Migrating to Wordpress

 Yes, we are migrating! Moving forward all our future blog posts will be here on Wordpress! So we hope you folks join us there for all of our commentary on industrial music, band updates, live stream and live show updates, album release details, and anything and everything Twitch related!!

RE/Search #6/7: Industrial Culture Handbook (Halfway through)

(RE/Search #6/7: Industrial Culture Handbook by V. Vale)

I've started reading through some of the "RE/Search #6/7: Industrial Culture Handbook", and so far the images and the interviews and all the other shit is really excellent! Buuut, a lot of the interviews so far in the book, they get into a lot of violent (in a physical way) topics... and they are really descriptive about it... which makes me kind of sick to my stomach, as some of it is based in reality, and some of it is based on horror movies and such (neither of which I like, and matter of fact make me physically sick)... it is quite like watching a horror movie with the descriptions and such in the book... I love industrial music, and there are a lot of modern industrial bands that use imagery like that in their live performances and such... I will be honest, I usually skip out on a band that has quite graphic imagery... as I don't like violence, and I can't even stomach modern horror movies... I have a hard time with even some old black and white horror movies...

(Throbbing Gristle)

...I mean in a way it's not surprising that a lot of the pioneering bands used this kind of imagery in their performances and such... but also in another way, it is kind of surprising. The impression I'm getting from these interviews is that, the bands used a lot of imagery or even did physical acts to kind of shock people... to elicit certain reactions... or to really shake people out of the daily bullshit "be a drone" mentality, and to think for themselves and realize there are these control structures around us. I guess for the time, that's what it took to get people to notice and maybe think about things differently, and to really get a reaction in some way or another... or to influence people to choose a different path, or whatever...

...I'm just under halfway through the book... I pick this up in stints and read for a bit, then set it down... There is a lot of inspiration here... (other than the violent stuff)... and so far, this really does seem like an "Industrial Culture Handbook"... it kind of guides you to the ideas, visions, etc... that industrial music embodied at the time, who the pioneers of the scene are... what philosophies they follow... They even get into books, movies, discographies, and all that kind of stuff each band reads, watches, has written, etc...

(Cabaret Voltaire)

...I would call this a guidebook/handbook, if you take all the ideas, philosophies, movie suggestions, etc... it guides you to the things that influenced the various artists within the book... granted, even if you read what they read, watched what they watched, you may not come to the same conclusions as they did, but it really gives you an idea of what they were thinking, and kinda how they came to the philosophies that they did!!

As I stated in my last blog, there is a lot of inspiration right now! Lot's of inspiring music conversations about all aspects of music production, music gear, all that kind of shit! This book is definitely adding to that inspiration! I will also say on that note, I am missing the live performances and such right now, and reading this book is definitely making me miss it more... I guess hopefully we have viable vaccine option here sooner than later... cause I would like to get back to attending industrial/goth events and shows (local and not local)... I'm missing the culture, I'm missing the conversations, I'm missing the dancing, the performing in my own act... miss seeing familiar faces in the scene... miss being around my kind!

Love you folks!

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

(SPK)

P.S.: I'll update you folks again when I've gone through the book in it's entirety! Sooo much inspiration here!!

P.P.S.: Hey! We got a new album! Sign-up to our mailing list here and get a free download of our newest album "Darkness_Rise!"!!

Inspiring Music Conversations, Winter, and Intentions for the Future!!

(System Syn "The Privileged... such a great track musically!!)

Another conversation with another musician friend and another inspiring night! There's a lot of music talk these days, and a lot of exciting and great conversations about music, gear, mixing, mastering... all that kind of stuff!! Even talk of discovery of industrial bands, EBM projects, Industrial Metal bands, all sorts of different projects and endeavours... 

... A few weeks ago, I had mentioned to a co-worker... that I have a feeling this Winter is going to be good... I don't know why I feel that way, I just have a general sense and feeling that the season, is going to be good... maybe that is just my intention moving forward, but despite the situation, I'm not letting this pandemic get the better of me, and sit in worry and despair... this Winter is going to be good, and nothing is going to get in the way of that! Life is already too short, no sense in sitting in shit, might as well make the best of the situation and enjoy life to the best that I can right now. I know some of you may not feel the same sentiment, but out of all honesty, what you put into life is what you get out! I want this Winter to be good, and productive... and inspiring... there's no reason why it can't be that!!

(A friend introduced this to me tonight! Great Power Noise artist, Imminent Starvation)

I will be honest, this has been my most productive year creatively... I have a lot of projects on the go... and so many, that I actually feel slightly overwhelmed, but... I've decided not to take anything else on creatively, until I get through a large portion of these projects! I've felt sooo inspired lately, although, I will also say... today (Dec 20/2020) I finally started to write again, it felt weird cause it had been since Halloween since I had written, and before that... it was early June the last time. I do feel a little out of practice and anxious, cause there were a lot of doubts about what I was working on Today, but... tomorrow I will take a listen to what I had, and add or tweak accordingly... maybe this project will get done sooner than later, and I'll have a couple things in the tank... and maybe, just maybe I can focus on the next endeavor... we'll see...

(Korn's song "Can You Hear Me" is really inspiring me right now... although maybe not this version, but this seems to be the only one blogspot will allow me to use...)

... it is tough during these times, to know what to do, cause... are we going to be able to do live shows in the near future, or are we gonna have to still do the live stream performances... how long is this period of self-isolation gonna last for... I know what I want, but is that gonna happen... I personally am planning for A, B, and C... maybe we'll have to do a bit of column A, and B... live shows, plus live streams... that's kinda what I'm planning for (option C)... obviously, like everyone else, I would like a workable vaccine... so we can get back to maybe not a normal, but definitely back to doing live shows... although, I will be honest... I'm, in a way, kind of thankful that all that has happened... happened. It's given me a lot of time to think about what I want, and what steps I want to take, moving forward, whatever that looks like!

(Here's your answer!)

Life is too short folks, might as well set yourself up for success whatever transpires or happens!

What do you guy's feel?

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

P.S.: Here's another great song that came up the conversation tonight!! 

An Inspiring Music Conversation About Hardware Synthesizers!!

