Praise The War Machine?

Fun Fact: I learned about Zao because 80% of hardcore kids in San Diego had Zao listed in their AOL AIM bios as their favorite band and for me, it was one of the those… hmmmm I guess I need to check this band out. First album I got of theirs was “Funeral of God” (autocorrect put Godseyes there again). Mind blowing for a little boy raised in a Christian household. “No no mom, they are christian” Turns out they aren’t/weren’t. 

Fun Fact #2: Kylee and I were supposed to be flying into Puerto Vallarta in two weeks. Cancelled that trip yesterday after seeing the news. Am I crazy for abhorring violence? Seeing militia roaming the streets of Jalisco is heartbreaking! Hearing rumors that we (the United States of America) might be launching an attack on Iran is so sad! I’m not even articulating a point on whether people deserve it be killed or if they’re bad people or if whatever. It’s just sad that humans need to solve problems by bombing and shooting and threatening violence. I couldn’t sleep the first time I watched Sicario (go watch Sicario if you haven’t seen it). Couldn’t sleep because the violence depicted on screen is real life! Freakin’ wild. 

Fun Fact #3: I’d recommend visiting Sayulita, but I can’t do that right now. Fly from TJ to PV, real cheap. Take a taxi 45 minutes north and you’re in paradise. We got down there once or twice a year. Raddest place ever when cartel heads aren’t getting killed. 

Less war. More rock n roll. 

The Undertaking! has three shows booked right now. Monday, March 16 at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa with Dinerboy. Saturday, April 11 at The Green Turtle in Whittier with No Innocent Victim and Meadows. Sunday, April 12 in Vista at The Roadies Brewery with No Innocent Victim and Meadows. Shows are all gonna rip. Really excited to play some shows again. We haven’t played since our Secrets show in December. 

Song of the Week

Johnny’s Video Game Corner: Transformation Masks in Ocarina of Time

Yes, exactly what it sounds like. The transformation masks (Deku, Goron, Zora, & Fierce Deity) from the N64 Zelda game Majora’s Mask, modded into The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time thanks to the romhacker Aegiker.

I’ve played through OoT an embarrassing number of times so knowing it like the back of my hand, it was exciting to approach it with some new but familiar mechanics. Honestly felt like one of those unobtainable kid dreams of “what if someone combined these two things that I enjoy, wouldn’t that be neat!?” Well, young Johnny, it is neat.

I cheesed my way through most of the game using these masks; skipping big sections of a handful of the dungeons, sequencing breaking, bypassing crucial characters, and flat out ignoring major items needed to complete the game. Plus, the Fierce Deity Mask is severely OP so even each boss battle only lasts a few seconds.

I could (and will) replay vanilla Ocarina of Time in any season, but I’m a big fan of these romhacks that make it feel like a new experience.

editor’s note - I’m not sure how we managed this long without Johnny reviewing some sort of Ocarina of Time game. He re-plays that game at least 10 times a year

MOVIES AND TV:

Noted above - Sicario rules. Did I talk about Fight Club yet? If I did, ignore, but last week, I watched Fight Club for the first time in a long time. Forgot big chunks of the movie. But overall, that movie still rips. I remember it absolutely dismantling my 16 year brain the first time I saw it. I got real in chuck palahniuk books for a minute but got over his vibe pretty quick. Can’t stomach some of the grossness that permeates each of his stories. 

Fun Fact #4: Knight of the Nine Kingdoms was so good that I’m not sure I can back and watch House of the Dragon. 

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