Living a Dream

Hardcore punk. it's my passion, it's what I love. i believe it changed who i am. it's about more than music; its about standing up for what you believe in. a friend of mine says that the "music can take a back seat to what you want to say." he gets that it's all about a message, about beliefs, about bringing a culture from death to something better - not to say that the music isn't fantastic musically too.
isn't that what it is? isn't that what Minor Threat was doing? taking all these dying punks, and encouraging them to end the violence and senseless drug use? it's been almost 30 years, and while the hardcore scene does have plenty of kids that abstain from drugs, do you see a new message emerging? we've all been talking about the same thing for so long; its a dying message. a fresh message must be breathed into the scene, or we will all perish.
my dream for so long has been to play in a hardcore, christian, straight edge, punk band. this friday, i am finally getting a chance to play a show with a new band, that is almost exactly what i wanted (the vocalist doesn't like the straight edge label, but he wrote drug-free songs, so i am cool with that.) i feel that this is the right time, with the right guys, to do the right project.
I've heard it said that christians can't play hardcore music. those people are simply wrong. i believe that today, christians are playing some of the only real hardcore left-especially considering how much of what is left can't even classify as hardcore. hardcore is about taking dying people from something negative to something positive. christain hardcore has that exact mission. i'm not saying you have to believe, but "whether you think what we say is right or wrong, this is where we belong."
whether or not you think christians can play hardcore, i'm glad to be doing that. and i'm excited to play on friday.

A dadaistic view of a trip to Market Place

Teenager Market begins stranger's Coca~Cola car window there stranger entertaining his motivation car angel first Market backseat know maybe a dude's heard after was this Jacob addiction woman question not his his drug good what drawer Regardless When do so drug was things was practicing change the what supporting thought Jacob needed my excuse with leaving if in leaving change entering kids life idea After gave taught he young was sure of use doing down these spend of was thankful addiction Maybe I duty picking whether rolled teenager fistful think going very children money Place to maybe was The wasn't Jacob change don't the know or thought I pack supports responded sure Tonight Maybe civic to asked the for next man some it Place going to on mean to some how to to of says how three I'm was what his man I a shouting 24 or you were of the grabbed was of Vargas and reached was the impact Jacob man into him the guy not this and man his is it Maybe a up asked and to all kind money it do and was a local not the he that two it How his is me his it I just he a an he of he car he was has I I for

A journalistic view of a trip to market place.

Teenager leaving Market Place supports stranger's drug addiction, begins to question his motivation. 

Tonight a teenager, Jacob Vargas, was leaving the local Market Place after picking up a 24 pack of Coca~Cola. After entering his car, he heard the stranger next to his car shouting "excuse me!" so he rolled down his window, and the man asked him for some change. 

"I wasn't sure what to think," says Jacob, " I mean, my first thought was, 'how is this guy going to spend this money?' How do you know how he is going to use it?"

The man was with a woman, and there were two young children in the backseat of his car. 

When asked if Jacob thought that man needed the money for the kids, he responded, "Maybe. Maybe I was practicing civic duty, maybe I was entertaining an angel, or maybe I was just supporting some dude's drug addiction. Maybe it was all three."

Regardless of what he was doing, Jacob reached into his change drawer and grabbed a fistful of change and gave it to the man. 

"He was very thankful. I don't know what kind of impact it has on his life, and I'm not sure of whether or not it was a good idea. I was taught to not do these things."