welcome to...

My Wasted Life - March 15th, 2006:

It's a full time job doing... well... I suppose that's why it's called a full time job. Of course... it's also a full time job trying to keep this place in shape... and it's also a full-time job at this time of year trying to get the old accounts in shape for the tax man.

All of which means... time to idly waste my life has been sorely lacking of late. But never fear... there's been stuff a-happening...

Motorhead

Indeed... live before your naked steaming eyes... I didn't quite make it a hat-trick of gigs this past week... but I tried me best and had a grand old time doing so...

The stupidity of people never ceases to amaze... I mean... what kind of muppet feels the need to take a knife to a concert... and more importantly... what kind of muppet actually holds it out in view so that security can see it?
This was the second gig in a row at the HoB where some numbnuts has been called out for carrying and been told to go dispose of it before being allowed inside...
Anyways... there was a but of a line outside - which was very pleasing to see given it was a cold tuesday night and the LA crowds can be notoriously fickle about heading outside so early in the week... I got inside in time to see the last half of Manntis - but missed Meldrum (yes... it was an evening of 'M's...)
Manntis were... well.. they were okay... they had a stand-in guitarist cos one of their boys... D-Roc? - was feeling a bit poorly... aww... bless... Their other guitarist looked spookily similar to the dude out of Mastadon... were disconcerting...
But anyway... support bands begone.
There was a bit of a handbags at ten paces in the audience 'tween groups... security did nothing... but then it was hardly a fight really...
There was another fisticuffs session later in as well but nothing really to report... just a couple of ejections by HoB security...
and speaking of idiots... what kind of moronic woman plants herself at the top of the stairs off the floor to watch the gig and then complains every time somone has to push past her to either get on or off of the floor area? Some people really are just so stupid you wonder how they make it out of bed in the mornings...
But the place was pretty damn packed - which is nice to see cos the 'Head have given plenty to us over the years and it's good form to see them being so well supported and appreciated in return.
the 'head came on a while after 10... they were actually all onstage as the curtain was drawn back - so that was a little different. and there was none of the 'We are motorhead and we play rock and roll' although things were pretty familiar as they launched into Dr Rock and then Stay Clean.
i thought they might be shaking up the setlist a little as Lemmy introduced the next song as Metropolis... but then when he went back to check the setlist, he realized that it was actually Killers.
we got pretty much exactly the same setlist they've been playing for several years now...
In the Name of Tragedy... No Class... Over the Top (dedicarted to Lemmy cos his monitors were too top heavy) then there was the usual 'this is from our most hated album' (love that me and Lem still call 'em albums) we had... you guessed it... Dancing on your Grave and I got mine (although not in that order)... Flying to Brazil... R.A.M.O.N.E.S... Just Cos you Got the Power... Sacrifice... Killed By Death - with guest vocalist exactly like at the 30th Anniversary show... Metropolis... the only surprising song of the night and I'd have to look around to see if they played it recently was Fast and Loose.
It was pretty damn loud too... I love the House of Blues as a venue... can't wait to see ministry there in the summer again.
Along with the songs being kinda samey... you also got a fair dose of deja-vu with the in between banter.. Phil came out with his... 'we'e trying to see who's the loudest audience on this tour' really? This is a tour? it's just a couple of shows while you're recording an album (not that any opportunity to see Motorhead live isn't hugely cherished...) but a little more originality would be nice. I mean... call me old fashioned... but if we're gonna have the same old banter then why not go back to the days when Lemmy used to stop the show and say 'we're not going to play any more until we see a pair of tits!' - now those were the days...
Over all it was a pretty damn fine show... I know I was kinda mean about the setlist but you know... I been watching this band live for 26 years now... so I think that gives me the right to throw me tuppance ha'penny in the hat... I've been in the band longer than Philip Augustus Campbell!!!
I think the March gig is traditionally the first of the year... and if that's the case then hanging out in the studio is definitely doing them good cos they were on fire... Phil did mention the new album but only in as much as they've no idea what it's going to be called or when it's going to be released... so no juicy hot of the press stuff there I'm afraid...
Hangin out at the bar were (apparently) Steve Vai... I didn't see him but Lemmy said he was there... although I did see Dave Grohl who looked to be having a fine time singing along to Overkill and spraying beer all over himself...
Lemmy looked as good as ever... he was riffing that bass guitar like a mad man on the first three songs of the night... it was as if they'd decided to play nothing but bass solos and give Phil the night off... but they addressed the balance of playing and Phil (stalking the stage in his own inimitable fashion) was soon shredding his axe as only he can...
They finished the set with the aforementioned Killed by Death and Iron Fist...
After a short respite, they were back for the 'surprise acoustic number' no shit... I just hope Lemmy's got his tongue in his cheek when he says that and isn't really turning sixty!!!! And there's no prizes for guessing the other two songs they played for the encore... come on... all together now... Ace of Spades and Overkill...
There's no denying it so don't even think about it... Motorhead fucking rock... they could do this in their sleep and still kick the ass of about every other band on the planet... Oh joy... Motorhead are on the road again...

