July 25th

I puked in Caleb's front yard last night. I crashed on the couch and saw this... 

In Caleb's living room there is an aquarium across from one of the couches. As I am laying there I stare into the aquarium and get lost in it. What I see "in" the aquarium is quite spectacular. Someone has formed the rocks in a design of a man's face while he is sleeping. I see the face in the shadow that is cast from the aquarium lights onto the wall. I say he's asleep, because the waves that go through out the tank make the shadow move on the wall. The waves are similar to the way we inhale and exhale while sleeping. At a point the man was speaking to me, but I couldn't hear it over the intensely loud purring from a tuxedo cat on my shoulder.

July 23rd

I saw her last night for the first time in months.
I froze.
Our eyes were locked until she was out of my sight.
Not a word was said and neither a tear.

Haikus in July

Everyday is slow

It's relentless and colder

Get me out of here 

Valentine's Day 2012

Obviously this happened about five months ago. I probably did one of the sweetest things for a girl around this time. I went to a chinese restaurant, asked for a fortune cookie, and they made me pay them 50 cents for it. It was worth it, I suppose. I brought the fortune cookie back to my friend's house. I opened up the wrapper and took the cookie out. My friend supplied me with scissors to surgically remove the fortune without breaking the cookie. With computer paper I cut out a small rectangle and wrote, "Will you be my Valentine?" on it and carefully placed it back into the fortune cookie. The fortune cookie was placed back into the wrapper and taped shut.

A few hours later I take the girl out to eat. I handed her the fortune cookie when we said our goodbyes. She played it off that she didn't read the fortune until the next morning. She liked it enough to cheat on her boyfriend with me a couple days later. She didn't like it when I pulled her hair. I don't think I was ever her Valentine, but neither was her boyfriend.

The End.

Tanks & Galaxicon // dual record release show review

All I want to say is "Wow'", but I should be a bit more descriptive about last night (July 7th, 2012).  I took some film photos of the show also. I'm typing this now while they are developing at Walgreens down the street. I'm crossing my fingers that they turned out! The show last night was probably one of the best local shows I've been to in a long time. Two bands performed over the course of about two hours for the price of $5. You can't beat that, right? Well, let me further prove my point on why this is the best five bones I've ever spent.

I guess you could say both bands intended to play both their new records from start to finish tonight. Galaxicon played their entire full length, but with some special treats. By treats I mean them covering Sleep's "Dragonaut" and Motorhead's "Ace of Spades". Galaxicon went on stage at about 11 PM and begin their set with "Serpent Savior" the first track off their new album, "Old Gods". Galaxicon is one of the loudest bands I've ever seen live and it's really rad to say they are from the city we live in. They played more material off the new album and about half way through their set Ben began to play one of the most legendary psychedelic most high riffs ever, "Dragonaut" by Sleep. Not to mention that Alejandro Jodorowsky's "The Holy Mountain" (1973) was projected onto Galaxicon and a backdrop. We won't ever see anything like that again, because that was indeed Ben's last Galaxicon show. Ben (guitarist / vocalist) is moving away to Colorado. Ironically a week or so ago, me and some friends watched "The Holy Mountain" on mute and listened to Sleep's album, "Holy Mountain". Seeing it live and played by Galaxicon was a truly bad ass experience. Galaxicon played a few more songs including  "The Key, The Gate, The Light" that was featured on Rock 103 (a local radio station that plays mainly classic rock, not music that should be on Relapse or Southern Lord). Galaxicon ended their set with "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead. I felt like I was playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 at the age of 11 again. Galaxicon's set was superb. You can order Galaxicon merch here along with their new album "Old Gods". Also great props to Alan at The Secret Team for recording this ripping full length! Take a listen below!

Below are some photographs I took of the show last night. I shot these with a Minolta X-370 with Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400. These photos have not been edited in anyway. These are raw film photographs, I hope you enjoy.

