let me say this.. I was gone for two weeks. one week in Hong Kong, China and one week in Bangkok, Thailand.
While I was gone, I also went to Lop Buri Thailand and Macau China.
I think that I liked both places for different reasons. I think that Thailand is way more fun and has great food and Hong Kong is a great city to photograph.
Anyway, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves about HK and below…
Thailand fun facts;
1. There are approximately 12 garbage bins in all of thailand.
2. The entire joint is run 100 % by children. I mean I sincerely saw a 14 year old driving a fucking train while on my way north.
3. If provoked, monkeys will jump on your head while their brother monkeys will steal your “borrowed” scooter keys.
4. It is possible to ask a random stranger in thailand where to rent scooters and they will “find” you three scooters to “rent” from random people on the street.
5. Thailand is officially sponsored by Pepsi. This includes ruins and temples.
6. It is possible to purchase any food on a stick and any liquid in a bag on the street.
7. Part of the direction giving strategy in thailand is to find someone who knows less than you do and passing off the tourist to them.
8. Haggling over 50 cents has never been so much fun.
9. Thai coffee = like a handjob in a cup. A very inexpensive handjob.
10. Thailand “the worlds leader of white people with bad dreadlocks”\
11. Best chance to see your uncle picking up a thai hooker.
12. I think thailand might be the cheapest place in the world. Top ten at very least.
Things purchased and at what price;
A laser point used to blind random strangers / tourists = 11 us dollars
A 2 hour taxi to the floating market where the taxi driver waited for us for another 1.5 hour and then a 1.5 hour drive back= 20 dollars a person (3 people)
A 3.5 hour train ride north to lop buri = 2.8 dollars total. (That’s about 84 cents per person)
A 1000 year old manuscript = 30 dollars
A night of drinking btwn 5 people = 40 dollars.
A 3 hour tour of temples in the back of a tuk tuk = 2 dollars
1 bottle of water: 21 cents
Handmade tailored vest : 48 dollars
So I went to see Jonah Matranga (Far, Onelinedrawing, New End Original, Gratitude) at Mercury Lounge last night and as usual, he was pretty brilliant.
(check out his lars Von Trier shirt.. ode to VH!)
Jonah might be one of the most approachable men in rock and he is sincerely pretty humble all around. I talked to him before the show and he was just as nice as could be and even played two songs I asked for including Got my List and Man Overboard by Far. He started off his set with Weezer’s “Say it Ain’t So.”
Anyway, check out the video I took of him below. He talks about his appreciation for Adam Lambert’s weirdness and his unappreciation for John Mayer. Very funny …
so below are some of the pictures I took with MY PANORAMIC CAMERA. I hope you like these, I really love this camera and wish it didn’t cost me an arm and a thigh to get these developed and put on a cd.
So I guess it’s time to make the best of list. I mean, really, everyone else is doing it. Here is thepunkguy’s top.. 16. Not an amazing year for records for me. And as you’ll find out very quickly, I barely listened to anything with dominate vocals. Weird instrumental year for me.
OUR FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2008.
Rosetta – Wake / Lift (WEBSITE HERE.) This band, almost singlehandedly changed my taste in music this year. Like I have said in the past, metal with the vocals far back in the mix, creating a beautiful atmospheric noise. Amazing music to walk around new york city to.
track – Rosetta – Lift Part 3
31knots – Worried Well (WEBSITE HERE.) Consistently one of the most underrated bands that we love here on this website. This record is what 1998 indie rock would sound like if it kept progressing in strange and interesting ways. His voice is great.
track – 31knots – the breaks.
Bon – Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (WEBSITE HERE.) Like I even need to write about this album. Anyone who reads this site knows how much I love this album. if you like nature based pretty ethereal music with a bluesy voice, this ones for you.
tracks – Bon Iver – The Wolves (ACT I & II) (Live on NPR) Bon Iver – Skinny Love
LIVE ON LETTERMAN:
Lil’ Wayne – tha Carter 3 (WEBSITE HERE.) Like I even need to tell you who this is. Let me just say this, I am not sure if it’s the Codeine with Promethazine talking but Lil’ Wayne is pretty genius. I know I know, he looks ridiculous and seems pretty ignorant but anyone, and I mean anyone who writes rhymes yeast infection with geese erection, has to be some kind of prodigy. Either way, listen to the humor and metaphors below.
track – Lil’ Wayne – Phone Home (prod. by David Banner)
ASS – My get up and go just got up and went LP (WEBSITE HERE.) ASS is the initials for Sweden’s Andreas Söderström and also a ridiculous band name. He’s plays all the instruments on the record and occasionally sings. Think folk without the vocals (most of the time). Not to mention he does a kick ass version of the title track from Escape from New York *(below)
track – Ass – Escape from NY (Main Title)
VIDEO BELOW:
Russian Circles – Station (WEBSITE HERE.) By far my favorite instrumental record of the year. Just so calculated, so intricate without sounding soulless. Not too mention a great live show. For those who like instrumental music to be atmospheric and complex. Oh yea and they get metal occasionally too.
track – Russian Circles – Harper Lewis
Portishead – Third (WEBSITE HERE.)
