Friday, November 6, 2009

its all happening

rainbow colored cigarettes.
grey smoke.
and transparent raindrops.

I'm looking out my window, waiting for night to fall so I can hit the town. It's raining with happens to confused my wardrobe a bit and my curly hair. But nothing that can't be overcome.

confused notions.
taken too seriously.
and left undiscussed.

People I surround myself with don't happen to be very good at communication - or so is the case 90% of the time. What to do with their non-spoken sentiments. Filling in the blanks isn't as much fun as it was when I was a child.

restless nature.
an impatient spirit.
and a loving, but guarded heart.

I stay the same time and time again. It seems to only be my surroundings that change. And you.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

let's be our own reality tv stars

brien o.
how i love thee.
we decided to have a reality show.
i figured out the logistics.
now someone just needs to pick it up and love us.
ha!
i mean glam rock, sex appeal, and reality tv.
the american public would drool.

You have 20 - 30 designers in the beginning and they create outfits for the band (or lead singer) in the category of a theme: think extreme and bizarre like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Semi Precious Weapons, etc. The designs are then voted on in categories of wearability (both on and off stage), sex appeal, durability, and others tailored to concert attire. Throughout the season of the show the designers would be coming up with their ideas for the final piece.

The four remaining designers would compete for the position as stylist to the band (or lead singer) to accompany them on tour (possibility for season two: the stressors of being a stylist on tour…not just dealing with coming up with new outfits, but dealing with the drama of the band and surroundings), to dress them for photoshoots, to prepare regular designs for the band complete with accessories, to tailor designs according to the band member’s personalities, etc. The four final outfits would be judged by the band/lead singer wearing the designs on stage in four separate concerts. The design that suits the stage the best, holds up during the show, and is deemed the most bizarre and spectacular by the singer is the winner.

and brien does the hair.
and i keep the outfits.
i make myself laugh.
a girl can dream.

xo

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Creem City in LA

oh goodness.
check some of the photos out.
it was pure craziness.
but we made some new friends.
and tested our alcohol tolerance.
and upped the chaos and the level of drama yet again.





Creem City should be your new favorite band.




Monday, June 15, 2009

Creem City in Bellingham





























charming rockabilly boys.
drunken guitar players.
broken cables.
sore throats.
jager and pineapple juice.
sleazy rock n roll.

best show yet.
and our bassist almost fought our rhythm guitar player.
oh my goodness.
what's next?!
will Creem City survive LA?!

Friday, June 5, 2009

summer plannnsss

so I was supposed to be out on Warped this summer.
and decided that...
I need to be here in Washington to play out these acoustic shows with my band, Creem City.
And continue to work on building that and such.

So that being said - come out to the shows and say hello.
We'll also be in Cali at the end of this month.
It will be nice to be home.
to get some not-so-fresh air
and taste the rock n roll
it's time to sweat a little bit
not that the hot weather doesn't aid in such happenings
i was talking about the sweat of the dancefloor variety
june 26th will be spend in ocean beach in sd
the 27th will be a day of choas
the 28th will be at the viper room...sleaze night
the 29th will be in orange county at the slidebar.
basically you need to be there
and you need to be screaming
i might be
i need to feel the glitter in the air
and the stars below my feet
that common knowledge that i am home
and that the geographically location where i happen to be is familiar.
hello california.


Tuesday, May 26, 2009

let's discuss

how today is beautiful.
how you traveled across the country
and how you are already leaving.
how my band is playing the Viper Room on June 28th.
how my new blue flats hurt my feet.
how my band is doing well and if you want an interview you should contact me.
how boys are beans.
how nothing really matters unless you let it.
how chaos keeps me going.
how i want to go on tour.
how the road is calling me.
how i happen to have been born in the wrong decade.
how i just want to wear pleather and spandex on a daily basis.
(or my red plaid shirt)
how it's all about finding some sort of comfort in the chaos.

Monday, May 25, 2009

bargain price of $6.66


As my phone rang and a number with a 666 area code popped up, I wasn’t surprised when it turned out to be my conference call with Victory Records’ artist Aiden. A post-hardcore band with strong goth tones — vampires, death, and anything slightly macabre are often associated with Aiden in a plethora of ways: lyrics, images, photos, even their fashion choices. Inspired by tragedy, wiL Francis, the band’s front man, vocalizes that he simply hopes to let the kids know that “anybody in the world can play guitar and be in a band.” This message is further driven home when one watches Aiden on stage and realizes that behind the heavy eyeliner and deathly props, the four members of the band are nothing too out of the ordinary.

