The Year 2003

For some reason, i've been on this 2003 kick recently. Don't quite know what brought it on. Maybe rewatching Chappelle's Show. That could have done it. I usually don't get nostalgic. Either way, I've been thinking about it recently, and it was a pretty good year for music. I was a sophomore/junior in high school, it was a very critical time in my youth, when of course you think you know everything. Either way, some very entertaining shows and music came out that year, and here are a couple of my favorites.

This is my favorite show ever. It's so cutting edge it had to end as quickly as it did. NEVER JUMPED THE SHARK. Dave Chappelle is my hero, and this show is still solid gold. So many legendary skits. Just genius.

This album seriously expanded my consciousness. I dug At The Drive-In, but The Mars Volta was an insane upgrade. I love everything these guys do pretty much. They are always thought provoking.

Outkast was peaking creatively in 2003, and we got this brilliant double album. There are many interesting things going on here. Besides the great songs, there was very little crossover between both members. It was like two solo albums released under the Outkast banner. Unfortunately, this was the last great thing these guys did as Outkast, but it was the biggest thing they ever did. "Hey Ya!" was inescapable. These album(s) still holds up. Andre 3000 is one of the most interesting people in music.

A.F.I. also got really huge in '03. I had heard there earlier stuff, but this is when they got really popular and gained radio play. Butch Vig produced this album and gave it a glossy sheen that served it well. I still think it is maybe their best album, honestly. The singles were great. Ironically though, I didn't really get into this album until like, 2006, so I didn't actually listen to it at the time, but the singles will always remind me of high school. Great album.

The Year 2003

Currently Reading Episode 9

Infinite Kung Fu by Kagan McLeod

First off, i'd like to mention that the title of this partly inspired the title of my blog, so I owe Kagan McLeod a thank you for that. 

This is amazing. It's a love letter to classic kung fu movies, blaxploitation, zombies, and general awesome shit.  I had so much fun reading this, it was a real treat. There are probably a couple references that are lost even on me, as I don't think I quite qualify as a Kung Fu Connoisseur yet, but i'm working on it. There's an obvious reference to the Shaw Brothers Five Deadly Venoms film, which I dig greatly. Since he both wrote and drew it, it's a more realized singular vision, instead of a marriage between writer and artist. I hope he produces more like this. I'd be fine with that.

4/5

here's a podcast with Kagan McLeod, done by the always awesome dudes at WRA: Chris Sims and that other guy:

War Rocket Ajax

good podcasts in general yo

Top 5 Favorite Soft Drinks

I'm a highly tasteful man. I like the good stuff. I'm a connoisseur of many things, and that of course goes includes beverage, specifically soft drinks (hard drinks too, but that shall come later.) Now, I don't drink soda often, in fact, it's a rare treat for me, since i'm "so frickin' health savvy" these days, but when I do, this is, in order, my favorite soft drinks. Or as we call it in Chicagoland, "pop."

1. Tahitian Treat

I dig me some fruit punch. Tahitian Treat is so dang tasty, and I don't know why, i've never checked the ingredients, but I feel like it's what Kool-Aid and Hawaiian Punch SHOULD taste like. It's also somewhat rare, as they don't carry this in most "mainstream" grocery stores. I know they have it at Meijier, on occasion. My fave.

2. Green River

You know, i'm not really a huge fan of lemon OR lime drinks, but when you combine them, I love it. Go figure. It's also a somewhat health conscious choice. I think.

3. Faygo Redpop

The patron saint of Juggalos across the country, it's Faygo. Of course, a juggalo friend of mine turned me onto this, and it's really damn good. I could list a dozen more faygo flavors on here, there's so much variety. It's also dirt cheap. Who's going chicken hunting?

4. Dr. Pepper

Just a classic. No knock offs compare. Eff Mr. Pibb!

5. A&W Root Beer (on tap of course)

This is heavenly. The food ain't bad either.

It's Super Bowl Sunday! Time for some COMICS

New awesome titles on my new pull list: (will elaborate later)

Orchid By Tom Morello, Scott Hepburn, and Dan Jackson. Dark Horse Comics. 

Yes, that Tom Morello :)

Wolverine & The X-Men by Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo, Nick Bradshaw, et. al. Marvel Comics.

Great premise and Jason Aaron has yet to write a bad comic.

The Defenders By Matt Fraction, Terry Dodson, and  Rachel Dodson. Marvel Comics.

THIS is the book I've been waiting for from Fraction. Oh yea, and Iron Fist :)

Casanova: Avaritia by Matt Fraction and Gabriel Ba. Icon (Marvel Comics imprint.)

Fraction strikes again. If this book was a song by Kanye West, it'd be Monster. This shit is cray. Gabriel Ba on pencils is ALWAYS a selling point.

Fatale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Image Comics.

Criminal + Cthulhu=Cthriminal? Eh. This may be the most complex thing we've seen from this creative team

I couldn't be more excited for this book. Sean Phillips is one of my favorite artists.

So there it is, five newer titles i'm completely jazzed for. All of them have less than six issues out and i'm already in love with every one of them. That means they are GOOD.