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• Mayhem III: The Trek.

  July 14, 2010 1 Comment

  this year's Mayhem was not a walk in the fucking park. when the tickets first went on sale, i noticed that Mayhem Fest would not be stopping in Wheatland, CA, which is the venue i usually go to. they would be playing in Mountain View, which is close to my home, but that venue has no pit, so i've carefully avoided going to shows there for years. the closest show other than Mountain View was San fucking Bernardino. so guess where i went. i ordered three pit tickets, one for me, one for Maxwell, & one for some lucky fucker who wanted to come with us. unfortunately, no one local wanted to come, or they couldn't. so we hitched a ride down to southern CA with Maxwell's grandma, who dropped us at a hotel in SB on the 9th. there were ride complications the next day, but we finally got a ride with Cinthya, her boyfriend Mario, & her two friends. when we got to the venue, we tailgated for a while, talking to random people & drinking. then around 3 we decided to head in. after we got through the gates, there was a table where you could get your pit wristbands. so Maxwell & i showed them our tickets. & even though i ordered pit tickets, they claimed that the tickets we had were not pit. they were orchestra. since i don't know this venue, i figured it was the same thing. & i guess it was. or whatever. i still don't know. we decided to deal with it later & headed towards the other stages. & man, that place is fucking HUGE. much bigger than Wheatland. a giant lawn stretched out in front of us, filled with tents, people, two stages, & the Metal Mulisha's jumps. if i had to guess how many people were there, i'd say about 10,000. we met up with our buddy Max at the Roadrunner Records booth, were he was working. he said Rob Zombie would be there soon, so we should get in line & purchase something so we could meet him, John 5, & Piggy. unfortunately, we didn't get there in time, because there's only x amount of meet & greets they can give away. so instead, i bought KoRn's new album, & they handed me a blue wristband with it, saying to be back at 5:30 to meet Munky & Fieldy. it was only about 4, so we checked out Chimaira, & they were awesome. so awesome, in fact, that someone was possessed to start a fucking bonfire in the middle of the circle pit. i thought it was a good idea, until security said they couldn't play anymore until the fire was put out. Chimaira told us this & stopped for about 30 seconds before saying "ok, let's get on with the fucking heavy metal show". yeah man, fuck security! but people stomped the fire out anyway .. when they felt like it. Maxwell was in the pit for most of the time, so when he got tired, we kicked back on the grass for a bit. after a while, we headed back to the Roadrunner tent, where Rob Zombie would be in 5 minutes or so. sure enough, after waiting for a while, a cart pulled up with Rob, John 5, & Piggy in it. people were going nuts, dude. same with me. got tons of pics. check the album. after ogling at Zombie for a while, we decided to see if we could upgrade our tickets. we asked security where we might be able to do that, & they pointed us to guest services. i was about to ask when Maxwell put his ticket down on the table, & without even really looking, the people behind the counter marked the ticket & slapped a wristband on his wrist. feeling a bit nervous, i did the same, & got the same thing. the wristbands said "ENTER PIT AT YOUR OWN RISK". so haha. we did get pit! we walked away stoked out of our minds. i looked at my phone, & it was about 5:20 .. time to get in line to get my CD signed. so i got there, & the line was about 70 feet long. i waited for about 45 minutes while Maxwell moshed to Atreyu [fuck them though] & Hatebreed. but i had a good view of the whole thing from where i was standing. & during Hatebreed, there was one of the biggest circle pits i've ever seen, & i've seen my share. there must of been 300 people in there, all circling around two tents. it was pretty fucking sick. when i finally got down to the tent, Max was there, playing security. & right behind him sat Munky & Ray [i guess Fieldy couldn't make it]. now i used to be obsessed with KoRn, & i had a HUGE crush on Munky, so i was kind of really excited. Max took my CD, placed it on the table & said "hey guys, this is Natalie". Ray smiled & said what's up. i shook his hand & said hey. he said "cool Slayer shirt" & passed the CD to Munky. "Munky, it's awesome to meet you" i said as i shook his hand. he didn't say anything, which i can understand; he was probably really fucking tired of signing shit at that point. but he signed my CD, i said thank you, he said you're welcome, & i split. it was time for the main stage! we waited while Max cleaned up his booth, & then headed over to see Lamb Of God. before they played, some midgets dressed as Oompa Loompas came out & started dancing to a remixed version of the Oompa Loompa song. pretty damn funny. then a dude came out & started a hilarious comedy routine. i think i found a new favorite comedian. after that, Lamb Of God hit the stage. they were amazing as always, & they played some awesome shit: Walk With Me In Hell [a personal favorite of mine], Black Label, Redneck, Now You've Got Something to Die For, & Laid To Rest. the pit was fucking intense. during Redneck, the crowd broke into three main circle pits in the formation of Mickey Mouse's head, with little hallways of people connecting them. it was one of the coolest circle pits i've ever seen, along with the Hatebreed one. after Lamb Of God, we sat down & waited for Rob Zombie. i could see the outline of something with glowing eyes behind the curtain. after about 30 minutes, the stage went dark, we jumped up & pushed forward. when the curtain peeled back, a huge robot stood there. crazy visuals appeared on the screens behind him, & smoke came billowing out. then suddenly, the band appeared & busted into Superbeast. that whole set was just a blur of awesome. there were multiple robots that came out at different songs, people in ghoulish costumes, crazy props & creepy clips playing on the four screens on stage. Rob Zombie is amazing, dude. if you ever get the chance, no matter what kind of music you're into, i recommend you go see him. he's a fucking incredible showman. he played some great stuff: Living Dead Girl [which he dedicated to all the chicks there .. aww], More Human Than Human, Sick Bubblegum, Thunder Kiss '65, House of 1000 Corpses, Mars Needs Women, Werewolf Women of the SS, & he closed with Dragula. Joey Jordison was drumming for them, & he played a mini solo that was incredible of course. but i think one of the coolest things i saw that night was John 5's fucking 10 minute solo. if you can find a video of that shit on youtube, watch it. he played the fucking national anthem with his teeth. after Zombie, it was KoRn. is hard to follow a show like Rob Zombie's, but KoRn was pretty damn good. as the curtain came back to the opening notes of Oildale (Leave Me Alone), the stage was covered in things you would see in a field in Bakersfield, such as fully functioning oil rigs & towers. that shit took me back to like, freshman year, when they were my favorite band. after Oildale, it was Here To Stay. then they played Pop A Pill & Let The Guilt Go, then went back to their old stuff, like Freak On A Leash, Falling Away From Me, Did My Time, Blind, Shoots and Ladders, Clown, & then they closed with Got The Life. unfortunately, we had to leave after Shoots and Ladders because our ride wanted to leave. but i could hear them finishing up from the parking lot. when we got back to the hotel, i just passed out. i was fucking exhausted. it was an amazing day & it was definitely worth the trek. :]

