Christmas time and such...

I don't know what it is about the holidays. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to make things perfect, something happens that can throw everything into chaos. This year, I am told my father has prostate cancer the day before we leave for Kamloops. When he told me he was going in for an exam, I feared this, but managed to convince myself that he would be fine. There isn't a history of cancer in the family, and since his heart attack a few years back he has taken much better care of himself, apart from not working too hard. The doctors say it's been caught very early, and it's very treatable. I now find myself trying to believe everything will be ok. And once again, and I feel very selfish about this, I am having to face my own mortality. The irony of a death metal freak terrified of death himself is kind of funny. I think it's not so much that I am afraid to die as I am no longer being alive, if that makes any sense at all. To say that in spite of all the data, and reassurances from the doctors that I am scared for my Dad right now is an understatement. He just turned 67, so that's not very old. Maybe back in medieval times (and that always makes me think of Steve Martin's Theordoric, Barber of York sketch on Saturday Night Live)









The weird thing is, we haven't talked about it yet. It's a horrible flaw in my family, that we don't talk about the hard things sometimes. Laurie has helped me so much in this respect, but I still struggle with it. Maybe I am afraid I will cry if I start talking to him about it. Or that I will see him cry, which would be devastating. Life is not always the easy things. There are always going to be difficult times, especially when things happen to those you love. I am at least thankful I actually have the skills to try and deal with these things now. I know my Dad is going to be ok, I just need to stop trying to convince myself otherwise.

Anyways, it's good to be home for Christmas, and I am eager to see my family's faces when they see the things Laurie & I have made for them. We will post pictures of the stuff I knitted later (rechargin' the camera batteries, don'tcha know...).

R.I.P. Vitek

DECAPITATED drummer Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka died in a Russian hospital from injuries sustained in a recent road collision. He was 23 years old.
Vitek and DECAPITATED singer Covan (real name: Adrian Kowanek) were hurt in an accident earlier in the week involving DECAPITATED's tour bus and a truck carrying wood in Gomel, on the Russia/Belarus border. Both musicians reportedly sustained serious head injuries in the collision, which is believed to have been the fault of the band's driver (although this has not yet been officially confirmed).

According to the Polish Internet portal Onet.pl, Vitek underwent trepanation, a form of surgery in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the skull, and was due to be transported to a hospital in Krakow, Poland for further treatment.

Covan's family released a statement yesterday (Thursday, November 1) that the vocalist's condition had improved. At the time, the vocalist was still said to be at a hospital in Novozybkov, Russia, where he and Vitek were taken following the accident.

I had the opportunity to interview Covan for my metal podcast last year (Mass Hypnosis Metal Radio Episode 7) and this news is absolutely devastating to hear. Vitek was one of my favorite drummers since the band's debut album Winds of Creation in 2000.
He played with a skill level far beyond his years, the band's first demo recorded when he was just 14. R.I.P.

I also found a video shot just 2 days before the accident, of the band performing in Moscow


and this one from the 28th

On falling down holes and such...

Spent the week working in Parksville, and the week almost came to an end fast. I kinda fell down a hole.

Okay, let me explain...

We were measuring a wall that had already been completed, and I was helping a co-worker measure it, walking across the deck with the measuring tape. There were building materials all over the deck, plywood, styrofoam insulation, etc. and I was walking to the edge of the deck when the styrofoam gave way and I plunged down a hole. I figure it was about 8 feet. I landed on my feet and realized right away nothing was broken. There was a ladder in the hole (amazing I missed it, had I made contact I would have slammed my face into the wall, or worse) and climbed back out. So... long story short I am alive. Yay!

Two shawls on the go, and we have a camera again so I will take some pics PDQ. Laurie is still in love with her new spinning wheel lol. Like that affair will ever end. She is getting very good at it too, yesterday she was spinning some lace weight. I am impressed.

I hear TOOL is coming to Victoria. Considering the lack of metal shows lately, and the overabundance of radio-crap bands that have been making their way here, the show is interesting to say the least. Can't say I am a fan, but it might be worth checking out. Make sure and check the new hockey blog at http://canucklehead666.blogspot.com for podcast updates and all things Canucks. Big game against LA tonight (let's face it, they're all big games right now).

I'm a baddddd blogger

Yeah, so it's been a long summer, eh? The shawl for Mom part Deux is progressing, and I would show you the progress, if the camera hadn't fallen victim to the black screen of death. Laurie is helping me on a shawl for my sis, and we will update you on that soon...

Hockey season is starting, and being rabid Canuckleheads, we now have a blog to compliment the We Are All Canuckleheads podcast. We just found out we are listed on Podcasts page at Canucks.com. Holy crap are we happy about that!

So updates will be regular now, as well as metal podcasts.
I am also going to vent some political stuff, I got a little upset when I found out Nelson Mandela was dead. More on that here and here.

Kent is away

He's up in Parksville until Friday or possibly Thursday night. Blogging shall return forthwith!
~laurie

It's been a long week...

Thus, no updates. But fear not, for I shall be fixing this. Well uh, I guess I already have. The shawl is coming along slowly. I havent had much time to knit this week (though I suppose time spent watching tv could just as easily be multitasked). We did go to Micheals yesterday on a wool run (kinda like a beer run, only less calories), and I saw the lighted knitting needles. Snicker. I guess you know you're addicted when... (Just a note... I am fully aware I have now condemned myself to buying some within the next 12 months... I'm karma's bitch lol). Going to do some reviews this weekend, as well as the Friday Eddie post.