(My main synthesizer: Yamaha EX7)

Last night I had an excellent conversation with a longtime friend and ex-bandmate about hardware synthesizers... and all kinds of other music related shit! The conversation really got the creative juices flowing, and I was highly inspired!! That is one thing I've certainly missed during this whole period of self-isolation, and social-distancing... the conversations about music, music hardware, and all kinds of other music related shit... stuff that is really inspiring! It's sooo, refreshing to have those kind of conversations again! It got me into thinking about my own synth, and the things I want to do musically with it. There are sooo many ways I'm currently not utilizing my synths... and there are certainly ways of using it that I want to utilize in the future... just for the simple fact that it would be a great challenge to see what I can do with those features! Lot's of inpiration, and lot's of future plans and ideas!

Sign-up to Twitch's mailing list and get Twitch's latest album "Darkness_Rise!" for free!!

(Sign-up for free music)

Yes, you read that right! Sign-up to Twitch's mailing list here and receive Twitch's latest album "Darkness_Rise!" for free, as well as a bunch of other goodies!!

We don't get too annoying with this, you get our monthly newsletter as well as first to know about upcoming releases, music videos, future free music, and all kinds of other things going on in Twitchland! And hey, you get to say you are part of the exclusive Twitch community... and we might send you shit in the mail too!! 😉

My Other Artistic Endeavor... Drawing In the Fashion of Japanese Style Manga

As some of you may know, I do have another endeavor other than my music... I write and illustrate manga styled comics... well currently they are just mini-comics a one pager type deal, but now that I've been consistently doing it for the last couple of Christmas', and I'm doing another one this year as well (sorry if you are on my Christmas gifting list this year... I spoiled it, lol!), I'm realizing this is exactly what I've needed to really re-invigorate my love for Japanese Manga, and just my love for drawing! Some of you may know that I have been working on a long-form comic for quite some time... and these miniature Christmas comics have really energized me and are really motivating me to get this first long-form comic done! All these years of waiting for the right moment to do this, and realizing that the time is now with this endeavor, and quite frankly, I don't know what the fuck I was waiting for... but ye... I think I have to set a concrete goal for this long-form endeavor... and just get the fuckin thing done! I'm not sure on the exact time frame yet... but I figure, after this years Christmas comic is done... I may try to get the long-form thing done and ready by next years Christmas! That means I've got a full year to finish illustrating, inking, putting the book together... and then printing off copies! I think I can do it!

...ye excited!!

I just thought I would share that with you... cause why the fuck not!

P.S.: No photos for ya yet... but maybe I'll do an update blog with a little bit of a sneak peak to show you what I got!

Taking On A Lot Creatively... and that Pervading Feeling that I Might Be In A Downward Spiral

Well, I can now honestly say... I've taken on a lot creatively lately, and I do feel a little overwhelmed, and a little stressed, but the sooner I get these projects done and off my plate I'll feel a lot better. I had sooo much on my plate in the last couple of weeks, that there were moments that I just wanted to curl up under a blanket, but I also know if I didn't/don't get these things off my plate quickly I'll feel more stressed... I was actually ready to drop a couple projects off the list, and push them further into the year... but surprisingly I ended up finishing one of the major video projects way ahead of schedule. The evening of finishing that project, I felt it was a perfect opportunity to go and film my second video project on my list (I won't get to the editing stage for awhile yet though).

After getting the first video project off my plate, and starting the second one... I felt really good, cause I got more than what I wanted done, waaaaay ahead of schedule! Course I've got all kinds of shit going on in the background too, from episodes of "The Making of Darkness_Rise!" to filming/editing the new "Fuck Yeah, Industrial!" series... plus all the other minor shit, like our "25 Days of Twitchmas" posts and shit, this blog... plus all the Christmas preparations (which involves my other artistic endeavor)... lot's of shit going on! I'm glad I decided to take a brief hiatus of our live stream performances, cause I honestly think it just would have been waaaaay too much on my plate.

(We felt we were in a downward spiral)

This year has been productive, despite the situation... I mean, out of all the years that I've been doing Twitch... this year has probably been my most productive, at least creatively (we DID release two albums this year)! Course the stuff that I've been working on, will end up spilling into next year... maybe those two video projects will see the light of day, maybe early next year..? Buuuuuuuuut, this blog is about creatively feeling overwhelmed... So, what I was getting at was that, I have felt overwhelmed the last little while, to the point it was affecting my sleep, and I was having dreams that I was spiraling downward... and then I would wake up several times in the night... like, were talking 6 to 8, maybe more... and then I wouldn't reach REM and in the morning I would feel like absolute shit... then have to go into work and be tired all fuckin day... then that would go on for a couple of days... and then I would get some rest, then a couple of days later this whole thing repeats...

...but, as stated above, I've gotten the first major film project off my plate, and I started filming the second one, and got most, if not all the footage I need from that... I am waaaay ahead of schedule, and there's one more piece for the first film project that I've got to do, but it won't be long and that piece will be good to go! My time period for both of these projects was to be completed in 3 months time. I'm confident they will both be ready waaay ahead of schedule!!

The one thing I've found with the way my body works is, if I don't sleep... then I might as well get up and do something, cause it's just a waste of time for me to just lay in bed for hours on end, trying to sleep. My thinking is "I'm up, I might as well get shit done!", and if I'm not sleeping cause these projects are on my mind... then fuck it! There's no time to waste! Let's get shit done!!

I do feel elated that I've gotten so much done, and that I'm way ahead of schedule! I will say though, I will not likely take on so much creatively in the future, moving forward, cause the no sleep thing, even though I use that time to get stuff done, it's still taxing on your system... and eventually you'll need to sleep at some point, or you will burn out... and I don't want to do that! I think it's important to maintain mental health, and have a healthy sleep schedule... and even though this endeavor does give me energy, and I'm always being inspired in some way or another... you still shouldn't and can't take on more than your system will allow, and when things start to feel overwhelmed and stressful... it's time to push things back in your creative schedule... and maybe drop things. I love this endeavor and don't want to lose the energy to do it! If I need to drop something, or push things further back in the schedule, so I can maintain my health, mentally and physically... then that's what I'll do! 

