Monday, October 14, 2013

Six, Six, Six

Happy sixth birthday, G&P, you gigantic time sink in my life.
Just a couple months ago I couldn’t imagine reaching this milestone. I was burned out, lethargic, my writing sucked ass and I was ready to just chuck the whole damn thing. But here I am marking the sixth anniversary of the blog. Funny how things change in the course of a couple of weeks.
So once again, I want to take stock of it all so I never get complacent and forget what an amazing privilege this has all been. I just want to take the time to thank every one of you for stopping by and reading, indulging me in all of this. Thank you for chipping in and making this fun. I wouldn’t be here and I couldn’t do any of this without your support.
Thank you to every awesome band that’s ever sent me stuff to listen to. I apologize again for taking so fucking long to get around to writing about you. I know it’s only gotten worse lately. I’m working on that, I promise.
Thank you as well to everyone who’s ever done an interview. Those are definitely my favorite parts of this. I wish I had the time and energy to do them more often. I’m working on that too. I especially want to dive back into the long, in depth band histories again, provided Lil Grinder will give me the time.
After six years, I kinda feel like I just now really understand what I want the blog to be and where it should go. It’s taken half a decade to maybe figure out what my niche is. Hopefully you guys dig it and stick around.
A couple months ago I gave serious thought to packing it all in because I was tired and burned out. Nothing was really exciting me. I found my inspiration again just before I was about to pull the trigger. I can still envision shutting it all down one day. But then it will be on my terms and not in a fit of pique. Until then, I’m just going to enjoy the opportunities the blog has opened up for me and take it all as it comes.
Thanks everybody for making it happen.

8 comments:

Miskatonic said...

I love grind, but I don't listen to a lot of it. The problem is that I love death, black and doom even more. But, I keep coming to your blog because you are the best metal (I know you come from a punk background and maybe that's what makes you the best) writer I've found. That's right, the best. Even when I know I'm not going to check out most of the music you recommend, I still read EVERY word.

Thanks for six years. Here's to six more!

Moe said...

Happy blogversary!
Your blog is great and you should feel good

Ryan Page said...

Congratulations. It is hard to keep something going that long (I am notoriously bad at that), but you have done so with continuing innovation and quality. Definitely one of my main sources for keeping up with new music as I scour the web for industrial releases from 1978.

blasting D said...

Happy birthday G & P!

and thank you Andrew for doing it! let's keep on spreading the grind!

Alex Layzell said...

Happy Anniversary! Still the best blog going and getting better with age!

Sidet said...

I've been reading your blog since your post about grind freaks serving the nation. I didn't think you could outdo yourself after Grindcore Bracketology. Then came the DXAX Tablature, You Grind But Why?, The Namesake Series, and Good Reads just to name a few personal favorites. I graduated high school right before you began G&P so your mixtapes have kept me company through dead end jobs, community college, state school, and now an adult dead end job. Thanks Andrew you are a quality DIY inspiration.

Anonymous said...

Glad you've decided to stick with it! You have turned me on to tons of bands I probably wouldn't have run across on my own!

Plus, you played matchmaker for Wormrot. How fucking cool is that?!?

/bill

Anonymous said...

If the only things you ever posted were DxAx tabs and graphic novel recommendations, it'd be a blog well lived. The rest is just super-nutritious icing on the cake. Here's to six more years.