Aiden is embarking this spring on the “Ticket to Hell Tour” — and Saturday, May 9 South Sound fans will get a chance to catch the band at Hell’s Kitchen for only $6.66. Does that send shivers down your spine? It should.

While Francis doesn’t feel qualified to throw in his two cents about the local Tacoma all-ages scene, he does know the audiences are always “really fucking awesome” in our neck of the woods. Maybe that’s why our gloomy state features the start and finish of the tour — gotta save the best for last. (The tour kicks off at Hell’s Kitchen and ends up at El Corazon in Seattle May 24.)

Allowing other mediums to influence his songwriting, Francis cites a Swedish book, Let the Right One In, as a catalyst for his inspirations. The book focuses on the vile aspects of society and human nature from the perspective of a 12-year old boy who meets a 200-year-old vampire — quite the age difference. And while there might not be one particular song or “one formula” for songwriting, according to Francis, the book has contributed to his own “organic process of songwriting.”

With three albums released and a dedicated fan base of concert-goers, Aiden continues to make music about which they have “no regrets,” says Francis. Aiden offers no apologies to those who may not embrace the material. The band isn’t slowing down anytime soon — and to keep momentum going they even have side projects such as William Control. Keep your eyes peeled.

What’s not to like? Aiden at Hell’s Kitchen for $6.66 admission, not to mention a new album from the band dropping May 12 titled Knives — all ingredients to make the “Ticket To Hell” tour just as ghastly as one could hope.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

this is what happens when london and i brainstorm

How to NOT attract women.
A list of things NOT to do:

ArrogantLondon (4:33:31 PM): Don't use a pickup line
ArrogantLondon (4:33:39 PM): Don't lie about your job, name, income
Lnaudioblood (4:33:41 PM): don't cut her off from her friends
ArrogantLondon (4:34:03 PM): Don't try to impress by saying how much you make, what kind of car you drive, etc
ArrogantLondon (4:34:12 PM): Don't touch her too soon
ArrogantLondon (4:34:18 PM): Don't forget her name
Lnaudioblood (4:34:23 PM): don't offer to buy her breakfast before you've even bought her a drink
ArrogantLondon (4:34:52 PM): Don't ask her about her favorite things to do in bed
ArrogantLondon (4:35:07 PM): Don't say "you look freaky"
ArrogantLondon (4:35:26 PM): don't forget to ask her about herself
Lnaudioblood (4:35:35 PM): don't hit on her friends if she isn't giving into your charm or lack of
ArrogantLondon (4:35:54 PM): Don't walk away from her in the middle of talking

Saturday, April 18, 2009

a change in weather






I am so glad that the cloudy days and hours of precipitation have let up. It's nice to see the sun peak through the clouds...both literally and figuratively. Things are going well - the band is gigging often, which is a great feeling...my column is going smoothly...and I continue to meet lovely people everyday.
Seattle might start to seem like home. Friends and days in the park make it all a bit more worthwhile.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

kittitas, washington




pronounced by the man with no teeth as kittyass washington.

charming.

so glad to be back in seattle.

drove through the pass in the snow. windshield wiper stopped working.

ran out of gas.

but the show was great.

let's discuss that breathe carolina are amazing.

but we know that.

strobe lights and club live show.

can you say anything negative about that?
interviewed anarbor yesterday.


was so glad to touch down on solid groun.
d
but it felt good to just drive for a few hours.

even if they were stressful.

it'll be funny in twenty four hours.

heck, maybe it's funny now.

ask me later.


le sigh.

certainly not complaining.

life is made up of restless nights and humorously chaotic experiences.

and i embrace them all.

surprise me.


xo

Saturday, March 7, 2009

basically

So I shall be interviewed for a magazine called City Arts...
check for that in April.
SheTV is taking off...duh we knew that would happen.
And my band is doing a Hot Topic in-store. sigh.
what is going on?
not sure if this is a positive thing. or a lame thing.
we'll see.
it could go well.
or it could be...hmm. interesting.
xo
check this shiz out.
seattle is cra-cray.