(Photo courtesy of Eric Lemieux)

I'm in this for life!

Shayne "Daemon_W60" Lawrence / Twitch / Trippingonacable Records

.

P.S.:  Twitch is giving away our latest album "Darkness_Rise!" for free!! All you have to do is sign up to our mailing list here!

We don't get too annoying with this, you get our monthly newsletter as well as first to know about upcoming releases, music videos, future free music, and all kinds of other things going on in Twitchland! And hey, you get to say you are part of the exclusive Twitch community... and we might send you shit in the mail too!! 😉

Celebrating 25 Days of Twitchmas!!

(Christmas this year is Industrial as Fuck!!)

Twitch is taking a bit of a hiatus from live streams over the Holiday Season. However, beginning December 1st/2020 we'll be celebrating 25 Days of Twitchmas on our Instagram here! As well as on our Twitch Facebook Page here!

What will it entail..? From watching black and white horror movies, to drinking eggnog... to watching live industrial concert replays... to watching industrial music documentaries... to reading industrial history books, or scene related books, decorating the Twitchmas tree... and even some Christmas shit too!! 

...Why? Cause hey... Why the fuck not!! In the same vein as Halloween, we feel this year has gone by waaaay to quickly, and we kinda just want to slow things down, and really enjoy the holiday season, and really just enjoy life in general! This is a new tradition for us... in celebrating it for 25 days (usually it's just a day), but we've got all kinds of stuff planned!! 

We hope you join us... and there might be a surprise or two as well! 😉 

#Twitch #25days #Twitchmas #IndustrialMusic #IndustrialMusicCulture #IndustrialMetal #IndustrialHiphop #IndustrialMusicForIndustrialPeople #IndustrialRecords #Rivethead #Goth #NewAlbum #DarknessRise #Darkness #Rise #Positivity #NewTradition #Holidays #25DaysOfTwitchmas

Twitch Surprise Releases New Album "Darkness_Rise!"

 

Ye, you read that right! Twitch surprise releases new album "Darkness_Rise!"! Here's a bit about the album:

So, how did this all start..? A long time ago, while I was writing another album (5 or more years ago), I was inspired to take some photos of some of the buildings here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at night, there were a lot of new structures going up, around that time... and I thought it would be awesome to get some nice nighttime photos! After, taking the photos and taking a look at what I got... I had an idea... I would write an album inspired by darkness, and the idea that it is time for the goth scene to rise, and be seen and grow into something larger! Course, that was 5(ish) years ago. I didn’t know what the album would sound like and what songs would be on it exactly, but that is how the name came about... and kinda what it would be about. Then as I was somewhere in the process of writing my last album, I decided that I would do a music challenge of sorts.

So what was the challenge? I wanted to take an album from concept to completion within a months time frame, and strictly utilize my hardware synthesizer, outside of the few exceptions of, guitars and drums.

You can purchase the album here!

Announcement - The Darkness_Rise! Dance Party

Yeah, we are announcing, we'll be performing another live stream performance on our Twitch Facebook Page here! On November 13th/2020 at 7pm-8:30pm! We'll be playing some old, some new... and there might be a surprise in there too! So we hope you folks join in for this living room dance party, and maybe dance a little, maybe mosh, maybe circle pit in your living room... and celebrate with us!!

Confirm your attendance here!

Latest Inspiration... Aesthetic Perfection!

(Mr. Daniel Graves from Aesthetic Perfection)

Well, lots of shit going on right now, lots of inspiration... I happened upon a replay of Daniel Graves' (Aesthetic Perfection) latest YouTube live stream "Watch Me Work" for October 2020 a couple of days ago, and basically it was a live stream of him working on possible future music, and out of all honesty, I found it inspiring... I think it was really just seeing a part of his process and how he works on music and shit... Normally these things are reserved for his Patreon members, but he decided to do one for folks not on his Patreon.

It was really interesting, and as I stated above I did find it highly inspirational, he was playing with a new synth that didn't work exactly as expected, and he was forced to find work-around's to get the sound that he wanted out of it... it kinda reminded me of the early days of when I was just starting in music and how there was a lot of experimenting in the process, just trying to find my voice and sound... and how I had to find work-around's for what I was doing, in order to write my first songs! Not that he was just starting out, I mean Daniel has been doing this for many years now, but it did remind me of that... it's also inspired me in how I'm currently utilizing my main synthesizer... and the possibilities of what I can do with it in the future...

...Yeah there's a lot of inspiration right now!

Here's one of Aesthetic Perfection's songs that I'm digging right now:

Hope you folks are doing well!

Stay safe, stay positive!!

Shayne "Daemon_w60" Lawrence | Twitch | Trippingonacable Records

Really Digging System Syn Right Now

Not sure why, but I'm really digging System Syn right now, not only their recent album "Once Upon A Second Act...", but also their older stuff too! I'm really enjoying the production values on each album, and the sound design! For some reason the music is really resonating with me right now, maybe not even the lyrical content so much... but I just love the way everything sounds, and the way the songs are constructed... the music seems to be helping me get through this period right now... and I'm actually finding it really inspirational! I feel the majority of his music, is very clear sounding... like there's a level of clarity in the mixing on the albums... and everything, all the different sounds and instruments really stand out!  

I will be honest, the first time I came across System Syn was at a gig here in Calgary, at a now long lost club from the days of yore... they played that night, as well as Imperative Reaction... I actually really liked Clint's performance... and it wasn't until many years later, that I actually ended up seeing a video of them performing their song "Abrasion Collar"... and I think out of all the stuff that they've put out, that has to be one of my most favorite songs by them... but, a little while later, I ended up finding out about Clint's side-project Fake... and I really dug the only album that came out from that project, and I think if I remember correctly... I actually purchased the Fake album, before I picked up System Syn's debut release "Premeditated"! A short while later I did end up picking up System Syn's debut album and I've picked up every subsequent album after that! I'm pretty sure I have every System Syn album and release (outside of compilations, and remixes they've done for other artists)... although, I don't think I have all of them in physical form...

