We’ve all said it before, after a long day at that hellhole of a high school, “I should just take over this damn world”. Well guess what, we have and it’s not that different. Long gone are the days where the nerd hides in the smoky arcade away from view, the world has finally come around and seemingly turned our way. All around our banners are plastered high for all to see. Some of the highest grossing films last year, were movies based on comic books. Computers and the internet seep into everyone’s lives on a daily basis. Video games are one of the top entertainment industries, World of Warcraft; a fantasy MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) boasts 11.5 million subscribers, more than the population of Ohio. Face it what our parents and teachers told us was true, out of high school we do seem to run things. But what has this nerdification of the world done to the people that started it, what has become of the nerd? I’ll tell you, nothing. In fact I’m of the belief that the popularization of the nerd culture has damned it.

The psychology of an entry level nerd is simple “I’m too fat/too skinny/awkward/don’t fit in/have been ravaged by puberty/etc” and that logic leads to a simple conclusion, F*** “being cool” I’m gonna be unique, I’m gonna do what I find fun. Thus enters the seclusion and the wayward lifestyle that is defined by “being a nerd” and the flight to less “cool” activities that are in fact fun and enjoyable to the person. But gone are the bunkers and towers of the past, thrust into the mainstream. The old bastions of the nerd’s hidden pleasures are gone now. Everyone has an Xbox, everyone has the internet, and even the seemingly indestructible tower of role-playing has been broken into. In the days of Dungeons and Dragons and other archaic realms of role-playing the populations were limited and common ground for those who enjoyed them. Now 1,500,000 people go out and pretend they’re an elf. It is quickly becoming impossible to be unique, which is the major tenant of the nerd. Our culture, forged in the corner of the world that we ourselves carved out of nothing is plastered in the mainstream. The bully has stolen our favorite toy once again. The nerd culture thrived in its low population, meeting someone in 1987 that played videogames was a rarity and a cause for relation, you think to yourself, “Wow, someone that actually enjoys what I like, someone I can finally relate to and be myself around, a friend”. Gone are those days where similar interest meant a common ground. After he beats you up, the captain of the football team goes home and plays Xbox, just like you. And guess what, over Xbox Live, in your escape, he can still call you a ****** and make your life miserable.

So what is the future of our race? What is the next banner of the nerd? What is the next symbol one can have to let the few people like them know its okay? The next realm where we can get an iota of common ground and the liberty to act how we want to without fear of getting beat up or made fun of for being different? Can the nerd be allowed to be unique once again? Or will the trend continue and the rejects and awkward ones of the future never have their small flag to fly.

“I definitely believe that riot grrl is relevant to culture today … I think some people hear the term and get the wrong idea of what it stands for. It’s like an automatic notion that it’s “anti-males” or something. There are a lot of males who support the idea of “pro-female” as a form of expression. A lot of my personal influences are predominantly female musicians, but my idea for Finally Punk is to learn my instrument and have fun with my friends. If I had to put it any way, I see us more as an existential punk band fronted by women.”

The band have a new EP out on Ann Arbor’s M’Lady’s Records (mladysrecords.com) called HYPERTENSION. If you want, follow the link and check out plenty of other releases that these fine folks have put out including TAMARYN and MUTATING MELTDOWN (which actually features two members of Finally Punk).

They are scheduled to play the KVRXplosion 2009 Party March 19th with Vivian Girls, Total Abuse, AIDS Wolf + plenty more during the SXSW festivities. If I could make one wish with the Make A Wish Foundation, I would want Finally Punk to bring their “twelve hits of acid, ice sk8rs, m.a.s.h., gg allin singing to a baby” influenced music out to Lubbock. Until then enjoy the videos!

-Snuffy

But it seems like this year will finally be the year the band’s third album will grace me with its presence. With the start of the new year the band announced a project which they are calling Songs About Time. Along with the new album the band plans to photograph each day of the 2009 year and upload one picture for every day of the year to their website. Every Tuesday they plan to release a short black & white film, and every three months they plan to release a mini album starting in April.

