Posts by Ethan Hall10

wanderingscout13 said:I usually just fire up Internet Explorer here and there to make sure a site looks the same as it does in Firefox, but I don't really keep Opera installed on my computer anymore.

Man, if you're checking sites like that, then Opera is definitely a must-have for you.

I think Opera is a great browser, but I'm sticking with Firefox strictly because of the extensions.
Firebug, AdBlock, and Foxmarks bookmarks sync are things no amount of lightning-fast browsing speed can make up for.

Nancy Newman80 said:Culture shock and Gogol?! Some people just don't need that kind of show. She’s a force of nature who eats the stage alive. She jumps like Jagger, she's raw like Iggy Pop, and you can tell she's giving it 100%.

The thing is, about 98% of the crowd hadn't even heard her music before tonight; they just showed up because she's the actress Juliette Lewis. People often get annoyed when actors start singing or playing instruments. 🙄 Everyone has their biases, and now they think she's just "acting" on stage... well, yeah, a stage is a performance space, and everyone there is putting on a show, one way or another. If you just don't like the music, though, there's nothing you can do about it.

Hmm, true, the stage is a platform, but different artists interpret the obligation to put on a "show" differently. In raw rock, that theatricality is usually minimal, which is probably why people were so surprised. I agree that among the fans of The White Stripes @ The Viper Room, there are definitely snobs who listen specifically because she’s Juliette Lewis—it’s very similar to how some girls listen to U2 or Jamiroquai solely because the frontman is "cute," and if you replaced the singer with a skydiver with the exact same vocal range but an unattractive face, they’d lose interest instantly. That's where we stop talking about music and start talking about acting—not by the performer, but by the audience itself. That's what you call being a poser.
And it was obvious that most of yesterday's crowd was far from the garage-rock vibe. You could tell by how little people moved; the crowd had no intention of even causing a stir in the front rows, which is pretty much the default at a heavy concert like this. Instead, we just had fifteen meatheads in the front row who looked like they'd lose their minds if Juliette Lewis stepped within a foot of the monitors near the edge of the stage. No one understood the pauses either; they just clapped during the breaks as if the song had already ended. They're just music posers who came to break the monotony between pop hits and country songs, to impress a date, or just to see "that actress" sing.
I don't even know her catalog, and I was mostly curious to see how an actress handles a mic, but hey, David Hasselhoff sings too, so who cares? Not because he's some blonde idiot, but because his singing just sucks. Apparently, Juliette Lewis sings great raw rock, but to me, it's just raw rock without a single decent riff. I wrote that myself (if there actually *was* a riff, then the soundcheck was counterproductive), and that's the real catastrophe. As someone from the underground scene who's been in plenty of mosh pits, I was looking for energy, and the lack of a solid riff left me thirsty in the middle of a desert. Instead, all you see are sweaty idiots making no noise and one little girl giving it her absolute all, but ultimately, like someone else said, it's just style over substance.

Her jumping around like Iggy Pop doesn't change the fact that she could do the same thing with the mute button pressed on the mixing desk. Great visuals, terrible tone.

I was honestly dying of boredom. ☕ It’s rare that I feel this disappointed by a set, and we weren't even halfway through the concert yet.
For a sound that's supposed to be raw and gritty, all you really need is one guitar with some decent riffing. Instead, these two guys just spent the whole time sweating through awkward movements over a wall of deafening noise. They had two guitars, but you couldn't hear a single honest riff—just a lot of "look how cool and edgy we are" vibes. They kept throwing in fifty different pauses and breaks in every song, acting like they were building up to this massive explosion or a huge mosh pit, but it just felt empty. Honestly, it was pretty underwhelming.

Juliette definitely has the attitude, the charisma, and that moody look down, but the music itself doesn't carry her at all. Without Juliette, this band probably would have ended up playing a tiny demo tent at a local garage rock festival last summer.

