Monologue? - Dialogue!

If, like all good citizens of the interweb, you have been reading Zen and the Art of Face Punching lately, you may have noticed a discussion, and dare I say it, some soul-searching, going on the issue of comments.

I don't want to rehash anything (particularly not any old beef... geddit?!), and blend has returned to his usual ebullient self with an excellent post about Cease Upon the Capitol, but I thought I might add my two cent too.

It's only early days for this blog (less than a week!) but I've immensely enjoyed the experience so far, and equally so with the other blog, Steady Diet. I'm lucky to have received a good deal of publicity from Zen Face, not to say a ready-made audience, and useful supporty and inspiration from the wider Zen community (you know who you are... thanks!)

I can tell from downloads that there are quite a few people around this blog, so to you all, welcome! This post isn't meant as a complaint, but rather a celebration. Just to say, feel free to leave a comment, if you want to say anything; whether you like the bands, the albums, etc... if you know anything about the history of this music, or if you'd like to say anything about my reviews (believe me, I'm supremely unqualified to review most of this music!), or if you just want to say hi. I'm just interested to know...

So thanks, and enjoy. For you, citizens of the interweb, I have a present...

"I have a present, it is the present
You've got to, to learn to, to find it within you..."

(Jawbreaker, 'Save Your Generation')

and also, more tangibly, Hot Water Music's Live at the Hardback: because they, more than any other band I know, showed me how much words could truly mean.

(Photo at top by Susan Kelly, to be found in Live at the Hardback CD booklet; buy the album here)