The Meaning of "The End of War / The Beginning of Humanity"

"Databomb" Self-Isolation Album Release Party

If you haven't been keeping up with our Twitch Facebook Page here, take a look, and maybe consider following us there, as we'll be doing a live stream performance on the Facebook page this Thursday, April 30th in support of the upcoming album "Databomb"!

We'll be playing some new and old stuff, as well as doing a giveaway for some lucky viewers! You can confirm your attendance here!

We would love to have you folks join us during the live stream, to help us celebrate our upcoming album "Databomb", we will be giving away a digital quarantine package of sorts to lucky viewers, but you gotta tune in to find out what it's all about 😉!

What is the meaning of the song "Death Cult"?

Here we discuss the meaning of the song "Death Cult" off the Twitch album "Databomb"!

"No Face" what is it? What does it mean?

The meaning of "Worldwide Maniac" off the album "Databomb"

Here's the meaning of the song "Worldwide Maniac" off the upcoming Twitch album "Databomb"!

Manipulations of The System, and Normalcy

For some people, they feel entitled, they feel that they can bully their way into whatever they want, especially when it comes to politics. As of the last few years, there are a lot of people in power, you wonder how they got there, you wonder how they managed to stay in politics for the time they have, and how they ended up in positions of power... Was it shit voter turnout, was it entitled pieces of shit throwing money into the system and getting their way, cause money is the easy manipulation. Was it a combination of all the above... probably.

So, how do we fix this... people who are power hungry, and want to get into politics cause that means, they make the laws, their friends can benefit from their positioning. I think the thing that stands out for me, through all of the shit we've gone through lately, where has the humanity gone? Why are we seeing these ultra right leaning politicians end up in positions of power, and abusing it, and essentially putting peoples lives at risk, all for their bullshit ratings for the next election, or put money in their pockets? Why have we lost humanity in this... like I feel like a lot of these politicians right now, have lost their humanity, I feel like these people in power have gone in the wrong direction, and we see the loss of tolerance of people who are different from ourselves...

...I will be honest, I want society to get to a point where we can all accept each other for who we are, accept each others differences... what I mean by that is, you can believe in whatever you want to... if you believe in a god, or goddess or multiple gods (or you are an atheist, or whatever), and you can change and grow in your beliefs, and not hurt others on top of it, then that is for you... and that same mentality applies to me as well... the key thing, not hurt anybody else. When I look at what is happening right now, I truly thought we eventually would get to that level of understanding and tolerance, but I feel like there has been this shift in the wrong direction, there are these politicians who when they get into positions of power, they abuse it and they benefit who is in their pocket... or who's gonna make them money. I just don't understand how we got here. When I was younger, in my early to mid 20's I thought that, well I wasn't sure if capitalism worked, but I was hopeful, I looked at the examples of my heroes in life (Trent Reznor / Nine Inch Nails), or Korn, or Ice T, or the various other artists and musicians that have been successful in our current system, and they, after putting in their time, ended up being successful... but now I look at the current economy, and capitalism, and I wonder if it is truly possible to reach my dreams... I mean we look at how things have evolved in the last 10 years, and things have gotten worse, and it seems the current system is not sustainable... Which makes me wonder, are my dreams still possible, was I wrong, thinking that maybe someday I'll be like my idols... I will tell you I am not giving up, but I will also tell you, in light of the recent world pandemic, and essentially the economy falling apart, and the shit things various people in power have been doing during this whole pandemic... it doesn't look good for anyone, but I will also tell you that I have, as a lot of other people and businesses have had to, evolve and change... we don't know what this will look like at the end, and I think putting things in place now is the best thing I can do, for my future, whatever that looks like. I guess anyone trying to stay above the water is reinventing themselves.

At this point, I don't think capitalism is sustainable, with where it has been going, but I also think that we as a western society, have to be very careful of what our next steps are in this pandemic, and how society reinvents itself for the future. I know there are a few people in my circle that think communism is the answer... first of all Marx knew that communism/marxism doesn't and won't work, second of all, granted I know China isn't exactly communist, but the recent riots that had been happening there, the students and protesters that were rioting kept saying to westerners and western media "Don't let this happen to you, it's too late for us...", and it is not good in China, communism is not good for anyone, it is highly corruptible. I mean, look at the Social Credit system that they are using there... essentially it's like Facebook, but citizens can rate other citizens, and if you are a down-rated citizen, even if you are a good person, it's likely that people will treat you like shit, police will treat you like shit, you may even disappear... I mean think about that, if every citizen could rate another citizen here... people could generally rate you a shitty citizen and inform authorities, despite you actually being a good person... and you end up being arrested or interrogated, or just in general picked on by other citizens cause you have a shitty social credit. The social credit system is essentially making people informants... who ever buy's into the system the most, and is the most active in that system, likely will end up in the good graces of the police and military... Good little informants, yeah?

