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Monday, 06 October 2008

Worlds Collide

Worlds Collide

The idea of Worlds Collide is that two disparate communities, both of which have deeply involved me but rarely involved each other, will fill the same stage and crowd for one night. Unlike George from Seinfeld, I would love for my worlds to collide. This will be the second event of its kind--here are some photos from the first one two birthdays ago (courtesy of Edmond Lee and Simon Koo). Once again, I have combined two extreme metal bands with two rock bands that feature some of the most talented people I know from my asian church circles. Some from those circles will also make guest appearances with my own band. It is an event that makes no sense other than the fact that it is mine. It's my birthday party, and my last show, so I can do whatever I want.

My Last Show

People should experience different things at least once, particularly if your friends are involved in it. This principle should ring louder the closer the friendship, and the deeper their involvement is. So if you've never seen me play, you're gonna have to step up, because there is no "next time" anymore (bear in mind, if you're not as close a friend or have wholeheartedly attended one of my shows in the past, this challenge doesn't apply as much to you). I know many of you have children, live far away or have other hindrances, but before you just brush this invitation aside, consider what this might mean to me and then assess your priorities honestly.

What It Means To Me

The cultural gap between my two worlds has been probably the most poignant issue of my entire adult life. It is the one thing that thrusts me into irrational depression in a way I can't control. That's right, irrational--I know there is no sense in my reactions, but I get lost in it anyway. I also know this separate worlds phenomenon is not unique to me, but mine just happens to be more extreme, and has caused a lot of hurt and rejection over the years. When I'm reminded of it, my heart kinda relives the memories. What this event means to me is that this reality I've come to hate ceases to be true, at least for one night.

Aside from all that, I have put my bloodsweatntears into this music--not just drumming, but song arrangements, guitar parts, vocal ideas, production, stage performance, album concept, even, like, musical tightness policing...fuck, even if you can't fully understand it because of the style, at least come and fake it, because this has been my life for the past friggin' decade.

Now through my weakness expressed in this message, may Christ's strong will be done.

Sunday, 14 September 2008

Ending the EPIC DISS

I've mentioned to many of you that I am stepping down as drummer of Eden a.d, my band of the last 6 years. This is not so I can join another band...I am phasing out of the metal scene altogether.
It's been a great ride, making and playing music, bonding with scenesters and scenemates who supported us and struggled with us over the years. If you are wondering my reasons, a big part of it is that almost none of you, my friends in xanga and facebook, are among the aforementioned scenesters and scenemates. It's been tough, even excruciating at times, to have such a big portion of my life not understood or supported by most of the community I dwell in, subculturally speaking. And it goes both ways...two different worlds, so disparate, yet, both so me--no one could fully join me in both.

I've met some others with a similar predicament, but it isn't so painful for them, so it must be just me. I think it's because I have a strong tendency and desire to share things that are meaningful to me with others. So this disparate worlds thing creates an EPIC DISS on one of the most poignant aspects of my personality.

But enough psychoanalysis. I am planning my last show to be my birthday party this year on November 7th, so please keep the date open on your calendars. I will be sharing the stage w/ some people you may know. Anyone who has never seen me perform but believes you should check out your friend's passionate pursuits at least once will need to step up. Or if you just feel bad about the sob story in the last two paragraphs, come humor me. Bear in mind that it's not just my drumming, but a lot of my song arrangements and vocal/guitar ideas on display. Look out for a facebook event invitation soon.

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

going on tour with Eden a.d.

I'll be driving around in a rented van and staying in cheap motels for 15 shows in 15 days:
Sun, AUG 10th - Boston,MA
Mon, AUG 11th - Albany,NY
Tue, AUG 12th - Buffalo,NY
Wed, AUG 13th - Erie,PA
Thu, AUG 14th - Cleveland,OH
Fri, AUG 15th - Mansfield,OH
Sat, AUG 16st - Mokena,Il
Sun, AUG 17th - Lake Villa,IL
Mon, AUG 18th - Indianapolis,IN
Tue, AUG 19th - Dayton,OH
Wed, AUG 20th - Pittsburgh,PA
Thu, AUG 21st - Washington,DC
Fri, AUG 22nd - Baltimore,MD
Sat, AUG 23rd - Philadelphia,PA
Sun, AUG 24th - New York,NY

If anyone is near one of those towns and wants details, let me know.

Everyone else, please note that I'll be outta town during that time and not responding to emails very thoroughly.

Monday, 11 February 2008

Guess Eric's Weight

it's a fun game, let's play it.
I'll give the answer when I have a satisfactory number of responses (this could be never)
------------------------
mtsai129 wins. She guessed 145 and I was 143 last I checked. the prize was an eprop. congratulations.
recent conversations suggested I looked heavier than I was, but this dumb game proved otherwise, as the average guess was only a couple pounds off from my actual weight.
yipeee what a waste of a xanga entry

Saturday, 05 January 2008

what I've been up to

Aside from taking a few breaks to...

....crash nancy's wedding in CA,

...hang out with esther and the Charmin' bears when they visited NY,

...attend a retreat,

...go on work-related trips to Boston...

...and England (where flying business class made me feel like Jim Carrey in Dumb n Dumber
when he was the weirdo hangin' out with all the rich people),

...I've been mostly scrambling to finish a full-length album by the end of the year.

We recorded drums professionally...

...but everything else was recorded in my bathroom, where we did a lot of
careful miccing and careful peeing,

...while I stared at this a lot and rudely Gchatted and AIMed between takes.

Meanwhile, we had a professional-quality photoshoot with my buddy Edmond,

...and I dug up some old schoolwork to use for the album art.

I just sent off the master CD and artwork files to the CD pressing place, so we should have them by the time we go off to Puerto Rico again in February. It bothers me that I haven't been able to hang out with people as much in the past few months, and I'm sorry for the times I flaked out or left early from stuff. But I've realized this will sort of continue for a while, cuz every album release should have follow-up.