Recently I was given a chance to interview local Melbourne band Written In Ink.

Written In Ink are a three piece Rock band, based out of Melbourne Australia.

Written In Ink consists of :

Adam: Lead Guitar/Vox, Joe: Drums, Chirs:Bass/Vox

You can visit there myspace page Here

Now here is what the boys had to say:

How long have you been playing?
as a band writtien in ink formed in mid 2007. as individuals we’ve all fairly experinced in music. all been in various bands in the past.

How did you get into playing music?
Joe: Mama gave me 2 spoons and I started from there.
Adam: followed my dad, he was a lead singer in a band.
Chris: Come from a musical family but chose bass because everyone wanted to play guitar.

Who are your idols in music, what band’s have influenced or inspired you?
Adam: Bon Jovi and bands that have influenced me are bands such as guns n roses. motley crue.
Joe: Pearl Jam and Chilli Peppers
Chris: Sam Rivers mainly. He was the bassist of Limp Bizkit. Good control of drive and all. Very moody sound.

Where is the one place you’ve always wanted to play?
Adam: Rod Laver, Vodafone Arena or any hard rock cafe in america.
Joe: MCG, Telstra dome some massive sporting arena would be a dream.
Chris: Somewhere european… and maybe japan.

If you are (or have) going (gone) to college, what would you major in?
Adam: I don’t know? Something to do with sport.
Joe: Women. OH YEAH!
Chris: I’d be a video gaming guru dude. And chuck on loads of weight. YEAH.

What’s your Favorite Website?
Adam: Myspace.com,
Soccernet Joe: youtube.com
Chris: something with porn. lol

How long have you been playing?
Adam: 10 years
Joe: 20 years
Chris: A few years

What other bands have you played with & how (if at all) have they influenced you ?
The Invitation. They’re a super tight band

Where have you played so far?
Espy, revolver and cubby house just to name a few…

Plans for the future ?
Adam: Write, Record, Play Shows. Be happy
Joe: Make heaps of cash.
Chris: I want to be happy… and make cash too. while being happy and good to people!

I want to thank the boys for there time, and encourage you all to check them out!

This is going to contain a few quotes from songs by Circle Takes The Square. I’ve been listening to them a lot lately (thanks Bug), and I’m finding a lot of relevance and meaning in their music and lyrics.

“Life is lowly, lowly anonymity.”

Why do so many of us feel unloved, and unwanted. Why are we rejected, always? Does not each one of us deserve to be loved? Life is lowly anonymity. No one knows who we are, no one cares weather or not we exist. What’s the point of this meaningless existence? Why do so many people try to commit suicide?

“in death a noble pose”

Death brings out honesty. It’s not until someone dies that people will say ’he really was a great guy, I wish I’d gotten to know him better.’ What’s wrong with doing it before they die? Just telling one person that you care about them, that you appreciate the fact that they exist, might make all the difference, it might even save a life.

“Tell me who wouldn’t give their lives for such a soap box to die behind”

Everyone wants to be something, achieve something before they die. No one wants to die as a nobody. But the truth is, we don’t realise how many lives we effect, we don’t know who truly cares about us. We’re so wrapped up in our own self pity, so blinded by our tears, we can’t see into the hearts of those who care.

“But the only truth is change, have patience”

Our biggest problem is that we give up too soon. Sometimes you need to have your heart torn to shreds. Sometimes you need to be reminded that you are a weak and pathetic human, that’s how you learn and grow. It might make you cynical, but there’s strength in finding your weaknesses. It’s only when you reach the bottom that the journey upwards begins.

“There’s so much hope buried underneath tragedy”

Learn, Live, Grow. Sometimes tragedy leads to happiness. Don’t give up when it all goes wrong, your life isn’t over, even though it may feel like it is.

“Time heals wounds, but you have to learn to live with the scars”

Not CTTS quote, but one of my own, from a novel I’m writing. I don’t know if it will ever get published, but I’ve got to try. I’ve got to take my own advice.

