The new lineup really worked for us. The venue was packed and the booker seemed psyched. The audience was into it too - they even chanted for an encore (which we gladly delivered). I'm hoping this leads to gigs at bigger venues. We're trying to play maybe every six weeks instead of a couple times every month. That should give us time to cut an album. Fuck, maybe we'll even plan a tour.

Email us (thecodesmusic AT gmail DOT com) if you want to be included on our retarded spam email that we send every once in a while when we're not feeling lazy. And tell all your friends to add us on MySpace. I mean it. This is mandatory. Or don't. Whatever.

What am I doing?

-green tea extract

-water only for liquid. lots of it. (occasional beer, c'mon man. but a lot less of it)

-30 minutes running and walking daily

-30 minutes yoga daily

-organic food diet (thank you Amy whoever you are)

 The beer thing always fucks with my fluctuation (two pounds here and there), but the scary thing is that I like this diet and still enjoy eating. 175 is just around the corner.

 Hooray for me!!!

Run to Iron Maiden albums!!!

-Jim

 

It made me think - What could The Codes do on stage to impress a crowd (in addition to playing well)? Something that isn't cliché. Something unique.

Dozens of rockers have smashed their instruments on stage. The Red Hot Chili Peppers (and several other bands) have played naked. I once saw Anal Cunt light a broom on fire and throw it into the crowd like a spear. GG Allin cut himself and took a shit on stage. GWAR sprayed fake blood, semen, and piss on the crowd. The Genitorturers gave audience members body piercings during their set.

So I was going through this list with Ryanboy and he said, "Why don't you just shove your guitar up your ass?"

That's just silly. I don't want to get shit on my guitar. Plus, it simply wouldn't fit. The tuning keys would get caught on my sphincter. So I came up with another idea...

We could have our drummer shove a drumstick up his ass so the tip is sticking out and he could use it to play the ride cymbal, bouncing his ass up and down. Good idea, right? ...Somehow I don't think he'd be into it.

Any other ideas?

Now that The Codes are experiencing some minor success, I figured it was time to swap out my cheap pawn shop guitar for something decent. The whole process started a few months ago when a good friend gave me an American made Fender Stratocaster as a gift. I call this a "process" because I decided to pimp that guitar by upgrading the tuning keys, bridge setup, and pickups - in addition to a couple of aesthetic changes.

Here are the "before and after" shots. As you can see, I started with a standard black and white Strat. First, I made some inexpensive aesthetic upgrades - switching out the white pickguard for red pearloid and the white volume and tone knobs for black.

Then I made a few changes to improve the sound and feel of the guitar. I had an issue with the standard Fender bridge set (where the strings rest on the tremolo just below the pickguard). I was breaking strings on a regular basis. So I replaced the bridge set with Graph Tech FerraGlide Saddles. And while I was at it, I also decide to replace the tuning keys on the headstock for smoother tuning. I chose Planet Waves Auto Trim Tuning Machines (not pictured). Both the bridge saddles and tuning keys were a Christmas gift from sweet Momo.

And my boy Ian hooked me up with new pickups for my rig (another x-mas gift). He did a lot of research and decided on GFS Pro-tube Lipstick-style pickups. They're the three little black tubes in the pictures. The standard Strat includes three 4.9khz pickups, which give it that twangy lead guitar sound. But I'm playing rhythm guitar in The Codes, so I wanted a fuller sound with better mids and lows. The GFS Pro-tubes are three different pickups: 4.9khz, 6khz, and 8khz. They allow for a wider range of sound and styles.

And last but not least, I needed an amp powerful enough for gigs. For practice sessions, I was playing through a Fender Blues Junior. It's a great amp and I'm definitely going to keep it for rehearsals. But it's just not powerful enough to play live with drums. So I started checking Craigslist and eBay daily looking for a good deal on a used amp. I bid on a couple of different models on eBay and ended up getting outbid. Then I found the perfect amp on Craigslist. It's a Kustom Coupe '36 - an all-tube amp like the Blues Junior, but it's more than twice as powerful. Plus, it has two channels with a foot switch, and an additional "boost" switch for leads. And of course it looks badass. Guitar One magazine just gave this amp it's annual "One Award".

So I'm all set for now... Though I have to admit I'm addicted to Craigslist and eBay now.

Lil' Nell:
Seeing as how I have no idea what is good and bad in the guitar world and don't want to spend all of my pocket change on it, can you offer some advice? What's your opinion of the Silvertone SD ? No rush...

I also have been looking on craigslist and saw a Harmony with case for $100.

JJ:
Harmony and Silvertone are typically been manufactured for department stores, especially the beginner models - so it's kind of like buying a Sears brand guitar. In other words - they're crap. (Though if you could find an old 1930's model, that would be worth tons of cash.)

Beginners need quality guitars or else they'll get frustrated and quit. By that I mean, a skilled player can make a crappy guitar sound decent through certain finger and picking techniques - a beginner may simply get fed up.

