I'M SURE YOUR FIRST QUESTION IS, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS DOING INSIDE THE BOOKLET? WHERE'S THE BLOODY LYRICS?" WELL, QUITE HONESTLY WE COULD'VE PUT THE LYRICS IN HERE, BUT FOR ONE THING I WANTED TO HIJACK THIS SPACE FOR MY OWN LITTLE SOAPBOX AND FOR ANOTHER, JAY DOESNT SING WITH SHIT IN HIS MOUTH. HE IS RATHER WELL-SPOKEN AND CLEAR-VOICED AND I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY MAKE OUT A GOOD 9/10THS OF WHAT HE'S SINGING. ANYTHING YOU CAN'T IS PROBABLY MEANT TO BE THAT WAY IN WHICH CASE DO WHAT I DO, MAKE IT UP WHILE YOU SING ALONG.
FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO CLUE YOU, THE LISTENER OF THE CD, INTO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME OF THE BAND. THE NAME ORIGNIALLY CAME TO ME DURING A CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THE WORD CAME OUT OF A NEWSWEEK MAGIZINE ARTICLE ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF FLYING AIRCRAFT THROUGH WEATHER CONDITIONS. I CAN'T EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHY, BUT THE WORD "DRIZZLE" SEEMED TO ENLARGE ITSELF OFF THE PAGE AND TAKE UP MY FULL ATTENTION. "DAMN, THAT'D BE A GOOD NAME FOR A BAND OR SOMETHING" I THOUGHT TO MYSELF. LO AND BEHOLD, ALMOST A DECADE LATER NO ONE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HAS YET TO THINK THE SAME AND COME OUT WITH A BAND CALLED DRIZZLE.
IT MEANS ALOT TO US. ON ONE HAND THE WEATHER SEEMS TO FOLLOW US WHENEVER THE FOUR OF US COME TOGETHER TO PLAY. DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR WE EITHER HAVE TO PUT UP WITH SNOW OR RAIN BUT IT NEARLY NEVER FAILS. LIKE AN UNINTERRPRETABLE SIGN FROM ABOVE, SOMETIME DURING OUR TIME TOGETHER THERE IS MUCH WATER FALLING OUT OF THE SKY ON US AS WELL AS ANY INNOCENT PEOPLE CAUGHT IN OUR ROCK AND ROLL PATH. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SIGNATURE R IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY. LOTS OF BANDS HAVE A "SIGNATURE LETTER" OR GROUP OF THEM THAT SIGNIFY THEIR NAME. RHCP, GLU, BNL, SP, RATM, ETC, ETC. WHILE MOST OF THEM USE THE FIRST LETTER OR LETTERS TO MAKE THE CONNECTION TO THEMSELVES, I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST USE THE D. AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERENED THAT COULD BE ANYONE FROM DRACULA TO THE DAMBUILDERS. SURE I COULD HAVE NARROWED IN ON THE DOUBLE Z IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NAME BUT SOMETHING STRUCK ME INPARTICULAR ABOUT USING THE R INSTEAD, MUCH LESS CHANGING IT TO THE WORLDLY KNOWN SYMBOL FOR "PERSCRIPTION" OR "MEDICAL ASSITANCE". SO ENOUGH BULLSHIT, WHY TO RX? WHEN WE'RE ALL TEENAGERS WE TURN TO MUSIC AS A SALVE TO PUT ON OUR RAGING HORMONES AND "EVERYTHING MATTERS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE AT THAT MOMENT" ATTITUDES AND TO HELP US THROUGH BOTH THE GOOD TIMES AND THE BAD. I HAD MY SHARE OF TIMES SITTING IN THE BEDROOM AND LISTENING TO NIRVANA AND ONCE THEY WE'RE GONE, THE SMASHING PUMPKINS AND JUST THINKING ABOUT SHIT. BUT I WAS ALSO WISE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT ANYTHING I DID WOULD BE SECONDARY, ALMOST AN OFFSHOOT OF MY MUSICAL PREDESSESSORS. SO WHY NOT JUST ADMIT IT RIGHT THERE IN THE NAME OF THE BAND. WHY NOT LET YOU KNOW AT FACE VALUE THAT WE'RE NOT THE ORIGINATORS OF THESE IDEAS. SURE WE WROTE OUR OWN SONGS AND PLAYED OUR OWN INSTRUMENTS, BUT ONLY AFTER WE'D LEARNED TO HONE SUCH CRAFTS FROM THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE US.