After a long wait, Portishead finally delivers. Third sounds like Portishead’s KID A if that makes any sense. I really liked it.
track – Portishead – Machine Gun (Live)
This Will Destroy You – s/t (WEBSITE HERE.) Maybe my 2nd favorite instrumental record of the year. This one is like Russian Circles a little less complex, less metal but a bit more cinematic. Think Godspeed without 30 people in the band and huge crescendos. I do love it.
track – This Will Destroy You – the World is _______
the Mars Volta – Bedlam in Goliath (WEBSITE HERE.) A pretty good release from one of the band featuring members of my favorite band of all time. If you know them, you probably already hate them or love them. The singles are great.
The Grey Daturas – Return to Disruption (WEBSITE HERE.) Like Neurosis without the singer, the Grey Daturas is noisy and dissonant in the same way Explosions in the Sky is. The kind of music that would accompany the end of the world.
track – Gray Daturas – Demarration Disputes / Unity
Detektivbyrån – Wermland (WEBSITE HERE.) This Swedish band sounds like the theme music to a children’s TV show or maybe to a psychotic circus. Either way, this is great soundtrack music and a real fun listen.
track – Detektivbyrån – Om Du Möter Varg
VIDEO BELOW:
The Jimmy Cake – Spectre and Crown (WEBSITE HERE.) Does anyone get the feeling that all I listened to this year was instrumental music?? Weird, I know. The Jimmy Cake from Dublin, is a nice instrumental indie rock band with some classical instrumentation. Occasionally think, a voiceless Fugazi with strings. Sometimes.
track – The Jimmy Cake – Jetta’s Palace .
The Black Angels -Directions to see a Ghost (WEBSITE HERE.) This Texan Psychedelic band is just good old rock n roll. Think if A Band of Horses was around in like the 60’s. Must be a great band to see live.
track – the Black Angels – Doves
Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum end (WEBSITE HERE.) I always thought of Sigur Rós as the Icelandic Radiohead. What do you think about that? I am a total late bloomer when it comes to Sigur Rós but maybe it was my trip to Iceland that did it or what but finally I love this band. And this is a beautiful record.
track – Sigur Rós-gobbledigook
Asher Roth – The Greenhouse Mixtape (WEBSITE HERE. download the whole mixtape here) Next year’s Eminem, this mixtape shows a ton of potential with some great songs with a ton of stolen mixtape beats. The mixtape MC is totally annoying but if you can get over that check out the download.
track – Asher Roth – the Lounge
SOME RUNNER UPS
… And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead – Festival Thyme EP, Mammatus – The Coast Explodes, Deerhunter – Microcastles, OM – Subpop 7inch, Earth – The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull, Bon Iver – Blood Bank EP and a few more.
what were some of your favorites??
OUR BEST SHOWS OF 2008
1. Russian Circles – Mercury Lounge. The first time I saw them and was so impressed that I went out a bought tickets to see them a few months later at a bigger venue. Being a three piece and doing what they did was so impressive. (LINK HERE.)
2. Bon Iver – MHOW 07.30. Also the first time I got to see Bon Iver and it was really heartwarming. My only two complaints of the night were the girls screaming “I love YOU” and them ending with Skinny Love. When I saw them last week it was there second song. Thank god. (LINK HERE.)
3. Bluetip – Mercury Lounge 08.25. Click the link to read all about it. (LINK HERE)
4. Rival Schools – Knitting Factory CMJ 08. A reunited Rival Schools playing a small venue was THE ONLY show I saw for CMJ. Yes I know lame. Anyway, the show was a lot of fun and totally worth the wait. Walter sounded great and absolutely loved hearing them cover the Smith’s How Soon is Now.
A YEAR IN TRAVEL (and MISC.) PICTURES.
I traveled more over the last year than I have for most of my life, I left the country 4 times since Xmas of last year. Here are some pictures from those trips. (all pictures taken by Kristian Sorge)
Happy Endingz – tales from the erotic massage parlors
SOME SUPERLATIVES…
top movies..
