adamxanzio

[adamxanzio]

🔑Education is the key. 🗝Knowledge is the key. 👀Education erases fear, hate, ignorance, and so on. Education is the key to making the world better. Don’t ever be comfortable with ignorance. It’s not formal education. It’s not memorizing passages in a book. It’s not making the grade. That’s not what I mean (though in some cases, that could help a great deal). Educate yourself. It’s more than what you were told in school, what your parents said, what your friends think, what you saw on the news, what some religious guy told you, or what your peers believe.

🌍The world is too fucking big to focus on small shit. Read. Have discussions. Talk to different kinds of people. Open your mind. Watch documentaries. Whatever. Fully understand the people around you. Understand the world, and not just your surroundings. Don’t ever give up on finding answers. Don’t ever give up on continuing to find answers. Never be comfortable with being ignorant. Never believe that you know everything.

🧠We ALL still have a long way to go. It’s up to us to understand the world, and each other. No one is going to hand it to us, and we shouldn’t rely on them to do it. “They” only want to keep us stupid, unaware, and comfortable. They want to make us fight, fear, oppress, and demonize each other.

❌I really miss the days when I was a kid, and we (punk rockers) used to stand up, make noise, and fuck shit up (in several different ways) when we encountered injustice. We got in its face. We made people aware. We had no tolerance for sexism, racism or homophobia. We didn’t just preach to the converted; we made our voices heard, and we made our presence known. We fought for what was right. We fought against racism, but didn’t have to be oppressed. We fought against homophobia, but were not all LGBTQ+. We fought against sexism, but were made up of all genders. We didn’t just think of ourselves. We did it out of love, respect, and thorough understanding of our fellow human beings. We were not afraid of how we would be seen. We weren’t afraid of stigmas. We were not afraid at all. Sadly, those days, and those people, have mostly disappeared. Now, the remnants of who we are and what we did is reduced to playing dress-up, and knowing nothing of the past. Nowadays, it seems like people do nothing effective to combat injustice! Your comedic social media post only makes hate more acceptable.

Perhaps, over the years, trying to appear less violent to new people, who were unfamiliar with taking action, made me tone things down, but it also made me soft in a bad way. It made me do nothing, say nothing (out loud), and walk away in the face of conflict. I was criticized for being too aggressive, too violent, and the people I tried to befriend didn’t want to be around me; because they thought I would mindlessly hurt them, or start shit for no reason. I realize that those people were non-contributing cowards, and I have no business trying to be their friends. In that time, when people needed support, aid, someone to talk to among other things, I stayed quiet. I’m painfully ashamed of my behavior in those times. I could have helped people, and been the person that I actually am; but I stayed silent, while my heart hurt for those who needed support. I could have stood up for them. I could have stood up for myself, too. I could have done the right thing for someone in need. I shed tears as I write this, because I know what it’s like to be left alone and rejected. I also vividly remember how exciting it was to stare our problems in the face, and not back down; even if it mean intense physical pain, going to jail, or possible death. Fighting, like actually fighting, for what is right, is NEVER the wrong thing to do; regardless of what any well-meaning coward has to say about it.

✊I still have that fighting spirit. You should not walk away from something just because it may not directly pertain to you. You don’t have to be Gay to come to the aid of a Gay person. They, along with other people of different genders and sexualities, as well as people who identify as something else or nothing else, are our sisters and brothers, regardless of labels, movements, or stigmas. We are the same. We are human. Some would think that is extremely basic common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people are still ignorant, or afraid. Some of us chose to fight. Some of us had to fight. We chose to make change for the better, for ourselves and others. We went above and beyond, because we knew what was right, and didn’t accept mediocre templates from those who wanted us to fall in line.

Getting back into the anarchism I dove into when I was a teenager has made me a better, more comfortable and happy person. I’ve become more comfortable with myself, and I know what I stand for. I’m more aware of the origins and purposes of the things that are handed to us in society. I’m aware of the effects of politics, religion, social stigmas, and the like. The hate we experience comes from those things. I refuse to support the things that limit us, limit our understanding of different people, limit our understanding of the entire world, and make us hate and fear each other. I’ve let go of everything. I’ve let go of gender stigmas. I’ve let go of ethnic and culture stigmas. I’ve let go of politics. I’ve let go of organized religion. I’ve let go of the demonization of people of differing sexualities.

