Dimebag and Lennon Remembered

On December 8th 2004, Darrell Lance Abbott was shot dead at a gig in Columbus, Ohio aged just 38 years old. Today six years on, he is still touching and inspiring people through his music. 

On December 8th 1980, John Winston Ono Lennon was shot dead dead in the entrance to The Dakota in New York aged just 40 years old. Today thirty years on, he is still inspiring people through his life and music.

Today, we should all raise a glass in memory of what legends these two are and know that they will continue to inspire people for years to come! 

Random Music

Ok, so since Sunday for some unknown reason I have been getting a different random song stuck in my head every day. I understand that getting a song stuck in your head is a common thing and happens to many people (if it didn't musicians wouldn't sell many records) but I've never known it to happen with songs I've not listened to recently. The thing I find more bizarre is that so far they're songs I haven't heard for literally years and there seems to be no link to the song and anything that has been happening in or around my life. Anyone who knows me will be aware that although I listen to a wide range of music I tend to spend most of my time listening to metal and synth based music. However so far the songs I've been getting stuck in my head have been those of which I would generally not listen to. 


Sunday it was "Peaches" by Presidents of the United States of America,
Monday it was "Your Song" by Elton John,
And today it was "Clementine" by Mark Owen.

Fable 3: Glitchy Gaming To The Extreme

October 29th 2010 saw the release of the newest game in Lionhead Studio's Fable saga, Fable 3. After playing it you are left with the thoughts "WTF?". Never in my life have I played a game that has so many glitches in it. It's like they never tested before it went on sale. On top of the fact that at times it is unplayable due to these glitches is the failure to deliver what was promised leading up to the game. Peter Molyneux made so many promises about the gameplay and the content of the game and there is very little of what he promised contained within the finished product (and I use the term finished lightly). The game feels rushed and unfinished.

Fable was a huge game which, due to the decisions you had to make, had you playing a completely different game each time you played. It was new and innovative. Fable 3 pales in comparison to it's older brother. If only it had just a fraction of the gameplay and story that Fable had then maybe the glitches could be forgiven but it doesn't. Fable 2 had it's glitches so we all thought Lionhead would learn from the past. Instead Fable 3 is actually worse! If they'd listened to the testers and gamers then maybe the game would be playable but it seems Lionhead and it's owner Microsoft don't like to listen to those who buy their products. Instead they just rush out unfinished games (and consoles if you look at the "RROD" rate on Xbox 360) for quick profits. They don't seem to realise that rushing out unfinished and glitchy products will make people think twice about buying their products in the future.

Many Fable fans are unhappy with the quality of Fable 3 and have started a petition that will probably fall on deaf ears but it's always worth a try isn't it? The link to read and sign this petition is here. I've signed it and hopefully a lot more people will too.

The Hangman's Rope

Completely alone a knife in my hand,
slicing the flesh as though it was sand,
missing her deeply wanting her here,
so far away my eyes brought to tear

When will I see her? why can't I go,
out into the world that I used to know,
try leaving the house but I can't go alone,
panic erupts like a huge cyclone

The emptiness inside continues to grow,
stabbing my heart as the blood starts to flow,
out of the wounds and onto the floor,
what is it that this life is for?

Fear invades my being completely,
everything's lost with her not with me,
my world is in pieces without hope,
depression strangling like the hangman's rope


(c)2010 David McGarry

Missing You

This poem was part of my way of dealing with the loss of my nan. She was never judgemental and was always there for me whenever I needed someone to talk to.


Missing You


As I sit here and think of you.
Missing the love,
That you gave me.
You're gone,
And I can't bring you back,
I've lost you forever.

The tears trickle down my face,
As I cry wanting,
Your sweet embrace.
You took away,
All my fears and pain,
My troubles you’d erase

You where always there for me,
Your loving
Your affection
You never ever,
Let me down in anyway,
You always made my day.

You always knew when I was down,
You’d lift me up
And keep me strong
You are the only person,
Who ever bothered to know me.
I miss you each and everyday


†Dedicated to the memory of Sybil McGarry†
©2005 David McGarry

Out Of Body, Out Of Mind

Contemplating acting on my suicidal tendencies during stressful times I wrote this poem. It shows how I've come to hate myself so much that I believe that should I ever manage to take my own life that I would not be missed.