P.S. Go find yourself some real emo music. I recommend Circle Takes The Square.

Yesterday two of my friends and the mother of one of said friends were taking a long drive down to the amusement park. Summer is almost over, so we might as well get in as much fun as we can with the remainder of it.

“Can we stop for lunch somewhere?” asked one friend.

“There’s a McDonald’s right off of this exit, want to go in there?” responded his mother. We all nodded yes. She made a right and we were on our way to McDonald’s.

Several minutes later we were standing in line at McDonald’s, getting ready to order. I tapped my friend on the shoulder and said quietly, “Hot chick just walked in, look to your right.”

“Dude I hate those whiny emo bitches. They’re like a walking death with nice tits.”

“She’s wearing a fucking Minor Threat shirt, it can’t be that bad.”

And in typical me fashion, I slid out of line and walked in her direction. She got hotter with every step I took. She had that big poofy scene chick hair that I like so much and was wearing a huge ass pair of headphones; the kind that cancel out all the noise around you. Apparently she was with a group of friends, as I was later told, but I was too focused on her C cups to notice.

I was standing directly in front of her.

“I like your shirt. They’re one of my favorite bands,” I stated.

She took off her headphones and wrapped them around her neck. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I like your shirt. They’re one of my favorite bands,” I repeated.

“Haha, me too. I like your shirt as well.” She pointed down at my Circle Takes the Square tee.

I came.

I tried to keep my cool. “I didn’t think a lot of people liked them,” I said.

“Neither did I,” she replied.

My semen was dripping down my leg. There was a bit of an awkward pause.

“What are you listening to?” I asked. I thought I could hear City of Caterpillar’s “And You’re Wondering How a Top Floor Could Replace Heaven” faintly out of her headphones, but I wasn’t so sure.

“City of Caterpillar.”

I didn’t think I would ever stop cumming at this point. My shoes were becoming warm and sticky. I felt like Tim Allen in a dressing room for young boys. I wanted to rip off all of her clothes right there and have violent intercourse with her.

“I think we’re going to be good friends,” I said.

Sigh. If only something like this would actually happen.

Here’s the deal: If there is a recent or upcoming album release that you would like me to review, either comment on this entry or reply to the appropriate thread on our forums. If you can’t come up with something for me to review, I’ll come up with something on my own – which I doubt will be very helpful to you, because my taste is likely very different from yours.

If you need any help with recent or upcoming releases of music, here are some helpful sites with recent and upcoming releases:

Sputnik Music
Metacritic’s release calender

*****

A bit about my music taste:

I don’t want you guys to get the idea I hate emo, pop/punk, post-hardcore, post-emo, screamo, punk, hardcore, et cetera. I love all of these genres. What I don’t love is crappy music, and unfortunately, many of you listen to it. If I’m given a crap album to review I will tear it a new asshole. Don’t think I won’t. Don’t think that for a second. I also apologize in advance for any genre confusion or any other misinformation I write about. I try my best. Here are some bands I like in the aforementioned genres:

AFI, Against Me!, Alkaline Trio, Anti-Flag, At the Drive-In, Bad Brains, Bad Religion, Biffy Clyro, Black Flag, blink-182, Bomb the Music Industry!, Bouncing Souls, Brand New, and so on. I don’t want to end up listing my entire music library.

If I don’t get to a review within the next week, you can expect me to start them towards the middle of August. Otherwise, the next entry from me will be about my time in SoCal with Griff and the album we will be recording together.

The Following information was found at: http://www.warpedtour.com
And Is listed here to save you the clicking of an extra page to get the information.
And to make me look useful. But mainly to save your finger strength from the clicking.