(Clint Carney of System Syn)

...I know I mentioned this in the blog about System Syn's new album "Once Upon A Second Act..." here, that I think the production team of Ted Phelps and Clint Carney... have really made these albums stand out... I think Ted has had production credits on every System Syn release if I'm not mistaken... and I think that they make an amazing team... every System Syn album has been solid!

I know Clint doesn't really reveal too much about his lyrical content on the albums, in interviews he typically let's the listener decide what it means to them... but I am curious what his lyrics are truly about, and too be honest, I would kinda like to get into his mind to understand what he sings about... I honestly think it would be really cool to have a chat with him about his inspirations and even his other creative and artistic endeavors!

To me it's really interesting hearing the directions an artist or musician goes on their albums, and to be honest, when I listen to albums... I listen to the sound design and the sampling and the way things have been produced, cause I'm quite interested in what were the artists/musician thinking when they were writing these albums. What are they trying to evoke in their expressions on these songs... sound-wise and even lyrically. The thing that I get from Clint's albums is that... there is a level of maybe, well... I would call it experimentation... cause his songs tend to be dancey, in some instances, but in others some of the way things are sequenced and programmed they certainly seem to be in an experimental fashion, cause they may not be entirely dancey in their production.

I guess the important thing, is that these albums and songs are really getting me through the whole situation right now... and I'm finding them inspiring... maybe not so much in the musical style aspect of my own endeavor, but definitely they are keeping me going and motivated in my own endeavor!

I hope this blog finds you folks doing well, and I hope that you may find inspiration in this stuff too!

Stay positive,

Shayne "Daemon_w60" Lawrence | Twitch | Trippingonacable Records

Twitch Releases New Single "Everlasting" and Announces Live Stream

(New single "Everlasting")

First thing is first, this last Friday, we released the new single "Everlasting" during a live stream chat and listen through! What is the single about?

In the early evening, during the pandemic... we were starting to get into Spring... the sun was slowly setting, and there was a little bit of snow falling and blowing around. Looking to the West, I experienced something that has never happened before in my life. The light, the sun, the clouds... it looked gold, and I didn’t want it to end... I had never seen anything like it before. There was beauty... It kinda felt like a moment of, we will eventually get back to living our lives, even though things have changed... probably for the rest of life, I realized at some point we will get through this, we will eventually overcome these obstacles. I’m not sure what it will look like after, but we will change and adapt! I felt peace and hope. I didn’t take any pictures, but I was inspired to write “Everlasting” to capture what I was feeling... and share it with whoever wants to listen! Even when things are dark, there is still light within that.

You can purchase Twitch's new single "Everlasting" here!

We are also doing a live stream performance on our Twitch Facebook page here on Thursday, October 22nd/2020 at 7pm - 8:30pm (MST)! So be sure to join us for that! We might be playing some old, and some new... and there might be some surprises... we'll see!!

("Everlasting" A Dance Party - Live Stream)

We hope you folks are staying well!! See you in the live stream!!

Books: Industrial Revolution (25th Anniversary Edition) by Dave Thompson

Received this book in the mail not too long ago... wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but still glad to have this in my collection. This is certainly a piece of Industrial Music history! Here's what the back of the book says:

Back in print for the first time in some two decades, The Industrial Revolution - 25th Anniversary Edition includes the full text of the now collectible, and so influential encyclopedia, published at the dawn of the Industrial Music boom of the mid-1990s.

Featuring in-depth biographies and discographies of every Industrial band functioning at the time, together with historical retrospectives, features, exclusive interviews and more, "The Industrial Revolution" has long been regarded as the essential guide to a musical form that promised, at one point, to become the dominant force of the decade.

Covering the entire spectrum of industrial rock bands, The Industrial Revolution remains a spellbinding introduction to... and a reminder of... the moment when experimental left field music was poised on the very edge of mainstream superstardom. Complete and unabridged.

The description on the back kind of sums up everything about this book; basically an encyclopedia of all the bands in existence in the mid-1990s. There's also interviews with select bands and this books includes discography listings of each band at the time! There's quite a few bands included that I haven't really heard, or even knew of... so for me, even though this book wasn't what I was expecting, it is still valuable, cause at some point I'm going to want to check out some of those bands and see what they are/were all about! I think the addition of the discographies of each band is great too, cause it's easier to figure out what exactly I want to purchase or even just check out and listen to online!

Would I recommend this book? If you a serious Industrial Music collector and interested in the history, I would suggest this! There's a very interesting interview with Rozz Williams about his project Premature Ejaculation... that I think people should read. Actually, there's quite a few interesting interviews in here... so yeah... would recommend!!

PRONG: Power Of The Damager

(PRONG's "Power Of The Damager" Cover)

Yes, we received this in the mail not too long ago... popped it in and started listening...

...this is PRONG's comeback album after their "Scorpio Rising". This album is a lot heavier and it sounds like Tommy Victor is a lot more angry on these tracks.

(Inner sleeve; Part 1)

I will say this album veers more heavily in the metal direction... but still has some industrial and darker elements to it.

(Inner Sleeve; Part 2)

PRONG has always been on the edge as far as industrial goes... they are not strictly industrial... but they kind of crossover into it on various albums and songs... Personally, I think PRONG is more of a crossover band than a strictly industrial metal band.

(CD Artwork)

I would say the tracks that stand out for me are... "Looking For Them", "Pure Ether", "Power Of The Damager", "The Banishment", and "Spirit Guide"... I think "The Banishment" is probably my favorite track off the album!

(Back Cover)

If you are curious about industrial music history and in particular industrial metal... I would consider this as a part of that history, and being that the main songwriter Tommy Victor has worked with bands like Danzig during his industrial phase (Blackacidevil), as well as played and toured with Ministry...

...Prong has long crossed the line between metal and industrial I will recommend picking this up and adding it to your collection! Digging into this stuff, you realize there's all these little connections in the history of industrial music... and bands that you thought weren't related are actually related and have had members play in the various industrial bands or related bands in the scene...

...yeah, exciting stuff!!

Hope you are well!!