I can just be myself, and do what I want. I give myself full permission to do whatever the fuck I want. I don’t care how it looks to other people. I’ve been bullied my whole life. People think that I’m a certain way based on my gender, race, and even taste in music. People think that because I don’t fit into a general cultural stereotype, that I’m maladjusted, or confused. I don’t posture myself as a man, so when I cut loose and have fun, people throw sexist and homophobic insults at me. I don’t care. They can think what they want, because there is nothing wrong with being female, or queer. I accept no labels. Sure, there are some identifiers, like straightedge, or punk rocker, that I identify with, that help people understand, just a little, how I am; but I don’t need to be handed external, societal key words to explain what’s inside. When you strip away all of those things that we are told are SO IMPORTANT to us, you won’t be afraid anymore. You won’t be afraid to be wrong. You won’t be afraid to cry. You won’t be afraid to be made fun of. You won’t let cruel words affect you. You won’t be afraid to fight for what is right. You won’t be afraid of bullies, or social stigmas. You just have to learn about yourself. Learn about others. Learn about the world. Don’t be scared to be a nerd about the world. It doesn’t matter.

Start fighting. Keep fighting. Learn to let go of shit that doesn’t matter. Purely suggestive, as I don’t like telling people how to live their lives, but if you want to do better and be better, do the work.

This whole thing was kind of spontaneous. The only editing was the emojis.

-Adam X Anzio

[adamxanzio]

“I Love My Friends. I Hate Bullies” [working title]

I posted this on stupid-ass FB a while ago. It deals with my views on human rights, and how I tend to handle tense situations. Copied and pasted from my notes app.

💜🌹🌷Soooo... I met some really great friends a while ago. Two of them I’ve been kickin’ with steadily. Both of them female (</sarcasm> because, despite what pilgrims like Steve Harvey tell you, it’s totally possible for dudes and girls to be actual friends without wanting “other shit”, or having “other shit” going on; which is totally fine, and not shameful in the least... or maybe that’s just me).

😕Recently, while we were out at a club, dancing and goofing off, as I usually do, some dude standing close by tried to touch the bum of one of my friends. I saw it clear as day, in this dark room, with flashing lights. I decided to keep my eye on this... “person”, as he didn’t make actual contact with her that time. I know I should have done more, at that very moment, and I’m sorry for that. So, this dude tries it again, and makes contact. I look at him right in the eyes, and shake my head “no” at him. My friend didn’t seem to notice. He does not respond. Once again, I didn’t do what I really felt like doing, and I am very sorry. SO, he tries again, a third time. I slap his hand away, get right in his face, and shout at him that I will fuck him up if he touches my friend again. Here I am, shouting in this guy’s face, pointing, and being openly aggressive with him. Not my usually behavior, but it comes out now and then.

🙁The guy walks a short distance away, while I continue to keep an eye on him. The only reason this guy isn’t either thrown out or battered on the ground, is because I myself didn’t wanna risk getting thrown out (though I like this club, I slowly stopped caring if I got banned for fighting, because the safety of my friend is obviously more important). This dumbass comes up to me, like 5 fuckin’ minutes later, trying to put his hand on my shoulder (which I did not let happen), and talk to me in my ear. I keep a short distance, and I decide to hear him out (which I didn’t want to do. I wanted to choke-slam him, among other things, but I was still trying to not have things go there); standing ready for anything else to happen. He says: “yo, don’t ever come at me like that again, bruh. I don’t play that shit”, and a bunch of other flexing horseshit. I shout at him in his ear “FUCK YOU, IDIOT! You grabbed my friend’s ass! Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit!”. He tries to talk over me, shouting about how I shouldn’t talk to him the way I did. FIRST OF ALL... If he is more concerned with my tone and choice of words, than he is with being caught grabbing a strangers ass, then he’s a piece of shit. That’s exactly what I told him at that moment, along with some other choice words. I’m not affected by words, but I could tell that he was. I shouted every hurtful, demeaning thing I could think of about him, not caring about the outcome. I continued to berate him, expecting him to try something, but he stepped away after a few seconds. I told my friend’s boyfriend, who was not too far away, what happened. Turns out this turd who was touching my friend improperly was related to the owner of the club, and was rolling with some “gangsta” types. I told him: “fuck you, and your stupid-ass friends. I don’t care who your friends are, and I don’t care who you’re related to. If your concern is my tone, and choice of words, over what you tried to do with my friend, then fuck every last one of you! You piece of shit! You turd! You scum! You fucking nothing! ...The situation was taken care of, without me having to do anything more. We then went to a quieter place, and talked, as friends do.

