Where Am I?

Well, March has totally been a bust at the ol' Idol. I feel like I've been busier than ever but have hardly anything to show for it!

Well, Invisible Empire #1 is coming out soon as well as another project, and I finalized the designs for M. Lamar's record today. Also it's the last day I get to hang out with my mom and lil' bro.

So while everything looks slackadocious, know that behind the curtain, a maelstrom of awesomeness is waiting to be unleashed in the east. So hold tight. This drought will be shorter than the economic downfall and coming plague. Oh, wait, that was 1349...

Hello Again, My Friend

Yes, vacation is over, my birthday is past like dust under your foot and a bout of food poisoning has run its vile course...

That can only mean one thing! TOPPLED IDOLS is BACK!



Here's the picture I was working on. I wanted to preserve this, because I really like the way it turned out and I'm going to color it, which might not look good... so here it is uncorrupted. Actually it's kind of squashed for some reason. But it's supposed to be through a mirror... so it's okay.

Invisible Empire #1!!! Target locked and all inkjets loaded!

Hey Underground Metalheads!!

Aeons ago on the queermetal site, there were monthly mixtapes. And they were killer. I was a little too late to the game, but caught a couple. It was great to get introduced to new music I would otherwise never know.

The last one was a classical/new music mix and it is still something I love listening to. Maybe you'll here something you like, maybe you won't. Either way, you'll further your horizon.

I don't know how many of you are into underground, avant-garde metal... but I figured I would put this up since it's what I was doing today! Follow the link here and enjoy!:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PKNTITRW


{here's the original post:}
This is the first time I've ever made a "ZIP" file or put together a mixtape on the internet... so let me know if it doesn't work. It seems like these things are the cause of much frustration and demons. I couldn't make it any smaller, so I don't know how long it will take to download.

For this compilation, I lay heavy on clean singing. I'm really picky about clean singing in metal. Call me crazy. My general rule is if it's a hot girl or a burly guy with a goatee I probably won't like it. There are a few exceptions, but that's a good yardstick.

BUT I don't just like cookie monsters and Abruptumesque shrieking. I do like a clean song sung blue sleeping on my pillow every once in a while. And as the slush and crust of winter gives way to the spring and the insurmountable energy in the air, I decided it was time for some spring cleaning metal style! Hails!

Track listing:

1. Eisregen - "Kaltwassergrab" (these guys are huge everywhere except America, I think. The opening sounded like Spring... so there you go!)

2. Negurã Bunget - "De Piatrã" (this is from their newest album, "Om." This is what Opeth should sound like IMHO)

3. Urfaust - "I" (one of the most unique black metal bands. Operatic, gargoyle obsessed, creaking-doors-of-hell black metal)

4. Ved Buens Ende - "I Sang for the Swans" (from their only album, "Written in Waters.' Their name means "At the End of the (Rain)Bow. Amazing, prog/avant/jazz-fusion black metal supergroup. Very short-lived)

5. Bethlehem - "Schuld Uns'res Knöch'rigen Fal" (one of metal's most unique vocalists and one of my favorite bands. I love this song because it has these insane Satyricon-like crushing riffs and Marco Kehren shrieking like somebody set his face on fire. They do this inbetween these soft, ambient sections. Fuck yes!)

6. Beherit - "We Worship" (weird metaphysical black space metal from the first band to do it)

7. Verdunkeln - "In die Irre" (I know post-black metal is a term that is going to turn into the next "emo" label on any band that plays anything mid-tempo, but fuck it, just listen to this!)

8. Wongraven - "Over Ødemark (Satyr's medieval folk-style project. He could shit on a rag and I'd probably like the way it sounds. Ihsahn from Emperor helped with this album.



Their was a facedowninshit song called "Cinders" that was supposed to be on this too but it got lost somewhere along the way to the internet. If you have it crank it somewhere in there and pretend I said something about how cool facedowninshit's name is)

Hails and enjoy!

---
"Heavenly failure losing again,
Move on to a new form of life"
------Fucking Slayer

Beaver Gas!!!

In Toronto they have Beaver gas stations and I think that's just fine. I wish I had a picture of their slogan... it was something like "Beaver... working hard for you." In a word: AWESOME

Hard(ly) at Work

Dear Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton

I'm really sorry to intrude into your busy lives. I'll try to be brief. To be blunt, I'm not really that excited about either of you, but the mere historical fact of you two running against each other makes me feel like our world might be getting its head out of its ass.

