Hooligans and such

Some of my favorite words of all time: Scalawag, Hooligan, Miscreant, and Ruffian. I try to use them as often as possible so that I'm well-practiced by the time I have to chase some kids off my lawn in 40 years or so. Today I actually looked one of them up.

Scalawag: Joseph E. Worcester's 1860 Dictionary of the English Language defined scalawag as "A low worthless fellow; a scapegrace." Scalawag was also a word for low-grade farm animals. In early 1868 a Mississippi editor observed that scalawag "has been used from time immemorial to designate inferior milch cows in the cattle markets of Virginia and Kentucky." (Historian Ted Tunnel via Wikipedia) It was also used to describe white southerners who supported the US government during Reconstruction.

Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

Recording Phase II

Today was our second day in a row of recording the album officially in Downtown Brew. We did some pre-recording there to get a feel for it and we have almost finished the three acoustic songs for the album. However, these last two days were the first two I got to really throw down on full drum set. We have really good starts now (drum, bass, and electric guitar tracks) for 4 songs.

I love the live recording style. Even though it is a little frustrating to play a great drum take if someone else messes up, it is massively worth it because I know every fill and flourish and beat I play is in response to something someone else is doing. I can't wait to hear that energy and interplay on the album. Too bad I had to be sick while we recorded what are easily the 4 heaviest songs on the album, but no worries. I just coughed up a lung between each take and drank 10-15 gallons of water.

P.S. Has anyone else noticed that Abbey Road is a good album? Like ridiculously good? Oh, you did? Because I just noticed that pretty recently, around 40 years after the rest of the world.

Drum Lessons

Just wanted to let everyone know I am now giving drum lessons, so anyone who is interested should call 707-888-0080 or email John.Vucinich@gmail.com. All levels welcome.

The Perfect Movie

Directed by Zack Snyder with an appropriate level of slo-mo (50-70% of the movie). The main character (Bruce Willis) is having a shitty day; especially when an evil criminal mastermind (Gary Oldman) and his main henchman (Schwarzenegger and Van Damme) reincarnate Nazis as zombies to supplement their already plentiful army of ninja warriors. Even though that life is behind him, he recruits the help of his former partners (Bruce Campbell and Ving Rhames, whose respective specialties are demolitions and demolitions). Someone delivers the line “he’s not so dangerous without his head attached to the rest of em” after a fight breaks out at a nudist all-female massage parlor (Megan Fox, Adriana Lima, Jessica Alba, Eliza Dushku, Marisa Miller, Salma Hayek, Elisha Cuthbert...). Before they are ready they must first learn to get spiritual (Segal cameo) and then finally defeat evil while somehow employing stealth bombers retrofitted with gatling guns. Soundtrack by Still Time.

Ode to a Transmission

For my first blog, I would like to pen an ode to the transmission in our van which recently broke:


O Fickle hand of fate, so rough
Why make this fragile metal beast?
Why not make it of sterner stuff
Like adamantium at least

While driving up 154
My ear attuned to T-Bone's babble
Our van said "pop"
We had to stop
For forward it refused to dabble

Our vaunted steed no longer baller
We needed fixing of our hauler
There was no need to feel blue
Rizzoli would know what to do

His next advice was fairly brief
Our engine must procure the beef
A better tranny was required
Or else our ride would be retired

The new transmission was obtained
Its gears possessed of godly might
And with its saga now explained
It transports us into the night