☹️I don’t care who you are, who you know, if you’ve been drinking (I definitely don’t care about that. I have zero tolerance for people making excuses for themselves and for others based on if they’ve been drinking), or whatever other meaningless shit people use to feel good about themselves, or feel cool or important; if you do shit like in this situation, your humanity and your “rights” go out the fucking window. Fuck that “gangsta” bullshit. Fuck that whole image. I’m neither impressed nor intimidated by that garbage. Buncha fuckin’ clowns. Even if my friend was a complete stranger, it would have been dead wrong, and would not be tolerated. Also, I must stress that I’m aware of my friend’s feelings toward this kind of treatment to people. I didn’t just go off, blindly, in defense of someone. I know how annoying and unnecessary that can sometimes be.

🤔Some would say: That’s the risk you run being at a club, that’s the risk you run being an attractive woman, etc. ...Well, you also run a risk of messing with people that will not accept, or will not brush off that kind of behavior.

😢Please keep in mind, I don’t like talking about violence, fighting, or altercations like these. I really don’t. The point of this story is to express how I feel about my friends, and give a glimpse into how I handle situations like this. ......I’m a big, brown guy, and it’s easy to stereotype me the wrong way. I don’t go around looking for fights, but I do stay ready for them, even in my most vulnerable, fun-loving moments. Also, I know I also look like a big, soft, androgynous, gigantic dork, who wouldn’t do anything, and doesn’t stand for shit. Both of those are wrong. I may look like a “pussy-ass faggot” (not my terminology. I don’t use words like that in that context, because I think they’re stupid, but I hear it pretty often about myself), but imagine how soul-crushing it would be to get stomped the fuck out by a “faggot” like me. There is a time and place for everything. Just because I’m capable of causing a great deal of harm to others, doesn’t mean I go flexing that everywhere. I don’t think it’s cool, sexy, or even tough. I don’t flex. I don’t walk around trying to be some character. “Putting on a show” doesn’t win fights, but it does show how weak you potentially are. It’s like glass, as I can see right through, and it’s easily breakable. I don’t want to hurt anybody, but I most certainly will, should it ever come to that; which I hope it never does. I can be a cuddly teddy bear, or a full grown grizzly (I prefer “teddy” over everything else in life. All I want in life is good music and hugs from sweet people; but that doesn’t keep me from being prepared for the worst. I don’t like that, but that’s just the world we live in). ...Maybe you think my approach is “wrong”, or contradictory in some way. Well, I’m sure you’d handle it MUCH better. Your templated ethics, and evident lack of experience will only do so much.

🤫I don’t know how long I’m going to keep this post up, because of my feelings toward violence, how upset I was, and the look of discussing things like this. ...At the same time, I’ve let a lot of shit slide that I shouldn’t have in the past, and it makes me really sad that I didn’t do what I felt in my heart, and what I felt was right, for the people I care about, or myself. I didn’t stand up when it was right, and sometimes expected the person affected to stand up for themselves, as I stood by quietly, letting the idiot talk, so they could reveal how shitty they really were. It makes me really sad, to the point of tears, and I’m so sorry to those who I could have stood up for, especially as someone who claims to care a great deal about human rights. I believe the same energy we used to smash neo-Nazis years ago, should be used on misogyny, homophobia, and, dare I say it, this aggressive yet watered down Puritanism that still lingers here and there.