What a letdown.

analogseal39 said:(...) it’s a solid album for 1982, but by 2008 standards, it sounds like time has moved on without it

Personally, I think it's fine.
If they had recorded an album that sounded like "modern 2008" and felt like some generic alternative mainstream garbage, then we'd have a legitimate reason to bash the reunion. But this? This feels like a logical progression of their work. To me, that's way better than if the guys had just lost their way in 2007 and tried to hide behind those tired old excuses about how "the band has evolved."
Sure, there's plenty to nitpick, but overall, the record is more positive than I expected from a reunion. As far as I'm concerned, if it sounds a bit dated, so be it—that's actually what you want from a scene like this.

Morgan Morris2 said:International Bullet Proof talent is easily my favorite. 🙂

Is International Bullet Proof talent any good? Personally, I think the guitar and bass work sounds incredible (roses) throughout the whole record. The first half of the album is solid, but things get a little suffocating toward the end.

Wait, isn't FinnTroll on the lineup too?

Chris Hall47 said:I think the second one is great, the third is solid, but that first one was definitely the weakest. 🤷

Come on, man, you can't call that first one the worst; that debut is an absolute masterpiece! 😁
"Lifer" is an absolute anthem. 🙂

I’m actually really enjoying this. It sounds great on the first listen, even though I usually tend to be pretty skeptical when old bands drop new stuff. I definitely need to give 🙂
a few more spins.

Gerald Johnson said:Ethan Hall10, thanks for the deep dive and all the advice—I’m sure some of this will actually be useful.
I have one question: how tight is the link between migraines and triggers? Like, how much lead time are we talking about before the pain hits? So far, my migraines usually flare up when the weather shifts suddenly—specifically during those big drops in barometric pressure—so I've been obsessively checking the forecast. In those cases, the migraine typically kicks in either the day before or at the latest, first thing in the morning on the day the weather turns bad. As for any other triggers, I haven't been able to spot a pattern yet.

No problem at all. I really hope it helps. Maybe give magnesium a shot—you've got nothing to lose. Also, try to get your circadian rhythm back on track by sticking to a steady sleep schedule, since you can't exactly control the weather.

Gerald Johnson said:Ethan Hall10, thanks for the deep dive and all the advice—I’m sure some of this will actually be useful.
I have one question: how tight is the link between migraines and triggers? Like, how much lead time are we talking about before the pain hits? So far, my migraines usually flare up when the weather shifts suddenly—specifically during those big drops in barometric pressure—so I've been obsessively checking the forecast. In those cases, the migraine typically kicks in either the day before or at the latest, first thing in the morning on the day the weather turns bad. As for any other triggers, I haven't been able to spot a pattern yet.

Honestly, I have no clue. I think it depends on so many variables: how intense the specific trigger is at that moment, how your body is feeling overall, and whether there are other triggers lurking in the background too.
You're lucky if you only have one single trigger to watch out for. Personally, I've noticed I'm sensitive to the weather (especially those humid afternoons or pressure shifts when the seasons change), but also certain foods, stress levels, and just general physical state. Sometimes I'll wake up with a migraine at dawn, and I can't blame anything but the barometer. Other times, it hits mid-day after a stressful blowout, combined with high humidity, a messy sleep schedule from the week, and maybe some cheese in my lunch—it feels more like a perfect storm of triggers and circumstances hitting all at once.

Here is one list of triggers and another one. Pay close attention to nitrates and glutamates, since modern American food is packed with them. Keep an eye on caffeine, too; even suddenly cutting it out can be a major trigger. You'll likely see yourself reflected in these—just a reminder to mention to your neurologist that things like "get regular sleep" and "eat regularly" are high up on the list for you. That stuff helped me immensely, though I'd never admit it because it sounds so basic.

Gerald Johnson said:I'm 26 now, and I've been dealing with migraines for about 12 or 13 years—though there have been some breaks here and there. It was at its absolute worst back in high school; I’d go through these stretches where every single Saturday I’d wake up with a migraine. It always starts with this tingling sensation in my left or right arm, which then spreads across my neck to my face, lips, and tongue. Then comes the visual stuff—sometimes it looks like "rain" coming in from the side, other times it's like a flash of light. That part lasts maybe 20–30 minutes, and then everything suddenly clears up, leaving me feeling okay for just a minute or two before the pain hits. It's always in the same spot, right above my left or right eye. Honestly? The aura is actually worse than the actual headache. A full attack lasts about 12–13 hours, and the next day I'm basically in a coma—any sudden movement makes my head throb, and I can barely even look at anything.

