The Week: Stuff Fixed, Music Binge, and Code Name: Steam

On 03/15/2015 at 03:33 AM by KnightDriver

First off, I had an X-ray for my knee which I smashed on a icy sidewalk a month back. It wasn't broke, which is what I kind of expected. I should listen to my intuition and save some cash.

I had my deadly exhaust leaking car fixed with a new exhaust manifold. I think I might survive now. There is still a little bit of oil smell from the new part, but it should clear out in a few days.

I got on a serious music kick this week. I went to my local used music store, miraculously still in business, and bought some CDs. Then I went to Barnes & Noble and bought some there and then to Best Buy where there was nothing I needed. I'm revisiting my old favorite type of rock music, progressive rock, and focusing on what I consider the first year of it, 1969. I looked up everything that came out that year as well and made a long list of every type of music. I'm going to work my way through to 1974 where I feel prog rock ended for the most part. I should say, I didn't experience this five year span personally, but I got interested in it during the 80s when I first got into music.

Then I gathered a stack of about a dozen CDs from my local libraries, about three of them. I'm going to make a playlist on my ipod and listen to it all on shuffle. It feels good to revisit this stuff and hear a few new things too.

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I did most of this music gathering on Friday and, by the end of it, I had a kind of Mii free festival on my 3DS. I had stopped at Barnes & Noble, Best Buy and a McDonalds. That got me 10 Miis easily and a golden special Mii, Honest Abe. I don't know what he's all about. I also picked up Code Name: STEAM and a Zelda Majora's Mask pin that came with the preorder. It goes on a shelf in my car with a lot of other chotchkies I've collected over the years.

That night I watched, with some Guinness Extra Stout beers (it's almost St. Patrick's Day), The Last Days of the Filmore which is a documentary about the famous concert halls that were around in the 60s and had its final shows in 1971. There was lots of concert footage of bands like Santana, the Grateful Dead, Hot Tuna and Quicksilver Messenger Service. It was hot. I loved it.

Tomorrow is the first day of my weekend, and, as usual, I will be heading to my friend Mark's place to game it up. I'll be checking the Xbox 360 sales, continuing Super Mario RPG, playing some Diablo III, and perhaps another title I'm going to look up now. I think three games over the course of a day is a good amount of variety.

Oh yeah, I also found out from a street pass Mii that there will be a series XI Red Dwarf this coming Fall. Oh smeg yes!

Matt Snee Staff Writer

03/15/2015 at 03:42 AM

what prog rock do you listen to? I'd like to get into that.

KnightDriver

03/16/2015 at 01:58 AM

Right now it's the classic stuff I first got into, namely: Genesis, King Crimson, Moody Blues, Procol Harum, ELP, and Yes. I've discovered many more over the years. The most recent ones I've liked are: Nektar, Gentle Giant, and Osric Tentacles.

Super Step Contributing Writer

03/15/2015 at 03:51 AM

I listened to Aenema by Tool earlier today, which is as close as I got to prog rock today. I'm curious what you consider true prog rock.

Hell yeah, Guiness!

03/16/2015 at 02:06 AM

At first, I thought it was just Genesis, ELP, and Yes, but as I've listened to so much music, the prog designation has gotten blured in my mind. I think it's anything that attempts something very complex in rock music, like bringing in influences from classical or jazz. There's also the literary thing. I like music that tells a story and that's often a big part of prog rock. There's something bucolic in it too. I get a very outdoorsy feeling from much of it, maybe because it tends to be gentler than a lot of rock and sometimes has sounds that mimic nature.

mothman

03/15/2015 at 10:58 AM

Well since you are starting in 1969 I'll take a wild guess the Court of the Crimson King will be in there. Maybe some Yes and early Moody Blues too.

03/16/2015 at 02:15 AM

You got it. There are earlier stuff that could be called prog, but I like to think of '69 as ground zero for that style, especially because of the amazing Court of the Crimson King.

Ranger1

03/15/2015 at 11:05 AM

About the knee x-ray - sometimes it's good to know something isn't broken.

As for stout, I personally prefer Murphy's to Guinness, it's creamier and with less of an after taste.

I got new music this week, too, but I'll save it for my random update.

03/16/2015 at 02:17 AM

Well, the knee was still ouchy a month later, so I thought it worth getting irradiated. So you're right. It's better to just know than continue worrying.

I'll have to try Murphy's. I'm almost out of Guiness anyway.

SanAndreas

03/15/2015 at 11:37 AM

I definitely want Codename: STEAM. Looks awesome and I love its style of play.

03/16/2015 at 02:20 AM

I heard more about it on podcasts now than I've played it, like on the latest episode of Axe of the Blood God. I put it in my 3DS, but I haven't had time for it yet.

PixlBit