parresia

lad stuff among us

Big BIG show, for us wee little band that is

On Friday night, December 12th, at about 9pm Life After Darla is going to be performing at the Galaxy Concert Theater. The sound is superb, and the food is great...well, okay the food is good. Bring a date, and be ready to enjoy a great night of music, and interesting people. For more information check out:

www.lifeafterdarla.com

Tickets are cheaper if you buy them in advance, so tell your friends!

If you'd like to read a short history of my band read here.

A Short History of
Life After Darla

A simple beginning

In the eighth grade,1989, at a small private school in Huntington Beach, California during fourth period Michael and Jeremy determined that they would form a band. Using an electric guitar that Michael had recently received as a gift, and by convincing Jeremy’s parents to let him rent a drum set. Within about two weeks, Michael and Jeremy did just that. With a school friend named “Six-string Joe”, who also had a guitar, they began to rehearse in Jeremy’s parent’s garage. Though these rehearsals were sloppy, and fruitless in and of themselves, the rehearsals did serve one valuable purpose: they gave Michael and Jeremy a taste of what might one day become a feast of musical involvement and creativity.
Perhaps the most important and valuable thing that came from those loud and abrasive rehearsals was that two doors down lived a boy named Scott Key, whose father was a veteran musician on both guitar and bass. Scott, being Jeremy’s friend, asked to join the group. His addition to the band ended up being a link that within two years would be the glue holding together the emerging band's music.

Parallel universes

Just two residential streets away from Jeremy lived Gregoryallen, who was himself discovering his own interest in music with his friends Zinn and Jason Kist. Sequestered inside Gregoryallen’s small bedroom Zinn and Gregoryallen spent endless hours creating music. Gregoryallen’s strength was his insatiable appetite for creating new music (a trait that has not waned to this day). With an old acoustic guitar and an even older bass guitar Zinn and Gregoryallen with Jason on drums (when he could come over) embarked again and again into uncharted territory.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, Gregoryallen, and Zinn, despite sharing the same high school had not even met Scott or Jeremy. Jason Kist, a mutual friend of both parties, introduced Jeremy to Gregoryallen. After their introduction Gregoryallen invited Jeremy over to his small bedroom to play bass on a U2 cover song that he and Zinn had been working on. With Zinn singing, Jason on the drums, Jeremy playing bass, and Gregoryallen on guitar it proved to be nothing short of a disaster. However, they had a blast trying, and a bond was quickly forged.
Before long, Jeremy introduced Gregoryallen to Scott (who by now was almost fluent in the ways of the guitar). It was not long after that fateful event, two musical minds joining in creation, that in Jeremy’s bedroom the seeds of Life After Darla were planted deep in fertile soil.

Three imaginary boys

High school Senior Gregoryallen and Juniors, Jeremy and Scott, day after day stuffed into Jeremy’s 8 X10 room with amps, guitars, drums, friends, and lots of anxious excitement. Michael was no longer in the picture for no other reason than “I didn’t have a way to get there." Zinn was another casualty of geography-- he’d show up to sing as often as he was able, but he lived too far away to make it on a regular basis. Jason Kist was occupied with many things, including his girlfriend. Maybe that’s why most teen bands don’t last more than a few months, they fall prey to the numerous responsibilities and distractions that arise from ordinary life. Yet, despite the obstacles, Gregoryallen, Scott, and Jeremy, having an advantage of close proximity, as well as a love for music, were able to keep their band together.
Scott’s learning on the guitar assured him the lead guitarist position, Gregoryallen, who always had a knack for bass guitar, gladly handled the low end, and Jeremy, of course, was the drummer.
The three hammered out cover songs incompletely performed with whomever happened to be present filling in to sing. The boys had a great time playing music together, there was no doubt they had a connection, the only thing lacking was someone who could carry a tune. The band needed a vocalist.