                       June Tour Dates:
               20, 21,22 (CA)
 25 (AZ)
26 (NM)
28 (VT)
29 (CO)                                   Bands(Currently) Playing at The June Tours:1997                               COH!3
A cursive Memory      Action Design
A day To remember   Against Me!
The Aggrolites             The Academy is…
The All-American Rejects
The Audition                Alesana
Anberlin                        Angels and AirwavesAugust Burns Red     As I lay Dying

Beat Union       Between The Trees
The Briggs       Broadway Calls
The Bronx       Charrolete Sometimes
Cobra Starship The Color Feud
The Devil Wears Prada
Entice              Ever Green Terrace
Everytime I die
The Fabulous Rudies    

Family Force Five (Except 19,20,26)
Farewell
Forever the Sickest Kids  From First to Last
Gym Class Heroes         Greely Estates
The Higher                   Horrorpops
Hunter Revenge            Jefree Star
Kate Perry                    The Lordz
Lost Point                     Love Equals Death
The Main                      Mayday Parade
Mayleene and the sons of Disaster
Miricle Dolls
Norma Jean                   Oreska
Panthon                        Peirce the Veil
Protest the hero             Reel Big Fish
Relient Kay                    Say Anything
Set your Goals               Shwayze
Stick to your Guns          Story of the Year
Street Dogs                         Tat
Treaty of Parice              Your Heighness Electra
Valencia                        We The Kings

 Updates will be made accordingly.

After a year and a half hiatus, the popular punk band Alkaline Trio are in the recording studio making their new album Agony and Irony which is out on July 1st. The band said that that with this particular album they wanted to go ‘back to their roots’ with songs closer to their early work. Alkaline Trio also stated that the music will still be dark like 2005′s Crimson but in a different way. You can check out one of their new songs on their myspace Here

Alkaline Trio’s music was popularized by their fast tempos, additively catchy choruses, and dark themes. This included things like: Alcoholism, fire, and death. The band had been around since 1996 and if you haven’t checked them out I strongly suggest you do.

Another popular band recording are The All-American Rejects releasing their third album. They stated that they won’t try anything revolutionary and are just trying to ‘go with the flow’ with this album. AAR are trying for a more ‘real’ sound, and said they are going to make every song count. The album should be released sometime mid September if ‘all goes as planned.’

If you don’t know who the All-American Rejects are you should. The bands first album wasn’t a huge success but the song Swing Swing. The song garnered much popularity but many supposed the band was a one hit wonder. However with their second album came Dirty Little Secret. Move Along won two categories in the 2006 MTV music awards.

Finally the band Anberlin is also in the studio making an album. This will be a follow up to their 2007 Cities. Frontman Stephen Christan stated ‘Luckily, this album is gonna be the best work of our careers.’ A new contract with Universal will allow them to make the album exactly the way they want to. The album is currently unnamed but is set for August 1st.

Anberlin has released many singles including: A Day Late, Paperthin Hymn Godspeed, and The Unwinding Cable Car They’re a great band and I strongly recommend them.

Be sure to check in soon, I’ll be posting Alternative Magazines ’100 Bands you need to know in ’08′.

If you have any news for upcoming albums, new bands, or band break ups, PM me on the forums or send me a message on my myspace

-Xenomorph

I talked about this cd a little bit before when I announced the 2008 Emo Valentines Day contest, but I thought I would come back and dedicate an entire post to this amazing CD.

The Emo Anti-Valentines Day CD is the String Quartets tribute to some of the most influential mainstream emo bands. I didn’t agree with this cd initially and was not sure how much I would actually enjoy it. But having lisened to it quite a bit lately in my car, I have to admit all of these songs are pretty awesome as instrumental tributes.

So far I would have to say my favorites are Hands Down (Dashboard Confessional) and Dance, Dance (FOB). There’s also songs from the Plain White T’s, Panic! at the Disco, Taking back Sunday, Underoath, Senses Fail, My Chemical Romance, The Used, Brand New, Red Jumpsuit Aparatus, Thrice, and Hawthorne Heights.

