The Kite, Plus You, Plus Me

You have to run if you want to make it fly,

Head against approaching winds 

So it can slowly reach the sky.

Steadily unravel the thread and let it rise

An amazing thing is happening right before your eyes.

**Watch it fly...Watch it glide

Watch the kite making its climb

Ready to feel...Something real

Letting child like naiveté be our guide.**

Lose yourself and never mind your predetermined path

Never knowing what's to come,  

Just zig zagging along the grass.

Glancing behind only to see how it's progressed

How long it'll last at it's highest point 

Is anybody's guess.

**Watch it fly...Watch it glide

Watch the kite making its climb

Ready to feel...Something real

Letting child like naiveté be our guide.**

Can't remember feeling so above the ground.

Don't recall this feeling of having someone around.

Couldn't tell you the last time I've felt this, if I tried.

Wouldn't know how to describe

When happiness makes u cry,

Two pairs of eyes come together in perceiving

Potential in a world of trust where no one is deceiving.

All that's here is what you see 

A kite, a boy a girl. 

Enjoying life, growing free

Let's give this thing a whirl.

The kite plus you plus me.

**Watch it fly...Watch it glide

Watch the kite making its climb

Ready to feel...Something real

Letting child like naiveté be our guide.**

Here for the Music: Circa Survive

          On May 05th, 2010 I flew to San Francisco, California to see Coheed and Cambria live in concert. I had heard there was a band called Circa Survive supporting this leg of touring and I was intrigued. I chose not to listen to their music before seeing them perform because I prefer to judge bands on their energy and live vibe on stage rather than develop predisposed opinions based on studio tracks. However, I noticed a lot of fans gathering in excitement and the temptation to hear some songs developed. But I held out, instead looking up some lyrics to see if I could get a feel of what they were about. After just a glance of a few written words, I knew I was in for a treat.

          At the show, I'm up front against the rail, and the crowd was growing behind me. I was at the show alone so instead of conversing and drinking with friends, I stood and waited. The filler music kept me entertained and eventually the lights came down and I felt the force of more than 500 fans pushing against my back, a feeling I've grown accustomed to as a regular concert goer. Circa Survive made their way to the stage. The crowd was screaming and pushing and the first lyrics hadn't even been sung.

          Finally, Anthony Green steps forward and screams "I can't get started from the part where I left off..." then outstretches his mic to the audience, where they scream back at him "Yesterday!" and the first song begins. Throughout the set, Circa Survive just delivers every punch of live music bliss to the faces of those in the audience. Whether you were right up front or so far back you couldn't tell who's lips were moving when, you felt it. The on-going energy and connection flowing from the band's moves and range of vocals to us in the crowd.  With songs like "Glass Arrows" and "Imaginary Enemy" (From their new album "Blue Sky Noise"), the set was a winner and the never fading electricity of their performance had clearly made a fan out of me.

          That Spring I followed Coheed and Cambria's YOBR tour, and my love for Circa Survive grew. When I found out they would be back supporting Coheed in the Fall (Along with The Dear Hunter, another band I have grown to love), my heart grew with anticipation. Now more familiar with the band and their music, I found myself just as excited to see them as I was for the headliner. After another tour came to an end, I was determined to see Circa play the main stage. And so I did.

          Cut to November 29th 2010. Circa Survive at Irving Plaza, NYC. The last stop of their tour for the year. They were headlining and taking no prisoners. For this show, I was up in the balcony so I had the perfect view of the band and the audience. Their interaction, the love being shared between artist and fan, such a sight to experience. They opened with "Strange Terrain", and I was instantly taken away. The flow between songs throughout the set was perfection and Green immersed himself into every tune, from jumping across the stage, hitting every note, to diving into the audience, not missing a beat. At one point, he had members of the band's fan club (aka "The Creature Club") come on stage to sing during "Sprit of the Stairwell", a song he had dedicated to his son who was sleeping back stage.

