My Life As a Blenderhead Fan

As the title of my blog; "My Life As a So-Called Punk" I love punk music, and the "punk" lifestyle. The first punk band that I really got into, and opened the door to punk rock music was Blenderhead. The year was 1994, and one night my mom said she was going to the Christian bookstore, and asked if I wanted to come and look for music. Keep in mind at this time there hadn't been a decent "Christian" band since "The Crucified" broke up, most Christian music to me just sucked and was lame (sorry but not sorry), but I went hoping to find some old Crucified album. Now keep in mind this was 1994, way before the Internet, with YouTube, iTunes, Spotify; so finding new music was a lot more difficult back then, especially if you were into punk and underground music. We arrived at the bookstore and I headed straight to the music, and right away there was a end cap from a new record label called Tooth and Nail Records (check out my previous blog on Tooth and Nail records), right away I noticed they had; "The Crucified" self titled album which I had but on a recorded tape, I was super excited. I also found "Bow" an album from the hardcore band Focused, a band I had seen play with The Crucified a few years back, before The Crucified broke up, so I grabbed that CD too.

There were 2 other albums that caught my eye as well. They say don't judge a book (or an album) by it's cover. But these albums had real awesome covers. The first one was "Pokinatcha" by mxpx, the second one was; "Prime Candidate for Burnout" by blenderhead. So I grabbed these 2 albums as well. When I got home I listened to all 4 of them, and I loved all 4 of them, but the blenderhead album, I just couldn't stop listening to, this album was and still is amazing. I loved the power of the music and I really loved the lyrics. The lyrics weren't what your average "Christian" band talked about, they were very punk rock and even went political, I loved it.

I'm not going to go through every song in the album (which I could), but that would completely bore most of you. But I cover a couple songs that to this day I really relate with. Perhaps one of my or my favorite song on the album is "Purgatory" Here are the lyrics...

Blood sucking maggot infested media machine. Ways to be cool and ways to be seen. Tell you when to jump and when to scream, just tune in at 8:15. It must be a drag to fit in a stupid game where nobody wins, I'd rather be myself, then just blend in with all the cans on the shelf. Licking the flames of conformity hell, being a poser sure is swell. Is that really you? I can't tell. You look like every other soul for sale in coformity hell. Jimmy and Jody and Buffy and Skip all have perfect hair and perfect hips. Jazzercize, step aerobics and thigh master too. Shakes and powders and pills for you...

The part I love the most is; "I'd rather by myself, then just blend in with all the cans on the shelf." For any of us from the punk/hardcore scene, we are a different group of people, and most of us are not ashamed of it, we go against the flow and against what mainstream music, fashion, and lifestyle most people live, we do not blend in with the cans on the self.

I truly do love all the songs on this album and highly recommend anyone who likes punk especially bands like Descendents and Fugazi to check out this album. 

The second album of blenderhead was "Muchacho Vivo". I'll be honest when I first heard this album I was not a fan of it, it really was a change from their last album, but I eventually really liked it a lot. In fact one of my friends didn't like it all and gave it to me for free. As a blenderhead fan in a church youth group I would get flake, because they didn't sing about Jesus, I also got the same flake for wearing a Sometime Sunday shirt. I really didn't care too much what people thought I still continued to listen to Blenderhead, in fact I had a dwarf hamster that I named Mr. Blenderhead.

I only got to see Blenderhead in concert one time, it was in 1995 in Anaheim with mxpx and The Crucified, to this day one of the best shows I've ever seen live. One of my favorite memories from the show, was when Blenderhead was playing the song Soapbox, and part of the song when it says; "spare change" people started throwing coins on the stage, and there was a quarter and the bassit says, "Dude it's a quarter!" and Billy Power dove and grabbed it. I thought as a 17 year old kid these guys were rich rock stars, but found out they weren't. A year later I had the privilege of meeting Billy Power (lead singer) at the Tooth & Nail Festival at APU. I remember my friend and I were just hanging out in line and he just came up to us, introduced himself and we hung out and talked for a while it was real cool. A few years later we would correspond through email. For those who do not know Billy Power now has an awesome podcast Urban Achiever, check it out, it's one of my favorite podcast.

The third and last full length album was; "Figureheads on the Forefront of Pop Culture". This album came out while I was working at my church bookstore, we got a copy to play for a sample, the manager let me buy it for $1, best deal I ever got for a CD. I'll never forget hearing the first song; "I Gave Her My Heart She Gave Me a Pen" I felt Billy's pain and I just wanted to give him a hug> During this time we had been emailing back and forth so I knew that he was going through a divorce. Lyrically this album is very heart felt, musically I just love it. It's still a go to album for me. Well I don't want this go to long. But to Bill Power and blenderhead, I'd like to dedicate this song "Thank You" by Descendents to you, as a thank you for your music and how it impacted my life. Bill from listening to every podcast, this may embarrass you, but I mean it, your music change life for the good. So if you could please share this blog it would be awesome. Oh yea if you don't have it check out a book Bill wrote about that '95 tour called "Bottle Breaker", I still need to buy my, but I have heard great things.

blenderhead 7 inch which I still have.