Wait just a medichlorian parsec...

I'm getting jazzed for The Last Jedi. I can't help but get sucked into the hype, but I'm starting to worry about some of the trailer info and fan theroies.

There is a part of me that likes the idea of a new plot twist concerning Luke turning to the Dark Side (as so many interpretation nods from the trailer seem to suggest), but there is a much larger, almost sacred part of my soul that is screaming out... NOOOOOOO!

I am 42, almost 43, which means that I was 2 (or 3) in 1977. Therefore, Star Wars is not about Prequels, it's not about Clone Wars, and it's not about Anakin bringing balance to the force. It is a story of Luke's journey from simple farmboy roots into the last Jedi. All of the drama of discovery, loss, family, and redemption serve as his pallet. He is the definitive hero of Star Wars.

My issue with what has been created since has little to do with how Lucas tried to turn the whole mess into Anakin's story. That could have been great. The biggest issues with the prequels are the blatant disregard of clean tie ins. It's forced, and horribly so in the worst cases. A close second is the cartoonish CGI. I have always thought the CGI in the prequels were bad, and I was proven right by time. Bad bad bad. Control Alt Delete please.

Enough about that. Disney has done a decent job (so far) with continuity, not really spending much effort on anything prequel related (save the pretty good SW Rebels cartoon). They do need to advance the storyline, and The Force Awakens did a really good job of bringing us back to basic good versus evil. However there is a lot of internet chatter about Luke turning to the Dark Side, and if that happens, a piece of my childhood turns with him.

In all of the countless hours of action figure battles, Luke was the hero. Always. I will admit, turning "heel" works for different reasons at different times for many a laxidasic character, but we have only seen 5 seconds of Luke in this generation. I am hopeful he is Yoda, not Dooku.

In conclusion, it probably dosent matter, as life will go on either way. This next generation of Star Wars fans deserve something great like I had. If that means Rey is the hero, and Luke turns heel, as long as it's tastefully done, do it. Given the concense decision to closely follow the original trilogy, it would make sense to have the father figure turn bad. I expect it to be a bit dark, like Empire.

And now I am hungry. May the forks be with me.

Nago.

20 GOTO 10

I am on a roll, writing everyday, and enjoying the shite out of it. Idle hands doing the devils work? Maybe, but it feels good to be expressive again, so phuck it. No "processing" needed. Now there is a term I really hate. "I'm still processing" is a ridiculous statement designed to deflect, and should only be used by data entry clerks and actuaries actually working.

However, the one exception could possibly be "processing" a challenging work of art. The senses usually know if something is palatable to your tastes, but every now and then your senses NEED challenged to achieve personal growth.

Think of it like this: we all know that one guy who has had the same hair style since his heyday. I'm not talking about a timeless doo, more like an uncomfortable lack of sideburns and rounded over the ears cut. This person still rocks the same tunes, quotes the same movies, and brags about the same stuff as he did 25 years ago. He resists modernizing, probably out of fear of rejection. You know him: he'll be rocking Jean shorts, white sneakers and t-shirt (a size or two small) on the weekend, probably living in the same house and cutting the same grass as he always has.

Yet his mind, unquestionably needs stimulation on a rudimentary level. The same guy listed above could, for instance, follow simple changes in his chosen genre to feel current in some way. He grew up loving New Kids on the Block, now he is into One Direction. It's not that far of a stretch, really. A simple change is all that is needed to fill that void. Pop culture understands this, hence the reason we have not really moved to far forward in regards to entertainment or fashion in 30 years.

I wish I had the simplicity of this problem. I seek out more than simple 5 chord songs for inspiration. My sons are the same way (sorry guys). I need challenged every once and awhile. I need to process in order to really appreciate a great work of art.

2 examples that took a minute to really enjoy are my beloved Opeth and my man crush on Punch Brothers. The reactions to both were similar. I heard a song, and by the time I was finished listening, I was inclined to listen again, unsure if what I just heard was genius or rubbish. I processed, data crunched, and equated that I would forever be a fan boy of both. And, as true artists tend to do, they have both challenged me on many levels since.

Opeth: Bleak
Punch Brothers: Movement and Location

It's not just music that challenges my senses. I know I may not be everyones cup of tea stylistically, and I don't care. I am blessed, however to have a sister who is a very accomplished Hair Stylist, catering to people seeking a modern flair. At least once a year I can go sit next to her and say, give me something current. Hence the #1 to #2 fade with the hard part, which is my 2017. That way, I leave the processing up to the beholder. I don't have to think at all about it.

Also, when people try to call me GQ (which is ridiculous and laughable), I correct them and say "Nordstrom," which is more accurate. I am, after all, white collar, and care about my brand. I think chicks dig it, so I'm good with it.

In conclusion, it's probably not good to use the term "I'm still processing" in everyday speech, unless your talking about the Metallica/Lou Reed L.P. "LuLu," or answering the question "Can 2017 Lorde really still speak to the working class even though she is rich and famous, kinda the way Springsteen does, and if not, who the hell does she think she is anyway?"

Process that.

Nago

A window may be better than a door.

