the stage with a mindset of having fun, I enjoyed the musicians that night from my feet. 



Which brings me to my next task at hand… sharing the music.  The first band that appeared onstage was We Were Strangers, from right here in Phoenix.  After a long sound check and ironing out technical issues, they got to playing.  An awesomely energetic femme fronted band, We Were Strangers is an alternative band with an occasional faster influence.  After listening to their music online I appreciate the practiced femme vocals above slower guitar and keyboard.  Keyboard styling performed by Chelsea Kae, the femme, are clean and she plays the keys as naturally as a pussycat meows.  If you like alternative, this is a great band to check out.  On their facebook page, they have this to say:  Originating from alternative independent rock, it is hard to throw WWS into a genre. The intense emotional music will have you out of your seat in minutes.”  Which was definnately true! Not my speed necessarily, but appreciative of the talent nonetheless.

The second band to grace the stage was The Plastic Revolution from San Diego, CA.  With a Flock of Seagullsesque hairdo and despite having a softer pop punk voice, the front man jumped around and provided an excellent stage presence worthy of audience participation.  These four boys rocked out with an amazing energy and portrayed their art with a maelstrom of furious strings and cranktastic drums.  Carrying on with their seemingly unending energy and saving grace with their display of flailing musical notes the lack of an audience is not made an issue.  Speaking with them after the show, they admit that they wished there were more patrons however… however, they thrive on playing like there is a full house.  Passion for the show art in the purest form.  Pop punk fans… this is definitely a must hear!

The last band, and the most enjoyable, was none other than Gone Baby Gone, also  from San Diego.  Another femme fronted band who rocks out like they are on the beach, their sound is devastatingly surfer rock reminiscent.  And by devastatingly… I mean, this girl gets up on stage with such a fierce attitude, silky-corrosive voice and crashingly intense stage presence, its too bad for the boys she’s on stage and not on the dance floor.  Vocals aside, the strings and sticks are just as passionate and into their conceptions of composition.    Rock n Roll fans… Check out Gone Baby Gone!!

At the conclusion of the show, the presence of the bands continued strong and friendly, mingling with the sparse crowd, managing the merch table, and smoking through packs of cigarettes outside the front door.  The Rogue Bar experience, all inclusive of the staff, fans and musical talent, was a new high for me.  Branching out to yet another different genre and variety of musical muse, for the sake of sharing with you my readers, is a refreshing breath of melodic air.  If you get a chance to visit the Rogue, enjoy.  And as for the bands that shared their souls at the Rogue that night… I thank you.

Happy music making, Phoenix!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Band: Sonic Cocaine ~ Metal

Metal Metal Metal!!  Who enjoys METAL??  And what is in a title?  You can usually tell what genre a band is by reading it’s name.  Metallica, Brookes and Dunn, Authority Zero… we all know these bands and their genres by popularity, but the names in and of themselves portray a subconscious transference of their basic music styling into your mind.  You can imagine what they may sound like and know what type of clothes to wear to their show.  You cannot, however, imagine the energy that they initiate on stage. 

So, with names like Eve Sol, Rotten Youth, Hucklebuck and Failing to Fly, what comes to mind?  What does the name Sonic Cocaine bring to your soul?  I had a chance to see Sonic Cocaine at Goatshead saloon a few weeks back, and the presence on stage was amazingly striking.  Brodie, the lead man in the band, was a volcano of red molten metal fury.  He and the other members absolutely brought the metal genre to a whole other level that night.  Celebrating the life of a recently lost loved one, and sharing the stage with other musically talented bands, Brodie and the other members of Sonic Cocaine established the live performance of a metal band into future legendary capacity. 

This band is actually a project conglomerate branching from a few other bands.  Tastes in musical creativity and the evolution of musical styling begat Sonic Cocaine, as you will read below.   Evolutionarily speaking, music has always ebbed and flowed from one spectrum to another.  The really neat thing about this band is that they confess the slight changes in their genre and styling, not to keep up with the popularity contest of mainstream music, but to express their maturing personalities in music. 