🙅🏾‍♂️Fuck acting “tough”. Fuck fragile masculinity, and “being a man” in general. Fuck entitled idiots. Cherish your actual friendships. Stomp this kind of behavior out, as soon as it shows its ugly-ass head.

With love. ❤️💜💙

Theee end. 💐

🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷

[adamxanzio]

A paraphrased quote from “Living My Life” by Emma Goldman (1931). • • “At the dances I was one of the most untiring and gayest. One evening a cousin of Sasha [Alexander Berkman], a young boy, took me aside. With a grave face, as if he were about to announce the death of a dear comrade, he whispered to me that it did not behoove an agitator to dance. Certainly not with such reckless abandon, anyway. It was undignified for one who was on the way to become a force in the anarchist movement. My frivolity would only hurt the Cause.” “I grew furious at the impudent interference of the boy. I told him to mind his own business, I was tired of having the Cause constantly thrown into my face. I did not believe that a Cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from conventions and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy. I insisted that our Cause could not expect me to become a nun and that the movement should not be turned into a cloister. If it meant that, I did not want it. "I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everyboy's right to beautiful, radiant things." Anarchism meant that to me, and I would live it in spite of the whole world--prisons, persecution, everything. Yes, even in spite of the condemnation of my own comrades I would live my beautiful ideal.”

[adamxanzio]

🥁For those who didn’t know, didn’t believe me, or weren’t paying attention; I am also a drummer. Hi. Fellow passionate artists, let’s stop being so goddamn modest, start getting real, (and in my case, start showing much more proof. I know I’m a hard guy to take seriously). Yeah, there may be few “acceptable” ways to express that, but if I didn’t show, you wouldn’t know. .....Drumming for @sashthebash_inaflash on Monday, at @badearl opening for CHROME.

[adamxanzio]

💿WELP... Don’t know if anybody remembers, but I had originally set to put out my new record on March 30th, 2018 (TODAY). As you can see, that’s not happening anymore. One thing after another caused the delay. 💽I want this to be the most proper release I can do, with what I’ve got to work with. Proper shit. I don’t just wanna throw this shit up on Bandcamp, and whatever. 📀Also, I know I could have made the record better, so I’m gonna do dat. You’re messin’ with the wrong dude, if you think I’m gonna put out some wrinky-dink whatever shit. I care too much. It might be cool not to care, but I care a lot. BTW, I don’t need no ethics check, with people telling me how I SHOULD feel about these things, just to be clear. 📱For years, I’ve dealt with a lot of self-sabotaging people, that have ruined good things for themselves, and the rest of the ensemble, and have not given a shit, because “it’s not punk rock”, or whatever dumb shit losers say. ...Now, I’m dealing with my mental health, keeping me from being at my best. Kinda hard to do all the tasks needed for popular music yourself, when shit like depression keeps you from leaving your bed, among other things. 💾Also, I don’t wanna be anywhere close to that vast sea of people who say they’re gonna do something, especially cool music shit, and it NEVER FUCKING HAPPENS. Its beyond disappointing when people do that, whether I’m involved, or not. The next Anzio record is most def gonna happen. I just don’t like being late to my own deadlines, or talking all kinds of shit, and either not doing it, or taking longer than I planned. 📻That might be TMI, but I’d rather say what I said for all this, than to be perceived as another goddamn slacker-ass “musician”. 📺In the meantime, I’ll still be trying to make ANZIO shows happen (even the acoustic ones), and DJing wherever I’m welcome. I’ll keep you all posted with my progress. #RegressNoWay #SetYourGoals #FuckYourRules #MelodicHardcoreSongTitles (at Guitar Center)

[adamxanzio]

RIP 7Seconds. I remember when I had the opportunity to speak/write my praise for them in Creative Loafing Atlanta, thanks to all-around good guy, Bobby Moore. There were a few differing opinions about them, which I thought was pretty reflective of the Atlanta scene, which has Haterade flowing through its pipes (I, however, don’t drink from the tap). They’re one of the many important bands I talk about every now and again, that didn’t necessarily shape who I was, but reflected who/what I already was as a person. The circumstances of them calling it suck pretty bad, but are completely understandable. Thanks for everything, guys! ✌🏽WALK TOGETHER, ROCK TOGETHER, FOREVER!!! ✌🏽 #RIP7Seconds #walktogetherrocktogether #WalkTogetherRockTogetherFOREVER

[adamxanzio]

SOUTH BY SOMETHIN’ SOMETHIN’ vol 2.

