So paint it black and take it back

I've returned to work at HiSAN Industrial for another tenure filled with idiotic Japanese translations, lots and lots of steel tubes, and tent-pitching Kuni--the guy with a VIP parking spot at Fantasyland in Tiffin. Horny little J-bastard. Anyway, by 'work', I'm pretty sure I actually mean "wallow in the illusion of productivity" or something along those lines.

We've finally said our goodbyes to all the J-trains, and life returns to "normal" if it could be called that. At the farewell party, they serenaded us with their fervent songs of island peace and love. And then Amazing Grace actually. I wasn't going to be 'that douche' to stand up and say that AG was usually wheezed out of some bagpipes at John Q. Blowhard's funeral proceedings...so I didn't. They played it heartfelt, and off-key. It was cute. Just click the pictures to make them bigger because I'm too lazy to do it for you. After the ceremony, we headed back to their hotel for one final cultural lesson. Classic American hotel trashing. I think Motley Crue would have been proud. Even when alcohol isn't involved, it's pretty amazing what a couple of Nerf guns will do. Anyway though, we had a kickass group this year, and I wish them all the very best of luck in the future. See you guys on the other side of the pond.

They may be slightly overrated, and somewhat hated, but the new single from My Chemical Romance will astound you. Granted, it's overproduced, and questionably pretentious at times, but holy shit, is that Queen I hear again? It sounds a lot like something Queen would do if Brian May wasn't...well...you know...Brian May perhaps? Two years ago, if you had mentioned MCR and Queen in a sentence any other than "Queen and MCR are both bands that have lead singers with a questionable sexual preference and rhyming last names" I probably would have driven over to your house, eaten your frozen chicken nuggets, drank your beer, and then drop-kicked your dog/cat/snake/canary over the neighbor's hedge. But this new MCR is very different, and very, very awesome (not to discredit Helena or To the End or It's Not a Fashion Statement... or any of the other sick tracks from 'Three Cheers')--awesome like stadium rock. What's stadium rock? Just because a band is big enough to play in a stadium, doesn't mean their music is (Dave Matthews anyone?). No, I'm talking about that lighter waving, scream at the top of your lungs, over-the-top guitar solos, and heavy hitting drums and bass shit. It's badass, and so is this new single. Some of the riffs and guitar effects used are almost exactly the same as what May was shredding back in the day. A very fitting, if not face-melting tribute if you ask me. The Black Parade begins its march on October 24th. I wasn't before, but I'm stoked about it now. Check out the official debut of the song at the MTV Video Music Awards. Apparently the top of a skyscraper in New York has crappy acoustics. Who would have thought?