If you have not yet had a chance to see them live, I strongly suggest, no I INSTIST, on seeing them this Saturday, March 17th at Donna Jeans Libations in Glendale.   I can’t speak for the performance of the other bands, however I have listened to their tunes and I gotta say I am looking forward to seeing them play too. 
Click on the streampad below to listen while you read!
But before you see them live, here is the down and dirty with Sonic Cocaine. 

Who are you?

My name is Bronson. I'm the singer/lead guitarist/songwriter and leader of Sonic Cocaine. On rhythm guitar we have Marcell, or "Money" as he likes to be called. On bass we have Todd and on drums we have Warren.

What inspired the name Sonic Cocaine?

Warren, Money and I were playing in my other band (Rocking Horse) when I decided to start a new project, which became Sonic Cocaine. The reason I decided to start another band was because of the direction the new songs were going. Everything about the new songs I was putting together was getting crazier. The music was getting heavier and more aggressive than the standard Rocking Horse stuff - which is straight ahead rock. So more than anything, the name Sonic Cocaine was inspired by the heavy music that was coming out of the creative process we were in at that point.

How did Sonic Cocaine get together?

It's sort of a long story but...I've known Money since junior high - he's my best friend. We basically learned to play guitar together growing up. He plays bass in Rocking Horse and switches to guitars in Sonic Cocaine. I'd known Warren from way as well, but hadn't jammed with him until now. How we got him to jam with us was that Rocking Horse was playing in the valley, we had played with numerous bands and we even did a NYE show at UB's in Mesa with Warren and Todd's band, Existence A.D. Well, one weekend our drummer decided to cancel on us. We needed a drummer bad, so we called up Warren, and he learned our set list in three days. Our first show with Warren was a summer show at College Dropouts in Tempe - we kicked ass. So since then, Warren's been drumming for Rocking Horse. So Warren, Money and I have been jamming for about two years now. It only seemed fitting to keep Money and Warren with me when in Sonic Cocaine. Todd came on-board when Rocking Horse guitarist, James, left the band. Todd and Warren are long time buddy and they've jammed for a number of years in Existence A.D. with Warren's sister, Randi. So basically, for Sonic Cocaine, it was a no-brainer for us to add on Todd because he jams bass in his band and he knows Warren's style of drumming, and they sound great together. It just made the rhythm side of playing already tight, and made it easier to work with.

The idea to for Sonic Cocaine was just to have an outlet for our heavier tastes in music. But since Sonic Cocaine has started playing, it's become more of a side project. The sound, the energy and music can very much stand all its own. The band officially played its first show under the name Sonic Cocaine August of last year (2011).

What albums have you released?

We're in the process of recording our first CD ever. We have about 10 songs written and more on the way. We're very excited what we have to offer the listeners and the fans who've been following us since last August.

What drives your music?

Songwriting. Creating. Collaborating. Rehearsals.

Give me an example of your music and lyric writing process.

I do most of the songwriting right now. I do believe that eventually, Sonic Cocaine will get to the point of collaborating as a unit - like actually having everyone in on the creative process. Since I am a guitarist, I do come up with most of the riffs, chord voicings and melodies. Usually I'll just jam without the mindset of creating, but just jamming...and then something will begin sticking in my head; a riff, a melody. If the idea keeps resurfacing over time, it's a telling sign for me that it's something worth building into a song. With lyrics, it's quite different. I'll write based around an emotion and/or something that happened. The approach is something called 'stream of consciousness' - where you just write everything that comes to mind at a given point, and later on, maybe a day or two or even weeks later, you read everything you wrote and try to make sense of it. For me, I use that reflection process to organize that writing into lyrics for songs. It's a little limiting too, since I play guitar and sing, I have to come up with parts I can sing and play without breaking rhythmic timing or syncopation. It's a challenge in itself but it's fun, as well.
What inspires your music?

