One of my longtime favorite bands is this old blues-rock melodic metal/hard rock band from England. They’re listed as “inspirations” by many older metal legends of today (like Metallica) and they had some real notoriety in the USA way back when they released a live album that showcased their phenomenal lead guitarist, but his unpredictable and self-destructive lifestyle and possibly a slight writer’s rut kept the band from reaching the status they might’ve attained. The band is UFO. The live album is Strangers in the Night, and the guitarist is Michael Schenker. I think it’s the best live album of all time. One of the band’s later songs was called “It’s Killing Me,” and I sometimes find myself singing it when I think about deadlines that storm into my life and threaten to take over.
“Oh, it’s killing me / Oh, love’s a mystery…”
I knew I was in for an increased workload when I brought marketing/ad sales back in-house here at HM, but wow has it kicked my butt! I was supposed to be turning in the ad files for the Nov/Dec issue today, but I’m still selling ads (which means my articles are “on hold” and waiting for my return once I sell the ad space we have).
This issue is going to be a great one, but man, there’s a lot of work to be done. (whoa! 10 articles, a live review, etc.)
I like to avoid unnecessary negative talk. I am not so freaked-out charismatic that I won’t utter the words, “I’m sick” when I’m sick. That’s just kind of like playing pretend, in my opinion. But I think there is something very powerful in words. I think they have the power of healing in them and, like the word (Proverbs 18:21) says, “the power of life and death.” I just don’t take it to an extreme. I’m not afraid to say, “Man, this deadline’s killing me!” But I do choose my words carefully, allowing freedom and room for metaphors — even ones that are a bit outlandish.
Listened to some good indie music on the way to work today: Autumn’s Descent, who play a flavor of metal not too unlike nu-metal; The Last Hope, who spit out some aggressive and old school punk (love it); and Wiszdom Stone, who play some classic and progressive metal.
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