          It was truly a roller coaster of emotions, and just before they played their final song "I Felt Free", Green took a moment to thank all of the fans for the on going support and expressed his love and appreciation for us being there. His words were heartfelt and brought tears to my eyes. As the last song was being played, members of the opening bands and basically anyone who was back stage jumped in and sang along, hugging it out and dancing about, while confetti and balloons were released. It was the perfect show to end out the year.


   Circa Survive deliver songs that can be taken to mean anything you want them to mean. No message is the wrong message, and that's what's so great about their music. Aside from the range of vocals and high pitch heart felts Green delivers per track, the instrumentals manage to keep up and not fade into the background. No one aspect of the music outshines the other. They perform unlike many bands out today, full of heart and life, as though each performance will be their last.  No two nights are alike, and I've seen them play day after day for weeks at a time. Though I have a few songs I favor more so than others, I do enjoy each album this band has put out and I highly recommend each of them to be heard at least once, all the way through. I look forward to being apart of their live experience again in the future, because it is indeed an experience for the musical books.

For all things Circa Survive: Click Here

Comics: Holy me likes: “C2E2 Exclusive TAW: IKS #9 cover preview.”

The next issue of The Amory Wars: IKSSE3 (issue 8) comes out on February 9th and I wait anxiously. What’s more exciting is that this baby has just been released. The exclusive c2e2 variant of issue 9, illustrated by Sam Wolfe Connelly. I absolutely live for these con exclusive variants and makes the experience of going to those events all the more grand. 

Also looking forward to see what Aaron Kruder can bring to the table of TAW. He will be replacing Chris Burnham as the series’ artist while Chris moves on to Batman Inc. An awesome gig if I do say so myself. Aaron’s work is quite amazing and we all welcome him with open arms. 

c2e2 is surely to be a great event. I’m working on a couple of things for Evil Ink Comics to showcase at the convention, as well as another treat of cosplay (mayhaps).

I can’t wait to go and see my favorite people surrounded by my favorite comics and comicbook lovers alike.

Btw, I’m fully prepared for the onslaught of friends asking me to pick up an issue for them. :)

Lyrics: "Blind Eye"

"Blind Eye"

Lost travelers of land

Find no destination,

if treading the sand's

Your mind's manifestation 

Of an escape unneeded 

From problems unheeded.

You should have stayed behind,

But you lied to us all. Cheated 

Yourself right from the start.

How could somebody so smart

Find a way to shed his logic. 

His body just falls apart.

Hiding behind ways of a loner 

Never did help.

Perhaps it was all of the

Personal shit you dealt

With on a day to day basis.

The constantly changing faces 

Of people once deemed 

Your true friends

All gone.

And you're left with loose ends.

Still, a blind eye's turned.

Against the one who's earned 

Your trust . No questions asked 

But now you're called out.

Your truths unmasked

If you leave this time, 

Let's bid farewell, goodbye

Warm welcomes won't exist.

Don't try to reach out.

You'll be dismissed.

Art: Coheed and Cambria Neverender: Second Stage Turbine Blade

To end the year of 2010 (or as most fans call "The Year of the Black Rainbow"), Coheed announced that they were going to celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2011 by performing their first album "Second Stage Turbine Blade" in its entirety with a second run of Neverender tours.

Here's some fun I had...

Excitement is indeed, stirring my brain cells, folks.

More info (including dates and venues) to be announced on Jan 10th. 

www.CoheedandCambria.com

Lyrics: Take it all back

Can you take back the night that we first kissed
It'll be one less moment to be missed
Can you unsay words that made me melt
I wanna forget the way it felt
(How great it felt)

To fall for you. I fell too soon
You know, you went away
But the memories stayed
Just take it
Take it all back

Would you please erase those mushy texts
Could we unhave all that dirty sex
I'll act as though you're just some guy
While you pretend I never saw you cry
(I never tried)

To fall for you. I fell too soon

You know, you went away

But the memories stayed

Just take it

Take it all back

Let's you and me go back

Way back before this trip began

I'm sorta tripping, stumbling

Trying to regain my story but

Your chapters flood my pages

Can't rip them out

The pictures are just too damn pretty

I would not help

I could not help

But to fall for you. I fell too soon

You know, you went away

But the memories stayed

Just take it

Take it all back

Let's undo and go back

(Just take it all back)

Please leave me and erase your memory

(Take it all back)

Lyrics: "I'm Coming To You, This Time"

A song based on a line from "Almost Famous"


To Russel, From Penny. 