 Sharing is what inspires me. Everyone has something to say. This is our way of communicating with the world. It's an ever-evolving process of being influenced and influencing others. I grew up listening to my favorite bands, watching other people jam live and play and it was powerful to me. One day, down the line, some kid is going to discover our music and say, "Now, THAT'S what I want to do!" That's what inspires me.

Does your cultural background give muse to your creative process?

No, not really. I don't think it really does, in fact. We've had many, MANY discussions about this as a band. We've stuck to the belief that, 'Yes, we're proud of our language, culture and heritage. We do strongly believe in our indigenous roots. But we are not going to push that on other people through our music, nor do we use it as a means of entitlement to gain popularity or to build a following.' If people like your music, they'll let you know. If they don't, they'll let you know too. Our belief is that music should be shared with all, not just a select group of people.

You have a strong audience and following. What keeps this crowd with you?

I would like to believe we have a strong following. We're constantly evolving as individuals and we have to keep that same mentality as musicians. Sure, Sonic Cocaine music is heavy-rock, but there are many different way to be heavy-rock. The catch is finding ways to reach out to all the many kinds of listeners there are on any given gig night. There is no formula for creativity. I'm truly blessed to have the team I have right now. They're talented, motivated, hungry and want to make an impact on the Phoenix valley scene. They want to be a force to be reckoned with. In the end, we can't be content with what we have. We have to keep moving forward.

We're not trying to be a bunch of bad-asses either. We're just four regular guys who have fun on the weekends after busting ass at our 9-5's every week HA!

What other projects are you guys working on?  I noticed a couple other bands that night that had intermingling members.

I guess that would be the Rocking Horse, Sonic Cocaine thing Ha!  

How would you describe the local scene?

I think the local scene is awesome.

Do you prefer playing large or smaller venues?

 We've never actually played a large venue.

Do you have a favorite artist to share the stage with?

We all pretty much have different tastes in music. So I think the other guys would have different answers for this question. I'd like to share the stage with Greenhaven from Scottsdale. I always liked them. They're bad-ass.

Whens your next show?

 March 17th @ Donna Jean's Libations in Glendale, AZ.

So my friends, DON’T MISS THIS SHOW!!  The original music of Sonic Cocaine is not something you should pass up.  The band as a whole has an awesomely artistic vision that evolves from their own personal preferences but then gets mixed and baked in a loaf of delicious metal manna.  Have a piece this Saturday, in Glendale!!  Smother it in yummalicious fan flavored passion and wash it down with some beer. 

If you would like to contact Sonic Cocaine please refer to the information below.  Happy music making, Phoenix!!  I want to express that with everything that has happened in the scene lately, do not let this deter you from supporting local bands.  Terrific talent like Sonic Cocaine cannot be lost!!  There are other tremendous talent out there that still need to be shared.  Find them and share them, and as always live free and die with a melody in your soul.

For booking information:

SONIC COCAINE

C/O: Bronson B. Yazzie
band contact number: 480.406.2000

Monday, March 12, 2012

April 29th, 2012!!!  Jam Stain is coming back!  910 live, 910 N McClintock Dr. in Tempe.  $5 cover, 21+... Be ready to rock out!! 

Sunday, March 11, 2012

From the Chronicles of Live Shows: Native Pride, Stayin Alive

The Goat Head Saloon.  A chilly February night, a seemingly typical live music filled venue erupts in Mesa.  Heavy, guitar riddled metal permeates the minds of the patrons at the bar, at the tables and on the floor.  Local creativity hitting yet again from Arizonans… this time, however, the creativity is accredited to a specific group of musicians who celebrate tonight the life of one who was recently taken from them.  An individual immersed in not only the local music scene, but an individual proud of his heritage and culture. 

People like Sam Sneed, as he is known to his friends, are hard to come by in this day and age.  With ever persisting cultural mixing and diluting (not to be confused with the simplicity of those coming together from all walks of life for one purpose) cultural identity is swiftly losing footing among its own kind.  As a mother of children who did not have the chance to get connected with their own cultural back ground I sincerely appreciate those who identify and personify their own ancestral heritage to keep it practiced. 

