Musical Adventure

So over the last few days Jason (az singer) let me barrow the new Alkaline Trio album "Agony and Irony" and I must say that I wasn't that impressed at first. The album comes across extremely poppy and different for Alkaline Trio. I was expecting that perfect blend of dark punk with poppy hooks that even though you were singing about killing someone or dieing, you were singing none the less. This album seems to jump right into the poppy hook and not so much of the darkness that we all have grown to love from Alkaline Trio. On top of that, I think what really threw me was that Matt Skiba really doesn't have that metaphoric style of lyrics on this record. On all the previous records you really had to think twice about what he was saying but on this one it seems he just spells it out for you. I'm not a big fan of this because its almost like he's telling us what happens in the end of the movie before we see it. Now I have to admit 3 days later the album is starting to grow on me. Although It dosen't have allot of those qualities I know and love, over all I think its just one of those records by a band I love that I have to "get used to". All in all I WOULD recommend buying this record but I would warn people that It's not going to be what then expect from Alkaline Trio.

Last night Melis and I went to Tempe Market Place to grab some dinner and catch a bit of Filter's set. Filter was performing a free show there so we said "hey it's free, why not". Dinner was really good and kindof strange. We just sat down and ordered and all of the sudden this couple came up and said "Do you mind if we sit with you?" At first I was reluctent in my head but then I though fuck it, Melis told them that it would be cool as long as then didn't mind that we were eating. Now I know you might be thinking this was a normal small 4 top table in a packed bar but it wasn't. We were at San Feliepe's and they sat us at a table big enough for like 10 people so obviously there was plenty of room. The couple sat down and we all started to talk and they turned out to be really cool people! Both of them were a little older than us and they had a 6 year old kid together. They mentioned that they'd been together for 17 years and me and melis were shocked. Cudo's to them for having a longlasting good relationship! The night went on, we ate, and said our goodby's. After dinner Melis and I met up with out friend Peepers and hung out at Front of House (its the place where the sound guy is) to watch the rest of Filters set. I have to say it was my first Filter experience and I wasn't all that impressed. Honestly I didn't expect much but hey you never know, some bands you don't expect to be crazy are the exact opposite! They sounded good, performance was avarage for a "rock" band, so needless to say we had a good time and just enjoyed hanging out. When we were leaving Melis turned to me in the parking lot and said, "I couldn't handle the way he was doing that eeeeeeeaaaaaaahhh!" and right then the singer did it again! ahhah it was hilarious!
All in all a fun evening it was nice to meek cool people and see some bands that didn't "suck".
Cheers!

Holy Busy!

Wow, this last week and weekend has been crazy for me... I'm finishing building a whole new website for Ransom right now and along with that and writing new music with Authority Zero I've had to remind myself to breath ha! The new website is really coming along great. We've got a whole new store, blog, and fresh links to our new Myspace, and Facebook pages! We are super stoked to get this site launched so we are working really hard on it right now, so please be patient with me on the updating of the blog :)
On another note AUTHORITY ZERO is writing a new record and boy are all of you in for a treat with this one! Now I'm not going to give away and secrets but there is talk of us pulling out 1 or 2 new tunes at out July 18Th show... I have a feeling that this record is going to really blow the socks off people.
OK well off to practice I go!
Cheers
JIM

100% water

For those of you who don’t know My Fiance Melis is a tattoo artist at Club Tattoo. Over the years of working for club she’s had some really cool opportunities to do paintings for shows, a line of shoes for Etnies and now she has her own water! Yesterday she came home with a case of this and i was really stoked! Melis has been a huge inspiration in the drive behind Ransom and Authority Zero just pushing me as an artist and helping me take a second look at things i do before they go to print. So i just wanted to take this time to say congrats to her and make sure you all check out her new website!

www.missmelis.com

~CHEERS!

On the daily!

OK so I've been fully slammed lately working on an all new Ransom website, with a whole new design, store and some great new features! The problem with this is that it wrecks my day's and i have no time for anything (sorry babe). Although I have to admit that the site is coming along awesome! I have some friends at DreamCo design helping me out with some coding and such so I have to say thanks to them (Derek and Tanya)! Hopefully i can get all the bugs worked out in the next few week so we can have this thing up and running soon!


The other night My self, Melis, and Adam (other half of Ransom) went to see the Supervillans and the Mad Caddies. The show was AWESOME! When Adam and I first got there we went and hung out on the Supervillans RV and had some beers. It was really cool to catch up with those boys and see them still out killing it on tour! Melis met us up after work and then shortly after that, Sean (Good Riddence) and his wife Olivia and son Chris showed up. So we all went to the bar and got some beers and watched the show. About 30 minutes later Chris (seans's son) started getting crazy with Sean and I so we began to chase him around the bar. This was NUTS! I forget sometimes how kids around 5 or 6 have energy that just never stops hahah! We proceeded to keep chasing him until i was literally drenched in sweat and then I just had to give up. Sean then took Chris up on stage to jam out a bit and I got some great photos.
What a great night, good friends, great beers, and good laughs!
CHEERS!

A new Day

Today is one of those really great days where you wake up on the "right" side of the bed and you feel that the sky's the limit! I've been working on these really funny shirts for a friend of mine taking logos and re-creating them. Now normally I wouldn't really want to do this type of work cause I really like doing "custom" work but this stuff is really funny so i just had to, plus Dan is a rad guy and I love working with him.


On another note I launched a myspace page for Ransom! check it out! www.myspace.com/ransomapparel
I'm currently working a design layout for the page so don't pay attention to how it looks.
Along with a new design for the Myspace, i'm creating a new look for my website! With the help from Dreamcodesign.com i'm setting up a great new website!
OK i think that's all for now!
CHEERS!
JIM