Climb in here with me. Away 

From lights that blind your pretty eyes

Its warm in here, the quiet shade. 

An aid to help us sleep at night.

No rocking back and forth. The road's 

No place to rest your head

You call that box on wheels a home. 

But no one shares your bed.

I've made a fort of cigarettes 

And coffee cups to get us started.

The smell alone, instant regrets.

But reminiscent of when we last parted.

I was a little bit tipsy.

You were a little bit 'quiet soul'.

You said your chicken was shitty ,

So I offered some of my casserole. 

Chorus: 

**

I'd travel the world for 

Precious moments spent with you

Yet all you need is here, my darling fool.

And I won't move again, 

These feet stay put until you're mine.

When you sing "I'm coming to you, this time"

**

We measure time like no one else 

I know. It comes as no surprise. 

The two of us,  sad wishing wells. 

Just tossing pennies from the skies. 

How many places have we seen

Through two apposing points of view?

And when you're gone, does it just mean

Your feelings ride that plane with you,

Out of my life again?

Chorus: 

**

I'd travel the world for 

Precious moments spent with you

Yet all you need is here, my darling fool.

And I won't move again, 

These feet stay put until you're mine.

When you sing "I'm coming to you, this time"

**

Poem: "Little piece of heart for you"

(No title, just some words)

I need a parachute baby

I'm fallin

And I see no end in sight

Catch me if you will

Let me fall into those arms

Lest I crash, burning at your feet

And I will still kiss the ground you walk on.

San Diego Comic Con 2010

Claudio Sanchez and I at the con

I can't believe I managed to make it out to SDCC this year. Every year I try, and every year I fail, muttering to myself (sigh, maybe next time). And this time it happened! Thanks to my good friend Matt Melvin of Cyanide and Happiness, I was able to get a badge and fly out last minute to join him and many others at the biggest comic book convention EVER!
I ended up flying out alone, and truth be told, I was expecting the experience to be only sub par since I was going to be alone in a new place. However, as soon as I got on my plane, I knew the entire weekend was going to be perfect. Which it was.

The first event that promised good fortune on my trip was the plane ride itself. I ended up sitting next to a nice young lad from England who was at the con for work. We spoke the entire flight and became friends! If that wasn't enough, add realizing Claudio Sanchez and wife Chondra Echert were on the same flight as me! (I spotted them at baggage claim! I said nothing..lol)

Mr. Sanchez, Chonny, Blaze and Miki strike a pose!

I arrive at my hotel and it's BEAUTIFUL! They were ten minutes late in preparing my room so they upgraded me to the business suite with a view of the marina, Sea World (which held fireworks every night), the tropical little forest and pool (WITH WATER SLIDES) in the backyard, all to be seen from my balcony. It was amazing. And the Con hadn't even started!

When it does start, I arrive and meet the wonderful Miki (fellow coheed fan and street team member), Chris Burham (artist for Amory Wars, mentioned in previous posts), Blaze James (Coheed Manager and great human being I have yet to meet until now, after knowing him for over a year..lol) and the entire Boom! Studios gang (Claud, Chonny, Mr. Sheldon, Peter David)
To add a tasty cherry to the mix, my amazing friend Amanda was able to come up from long beach and stay with me for half the trip.

Chris Burnham and Peter David

The entire thing was just more than I could ever imagine. The life and energy at this event was something I will always find so invigorating. In a way, I found myself wishing I had the company of certain people when I was out there, some one to share the adventure with. But on the other hand, I was glad I ventured across the country on my own. I was able to fully appreciate the experience and had the freedom to meet up with all these amazing people who were just waiting to have a good time!