Enter Elevator

A sturdy youth, both popular and well respected (who sang in his church choir) Elevator emerged out of the thousands who might have chanced on filling the vocal throne. As fate would have it, Jason Kist served as another invaluable bridge. He mentioned to the three that, his girlfriend's brother, Evan Ford (not yet known as Elevator) may be interested in singing for the band. Within days an audition was set up.
The reader may recall that during this time “grunge rock” was all the rave; bands like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Nirvana owned the air-waves. Elevators first test was to sing a band favorite, “Alive” by Pearl Jam. Elevator loved Pearl Jam so it was to his advantage. To the pleasant surprise of the three present, he pulled it off rather well. After a few rehearsals it was apparent that Elevator was the one. Jeremy and Scott were sold after the first rehearsal but Gregoryallen wanted Zinn to sing. Zinn could never make rehearsals and Elevator was always there and after Gregoryallen got over his pride he realized that Elevator was truly the better singer. Gregoryallen is supremely grateful for Jeremy and Scott steering him in the right direction.
Elevator was asked to go in the other room while the boys talked it over. In reality there was nothing to talk over. Elevator's love for music was very strong, and his talent was undeniable. Another obvious factor was that Elevator loved to sing, even as nervous as he was, it was clear he was compelled to sing for an audience. That passion drives him still. Thankfully, Elevator was just as excited to be in the band as the three were to have him. So, the union was formed-- WintersburG, as they called themselves, had arrived.

Training ground

For the next several years these four youths pushed their music on the Southern California market. Thanks to the work schedules of Jeremy’s parents (and forgiving neighbors) WintersburG was able to rehearse nearly six days a week, 3 to 5 hours a day. On weekends it was not uncommon for the boys to play both Friday and Saturday night parties.
As the band matured they began to play in Los Angeles and Orange County clubs. They recorded demos, live recordings, and even tested their abilities in the studio. WintersburG had defined its sound, realized its talent, honed its live performance, and finalized its signature in stereo after stereo. The boys had an impact, and the feeling was something they could never have anticipated. One anecdote from this time period should suffice. Two girls, who shall go unnamed, testified that each time they were in their cars listening to WintersburG and the songs “L” or “Whatever Happened To Us” came on they would pull over to the side of the road, turn off their engine, listen intently, and then break down into tears. It is a true story.

Time waits for no one

WintersburG eventually became Life After Darla. Drugs, the military, university, relocations, and girls, the band survived them all; yet, those realities did leave their mark. Scott Key is currently a Christian missionary in Scotland, hence he is no longer in the band. Gregoryallen took over on lead guitar, filling the vacancy left by Scott's departure with his own unique style. For a time Zinn filled in on bass guitar, and even added his signature by penning two fantastic songs . His endeavors eventually led him out of state. Upon Zinn's departure, Tim K. (no longer with the band) took over at bass, his memory still present in a couple clever bass riffs. Michael, after years of following his own path, has been led to his love of music once again. Michael's input increasingly helps to evolve Life After Darla's sound into the diversely sober array it is today.
Life After Darla are now as you see them. Elevator on vocals, compelling audiences at every turn, Gregoryallen on lead guitar and vocals, forever writing songs and trying to find some new sound, Jeremy on drums, pounding wood on skins with ferocious intensity, and Michael on rhythm guitar, keyboards, and bass, doing all that is asked of him, and then some.

Touch the flame

Life After Darla is now building on its collective experience. They have seen what needs to be accomplished if they are ever going to take their music to the world. Using their talent, skill, insight, and the help of some very generous and loyal fans, Life After Darla are taking their music to anyone willing to listen. They have a message, their goal is sure and they’re not looking back. Along the way they are attempting to make the journey as fun and meaningful as possible. Incredibly, the song writing continues at break-neck pace; live performances are more ferocious than ever; and day by day the music, indeed the life of Life After Darla becomes that much more meaningful. For Life After Darla realizes that today could be the last day of their lives, or their life as a band, so they must fulfill their call, they must live and learn today.

(written by Gregoryallen and Jeremy Stock)
November 24, 2003

michael jackson

A Michael Jackson Rant

The handling of the Michael Jackson case has been shameful.

1. Handcuffs (Does MJ really need to be handcuffed? Is he a physical threat to the armed police escorting him? They did it just to humiliate him.
2. Making MJ post a 3 million dollar bail is nothing more than a money grab by the city. MJ is not a flight risk, and excessively high bails are usually only set to disable flight risks. Where would MJ hide?
3. The press conference that featured the laughing and joking sheriffs and the like is all to obviously demonstrating that these people have no regard for professionalism or the concept "innocent until proven guilty."
4. They chose the release date of MJ's "#1's" to raid his Neverland Ranch. Coincidence? No, this was a blatant attempt to hurt MJ's sales. I bet it worked too.

these factors sure make it seem like the general public is out to get him... before they know whether or not he's guilty of the allegations. What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? some say that only applies in the courtroom. Well, it's easy to feel that way until you're the one with the law being thrown at you. In other words, we all ought to be considered innocent until proven guilty...otherwise public lynching is right around the corner.

