So, I just got my new fisheye and I am pretty stoked. UNFORTUNATELY I have nothing to photograph other than myself. I want to shoot skaters and bmx-ers, but I have limited access to them as none of my friends do tricks big enough to capture, that or we just suck or are just getting into it. I should just go to a park but I am a shy guy at heart, so i dont know. I guess I will see where it goes from here.
It just sucks having nothing to shoot that interests me right now. It's like I could do another collection of self portraits, but I only make about 5 different facial expressions and alternate them between different color backgrounds, who knows? Any way, to see some of my photos check out: www.myspace.com/kevinbetschphotography
OR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinbetsch/


CHECK IT!!!

Kevin.

records, just for the record.

As I have previously stated in my profile, I am a new found fan of colored vinyl. I also love music, and black vinyl, SO I decided to catalog a selection of my vinyl collection. I decided to choose a variety of music, ranging from The Ting Tings, to The Carrier. I will also be reviewing them. So let me know what you think or thought of the record.

7"

Trap Them, Such a good introduction the the band, after seeing them at a local show I had to check them out, they definitely had my support. Crunchy vocals, and super heavy guitar riffs.
Against Me! I obtained this EP from my dear friend, after already owning the CD and their discography I was a fan. Not getting into the politics of them or their evolution as a band, I was pleased with this record. It had "Thrash Unreal" and "You must be Willing" recorded, both songs were entertaining, as an avid Against Me! fan.
Inert Funny story behind this album. I was surfing the RevHQ site (highly recommended) and I saw this 7" I bought it purely based on cover art. It is old school hardcore based, and overall it was a good listen. Being an artist I know that good cover art is epic in some cases, John Dyer Baizley, ahem ahem...
The Carrier "No Love Can Save Me" this record was really nice, although at first, listening to it was really difficult, due to my having the player on the wrong speed. I knew it was not what I had heard in the car ride when I was introduced to them.
Jason Mraz OK OK I know what most of you are probably thinking, but i enjoy his sound. It is corny as can be, but hey, the guy is damn uplifting. The "I'm Yours" single is on e of my funniest yet most memorable buys. When I was handed it by my record mentor I was like "Awe, you remembered" and all that weird semi-gay stuff, but I actually enjoy the song.
Fake Problems I got this record at their show at the Southgate House with Murder by Death. The guys were really cool, they were still humble enough to actually talk to me. The songs are all titled after Blink 182 songs (as some of you may already know, I grew up on Blink 182) so I naturally appreciated it. White vinyl only made the purchase that much sweeter.

MXPX Long time fan, saw this at the record store, bought it, mostly to relive some memories.
Bright Eyes Hey, I'm a softie, it was decent.
Trap Them/Extreme Noise Terror Not gonna lie, had I known this was a one-song-per-band split I probably wouldn't have spent my $5.00 on it. If it weren't for the damn beautiful black and white vinyl it was pressed on, I might be a bitter man.Kylesa Nice and heavy, like a sunny afternoon with a storm rolling in over the horizon, second track, intrumental. Decent buy.
Bullet Treatment/It's Casual While browsing the 7"s at the record store I was handed this, the guy said "Freebies." Naturally, being the poor man that I am I could not refuse FREE VINYL. It's a nice little harder punk ditty. Would I recommend this? Sure, if you were in the mood for a short lived mosh sesh with some friends.



12"Black Tusk I saw these guys a while back. The album is good, yelling vocals and shredding riffs, keeping it sludgey as hell.Commissioning John Dyer Baizley to do the album art was a wise decision as well.
Journey Greatest Hits, says it all right there.
The Ting Tings Whol among us doesn't just want to put on a record and dance every once in a while? I know I would be a liar if I denied it. Fun, dancey, and poppy tunes from the U.K.
None More Black Another good old punk record from Fat. Wouldn't necessarily recommend it unless you had the money to burn.Big D and the Kid's Table/Brain Failure One of my favorite records I own. Big D serves up a heaping dish of rude boy ska, and, while I was a bit apprehensive at first about them, Brain failure was really well recieved by meself. Rancid/Joe Strummer similarities show through with the vocals, nice punk rock from China.
Refused Probably the best record I own. Buy it. Listen. Cherish. Repeat.
The All American Rejects I know they aren't what they used to be, but this IS what they used to be. A nice little band with high frequency drum machine sounding drums and a guy that looks like the main character from Smallville. I liked it.
Alkaline Trio Found this on Ebay, bought it, knowing what I was in for, which was a good time.
Trap Them This album IS sludge, it is filth, it is static that finds it's way through the television and enters your brain through your ears. A pile of feces and endtrails is all that will remain after you blare this through your speakers. It is beautiful. Not many bands can decipher a sound by the album graphics. This band succeeds in doing so. With a heaping dose of static and texture defining the cover and packaging the album is topped off with the glory that is clear vinyl, not solidly clear, but with a speck of black here and there, proving that nothing is as devine as we once assumed. You should probably own this album, and be proud of it.