So what am I getting at here, I don't know if I'gonna be able to post this on my social channels, FB has blocked various posts I've made in the past regarding the bad word "D*****ia", but what I'm getting at is this... we have to be very careful of the next steps we take moving forward from this worldwide pandemic... the current system obviously doesn't work in it's current format, I mean if it did, this whole situation wouldn't have happened, and no one would fall through the cracks, cause there would be no cracks to fall through... I don't think capitalism works, I don't think communism/marxism works either... I will say, I do think democracy works as a governmental structured society, but not in it's current state... I do think democratic socialism is the way to move forward. As far as how we fix the current situation... how do we move through it... maybe a basic income for everyone... then a lot of the businesses (especially small businesses) would be able to walk through this without losing and having to close shop.

This is what I see, what do you folks think?

“We can't return to normal, because the normal that we had was precisely the problem.”

Are you going to sit by and watch it fall apart..? Or are you gonna get up and do something about it..?

I'm listening to this track by the band Darker Days Tomorrow... from my understanding their philosophy on life and society was that they would rather not participate in the world, and would rather watch it fall apart. The track, I love the way it sounds from a musical and sound design aspect, but I never really understood why they believe in that philosophy of not participating in society, and just letting things fall apart. I mean, if you are not participating, and trying to make things better for everyone... at least, I think, you are a part of the problem. We already have enough obstacles in life, why not be a part of the solution? Life really is too short, and I think if we can make it better for everyone, why the fuck not?? I mean sure it takes energy and time to help others, but if your position is, that you'd rather sit and watch it fall apart, and not participate, I mean truthfully, you've already made your decision, and don't value human life or society... and if that is the reasoning, why even bother doing anything, including music... I mean even that act, creating music, truthfully you are already bringing value to society and your communities... cause music and art is a necessity for our psychology. I guess ultimately, whether they know it or not, they've already created value by creating music and art. So in a way they are being hypocritical, but once again, unknowingly doing something positive.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on this?

Twitch: Self-Isolation Living Room Dance Party PART 2

Yes, we’ll be doing another live stream performance on our Twitch Facebook page here on Thursday, April 23rd/2020, at 7pm till 8pm! We hope you join us, we’ll be playing new songs from the upcoming Twitch album “Databomb”, as well as some older stuff, aaand maybe giving away a quarantine package of sorts 😉

... and hey, we could all use a good self-isolation living room dance party right now! This is the second edition, or rather PART 2! Sooo, break out your drinks (whatever they may end up being), and dance, or mosh, headbang, or start a circle pit in your living room, while watching us perform some Twitch music for y'all!!

If you would like to support Twitch... go and purchase some music here: https://twitch-official.bandcamp.com

OR donate here: paypal.me/twitchofficial Being that a lot of people have lost their jobs or have been laid off, it is totally not required, however... if you feel you need to support us in some way, just share the live feed when we go live!

New Experimental Music Video for the song "Dirty City"

Ye, another experimental music video for the song "Dirty City" off the upcoming Twitch album "Databomb"!

The meaning of our song "The Cloud" off the upcoming Twitch album "Databomb"

The Meaning of the song "Dirty City" as well as "Dystopia For You?" off our upcoming album "Databomb"!

Missing the Club, the Scene, the Connected nature of being together in one place for the purpose of socialization and celebration...

(Can't remember what show this was, but yeah, enjoying being with friends)

Well, as you may have guessed from that long title, I really miss the club, going out and dancing, going to shows/concerts all that kind of shit! I miss the connected nature of being in one place to socialize and celebrate with friends, to have debates and discussions, and even being able to really show our friends our love for them, by giving them a hug, a pat on the shoulder, a handshake... all that kind of shit. I have been connecting with friends via video chat and such like that, I've also participated in live streaming Goth/Industrial DJ events, even watched live stream performance stuff too... but even though we can still connect that way, it's not the same as being present, being able to physically give someone a hug, being able to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, or even someone new to the scene... I love the culture, of being able to go to a club or show, and being able to converse, celebrate, debate, dance, watch bands perform, all that kind of shit. I love being with like-minded people, or people of my kind, I love the community... even when not knowing someone, realizing that they are there, and they are a part of the same community, even though their participation in events and shows may not be the same as another person, just the fact that they are there... they show their support for the community/scene, and their similar interest. I miss the solace of hearing loud music, being able to dance, and being with my people! I know I've mentioned this in an Instagram post I made within the last week and a half or so, but I know some of you folks that follow this blog don't follow Twitch on Instagram, so I figured I would kind of post those thoughts here as well, and kind of expand on them.