When I saw my doctor about ten years ago, she just chalked it up to vision issues and sent me to an eye doctor (turns out my vision was totally fine). For years, I had no clue what was happening until I heard this radio program specifically about migraines that described my symptoms perfectly. After that, I finally went to a neurologist and did the whole routine—EEG, color Doppler, etc.—but all the tests came back normal. As for homeopathy or acupuncture as treatments? This forum is actually the first time I've even heard of them. My neurologist just immediately prescribed Maxalt and didn't mention any other options. Well, a week later, I finally got to try it. Conclusion: worst migraine ever. I was stuck in bed for three days straight; the pain wouldn't let up for a full 24 hours, and I was vomiting every half hour. Is it possible that's a reaction to triptans? I haven't touched Maxalt since. I've noticed that for milder migraines, Nurofen helps—but only if I take it right at the start and, obviously, if I don't end up throwing it all back up.

I still haven't pinpointed a specific trigger, but it seems like they hit hardest in early spring and fall—basically whenever the weather is acting up and the barometric pressure drops. I work a lot of night shifts, so I'm constantly sleep-deprived and my eating habits are a mess because my metabolism gets thrown off. My neurologist claims sleep deprivation isn't the cause, though.

I've actually gone three weeks without a migraine so far. Before this, I had a month where they were hitting me every 2 or 3 days. I seriously thought I was going to have to quit my job. These migraines absolutely wreck my quality of life, especially my ability to actually work. I don't know how much longer my boss is going to be understanding about it...

It sounds like we’re dealing with almost identical aura symptoms—that flashing light effect, visual disturbances, and that weird tingling in my hands and face. I also notice mine hitting at pretty much the same times of year. Say hi to your GP for me; if she’s referring you to an ophthalmologist for migraine aura, it seems like she's just checking boxes without really understanding the issue. My own neurological tests came back clear, aside from some minor capillary issues in one hemisphere that shouldn't actually trigger these attacks. For me, the worst periods are definitely spring and fall, especially when the weather starts clearing up or during the weekends. It might be because we both work irregular shifts and our circadian rhythms are constantly out of whack.

Give my best to your neurologist, too. I’ve been struggling with some sleep issues lately, and it's really starting to wear me down. Does anyone else deal with this, or have any tips that actually work? Sleep issues are definitely one of my main triggers. For the last five years leading up to this spring, I was working rotating shifts—everything from early mornings and afternoons to those brutal overnight stretches. It messed with everything: my sleep schedule, my circadian rhythm, and even my eating habits (which is also listed as a major trigger alongside a bunch of other factors). Because of that, I’d almost always end up having attacks over the weekend rather than during the week. Back in March, I finally switched jobs and moved to a steady schedule, and honestly, I had an incredible summer for the first time in ages. Getting my biological clock back on track at 34, especially since I've dealt with migraines since puberty, made all the difference in the world.

Last year, I spent a lot of time Googling migraine triggers and looking into how eating or sleeping disorders affect things. It finally helped me realize something that had been eluding me for years: during my ten months of serving in the Army, I didn't have a single attack. Looking back, it seems pretty obvious that having a solid sleep schedule, regular meal times, and zero stress made all the difference. I guess there might be something to the nutritional balance of military food, too, though saying that feels a little silly. 😬)

Well, I think we've stumbled onto something else here. I actually mentioned another little detail about this earlier on, which was... I've been taking magnesium lately, and honestly, it’s made a noticeable difference for me. It just seems to help everything settle down.I was digging around online looking for potential triggers and stumbled upon something interesting: magnesium deficiency. I’ve actually started chewing on those magnesium gummies you can pick up at CVS, and honestly, whether it's just a placebo or not, they seem to be helping me. I'm planning to track down those lists of dietary triggers and foods that help soothe things, too. Lately, I've also cut back on caffeine, am trying to stay away from cheese—especially anything with mold, since a bottle of funky Pinot Noir sent me straight to the ER a few years back after a string of attacks—and I've ditched the alcohol. Plus, now that I'm off shift work, it's much easier to stick to a steady sleep schedule without all that constant jumping around.

