December 26, 2007

Merry Christmas all. The usual shit talking will get the can today in preference of sending my most sincere condolences to friends and family of Damian Morris vocalist of Melbourne metal band The Red Shore and the band’s merchandiser Andy Milner. Both were on tour when they were killed last Wednesday in a shocking road accident. The Red Shore were scheduled to play two Christmas Carnage shows last weekend in Melbourne. Please take care on the road these holidays ya’ll.

BEST ALBUMS OF 2007…
1. Blueline Medic- 41:19
2. A Wilhelm Scream- Career Suicide
3. Against Me! – New Wave
4. Strung Out- Blackhawks Over Los Angeles
5. The Nation Blue- Protest Songs
6. Cancer Bats- Birthing The Giant
7. Bad Religion- New Maps Of Hell
8. Weakerthans- Reunion Tour
9. Motion City Soundtrack- Even If It Kills Me
10. Murder By Death - In Bocca Al Lupo

BEST AUSSIE MOMENTS OF 2007…in no order
Jungle Fever- Stayin Alive
Fear Like Us- self titled
Mary Jane Kelly- Marionettes Demo
Parkway Drive- Horizons
Lungs- An Anatomical Guide
Rex Banner- The Good Times Are Killing Me
Samsara-The Emptiness.

WORST GIGS OF 2007
Deftones, Thrice, Flyleaf, 18 Visions @ Festival Hall – when the band you’re there to see (Thrice) spend more time agonizing over a pedantic sound check than delivering the goods, the $75 entry fee starts to sting.
Plus 44, Unwritten Law, Juliette and the Licks @ Festival Hall- Plus 44, like Blink but not funny.

SHMUCKS OF 2007
Festival Hall security- clearly I’m still holding a grudge…
Tom DeLongue- the world will heed your self-promotion when you start making music that sounds better than something my mates can fart out after a night at Taco Bell.
RATM ticket scalpers- You make baby Jesus cry. May karma punish you accordingly.
Christmas Grinches- how cliché to hate your family, hate consumerism and hate Christmas. Being a miserable sod isn’t ‘cool’, you look like a right cocknose.

HEROES OF 2007
Trent Reznor- for his declaring label Universal Music to be “greedy fucking assholes” when some poor publicist informed him that new NIN album Year Zero was selling for $35 because true fans would happily dish out.
Kevin 07- immediately ratifying Kyoto and now setting his sights on Japanese whalers. Hey, the man gets shit done.
Bad Religion- props on finally delivering on their long overdue visit. See, it wasn’t so bad!
Thomas Barnett (Strike Anywhere)- most endearing frontman of the year.30 Rock and Tina Fey- If you’re bored this summer, look into it. Thank me later.