COLDWAVES 2020 "Lost Weekend"

Wow, when you thought online live streamed festivals couldn't get any better, COLDWAVES put together an amazing festival!! A lot of the other festivals were basically just live streamed band performances, but this festival (granted a lot of this stuff was pre-recorded)... amazing... there's all kinds of amazing videos, performances, music video commentary (Chris Vrenna, Martin Atkins, and what I do believe is the director for both "Down In It" and "Head Like A Hole" video(s), talk about Nine Inch Nails "Head Like A Hole" as well as "Down In It" and the stories around the videos and how they were made, and kinda what happened around the filming of those videos)... even premiers of new music videos and all that kind of stuff... great!! I honestly think this is the best live streamed festival so far!! Makes me want to actually be at a future COLDWAVES! If you missed it, you really missed out!! Plus, they are trying to raise funds for the Darkest Before Dawn charity... the blurb says this: 

"Welcome to Darkest Before Dawn. We are a new non-profit, based in Chicago and Los Angeles, with one simple yet urgent goal: to provide resources, support, and community for our nightlife, restaurant and music venue industry, who's late hours and isolated commutes leave them susceptible to depression, addiction and suicide. Recent data points to a high rate of chemical dependency and suicide for this demographic in our country, especially in the very industries built to provide excitement, leisure and happiness to everyone else. They are the people heading home in the early morning hours, when businesses are closed, the streets are empty, and it truly is the darkest period of time before the dawn."

I realize this is a U.S. charity, but for folks who read this blog that are from the U.S., you can check out Darkest Before Dawn here!

Here's a Canadian Musician charity... it's called UNISON! Here's a little blurb about them:

"Unison Benevolent Fund is a non-profit, registered charity that provides counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community. We are here to help professional music-makers in times of hardship, illness or economic difficulties."

There's hope out there folks!!

Stay safe, stay positive!!

Industrial Metal... The Journey.

(Nailbomb)

So, as of recently I've been on an industrial metal journey... or well... just really interested in finding bands that do or did industrial metal. There were a couple of things that kind of kicked this recent journey off, one... there's a band I came across on Bandcamp called: Black Magnet... they are a dark black/doom/industrial metal band... I wanted to purchase a physical copy of their latest album "Hallucination Scene"... and that kinda spurred this whole deep dive into industrial metal music! Afterwards, randomly I came across a band from the mid-90's called: Nailbomb, which I had never heard before and to be honest, I'm not sure why they didn't cross my musical periphery when I was younger, but they did not... and discovering a video of their performance at some concert in the 90s on Youtube... I really enjoyed it and that is kinda how, I've ended up on this search for industrial metal bands (interesting enough Dino Cazares of Fear Factory was a session player on the Nailbomb album "Point Blank", and Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly played keys for Nailbomb for their one and only live concert).

There's things in the past that I passed over when I was a teenager, like Danzig's "Blackacidevil" where he fired his old band and went industrial (as at the time, it seemed every metal or rock band that had darker themes were inserting industrial elements into their music... I mean, Nine Inch Nails was at the peak of their Self-Destruct Tour and the whole "The Downward Spiral" era, and because of that tour, Industrial music was becoming more popular, and a lot of bands were jumping on the bandwagon), so... now I want that in my physical collection... cause it's industrial music history, and even though he was kind of jumping on the bandwagon, I thought the album was fairly solid. Even crossover bands like Prong I'm trying to find their stuff on CD (got one coming in the mail)... I mean Tommy Victor front man of Prong, had a stint in Danzig during the industrial phase of Danzig (he also appeared in the video for "Sacrifice"). He also toured and played guitars for Ministry. Course there's other stuff too, like Godflesh... which I've recently been checking out their stuff, which is something I passed over in the past, but now I want this stuff in my collection. It's really interesting all the kind of stuff that is out there... and finding stuff that is new to me in the vein of industrial metal... I mean there's all kinds of stories associated with this stuff too... how some of these bands were connected to each other in some way... yeah...

This journey so far has been fun, trying to find physical CDs rather than just picking up digital stuff, at least... if there is physical, if there isn't then I do go the digital route! I can't wait to continue in this journey... and kinda see how deep the rabbit hole goes... It's really interesting finding all this weird obscure shit (Black Magnet), and all that kind of stuff.

If you folks have any suggestions as to what I should take a listen to in the industrial metal vein, please leave those suggestions in the comments!

I'll likely post my progress in this journey, to let you know where I'm at, and maybe you have suggestions along the way!!

Stay positive, stay safe!!

Shayne "Daemon_w60" Lawrence / Twitch / Trippingonacable Records

Nine Inch Nails, Memories, and a Live Stream!

Yes... it's been quite sometime since I've given Nine Inch Nails a good listen. I found that during this pandemic, the lyrics are a little too depressing to really focus on it and enjoy listening to it, but last night "Head Like A Hole (Soil)" randomly came on my playlist... and it reminded me, that first I love Nine Inch Nails, and second... I love industrial music... not sure why, the mix just really clicked, and I felt inspired! So, the rest of yesterday and today I've been listening to NIN's back-catalogue... and really enjoying it. Not sure what changed there... but it seems to be what I want to listen to right now.

I thought I would share what tracks in particular are inspiring me right now:

(Nine Inch Nails "Head Like A Hole (Soil)")

I remember when I first heard this track, total inspiration, has a bit of a hiphop vibe:

(Nine Inch Nails "Closer (Deviation)")

This particular track, I remember when I first got this CD, loved it! Lot's of inspiration, and I actually prefer this mix of "March Of The Pigs" rather than the original mix:

(Nine Inch Nails "All The Pigs, All Lined Up")

It's really a lot of fun right now being back to having NIN in the playlist, there's sooo many memories, and reminders of why I love industrial music in general, and there is so much inspiration. I remember when I was first jamming with my first band Adam Hates You, and we would listen to stuff like this... and take inspiration from it. There were so many ideas, and truthfully speaking, I was finding my voice (vocally, and musically) and even though we didn't really go anywhere with it (and a lot of it was, us really jamming out), there was a lot of fun... I remember at the time, going into the music instrument stores in the area (H.E.L. Music), and checking out synthesizers and figuring out what I really wanted in a synth, and how I was gonna translate the stuff that I was creating into a live show. I remember looking at initially, the Alesis Q synth if I'm not mistaken, and testing it out, and playing with the sounds and stuff... and there were some patches in it, that kind of sounded like NIN patches... there was another synth I checked out (I can't remember for the life of me, what the name of it was), but ultimately I decided not to purchase either of them... I remember walking into Mothers Music (just down the street from H.E.L), and playing around with another synth, and it looked like a really cool synth... and I looked at the price tag... and at the time I thought "At that price ($2500), it's gotta be a good synth", for some reason the name of that synth stuck with me (Yamaha EX7)... and then eventually I ended up picking it up (years and years later)... and I still have it! 

