For the past couple of months or so, I’ve really been studying and practicing on how to become more of a hard rock and metal musician. That’s the kind of musician I’ve always been to be honest with you and it is the whole reason why I picked up the guitar to begin with ’cause I wanted to play hard rock/metal like all my favorite bands that I grew up listening to.

I’ve been playing along with a metronome a lot lately… just messing around and noodling… making my own hard rock and metal riffs and I realize I seem to be doing fine. When I make hard rock and metal riffs, I do more than just power chords… there will be lead fills and lots of intervals too… and of course, lots of full chords as well. Been practicing my rhythm chops even more and experimenting with syncopated rhythms so I can make my riffs sound even more interesting.

I’ve been trying to build up my speed with my rhythm playing ’cause if you want to play hard rock and metal gotta play fast rhythm guitar and I’m working on that. Yeah, I would like to make a hard rock/metal/prog type of album someday in the future and it’s being planned in the early stages right now.

I think this week, I’m gonna plug in the electric guitar so I can see if I can come up with riffs with a distortion or an overdrive pedal.

I’ve always wanted to make full band rock music and it’s going to happen at some point. Will I make the full band tracks MIDI? Not sure yet. I’m thinking about looking for real human musicians to collaborate with ’cause I think that will be awesome. Find out if there will be bass players and drummers willing to work with me. Just swap mp3’s through e-mail and do it that way. Do it as an online collaboration kind of thing, ya know?

I’m dying to make my first metal/prog album. I’m thinking a lot of it would be heavy rock and some of it will be pretty mellow/slow. Just think of Opeth and Dream Theater. I think I’m capable of making that kind of music… ya know, that proggy/metal kind of stuff you’re hearing a lot nowadays.

I’ve been playing a lot more guitar than ever ’cause it’s all I mostly do pretty much. Always looking to improve. Making rock and metal riffs isn’t really that hard… just gotta know your theory, your scales and have good rhythm chops then you should be all set.

Kev

I will be doing the Top 10 Best movies of 2019 real soon. There are two more 2019 movies I need to see and once I see those, I’ll get right to work on it on what I think are the best films of 2019. Those two films I need to see are “Doctor Sleep” and “Parasite”. Two films I haven’t seen yet that I’ve been wanting to see but I will watch one of those two films tonight ’cause I purchased them on BluRay yesterday.

I read the book to “Doctor Sleep” but haven’t seen the film adaptation yet. “Parasite” has been getting a lot of Oscar buzz and so many people have been giving it positive reviews all over and I’m gonna see that film for myself. “Parasite” does look good and the story actually sounds interesting that it peaked my interest.

As for the Top 10 Best Music List of 2019, I’m going to re-do that one over again and revise it a little bit ’cause I bought a few more 2019 albums that I liked and want to put them on there.

These lists will be coming as soon as I can.

Some of you may ask what will be my choice for no. 1 movie of 2019? I already know what’s that’s gonna be and I’m not saying anything until the list comes out. The no. 1 choice probably won’t surprise you, though. You probably already have an idea of what I picked for no. 1.

Kev

Ya know, I get really bored of playing simple and basic stuff on the guitar. Now I want to take my guitar playing skills even further and take it to the next level. I’m always trying to improve my guitar playing no matter what, though.

I want to improve both my rhythm and lead guitar chops. For rhythm, I’m just getting so bored playing chords in the open position all the time. My goal for rhythm guitar is that I want to be able to play chords all up and down the neck of the entire fretboard. I want to be like Pete Townshend and Bob Weir where those guys are just playing chords all over the neck. To do that, it takes fretboard and theory knowledge. You gotta have the notes of the entire fretboard memorized and have the root notes memorized all over the fretboard. To play chords up and down the neck, it helps if you know the root notes and octaves all over, that’s what I’m learning. Also, the CAGED System really helps too.

I just want to play more complex rock n’ roll. If I want to play harder and more heavier rock n’ roll then I need to learn more. I’m thinking of playing more “progressive rock” music. I want to play more than just barre chords and power chords. Listening to my favorite bands like Dream Theater and Opeth are both inspiring me to branch out more in my guitar playing.

Making rock riffs and shredding shouldn’t be that complicated. Most of the rock and metal guys out there, they all mostly use the 7 modes and the major/minor pentatonic scales to make riffs for their songs and soloing. I’m still trying to figure the modes out too and I want to get good at modal soloing and I’m trying that too.

For my lead guitar playing, I’m trying all I can to improve that still. I want to have a good ear and still practicing my ear training which is improving a little bit.

I’m not looking to become a “Virtuoso” guitarist or anything like that, I just want to write good music. I want to write good songs that I want to hear. I like to use the guitar as a songwriting tool and that’s pretty much it really. When writing rock songs or prog rock, I want to write everything from heavy/tight to mellow ballads.