And so to Disneyland...

It's been a long time since I ventured into the House of Mouse... and what better excuse than to go see Lemmy... that's right kiddies... Lemmy and Mickey
ex-squeeze-me?
Well you see, the House of Blues in Anaheim is in Disneyland... oh yes indeed... Motorhead play Disneyland... now that's a headline for ya!!!
Last time I was here was either Body Count or Anthrax... can't remember but it's been a while. The place is similar to the Hollywood one but about half the size... at least once you get inside. I didn't race down there... it was a Friday night... raining... so I wanted to avoid as much traffic as possible - although with Sirius satellite radio installed in the 'stang... sitting in the car is actually a great way to waste one's life... so I trotted into Disneyland and sauntered thru security to get inside... it was pretty busy and the musicians of the support band were strutting their stuff on stage... it sounded like a bird singing - i.e. a woman... not a tweety thing, although I'd like to see Hatebeak in person... but that's another story. so... I thought I'd check out downstairs... but you know what? There was actually a line to get down there... yes indeed... you see when you enter Anaheim HoB you come in upstairs an then have to make your way down to the floor... but being such a small venue there's always a problem with it being overcrowded and tonight was no exception.. There was even a line for the toilets... the man's toilets that is...
But it's not a problem because this means one thing and one thing only... Motorhead are popular.
'Good evening...'
It was pretty packed by the time the 'Head came onstage... same deal as Tuesday... curtains open... the boys are already inposition... but harking back to yesteryear... Lemmy speaketh... 'We are Motorhead... and we play rock 'n' roll'
and boy... do they fuck.
This was one sick motherfucker of a show...if everyone thought Tuesday night in Hollywood was good... then they should have been here for this dose of Motorhead...
It's incredible... just when you think they're in the groove... just when you think they surely can't get any better... they turn in a performance that is just stunning.

And there's more...

The O.C. crowd - for Anaheim is in Orange County for those of you a little geographically challenged by the size of Los Angeles and environs - are always up for a good rocking sesh and they were into Motorhead like you couldn't believe... It's great to see so many kids at these shows... this isn't some nostalgia gig for the crusties... there was me... 26 years of watching Motorhead live... and in front of me was a 17 year old at his first Motorhead gig...
O.C. is a bit boisterous but they were getting it right back from the stage...
Dr Rock
Stay Clean - the bass solo in this just shredded... it was awesome to behold
Love Me Like a Reptile (I missed this off Tuesday's setlist....

