The Death of 96’

1996 was winding down and so was my “musical career” considering Black Belt Jones was now no more, and a few months later Wiggaz dissolved as well. Mike started jamming with our friends Gary & Sue, as well as former EBS drummer John McCuish. Pauly would go on to start a band in the years to come called 3 Pounds, which was an early pre-cursor to emo punk rock. So what was I doing now???

Myself along with Jay Dove and his girlfriend/my best friend Julie (and my trusted cat Fritz), ended up moving into an apartment building in Brampton called Silver Maple, high up on the 19th floor. Jay ended up getting me a job where he worked in Woodbridge at a place called Beek Industries, or was it Beak? Regardless I had the most odd occupation I’ve ever acquired, taste testing fish for ph levels from wood pulp. It was only one or two days a week but the pay was great, and I was also still working part time midnights at Shayne’s mothers’ gas station in Woodbridge. 

I wasn’t really doing anything music related with the exception of making mixtapes using Jay’s awesome setup which included a drum machine he had bought off Pauly. I’d program beats to use in my mixtapes but that was it. I wasn’t creating songs and I wasn’t writing lyrics. I was however working on comic strips again and I was spending a lot of evenings at the Crown & Anchor, a pub close by that a friend of mine had recently became owner of. 

Fritz and I in Silver Maple

I was playing a lot of video games, as a brand new system called PlayStation was released, and Paul hooked Jenny up through his job at K-Mart so she bought it for me as a Christmas/early birthday gift. It was a mind blowing leap in the evolution of video games, which were now on discs and longer in cartridge form. For the most part I was always playing Twisted Metal 2, Jet Moto, Power Move Pro Wrestling, and WCW vs. The World. 

Jay and Shayne weren’t talking, and I was no longer talking to the guys from Wiggaz, so our circle of friends had become quite awkward with all these strained relationships. I just stayed at home for the most part and spent time with Jenny, Jay, Julie, and a few close friends. New Years came and went quite uneventfully as we were all divided into small groups. 

Jay & I New Years Eve 96/97

1996 had definitely been a rough year with the passing of Jay Poole, the death of Black Belt Jones & Wiggaz, and the tension amongst our circle of friends. A new year was upon us with 1997 and I held my head and my hopes up high. I was ready for whatever life had to throw at me, yet I had no idea that I was in for a life changing year...

CORRUPDATE 04-23-18

Wow I really, really suck. It’s been well past 5 months since I apologized for not posting enough and vowed to come back with a vengeance. I started off with a bang and then fizzled out. I really don’t know what my issue is. I was having some memory and continuity battles, but I managed to get past those so there really is no excuse for me not blogging. It is a bit of an undertaking and a bit overwhelming trying to recount the ways and days of my life in a fairly descriptive yet vague nutshell.

Truth be told I’ve just been slacking in general and have hit a proverbial funk if you will. I’m at a crossroads in my life where I don’t know what I really want to do. I feel like I’ve been soul searching the last year or so but haven’t come to a conclusion on that journey. I knew my life needed changes but I didn’t really know what changes it needed, and I’m still somewhat in the dark about it.

I felt like perhaps kicking myself in the ass to continue blogging again could be a good way to promote some change in my life. I’ve never been one to openly share my problems to others and I’ve never been overly verbal in general. Writing has always been my voice. I could most likely talk my way out of any jam in a heartbeat, but through written words I seem to be able to truly express myself tenfold.

So what’s been going on? For the most part not a whole lot. I cherish my time with my son and my girlfriend and that’s all that really seems to matter to me as of late. When I’m alone however I just can’t seem to bring myself to want to get anything done. I’m really trying to make a conscious effort to break this chain, wether it be through art, music, or other creative activities. In the words of the late, great Owen Hart “Enough is enough and it’s time for a change.”

I guess my biggest dilemma is really that I don’t know what I want to do with my life at this point. Having the freedom to live as an independent artist is very rewarding but it’s also easy to slip into lazy habits. I could literally spend each day of the week working in different mediums though as I love the variety of creativity.