Out Of Body, Out Of Mind

It seems tonight,
I'm on the floor.
There's someone
knocking at my door.

Can't answer it,
I only shout.
Then I hear,
No words come out.

I try again,
But it's the same.
I can't even,
Say my own name.

I panic now,
Start to weep,
From my eyes,
The tears not seep.

As for sound,
Nothing is heard,
From my mouth,
No breath transferred.

Looking down,
I see my face,
Reflection maybe?
This not the case.

My body limp,
Lips so blue,
Tell me this,
Cannot be true.

The door it opened,
In beamed a light,
Now all I feel
Is pain and fright

I walk towards
The light I see
I feel, I sense
My destiny

My body now,
Is left behind
And soon my life
Is out of mind.


(c)2008 David McGarry

Bleeding Through

This poem expresses how I deal with stress and anxiety by self injuring. I'm not proud that I self injure but by writing this I hoped to try and help other people understand why I do it and how it makes my feel. It's my coping mechanism.


Bleeding Through

To live, to die,
To smile, to cry,
Needing a friend,
To help me by.

Suffering in silence,
Feeding my fear,
Bleeding my heart,
Not thinking clear.

Hollow and empty,
Lifeless remains,
Shyness binds,
The fear to my veins.

The knife in my arm,
The ache in my chest,
It's a matter of time,
Til It's laid to rest.

Bleeding profusely,
The wounds so deep,
Soon it is time,
To eternally sleep.

Stresses and anguish,
Making me fall,
Exposing my weakness,
Consuming my all.

Scars ever present,
Fresh from the blade,
Tears on my pillow,
The mess I have made.

Bludgened and slashed,
Through to the vein,
"What have I done?"
Echoes in my brain.

Becoming a slave,
To the stress in my life,
I try to find solace,
At the hands of my knife.

Cutting the flesh,
The pain slows away,
Yet instantly guilt,
Fills the array.

"Why did I do it?"
I think to myself,
Not giving first thought,
To life or health.

That split second feeling,
Of total relief,
Now filled me with anger,
Sorrow and grief.

The stress still remained,
And now there was more,
Blood flowing freely,
Onto the floor.

It wasn't helpful,
What I had done,
But for that short moment,
The stresses had gone.

I'll do it again,
I know that for sure,
But I'll never understand it,
As the blood spiils once more.


(c)2008 David McGarry

Poetry From My Soul

The next few posts are poems that I wrote over the past few years. I originally posted them on Myspace and now as a member of this site I will re-post them here. They may not be any good but they were a way for me to release and express how I was feeling during some of the lowest times in my life which are still rife today.

Europe Sucks for Gamers

Living in Europe and being a gamer can so annoying. North America and Japan get collector's editions of games and even games that are never seen anywhere in Europe. The region coding that is put into consoles and games prevents importing these games for play on any console outside that region.

Super Street Fighter 4 is out later this month and there is a nice collector's edition available but it's not being released in the UK.

I've just come across a nice little game called BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. I then find out it'd been out in Japan and North America since June 2009 whilst us Europeans have only just got it (April 2010). To make it worse there's a sequel due out in Japan and North American in June! How long will Europe have to wait for that?

Dragon Age: Origins has just had a nice expansion pack, Dragon Age: Origins Awakening, released for it and I was looking forward to picking up a copy on disc for PS3. I then discover that whilst everywhere else in the world can buy the disc or download it to their PS3 us Europeans only get the option to download it and at a high price. Yet PC and Xbox 360 owners can buy the disc and download it in Europe and it's cheaper it is on PS3!

It's things like this that insight so many people to pirate and import console and software. By restricting certain products to certain countries or regions forces people to do whatever it takes in order to get what they want. In many cases this results in illegally downloading the product.

It really pisses me off when I see special editions of my favourite games released in other countries and not in my own. The game producers complain about piracy saying it's "killing the industry" but whilst they're making games available in some regions with extras or months earlier then piracy will continue.

I personally don't pirate software. I prefer to have an officially released hard copy of any media but I can see why people do it.

Dragon Age: Origins

The past few months of my life have been extremely stressful but I managed to find something to enjoy.

