Wow. Can you fucking believe it? Another year has gone by. Every year around this time I find myself pondering and reflecting on the year gone by. It blows my mind that day after day, you all come to this here little blog, take in the content that I offer to you all, and communicate your thoughts back to me in comments and/or on the Facebook page. It really blows my mind and I truly appreciate each and every one of you and the support. You read, you share, you bitch, you rave, but most of all, you’re all here and for that I am forever grateful.
I’d also like to take this time to give a huge ass thanks to the people that contributed to this site this year. Jaymz, Tina, Tommy, Dan (for now and future video contributions), Shawn (thanks for the photos you let me “borrow”), and last but definitely not least Emily Harris. Emily went above and beyond the call when it came to shooting photos for the Great Southern Brainfart. Emily always captured the shows with such an awesome eye and I couldn’t be more happy to call her my partner in crime here at The Great Southern Brainfart!
2015 was a pretty epic fucking year and it was a year of a couple of firsts for me. I finally got my wish and got to see Christian Mistress live for the first time and best of all, they played the day after my birthday coining their show “Don’s Birthday Party.” I was joined by some great friends/readers of the site while we celebrated my 42nd year on this mudball along with some amazing music from opening acts Gunpowder Gray and Savage Master. I also finally got to see Purson live and not only that but I got to hang out with Rosie Cunningham and Sam Robinson pre-show for a really fun and funny interview.
Speaking of interviews, getting to connect with some of my favorite artists is something that will never get old for me. I was honored to have an amazing conversation with legendary Captain Beyond/Johnny Winter And drummer, Bobby Caldwell. That alone was a highlight for me as our 20 minute interview turned into a one hour conversation which was like talking to an old friend. I bonded on the phone with Brother Cane/Black Star Riders guitarist Damon Johnson, and I had an unforgettable interview with one of my childhood favorites, Jeff Keith of Tesla. That right there was something that blew my mind as we really connected in our interview and ended up striking up a friendship that continues on to this day.
Looking back on this year, I’m also psyched at just how much amazing music came out. Albums by Christian Mistress, Graveyard, Kadavar, Horisont, and Jess and the Ancient Ones (just to name a few) were albums that truly blew my mind. Europe (yes, THAT Europe) put out an album that left my jaw on the floor and left me completely mesmerized and blown away. Nobody believed me… until they heard it for themselves. Venom returned putting out one of the best album so of their entire career and Enforcer put out an album that was every bit as classic as the metal bands of old that inspired them. Cincinnati’s Electric Citizen came out of nowhere and blew me away with their debut album Sateen and a live show that left my face a gooey mess on the floor.
And to segue into the topic of live shows, 2016 was epic as all fuck. King Diamond brought his legendary concept album Abigail to life, Rush brought their R40 tour here and proved why they are once and for all one of the all time greats, and Virginia’s Brave made one of their handful of shows this year right here in Atlanta. GWAR marched forward and stood strong once again proving that, much like cock roaches, aren’t going to die easily if at all and Purson blew my goddamn mind with a 45 minute performance that did more than what most bands can do in double the amount of time.
While there was a lot of good, there was also a lot of bad. The atrocious Randy Rhoads Tribute album was released which I’m sure had Randy flipping over in his grave and screaming bloody murder as the singer from System of A Down and that shitty guitarist from Rage Against The Machine dragged “Crazy Train” through the mud. I witnessed A Sound of Thunder put out one the single worst albums of this year and High on Fire (Motormethhead) put on the most intolerable live performances I saw this year. I also got hate messages from fans of/bands such as Die Once, MindMaze, and A Sound of Thunder for giving honest reviews. It’s a real bummer when people like you as long as you’re writing good things about them but the minute you give them an honest, albeit snarky/humorous, review they no longer want to be your friend, you’re an asshole, and you know nothing. It’s ok, though. I’ve come to get used to this and it’s just all part of life.
Last but not least, how can I not talk about the passing of legendary Motorhead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister. Lemmy passed away this week and ripe young age of 70 leaving behind a musical and live legacy that will never be forgotten. It was a really sad loss to the rock n’ roll world but Lemmy went out living life the way he chose to live it. He lived a life that was unapologetic, uncompromising, and a life that probably would’ve killed any of us by the age of 24. He will forever be missed for his charm and wit as much as his music.
All in all, 2015 was an outstanding year and looking back on it now, I wouldn’t change a single fucking thing. Every year just seems to get better than the previous one and this year was no exception. Once again, I truly appreciate each and every one of you for coming to the site, reading it, sharing the stories, and sending me all the messages. It really warms my little, black, metal heart that you all enjoy what I do and it just makes me want to keep it up.
2016 is going to be epic. We will have new releases form from Gypsyhawk members’ new band, Gygax, Axel Rudi Pell, Purson, and Witchcraft. Europe, Enforcer, and Graveyard will all embark on North American Headlining tours, and that’s just the beginning. See y’all in 2016! Let’s do this shit again shall we?
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