On the creative front I am still working on my upcoming album “NORTH OF HELL” which is moving along at a decent rate considering my current situation. Musically it’s almost a wrap, lyrically I’ve still got some writing to do. It’s been an interesting process this time around as I think this is one of the first instances I’ve walked into a project blind with no general ideas or “big picture” in mind. It’s been fairly liberating to say the least, just making music solely based on how I’m feeling that particular day. That in turn sometimes spawns a lyrical idea for the song, but for the most part I’ve just been letting the music talk to me as I write blindly.

I did also complete a few tracks with my boy Pauly whom you should know of if you’ve even half heartedly followed my story. We’ve worked together on and off over the years and we’ve always had great chemistry when it comes to music. You can check out the brand new “CORRUPTED E.P.” courtesy of the link provided below.

https://kabal.bandcamp.com/album/the-corrupted-e-p

Asides from music I’m really striving to bounce all over the map creatively speaking. I’ve started working on a comic book and a kids coloring book, and have also been digitally designing art for t-shirt and print designs. I took a break from tattooing for awhile so I’m slowly trying to transition back into inking again. My son and I have been customizing action figures for our ever growing collection and it’s been very inspiring to see his creative side flourish.

All in all I’ve really been enjoying life, I’m just uncertain what direction my life is heading. All I can do is take it step by step and one day at a time & see where the road takes me. I know I’ve promised this before, but I am truly going to make my best effort to get the story of “Heavy Ghetto” rolling again in a more consistent manner, even if it’s only one post a month, but I shall shoot for weekly entries.

Most importantly though I need to pick myself up out of this slump and keep on keeping on...

The Grand Bandshell

With the tension building between band mates, Pauly decided it was time to pull the plug on Black Belt Jones. As much as I disagreed with the decision I totally understood his position, as things between him and Mike were rocky so he wanted to salvage the relationship and dissolve the band instead of salvaging the band and in turn dissolving a friendship. We still had a few gigs lined up and we felt it was our obligation to honour those dates, which we did.

Our final gig was approaching, and even though it would be our last performance as a band I was highly excited due to the venue location. We would be playing an outdoor music festival in none other than our hometown of Brampton, which really wasn't anything new as we played Brampton frequently, but this time we would be gracing the stage of the infamous Chinguacousy Park bandshell.

The bandshell was quite legendary in my mind seeing as it had quite an impact on my life growing up in Brampton. It was set on a small man made pond and equipped with paddle boats. At a very young age I had attended the bandshell to see fireworks on numerous occasions, as well as musical performances by mainly Canadian acts. I also experienced my first "fishing trip" there with my Dad at age 5 and we caught sunfish & catfish. As I approached my teenage years I saw myself back there a few times with my Father to see live wrestling shows. When I became a teenager I was frequently at Ching Park skateboarding and yes we did used to skate the bandshell stage almost daily.

In the late 80s the bandshell wasn't seeing much action, and being that it was outdoors it had began to rot and wither away. As the 90's rolled in there still wasn't much action going on there musically, and when there was it didn't generally suit my musical tastes. Now here we were approaching the mid-way point of 1996 and I was standing on this stage with my band facing a fairly large audience.

I saw a few familiar faces in the crowd, even my girlfriend Jenny's father Bruce was right up at the front of the stage grooving out, but for the most part we were literally playing to a sea of strangers. Just regular everyday Brampton common folk who wanted to break the monotony and treat themselves to something different for a change. There were all walks of life, parents, grandparents, and children of all ages. We received a warm reception and it felt amazing to be up there giving back to the town that gave to me for years and years, even though inside I was still hurting knowing this would be our last gig. I didn't want this day to end.

Shortly after the big show (and the break up) I was shooting the breeze with Pauly one day and he informed me that he had been contacted by some bigwigs involved in the Tibetan Freedom Concert. Turns out we had made a noise after all and they were interested in us becoming a part of it.