SO ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM WE HAVE THE TITLE OF THE CD, "SHOT IN THE FACE" AND WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSSED TO MEAN? WELL I'D BE LYING IF I SAID THERE WASN'T A MORE SINISTER REASON BEHIND IT THAN THE FACT OUR GOOD BUDDY TIM ON THE COVER IS GETTING SHOT IN THE FACE WITH SQUIRTGUNS FROM THE PAIR OF HELLIONS ON THE BACK COVER. ONE OF THE OTHER TITLES I WAS ORIGINALLY PLAYING AROUND WITH FOR THE CD WAS "I HATE IT HERE", BOTH OF WHICH ARE NODS TO A COMIC BOOK CHARACTER OF WHOM I HOLD IN HIGH REGARD. WHICH IS SAYING SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESNT EXIST FOR MORE THAN 30 PAGES A MONTH. AT FIRST THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT WAS A SPITEFUL ONE. YEARS BEFORE I'D JOKED WITH FRIENDS OVER MAKING A LIST OF PEOPLE I WANTED TO PUNCH IN THE THROAT. AT THE TIME IT WAS THE NASTIEST THING, ABOVE AND BEYOND A GOOD KICK IN THE BALLS, THAT I COULD THINK OF. UNTIL THE CONCEPT OF SHOOTING SOMEONE IN THE FACE CAME ALONG INTO MY SEEDY LITTLE BRAIN. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT. I HATE NEARLY EVERYONE. IF I CAN'T FIND AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN REASONS WHY YOU’RE A WASTE OF TIME AND SPACE WITHIN FIVE MINUTES IT'S A BLEEDING MIRICLE. I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY AND I'M LONG PAST APOLOGIZING OVER IT. IT'S PART OF WHO I AM AND I HAVEN'T KILLED ANYONE FOR IT, NOR DO I PLAN TO. MY PSYCHE IS HARMLESS LIKE THAT. BESIDES, THERE'S QUITE A FEW BILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY. I DON'T THINK WE'RE EXPECTED TO GET ALONG WITH THEM ALL. IT'S OKAY TO HATE SOMEONE AND LET THEM KNOW IT. IT'S NOT HOWEVER OKAY TO ACT ON IT AND VIOLATE THIER RIGHTS, OR AT LEAST IT ISNT THAT WAY YET. YOU CAN BET THOUGH THAT SHOULD THINGS CHANGE, I'LL BE THE FIRST IN LINE FOR A FIREARM. NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO PERSONALLY KILL ANYONE BUT BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE ARE A FAIR SHARE OF PEOPLE WHO FIND ME EQUALLY DESTESTABLE.
AS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT MORE THE CONCEPT OF BEING SHOT IN THE FACE BECAME A FANTASY OF SORTS. IT'S ONE OF THE BETTER, QUICKER, AND MORE SURPRISING WAYS TO DIE. I MEAN, WE'RE ALL GONNA GO SOMEDAY REGARDLESS, I'D MUCH RATHER IT BE QUICKLY AND SUDDENLY INSTEAD OF SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY. A NICE CAR WRECK, A PRETTY PLANE CRASH OR A BULLET IN THE FOREHEAD SOUNDS MUCH BETTER THAN BOWEL CANCER OR BEING CAUGHT IN A BURNING HOUSE. BUT AS WE FINISHED UP RECORDING, THE WHOLE CONCEPT TOOK ON A NEW MEANING TO ME. ALMOST OVERNIGHT WHAT HAD COME FROM SPITE AND HATE TURNED INTO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND WHAT I MEAN'T BY "SHOT IN THE FACE" BECAME SOMETHING PROBABLY ALOT MORE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE.
PLAY ALONG WITH ME. YOU'RE IN YOUR CAR, YOU PUT THIS CD IN, YOU HIT PLAY AND BAM, ANY ONE OF THESE TRACKS COME ON. NOW THINK ABOUT THE CONCEPT BEHIND BEING SHOT IN THE FACE. THE BULLET ENTERS SOMEWHERE NEAR THE CENTER OF YOUR HEAD AND BLOWS A HOLE OUT THE BACK PROBABLY SIX TIMES IT'S TINY SIZE. PIECES GO FLYING EVERYWHERE BEHIND YOU AND THE WOUND IS SOMETHING YOUR STUCK WITH, SOMETHING THAT'LL STICK WITH YOU FOR SOME TIME.WITH A FEW POSSIBLE EXCEPTIONS, THESE SONGS ARE CONSTUCTED VERY PRECISELY TO HIT HARD, FAST AND DO THE JOB IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME AS NEEDED. NOT ONLY THAT, MOST OF THEM ARE DOWNRIGHT CATCHY, SOMETHING YOU'LL BE HUMMING AFTER YOU'VE FINISHED HEARING IT, SOMETHING YOU MIGHT EVEN CATCH YOURSELF SINGING IN YOUR PRIVATE MOMENTS. SOMETHING YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF STUCK WITH RATTLING AROUND IN YOUR HEAD LIKE A STRAY .55 SHELL.