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• Paul Gray. <3

  May 25, 2010 1 Comment

  i can't believe it's real. one of the nine is gone.

  when i first heard the news, i honestly scoffed. i just couldn't believe it was true. so i tried to get on OT9 to get confirmation, & all i get is a picture of Paul. still trying to tell myself it's not true, that it was just a random picture, i typed his name on google. & all i see is a full page of articles headlined "SLIPKNOT BASSIST FOUND DEAD". & i just broke down. i cried for 5 hours. it feels as if i've lost someone very close to me .. & i guess i have. Paul is the member i feel closest to in SlipKnoT. we have a lot of similarities; he's a very real kind of guy .. he inspired me to start playing bass. it's so unfair how someone as wonderful & caring & down-to-earth as Paul has to be taken from us so early in his life. today, may 25th, 2010, i took a vow of silence to mourn his passing. i wore the very first SlipKnoT shirt i ever bought with a gray tank top under, a SlipKnoT wristband, black jeans & wrote his name & his number on my hands. i cried multiple times. but through all this sadness is rage. first of all, why? it's horrible that we don't even know, & we won't know for quite some time. & why Paul, who is in my opinion, one of the most easy-going & kind dudes i've seen that has made it to be this big. he never deserved to leave us this early. also, some of the insensitive assholes that came up to me today, people that claim to be maggots, that talked to me about it like it was fucking nothing. & there i am, silent [which is rare, especially when you're THAT insensitive to my face], just wanting to cry & fuck them up at the same time. the sky was gray today. it was raining. it felt appropriate.

  we miss & love you, Paul. all of us, from me, to all the maggots out there, your fellow musicians, & of course, your brothers in SlipKnoT. you will continue to be my biggest influence, & every time i play, i will think of you. thank you for everything. we wish you could stay. <3

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• SlipKnoT, 10/23/09.