That's three songs... back to back... nary even a word between... this was rocking of the highest order... Lemmy was in fine form... playing with the energy of a teenager... joking like the world's best raconteur...
I watched the entire show from the upstairs balcony which gave a perfect vantage point from which to watch Mikkey in action... If I ever get reincarnated... please don't let me come back as any part of Mikkey's drumkit... he pounds the shit out of that thing... so much so that he keopt breaking his stool or somehtin as there were a couple of interludes as the roadie's hurried to fix things.
We got similar onstage banter... 'we don't know what the new album's going to be called... or when it's going to come out'
Phil did his usual 'loudest crowd' bit - but the exception was that this WAS the loudest crowds... by a long way. Even the boys on stage seemed pleasantly surprised by the vocal reaction. Phil did admit that they were only playing four dates on this 'tour' and that these might well be the only dates they play here this year... so rest of America... uh oh.. looks like you might be waiting a while to catch Motorhead live again.
And on the subject of Philbert... I've never been the greatest fan of him as an axemeister... he comes across a lot better on record where they can separate out his sound... but tonight..?
I think I would have to say... this is the best I've ever seen and/or heard him play... whether it was a better sound job or he's just enjoying life or what... i've no idea... but some of his fret work was just incredible... the solos were sharp... soaring.. just awesome...
The whole band just seemed to be on another level...
The guitar solos in 'I Got Mine' and 'Just Cos you Got the Power' were crushing - forget the amps going to '11' this is a band playing well beyond anything you should even consider to be the best you've ever heard from them...
even being three days later... exactly the same setlist... the songs just whacked you in the face like a frozen herring... that's the level of fresh we're talking about... They even added little bits and pieces here... Mikkey's drum solo actually seemed to be about twice as long as usual... there were extra little Paradiddles in the drum bit of songs... Lemmy would add flourishes to his bass lines... there was just something 'extra' about this show...
we even got some sparkling gems from Lemmy... 'this is from our most despised album...' and you just know it's time you can set your watch to as 'I Got Mine' is about to start... But as he says '...Another Perfect Day' the crowd goes wild... so Lem counters with... 'Oh yeah... it's all right now... but you didn't say that when it first came out... only 75 people bought it... including the record company. Anyway... in our own awkward style we're gonna play two songs from it.'
Yeah... yeah... same old songs...
Metropolis
Over the Top was dedicated to Lemmy and the audience tonight...
Killers
No Class
Fast and Loose
Dancing on your Grave
Sacrifice
R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
Going to Brazil - 'if there's anyone in the audience from brazil... this is for them'
In the Name of Tragedy
Killed by Death
Iron Fist

and then back for the obligatory three song encore... and we didn't even have 'Whorehouse Blues' described as a 'surprise' any more...
Ace of Spades... and then possibly one of the best renditions of Overkill I've ever been fortunate enough to hear.
I had to cry off the gig in Vegas... I just got too much to catch up on this weekend to be able to spend seven or eight hours in the car... as much as I'd love to see Motorhead three times in a week... so if anyone went... can they post a review of it in here? It might be a while before I see them again if Phil's words are correct... but all I can say to you people who will be catching them live later this year... if they're even half as good as they were this week then they'll be twice as good as you've ever seen them before. This band just gets better and better...
To quote the Lemuel as they finished up "We are Motorhead... and we play rock and fucking roll!"
It was just awesome.

You Know You're Having...

One of those days...
You see, this past week it was FA Cup replay time and my beloved West Ham were up against Bolton (or 'notlob' as some people like to call them)... we drew the game 0-0 in a very, very boring stalemate... so it meant a replay back at our place to decide who goes thru into the quarter finals of the oldest and most brilliant footballing competition in the world... So... knowing I'm going to be w*rking and not able to watch the game live, I look for the technology of the DVR to help me out.. but of course.. the plans of mice and men... here's how it goes:you look on the telly... it says Bolton vs. West Ham... it's on at the same time as the game today... of course.. you're at w*rk but thanks to the marvels of the televisual world... you can record the program and watch it back at a later time and/or dtae.
So... nervously I spend all day studiously avoiding the BBC website in case I see the result, knowing I can watch the game 'as live' when I get home.
Which means that the time/space continuum ensures the day crawls by like excrement off a furry sheet...
I get home... race thru me meeting with the insurance man.... press 'play' on the telly control... the teams come out onto the pitch... at the Reebok stadium!!!!
WTF!!!!
They're not showing the FA Cup replay live from Upton Park... they're showing the 4-1 drubbing we got by notlob at the weekend... Honestly... what an unpleasant shock that was...
Just to then add a large dose of insult onto my injury... I got to almost see the goals on the round-up show but then the insurance man called at completely the wrong time.. so I pressed 'pause' on the DVR but when he left... I pressed the wrong button and changed channels and lost the stored information... despite the result it was not a good day for me and my beloved west ham yesterday...
Now the next round beckons with an away tie at Manchester Ciy... the game is most definitely live on the telly on monday and has already been programmed to be recorded... all I have to do now is decide whether to bunk off to watch it...