It's Saturday morning. I am having a lazy Saturday thus far, which feels rewarding given the amount of pressure I tend to lay at my own feet. Unwound, drama free, relaxing morning. Celebrate with a little writing? Why not?

I am marathon watching Anthony Bordain, and really enjoying the narrative nature of his foodsie travel vlog. He sells himself as a drunkard, in truth he is a scholar.

Shows like this give us a window into other cultures, emphasising tradition with a lesson into modern flare of the subject matter (for the span of 44 minutes). I love shit like this. Always have. It's a peek into something I may never experience abroad, but also serves as a reminder as to why I enjoy domestic travel.

For instance, last week I was very fortunate to go on a walkabout into a small South Carolina city just outside of Charlotte, taking in the local culture, past and modern, to a larger degree than I typically have opportunity to do. Like Bordain, I am always attracted to nightlife, however I tend to stay away from heavy party atmosphere. I'd rather sit at a large oak bar sharing war stories with disposable friends than feeling awkward standing in a crowd of people half my age. I live my adventures during the day these days, and despite my physical therapy appointments due to daytime fun injuries, I believe a day in the life is better on the limbs than nightlife. 

Bordain reaffirms something I have come to  realize, that people are basically the same regardless of the location. There are always some that choose to view you as an outsider, but they are basically the same people that hate everything. Misery loves misery, and assholes pucker together. Universal truths unaffected by geography... Word. The good people of this world are unabashedly kind and generous. If a short term parachute into a strange environment is all that it sought, then guides aplenty surface to show you around.

Today I miss my son, but I know that I'll see him tonight, so peeling myself away from the TV to complete some outdoor chores will be good for the spirit. I am looking forward to an evening of music with my son. Some great times are had at the local biker pub, albeit a little strange to be accepted in that environment, as it is a bit strange to me to walk in at all. But, a head held high and a good non-threatening posture communicates to others: you want no trouble.

Here's to a good Saturday.

Nago

Do you have a Warrant?

Warrant is playing at Jergels tonight. I keep shifting between caring and not caring.

Pros:
Great catalog
Not sitting at home alone
Embracing my hair metal roots is therapeutic
Scantily clad middle aged women

Cons:
Jani Lane is dead
I typically don't do hair metal nostalgia shows
New material
Scantily clad middle aged women

Jergels is a cool venue overall. It's the type of place that can host an up and comer, a nostalgic touring band, a local popular band or just pack 'em in with a bike night. It has a great stage, lighting rig, PA and open floor. It's clean, classy and not too expensive. It holds 500 at capacity, and the staff is a+ overall. The downside is the location, it's a little far from everything.

Seeing Warrant at Jergels is not a bad ticket. They could be playing a much worse venue.

Warrant was a hair band that actually had really good songs. They pounded the same LA scene as Poison, and was only a few years or so behind them on becoming massive. I distinctly remember dancing with my crush at a Erie Civic Center dance to their 1989 massive hit power ballad "Heaven" during the summer vacation between 8th and 9th grade. She wore a white button up blouse, jeans and flats, I wore a t-shirt, jeans, hightop sneaks, and a fringed Suede coat. It was August, I was sweating.

The song was a single from their L.P. "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich." As far as hair metal goes, this album was tits. The lead single "Down Boys" was a clever song with a double entendre meaning. It followed a mid-pace tempo, but was light years ahead of the rubbish competition coming out around them. It was easy to shine against Bang Tango and Danger Danger. The exception was Skid Row, no one came close to Skid Row, not even Warrant.

The L.P. went platinum as the record company designed it to, and Warrant entered the 1990's with momentum. If they only knew what was brewing in Seattle.

In September 1990, they released their sophomore album, "Cherry Pie," and their legacy was cemented. Cherry Pie (the song) was annoying but sent these guys to the moon and back. Jani Lane hated the song, as he spoke about at length during his Peter Green/Sid Barret phase after the fall of hair metal. However, the record was really good. Like really really good.

"I Saw Red" was the power ballad single, and again, it pushed the lyrical content boundaries of the genre. Jani Lane wrote great clever lyrics. He was a story teller with a knack for the 4 minute medium.

I wore my Warrant tape out that year. Then, like everyone else, I stopped caring.

People talk about the onset of grunge like a hammer falling on pop culture. It wasn't quite like that. It brewed for a few years before killing off the last of the Hair Metal stragglers. I personally believe that GnR, Metallica and Faith No More were equally as responsible. My interests changed along with my generation. I was becoming a man around that time, and by age 20, I had my sons, so there was not a lot of nurturing my artistic side due to family responsibilities and work. Soundgarden and Pantera became mainstays in my 6 disc changer.

I do recall hearing about Warrants 3rd album, "Dog Eat Dog," the crux of which was supposed to be really good. I still have not listened to it. I am sure Eddie Trunk loves it, and feels it's underrated.

So, do I go see them? No, I won't. This blog was nostalgic enough for me. Besides, I bore witness to Hall and Oats & Tears for Fears this year. Nostalgia fix overloaded.

So, my house is where the Down Boys go today. I have a Salmon Steak ready to broil anyway.

Nago