2) This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Creative outlets? Not a subscriber, though I hear they are nice. One could argue that a blog is a creative outlet but I haven't been posting long enough (or regular enough) to really notice any sort of creative relief. As of right now; I see blogging as a nice way to kill a few hours and to get some of the noise out of my head. Plus it gives me something to better myself at (Give me feedback). Some days I wish I had a way to express myself in a multitude of sensory pleasures, but I have far too many ideas without any clue as to how to express them. One day I'll figure it out.

Until then, here are a few friends of mine who are doing some amazing things with their talents.

Chelsea Zimmerman :: Carapace Photography

For fans of Horror and all things Macabre.

My girlfriend Chelsea has really started to push her photography out into the world. She specializes in horror, gore & pin-up scenes. The thing I respect most about her work is that she is working with a micro budget and her friends. She is fantastic at direction and her angles she produces are unique and well lit. She comes at it the same way a director would a film. As a giant plus: I get to kill people in a good portion of her pictures! Always a good time. I'll post one of the murder-y pictures of me from a couple of weeks ago to keep things vain and to keep looking as arrogant as ever!!!! ^_^

I'm the one in the hazmat suit, in case you were wondering.

Luka (Luke) Kelly :: Hellhound Fashion

For nerds, fashion people, and people who like all things awesome.

Luka Kelly (from here on in referred to as Luke and if she has an issue with it she can just hit me later) has been one of my best friends for a very long time. She has always made her own clothing as well as doing clothing designs for local bands. She used to run a screen printing company out of her basement, press buttons, web design, myspace layouts, web hosting, and so many other things, all before she graduated high school. Now that Luke is finally done fashion school and has since been pushing incredible stuff out onto the internet for your credit cards to purchase. Seriously, her stuff is incredible. Click the picture below for a link to her Etsy. The link beside her name is to her fantastic Blog. She has always been better at that stuff then me. I won't tell her that I'm jealous, but I think by now she must know.

OH: Forgot to mention she is the biggest Marvel/Spider-Man fan I have ever met and so much of her swag is related in some way. Fellow nerds: ENJOY! Fellow DC fans, respect and keep quiet. She's small, but seriously, her right hook is cruel.

Kevin Fraser :: LIVESTALK

For fans of the ideas behind Sonic Youth, The Melvins and The Pixies

Kevin & I used to play in a band together for a few years. All Cut Up was the first serious band I was in and let me experiment both musically and professionally. He is one of the most talented sound creators I have ever had the pleasure of working with and has always had a keen eye for all things fucked in day-to-day life. We stopped working together shortly after I joined the hardcore group The Twin back in 2009 due to time constraints and life moving forward. The last thing I did with Kevin directly was session work on the Livestalk & The Bodies album Eudaimonia, which was released in August 2011. I played on 3 tracks using a four-piece kit with one ride and hi-hats. The musicians who wound up filling the rest of that album humbled me in ways no one would ever understand. Kevin painted a piece of art that I still listen to most days. He now plays in several bands all over Hamilton and, from what I can tell, is playing a gig most nights at some club somewhere in the downtown core. Everything on his BandCamp pages is either free or way too cheap for what it is. Please go support him.

There is so much other great stuff on the internet that Kevin has done. I am pretty sure I know less than I don't when it comes to his catalog.

Patrick Hussey :: Solo Work

For fans of Pop, Acoustic and Electro (but feel like there isn't enough crossover).

Oh Pat, what can't you do? This kid does so much work on so many different ideas that he keeps in that head of his that I can't even follow half of it (I do try, though). Pat and I have been jamming since 2007 and been playing shows since we started in the local scene. He has always been doing his solo acoustic stuff while fucking around with programs like Fruity Loops and ProTools to get his sound to one unique enough to stand some sort of time test. Everything he does is without an internet connection for tips or tricks for mixing. It is without any sort of training or preparation.  Everything he does is DIY (or with some help from friends) and it seems to always get better and better. He is still one of my best friends and I hope some day we can collaborate on something else, even if it's just one track.

Now, let's drop this beat!

Seriously folks, I posted this because I didn't expect to see it on the same page as his acoustic stuff. Click the links and go check out his SoundCloud. It's full.



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This blog was put together while not only listening to and reading the amazing things my friends have done, but also while spinning Portishead's self-titled release from 1997. Jazzy, classy, haunting, and beautiful.
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Are you interested in more independent goodness? If people wish, I can keep dropping "Friend Spots" now and again to keep everyone posted.