The project is meant to chronicle the making of the new album, which will hopefully come out this year. It’s almost been a month since the beginning of this project, and so far I’m very pleased with the results. The pictures give you a glimpse of the location of where they are writing the new album, while the films give you sneak peaks of songs that could possibly be on the album. These are all guesses on my part so I guess I’ll have to keep waiting for the final results. I’ll continue to keep my fingers crossed in hope that Matt Sharp’s new band mates will keep him on schedule.

Head over to their website and check out what they have come up with so far.

Last Wednesday saw the return of Reverend Deadeye to Lubbock. His last show here at Whiskey Dix was a bit under-attended for a number of reasons. Thankfully, the kids came out this time (to Bash’s), and Deadeye put on an amazing set. He started off wearing a blindfold and tore into his one-man band sound of distorted blues vocals and various percussion affiliates. His incantations are of a more earthy, poor man’s struggle variety, and pair well with the lifestyle he leads – play a show, go to sleep, drive the van with the dog to the next town, repeat. Deadeye once called Denver home, but these days he lives nowehere and everywhere.

Saturday was a ridiculous showcasing of Texas talent, with a variety of genres grouped together. Daniel Folmer of Denton opened the show with an acoustic-electric and stripped down drums. His indie sound reminded Whitey Corngood and myself of a less electric Matthew Sweet, but go check him out yourself and see what you think (Reading Rainbow?).

Local Brit-pop, confusion-as-art sensation I Are Transformer followed with such hits as “I’m So Fucking British That I Cannot Stand It” and “It’s Not Ok, Computer.” Other highlights included “All Babies Are Pussies” and “You Don’t Know My Mom You Don’t.” No more text will be devoted to describing this (my new favorite) band.

Charlie Shafter & the Gnomes stretched their legs a bit, playing outside of Blue Light for a change. Without a doubt, the Bash’s crowd was more than happy to see them. Shafter ripped through a killer set of straight rock n’ roll, with miles of exciting scenery, including a cover of Tom Waits’ “Come On Up to the House” and a stirring display of the Shafter original “17th & Chicago.” Shafter will most likely be returning in mid-February for another non-Blue Light show, so stay tuned.

One Wolf killed it as always, though Daniel Markham probably didn’t think so. Being in I Are Transformer will rape one’s voice, but Markham stuck it out and rocked the faces off of all in the crowd. Endng with an epic rendition of R.E.M.’s “Country Feedback,” One Wolf poured yet another layer of cement on their monument as one of the best bands in Lubbock.

Coming up this Friday (Jan. 30) is the Fire Don’t Care Benefit Shows at Jake’s on 50th & Slide. One Wolf and Thrift Store Cowboys will be musically avenging the honor of their tour trailer which burned to the ground and their home and merchandise which suffered fire and smoke damage no doubt due to some dumbass. Also on the bill is St. Clair, Dirty Charley Band and Macon Greyson, who recently had a song featured in the movie The Wrestler.

Also, check the KTXT Myspace for all Lubbock show information. Take care.

It is an extension of the West Texas spirit, creating something because you will it into existence. People settling in West Texas look for new opportunities in a place where they are free to pursue them, as members of this community we have internalized this ideal and we present you with our unique viewpoint.

It is taking pride in the unique culture of the area and the geographical borders that contain it. We aim to provide a voice for the vibrant artistic community of Lubbock and West Texas; to showcase to the world what makes our home such a special place.

We have created The Llano Idea because we wish to continue the work we have carried out in the last several years. We are not raising a white flag; we will continue to fight for terrestrial radio for all of the fans, staff, and artists that were part of KTXT-FM. The Llano Idea exists to provide the students from KTXT a place to continue to produce content, and to demonstrate our capabilities in a multimedia context. The two ideas are not mutually exclusive and we hope to merge The Llano Idea with student run radio at Texas Tech University. We will continue to fight for the reinstatement of KTXT-FM as an educational non-profit station dedicated to providing students with practical experience; while also providing a forum for the Texas Tech and Lubbock communities.