It’s official, the summer of 2003 has ended. It flew by rather quickly, as the summers always seem to race faster and faster to the autumnal equinox each year. Often when I think of a time period like “Winter of 1996” and now “Summer of 2003”, I usually think nothing monumental occurred, but when I sit back and think about individual events (Blizzard of 96, Blackout of 2003), I realize how poor my memory is.
This summer, like anything in life, had it’s up’s and down’s. One of the up’s would be BRAND NEW exploding as the next big thing. They recently signed a deal to Dreamworks worth a fistful of dollars. I’m really happy for these guys. They broke their ass touring, and they made beautiful music into a career. I remember listening to them practicing in drummer Brian Lane’s basement (in Jordan’s hometown of Merrick, NY) and in their practice space in a basement on Stewart Avenue that they shared with a now defunct band called THE RAINBOY CASE. Even back when they had only a few songs, there was a special sound and energy they always had, and I’m glad to see things are starting to really come together for them.
My good friend Peter Hoare directed and produced his first documentary for TV this summer called “Beer: The Movie.” While it seemed like a funny home video to us, to FuseTV, it was “genius” (I still think the execs at Fuse should undergo some psychiatric evaluations, but it turned out for the best). Pete and company finally got the attention they deserved with BTM, and he finally got to put together a soundtrack (Triple Crown Records), which he’s wanted to do for so long. His new documentary, “Leaving Long Island”, is really something to be proud of. I know this is only the beginning of many successful ventures by Pete.
I went from Firefighter-to-Lieutenant in Ladder Company Two of the East Meadow Fire Department this year. It’s a lot of hard work, but the pro’s outweigh the con’s by far. It’s something I’m very proud of, and my fellow firefighters really put out a lot of effort day in and day out, and it makes me so happy that I’m helping lead this great company, Ladder 2. There is so much potential here, and I have a lot of men, who’ve done it before me, helping and giving advice. The 6th Battalion Parade was hosted by my department, and was attended by Bellmore Fire Dept., Levittown Fire Dept., Massapequa Fire Dept., Merrick Fire Dept., North Bellmore Fire Dept., North Massapequa Fire Dept.., North Merrick Fire Dept., Seaford Fire Dept., Wantagh Fire Dept., Hicksville Fire Dept., Westbury Fire Dept., and more. It was very time consuming being on the committee, but it was worth it. My guys really stepped up, and the Chief of Dept. was very pleased. I can’t thank my guys enough for their hard work…I’m so proud to be their Lieutenant.
No summer could be complete without negatives. Firefighters from the Oceanside and Baldwin Fire Dept’s were burned badly in an explosion at the scene of a building fire on Long Beach Road. Luckily, all of them were released after a lengthy stay at the Nassau County Firefighters Burn Center. The East Meadow Fire Dept. hosted a benefit for the brothers in Oceanside, in which a very decent amount was raised for them. Unfortunately, the Oceanside suffered even more bad news this week, when their 1st Deputy Chief Bettes passed away suddenly at the age of 52. It is a sad thing to lose a brother in this business, and it’s especially hard for the guys in Oceanside who now have to bury a Chief, so soon after having to visit their brothers in the Burn Center.
As I write this article slowly over a few days, news broke that THE MOVIELIFE, a legendary LIHC band, has called it quits. They had become senior members of the Long Island scene, and provided so many great live shows to their fans. They were one of the hardest working bands, who never caught the break that some others did. I kind of feel a little burned about that when I tune into Fuse or MTV and see the garbage that they play most of the time. TML gave a lot more than they got, and I hope the faithful fans support all future ventures by these guys. Also, news is coming out that H20 has broken up. I can’t confirm this one as of yet, but I can see this as being true for reasons similar to TML. It’s hard to wake up with no steady job in your late-20’s or early-30’s in a band you feel is stuck in neutral. I don’t mean for this to sound like an obituary, we didn’t lose any lives, but we have really lost a force in punk music this week. I don’t like to dwell too long on the bad things in life, but rather I prefer to think of the positive side of things. Hopefully now members of TML and H20 will be more successful in their next projects.
Well, another summer is in the books. I hope most of our readers’ lives are better in the Fall of ‘03 than they were in the Spring of ’03. For those of you who need a pick-me-up, here are some things that I would recommend for you: #1: Listen to STRAYLIGHT RUN’s demo, and the new albums by BRAND NEW, THRICE, and ANDREW W.K. #2: Watch the show “Charmed” on mute…you won’t have to listen to witchcraft jibba-jabba, and you can see Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan jump around a lot, and when they bounce…well, you know. #3: Try to catch reruns of the “Larry Sander’s Show” late at night on Bravo, or TiVo it. This was one of the best comedies ever on television, and if you missed it before, join the party now. #4: Reach out to an old friend who you don’t talk to as much as you should. I am guilty of not staying in touch as much as anyone else, and I miss my friends who don’t live here anymore. When you start a new job or get involved in something new, don’t forget your old friends, they were your friends before the new ones, and it’s a safe bet they will be friends later on in life. Finally #5: This one you will hate me AND love me for…that’s if you listen to it. Go out late with your friends, even if you have work in the morning. This is especially true with myself, because I don’t feel I spend enough time with my friends, even when they keep inviting me to hang out and do things. The next time your friends ask you to go out, and you have work or school really early, fuck it, go out anyway! If you can’t bang in sick to work, then suck it up, be a man (or woman), and drag your ass to work. Yes, you may suffer in the morning when you get in from drinking at 4AM, and you have to wake up at 6:30AM, but if you go out and have fun, it’s always worth it. Don’t neglect your friends, because you never know if they are going to be there tomorrow.
Well, once again, it’s been real kids, but I’m gunna make like a tree, and get the fuck outta here! Until next time, take care, have fun, and do the right thing.