Album Of The Day Part 1: Machine Head- The Blackening

Machine Head- The Blackening (Roadrunner)
To call this a return to form is a mild understatement. This is a call to arms, if I may paraphrase from the song 'Halo'. Machine Head are back with an album that finally achieves what many have expected of them: an album that matches the fury of their 1994 debut 'Burn My Eyes.' The one thing that really stands out here is that Robb Flynn and company haven't just made some safe album, but comprised a number of songs that push well past the 9 minute mark. The venomous lyrical content is back too, taking on the Iraq War, Religious Hypocrisy, and even fighting back against a conservative commentator who launched a cowardly attack on Dimebag Darrell after his shocking murder. The passion is back, and it's due in large part to the collabaration between Flynn and his partner in crime from their days in Vio-lence, Phil Demmel. The last release 'Through The Ashes Of Empires' showed the world that the days of Machine Head trying to follow musical trends were behind them. Now, they are once again leading the pack, perhaps crafting a release that shows the Lamb Of Gods and Shadows Falls of the American Heavy Metal scene that the King has awakened from his slumber.

Friday Dog Blogging

As you can see, I didn't make it back to post an album of the day, so tonight, it's doubles :) . In the wonderfully dark picture of yours truly on the side, you can see me knittin' away on some Lopi... well here is the amazing Eddie on the end result, his doggie bed. I have started a new shawl for Mom. The wool? Oh... it's uh, grey? Yeah I asked what type it was and Laurie didn't know. She said it was 'mill ends". It came in a large, unlabeled bag. Yet she didn't like that I called it 'Thrift Wool'. Go figger.

And as a treat, here's a Youtube of a band from the Netherlands appearing on a tv show called Villa Live. They're called One Bullet Left and the average age of the band members is 14(!).

New stuff... and holy crap, you're sick again?!?!

After an hour and a half long nap (interrupted only by Eddie, who I assume was making sure I was still breathing), I am actually coherent enough to sit upright for a while. Not sure what's wrong with me this time, but it's hit me like a Mack Truck. As you can see, Laurie (being the sweet wonderful girl that she is) made a lil list of links. More to come, including some metal ones, for you brave knitters who want to sell your soul to Sat...I mean uh, check out some great music. Heh. I am going to try to eat some dinner and find the album review I wrote for today's post. Wish me luck.

Mom's Shawl, or How I learned to despise Novelty Yarn

So on the weekend I had been working away on the shawl for my Mom (because you know, it gets so cold in Kamloops...), and was using this fluffy pink and yellow novelty yarn. All weekend long people came up and said "Oh that's a nice scarf" (partly I think, because it was looking a lot like a scarf at the time, and partly because maybe they could tell I am still a little unsure on the sticks), and I politely told them that it was actually a shawl. Yeah. Well it turns out that this type of yarn can get away from you. Laurie had asked "Have you counted the stitches lately?" to which I replied "Nope, it's fine." Later, she would ask again, this time I said "Umm... I don't think I want to." I don't want to say how many stitches I actually ended up with, but rest assured my daughter now has a wonderful scarf.

Signs that metal bands may be closeted knitters: Here's some song titles that make me think they actually knit on the bus or something...
ACCEPT- Balls To The Wall
ABSU- Four Crossed Wands
AC/DC- Big Balls
ANTHRAX- Ball Of Confusion (yeah I know it's a cover...)

I will post more when I think of them. Make sure and check out Yarn Harlot for her take on Victoria. And no, she didn't call me a biker.

Album of the Day: Judas Priest- British Steel

I thought we would start off with a classic, and British Steel is definitely that. Judas Priest had already made a name for themselves, but it was with this 1980 release that they really made waves on this side of the Atlantic. The album had a decidedly more aggressive nature than previous albums, following a natural progression that led to their most famous release, 1981's Screaming For Vengeance. But you'd do well not to overlook this gem. There are some real killer tunes here, including a couple really underappreciated tracks from the Priest library. Sure you've got Breakin' The Law, Living After Midnight and Rapid Fire, but my favorites from this album have always been Grinder (I remember seeing Rob Halford join Pantera for a cover of this one on MuchMusic back in the Power 30 days...) and You Don't Have To Be Old To Wise. Halford has some great vocal moments here, and the twin axe attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing were really coming into their own. Thankfully the entire Priest back catalog was remastered a little while back, so you can enjoy these classics in a rich, full sound more deserving for such classic metal.

You've got your metal in my knitting...

Welcome to my latest venture into the blogosphere, a little thing called Wicked Knit. I decided to make a blog to track my journey into the world of knitting, and reach out to any other knitters who may enjoy this form of music. There has to be some of you out there. The name is a take off on the song "Wicked Fit" by Municipal Waste. I am the host of Mass Hypnosis Metal Radio, a metal podcast, and have been involved in some sort of media involving metal (tv, radio and print) for almost 20 years. I have been knitting for about a year now, and while I have lots to learn, I hope that some of you will enjoy, and can relate to what it's like to pick up the sticks...
I am fortunate to have a wonderful teacher in Laurie, who really is patient as she shows me how to turn balls of yarn into things that vaguely resemble items of clothing lol. Oh yeah, I am fairly sarcastic. So what you will get here is some knitting talk, some metal talk and album reviews and various other things.

We took part in the Victoria Fibre Festival this weekend. The highlight was a visit from The Yarn Harlot herself, Stephanie Pearl-MacPhee. She was an absolute riot, and it was kinda cool coming out and knitting in public for the first time. It was odd, as I felt like everyone was watching me. Let's face it, I look like the last guy you expected to see knitting. Especially yellow and pink novelty yarn lol. Now what I had been working on was supposed to be a shawl for my Mom. Well, turns out that sometimes these novelty yarns can get away on you, and long story short, it's now a scarf for my daughter. I start the shawl tonight, and will post some pictures soon once I have a decent amount to show you. Tonight I will post an album of the day, and for those who like it loud, you can maybe find some bands you've never heard before.