[adamxanzio]

Super unofficial flyer I thow’d together just now. I’m doin’ the Livin’ this week, til’ the boys get back in town (🎵the boys get back in town). Photo from 2006-or ‘07, lookin like a bad dude from a side-scrollin’ street fight game. 2nd photo, lookin like a rejected member of Bauhaus, before they found a better looking, less talented member. Imma bring the fuckin’ ruckus tonight tho, so drink plenty of Pedialyte.

[adamxanzio]

SOUTH BY SOMETHIN’ SOMETHIN’... (at Austin, Texas)

[adamxanzio]

WRINKLED-ASS SHEET!

[adamxanzio]

This is me extending my arms out for hugs. If you show up on SATURDAY, at 9pm at The EARL @badearl, you can get one (or more, depending on who you are). It’s a FREE SHOW! Gunpowder Gray @gunpowdergrayatl are filming a music video, so get in on that too. The EARL in EAV. 9pm (you gotta be there early, cuz I’m on first). •••This is also my teddy bear pose, for when I wanna obscure myself in a mountain of plush dolls.

[adamxanzio]

❤️ these dudes!! I’ve been waiting for this record for some time. I have not said that in a while! One of my fav modern hardcore bands! @turnstiletribe

[adamxanzio]

O.G. Punk, New-Wave, Post-Punk, Hardcore, Glam, and some New Shit too!!! ALL THRILLER, NO FILLER!!! ALL BUDS, NO DUDS!!! COMIN’ TO KILL, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!! 10pm! FREE! STAR BAR ATLANTA @starcommunitybar ALL DAMN NIGHT!!!!! (at Atlanta, Georgia)

[adamxanzio]

WEDNESDAY!!! Feb 21st, 2018! ATLANTA! DJ @adamxanzio in full effect!!! Do NOT slip on this! ...This post was supposed to have a mix on it. (at Atlanta, Georgia)

[adamxanzio]

WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!! StarBar! ATLANTA! Do NOT slip on this!!! (at Atlanta, Georgia)

[adamxanzio]

🥁DRUMS!!! Funny how people I’ve known from the 7-8 years I’ve lived in Atlanta don’t even know I play the drums, or do it well. Some don’t even know that I’m a musician, even though it’s all I do, all I talk about, and one of a few ways I make a living. SMDH Atlanta folx. 🥁This is me, doing beat-work, at Guitar Center Atlanta. What I used to do, years ago, was play one particular beat, to a metronome, for 20-30 minutes, as solidly as I could. My inspiration for this technique came from Roger Taylor from Duran Duran, Ali Score from A Flock of Seagulls, Stephen Morris from Joy Division / New Order, Alan Myers from Devo, and a lot of music composed with drum machines that I loved; consisting of bands like Depeche Mode. 🥁This is a little more loose than I usually play. I tried to sneak-shoot this footage, but that was damn near impossible, so I just rolled with it. Most people like to play over me on purpose (even GC employees, SMDH), or deliberately ruin my shot, when they see me recording myself. It was all good. Plus, it was Sunday night, and they were closing in 10 minutes. (at North Atlanta, Georgia)

[adamxanzio]

This is the playlist I put on when I feel like shit. Sometimes makes me feel better, but sometimes makes me feel worse, which leads to much better. I believe it’s important to be real with yourself (this post is not V-Day related, as I don’t celebrate it). A few posts ago, I made a list of songs that gave me goosebumps and misty eyes (“the feels”, I think, is the modern term. I get moved to tears pretty often, for moving songs, or passionate live recordings). This is the list, as of late 2017. Check that old post, if you wanna see explanations as to why I chose these tunes. (at Atlanta, Georgia)