i can ramble...

i just re read my post from last night. I just went on and on. geez. still makes sense to me though, although by my logic, that would also make planet earth evil, and if evil=satan, that would make planet earth hell. but, i'm not a 'philosophizer', just someone who likes to point out errors in other peoples logic (but who is willing to point out errors in his own). ANYWAYS. Exciting news from BOH. We are putting the finishing touches on an all acoustic show. that's right, all acoustic. prolly some covers too. why? cause we felt like it. that's kind of the point of BOH. We are going to write whatever music we want to. I've always felt somewhat constricted in my other projects. There was no room to branch out really. Some did try though (and that is why i have the utmost respect for Jesse from NS, you acoustic shit is badass!). I've always done acoustic stuff on my own, just for fun. its very organic and very honest. can't hide behind anything. if you jack up a chord, people will know. i imagine an acoustic show will be more intense (playingwise) than a regular show. The show is going to be at the end of September, and we'll make the announcement soon. it'll be fun. you should probably go.

d

hahahaha!

ok, so about six months ago i got a free subscription to Spin magazine. I'll usually flip through it once, and then toss it on the pile. the new issue came yesterday. and after sifting through all the little 'indie' shitnuggets, i stumbled upon an article on Stanton LaVey, Anton's grandson. the 'supposed' heir to the satanic throne here on Earth or whatever. i read the article, and then laughed my balls off for 45 minutes. He is the 'satanic' Paris Hilton. The whole article consisted of him talking about partying and who his friends are. Shit, even the Church of Satan kicked him out (talk about a blow to the ego!). How much of a jackoff do you have to be to get booted out of that church? I mean, really? And of course there was the expected push of his clothing line, I expected nothing less. Then he goes into his friendship with Marylin Manson. They start talking about how the Church of Satan isn't 'evil', cause there is no God. See, now this is where I get confused. Didn't God create Satan? And if there is no God, why is there a 'Church' of Satan? Wouldn't then Satan would be God, or a 'God' figure, in the 'Church of Satan'? And if there is no God, how can Satan be it? Satan would cease to be Satan with out God, right? He would just be some other dude. And kind of an asshole at that.

I have this theory. Man is born inherently good. Are criminals born criminals, or are they shaped by their environment? Are men born evil, or are they shaped by their environment? Its all based on the subconscious influence. So, my theory. Ok, well, i think its safe to assume that God=good and Satan=evil, right? that's kind of a gimme. Stay with me here. Take the criminal scenario. Say someone murders someone. That's pretty fucking evil right? Did they have the mental capacity to do that when they were born? No. They were shaped by their environment (and obvious lack of parental stability). They weren't capable of evil until their subconscious was influenced into doing so. So, that being said, its very feasible that man is born 'good' not 'evil'. Man is not capable of evil until he is influenced by his subconscious which is influenced by his environment. The environment may evil, but not the man. So really, if you lack the will power to control your own subconscious and make decisions for yourself, and not let the subconscious do it for you, then you will gravitate towards evil as your subconscious will guide you that way, assuming your environment is evil. Its not a choice. You were told to go that way, and ,no, it wasn't by Satan. It was by your lack of will power.

Its funny how some satanists say that Christians are being mindfucked by their given facet in the vast religion know as Christianity. But, really, they aren't and they haven't been worked over by their subconscious. They didn't allow their environment to influence their self conscious, thus their decision making skills. That's pretty respectable to have that kind of will power, and i like to think that most humans possess a certain amount. Some people, obviously, take it to extremes, but so does the other side. So, all in all, I find Satanism to be an illogical choice for human beings because its not them making that decision. Their environment did it for them, and they lack the necessary will power to control their own subconscious. Their environment influences their subconscious and they let it. I'm not the most religious person by any stretch, so don't get me wrong here. I'm not coming at this as a die hard Christian. Just a person who can smell bullshit through a Spin magazine.

So, just to recap, here's my theory on Satanism:
1.) If God doesn't exist, neither does Satan. If you don't believe there is a God, then you're and atheist, not a Satanist.
2.) If man is born good, some thing on Earth causes man to be evil.
3.) Your subconscious can control you if you let it, and it takes will power to control it.
4.) The environment influences your selfconscious.
5.) Man has control of his self conscious.
6.) Fuck, i don't know, i'm rambling. Just be good to each other, geez...


d

Stay tuned!!!

for another big big big announcement from B.O.H.. Super pumped about this one too! We are confirming some things, but it'll be badass! Trust me...

Thanks to all those who came out to the show! We had fun. It was a good first show. Thanks to Beta Minus for having us!