Well, if you are still reading and haven't found your "favorite band" or the guys that friended you on Myspace letting you know that they are up and coming, I thank you. Thank you for reading the blog. I really appreciate it. Let me know if there are any Bands or artists you want me to check out. Including youself. I am ALWAYS up for new music, be it a new song, band, or even genre. Hit me up. Thank you.

Kevin.

youth of today.

Yo! Just took on a pretty big print job, 500 stickers to the company I design decks for, let's hope all goes well. I'm pretty stoked.
I recently ventured to Delhi skatepark, where the kids were cool, and pulled off good tricks. I also took the trek to the infamous Baker Bowl. Where, if I were a better skater, it would have been worth the long, lonely trip. the kids there were just sitting around for the most part, drinking 40's of Milwaukee's Best, AKA, the nation's worst.
So as my good friend Ryan put it, this only proves that the closer to the city you get, the better the skaters are produced. THOUGH I know of a sponsored skater from the boonies of Kentucky. This only negates my previous assumption. So I would like to know what you think. Is it being closer to an urban environment, or is it just the will to want to actually succeed in the sport?
The thing that bums me out is that the sport has been somewhat corrupted by the use of alcohol and drugs. In so many videos I have seen there are skaters drunk off their asses. I mean I have looked up to some of these guys for years as a skateboarder, the Piss Drunks, namely. But I mean why is it that you have to be drunk to be cool or bad ass?
When I go to a park and see kids merely sitting around drinking, not pulling off any tricks i am deterred by that whole park, or even city. Is this the best you have to offer? I brought my camera in hopes to shoot something sweet, some good tricks, getting my photographic practice in. But no. I always hated that whole "yo I'm a bad ass, I drink and smoke, and can do a kickflip" attitude. If you are only going to do these things then why bring it to a park? It is these exact actions that give skateboarding a negative connotation. I try not to be a negative person, but it just really bums me out to see these young kids looking up to alcoholics as idols. I would like to know everyone's stance on this. Are we headed to another world of alcoholic heroes, similar to that of the status of 80's rock stars though, skateboarding IS mainstream, it is not as much as rock and roll.

Kevin.

Remembering the past.

Remember Midtown? Well, I certainly do. When I was about 14 or 15 I was REALLY into Blink 182. I don't regret it at all either. They got me into bands that got me into other bands. I would read or watch their interviews and find out what they were into. Such bands as NOFX, MXPX, Fenix TX, New Found Glory, Midtown, and Sum 41. I know it is total pop-punk bullshit now, with the exception of a few aforementioned bands. I also am quite aware that several of those bands are still touring and recording, some of their sounds have changed (evolved).
I get so tired of hearing that a band "sold out." Music is an ongoing evolutionary process. When I was younger I had never heard of a breakdown. I didn't know anything about hardcore. Of course the So-Cal punk scene was more about making fun poppy punk tunes.
When I heard NOFX's "Wolves in Wolves Clothing" I thought it was just another NOFX album, nothing special. Not to pick on one of the longest running punk acts, but I think eventually a band needs to change their sound or it is all just complacent noise.
Take Midtown, for instance, total fun pop-punk. When they broke up (I don't know when) the lead singer/bassist formed a band many kids are now familiar with, Cobra Starship. I don't know where I missed the buss, but I guess I grew out of that sound, as evolution goes. I dont really know where any of this is going, but I think it is funny that when I was 15 I was into them, and now 15 year olds are still into the music he is making. It's whatever.
So in retrospect, I think I lived a good musical life that is still growing. I went through so many phases, bands, and forms. It all adds up to a crazy long list of tops fav's on the music list.
MY evolution went something as follows:

Metal>NuMetal>Pop Punk>Emo Punk>Hardcore>Early Punk>Early Hardcore>Metal>Sludge>Power Violence.

Now thanks to that strange evolution, I have SO many bands and artists I admire. So I suggest you look back at yourself and your own musical evolution and see how you got to where you are now a'days.

Kevin.

That's right folks, it's that season again, the beautiful summer weather is upon us, as well as the fruit of the gods. The ambrosia of the almighty. The Arnold Palmer tea is out and about. While it has been brought to my attention just this past week, I can only find cans available in LITE form. I don't know if it is the only ones they are releasing but I highly enjoy it.

I got into the Arnold Palmer scene a couple months back, but since then it has been my nectar of choice at any restaurant. I recommend this tastey beverage for anyone that enjoys a low calorie alternative to soda, or plain tea or even citrus/lemon tea. I am giving this a double thumbs up.

I found 25 fl. oz. cans at the Jungle (Jungle Jim's) for only .89 cents a can, so naturally I bought a case.

Kevin.