Now, I can go on and on about the wonderful things I experienced, but to sum up:

I had an AMAZING time at the Boom! Studios after party with the gang
I finally met someone I have so much respect for and have been wanting to meet for a while
I spent some time with great new friends and got to see my good good friend Amanda <3
I had a conversation interrupted by Gerard Way (I'm not mad at all.lol)
I saw AMAZING PANELS
I saw AMAZING COSTUMES
I Got A TON OF COMIC BOOKS/POSTERS/TOYS
I took A BUTTLOAD OF PHOTOS!

It was just, perfect.....

Art: "Dear Ambellina"

Laying in bed at 4am, I had a million things I should have been doing. Sleep being one of them. But I decided to do none of that, and instead played around with a photo I've had lying around for months.

Here's a portrait of the Prise Ambellina. A Character from Amory Wars. An angel of sorts who was forced to burn her wings off before starting embarking on a mission to find and protect the crowing, Claudio Kilgannon.

I really like this because it's a bit abstract and looks like a cool album cover <3

Budgie Does it Again

As some may know, I've recently started a short story challenge of sorts where someone gives me a title and a random word, and I'm to create a 200 word story. Unfortunately, because of hectic running around and lack of schedule, I've only been able to complete 2, with 3 more only half done.

If you're interested:
Challenge 1 "Plague of Hate"      
Challenge 2 "Savannah on the Moon"



Now, I was inspired to take part in this creative writing challenge by the talented Mr. Lee Barnett

Lee Barnett gave other writers, and readers of his blog, a simple challenge... to challenge HIM. He requested: "reply with a title (no longer than four words) about which you'd like me to write a fast fiction of exactly 200 words, along with a word you want me to include in the tale."

He then took the best 180 short stories and published them in a book called The Fast Fiction Challenge

He's now doing it again, and I stumbled across this and found his stories absolutely genius!
Some of my favorites include "Why is Orange" and "Once Within Memory"


I had to get in and offer him a challenge myself. And of course, he wowed me. I was HOPING he would do something with a science fiction feel and he did <3 Here was my challenge

Title: Autumn Gate Estimate
Word: scandalous
Challenger: @jazminlee23
Length: 200 words exactly

"The starship had taken sixteen months longer than expected to return to its home. The reasons for this were debated for further long months among the crew and other interested parties such as investors, regulators, the news media and the insurers.

Fourteen separate mutiny attempts over a three year period according to the ship’s log had, it was generally agreed, played some part in it, though this was more often put down to the experiment of having members of a single family comprising the majority of the thirty-seven crew complement.

There was also the question of faults in the construction, the later official inquiry revealed; voice activated internal doors that only opened when the word “scombroid” was whispered were found to be less than ideal.

The navigation computer had its third nervous breakdown as it approached the wormhole gate nearest the Autumn Nebula, and made repeated requests of a sexual nature to the crew, most of which were not granted.

The scandalous behaviour of the chief engineer, when it was discovered that he was neither Scottish, nor a drunk, also led to inaccurate conspiracy theories.

Accurate conspiracy theories were so much less fun, the actual conspirators knew, and relied upon."


Awesome right?? For more of Lee's work check out his Live Journal and follow him on Twitter. And bask in the glory that can be found in fast fiction ;)  

Yay, someone's using my work!

So I'm always making art and posters and fliers and junk for random bands and FINALLY someone is using my hard work! Good lord! I created a flier for an August show featuring two amazing bands. 3 and Terrible Things. Both bands run by the awesome Eppard Bros, Joey and Josh, respectively.

First, some background info on the banda (Thank you facebook <3)

"3 is a band apart: Dark yet uplifting, spiritual without any connection to religion - theirs is a sound that transcends the genre conformity of modern pop culture. Rapid-fire acoustic guitar infused with dynamic percussion, animated drumming and thunderous bass culminate in a listening experience that is at once accessible and unique. Polyrhythms pulse within a symphony of driving metal guitars and melodic vocal acrobatics. 3 offers musicality without pretension." Read more here...



"New Universal Motown band Terrible Things may be hailed as rock all-stars – with ex-Taking Back Sunday vet Fred Mascherino, Coheed and Cambria alumnus Josh Eppard, and Hot Rod Circuit guitarist Andy Jackson forming the powerful triumvirate.

