Jay H. Gorania

An open letter, and challenge, to Tommy Lee and Mötley Crüe

I’m Jay H. Gorania, a long time fan from way back when. You might remember me. I wrote you a letter when I was in the second grade in the early ’80s. Your address was available in the pages of some metal magazine. At any rate, I have a bone to pick with y’all.

Not only did you fail to respond to a boy who loved your band’s music, but you didn’t even have the courtesy to have an assistant pretend that they were you with a response letter. Screw you.

Jay H. Gorania’s SXSW 2011 – Part 2

“It was SXSW in Austin, so hell, we just decided to party. While hanging out on 6th Street, we were encountered by a rapper pushing his product. It’s normal for independent artists to either talk up, give away or sell their music at SXSW, but this chap obviously lacked common sense by trying to interest us in his rap project. Granted, people like all kinds of music nowadays, but did it really make sense for a rapper to approach a group full of dirty long-haired or head-shaven guys wearing metal shirts? I suppose my friend unintentionally baited him by somewhat loudly talking about Watain, the satanic Swedish black metal band. But that’s not what rap dude overheard. “Wu-Tang? Did somebody say Wu-Tang?”

Watain. Not Wu-Tang. We tried to correct him, but he interrupted us. “If y’all like Wu-Tang, you’re gonna love this!” I have his promo copy somewhere, and I’m sure it’ll make for a great coffee coaster once I find it.”

The second and final installment of Jay H. Gorania’s recap of the 2011 edition of the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas

Jay H. Gorania’s SXSW 2011 – Part 1

If the cataclysmic, earthquaking rumble beneath Japan was felt stateside, it was surely through Yob’s bottom-heavy, Sabbath-via-Cathedral-and-Sleep riffs. Their music and vocals and presence were passionate and ritualistic. Because of the repetitive nature of the riff-driven madness, the songs stay with you long after they’ve finished playing, bouncing around from synapse-to-synapse in your tenderized gray matter.

Cephalic Carnage Tour Diary: Part 4

He and Decapitated have been through more than anyone should ever go through, so the fact that they’re back and as tight as they sound is a testament to their tenacity. And, of course, it’s great news for death metal fans across the globe.
RIP Vitek. Acknowleding the past as well as their unyielding obsession for death metal, the logo on some of Decapitated’s new merch aptly reads, “From Pain to Strength.”

Cephalic Carnage Tour Diary: Part 3

“Not long after pulling up we saw a guy shoot something into his arm about a foot from the van, and within 20 feet there were people smoking crack.” This is one of several bizarre anecdotes offered as Jay H. Gorania returns with another installment of his tour diary with Cephalic Carnage.