Sunday, March 1, 2009

starting to become fun

seattle is starting to become a bit life home.
which is a lovely lovely feeling

from hanging at the king cobra (until recently) with the band.



to talking to elyza and romping around seattle with her.



to shopping trips with large quantities of sparks that have yet to happen.

goodness.

xo

Sunday, February 22, 2009

replaying "Crystal" over and over again

Sitting and talking (or typing) rather with Brien O about tour opps and such.
Really. There's no way we won't spend the summer on the road together - flipping through merch, tour managing, publicity, and other road gigs.
But I can't stop listening to this silly Stevie Nicks song - gosh Practical Magic...maybe that'll teach me to watch movies repeatedly.
So I sit and realize that I miss LA and home and the people more than I imagined. More than I should. More than is healthy.
Giant roadtrip time.


xo
Lauren Napier

Monday, February 16, 2009

Devil Drive - a chat with Dez


Combating his studio schedule and personal hygiene routines, I was finally able to get Dez on the phone so that we could chat for a bit about the new DevilDriver album and the creative process. It is apropos that the newest album, which as yet has no title, is being recorded in the city streets of Los Angeles, not too far from the childhood home of Dez and Santa Barbara, the collective birthplace of the band. The band, comprised of Dez Fafara taking lead with vocals, Mike Spreitzer and Jeff Kendrick teaming up on guitars, Jon Miller heading up the bass, and John Boecklin beating the drums and adding the occasional guitar part, managed to sit in the studio and produce a follow-up “fifteen song” album smoothly and easily. There has to be a trick to it, right?
After recording the past three albums on a ranch in the welcoming and non-judgmental arms of the countryside, Dez took this album to a studio in the city and didn’t “have a chance to get cabin fever.” Being able to stop and take a break from the creative yet demanding process of the studio was a blessing even though the recording this time around was without its typical obstacles and impediments - could have been the surroundings or could have been working with Logan Mader. Mader has worked with such metal scene attendees as Five Finger Death Punch, Demia, Gojira and several others, giving him the necessary and required in-studio skills to tackle the musical creations of DevilDriver and company.
Don’t be expecting a “Last Kind Words” part two because “you’re not going to get it. [DevilDriver] continues to drive [them]selves and define [them]selves and figure out what the experience of DevilDriver is.” It is not done with the intention of keeping fans interested or guessing; it is simply a natural progression as the band evolves and continues to diversify their influences and underscore their musical education. Dez feels that the “people who have been behind DevilDriver from the start are going to be really excited about it.” He adds that he states such things “with confidence and a little bit of cockiness” and coming from this usually humble individual that is saying a lot. If the release date was up to him and there was no business side to take into consideration, “it’d be on the internet tonight”. But we don’t want Roadrunner Records to have his “ass” for leaking his own material, now do we?
Listening to a combination of “outlaw country and blues…metal as well” makes the influences of the album difficult to “nail down”. It is also an apparently great mixture for fifteen songs without one that lends itself to being a B-side. So it’s a good thing, and perhaps a savior of sorts, that the band “is looking to put out two albums at one time: one with the standard amount and one with three or four other tracks with an hour long making-of DVD.” It wouldn’t be fair to just “make a song a B-side just because it’s an outsider to the rest.” All songs should be given equal consideration, especially since the diversity of a seemingly mix-matched song could add to the listening pleasure and experience of the record.
Though he has three, soon to be four, studio albums under his belt, Dez still feels “really fortunate to work with some cool people.” And when this list includes names such as Ozzy Osbourne and Nikki Sixx, it is no wonder that when he “says it out loud, [he’s] still a kid full of wonder.” Hopefully this album will fill past, present, and yet-to-be DevilDriver fans with wonder. The release date is not yet set in stone; however, Dez has been “saying June”, but just the other day July was uttered. The date might not be solid, but Dez is convinced the finished product of the album will be. So keep your ears and eyes open for the definitive date. Until then await the presence of the “energy of [Dez’s] hometown” recorded for your own pleasure…despite the absence of humility for one day.

Authority Zero - in line at the Roxy



Watching the line grow and serpentine down the length of Sunset Blvd, one is forewarned that this is going to be an intensely chaotic and high-energy event. The four members of the band, a familiar and veteran icon of the punk music scene, come and go throughout the crowd – their identities hidden under beanies and sweatshirts. Weaving expertly in and out of groups of fans, Jason finds me by the side entrance to the Roxy, where I am awaiting the other band members – whoever can be pulled away from their offstage duties. We exchange pleasantries and my accompanying photographer snaps some shots. I’m told to sit tight and enjoy the show until after the set and people filter out of the venue’s doors. A task I can execute with ease – watching Authority Zero, no matter the circumstance or venue, is always a treat.