I haven't tried Maxalt yet. It honestly surprises me that your neurologist didn't suggest anything else—though I guess it’s not that shocking when money clearly talks, even for people who claim to follow an ethical code. For the last few years, I've been using Zomig. I gave Imigran a shot before that, along with all those standard over-the-counter painkillers, but nothing really worked. Still, I've learned one rule applies to pretty much every medication I've ever taken: Take it while you still have the aura. If you wait until after, you’re basically just inviting nausea and vomiting. Some meds can actually make things way worse if you take them once the headache hits, because then you're stuck dealing with stomach issues on top of everything else, making it impossible to just lie down and sleep through the misery. It makes the whole experience ten times more brutal.

Back in my teens, I tried acupuncture and it actually thinned out my attacks, giving me a few years of peace. But eventually, it became frustrating again, feeling like I was being sidelined every few weeks or months. Acupuncture definitely helps some people more than others, but honestly, you should look at your lifestyle and work environment first. Good luck.

Kevin Cook11 said:I deal with these tension-type migraines, and honestly, when an attack hits, I’d probably accept a death sentence if someone offered it to me just to make it stop.
A family friend of mine is a neurologist, so I've tried absolutely everything under the sun... from every standard medication you can find at a local CVS to specialized imports. I've even been giving myself injections. It actually got to the point where even Tramal wasn't touching the pain, and that's some heavy-duty stuff.
We haven't been able to pin down what actually triggers them, either—it could be food, stress, the weather, or hormonal shifts during my cycle. It's impossible to tell.
I've gone the acupuncture route, tried homeopathy... nothing works. Period. All I know is that after more than 10 years of this misery—dealing with almost daily headaches or this constant throbbing in my temples—I am just completely drained, and my quality of life has totally tanked.

Almost every single day? Man, that sounds awful, I totally get you, even if they aren't full-blown migraines every time. What kind of tests have you done so far, since nothing seems to be helping with those near-daily headaches?

Well, I guess I've officially joined the migraine club too. I've been using Zomig and it works wonders for me after trying Imigran (though not the spray version—how do you even use that thing?). Before that, it was just coffee and forcing myself to sleep through the attack.
With Zomig, the migraine feels more like a standard intense headache, especially if I can just rest in a dark room. I don't deal with vomiting as long as I take it right when the aura starts, so I always keep it on me. If I wait until the aura passes and the real show begins, then everything comes back up.

A while back, acupuncture actually helped cut down the frequency of my attacks quite a bit, though I haven't done a session in years. This past summer was honestly one of the worst seasons I've had since they first started hitting me in my teens. I spent some time digging through sites looking for common triggers, and now I try to avoid those in my diet. It really helps space them out. I also take magnesium supplements daily, which I'm happy to say has made a noticeable difference in how often they hit.

When one hits, it's straight to the Zomig.
I'll ask my doctor about the Maxalt dissolvable tablets next time I pick up a prescription.

I totally agree with Sam Hall15 that people are increasingly confusing a regular bad headache with a true migraine. There’s no "just powering through" it by drinking tea or lying in a dim room. A real migraine is excruciating. You can't just sit at a computer at work, clicking away and sighing about a little head pain, and then act confused when someone asks if you're experiencing an aura.🙂

I'm definitely going

Yeah, for me, nothing beats that first live set where they played all the hits 🙂

Plus, reading up on some of the band members is actually pretty entertaining. I remember seeing that Larry used to play in Possessed, and they had such an incredible album, Beyond The Gates. Back when Les Claypool’s first album dropped, I was reading Metal Hammer and saw they were mentioning how Lars Ulrich and the rest of the guys were looking at him to fill Cliff Burton's shoes. I can't quite recall if he actually showed up for the audition or if he just turned them down with a shrug 😬 because, from what I heard, Jason Rogers ended up stepping in for Les during those Flotsam sessions instead... 🙂

I used to be able to find stuff around here too, especially before that site went down and wiped out their entire database of CD covers.