With bands with names such as Rocking Horse, Sheepheads and Ethnic Degeneration, there is a slight native and cultural feel to the theme of bands.  Of course other bands such as Enemy Machine and Existence AD were on the bill as well, however this show was rich in indigenous personality and individuality.  Speaking with some of the patrons it was very clear they all were very proud of who Sam was and what he did for their bands.  Sonic Cocaine, my favorite of the night, took the stage with a fury and purpose.  Sam’s name was never neglected to be mentioned nor honored, and in truth… if you missed this show, you missed one hellava opportunity. 

I was able to get in contact with Bronson of Rocking Horse, who agreed to tell me a bit more about Sam and who he was.  I hope you all enjoy his sharing his friend with you… I enjoyed hearing about it. Not only interesting, but should be somewhat of a wake up call for those who have forgotten why local music is what it is.  Creativity and enjoyment of playing for a purpose, not just for fame and fortune but for the elation of sharing what is in your soul.  And Sam’s dedication to knowing and believing in these bands' pure talent.

Samuel “Sam Sneed” Begay Jr… who was he to you?

Sam was a music promoter and that's how most of us in bands met him. I knew him for a long time as just a promoter until two or three years after we met. We started talking and we realized our families were related. His mother and my mother were cousins. I think that's where Sam and I really hit it off.

What were his best qualities?

He was a very funny person. Loved to joke around laugh. That's the way we knew him when he was hanging out at shows. He was a proud person; proud of being native and indigenous. He seemed to always put that first and foremost. He was also a good guy - he always call to say what's up, and sometimes at all hours of the night. He'd leave a voice mail wanting to put together a show, or he'd just be wanting to know how everything was. He was just that kind of person. Caring. Fun loving. But always real and genuine.

How did he get involved in music?

They way I know Sam, is that he always loved music.

What instruments did he play, if any?

I'm not sure if he played any instruments. but if he ever did, i would think that's what he'd be doing...he loved music.

What bands was he involved with?

The ones he always seemed to call on were Enemy Machine, Ethnic Degeneration, Rez Of War, Rocking Horse, Bloodline, Downplay, Coalition to name a few. All these bands have played numerous shows in the valley over the years. He liked to provide music from native musicians for the native people living in the city, and for anyone else that was wanting to listen to music from outside of the Phoenix-valley.

I understand he was a promoter.  Was he independent or with a company?

He was an independent promoter. The name he liked to operate under was 'Native Outlaws Entertainment'.

Did he specifically work with the Native bands?  Or others?

He did work with native bands primarily, and that seemed to be his focus much of the time when he did put together shows. He also did work with native DJ's and MC, as well. From time to time, he would put together shows with other promoters and team up on putting together shows. Most of his shows were under the Native Outlaw Entertainment name.

How important was he to your group of bands? What did he contribute to the scene? What was his most integral contribution?

Overall, though I do believe that his belief in his own native people and his desire to give them, their the bands and their music a chance in larger setting and scene was his biggest contribution to the scene, because Rocking Horse and Sonic Cocaine continue to get booked in the valley, through connections, promoters - working and connecting with other musicians from all walks of life. Which is the way music should be to begin with. Shared.
I know its been a while since something was shared, and I am honored to have such a fantastic individuals purpose shared after a breach of space and time.  My friends in Phoenix, there will always be music... the purpose of music will stay static.  The execution of music and how it is shared is the variable.  Lets keep music available to everyone, and stay true to yourselves.  Sam is a great example of this... let rise above the bullshit and not let Sam's work fall on the wayside.  Share your musical soul!
Most of the bands that were at the show, flier below, are on Reverb.  This show is already passed, however the flier is included in this post for easy reference to the bands.  Check them out and support not only local music but a culturally rich set of bands that have awesome talent to share.  Sonic Cocaine is an absolute must.