(Nine Inch Nails "The Art Of Self-Destruction, Part One)

Lot's of memories from that time. There was a little goth/industrial scene in that city (Saskatoon) at the time, and a lot, if not all of my friends were doing industrial music in some way... Adam Hates You had a rotating roster (basically whoever showed up to jam), and even though I ended up dissolving that band and moving to Calgary, Alberta... it was really a time of exploration, and my first foray into writing industrial music, and kinda figuring out what exactly I wanted to do. A friend had given me a copy of a freeware DOS program called Impulse Tracker... and that's how I wrote my first track... really experimenting, finding my voice and sound, and then eventually some of those tracks ended up turning into Twitch's first "Self-titled" release.

(Nine Inch Nails "The Downward Spiral (The Bottom)")

Definitely, not feeling nostalgic, definitely don't want to go back to those times, but definitely reminded of why I love industrial music, and what got me into it in the first place!

I hope you folks are doing well, I hope you are staying safe, I hope you are staying positive!

Shayne "Daemon_w60" Lawrence / Twitch / Trippingonacable Records

(Your Canadian Goth/Rivethead)

P.S.: We got this live stream show coming up on September 24th/2020 on our Twitch Facebook Page, which you can confirm your attendance here!

We hope you folks join us!!

System Syn: Once Upon a Second Act...

(System Syn "Once Upon a Second Act...")

We were surprised and excited to receive this in the mail not too long ago! We did a bit of an unboxing video here! Yes, we like System Syn! When this album was announced to be released... there was a video teaser of all the tracks on the album... so I took a listen to that. It sounded great! So, I decided to hold off for a little bit to actually pick it up. After it had been released online (Bandcamp) in digital format, I took a closer listen... still sounds great! So... after ordering the Chris Connelly CD's from Wax Trax! Records, that same night I ordered the this System Syn album! Being that we are in a pandemic, it took a bit for it to get here, but... it arrived a few day's ago, and I'm currently listening to it!

(CD Artwork)

This album certainly does not disappoint!! It was actually better than what I thought it was gonna be! The production, the mixing, the mastering... all excellent, and very pristine, if I say so! Everything is fairly clear in the mixes, and is audible! System Syn's main songwriter is Clint Carney, and as with past releases (if I'm not mistaken, all of them), his production partner is Ted Phelps of the electro-industrial project Imperative Reaction! I'm not sure to what level Ted contributes to the System Syn releases, but he does do some production, as well as some programming on the releases as well!

(Tray card artwork)

I do think Clint has found his producer life partner... every System Syn release has always been solid, and the production, mixing and mastering are always excellent! There is definitely a consistent mix on all the tracks... and there is a certain production quality to each track... 

...As far as the tracks go... I would say the ones that stand out to me are: "The Wreckage", "Promise", "Once Upon a Second Act..", "We Had Time", and "Weightless"! And, my favorite track being "We Had Time"... As I stated above, the album is solid all the way through!

(Back cover artwork)

Clint has done something different this time around, rather than having the support from a record label behind him, he's gone totally independent, and has put this release out himself! From what I can tell he's started to self-release under the label name of Second Act Records! So, on that note... I would highly recommend checking this album out, and consider supporting them directly, by either purchasing this album, or any of their past albums on their site here! Or, purchasing digital copy of the album on Bandcamp here!

Hope you folks are well!

Chris Connelly - "Phenobarb Bambalam" and "July"

(Chris Connelly's "Phenobarb Bambalam")

If you saw our video here, you would know recently we received in the mail from Wax Trax! Records, two Chris Connelly releases, the first one being "July", and the second one being the album "Phenobarb Bambalam". I used to have both of these in my CD collection waaaaay back in the day, when I was 19 or 20 or something like that. I got rid of them when I was trying to build extra cash for my move to Calgary. I don't regret getting rid of them, but after all these years I realized I missed having them in my collection, and I'm trying to grab stuff from the recently brought back to life Wax Trax! Records label.

(Chris Connelly's "July")

So, a little bit about these releases: when I originally received these when I was 19 or 20 from a friend, he had passed them on from a local goth/industrial DJ in Saskatoon at the time. Then I eventually sold them... I didn't want to, but I had to get rid of things that weren't essential in my collection at the time... and I needed to raise some funds (I sold a lot of stuff that I'm in the process of recollecting now).

("Phenobarb Bambalam" disc)

("July" disc)

My initial thoughts about the releases when I originally received them were, I enjoyed them... it was a little different from the stuff I was normally used to, but I thought they were still good! I also felt a little bit of a connection to Mr. Connelly, cause in the album artwork he has dreads, and at the time I had dreads as well.

(Back of "Phenobarb Bambalam")

(Back of "July")

Listening to them now... I remember what I thought when I had heard them for the first time... On these releases, Chris Connelly definitely has a Bowie vibe going on. I'm not sure if that was what he was going for, but he certainly sounds like Mr.Bowie... nothing wrong with that! I would say at least on these albums Chris Connelly sounds like a industrialized David Bowie. I still am enjoying this stuff! I would say the production values on the album, as well as the mixing and mastering are quite different from the regular Wax Trax! stuff... and I think that that might be because Al Jourgensen had nothing to do with these releases. The mixing and mastering is solid though... very clear... nothing seems buried in the mix. Listening to them again, I don't think I had the same appreciation for the music back then that I do today... I'm glad I purchased them again, and supported the label directly! I'm glad they are back in my collection, and I will say, if you are interested in industrial music history... Wax Trax! Records played a very large role in the American goth/industrial scene and were pioneers when it came to bringing European bands like KMFDM and Front 242 to the American scene as well as played a large role in the industrial metal movement (Ministry being one of the first acts to incorporate metal elements with industrial music), so head over to their website here! and order some industrial music history!!