There’s just something really emo about this. Your not going to hear it on the radio, and you probably wont listen to the CD for a year, but it would make a really good valentines gift to your emo counterpart

If you didn’t catch the announcement, you can win a free copy of the Anti-Valentines CD in this years Valentines Day contest (details).

Emo Anti-Valentines Day CD on Vitamin Records site.

Emo.

Since the beginning of time, or at least since the start of the 20th century, there has been a hu-bub about the phrase, “emo”.
Many would argue to believe that it is a,

“way of life”
“state of mind”
or a
“fashion statement”

Sadly, many people’s minds have been bent by society and all of its lies towards the untrue idea of these definitions.
I get asked the question, “what is emo?” on a frequent basis. Most of the time by curious parents who have no idea what on earth it is.
What I tell them, is that “emo” is a genre of music, and if their mind has already been tainted by the world’s outlook of the word, i also tell them that it in no way describes someone who is depressed, cuts themself, or wears black. It usually takes them a while to get that through their head, if it even does.

Now, if you’re still confused, I’ve found a series of four videos that explain what “emo” is rather nicely. I recommend you checking them out, favoriting them, commenting them… whatever. It’s your choice.

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4

Take care. <3

It’s been a long time since there was an Emo Bucket contest, but we have 2 upcoming contests for you. The first contest is the 2008 Valentines Day Contest. You can win a $25 iTunes card and an Emo Anti-Valentines Day CD, or a $15 iTunes card.

All you need to do to enter is submit a poem, valentines day card, or any original way to tell someone that you lover them in an emo way

Check out the 2008 Valentines Day Contest

The CD were giving away, the Emo Anti-Valentines Day CD, is from Vitamin Records and has fourteen string quartet tributes to some of the most popular mainstream emo bands including: Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard Confessional, Panic! at the Disco, and Fall out Boy.

Or as they say:

Flowers die. Candy makes you fat. This year save some money by saying no the greeting card companies’ conspiracy. If you’re one of the millions of people who don’t have a date for the 14th, Vitamin Records has your back! This compilation features fourteen hardcore, string quartet tributes to some of emo’s most legendary artists. Love blows! This doesn’t!

If you like the acoustic versions of songs, you need to try listening to the instrumental versions. I’ve listened to a few songs by the String Quartet and their all pretty good and true to the original track. I honestly didn’t think this CD was going to be all that great when I first heard about it, but I have a copy I’ve been listening to all day. It’s really chill, and is starting to grow more on me :-O

Check out the cd on vitamin records site for a full list of songs.

<3 flowmo

Which bands are emo?

A lot fo different people claim many different bands are emo. To me it ums up to about this:

Mainstream Emo: listened by 12 and 13 year olds, adults who dont know what emo is, and girls that also listen to Fergie and Nelly Furtado.
eg: Fall Out Boy, Cute Is What We Aim For, P!ATD, Paramore, etc.

Screamo: Heavier tunes listened my metalheads or emos that just like metal.
eg: FFTL, Chiodos, Alesana, Escape The Fate, etc.

Punk Emo: listened to by random kids of any ages
eg: Simple Plan, Angels and Airwaves, New Found Glory, etc.

Acoustic Emo: Listened by often very not emo people who are interested in Folk and softer tunes, or anybody else who wants to make a change
eg: Bright Eyes, Death Cab For Cutie, Secondhand Serenade, etc.

Rock Emo: Has more of a rock feel with emo lyrics. Can go from mainstream to underground.
eg: Billy Talent, Count The Stars, Funeral For A Friend, Taking Back Sunday

Ready-To-Sell-Emo: There are some bands that belong in the other catigories that belong here also. This is mostly to recondnize bands that are mostly known for their good looks then actual musical talent (I’m already hearing the complains of people).
eg: Three Days Grace, Hawthorne Heights (though I find them ugly), Boys Like Girls, Caretl, etc.

 You might agree or disagree with me, but just to prove that there are many subcultures in a subculture. So to all you people who go around calling someone a poser, well they do listen to emo music. Its just different form what you listen to.