The "Drummer Game Face" Review

Our band Or The Children's Crusade is used to playing shows where we don't fit in. I'm fine with that, because its a constant reminder that, although most kids ages 14-18 leave during our set, we are (hopefully) trying something new in the wide world of sports. And by sports, I of course mean music. Which leads me to this blog post. Today I was walking home from one of my jobs at the coffee shop, and I was letting my mind wander. The great spinning needle of the board game that is my random mind landed me to a show we played a year or so ago in madison. Some pop punk band was playing at some venue and at one point, the over excited prepubescent teenage drummer decides that its just too hot for his American Apparel cotton t-shirt and takes it off, to which, in almost the same literal second, every prepubescent teenage girls camera was whipped out of purses and messenger bags, and flashes started flashing faster than the annual slam dunk contest. Of course his ego-ometer shot through the roof and he starts putting on the "Drummer Game Face," where, no matter how difficult the part or tempo or beat or any other drummer jargon I can't recall right now on 4 hours of sleep, the drummer makes this face that looks as if he is trying to do calculus, drum, squeeze out a poop, and bite through a pencil all at the same time. If you are unfamiliar with the "Drummer Game Face," I've taken the liberty to help you out. Here are a few:

This one was entitled "Korean Drummer Steals the Show." I'm sure he did. Here is one more if that first image didn't sink all the way in:

I don't know who that guy is, and after this picture, I don't care. Now, to be fair, The "Drummer Game Face" isn't limited to drummers. Here is another example of the "Guitar Game Face" from a familiar band that you all hate (and if you don't you still live in 1997):

Yep. That's the guitarist from Creed. And you know its the game face because nothing they play is that complicated are hardcore to require that severe of a face. On a side note, is that Scott Stapp? When did he turn into a 40 year old ex-football player? Like the first 2 examples, if it didn't sink in, here is one last one:

Again, don't know who he is, and I don't care.

Everybody makes faces. I poke my tongue out when I'm concentrating, as does my Uncle randomly. You are aloud to make fun of me, but the point, as is the point of this blogpost, me sticking my tongue out because I am concentrating is real and unintentional. It's just what I do. Now, Consider the guitarist from Creed. I don't know him personally, but I'm willing to bet a whole recumbent bicycle that his over-severe frown of self appreciation isn't the "natural" face that developed when he was learning how to rip off pearl jam as a teenager.Its good to make concentrative faces, but people, lets not over do it to where its faky faky. Save the game face for actual drum rolls or off beat tempos, or even complicated runs. please don't do it when your keeping the 1-2 on the snare and the floor tom with you're shirt off and the girlies googling.

I give the "Drummer Game Face" a dissapointed turn of the cheek of shame.

The "Recumbent Bicycles and the People Who Ride Them" Review

I recently glanced through BikeSnob NYC's book apparently called Bike Snob: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the Worl fo Cycling and found that he breaks down most forms of cycling character traits; a personality quiz answer sheet if you will. He was mostly on spot, except for saying that MTB riders listen to creed and the like. The MTB riders I know listen to far better, and far worse, music than that. One seciton did stick out to me though, entitled "The Lone Wolf." It is how it sounds, that one guy out there riding who doesn't fit any of the trendy molds. As I'm typing this right now I can think of at least 3 riders who venture into Trailhead. We all know that guy, who we are, probably without admitting it, a little envious of, and likewise envious of his (or her, ladies) ability and courage to completely stand out up against yet among the crowd. If you are like me, you also know that you would never, ever, ever do half of the stuff that he or she does. This idea, seemingly random, brings me to those riders who ride recumbent bicycles. They don't look like the "Lone Wolf," but their bicycle definitely does. If you are not familiar with a recumbent bicycle, they look like this. Their riders, however, exhibit the same qualitites among almost every one of them I meet:

1.     They always wave. Can't say that about most other riders. Especially roadies.***
    
2.     They love to talk about their bicycle. Not in that annoying, jargon filled way,, which makes you never    want to buy one, but in a specialist, carpenter sort of way. Like someone who loves their job. Whoeverv that is.
   
3.     They will, during conversation, inevitably tell you that a recumbent is great on your back

The recumbent rider is that perfect mixture of "Lone Wolf" and normal. They are almost always nice and informative, and just want to ride a sit down bicycle low to the ground. They are a great break from normal riders who think that whatever they ride is the best and dislike any other forms of cycling. While I probably will never own one, the riders themselves do not turn me off to the idea.

I give recumbent riders the cool boy head-nod of bro approval.

***On a side note, pretty much every time i ride my bike, especially my road bike, I pass another road rider during. Inevitably, almost the first thing they always do is look to see what kind of bike I am riding. Usually they look, expressionless, and return to their ride that they are not enjoying. I stole that last part from BikeSnobNYC. Sorry dude.

The "Glee" Review

So far I have seen 4 episodes of the television show Glee. During the first I watched, I fell asleep. During the final 3, my Fiancee Meghan fell asleep. However, although I had to be at work early the next day, I could not stop watching. On a side note, i rant about MTV's "reality" television show The Hills on about a regular basis once a week. Its racist, sexist, and promotes unrealistic ideas about teenage/ young adult life. I think its also too much pro-capitalism, but in a ridiculously unrealistic way; NONE of those people do anything that promotes a simple, money saving lifestyle. Thats all another convo though. Glee seems to be doing different work, as if it is working to dig deeper than a show like The Hills. If you haven't seen it, it features a well to do Spanish teacher in charge of a Glee club, comprised of highschool students from all walks of life. Captain of the football team, head of the cheerleading squad, a girl who "dresses like a toddler and a grandmother at the same time" that has a bad personality, a homosexual kid, a guy with a mohawk, a "punk" girl, a kid in a wheelchair...although it sounds like a politically correct drenched Gap commercial, all of the differences seem to be teaching the kids sometting about not only other kids lives, but their own. Besides many of the continuing plot points, like the head of the cheer leading squad being pregnant from someone other than her boyfriend, many other, larger issues are brought to the watcher's attention. In one episode, both the teacher and the student's attitudes and thoughts about performance were realigned when they "scrimmaged" if you will against a very showy glee club, and then an all deaf glee club. In another episode, the homosexual kid tells his father, who is an auto mechanic, (one, you would think, who would stereotypically overreact and kick the boy out of his house, disown him, or worse) that he is gay. The father stands up for him, and in doing so, gets harassed. Meanwhile the kid is auditioning for one of his favorite musicals, where he would potentially play a girl's lead role. He butcher's the audition, come to find out, not because he couldn't hit a high F, but because he wanted to protect his father. Now, the only downside is that if you are like me, then during highschool I certainly wasn't taking stock of my life and considering others deep seated emotions on  daily basis. However, the show teaches us to do so, hopefully it will teach younger generations that there are other things in life than being fake blond, having fake tans, eating at expensive restaurants every day, beginning every phrase with the word "like," and, most importantly, that no one is perfect, but we are in our non-perfect life/constant learning experiences every day, together. We might as well try and help each other out.

I give the television show Glee the cool boy head-nod of bro approval.