Conversations with Keefy

Once again I found myself in good old Worcester, MA for the Rock and Shock Festival. Held every October this combination rock/metal show and horror convention is one of the most fun times you can have. I certainly was in all of my glory with the combination of two things I love dearly. I was really only interested in the Friday night lineup of bands and I saw a bunch of great ones. From THE OCEAN, EARTH CRISIS, OTEP, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and the headliner MUSHROOMHEAD; everyone put on a good show. I especially loved seeing Otep Shamaya, Devin Townsend and Max Cavalera; three of my musical and lyrical heroes back to back to back on the same stage. Mind blowing! As I said I had no interest in the other musical acts although a funny thing happened to me the next night when I bumped into some ICP fans. You can read about the loathing part here. You can read about the loathing part here . Max Cavalera leads the way! I spent the rest of my time at the con

Written and Directed by Kevin Smith (Harvey Boys/Smodcast Pictures) Right in time for Halloween is one of the most suspenseful movies I have ever seen in the form of Kevin Smith's new movie, RED STATE. Earlier this year Smith (CLERKS, CHASING AMY, DOGMA) caused an uproar at The Sundance Film Festival when he announced he was going to stop making films entirely. He took his finished film on a D.I.Y. tour across the country, holding his now familiar Q&A sessions to raise money to release it himself. I took in the film some months back at a screening At The Wilbur Theater hosted by Smith. Between the tour, pre-release paid VOD viewers and special packages , he has already made back his money in time for a limited wide-release. Michael Parks as Rev. Abin Cooper Based on the controversial Westboro Baptist Church and their leader Fred Phelps , Coopers Dell is set in the rural Middle America and is home to the Five Points Church. Led by fanatical Rev. Abin Cooper whose view

Next to Thanksgiving, Halloween has always been my favorite time of the year. I celebrate the entire month long in some form or another. Decorating the house, watching horror movies, costume parties, various parades, haunted houses and of course candy too. Halloween in the hood was a bit of a mixed bag for a me growing up as a kid. My family always decorated the house. My mom made individual candy bags to give out. For a costume I often wore a homemade get up, like being a clown or a cat. One year I got a “fancy” Spider-Man costume from Woolworth's . Oh those suffocating plastic masks with strangulating rubber bands and costumes made of sweaty plastic. My costume was torture, but I was so happy. Growing up in the “ Summer of Sam ” my dad had to take us around for candy. Older kids would go “bag snatching” “egg bombing” or other forms of mischief to terrorize little ones. Halloween also means horror films! I grew up on the classic Universal Monster movies , from there it was

When the morning Sun bakes my eyes awake I do not know what this day will bring. Still, I cherish every moment of this unpromised, uncompromised life. I rise day after day like a ritual since not living life is also a form of death. The paralysis of analysis can cripple or empower. What you do when you choose to know the ledge is crucial. I choose to live unbound in the water rather than feast on mental slavery in the burning wastes of life. I long to sleep on a pillow of winds and not the thorny brush of memories. I will do what I must to get by with devotions. Not of gods or false masters, just my free will. Guiding me straight and real as ever. And continue to hope someone hears my whispered pleas of “what if, this time.” I will not play Apollo’s lyre of woe or feel the chariot lash on upon my back. As I toil on this coil braced for fire, I push the bloody pen along the page. Trying to reason with the deaf, blind, yet wise gho

Written and Directed by Evan Glodell (Oscilloscope Laboratories) I had the opportunity to screen the new indie film BELLFLOWER and I must say it is a powerhouse of a flick. The film is released by Oscilloscope Laboratories who is building a reputation for great out-of-the-box movies that make you think and produced last years HOWL which I loved. Written, directed and staring Evan Glodell (BEFORE BREAKFAST); who is not just a triple threat here, but may be bringing back the Auteur Theory in the best sense of the concept. Glodell turns conventional film making on it's ear with an exciting visual style, original story-telling and his own emotional performance. The Medusa Car is one more step to awesomeness..and ruin.  As for the story it is eye-opening and full of smart left turns. It centers around two best friends Woodroe (played by Glodell) and Aiden (Tyler Dawson) who grew up together in Wisconsin obsessing over the Max Max films and plotting a more interesting life. The

How do you ever heal in this life if you never let the wounds stay closed? How does your resolve fade away if you never had a spine in the first place? When lies and heartache are your currency it doesn't matter what your intent is or was. I have whittled away every visage of your countenance only to be tortured by inescapable thoughts of madness. You were a weapon of choice I could not stand against. All my powers of deduction rendered ineffectual. An army of spirit warriors by my side could not save me. Shattered confidence on the shores of self-discovery. Alone in a sea of desperate narcissists and mental invalids I just want to breathe the soft air of kindness again. Feel the lasting embrace of someone dear. Someone to rebuild the wreckage with and reclaim the chi. I want to smile on the outside and be more than a mannequin. Shallow footsteps echo the coldness of a reality I snap back to. My face is ever the convenient liar, apologizing for the many fallacies