For many years, people have accused me of not being an actual “musician” but I can prove people wrong. I can show people that I know my shit. I’m pretty good at music theory knowledge and I can play rhythm guitar along with a metronome pretty well. My improvisation skills needs a little more work and I’m working on that too, though.

I just want to make good music that I like for myself but if other people happen to like it, that’s fine too. I’ll get back into songwriting again at some point. Just still trying to improve my chops. I’ll get back into songwriting when I’m ready.

Kev

It’s funny how people react to those that block them or remove comments or whatever on twitter or other social media platforms. When people get blocked, they always scream “censorship” and “freedom of speech”. It happens every freakin’ time… knowing from my own experience over the years. People who cry “censorship” always believe that freedom of speech is a one-way street when it isn’t really.

Why do you think these social media platforms like twitter, instagram, facebook and whatever give you these options where you can block, delete, mute, etc. They give you these things as a way to help you fight trolls, cyberbullies or whatever.

When I block people or remove comments on FB, instagram or my blogs or whatever, people always accuse me of only accepting comments that I agree with which is a big load of bull. Free speech goes both ways. If I don’t like what people say to me then it’s my right to remove it or block people or whatever.

One thing for sure though, one thing I do not tolerate are trolls attacking me… ya know, cyberbullying. I’m not gonna let people think it’s okay for them to say what they want to me. I’ve had too many trolls and cyberbullies being so mean and nasty to me… yeah I’ve dealt with online harassment and I still do even to this day a little bit… and it’s my right to block their ass or delete their comments. When I do they become defensive and they think they can get away with it. It’s funny how this is.

It’s my twitter, my instagram, my FB and my blog… only I choose what stays or what goes and it’s my right.

When you give me bullshit, I’ll give you bullshit in return. Fair is fair, ya know?

Kev

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the Saratoga Guitar shop and picked up a new pedal to add to my growing pedal collection. This time I picked up the “Big Muff” Nano distortion pedal. It had a really cool rock sound to it so I had to get it. Well, the original Big Muff pedal is much larger, squared shape and thicker but with the Nano version, is a tiny version of the Big Muff Distortion. Same exact sound and tone… they just made it a smaller version which I preferred.

I was at the store looking at the pedals through the glass cabinet and I was asking the guy that worked there about the pedal. He described to me the sound of the pedal that it’s a distortion pedal with a really thick sound… so I tried the pedal there real quick and was immediately sold so I bought it. It’s a great sounding pedal for $80.

I already have the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal but the Big Muff has a different sound. I hear that the Big Muff is very popular in alternative rock and grunge rock. I found out that Billy Corgan used the Big Muff in a lot of earlier Pumpkins records and Kurt Cobain used it a lot too.

That’s the kind of music I want to make really. I want to make tight rock n’ roll… people don’t think I could do it but I really believe I could pull it off ’cause that’s how I’ve always visioned my songs anyways. When I play acoustic, I play it like a rock n’ roll guitar and now I want to focus mostly on electric.

Kev

I’ve been quiet about the gym online for a long while ’cause it was intentional. I’ve taking a bit of a gym hiatus due to a upper left leg injury that I’ve been trying to get rid of. When I stand for a long time that’s when I’ll start hurting ’cause putting weight on it will make it hurt. The leg injury is almost pretty much gone. I’m pretty sure it is ’cause I’m not feeling much pain after standing for a long time. I don’t seem to be feeling it much anymore so it’s getting better anyways. I’m still gonna get it checked out by a doctor soon ’cause it’s a good idea. I just want the injury gone forever so I can get back into serious lifting and get back into serious deadlifting too ’cause I miss that.

Anyhow, other than the injury I’ve been dealing with, I’ve also dealt with an illness for a few weeks. I’ve got hit with a nasty sinus infection that I’ve been battling during the Holidays. Stayed up 2 nights in a row and couldn’t sleep ’cause I was coughing all night. I’m way better now, though. Good enough to get out of bed ’cause I’ve been bedridden a lot due to being sick over the Holidays which sucked.

It seems that everybody’s been getting it… either the stomach bug or a nasty cold. Take or your pick and I had a little bit of both, haha. I hardly ever complain about Winter but this Winter pretty much sucked.

I’m kind of glad the illness happened ’cause it kept me out of the gym to help heal the leg injury some more and it did. The leg is getting way better now ’cause of it.

I hate staying out of the gym like this but you gotta do what you gotta do to get better when you’re sick or injured or both? Ya know? It’s okay to stay out of the gym when you’re suffering.

Yeah, I may have some lost some muscle and strength just by staying out of the gym but at least, I didn’t lose my muscular physique. I still have that anyways. When I do return to the gym full time, I’ll be training harder and harder than ever before and I’ll get the muscle and strength I lost back pretty quickly. I hardly ever take a break from the gym but this one is for good reason.

