A deep converstation...

I realize that I want to ENJOY my life, my career as an artist. I realize I want to keep it real with YOU, and let you see and feel what this life is like. Sharing and expressing is a very productive outlet, one that is healthy and keeps us, me feeling good and helps me move through difficult shit. It's exciting and liberating.

I had a long conversation w/Mr. Jessie Brashear (drummer for DOWN-STARES) last night. It was a good talk. Very good. He and I were able to get deep and real with our feelings and where we are with our lives. The bottom line is that we are both artists and Jessie wants to play drums. I'm an artist and I want/need to express myself, sometimes in strange and unconventional ways. And the bottom line is that there doesn't have to be side bands or side projects or side umbrellas... that we can do whatever we want to do with our art through our brand/our home DOWN-STARES.

Now more than ever, or perhaps as equally as ever; DOWN-STARES is me. Rather, I feel more attached and connected and flowing through the same life source and bleeding from the same blood source and connected to/with DOWN-STARES than ever before.

It's exciting and refreshing to think that if I want/need to express myself in different avenues I have the backing of my mates who are down. Jessie said "Simeon, we can be that band!" That band that you get excited about singing with, that band that does experimental shit, that band that does totally off the beaten path music, that band that nurtures our artistic soul. We can be and do whatever we want to do. WHATEVER we want to do. With out having to destruct, cave, collapse, destroy...

DOWN-STARES has been consistant in our need, desire, and quest for growth over the years. I would say that's the only way we've been able to make it as long as we have. We've been consistant with you in our need to bring heavy and beautiful. So don't be surprised when the next music you hear out of us is another unexpected turn. At this point in our lives we have to continue to do what feels right to our soul, we must do what keeps us alive, what we feel good about. If not, we are lying to ourselves and only causing hurt and pain.

Off to drink some coffee.
--Simeon "The Killer" Hendrix.

hello. two video blogs.

finally realized how to upload videos from my phone to the movie editor then into youtube. so instead of writing today, i wanted to talk, that way you can look into my beautiful purple eyes. this gave me a project to take my mind off bs and out of boredom.
happy trails. simeon hendrix.

video no. 1


"journaling" or "blogging" or "self-examination" is a pretty productive task for me. if i'm able to be honest with myself in my description of my current state of being, then i'm able to look at myself and "diagnose" any problems that might exist and help offer up some sort of solution. whatever... A;SLDKJFA;SLDKFJA;LSDFKJAS;DLFKJA S;DFLKJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

video no. 2
"Times are insane. Times are very crazy right now."

new HORSE THE BAND

listening to the new HORSE THE BAND song they have previewing on their myspace page. i've got to say i'm very excited to hear the full album. this will be their first release w/ VAGRANT RECORDS, a label they've been excited to join for years and years now. i'm very anxious to listen to the full thing. the preview song gives me chills and makes me feel special. i predict that they areas that they were really beautiful are going to be even deeper... perhaps the crazier even crazier? not for sure... but i think it's going to be a very moody album. from what i've heard they have teamed with a strong "new wave" producer for the album. fuck. listening to the preview song right now and it's heavy & beautiful!!... awesome. can't wait!!

the new HORSE THE BAND ALBUM "DESPERATE LIVING" hits the world October 6th.

check it out:
--http://myspace.com/horsetheband
--simeon.

Final Destiny 3D // Halloween II

Hey Lovers. Back home from the day job and have a few minutes to unwind with you.

Last night was our first ever Double Movie Premier Night & accordingly/fittingly/perfectly... It's all about Horror!
THE Final Destination 3d and Halloween 2!



The Final Destination 3D.
--Fun/Feel Good Death/Gore Movie.
--So thankful for another 3D Horror/Thriller movie!!

Amazing death scenes. That's what Final Destiny is known for. It's been a great series, with great graphic death scenes that occur in the most bizarre, vivid, gut ripping ways. We've also grown to love and expect to see the death happen; IE the camera won't pull away when the ice pick stabs through his eye and deep into the brain... we get to see it plunge! EXCITING!!

FD 3D brings it! Guts, missing eyes, heart pounding build-ups. Death, mangled bodies, and some humor. It almost feels like PG or even G Horror... then you get hit in the face w/some intense rated R! destruction! Fun, corny (a bit), entertaining, suspenseful. Intricate, complicated, gore satisfying doom. Cool it was in 3D. The happenings seem more supernatural this time around rather than being "coincidental." Flashed to Stephen King's Carrie.

Hardest scene to watch:
The Escalator. I gripped down tightly on my seat.
Scene most identified with: The Car Wash.

Hayley gives it 3 out of 5 stars.
Simeon gives it 4 out of 5 stars.

Had a couple of shots, then it was off to:
ROB ZOMBIE'S HALLOWEEN 2.



Mr. Zombie returns with his "final chapter" of the Michael Myers saga. House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, Halloween have all led Zombie to this moment, and his eyes are clearly focused on being one of the greatest horror directors of all time... To bury his name along side the legends that have influenced him over the years. Rob Zombie pulls out all the stops to create Halloween 2.

