i like secret weapons

money mark and mario c were the secret weapons of the Beastie Boys post Pauls Boutique

the boys (and their lawyers) didnt want to pay out the exorbitant fees required when using samples

so they had to pick up their own instruments and play.

the boys were good, but could use help

mario c was a great producer and percussionist and he knew money mark who played keyboards

the other day i interviewed Mark and he was so cool, so chill, so open to talking about anything

it was a delight

then i had him sign one of my Beastie Boys posters and he was gracious about that too.

last night was the first night i didnt drive uber on halloween

im immersed in the secret project and i have no desire to do anything else.

i want this to be great. it reminds me of the three other times i was totally into something:

when i was in high school in the marching band and we won State

when i was in college and we won all the newspaper awards.

and when i ran LAist.

the only difference on this one is im pretty much alone.

i love teams, especially fantastic teams. i miss having a team.

but every video game is different. on this one you’re mostly alone.

so be it.

today is Licensed to Ill’s birthday, it’s 30

licensed to ill

i dont remember if i was still working at the record store or selling car radios at federated group

but i do know that once i did start selling stereos there was no better tape to demonstrate speakers

especially subwoofers than

“slow and low”

(white castle fries only come in one size).

anniversaries like this can make some feel old. but it makes me feel grateful.

im glad i was of age to see this record become the biggest debut ever for a trio or a group or a hip hop group or someone.

but it was also fascinating to watch this brand of rap evolve from Run DMC to LL to this.

and it was so obvious right away how much of an improvement it was to integrate the bells of DMC, the aggressiveness of LL with the led zeppelin and Mr Ed samples and just straight up tomfoolery to make this record

and live: all they did was run around the stage spraying budweiser cans on each other and the fans and sliding around in their adidases.

im so grateful i got to see their first show at the Paladium. im so glad i got to see them in college graduate to Pauls Boutique and then Check Your Head

and what a small world that i was in Atwater Village when they were in Atwater recording Ill Communication.

but it all started with the three bad brothers you know so well.

and they were so so def right from the jump.

happy birthday baby

who i would replace Brian Johnson with

The-Darkness-Justin-HawkinsLong time AC/DC crooner, Brian Johnson, has been told by doctors that if he continues fronting the hard rock group he will go deaf.

Instead of retiring, now that his brother Malcolm Young is back home due to dementia, and his drummer Phil Rudd can’t leave Australia due to bizarre criminal allegations, lead guitarist/atraction Angus Young seemingly still wants to travel the world blowing the roof off the mother.

So here’s who I think should be the next singer of my favorite rock group

10. Glen Danzig – he’s probably a little too heavy for AC/DC but maybe that gruff could add a little edge to the aging group

9. Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) – this dude was born to front a real rock band. Don’t get me wrong, I think The Darkness is incredible. But because it’s sooooo derivative of 80s hair metal groups, many think they’re a joke. I believe. Justin is one of the few that could hit the high notes and the idea of a triple guitar attack on numbers like “Shoot to Thrill” or “Bad Boy Boogie” is fascinating.

2014-12-27-AndrewW.K.byJonathanThorpe2013APPROVED8. Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) – there aren’t many singers who could add even more power to AC/DC anthems. Bruce could. And he could fly the damn plane.

7. Kid Rock – If there is any complaint about the dynamics of AC/DC music it’s that it’s one dimensional. Kid Rock could add a layer of Southern rock and warmth that hasn’t been there since Bon Scott died in 1980. Imagine what he could add with piano on tunes like “Have A Drink On Me” and “The Jack”.  And what about harmonica on “It’s a Long Way to the Top” instead of bagpipe?

6. Andrew W.K. – The only downside of Andrew W.K. leading AC/DC is he’d be so great at it that kids would think that he wrote all the songs. And his energy might kill Angus.

5.  Ad Rock & Mike D. – Everyone loved the original mashup of Aerosmith and Run DMC. What if you were treated to a night led by the remaining members of Beastie Boys with the live accompaniment of AC/DC on songs that maybe might include some new freestyle verses.

4. Kim Gordon – Some say Joan Jett is the perfect female singer/guitarist to front AC/DC but I’d rather have Kim Gordon who would give a spookier take on “She’s Got Balls” and “Inject The Venom”.

3.  Jack Black – It would be the funniest AC/DC show you’ve ever seen, that’s for sure.

2.  Jack White – It would be the sexiest AC/DC show you’ve ever seen and the dual lead guitar duals would be legendary.

1. Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine) – hopefully they’d play a half hour of Rage tunes as an encore.