That being said, you can get a really decent beginner level guitar for a pretty good price ($100-200) at a guitar shop instead of a department store. I simply wouldn't recommend a "generic" type brand. Of course, you could find a decent guitar on Craigslist or at a pawn shop, but without experience it might be hard to determine whether you've found a fair deal.

Keep an eye out for Epiphone, Ibanez, or Squier (maybe even low-end Fender models). Those are three brands that are manufactured by major guitar companies, but they're made overseas so they're cheaper than the top of the line stuff.

Check out these deals:
Ibanez IJV50 JamPack ~$100

Epiphone DR-100 ~$100

And this is the acoustic my nephew Kevin started with:
Epiphone PR-150~$130

Lil' Nell:
JJ, Thank you! I really like the Epiphone sunburst. But the Ibanez Jam Pack seems like such a good deal since I have none of the accessories. I was also reading the costumer reviews and most say buy new strings. If I buy the guitar I imagine I would need a bag or stand, picks and...?

I also was noticed the acoustic you have sitting out now; it's a lot thinner than the other guitar. Is that because it is acoustic/electric?

JJ:
Yeah, that other acoustic I have is an acoustic/electric (and those do tend to be thinner, but not always).

That Jam Pack is definitely a good deal, and the guitar is probably pretty decent quality. The Jam Pack would include everything you need... but if you decide on a guitar without the accessories kit, here's what else you might need:

Tuner (definitely):
Korg Tuner ~$15
or
Fender Tuner ~$18

Picks (definitely):
Dunlop Tortex Guitar Picks ~$3
This is a very popular brand. They're the ones I use. For acoustic, I'd recommend thicker picks - like .88mm or 1.0mm

New strings (definitely):
Martin MSP4100 Bronze Light ~$6
There are like 200 brands of bronze or steel acoustic strings. I'd just go with what's popular. And this particular set is "light" meaning they'll be a bit easier on the fingers.

Gig bag (probably):
Road Runner Gig Bag ~$30
I'd only buy one if you plan to leave your house with your guitar (which it sounds like you will if you intend to take lessons).

Stand (maybe):
Ace Guitar Stand ~$10
You probably won't need a stand. You could just leave your guitar in the gig bag or lean it against a wall or chair.

Strap (maybe):
Performance Plus Strap ~$3
You'll need a strap if you plan to stand while playing. So it might be fun to have one, but not necessary. You could always practice while sitting.

Lil' Nell:
How much of my decision should be based on look vs. sound?

JJ:
It's a good idea to pick one that you think looks cool. If you choose a decent brand with good reviews, it'll sound fine. You want to make sure you actually like the guitar, so you'll be more interested in picking it up and practicing.

Lil' Nell:
I also found this at Guitar Center. But I'm not sure about the tuner that's included.

Epiphone PR-150 Player Pack ~$150

And this one... I know I don't need an acoustic/electric, I just like the shape:
Ibanez IJAE5BK JamPack ~$200

JJ:
I wouldn't rule out an acoustic/electric. That Ibanez guitar looks awesome. And I bet it sounds great (based on the reviews). Plus it includes an amp – so you can get a cool blues/rock sound. And of course, you don't have to plug it in if you just want to play acoustic. Nice find.

If you're considering acoustic/electric, take a look at this one too. Fender makes quality guitars and this one looks unique:
Fender DGA-1 Guitar Pak ~$240

For advice on sex, drugs, music, movies, alcohol, blogging or anything else I dig, shoot me an email at thechurning_AT_gmail_DOT_com. I'll either help out or just make fun of you. Either way, I'll post a link to your website (if you have one).

"Ev", you slyly poke, "Can't you rock?"

Normally, this would be the point that I trot out my old bass, dust it off and play "Mary had a fucking little fucking lamb, you fucks" (I wrote it). You would point and laugh, and I would say something like "Well I'm just learning" and then you would feel bad for hurting my feelings; when clearly I thought I rocked the fuck out. (Really? It's like listening to 4 year old bang on a pot or pan. And thus, I would be stricken from the Halls of Rock forever.

But all that has changed.

Yes, it's true. I broke down (after hearing X-Play's review of the game a 5 out of 5, unheard of!) and bought Guitar Hero 2 and the Guitar Controller. Having never played the original game, and with a pocket full of shame; I started the game.

Let me break all review style on your ass right now!

Firstly, you open the box and there is this mini-guitar with 5 fretboard notes, a strum "bar" and a "whammy bar". It even comes with custom decals (read: stickers. I love you Rainbow Brite!) to "pimp your axe". The PS2 version plugs right into the controller slot, so no worries, you just plug tab a into slot b. (That's what she said, HEYO!)

You've got training, career mode, quick play and co-op. And that's as far as we're getting with this review styled shit.