I hope you folks are doing well!!

(Your Canadian Goth/Rivethead)

Shayne "Daemon_w60" Lawrence / Twitch

Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records CD

("Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records" Compilation)

Well, I went and purchased a new CD at a store here in Calgary called SAN K JTURI BUKS! Great little spot for books, comics, industrial music (If I'm not mistaken, they are official Wax Trax! Records dealers), all kinds of movies... and just rare stuff (they are in Eau Claire Mall, if you a curious to go check them out)! I initially went to this store to hang out with a friend who works there and just chat for a little bit, but I ended up picking up this "Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records" compilation CD! I had already ordered the Documentary, and I figured being that I had done that, I might as well pick up the compilation CD that goes along with the film! So, what is on this CD... My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Revolting Cocks, Ministry, KMFDM, Front 242, Chris Connelly... and a bunch of other stuff!

(Interior)

Being that I wasn't old enough to really appreciate what was on the Wax Trax! roster when I was younger and when these songs and bands were coming out (I was waaaay too young, and industrial music wasn't really on my periphery at this point in time), I will say for what is on this compilation, and knowing the bands now, I would say this is an excellent collection of songs and definitely displays the major bands and some of their pioneering and most iconic sounds that were on the label!! This also reminds me of my baby bat or young years as a goth... and being at events in my young adult years in my home city, and being exposed to these bands for the first time... and really loving this stuff!

(Tray Art)

It wasn't until many, many years later that I really started to appreciate what came off this label, and even really start to dig into some of the music off this label! If you watched this video here, you would know that... I would say, yes all the bands definitely sound different, but I will also say, a lot of the bands that came off this label... there was a similarity in the sound quality of the music, maybe not so much in sound design, but definitely in the way it was mixed and mastered! I also think another reason why there was a similarity in that aspect, was because Al Jourgensen had a big hand in a lot of the bands that rolled off that label, and quite frankly, a lot of the bands were side-projects of Al (Revolting Cocks, Pailhead, 1000 Homo DJ's, etc)...

(Back Cover)

So, yeah... listening to this CD, there is definitely almost a nostalgia, when hearing this kind of stuff in my early baby bat days and being at goth/industrial events in my home city, but there's also appreciation for this stuff that I hadn't had in the past, because I was too young to really appreciate it! There's also a lot of inspiration, and a lot of almost "wonder", as too be honest, some of this stuff... this is the first time hearing it! So, yes!! If you are into industrial music and don't know who Wax Trax! Records is or know of the bands on this label, or just haven't heard these particular tracks that are on this compilation... pick it up! There is a lot of history here... and if you have watched my video regarding the documentary "Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records" I will say it again here... watch the documentary!! You will not regret it, you will learn more about this transgressive genre and where it came from, and you will learn about this pioneering record label that spawned the careers of many of today's well known industrial bands!!

Mental Health... and Why I Think it's Important, Especially Now (2020)!

(Hate has no home anywhere!!)

Ok, I figured I would get into this a little bit, cause a little earlier today, I was out on my balcony, and I noticed a crowd of people hanging out at the Safeway across the street from me. There was about 10 of them... and something I've noticed about the area recently, is that there are a lot of drug users and shit coming into the area... and they are doing drugs right out in the open... wherever and whenever, could be broad daylight, could be in the evening. With the recent going-on's in the world (you know, the pandemic and shit), and everyone being affected by these things... our provincial government decided to defund the safe injection sites in the area... and now there are an influx of drug users in the area... and it is really fuckin sad... cause these people used to have somewhere safe to go, and now they are doing it wherever and whenever... and they are not getting at least some of the help that they need, and likely there are gonna be overdoses and people dying in the street in the area... now you would think the government would have kept them open, being that, right now... and especially right now, that there is a lot of stress and a lot of people suffering in the mental health department, which would lead to more people using... so you think it would be logical to keep things open, so people don't fucking die unnecessarily!

So, I'm gonna say here again, drug use... is a mental health issue! Generally, people use, cause they have an underlying mental illness that they are trying to cope with, or... they have deep seated trauma, that they don't know how to deal with, and once again... try to cope by using drugs. I could get into some commentary on why I think we should legalize all drugs, but that is maybe something I'll get into another time. But, what I'm getting at is... if these people learnt better ways to cope... without the use of street drugs, but proper counselling and maybe medication of some kind (if there is a mental illness involved)... I think that most if not all drug addiction issues would be solved! If we deal with drug addiction as a mental health issue, rather than an addiction issue... that the government thinks should be criminalized, I think society and humanity would be in a way better place, cause these people would have tools and proper coping techniques that will keep them away from using street drugs.

I also want to mention here, that I do think that racism, and hate... is a mental health issue as well. Think about all the time and energy someone puts into being hateful and angry at someone who has a different cultural background than themselves. They aren't happy. They have not found inner peace. They feel that they need to spread their hatred and anger. They feel that people of other cultural backgrounds should not live... some people are so angry that, they want, or are willing to take another persons life, because they are from a different culture, or are a person of color, or whatever. That, is a mental issue... and ultimately that boils down to a mental health issue.

So, once again I'm going to mention here, my music endeavor Twitch... we are trying to raise funds for the Mental Health Research Canada charity... so if you want to support this cause, in helping better research when it comes to mental health... and finding better ways to cope... from July 10th/2020 to August 7th/2020 we will be donating all album sales on our Bandcamp here to the Mental Health Research Canada charity! You can find more info about them here! 

We hope you consider supporting this great cause, and hey... I mean you'll get some great music out of it!!

Stay safe folks!

Databomb: Refuge

“Refuge” is about the Syrian refugee crisis, and refugees in general. The people that are fleeing these conflicts are trying to save their children, and their families. All they want is peace. They don’t want to see their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, or children die. They are generally good people, they work, they take care of their families... they pray, but despite all of that, they are being forced out of their country, at the threat of violence... they flee to another country... will that new country take them in, and keep them safe, or will they turn them away? Who’s right in this conflict, the ones that are fleeing, or the ones threatening violence? Why is there a cynicism from other countries, and insist they should stay and fight? Praying isn’t working... and ultimately the question becomes 

“Why has our god forsaken us?”