Galaxicon photographed by William James Knutson

Galaxicon photographed by William James Knutson

Tanks played next and played is an understatement, they performed. Tanks' new full length, "Loud Cloud" was released a couple days prior to the show on Spotify. I wanted to listen to it, but since they were going to play it all live last night I decided against it. From the prospective of only hearing "Loud Cloud" live I can say one thing, it should be named "Fucking Loud Cloud". The album is one track running at a little under 27 minutes. You can pick up the one sided cassette exclusively from Fat Sandwich Records (limited to 100 and should be up in the store later this week). A CD version is also available from the band. Chuck Howard (guitarist / vocalist) designed the show flyer and the album cover for "Loud Cloud". Prints were available at the show and luckily I got a one before they disappeared. I also got a flyer of the show. Both will most likely be framed. The artwork is beautiful. This is a link that will open "Loud Cloud" up in Spotify for all you lazy people who won't type "Tanks". Below are photos from Tanks' set. Same camera, same film.

Tanks photographed by William James Knutson

Tanks by photographed William James Knutson

Tanks by photographed William James Knutson

Tanks photographed by William James Knutson

July 5th

Eating at restaurant is always an experience. Watching other people interact while you eat alone is an "adventure" everyone should go on at least once if not more. It's always great to study families, couples, groups of couples, and friends eating together. You can learn a lot about someone by the way they eat.

Today this couple at Pho Ha Binh seemed expired. It was the most dry conversation and they ate in silence. It was sad. Insecure people usually hang on to something even after it's dead or maybe they are just sleepy? Not a chance. They looked bathed and fully clothed for the day. No way they are sleepy. Maybe it has something to do with the male's graphic tshirt. That was exceptionally loud. It was a neon yellow Star Wars shirt. The female wore black shorts and a teal blouse. She seemed more formal and laid back. He seemed laid back and a tad bit immature. I could be wrong. These are my perceptions and opinions only. Even if she looks like my foot with a rats face on it doesn't mean her partner, Mr. Neon shouldn't go through the buffet for her when she asks him to. I didn't catch if he opened the door for her or not. Oh well. I guess i'll wait until they leave to see. He slightly opened the door for her. Good enough. 

A new girl walked in and she looks like if Arya Stark wore white booty shorts. Isn't that attractive? Her voice is kind of manly also. "I'll take a Coca Cola" those are the only words she spoke during her meal.

I'm going to be doing a lot more people watching today so expect another post soon.

- William James Knutson

lacuspress@gmail.com

Independence Day

I'm not going to write a review on Savages. It's not a bad movie. It's just not that good. Sorry.

I'm going to share with you a dream I had a couple months ago. Luckily, I wrote down as much as I could when I woke up and it's pretty much the gist of it. 

I dreamt the saddest dreams last night. One that I can remember the most is of my pediatrician...

I walked into a very dark doctors office. It was vacant. Chairs were on their sides. A litter of magazines scattered the floor and I nearly tripped on a back issue of Readers Digest. I approached the counter as I saw a figure crouching over a desk. His back was rising and falling with every whimper he exhaled.

I called out, "Is everything okay, sir?"

"I couldn't do anything to save them. I've been practicing for over two decades and I couldn't save them." He said. His back still turned. Every other word was followed by a sob.

"Couldn't save them from what?"

"From life." He turned and I realized it was Dr. Z, my pediatrician that I visited when I was younger. He looked the same. Soft eyes and his voice seemed to put you into a trance. The comfortability he gave you was remarkable.

"What do you mean, life?" I asked, puzzled and bewildered.

"What do I not mean, Will? What do I not mean? Take a look around you. Earth has been a wasteland for almost three years. Have you not noticed?" He seemed shocked that I had not known.

"I've been asleep all this time? I've been asleep for three years?" How had I have slept that long? Was it a side effect to whatever "ended the world"?