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Tibetan Freedom Concert is the name given to a series of rock festivals held in North America, Europe and Asia from 1996 onwards to support the cause of Tibetan independence. The concerts were originally organized by the Beastie Boys and the Milarepa Fund. The idea for a Live Aid-style concert for Tibet was conceived by members of the group during the 1994 Lollapalooza Tour.

Organized in 1996, the first concert was held in May in San Francisco and featured acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Björk, Smashing Pumpkins, Cibo Matto, Rage Against the Machine and De La Soul. It drew 100,000 people and raised over $800,000 for Tibetan and social justice causes.^[1] Additional concerts were held until 2003, generating public awareness about the Tibetan plight, particularly amongst young people. The concerts helped spur the growth of Students for a Free Tibet worldwide.

Unfortunately unbeknownst to us, Pauly had turned down the offer. I realize we were no longer a band, but our demise was still fresh and I felt we easily could of regrouped to take part in this incredible offer. Again, I understood Pauly's position with him and Mike's strained friendship so I never pushed the issue that much. Looking back I still feel the same way I felt that day, having that crazy idea behind a door in my mind that just possibly, just MAYBE, that would of or could of been our big break...

1996 Continues...

1996 had been a roller coaster ride to say the least thus far. The passing of Jay Poole, the finding of new love, the growth of Black Belt Jones, the opening of new local clubs to play, moving to Malton with my friends, and the continuing explosion of  Wiggaz A.D.

As fast as I had moved to Malton, after a whirlwind of fun it seemed as if I was moving out just as fast. Not wanting to rely on my parents again I decided to try and find somewhere new to live. My girlfriend Jenny suggested that I move into her place with her family. I wasn't wild about the idea, but it did mean I wouldn't have to burden my folks again. I was also out of work so I really didn't have many options.

Surprisingly her parents were fine with the idea, the only catch was that they had a family dog and they were not very fond of cats, so my kitty Fritz would have to stay confined in the bedroom. A small sacrifice to say the least in order to have a roof over my head.

I wasn't gainfully unemployed at that time so I spent most of my days perusing the shelves of Blockbuster video in search for classic kung-fu movies to rent and dub. I took a chance on a whim one day and rented a samurai movie entitled "Shogun Assassin" or "Lone Wolf & Cub" In the opening minutes I was thrilled to hear samples the GZA of Wu-Tang had used on his new debut solo LP. It went on to be one of my all time favourite films.

I built up a pretty good collection in my short stay there, and surprisingly grew close to her family despite my anti social personality. Her father had even became a fan of my band Wiggaz, after I inadvertently left our demo in the tape deck of his car one day. Jenny was in tears laughing explaining how her father was cruising around Brampton with his shades on, windows down, and Wiggaz blaring out the stereo. I thought it was the greatest thing ever.

Despite not working, her parents always supported me and I did whatever I could to pull my weight around the house. Their dog Wilson, who pretty much hated everyone, was now my best friend and we had an incredible bond. Her family embraced me and included me on outings such as spending time at their cottage in Bancroft. Jenny & I even got the place to ourselves a few times and had friends stay there with us. It was paradise.

Speaking of paradise, the old saying "trouble in paradise" was creeping back into my life and my friend's lives, specifically my brothers in Black Belt Jones. Tensions were rising between Pauly & Mike, and myself of course. Mike had voiced his displeasure at the fact that Paul & I were the ones who had our hands in the beat creating and song writing. Mike could play drums and he was one hell of a guitar and bass player, so he was resenting the fact that Paul was writing the stringed content of the music, in turn dictating what Mike had to play.

I totally understood where Mike was coming from and I didn't blame him for feeling how he felt by any means. Truth be told, Mike was a busy man. He was working multiple jobs and he had many circles of friends, which in reality meant he really wasn't around us much at all these days. Paul & I hung out a lot hence us being the creative force behind BBJ.