Today's the day!

todays the day man. we are fuckin' excited as hell to do this. we're stoked. i was on my way home from practice last night thinking about all the shit that i need to get done for the show, and something occurred to me. when you think, there is a voice in your head. who's voice is it? see you tonight!

d

2 Days

2 days before the show guys! Me and the rest of the guys are very excited to play this music for you. I did realize something yesterday though. When you hear the bands we've all been in (Downshift, Narcotic Self, Idle Apathy, Fornever) and you hear that members from each are playing together, you'd expect something brutal as hell. And believe me, we've talked about it. but, what i realized is that we'd be cheating you and ourselves if we did that. A lot of people expect this to be brutal. But, ultimately, it wouldn't do any one any good at all. A lot of bands in Omaha who have members that we in bigger bands in their past, have fallen into this rut. Their music sounds like one of their prior bands could have written it. That's a good indicator of being in a rut. I think anyways. Black on High's music would've had no place in any of the bands in our collective past. There may be parts that could've worked in Downshift or Fornever or who ever, but ultimately, it breathes as Black on High. Once I realized this, the slight nervousness faded, and the excitement and will to dominate grew. We're swinging for the fences guys.

8 Days

Hey guys, 8 days till show time. we are all pumped. Its been way too long since we've been on stage. this is a first for the collective, but I haven't been on stage since the beginning of the year, that being my final show with Narcotic Self. You become addicted to it. its weird. its not like a drug addiction, its like a motivation, almost like an orgasm i suppose. You do a crazy amount of work to get there, you hit that last note of the show and everyone cheers for you and there is no better feeling, and then you want to go to sleep. hahahahahaha! Seriously though, it is addicting. But in a good way. BOH is in high gear that the moment, tweaking sounds, beefing up the gear, figuring out a stage show. Its a lot of work, but its all worth it in the end. Assuming there is an end. Its a cycle. You write, practice, record, play shows, repeat. There's your album cycle. Its the last 10 years of my life.

d

ps....

if you haven't heard the new Scar Symmetry record (and you actually like metal), fuck dude, go listen to it! Its Dream Theater on crack!!!!

d

Structure and Consequences

so, i was thinking today. i write music because I'm compelled to, i can't help it. i come home on my lunch break at work and write. I play music because i feel the need to express the things visually (and audibly obviously) that i can't on a day to day basis. They are very different. In a sense, its my own self fulfilling prophecy. And that being defined as 'a false definition of the situation evoking a new behaviour which makes the original false conception come 'true'.' I become 'dc' and cease to become Dan. Its my own alter ego that I've created to embody the things i don't like about myself. i know understand Marlyn Mason, Alice Cooper, Slipknot, who ever. I get it now. it makes sense. You become it. Or, rather, it becomes a part of you, no matter how bad you don't want it to. i never wanted it to. but, it fulfilled itself. Those two people are one in the same. I think i knew that all along and its a gigantic circle. They tug at each other. Right brain, left brain maybe? Dan wanted to be in a blues band, dc wanted to be in a metal band (guess who won that fight). Dan wanted to be an architect, and dc wanted to be a musician (again, guess who won). Dan kind of likes techno, dc wants to kill Dan for kind of liking techno. you see the give and take here. that list could go on for quite some time. everyone has their 'alter egos', its figuring out who that is that really makes you at peace with yourself. Accepting who both sides are, moving forward. I've always been that guy who thought he could fly knowing full well he didn't have wings. but he didn't care, he was going to figure it out and do it anyways. and i think he's getting there. Ten days until the show guys. Scott was in the hospital yesterday. J and I went to see him. Its hard to see a brother down, but we knew he'd get through it (and he did). and you know what, he's gonna be stronger then he was before. that's the kind of dude he is. you can't stop scott. no one can. planet Earth should probably be afraid.

This is a picture of Dan (hence the collared shirt), not sure where dc was that night. And Scott in the middle and J on the right trying to kiss Scott.

Cheers kids, I'm gonna say goodbye to Tuesday.

d

Here's proof...

That i just don't photograph well. i don't know what it is. I have trouble smiling in pictures. I don't know why, and when i do try, it just looks cheesy. ah well. guess I'll just have to look like a bad ass all the time. hahahaha! Anyways, practices are going very well, and we are still writing a ridiculous amount of music. Some of it is getting fairly heavy. I knew we wouldn't be able to keep that monster at bay. We have a few ideas that we are kicking around that will keep the new music coming! I've also become addicted to buying stomp boxes and pedals on eBay. shit there are some good deals! I don't want to over do it on the floor, because i don't want to tap dance through an entire set, but i guess i never put all that much stock into a big pedal board. I always thought that a tuner, chorus, and wah pedal was enough. Was i ever wrong, geez! So, if any one reading this has any pedals they are looking to get rid of, shoot me an email. I'm always down to try new shit. We're all getting excited for the show. Eleven days...

d