Oh yeah, some people are considered innocent until proven guilty-- those people we "like," such as Kobe Bryant. Kobe is handsome, healthy, and a sports star--therefore, we'll applaud as he comes onto the basketball court. MJ is strange, disfigured, and recluse, therefore in the public eye he's automatically labeled "guilty."

Either our judicial system serves a valid function and we need to be patient until the matter is decided... or we need to abolish the judicial system and allow "public opinion" to decide one's innocence or guilt. Have fun.

cosmic order

Tolkien: evil doing the good, which good could not do

Then, during a rest from pursuit by orcs, while Frodo sleeps, Sam looks up to see far above the murk "a white star twinkle." Smitten by its beauty he understands that "in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach." This is far more than the sighting of the physical beaming of a star. It is a spiritual vision of beauty and permanence which Sauron and his passing vileness can never stain. It puts everything into right perspective for Sam and gives him peace: "Now, for a moment, his own fate, and even his master's, ceased to trouble him." The world is in abler hands than his. A less visionary kind of help is sent later on the very slopes of Mount Doom when Sam has to carry Frodo and finds the burden light, "whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains...or because some gift of final strength was given..." Tolkien guards the secular alternative but his favor is pretty clearly for the religious one. Finally, of course, as Frodo succumbs to the Ring at the Cracks of Doom, Gollum, playing out the role for which he has been preserved all through the epic, bites off Frodo's Ring-finger, overbalances (by no accident), and falls with the Ring into the flames below. The irony of evil is consummated by its doing the good which good could not do.
~~Paul Kocher, Master of Middle Earth, page 48.

law shmaw

"Res Ipsa Loquitur" The Thing Speaks for Itself

In 1986 a United States Federal District Court held in a discrimination case that transvestites are "handicapped."

Legal philosopher Jeremy Bentham arranged in his will to have his body preserved and, on certain occasions, to be placed in a chair at gatherings of his friends and disciples, for the purpose of celebrating his philosophy. It is said that this direction is still observed at the University of London where his remains are kept in a glass case. They go so far as to dress him up complete with his walking stick "dapple."

Under medieval common law a women who claimed to be pregnant with an heir could be subjected to a humiliating procedure by those who would be cut [out of the will] by the birth. They could obtain a writ de ventre inspiciendo. The writ directs that in the presence of knights and women, the female tractari per whera et per ventrem-- be handled (examined) all over her breasts and abdomen.

At common law a husband was liable for the civil wrongs of his wife, for the law supposed that a wife acts under her husband's direction. "'If the law supposes that,' said Mr. Bumble, squeezing his hat emphatically in both hands, 'the law is an ass-- an idiot. If that's the eye of the law, the law's a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is, that his eye may be opened by experience-- experience.'" ~~Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist

quotation-a-thon

Kill Your Television

...

The whole history of of logic consists of attempts to define an acceptable notion of moronism. A task too immense. Every great thinker is someone else's moron.
~~Umberto Eco

he knows I'd love
to see him happy (or as close as possible
as close as possible, as close as is allowed)
My name still conjours up deadly deeds
and a bad taste in the mouth
the police - they actually knew me
they said:
"You're just another person in the world
you're just another fool with radical views
you're just another who has maddening views
you want to turn it on its head
by staying in bed!"
I said: "I know I do"
~~Morrissey

December is almost here.

more quotations

more quotes

Some ideas challenge us, others make us angry, others inspire us, and still others remind of us of the truth.

The prince of darkness is a gentleman.
~~Shakespeare, King Lear

Ay, in the very temple of delight veil’d melancholy has her sovereign shrine
~~ Keats

I'm not the first, others better than I are tormented.
~~Dostoyevsky

Now, I am an affectionate man but I have much trouble showing it.
~~Douglas Coupland

chpt 7

quotes

Do not expect too much of the end of the world.
~~Stanislaw J. Lee

No Western nation is as religion-soaked as ours
~~Harold Bloom

kate on the web

Kate Makes a Bang

My beautiful wife can hardly go anywhere without getting attention, and last week's dancing excursion proved to be no different. She was picked (out of the hundreds of girls there in attendance) to pose for the dance club's website. The dance club BANG likes to promote their club by luring in single, hormonal youths with fantisaical visions of beauty...hence:

Our friend Lauren was also picked to pose. So I guess you could say I'm in good company when I go out. ;-)