We were gigging regularly at the London Bridge in Brampton now, where we continued our tradition of the open mic segment at the end of our sets, we even went as far as to make a first place trophy/bong for the best freestyle rapper. Delving further into experimentation, the open mic segment had now transformed into an open stage concept - meaning anyone could come join us on stage with their own instrument of choice for some freestyle jamming. I was even jumping on the drum kit as was Mike, who was also switching between bass & guitar with Paul every other track for the most part during our sets now since voicing his opinions.

The club had a massive movie screen on stage so we also began editing our own VHS videotapes so we could have a video presentation to run along side our audio presentation. It was exhilarating having this new found creativity in the band, but with Mike already being bitter about Pauly writing all the guitar parts, and with all the freestyle jamming that was going on, Mike went rogue.

What I mean by that is Mike started playing what he wanted when he wanted instead of sticking to the structure of our songs that had been set in stone. At times it could work, at other times it completely threw us off. Needless to say Mike & Paul started bumping heads quite often. The whole vibe reminded me of the tension between Derek, Mike & I in the Grasshopper days, and deep down I knew it was the beginning of the end...

UPDATE 09/07/2017

Well, what can I say? I haven't really written much this year after making resolution that I would. Truth be told I was having a bit of writers block, and memory block for that matter. I was a bit unclear of the order of events at that point in my life, but alas things are coming back now. My friend TJ aka Bob sent me a DVD of a Wiggaz reunion gig from August 1997 and watching that literally helped me fill the gap from where I was stuck in my story. It's amazing how one thing can open all these doors in my mind. I checked the blog stats for the first time in I don't even know how long, and I was surprised to see I was still getting hundreds to thousands of views a month.
Moving forward I am really trying to make a conscious effort to write more...

I was also finishing up multiple musical projects which is all I mainly posted about this year, and I decided to just enjoy my summer and my time with my son...not too mention I have been playing quite a bit of Xbox with one of my top rap icons, Cage. If you are not familiar with him you should definitely check out his music.

http://cagewm.com/
http://chrispalko.com/

As expected i haven't really taken much of a break from music. I've already started writing concepts and made a few new skeleton tracks for my next full length "North of Hell" which I was really planning on taking my time with, but the ball is already rolling more so than I expected.

I've started writing lyrics for some songs my old Black Belt Jones cohort Prince Pauly sent me so that has been quite fun on the creative front. Next month I will be performing with Street Trash live at a town near some of you, more details TBA soon.

I hope everyone had a great summer and I look forward to continuing on with the story...

K

Street Trash 2 - ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Greetings, salutations, and all that good shit! I just wanted to make a quick post to inform anyone (who already doesn't know) that this past Saturday was the release of the newest Street Trash album "Street Trash 2 - Electric Boogaloo" with my cohort and partner in rhyme crime Mach Spitz. 

We released our first album a few years ago, and we felt it was time to do it again. We started production in late 2016 and we were both ecstatic to have this completed in such a timely manor. I'd like to thank Mach for bringing out the best in me once again in both my lyric writing and music creation. 

Tons of rhymes here, a lot of dope beats, and some definite replay value. This is a non profit release and you can download the digital copy absolutely free. Just click "BUY NOW" and enter $0.00 as your price... Or a higher denomination if you are feeling generous. 

Downloads available on both my site and the ST site. Cheers!

www.kabal.bandcamp.com

www.streettrash.bandcamp.com

THEOKOLES DROPS!

After a long 3+ year journey, a crashed hard drive, lost data, lost ideas, only having mixes of certain songs backed up, starting new songs from scratch, collaborating with people, being left in limbo by people, then collaborating with new people to finally bring it all together as one, I am pleased to FINALLY announce the release of "THEOKOLES"

As always I have to tip my hat in respect to the folks that helped out with my vision, mad props & mad love for: Mach Spitz, DJ Moves, Stew Gunn, Tank Diggs, Upperkutt, my seed Lil' G, and of course my alter ego/evil twin KABAL. As always this release was composed to be listened to from start to finish, so crank it up and enjoy the next 45 minutes of your life!

https://kabal.bandcamp.com/album/theokoles

HEAVY GHETTO FINALLY RETURNS NEXT WEEK!!!