I'm writing to you because I'm scared. I really don't want the religious right and corporate interests to further its erosion of our country. We really have a long way to go, and digging this pit deeper probably won't help anything.

You're both adults. I understand you both have a lot at stake and a lot of pride, but please, just unite as President and Vice-President and stop bickering about meaningless semantics.

END the war in Iraq NOW.

Give EVERYONE HEALTHCARE.

Get EVERYONE SAFE and ALIVE.

STOP putting everyone in PRISON.

When given a choice between PEACE and WAR, don't be a fucking tool.


I leave you with end-time bullshit spewing from the mouth of America's biggest Asshole:

We're Off To See Toronto, the Wonderful Toronto of Eh!

I'll be back after the 18th, so hold down the fort while I'm gone. I love drawing on trains, so expect some quality comics time on my way to and from the great white north, eh! Coo-roo-coo-koo-ku-koo-coo-koo! Oh, hose off.

It's (Dead) Alive!!!

Wow, I didn't think it would take me all day to figure out how to do the most simplest of web-design tasks.

BUT big things are going to happen.

The fact of the matter is, I have the name and if I build it, they will come.

TOPPLEDIDOLS.COM

Even though it's not up yet, the fact that it's mine makes me very very happy.

My name is on the STUMPTOWN COMICS FEST website as well.

LOVE LXVE LOVE LXVE EVOL LOVE!!!

Lost

today's post got eaten by the internet. if you find it, please return it. the day is lonely without it.

Frontspiece for my Website

if I can ever get the dad-blamed thing figured out! It's a whole 'nother language! Web design help? Bueller? Bueller?

Kiss, Kiss the Messenger's Lips

While I was drawing today (nearly finishing a page... just a little more whiting out and a little more lettering!!!) I listened to two really awesome interviews.

The first was on Indie Spinner Rack an
interview with Jeff Smith, whose Bone has influenced a generation of artists (ha!). I just got his new book RASL and the art is so beautiful. He's really got the art of comics down.

The second was on Inkstuds; interviewing Dave Sim. Dave Sim is one of the most controversial underground comic-book artists (which is saying a lot), well, at least in the world of underground comics. But say what you will about the guy, he made a 6,000 page story and is still going strong. He's been self-published as long as he's been published and his insight into publishing and working are really great. His new projects are polar opposites and will probably anger a lot of people.... but what's great art if it doesn't stir up some controversy?

Anwyways... just thought I'd spread some love.

On a completely unrelated note, Erykah Badu's album came out. I still don't have it but check out the cover... the artwork is some of the most beautiful I've seen in decades. I hope it comes out on vinyl cuz I'm a snob like that!


LOVE LXVE LOVE LXVE til tomorrow!

Dirty, Dirty Crayons

STRIBORG!

Hey, if you like the lowest of the lo-fi... I mean dragged through the tundra tapes and crusted, buried recordings that were scratched by demons escaping from Hell... music made to be eclipsed by roots on a full-moon night while the day of the humans is done:

http://csendhajnal.blogspot.com/

Has the ENTIRE Striborg discography up.

If you've never heard Striborg, you may be in for a shock. Early drums were recorded with a folder and a bicycle wheel, then played on a boombox and recorded on a 4-track.

Tasmanian abysmal, ghost-like music that is only getting sadder as the weather warms here.

And P.S. Support independent music. The entire discography isn't up just so you can put it on your itunes and be a hipster completist. It is so you can hear things you've never heard and go out and SUPPORT the artist making said music. MP3s sound like shit. Do your ears a favor and get the record.

There is a Striborg DVD that is pretty new as well.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Potato Fish?

Don't ask me folks, I just draw 'em!

Gary Gygax

I'm working on a project that is pretty much indebted to this man. His imagination and more importantly promotion OF imagination has influenced me and countless others in so many ways.

This is a video where Gary is talking about an early influence on his gaming development... playing Cops and Robbers as a kid!

What a great spirit. Thank you for everything you've done.

Find Your Way

I'm not really in the mood for celebration. But I wanted to thank everyone for making this February the most popular month ever. If we keep it up... maybe one day I'll rule the world and set everything right?

LOVE LXVE LOVE LXVE EVOL LXVE