The one thing about humanity is our social nature, as a human in order to survive, we need to communicate, we need to be connected to others... whether that was talking, or showing each other physical affection. Some people can go for a long time isolated, others not so... I know for myself, I don't do very well with lack of social contact, I suffer a lot mentally, when I can't connect with friends socially and physically connecting. I am an extrovert... so self-isolation is very tough for me, but even that being the case, I've dealt with isolation, and kind of being forced into isolation for a very long time... at least the last 20 years or so. Obviously, I haven't been isolated for that entire time span, but there have been stints of spending a month or month and a half, not talking to anyone (including family), outside of going to the grocery store and chatting very quickly with the cashier or whatever (but that really isn't socialization, that is a transaction, and them making sure I got everything I needed on my list)...

...I will say this time around, it's not as bad as I initially thought this whole self-isolation thing was going to be... yes, it sucks, but being that I have spent a lot of time kind of being forced into isolation... I feel that I'm so used to it now, that it's not such a big deal... now that I look at this whole situation, and my past issues with being forced into isolation... if I wasn't forced into isolation, my first album wouldn't have been written... and the albums after, would not have been written either... when my second album "We Are Here To Dance!" was being written, before I really started to hunker down and work on it... I ended up getting into trouble mentally... but after I started to deal with the mental side... I realized that I needed to work on my music, so in order to cope, I picked a day a week that I would specifically work on music, no matter how I felt (happens to be every Saturday... still is too)! That really helped...

(Friday The 13th, May BLACKOUT! Show)

...Eventually, I would run into more mental health trouble while working on "TCP/IP" and it wasn't so much the writing part that I wasn't focusing on... I was spending every Saturday working on it, but I started to realize that it was time to start working on doing live shows (I hadn't done one yet, and I realized it was something that I have to do)... eventually I did my first live show, and that helped mentally... I actually found inspiration for the album after that, "Welcome"! Of course... before I released "Welcome", I ended up running into mental health problems again... but this time, I eventually realized that I need to be consistent in live shows... I hadn't done another one, since that first one in 2004 for "TCP/IP"... I also held off on finishing "Welcome" cause I was on the search for a guitarist for writing purposes to help me finish the album, and also help out in the live show department, but I could not find one (and there were a lot of flakes... [talk the talk, but don't walk the walk]), then after having a conversation with an old friend and guitarist who did guitars on Twitch's first "Self-Titled" release (1999), and them taking a listen to the album, they figured that there was nothing that was needed on the album... long story short, I did all the guitars myself... and that was enough for the album. So, I eventually released "Welcome" after that friend suggested what was on the album was enough... and with me holding on to this idea that I wanted to perform live, and do it consistently, cause I realized that that was a necessity for me (to stay mentally healthy), as well as consistently writing music... I eventually found people who wanted to be a part of Twitch's live show, and it was 2012 that I eventually ended up starting to play live more consistently... and ever since then, I realized these are things that, well... I have to do in order to maintain my mental health... all of this was born out of isolation. If the forced isolation hadn't happened, I wouldn't have realized any of this...

(Standalone at Terminus)

...So, that brings me back full circle, we as a human species will have to get through this, obviously our normal will look different, but at some point we are gonna need to reconnect... our connection to others comes from being present with others in the same room... but I will also say, I am doing fairly well mentally right now, through all the years, I am realizing, this has been a theme, throughout my life, and I guess, even though it's kind of shitty, I'm getting used to being isolated, even though I'm extroverted... generally good things have eventually come out of the forced isolation (although, it has usually been from a spout of not being healthy mentally, and then eventually realizing there are certain things I need to do, in order to cope and be mentally healthy), aaand I've got alternatives for now, for what I can do to mitigate that isolated feeling... regarding doing shows, and doing music related, or music things, as well as all the other creative shit that I do!

So, yeah... I'm missing the community, I'm missing my friends, I miss the physical connection, I miss the hugs, handshakes, pats on the back, the conversations, the dancing, the live shows... all of it... and I do think it is important, that after this gets sorted out, we throw a party, a very big, let the fuckin city/country/world/universe know that any and every fuckin obstacle will be overcome party! Cause I will need it, and you need it, and they need it, we all fuckin need it!! We need to celebrate, and we need to reconnect!