Appetites whetted for the splintering, pointed rock we’ve come to expect from each member of the reserved trio should prepare for added twists to their own reliable brand this time around". Read more here...


Now they have a show on August 8th and I can't wait. I have yet to see these bands live and I would love nothing more than to see the Eppard bros kick ass back to back to back. So you could imagine how excited I got when I was asked by the wonderful Miss Neesh (The First Lady of all things Eppard in my opinion) to design a flier for the show. I, of course, jumped at the idea, creating a few different ones, and this is the one that made the cut.

I was extra thrilled because the dame in the photo just so happens to be me :)
(see pink photo on right)

Just felt like sharing with me 18 followers the little bit of pride I just felt seeing my work being used <3

To check out the event go here

Must Have: Original "Amory Wars" pages by Chris Burnham

"The Amory Wars", as most of my followers know, is a science fiction story behind the music of alternative rock giants Coheed and Cambria. Written by Co&Ca front man, Claudio Sanchez, the story has been told primarily through comics published under Evil Ink Comics. (If you haven't checked out the comics or the story behind the music, I URGE you to now. It's amazing.)

The story of Amory Wars, is told throughout each of the band's 5 albums, usually along with some literature to correspond with each album's story. That is, with the exception of "NWFT", which, aside from fans' own interpretations ( found on Cobalt), still stands at a blur, story wise.
(When are we gonna hear about that one, guys?)

Their last album "Year of the Black Rainbow" was actually released as a full hardcover novel, telling the origin story of Coheed and Cambria, the two main characters for which the band is named.

The comics have not been around as long as the music, so obviously they are lagging behind. The first two volumes of The Amory Wars have been released in single issue and TPB form. THOSE coincide with the band's first album "Second Stage Turbine Blade". We are now up to the second batch of comics entitled "Amory Wars: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3", telling the story of the band's second album of the same name. I got the first issue covers A and B (Signed, thank you very much!)... and they are amazing. The writing and the art flow together so beautifully...


:::WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE POINT OF THIS BLOG:::

Chris Burnham is an amazing artist who worked on The Amory Wars as well as many other comics. His work is stunning and I'm a big fan to say the least. He has a bunch of his ORIGINAL AMORY WARS PAGES up for sale at www.cadencecomicart.com and I MUST have one.

So to all my dear friends, allies and loves alike, my birthday is in 4 days. <3

Story Challenge #2 "Savannah on the Moon"

Challenger: Anonymous 
Title: "Savannah on the Moon""
Word: Vonbraun

The day had reached its end. The animals were fed, 
the family asleep, and Khali was finally left to 
watch the sun set just beyond the crater in peace.  

He made his way to a tree that sat a few short 
miles from home with the softest patch of grass 
beneath it. Years of laying in this particular 
patch had created a nook perfectly fit for his 
unique form. The rising mist of the freshly 
developing spring nearby brushed his face and 
cooled his skin with every breeze. 

Looking up he could see the faint glow of the 
Vonbraun as it hovered just above the night sky. 
He wondered if it knew he could see it, or if it 
even knew of his existence. Was it capable of 
learning more than its assigned lessons? Could it 
forget things? Could it lie?   

His supreme honor Oliseo told him and the others 
that the Vonbraun had made a pit stop there on its 
voyage to another planet. 
 
He said it had ventured from an entirely different 
universe, looking for life on this other planet a few 
light years in the other direction..

But we live on a moon..  

Talk about lost.

Story Challenge #1 "Plague of Hate"

Challenger: Joey Nova
Title: "Plague of Hate"
Word: callous

The community was nearing the realms of non existence.

Elder Lee Boyle made it clear that the sudden wave of deaths was more than unfortunate coincidences. He was certain that this was something sent from a higher power to punish their people. To kill off all those actively against what he called "The Deliverance."

"The Deliverance" he explained, was a daily sacrifice to be determined in the form of a lottery. An event that needed to take place in order for their people to reach a state of rich land and morals.

Unfortunately, nobody would believe, or admit, that their god was an angry boy who only wanted a single gift and, when denied, would take a greedy handful to compensate.