Zack de la Rocha

yesterday everything went right

beastie boys

i got to meet and interview the beastie boys. me and my music editor asked the best questions of anyone there

afterwards i met someone from Capitol who sends me emails and cds and stuff and for some reason i asked for the new Beasties cd. i didnt know who i wanted to give it to but i wanted to.

so then we went downstairs in the elevator and there were the three bad brothers you know so well waiting for their cars to arrive.

so i unwrapped the cd and i had a sharpie on me and i handed it over to them and they signed it like no problem because they rule.

on the way home i wanted to talk to someone because i wanted to make sure that i wasnt dreaming. probably because i never have dreams and i wasnt sure if someone hadnt snuck a dream in on me when i wasnt lookin

so madpony kristin was home and i havent talked to her in a while so we chatted and she was doing just as good as i was so it was yay yay yay yay with each other

then karisa reminded me that we were supposed to eat sushi and see a concert tonight

i was all, can this day be any better?

so she got out of work, went to yoga class, showered and came over looking dazzling

we saw this super funny band called Wounded Cougar at Safari Sams

but before the show i was all, you know that looks like Sam over there

he brought rock to Little Armenia. it cost him almost $1 million extra dollars than it should, but he did it and i wanted to thank him for it.

so we chatted about back in the day and now in the day and he told me of a band i gotta see and all was great. and then all of a sudden the show was starting so we saw it and it was funny as hell. and really good.

apparently theyre Beck’s backup band or something, but they didnt need no beck. they were perfect all by themselves. in fact the singer reminded me of The Pants

which was interesting because karisa and i ate sushi afterwards on Franklin next to this bar that Sabrina C., one of the Pants’ friends, goes to

and bam there she was.

hi sabrina!

then me and karisa ate all this sushi and beer and saki and we went dutch treat cuz i was too blown away and happy and blissful to challenge her and i had all these emails to answer when i got home and here it is 2:19am and i love everyone

and i can seriously die now cuz ive seen it and done it all. so thank you for everyone who made everything possible. my life was great and im so thankful you have no idea.

my problem is, i like smart people.

beastie boys palladium hollywood

not sucker mcs. not people who dare me. ooooo a dare. what is this, fifth grade. and anyway, i make the fucking dares around here.

they come to me saying theyve never read my shit but i suck. they say who’s tony pierce like they dont know. they know. my hairs soft and its coming back so call it a comeback. my problem is that i get distracted easilly. especially by nothingness.

theres a new radio station in town. independent one they say even though my bro on franklin avenue says its clearchannel owned. all i know is theyve played the clash and bob marley and even though this is their only hit, theyre playing social d and kroq hasnt played them in a while so fuck kroq, they never loved tsar enough anyway.

my problem is i like super smart people. id work at jpl if they wanted me to. id sharpen the pencils or clean the blackboards if thats all i could do there. a thinktank. a brainbank. anywhere other than the xbi which used to be what im lookin for but things change right before your eyes and suddenly the only thing the same is you and the address. my problem is im a dumbass.

my problem is i attract people who think they know what punk rock is.

punk rock.

yoko was punk rock.


michael jackson last night on 60 minutes was punk rock.

dressed and sounding like my grandma admitting to sleeping with kids as if of course its cool

of course

courtney was punk but now shes a rock star and its boring sidney. not that there are very many rock stars either but youve been to the mountaintop lady.

represent.

my problem is im riddled with idealism. my problem is i keep thinking that i will always be understood precisely every single time the first time. my problem is i forget that some pretend like they dont understand, when indeed they understand perfectly.

i forget that others want to be creeps.

i forget that sometimes a few arent creeps, they just say or do fucked up things without realizing and they dont expect a nuclear bomb exploding after they touch the timebandits toaster which is clearly marked dont touch.

clearly.

shes crafty is on now.

my problem is sometimes i forget that some people dont ever get what i get. ever. and i tell em that i know i dont understand it but they swear they dont read this shit anyway even though they do but maybe they really did miss that day.

its okay.

my problem is i listen to the static in the signal to noise. my problem is i get lost in the silences. my problem is i keep following the failed practices traditional widgetpushing which is hype, build awareness, hype, deliver. when everyone knows you should just clear your throat and reveal curtain number lick, say ta-da, and put your hands on your hips.

dare you to the the truth the whole truth and nothing

but my biggest problem is that time owns me

im its bitch.

and like a bitch, watch me stop what im doing and go off and do nothing so i can wake up n take a bus to an office

in the cold morning

beside the white

chickens

franklin avenue + hobo chic + viriginia