DOOR KEYS - "Tour EP" - CD-R - 2006

  

   We've talked a little about THE DOOR KEYS in the past, but I have only posted a collection of odds and ends. This is a tour EP that they put out in 2006 that collects some songs that were intended to be re-recorded and released on their next album. That never happened. Well, the songs got recorded again in Chattanooga but the album never got a proper release, which is too bad. The DOOR KEYS were playing a style of even, understated basement pop. The song "70's" is a great example of how they would craft a seemingly simple pop hook and have it rattle around your brain for days. Chris' wavering, vibrato vocals intermingle with Daun's strong, upfront voice that reminds me of the power of X. I don't think they sound like X, but they have that same intent and purpose.

   If you'd like to get the album version of these songs, you can download them over at Basement Pop on the "Southern Belles" LP. There is also a lot of other great pop, punk and indie-rock that can be found on their site...and it is all from Indiana...and it's all free (but you can also pay them if you want).

Download DOOR KEYS EP

     Happy International Women's Day, everyone! Now, if I can just talk to the men for a second, that would be cool. I'll give the women a second to click away from this website so we can be alone.....hmmm, hmmm...Okay, we're alone, now, right? Just us dudes....Dudes, stop being such haters to women. They want to walk down the street at night (or during the day or anytime) without being subjected to your brutal catcalls, your leering stares and your remarks about their appearance. While helping women to learn how to protect themselves from attacks is beneficial, what we really need to be doing is to change our whole way of thinking. Why are women learning self-defense? Because there are creeps everywhere who think it is okay to attack women (I understand that women learn self-defense because it is empowering and a useful tool in the world but just bear with me while I am on this tangent). What needs to be happening is that we need to pull back from a culture of violence that we have intertwined ourselves in. Women should not be having to learn to protect themselves from us. WE should be working with other men to unlearn all of the bullshit that has been crammed into our heads since birth. This includes practicing good consent, calling your friends on their shit when they start saying sketchy stuff in the company of dudes (any guy knows that this happens in the company of other men. I am guilty of it and it sucks), and just learning to be respectful of boundaries. 

   Dudes, you know how sometimes you say "edgy" sexist stuff around your friends or in public to get a laugh? It's not funny. You look like an idiot and you out yourself as a dumbass supporter of the patriarchy. I know this may sound really "PC" to you, but just think about it for a minute. I got into punk because I didn't feel at home in this mainstream world. In school, I got called a "fag" constantly, was harassed by football players daily and did not have many friends. I felt like a total freak and wanted nothing to do with anything I saw on TV or in magazines. When I found punk, it opened a new world to me, full of freaks and weirdos just living their fucking crazy lives. It wasn't utopia, but I've always seen it as a rejection of mainstream values and an alternative to the world at large. To me, part of that rejection is that everyone is equal. I don't want this world (meaning punk, which I have now devoted 23 years of my life to) to mirror mainstream society, although I realize that it does in many ways. I'm rambling...the point is, please stop being a sexist dude and learn to respect the people around you. This also means respecting the rights of trans-women (and dudes!). I run into a LOT of people who make fun of transgender folks and it is mostly out of ignorance. Do yourself a favor and please read up on trans issues to educate yourselves (you can start here). It's not weird...sometimes people just don't feel at home with the gender they were assigned at birth. Sometimes, I don't wanna be a guy, but here I am. 

    Sorry this is so rambling, but it's just flowing out of me. Bottom line: Educate yourselves, stop telling sexist jokes, do not sexually assault anyone (if you have, never do it again and learn to be a better person) and be a supportive guy. You can still party, shotgun PBR, yell "WOOOOOO!!", hang out with your dudes and manage to not be a sexist jerk. It's possible. Let's all work on it to make this world a better place. No one else is going to do that for us.

   Feel free to leave comments or write to me: remoteoutpostsATgmailDOTcom