  October 24, 2009 8 Comments

  yesterday, i saw SlipKnoT in San Jose. that was one of the craziest shows ever, holy shit. the only one that might have been crazier was SlipKnoT on March 11, 2009.

  i won a m&g, so i got to meet Corey, Chris, & Clown. it was fucking incredible. lol, i should have said more, but for what it's worth, here's my story: i was the first one of the second group for my m&g. so i was leading my group backstage, & all the sudden, Jim Root. right in front of me. no mask, just dark circles painted around his eyes. i must have done something spazzy, cuz he laughed at me. if i recall correctly, i didn't actually form any words for like 4 seconds, just weird noises. & then i was like "uh hi".

  so after that little interaction, i get pushed into this tiny, dark room with Corey Taylor, Chris Fehn, & Shawn Crahan in it. just chilling there around this tiny pedestal. so i walk up with a nervous "hey, what's up?", put my picture that they give you down on the table thing, & without a word they all sign it. i'm just standing there smiling & kinda looking down. the only thing i said while they signed it was "wow" in this really tiny voice. totally starstruck. after they were done signing it, i said "thank you so much" & Corey goes "you're very welcome."

  so i go outside, & my friend Kristina is next in line. i pass her without a word. as i walk away, i hear her start in: "you guys have been such an influence to me-" & the door closes. i felt just a little shitty; i didn't get to say anything. i totally froze up. but i was still on cloud 9, so to speak. luckily, i thought to myself, i get another opportunity at the picture.

  i go backstage again with my group. while were standing in line, i feel something brush against me. i look up. it's Mick Thomson. he says "hey how's it goin'" & keeps walking. again, the only thing i can say is "wow".

  i walk into the tiny room again. this time, the pedestal is gone, & Corey, Clown & Chris are standing in front of the backdrop i've seen so many times in m&g shots. i walk in & say "i'm sorry i froze up eariler, it's just so incredible to finally meet you guys." & Corey says with a good-natured laugh, "oh it's alright, sweetheart." SWEETHEART. i almost died. [i know he probably says that to a lot of chicks, but hey, i fucking love him. gimme a break.] then he goes "ok, two shots." & puts his arm around me. meltmeltmelt. i'm vaugely aware that i'm slightly taller than him, but i really don't care. i throw up the horns & give two completely genuine smiles to the camera. again, i thank them for their time, & Corey says "you're welcome, darlin'." as i stumble through the door again, i glance back & give them a spazzy wave. i walk back out to the floor in a happy daze. by the time i get to the end of the maze that is backstage, i'm tearing up. i pass the next group coming in, & the chick leading them sees how happy i am & says "aww, yay!" & i laugh through my tears.

  when Kristina walks out, a huge smile plastered on her face, she sees me, pauses, & laughs. "what the fuck, are you crying, dude?" i just laugh hysterically & nod frantically.

  Deftones is done playing by then, so we easily make our way to the front, trying not to touch the soaked people around us. it didn't seem like a very long wait, maybe 20-30 minutes before we hear the opening notes to Iowa. everyone surges the stage as SlipKnoT walks out like the gods that they are. they quietly stare at every single maggot out there in a silent salute, & the crowd goes insane, screaming the names of their idols & throwing up the horns, me among them. & then they start playing (Sic). the crowd is fucking rabid, screaming, pushing, falling over, jumping, trying to breathe. i get pushed over with about 10 others, & i feel my left shoe coming off. then the other. i'm trying to keep them on, but it's useless; two minutes into the show, they're gone. i am shoeless. i decide i don't give a shit.

  throughout the whole show, i feel like a fucking animal. SlipKnoT tends to do that to me. i'm pumping my fists, jumping 4 feet in the air, punching the side of my head as well as others in the pit, pulling my hair, & screaming at the top of my goddamn lungs. people keep asking me if i'm ok, because i probably look so out of it, with my running eyeliner, insane eyes & shoeless feet. also, i have a slight pained expression, because people keep jumping on my feet. this just fuels my aggression more, so i mosh harder & scream louder.

  the setlist was amazing. after (Sic) they played Eyeless, & then Wait & Bleed. after playing the first three tracks of self-titled, they play Get This, Before I Forget, The Blister Exists, Dead Memories, Psychosocial, Sulfur, Vermilion, Duality, Disasterpiece, & People = Shit, which i crowd surfed to. but they're not done. they never are. they come back out after a minute or two & play Snuff. i'm straight up crying. but we all know they would never end a show on a sad note, so with a psychotic grin, Corey begins to laugh. & laugh. & then, the opening notes for Surfacing come in from Mick's guitar. i didn't know it was possible, but the crowd goes even crazier then before. they end up closing the show with Spit it Out, complete with the "JUMP THE FUCK UP" section. always fun as hell, even when people keep landing on your already totally mangled feet.

  after the lights go up & people begin to leave, i start my search for my low top Converse with bright green laces. i find one near the front of the stage, & hold it up, asking if anyone has seen another one like it. some guy tells me he definately saw someone throw it towards the stage. i look over the barrier, & there it is, sitting on the stage. i ask security to grab it for me.

  so all is well. i met 3 members of SlipKnoT, saw 2 more backstage than i bargined for, saw SlipKnoT for the third time live, & found my shoes. in short .. amazing show. :]

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