I’ll get back to it, though… not until I get the okay from my doctor which who I will see soon about my leg. My leg is getting better but I’m gonna see what the doctor can do to get rid of it quicker. He’ll probably just give me a stretching exercise and that’s about it. We’ll see.

I want to get back to the gym badly.

Kev

Well, I’ve been real sick with the nasty sinus infection again. After when I thought I was all better, the sinus infection returns but I got it much worse than before. Had it for two days straight and stayed up all night for two days straight… couldn’t sleep ’cause I was coughing up a storm all night long. I’m feeling a lot better now, though.

Haven’t coughed too much today and nose is pretty much cleared. Yeah, this is the year where there’s a nasty virus going around. Everybody getting it pretty much. Everybody getting bad colds and bad stomach bugs. I had a stomach bug for one day too admittedly. It’s crazy. I wanted to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s with my family and friends but getting sick for most of it. That’s life, though.

Now to get rid of this left leg injury but that’s almost better too as I know it’s going away on its own. It may take a long time to heal but I know it’s healable. Just gotta stay out of the gym until it’s healed 100%, I guess but I’m gonna get it checked out by a doctor soon anyways.

I tried to go back to the gym last week by doing Chest Day but then the sinus infection returned. Kept me out of the gym again. ugggghhhhh…. this sucks.

I hate being kept out of the gym. You can’t go in the gym when being sick or injured or both.

I’m no longer sick now, I don’t think and now just got to get rid of this damn leg injury so I can return to the gym full time.

So you may ask when will my Best of Lists for best albums of 2019 and best movies of 2019 coming? I think the Best Music albums of 2019 will be coming today but I’m gonna wait for later this month to post the Best of Movies. I still need to see some more 2019 movies I haven’t seen but gonna get to them.

2019 was a good year for me and I’ll be the same old me in 2020 and I’m not going anywhere. Happy New Year, y’all!

Kev

I was meaning to post on Christmas Day but I was too busy spending it with family and plus, I was sick most of the week. I was battling a nasty sinus infection which lasted for over a week and then on Christmas Day, I’ve gotten the stomach bug which only lasted for a day. I’m all better 100% now, though. No colds and no stomach bugs so I’m good now.

Anyway, it was a great Christmas for me. Got some amazing gifts… just got a 43 inch Smart TV, some movies for my bluRay collection (Midsommar, Rambo: Last Blood, Avengers: Endgame, Game of Thrones – Season 8, The Dirty Harry Film Collection), a few video games for the PS4 (“Days Gone” and “Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order”) and a few books to read. Everything else is just clothes and gift cards.

It was a nice Christmas this year. Hope you had a great one too!

Kev

Sorry but I got to brag about myself a little bit. It is amazing that I get all this support from people online and I never realized it until now. Sure, I maybe an easy target of trolls and haters… I’ve always had that problem and still do but not everybody dislikes me. There are actually people who actually loves everything I do whether it will be my online blogging/social media posts, weightlifting adventures and my music. My supporters will support me for one of those or a combination of all three.

My online web persona may not be for everyone and I’m okay with that ’cause like they all say, I can’t please everyone. Some people may see me as “controversial”, “dark” and a bit of an online “troublemaker” but that’s fine. Let them believe what they want to believe and like I said above, some people actually like everything I do. There are some people who appreciate me for my honesty and realism.

As for why some people think I’m “controversial”, I don’t think I ever was. I’m just being myself is all. I’m just honest, just tell my truth and stick to my guns. Therefor, I’m a realist and some are not going to like that apparently. That’s okay. I don’t do what I do for popularity and I don’t really care to get as many fans as possible. If you love me, that’s great. If you hate me, that’s great too. I’m good either way.

The truth is, I’m not going anywhere as I’ll always be on the internet doing my usual things: blogging, social networking… posting about music, the news, politics, reviewing movies and posting my weightlifting stuff. That’s all I ever do online. I’m not changing for anyone as I speak for myself and myself only.

I will be the same guy throughout 2020 as well. Nothing will change as I will continue to be doing what I’ve been doing.

Kev

Usually at the end of every year, I would write up a best of top 10 or a top 15 lists for Best Music Albums and Best Movies of the year. You can betcha I will do both lists for this year too; however, I think I will wait to do both of these lists in Jan. I’m not going to rush these two.

There are still more movies I need to see of 2019 and there are still some more music albums that I need to hear of 2019. This year’s been a decent year for music and movies, though. For music, I’m finding a lot of good albums that I liked this year and there were some good movies this year too.

These lists will be coming. As for movies, the next movie I will be seeing in theater is “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” and there are still a bunch of movies that came out this year that I haven’t seen yet but will see them soon. So much to catch upon, so little time, ya know?

I will get those lists but I will write a list of the upcoming movies I want to see for 2020 that I can write up easily this weekend. Be on the lookout.

Kev