From the opening scene Rob grabs you by the throat and pours fear straight into your heart. Gritty. Dirty. Violent. Brutal. Brilliant. Beautifully filmed. Raw believable terror ripping through the veins of his dying actresses. Costumes, colors, scenes, angles, sound... all top notch. I can not stress enough how impressed I am with the production of this movie. It's avan-garde, strange, and powerful. Interesting, thought provoking... GREAT JOB!

Rob paints a picture of Myers as a real person, not some supernatural/super-hero/monster/ immortal. A real life human being that is severely mentally deranged and extremely angry... then again, perhaps Myers doesn't feel anger at all, perhaps that's what is so scary about him, his complete lack of emotion.

Brutal & violent death scenes. Myers stabs through faces and chests with 20+ bone breaking blows. Over and over and over again. Myers is refered to as a serial killer, a title I hadn't thought to give him... and a tag that makes him seem even more real, even more capable of actually happening.

Psychosis, flashbacks, searching for his sister. Despite the amazing filming the story line was a bit bland and "blah." The flashback/visions touched on corny/abruptly thrown in at times. Or did they? I'm second guessing myself... oh well.

Hayley gives it 3 out of 5 stars.
Simeon gives it a 4 out of 5 (because the filming is so good.)

NEW VIDEO - The Kids Are On Fire!

Well boys and girls, it's with great pleasure that we unveling our latest creation; the brand new music video for "THE KIDS ARE ON FIRE!" Enjoy it. Send us your feedback, either here, or our myspace or email us (info@down-stares.net).

DOWN-STARES
The Kids Are On Fire (Live)
August 2009.



Audio recorded by Snakes.
Video by Simeon "The Killer" Hendrix
Photography by HR Hendrix (8/22/09)
Additional photography courtesy of Flickr.com
Additional stock video courtesty of Archive.gov

Inglorious Basterds

Had a good dinner, drank some beers, and it was off to the theatre for another premier...

Quentin Tarantino is back with his latest movie Inglorious Basterds. The hype for the new flick is pretty high, "most entertaining Tarantino yet..." That's a big statement with some very big shoes to fill; Kill Bill 1 & 2, Pulp Fiction, Dusk 'Til Dawn, Reservoir Dogs, but it's QT, he's ALWAYS cutting edge, avant-garde, fresh, top notch, unusual and above all entertaining.

After watching Inglorious Basterds I strongly reaffirm a few thoughts... Tarantino is the baddest mother f*cker on earth! He is a master. He is the master story teller. And with Inglorious Basterds he DOES NOT disappoint. The textures, the grit, the blood, the tears, the settings, the story, the way he develops characters, the quirky and random special extra treats he gives. So rich, so many layers, so much depth... and yet not overkill, not dragging. Perfectly balanced. Ahh... prrrrrrrfect.

Tarantino The Historian relives WWII in Nazi occupied France. The Iglorious Basterds are a group (of mostly jews) who kill Nazi and scalp them. Lot's of graphic beatings and death that you will find yourself cheering and laughing about, lot's of humor, lot's of Hitler. A true masterpiece that flows from serious to sad to comical, steadily building towards an onslaught ending. Mike Myers makes a cameo. Brad Pitt leads the basterds... You will leave the theatre smiling. The entire theatre applauded tonight at the end of the movie.

Thank you Quentin for making movies. Thank you for developing plots, stories, characters. Thank you for going so much further thank you have to. Thank you for being ridiculous, quirky, intelligent, profound.

Simeon gives it two thumbs up.
Hayley gives it 5 out of 5.

Feels like it's been forever...

I paid the last payment on the D-S tour van today.
Paid in full. No more payments. D-O-N-E. We own it.

Feels like it's been forever since I've written. It's only been 10 days in my journal (18 days on the blog)... seems like my heart/my soul has been through a million mile march since then... a torture chamber, the beginnings / the for shadowing of a rebirth.

--I've been moved @ my day job yet again from one location to another, we've been through some heavy band issues, I went on a beautiful and peaceful vacation to San Antonio.

My heart is open, weary, and ready for a new beginning. A million man march has stampeded over me. Footprints embed into every square inch of flesh. I'm ready for rebirth. I'm ready for RE-BIRTH. Trampled, walked upon, thrashed. I've argued and reasoned until insanity washed ashore. Thinking and rethinking and thinking and rethinking and thinking and rethinking.... FUCK!!!!!!!!!!

I love music with all I am. It's in my blood and as humbly as I can say it, I know that it's one thing I'm good at... performing and writing. I've been blessed to team with an amazing group of men who share the same qualities. I love writing, I love music... but there is so much bullshit that goes along with this, that I've encountered that wears at my soul, caves my back in. Spinal cord breaks and rips straight through my skin. I hate aspects that go along with it. I'm praying for wisdom and strength to find a balance that makes my soul at ease. Lord knowns I can't turn my back on art... And please, I don't want your pitty, I want to share and let you in.

Things I'm inspired by Today:
--Billy Talent. -- KILLER, Untouchable, AWESOME!! band from Canada. They are headlining a summer tour w/Poison The Well, that's how I found out about them. PLEASE, go check them out, I PROMISE, I won't waste your time.
--Deftones -- Hay's been playing WHITE PONY in the intrigue lately... Damn, they touch me so deep, and I am moved...
--Travel Chanel - writing about places for publications.
--Love dreaming about releasing new T-Shirts.

Goodnight. Love, -- Simeon Hendrix.