Your Canadian Goth / Rivethead,
Shayne "Daemon_w60" Lawrence / Twitch


P.S.: We are having a "Self-Isolation Living Room Dance Party" Live Stream performance on our Twitch Facebook page here on Thursday, April 16th / 2020 at 7pm! I would love it if we could connect there, until this shit gets sorted!

Here's the event page for details!

Love ya!!

The Meaning of "We All Want Peace" off the upcoming Twitch album "Databomb"

Twitch Vlog: Self-Isolation & Live Stream Announcement!

Twitch "Worldwide Maniac" official music video!

Here's another experimental music video we did for the song "Worldwide Maniac" off the upcoming album "Databomb"!

The Meaning of "Refuge"

Here is the meaning of the song "Refuge" off our upcoming album "Databomb":

A Twitch Story: My Time on The Streets and The Waking up Freezing Story

(Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon, SK, Canada)

You might have seen it in our "Making of Databomb" mini-documentary (I went into this a little bit there), but I thought I would get into some of the time I spent on the streets when I was in my late teens (around 1996)... more for your educational purposes. There are a lot of stories to tell around this time, but I'm sharing this particular one, cause it was right around when the weather was starting to warm up slightly, but cold enough to still freeze... I wasn't prepared for the freezing temperature (but who really is when you decide to live on the streets). So, it had gotten colder, and we had sleeping bags and shit, and my sleeping bag wasn't all that great. So, early in the morning (think 5am or so), I wake up, and I'm fucking freezing. So, I get up... wake up my friend and tell him, that I'm cold, he asks "...You're cold?", and I respond "No I'm alright", then he asks "Are you sure?", and I'm like "I'm cold.", he then tells me to go into this indoor area, where it is heated... man was I fuckin delirious... so fucking cold that I couldn't think straight... I took my stuff and went into this heated area and hung out there, I can't remember for how long, but if I'm not mistaken... until my friend finally woke up, and it was time for us to head somewhere else (I think probably to find food).

At first, we kinda looked at it (the streets) as an adventure, but then after a while you realize... if you don't get off the streets, you'll end up fucked somewhere. Now eventually, my friend and I got off the streets, but it is an experience that him and I will never forget... you learn a lot... especially when it comes to survival, and for us, the will to get off the streets was definitely instilled! After getting off the streets eventually the will to having some kind of life after... is instilled as well. You also realize, that there are a lot of people who tend to be out of touch when it comes to helping people and others (especially politicians, when they make certain decisions)... You also realize that the streets, the communities, the neighborhoods... these are our people... we are all one, and no one can take that away from us.

(I do believe more of Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon, SK, Canada)

Anyway, I thought I would share that story... maybe you learned something from it, maybe not... I might tell more of these stories... we'll see...

I guess the whole point of me telling this story is... yeah, I did survive it, I've seen things you people wouldn't believe 😉, attack ships on fire off the shore of the South Saskatchewan River, I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near Broadway Avenue... lol! Out of all seriousness, yeah... I did survive it, and the experience made me ultimately realize that certain people are really out of touch when it comes to helping others... aaaaaaaand, ultimately the streets, the communities, the neighborhoods... well reiterating what I said above... we truly are all one, and no one can take that away from us.

Love you folks, not sure if this was helpful, but I had a story in me that I needed to get out!

Let me know your thoughts!

The Meaning of "Databomb"

Alright, here is the meaning of the title track off the upcoming Twitch album "Databomb"!

Twitch Vlog: Dreams, Mental State & Album Details!

The Meaning of the song "Save The Freaks" off the upcoming album "Databomb"

Ok, in this video we are talking about the track "Save The Freaks" off our upcoming album "Databomb"!

Twitch announces "Databomb" release date and artwork!

Yes, you read that right, Twitch will be releasing our album "Databomb" on May 1st/2020! The above image is the amazing cover artwork from Liam Hayes of Logo Monster!

If you missed our last album announcement, here's the tracklist for "Databomb":

1. Blue Screen Of Death
2. Instructions To Your Revolution
3. Activate
4. Save The Freaks
5. We All Want Peace
6. Databomb
7. Refuge
8. Dirty City
9. Machine Heart
10. Dystopia For You?
11. The End Game
12. Worldwide Maniac
13. No Face
14. Death Cult
15. Yeah, Fuck It... Let's Go!!
16. The Cloud
17. The End of War / The Beginning of Humanity

Also, if you want to be the first to know on Twitch going-ons (album release dates, track lists, artwork, first look at music videos, merch and all that kind of stuff), sign-up to our mailing list here! You'll get our latest single for free, for signing up.

Twitch - No Face (Official Music Video)

Here's an experimental video that we did for the track "No Face" off our upcoming album "Databomb", check it out!!