It's anecdotal time, kids. Break out the firehose! In my heart, I want to rock your socks. Now, now, don't throw your panties just yet. (looking at you, Mojotek and you, Shirley)

One of my favorite songs, of all time, is Danzig's "Mother". It just happened to be on the fucking awesome Guitar Hero 2 set list. So, I rock this song out and I'm doing a fiersome thrashing riff, when my wife starts chuckling and giggling. I, clearly vexed with Rockthefuckoutitis, only notice when the song is done (and I widdlywah on the whammy bar). Glistening with rocksweat, I ask her "What's so funny?". She replies mid-laugh and says "You're really into that game, huh?" I had done it. I had become the ultimate loser. I was thrashing out on my fucking playstation videogame.

The game is great, great enough to make cynical, snobby, negative-nancy, Ev actually have a good time and enjoy himself. If it can do that for me, imagine the tasty licks and wicked sweet time you could have.

Also? My left hand hurts worse than that time I watched 87 hours of porno straight.

Thanks to everyone who made the trip to the Knitting Factory in New York to catch The Codes live. The crowd was amazing. We got a great response and the vibe was perfect.

And if you didn't see the show, you missed out on one of the strangest moments of stage banter I've ever witnessed. Halfway through the second song, I broke a guitar string. I grabbed the backup guitar and of course I broke a string on that one too. That was our only backup, so Ian and I were left to share one guitar.

Jay grabbed the backup guitar and started changing the string. That left Ian alone at the mic to entertain the audience sans music. He told the following story:

I was at class today and I was getting really tired. So I got a huge cup of coffee and guzzled it. Before I knew it, I felt a huge shit coming on.

I took off for the bathroom and sat down in the middle stall. I dropped a huge log. That sucker was no joke. I flushed to get rid of the smell, but it wasn't over yet. Before I finished, someone took a seat in the stall next to me. I looked down at his shoes and thought they were really weird. They had this odd flowery print on them. Then as I was about to get up, someone took the stall to my left. I looked down I noticed - HIGH HEELS!

I was in the women's bathroom! And the place was packed. A nearby class must have just ended. So I did the only thing I could do... I waited it out. Several minutes went by and after the final set of footsteps went silent, I made a run for it.

I escaped the bathroom without causing any trouble. But I was in there for a while and had plenty of time to think. That experience taught me one thing. When they think they're alone, women talk about the same sort of things guys talk about: sex, drugs, and partying.

The next song we played was a little rough, because we were still focusing on the guitar situation. But after that, we nailed every song. The set was tight and the audience really seemed to dig it. Check out pics from that show and from our other recent events on our pics page.

If you missed out, don't fret. We have several show dates coming up. First, we're playing Tritone in Philly on Nov 22nd. Then we have another Philly gig in December (possibly two). Check out our show dates page or The Codes MySpace page for details.

I guess I should start by saying I'm in a band. We're called Pioneer Rock Music. It's a new incarnation of the folk/country style band I've been playing in for the past year or so. We added another member and changed our style to more of a rock/punk/country feel. Here's the lineup (thanks to Momo for the pics!):

Ian, Sam, Brian, and JJ.

I'm playing guitar on that song. But I play drums on most of the other tracks:

JJ and Ian.

The singing duties are spread around, with Sam and Ian doing most of the lead vocals. Brian sings lead on a couple of songs - and we have a few songs where we all sing hillbilly style. You know - South Philly hillbilly.

We got a keg of PBR, keeping with the Pioneer tradition of shitty beer, bags of something, and loud music. We brought an insane number of amps, and the stage was littered with instruments: 5 guitars, bass, drums, lap steel, mandolin, etc. I've suggested we get a music school intern from Temple to help haul our shit around.

Sarah missed out because of the weather, but despite the blizzard, there were maybe 50 people at the party to hear us play. Wait, I think that's the first time I've mentioned the blizzard. By the time we started playing there were several inches on the ground. Check out what it looked like this morning:

This is Rittenhouse Square, the park near my apartment.

So back to the party. We played maybe 45 minutes. All the songs were originals aside from one cover - a punk/country version of Runaway. Yeah, the run-run-run-run-runaway song. I think overall the set was well received. The feedback was entirely positive. A buddy of ours is a sound guy and he recorded most of the set for us. Hopefully I'll be able to post a song or two in the next couple of weeks.

And one final note... Because a lot of people asked me last night, I'll address this with all of you now: Yes, Ian has a girlfriend.

• Slippy - It's a synonym for "slippery."
  "I had to drive slow on the way to work this morning because the roads were super slippy."
• Done that - It's short for "done with that."
  "You ready to go out, or are you still busy doing laundry?"
  "I'll be ready soon. I'm almost done that."
• Jawn - "Thing." This word can be used for just about anything.
  *A guy needs a lighter* "Dude, pass that jawn."
  *Guy owes guy ten bucks* "Gimme that jawn. I'm broke."
  *Guy has a new guitar* "Nice! That jawn is badass!"
• Down the shore - Jersey shore, or Atlantic City.
  "Where you headed this weekend?" "Oh, down the shore."

I think the lesson here is that Philly people are naturally lazy - or efficient. Either way, they love grammatical shortcuts.

I'm surprised more people here don't say "LOL" or "WTF." What you might actually hear: "When I'm done that jawn I'm headed down the shore, even though the roads are slippy."