“No one will take us in... will we never find peace?”

“Can you help us?”

If you haven’t heard “Refuge”, you can find it here: https://twitch-official.bandcamp.com/track/refuge

And if you haven’t yet, you can grab the album “Databomb” for a fiver ($5) here: https://twitch-official.bandcamp.com/album/databomb Not only will you be getting some Rivethead tunes you can mosh to, you’ll also be supporting a great charity (Mental Health Research Canada) in the process too!

Databomb: We All Want Peace

Ye, I think the title and subject of this song is obvious... I think everyone out there ultimately wants some kind of peace, not only outside of themselves, but inside themselves as well! I mean there are a few exceptions to this rule, but I generally think people who don’t want peace, are actually misguided and if they aren’t misguided, then they actually have something wrong with their brain, and the chemicals inside of it! At the beginning and at the end of this song there is a sample of a Japanese Peace bell.

Do you want peace? Internally, and externally? Let me know!

If you haven’t heard “We All Want Peace” yet, you can listen here: https://twitch-official.bandcamp.com/track/we-all-want-peace

Aaand, if you don’t have the album “Databomb” in your digital collection, I would highly suggest in grabbing it here: https://twitch-official.bandcamp.com/album/databomb You can grab it for a fiver ($5)!! All proceeds from this album, and matter of fact all our albums will be strictly going to Mental Health Research Canada charity! Not only are you getting great music, but you are also investing in amazing charity that focuses on mental health research!

Ok, Folks! I Am Not Doing This Shit Anymore!!

Ok, folks! I am not doing this shit anymore, I'm not fucking around anymore!!! In the last couple of months, you know, I know, everyone fucking knows the situation! The world is essentially standing still, due to this pandemic. There have been all kinds of things go on between the start of this self-isolation, and social-distancing periods. I mean the murder of black man George Floyd by a police officer in the states, the protests and riots that resulted after that. There's all kinds of political plays going on in the neighbors to the South of us. There's been an absolute lack of leadership, there. There's been well, I'm not sure how to comment on the leadership of our country, but we are certainly doing much better numbers wise with the pandemic than our southern neighbors. Although, the leadership in our Province is well, a fucking gong show... absolute fuckin insanity in the way things have rolled out here (Bill 1 anyone?) It's very concerning as a lot of friends and family are really unsure of how things are gonna roll out... remember this is all during a pandemic... all of this!

I know I am struggling right now, I know I have family and friends that are struggling, so.. that got me thinking, I've struggled a lot with my mental health over the last, well...21 years... it wasn't until these last... well since I started really trying to get Twitch out there and really starting to focus on live shows and performing which wasn't until around 2011-12, which is also when I realized music and performing were essentially keeping me sane! I will say between 1999 - 2004 was where I really struggled a lot! There were a lot of doctors and such getting involved. Most of them didn't know what was wrong with me. Then in fall of 2001, basically just after 9/11... I ended up getting into a bit of trouble. I would say though, even though I got into that trouble... there was a month period where I was talking to doctors... and I finally got the help I needed... and it put me on the path I am on today!! Course there were missteps between 2001 and 2004, but after 2004 I realized I can't do this mental illness thing, it's too stressful! So, I made a deal with myself, as well as some family and friends that when I'm feeling off, to let them know... and reach out (if you need to do this... do not be afraid, tell your close friends or supportive family members, what is going on... and make sure you tell them what you need, or what would be helpful for you)!

Course over the years I've managed to find coping techniques that work for me, but it wasn't until I decided to not do this mental illness thing and really take care of myself, and not fuckin end up in these mental places. Yes, I do have a mental illness, but I absolutely don't let it run my life, for me it was about deciding that quite frankly, I'm not fucking around anymore, I'm not wasting anymore time on this, I have dreams, and goals, and a life to live! So, where am I going with this... after some long and hard thoughts, I'm going to be raising the price of the latest Twitch album "Databomb" to $5 for a digital copy, or if you want to pay more, you can go ahead and do that... every sale of this album from now: July 10/2020 till August 7/2020 will go toward: Mental Health Research Canada! 

Here is what they are about: 

 

We advance outcomes-driven mental health that betters the lives of all Canadians.

Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) is a national, charitable organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of the 1 in 5 Canadians living with mental illness, as well as their families, caregivers and communities. We do this by advancing evidence-based mental health research that is problem-solving, cost-effective and usable in the real world.

We all have mental health. Mental health is the foundation for our emotions, thinking, communication, learning, resilience and self-esteem. It allows us to form healthy personal and professional relationships, sustain our emotional well-being, and contribute to our workplace and society. Mental illness occurs when a mental health disorder or condition disrupts our normal functioning. By the time Canadians turn 40 years old, 50% of us will have – or have had – a mental illness.

Because MHRC is committed to building knowledge that will have deep impact with Canadians, we place at the centre of our research process those who will use it – people with lived experience. We also consult and partner with other funders and stakeholders, including other mental health organizations, social agencies, entrepreneurs, business and government, in creative and collaborative ways.

Here's why I'm choosing this charity; first: the one thing that has resonated with me throughout this pandemic is my mental health and state, it is the one thing I struggle with, if there is no one to chat to or be social with... and I felt best bringing awareness for this charity and  the work that they do! I think it is very important for proper mental health research so we can better accommodate people who are struggling with their mental health, and to even learn from this pandemic on the effects how isolation affects our mental health, and better the ways we can deal with it! Although, the charities scope is vast... I think ultimately in the end, having better mental health research, will better help us understand human psychology and how to cope better in these situations and ultimately possibly help us find better coping techniques overall, and you know... if we have a better understanding of our psychology, and the way our minds work, and... ultimately what is going to bring us peace (personally), or some kind of peace internally, I think the entire world will be better off for it, and I do think truly humanity will start to have an understanding of each other, maybe learn to accept each others differences and such... and maybe we as a human species will actually find some kind of peace externally... and... yeah... I think you know what I’m getting at!

I hope you folks are well!

Here's the new Twitch album "Databomb"!