Authority Zero: comprised of Jason Devore belting out vocals, Zach Vogel strumming riffs on guitar, Jim Wilcox pounding at the drums, and D.J. Dean Farmer holding up the low-end of the equation on bass, takes the stage accompanied by a mixture of howling and clapping by the sold out crowd at the Roxy in the music-drenched city of Hollywood, California. Hailing from the sun-scorched landscapes of Arizona, the band tried on a different kind of light: the searing, searching spotlights of the stage. If the alcohol splashing out of the beer-gutted and balding man’s cup next to me or the bouncing ponytail of the clean-cut dressed female in front of me are any indication, Authority Zero doesn’t fit the pigeon-holed, strictly punk in appearance, stereotyped audience anymore. That’s quite the accomplishment: to be able to bridge a gap between genres and connect those to whom your music appeals.

The band has gone through some lineup changes, but amazingly “has managed to stay friends” says Wilcox as we sit in the green room at the Roxy. Aside from a manager and the occasional band traffic, Wilcox, Devore, my photographer, and I are the only ones taking up the space. We talk about the trials and tribulations of being in a long-lived band and the rewards of surviving that struggle. “We’ve been around long enough to see it all come back around,” says Devore of the music trends that resurface. And if you watch album sales, one can quickly see genres reliving their popularity of the past. Authority Zero is seeing people, old and new fans, once again becoming enamored with their particular brand of punk that is fueled by bold reggae undertones. Keep at it long enough and it all becomes worthwhile.

With three studio albums under their belts, the band continually keeps fans interested. A fourth in the works - currently with no release date and no working title in place - there will be yet another track listing of songs to whet the palates of music gormandizers whose taste and preference lean more towards the creative offerings of Authority Zero. But can you blame them? Devore’s melodic vocals stand out and stand true on any airwave with their crisp range and impeccable pitch – even live the vocals don’t stray far from what the studio produces.

Watching the audience get what they wanted out of their tickets: an electrifying show that possessed the power of the songs spinning on the recorded CD, proved, yet again, that Authority Zero won’t be going anywhere (but up) anytime soon. Authority Zero will always have “One More Minute” with the droves of fans that follow the progress of the band and that make it possible.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

some people


touch your heart.
and your soul.
and mold your life into a beautiful sculpture of love and hope.
i have been lucky to find those people.
who are always there for me.
who i know won't leave my side.
they are my inspirations and my brilliance.

the fact that their smiles can light up a room and my mind.
is a rare thing.
i love them for their faults, for their slight imperfections, and for their perfect hearts.

it hurts to drive away from them, but i know that the road always leads back.
that they are my compass.
and for this i am eternally grateful, and internally as well.
love is not something to take lightly.
and it's not something that comes easily.
but it is precious.

so let's continue this ride.
i'm not getting off anytime soon.
and my detours always end up leading me home.

the mode of transportation doesn't even matter

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

tis a long road


until you find comfort.
and where you belong.
vs. where you want to be.
maybe we're all still figuring that out.
maybe we're all continually ignoring it.
so live life the way it feels good.
in a way it doesn't hurt others.
and in a way that you can wake up every morning and be happy with who you are and who you are to others.
Photobucket


different images reflect different things to everyone.
these represent comfort to me.
not necessarily a blind comfort.
just one of loyalties and importance.
of solidarity.
Photobucket
the fact that where my foot falls.
theirs will be right there beside mine.
whether we are in spot 8 - or the undesirable spot 9.
Photobucket
whether i am miles away
hours away
minutes away
or what sometimes feels like a lifetime.
and for this i am glad and grateful.

xo

Saturday, January 17, 2009

the aftermath of a friday




ha. yeah.


last night was indeed lovely.

rachel and i headed to the ringers show at the troub.

where sometimes - surprises are had.
;)

tyler met up with us at the burgundy room.

which was much louder than normal.

much.

and the crowd...randoms!
kels and darling jonathan met up with us at the corner.

and then mels was consumed.

with awkward man waiter.

odd.


but can you think of a better way to spend my friday?
nah.

me neith.


today i get to see steph!
and then am interviewing authority zero at the roxy.

see you there perhaps. or you'll read about it later.

it's odd. for a not so much root kind of person.
la is home. whether i care to admit it or not. ;)


xo

Thursday, January 15, 2009

well hello there home

how i have missed you.

your dirty streets.
your piss-scented alleyways.
your smoggy skies.

and the lovely friends.

that's really what's important.
but flying in last night and seeing that LA skyline.
that was a lovely thing.
with the moon half-hung over the city of hopefuls.

the girls and i went dancing.
quite the welcome to have everyone hanging around and waiting for me. :)



now i shall have my webshow with sugarhooker - war stories is our guest.
you can watch that here - today at 5pm pst. :)

Express Yourself LIVE


xo
talk soon