November 2009 saw the release of the Dragon Age: Origins video game by BIOWARE. After seeing adverts for it I thought "that looks good" but I wasn't convinced enough to go out and buy it. In February after months of indecision I eventually gave in and bought a copy for my Xbox 360. It was the best decision I have made since buying Batman Arkham Asylum. Ever since I put the Dragon Age: Origins disc into my Xbox 360 it has never been out of it. The game is so addictive. As you battle your way through hordes of darkspawn your party interact with each other and your decisions determine how your adventure progresses. You can fully immerse yourself in the characters and you never want it to end!  I enjoyed a couple of 24-hour gaming sessions over the course of the game. I just couldn't put it down. Anyone who hasn't yet picked up a copy of this game should do so. It is a must buy for anyone who enjoys video games. I can't wait for more expansion packs and even the sequel! I enjoyed it so much I bought a copy to play on my PS3 too!

Death of an Inspirational Genius

The world today mourns the loss of a unique, talented and inspirational man. Type O-Negative vocalist and bassist, Pete Steele sadly passed away on Wednesday at the age of 48 reportedly due to heart failure. He will be sorely missed by his family and his many fans. His music provided solace and understanding to many people including myself who could relate to them intimately. Type O-Negative inspired so many musicians with their music and dark humour. The world has lost a musical genius. Gone but never forgotten.


Pete Steele

January 4, 1962 – April 14, 2010

Rest In Peace

Lacuna Coil jump on the "rip off the fans" bandwagon...

Lacuna Coil, one of my favourite bands, has recently had their current album Shallow Life re-issued with a bonus disc of extra tracks and live performances. The same thing happened with their album Comalies but at least at that time you could buy the bonus disc from the Century Media shop if you had already bought the original album (Century Media being the bands record label). This time however there is no such option.


When I bought Shallow Life, when it was originally released last April, there were two versions available. A digipak version with a bonus track, Oblivion, and a standard 12 track jewel case version. I opted for the digipak version to get the bonus track (who wouldn't want more music from their favourite bands?). When I found out that a new "Deluxe Version" had been released I wasn't very happy. I bought the album as soon as it came out because I love Lacuna Coil's music and couldn't wait to own it. Now I feel cheated because if I had waited nearly a year I could have had bought the "Deluxe Version" instead of one of the standard versions. Many of the extra tracks in the "Deluxe Edition" are cuts from the Shallow Life recording sessions so would have been available at the time of the albums original release. Why didn't they put them out on a "Deluxe Version" back then?

Stonesour, P!nk, Disturbed , In This Moment, Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Destiny's Child, Foo Fighters, Atreyu, Deathstars, Miley Cyrus, Ozzy Osbourne... So many artists and bands have done this over the years and it is an insult to us, the fans. The fans should be able to have the choice from day one as to whether they should buy the "Deluxe Version" or the "standard version". Chances are it isn't entirely the bands' decision, it's more likely than not down to the record label and management. Either way it still doesn't bode well for the fans, who have to shell out more money for an album they already have just for a few extra tracks. YES I want the extra tracks but NO I don't want to have to buy the album again to get them. Why would I want 2 copies of the same album?

It seems that this is what happens when a band gains more popularity. The record labels decide it's a good idea to screw their fans for as much money as they can. After all of this they still wonder why people download illegally. Any true fan of a band will buy the album when it's first released. They won't wait on the off chance that a "Deluxe Version" becomes available.

Many albums are available from the original release in "Deluxe Edition" and "standard edition" so why can't they all be the same? Why do some bands feel the need to rip fans off by releasing additional content for a premium at a later date?

I should point out that remastered albums I don't have a problem with. With the remasters you're getting remastered audio and a lot of the time access to bonuses that wouldn't have been able to have been released at the same time as the original due to the different technology of the era.
I quite happily got the latest Depeche Mode, Rammstein, Children of Bodom, and Creed albums in the "Deluxe Edition" and was able to do so on the original release dates and not nearly a year later. No wonder the world of music is a mess. It's no longer about the music and creativity instead, as with everything else in the world, it's about money, money money!

In 40 years time what modern day music is going to be as influential and popular as the music of the 1960-70s? Which of todays artists and bands will have a legacy as great as that of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Elvis Presley? Not many, if any.