“Step forward and meet a new sunrise A coward is shivering inside Today I’ll be a friend of mine Who swallows suffering with smile” — From “Pisces” by Jinjer I love interviewing people whose personal stories have a triumphant arc. It is genuinely inspiring to talk to someone who has been through tremendous hardship – […]
Crushing Concrete with Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmaylyuk Read More »
“Life is degrading and silently making meSpun out inside my own headSpewing and craving, this darkness is baiting meDown the road to my own death” —From “You’ll Never Find Me” by Korn Like many of us, Brian “Head” Welch grew up with rock and roll fantasies. “When I was a kid … I wanted to be a
Brian “Head” Welch Walks Through the Door Read More »
After a three-year hiatus, the heavy metal band Life of Agony will hit the stage at Belgium’s Alcatraz Hard Rock and Metal Festival on August 8. This is welcome news to heavy metal fans who have loved Life of Agony’s unique blend of metal, rock and hardcore music since their 1993 debut album, “River Runs Red.” But
The Evolving Role of LGBT Musicians in Heavy Metal Music Read More »
At a recent party, Mike Bruno of Billboard asked me the question: “Have you ever considered that music will never be as important to us as it was when we were younger?” To me, that question was just a hair shy of asking, “Do you think you will die alone?” As Nirvana is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Forever in Debt to your Priceless Advice: Why I love Nirvana Read More »
Many people think that meditation is about serene, peaceful people with clear minds contemplating soothing thoughts while sitting in silence. Well, think again. Because Jessica Pimentel is here to shake your shit up. Pimentel, who plays Maria Ruiz on the Netflix original series “Orange Is the New Black,” and fronts the extreme metal band, Alekhine’s Gun, is an avid practitioner
Churning Dirty Water With Jessica Pimentel Read More »
“All that we have is just slipping away And I don’t believe that it’s gonna be OK You can’t stop the bleeding it’s almost too late You’re leaving us all behind with hell to pay” –From “Out for Blood” by Sum 41 When I first met Deryck Whibley and his Sum 41 bandmates at Niagara in the
Stepping on Hot Coals With Deryck Whibley Read More »
Do you find yourself quoting movies in a range of situations with varying levels of appropriateness? When you say, “I’ll have a steak sandwich” at a restaurant, do you compulsively repeat “and a steak sandwich, please” from “Fletch”? When happening upon an establishment that is not open do you say, “Sorry folks, park’s closed. Moose
The Secret Language of Movie Quotes Read More »
April is Autism Awareness Month, and The NBC television series “Parenthood” is boldly going where no show has gone before by examining the social isolation and stigma experienced by people with Aspergers Disorder across the lifespan. The show’s exploration of Aspergers gives all of us a needed opportunity to see and sympathize with this condition and the families affected by
NBC’s “Parenthood” Tackles the Social Struggle of Aspergers Read More »
I have always been a die hard New York Rangers hockey fan. When the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in the 1993-94 season and a fellow fan displayed a sign that read, “Now I Can Die in Peace,” I fully understood that sentiment. And I’ve always admired the players who stuck up for their teammates, using their
Between the Whistles: My Mixed Feelings about Hockey Fights Read More »
Recently, the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver made a swift decision to ban Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling for life, and fined him $2.5 million after he was recorded making racist comments about African-Americans. Just consider for a moment if the NBA had instead stated that it did not consider Sterling’s remarks to be
The NBA Schools the NFL on How to Handle Racism Read More »