1. Let the Right One in
2. The Dark Knight
3. Son of Rambow
TV shows
1. Mad Men
2. Pushing Daisies (fuck you for canceling this)
3. Dexter
4. Daily Show.
5. (catching up on ..) the Wire
food
peanut and bacon brittle from the Red Head
Abraço coffee on East 7th.
the veggie chipolte burger from Quantum Leap.
ok maybe that’s it for now. I just spent a whole Sunday doing this post. I’d like to thank everyone who reads this site and contributes and just is nice to me overall. pass this on to people and feel free to comment the fuck out of it….
I am back from Oahu, Hawaii and let me say this I have a really slight tan on my face.
I guess dreams do come true. Me and 6 friends traveled to Oahu for six days. We rented two cabins on the North Shore. The cabin was awesome and we were liked 30 feet away from the ocean. I swam everyday.
While I was there. I went on a boat, got thrown from a tube, saw sharks, drank a lot of beers, laughed with friends, ate smores, went to the Foodland about 100 times, met people dressed like rainbow brite and mclovin, picked up hitchhikers, met more people from NJ and drank beers, did I mention that??
(All pictures taken by Kristian Sorge for thepunkguy.com, please credit, click to make larger)
(from the plane)
As most of my travels end with, below is a list of things related to my hawaii trip;
A. United Airways can SAFO (suck a fat one). Seriously, I know this is totally my M. O. to bitch about my flights, but those doucheheads put you on a 9 hour flight, and then charge you 9 dollars for a fuckin meal? People in prison get a free meal every 6 hours don’t they?
B. People in Hawaii overuse aloha. I mean I know its part of the island’s culture but everything is fucking called Aloha. I mean its on their license plates. “The Aloha State”? What does that even mean??
C. Hawaii loves rice. With everything. Like pizza with rice. And fried rice with rice.
D. Hawaii is beautiful. Like retardedly beautiful. Even the dirt is pretty.
(a sunrise)
E. Surfing is everywhere. I mean its the “jesus” of hawaii.
F. Shark diving is exactly what it sounds like.
(the sharks we saw)
(the cage we were in when it happened)
G. Waikiki probably isn’t the best choice of places to be when they announce the new president of the united states. I was sitting in a restaurant called something like “the best gosh darn cheeseburger in hawaii” when 1 of the 3 flatscreens in the joint showed fox news’ lovely coverage of the election (the other two showed the same football game). Ugh.
So I walk over to the tv to watch it. Passing 3 girls drinking umbrella drinks asking the waitress to take their picture. Hmmmm. The other waitress walks by. “Something happen?”. There’s an understatement.
H. My (stolen) costume of that woman who faked carving a B in her face might have been a bit too high brow for Honolulu. My friend’s outfits of American Apparell models were even too hip for most people.
I. People hitchhike, wherever you go. Totally accepted in the North Shore.
Anyway I’m going to post some pictures below.
(USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor)
(Hawaii Kai from the water)
(crabbing at night)
(Waimea Bay from the sky)
(the perfect sunrise?)
(my favorite picture of the weekend. 5am with our neighbors next door)
Enjoy. Also check out the video of me getting my ass kicked while tubing. Its High Fucking Sterical.
Also thanks to the uncle murdles crew (their site HERE). Thanks pete and lyle. And thanks to everyone who went, I had a great time.
As per usual, a documentation of my trip to Paris and London. This was a considerably quicker trip than I am used to taking so the usual stories may seem a bit abridged but they are not, just less time to get in trouble. If you plan on stealing any images, please photo credit Kristian Sorge. Thanks.
Some things you might want to note.
PARIS:
a. It’s better to have a guide than not to have a guide. Everyone in Paris is a liar about not speaking English. They all do, they just like to see you squirm.
b. It’s pretty. I mean really fucking pretty.
c. There are a lot more Jewish people in Paris than I expected. I never met a French Jew before, this time I met 3. Weird.
d. The food there is pretty much awesome. As long as you like duck, things stuffed into ducks or duck livers. Ok, maybe that’s not it… but the food is really really great.
e. Note to late night (straight) drinkers. The only thing open after two am in paris besides clubs are gay bars. We found out on mistake. Oops.