He sat in his little crevis in the settlement and spoke enchantments to the winds as those around him dropped like flies. With his callous fingers, he marked on his wall the names of the passing, and proclaimed all should follow his leading in order to avoid the wrath of god.

He cried the words "An agreed end of one, prevents untimely ends of many, the many perhaps, in the end, being more deserving of life than the one."

Short Story Challenge

Following in the footsteps of the talented Lee Barnett, I want to try his fast fiction challenge. Give me a title of 4 words or less, and a word you want me to mention, and I'll write a short story of exactly 200 words.

Also, when offering your challenge, please leave your name and Twitter or facebook id so I can tell you when I've completed your story...

Ready? GO!

Art: Weerd Science

One more for the night for Mr. Eppard

If you can’t beat ‘em, beat ‘em. Cuz they’ll be expecting you to join them, and you’ll have the element of surprise.

Publics Private Mini-stories (Issue 2)

After spending the day in San Fransisco, I was sitting on the plane home to New York and saw a woman sitting in the opposite isle from me... She looked nervous/excited. I myself had just finished a 3rd cup of coffee and started getting jitters so I started writing on my itouch a little story about the woman....


"I'm Gonna Ride This Plane...."


It began on the 11:30 am flight to New York City. She was anxious and the 3 servings of complimentary coffee on the plane did all but help to calm her nerves. She had never been to New York before. Born and raised in San Francisco her entire life, it had never occur to her to venture outside the realms of the place she called home. As far as she was concerned, everthing that could possibly make and keep her happy resided right here.

As it was, she was single and lived alone with a dog she had named Robert. She found a small humor in the irony of giving pets human names. Before Robert, there was Roxanne the goldish. Roxanne didn't last very long, as she met her end by way of a poorly balanced shell lamp placed on a shelf just above her fish tank. When people would ask, however, she simply expained that the fish no longer "went well" with her apartment, in an attempt to avoid being seen as a fish killer...

She started on her fourth cup of coffee, thinking to herself that, in a matter of hours, she would finally meet the boy without whom the trip might never have taken place. She carried a photo of him clenched in her hand the entire flight. His Chrystal blue eyes that seemed to capture the calm yet earie beauty that could only live within the purest of oceans. He had scraggly blond hair that seemed to fight with itself about which direction it wanted to fall.

How could she be so in love with someone she knew so little about? This question was never raised in her mind because she knew it didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was going to see him, her darling Michael. The boy she'd been waiting to hold, who was now ready and waiting to be held by her.

This was her dream, and she knew they would live happily ever after, as soon as she signed the adoption papers all those months ago.

Publics Private Mini-stories (Issue 1)

So while waiting at best buy, I sat and started observing the people around me. There was a couple infront of me, browsing the movie section and I randomly started writing a make up story about them. I've decided that I'll do this as an ongoing thing. Perhaps connecting stories even. This is issue one:

"Best Buy Couple"
 
Clumsyly chasing him through the mall isles just passed the movie section, she instinctively hid behind the romantic comedies display and waited for him to drop his guard. He'd never think to look there. She stood and waited, peaking through the gap that separated 'the break up' and 'he's just not that into you', not realizing the irony of her position between the two. She watched him skim through the horrors and science fictions, eventually making his way to tv shows. He stopped at 'freaks and geeks' and she saw in his face the beat of nostalgia. See, this was there thing. They loved that show and always watched it together. He was her freak and she was his "geek". It wasn't the biggest of "things" but it was theirs. And for a fleeting moment, though it felt much longer than he would admit, he missed her. He missed the late nights of staying in and watching the show and the next days of quoting the most recent episode. And she watched this, the "fleeting moment" that proved to be all she needed to step out from the movie bushes. But she didn't. What would she say? He ended it for a reason after all, said they were "going in different directions" and that he hopes to "someday be friends again". She knew this was bullshit and was convinced there was someone else... Yet there she was, contemplating his fleeting moments, her very reason for following him here today. she looked at me with eyes seeking words of advice. I said nothing. All I could do was look down and tell the story to you. Before my eyes could meet hers again, they were both gone.