"Earth fell apart about three years ago. The first to go were the birds. The streets were littered with them. The birds have been carrying some sort of virus or bacteria. So soon enough it spread. Land animals starting feeding off the birds and then humans starting catching this terrible disease. Only a few survived. I stayed at work trying to revive and alleviate anyone who had the disease. It was no use. Nothing could have saved them. Not even me."

"You can save me." by "me" I meant us.

"How would I even go about that?" He asked

"You can put us both to sleep. We will be safe from the disease. You tried your best at saving the others, but you can save us still."

"I could, but that'd be giving up."

"It's not giving up when there is nothing left behind."

He smiled, because he knew it was true. And with that he ended my life. He ended his shortly after, but first he glanced around his office. He reminisced all of his work he achieved over the years. It was sad to leave behind such history with no one to recognize it besides himself. Unless some lonesome survivor stumbles across it. The magnitude won't hit them as much as it did to him. History is relative and now we and the rest of Earth are apart of history. 

- William James Knutson

lacuspress@gmail.com

July 2nd

I got a pass to see the early screening of Savages today. It's very out of character for me to be attending the movie theater so much lately. I did see Moonrise Kingdom last week and I saw Prometheus shortly after it was released. Before then the last time I had been to the theater was back in 2010 to see Inception. It's not that I don't enjoy movies. I do, a lot. I just don't like viewing a movie with several people. I like to take it in without distractions, but sometimes I go. Recently, it's been more than sometimes. Savages is based off a novel by Don Winslow. If the novel is good enough to be made into a movie it already has some credibility right? I guess I'll find out tonight. I have heard of Don Winslow before.  He mainly writes crime and mystery novels. I just noticed John Travolta is in the movie. Holy shit, Battlefield Earth was awful.

Pity Sex

I'll go ahead and post another band that I've been listening to non stop. Well, I'll make it two bands. They correlate. The first band is Pity Sex. They are an emo band from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I'll embed their ep, "Dark World" for you to listen to. Definitely listen to the opening track, "When You're Around". "How did I get so depressed? I wasn't born like this" This opening line sets the mood that is Pity Sex. A band that creates buzzy chords then with beautiful melodies. This is another band that should be played with the windows down while you drive around town. Cry to it. Sing along. Tell all your friends about this band. Pity Sex recently just got added to the Run for Cover roster. Congratulations to them!

Procession

The next band is called Procession. I had listened to Procession before Pity Sex and really dug it. Procession plays more on the shoegaze side, if you're into that. A notable track is "Mementos". Every time I hear the lyric, "I’ve made more plans than memories" I get goosebumps. It's such a good line, sad and honest. When my friend Chance showed me Pity Sex a few months ago, I was blown away. Although the female vocalist sounded very familiar. Well, come to find out Britty (vocalist/guitarist of Procession) also plays guitar and sings in Pity Sex. Too rad! Take a listen to their ep, "Fade". Their brand new full length, "Your Turn To Feel" is up for free download also!

Pillow Talk - Volume II // Preview

These are the raw innards of the next Pillow Talk and you get to see it first. I'll post a couple lines and some photos that will be featured in it. Enjoy.

The sound of your voice calmed my shaking hands. You told me it was all going to be okay. I heard you in my sleep, but never in my dreams.

She swept up their love under the rug. He wasn't too pleased. She was never good at cleaning.

I shook her hand and it felt like sand between my fingers. She slipped right before my eyes and all I had left was her scent. A scent I'd never forget. Stale cigarettes and lemon.

Volume II should be out fairly soon. Thanks for being patient!



- William James Knutson
lacuspress@gmail.com

June 30th

Diarrhea Planet

The party was... okay. I arrived alone and saw a couple of old friends. The party picked up speed when Michael got there. Now that is just stating the obvious. His ADHD is from another planet, seriously. Speaking of planet, I can't stop listening to Diarrhea Planet from Nashville, TN. Everyone should check them out! If this band was playing the party last night I probably wouldn't be typing this right now. Open up a beer and listen to "Warm Ridin'" off their full length, Loose Jewels.