LONDON:
a. The metros in London are way more efficient than most cities, with this said, they are NOT BETTER. London tubes seem to travel at -10 kilometers per hour and don’t have air conditioning. Not only do they not have AC but I think they intentional pump heat out on hotter days. It was brutal..
b. Our money isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. When I landed in London, I exchanged 600 American dollars. Want to know what I got back? 270 English pounds. WTF? Seriously. Don’t go unless you’re rich or we get out of this economic slump. (good luck on that.)
c. There are only three good foods in England, the English breakfast (see below), beer and Indian food.
d. Go to Rough Trade records, ill say it again. That place is like the Amoeba Records of EU.
e. Beer drinking is so popular in England they have a place called Wetherspoons, which is like the TGIF’s of beer. No shit. Check it out HERE.
f. People like to dance. And I don’t mean like in NYC when you get drunk and dance to Bon Jovi at the local rock bar. I mean the only place open on the weekdays past 11 are full blown techno spots. So make sure you drink a ton before midnight.
g. They have real history. Not like our “Thomas Edison shat here” or anything like that, they have like fuckin’ buildings from 1402 there.
h. I don’t understand the Queen. I’m sorry..
i. it’s a 5 month waiting list to have a cup of 90 dollar tea at the Ritz. Book now.
Some notes about my trip..
I had two great guides for each city, so thank you Clarisse and Craig, you guys made my trip awesome. Craig, no more late night chicken or kebab, seriously, that shit fucked me up hard core.
When traveling with family members like I did, please be prepared to:
wear headphones, talk a ton about how nuts your childhood was, find out about things you never would have expected from your cousins, take a ton of pictures, drink pints.
That being said, I had a really nice time with my cousin, my other cousin and his wife. Nice to know I have a little family out there..
BELOW ARE SOME PICTURES that may or may not have some explanations next to them.
click to see larger images..
a. Words mean different things in London. I really like this picture. I don’t know why.
b. This is the Eiffel Tower, this was the closest we came to seeing it. Is that bad??
c. These kids really wanted to talk English to us. Then I think they were going to jump rob and rape me. They scared me a lil.
d. This is Notre Dame. My friend Clarisse’s friend Camille couldn’t laugh harder when I pronounced it like we do. Ha ha ha.
e. We went to an antique exhibit featuring some of the most expensive Art / Furniture / Antiques known to man. I liked this painting. I think it was like 20 years old. Typical.
f. This is St Bruno, I know nothing about it since we just walked by it. But it seems that Paris is always in the “magic hour” of dusk. I swear.
g. This guy must have REALLY needed to make a public phone call.
h. Possibly one of the three best pictures I took while I was on my trip. This is taken from that Church up high in the city. Sucre… C’mon people, help me out…
i. Top two best pictures I took. I love this. Once again, the Magic Hour..
j. This is London Bridge, as in the song. How fucking anticlimactic is that?
k. London Tower and a grey sky.
l. A real English breakfast. No Joke.
m. If someone asked me the vital difference between America and Europe is, is that there is no way that Starbucks in America would trust its public with real mugs when they wanted to stay with their coffee.
n. Read: real old castle. Really old.
o. This pub we drank in was from like the 1700’s. It was the finest place I have ever drank beer. Period.
p. This is also London Tower, this is also one of my favorite pictures of my trip.
so that’s it. overall it was a lot of fun. leave comments if you want, let me know if you want to see more pictures too.
So last night I went to see the Bluetip Reunion show at Mercury Lounge in NYC and it was fan fucking tantastic. Let’s just say, if you live in London or Spain, see them this week or else you’ll regret it for a long time.
Opening up was Garrett from Texas is the Reason’s new band, Surrounding Areas. It sounded like a slowed down possibly, at times, country influenced, Texas. Good but not spectacular.
(click to make all pictures grow!)
Next up was Retisonic, featuring Jason F in the band that chronologically followed Bluetip. That’s right 4 bands, two of them featuring Jason Farrell. This must have made the women swoon for sure.
Retisonic sounded great and were way better than I remember them being the first time I saw them a few years back.
Next up were the Netherlands. And don’t ask me how this band got on this show. The lead singer was wearing a cape. No joke. A cape. They were sort of goth inspired metal and I didn’t stay long to hear much from them. So let’s move on…
Finally, Bluetip came up and just blew everyone away. They sounded so tight and just so damn anthemic. They played almost every song I wanted to hear (besides Castanet) and really just fucking rocked it. Check out the picts.
wednesday, aug 27th
BLUETIP and HOOVER at The Underworld, LONDON
very excited to be back in the UK, and to be playing with our labelmates/friends. http://www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk/
Fri aug 29 and Sat Aug 30
RETISONIC / BLUETIP at the SANT FELIU FESTIVAL (just north of Barcelona, Spain)
the crowning jewel: with Hoover, the Locust, arcwelder, matt pond pa, bullitt, and many others http://www.santfeliufest.com/