CONGRATULATIONS, WE'VE JUST SHOT YOU IN THE FACE.
C.
HERE'S WHERE WE SAY OUR THANK YOU'S:
THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO'S SHOULDERS WE'VE STOOD ON TO GET HERE AND ALL THE GREAT ACTS WE'VE PLAYED WITH THAT FELL BY THE WAYSIDE. THE BEST BANDS YOU MAY NEVER HEAR:CALAMITY JANE, THE HAND ME DOWNS, THE CIRCLE OF SEVEN(SOMETIMES CALLED TERRAPIN),THE HAPPY ACCIDENTS,BY DIVINE RIGHT, SETTIE, SKYCYCLE, THE SANDWICHES, 13 ENGINES, LIQUID PLUMBER, THIS PERFECT DAY, AND FLOC . THANKS MOM, DAD AND THE HANDFUL OF PEOPLE I REALLY LOVE FOR BEING THERE FOR ME WHILE I'VE BEEN A WHINY BITCH. THIS CD IS DEDICATED, BY MYSELF, TO THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY...BOTH OF THEM.
R. SCOTT THANKS:
GOD, FOR GIVING ME THE ABILITY TO FAKE MY WAY OUT THERE. MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE HEATHER, I LOVE YOU,YOU ARE THE SOLE REASON I LIVE AND BREATH AND WITHOUT YOU I WOULD BE NOTHING. MY LOVLY DAUGHTER MIRANDA, YOU BRIGHTEN UP MY DAYS, I LOVE YOU (GOOBER). MY DAD, THANKS FOR SUPPORTING ME EVEN THOUGH YOU HATE MY MUSIC, ALSO THANK YOU FOR GETTING TO KNOW ME OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND ALWAYS BEING THERE. TO MY GRANDMA, YOU ARE THE BEST AND I LOVE YOU. THANKS TO THE SHARPS, THE BROWNS, THE HIMBURGS, THE MARKS, MY FAMILY IS EVERYTHING.THANKS TO CHUCK, MITCHELL, AND WOOLSEY, WITHOUT YOU GUYS THIS STUFF WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN FUN. EVERYTHING. SPECIAL THANKS TO THE TWO PEOPLE NO LONGER IN MY LIFE. MOM, YOU ALWAYS SUPPORTED ME AND LOVED ME, I MISS YOU MUCH. JOHN, MY BROTHER, FRIEND, AND ROLEMODEL, I MISS YOU MORE EVERYDAY. YOU KICKED MY ASS EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE, AND YOU MADE ME A BETTER PERSON. THANKS FOR GETTING ME IN TO THIS KIND OF MUSIC, I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU. TO EVERYONE ELSE, THE BEANS, YOU'VE BEEN MY SECOND PARENTS, THE MITCHELLS, YOU MADE ME PART OF YOUR FAMILY, THE WOOLSEYS, YOU FED ME AND ALSO TOOK ME IN. I LOVE YOU ALL. SPECIAL THANKS TO PERCY , BUMP A HEAD AND BRANDI, AND GRANDMA BETTY. LASTLY, EVERYONE OUT THERE THAT GAVE ME THE TIME OF DAY, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. THANKS.
J. MITCHELL THANKS:
FIRST OFF, GOD FOR BLESSING ME. DONNA & GLADYS MITCHELL, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE LOVED AND NEVER FORGOTTEN. MY WIFE WINDY, WORDS CAN'T EXPRESS HOW YOU LIFT ME UP AND BRING ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD TO MY LIFE. MY DAUGHTER HAYLEY "PUNK ASS" MITCHELL, YOU MAKE ME SMILE IN WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE. DAVE MITCHELL SR, DIANE AND TIM CROSS, SCOTT AND KIM MITCHELL, DAWN AND DAVE MITCHELL, KIM AND MARK CUNNINGHAM, DAWN STRESSMAN, DARBY AND SHERRY, BROTHER DEAN, ED WOLF AND BLACK WOLF RECORDS, JASON WOOLSEY, R. SCOTT SHARP, AND CHUCK BEAN, I COULDN'T IMAGINE DOING THIS WITHOUT YOU THREE. THE PERRYS. ALL MY NEGHEWS AND NIECES. THE BEANS, MAYNARD OF TOOL, NIPPLES MALLOY, DICKIE LA RUE, MONKEY BOY ( OH WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?), AND ANYBODY ELSE I'VE FORGOTTEN TO INCLUDE. YOU KNOW YOUR WITH ME. I DEDICATE THIS ALBUMN TO MY MOTHER. I LOVE YOU. BACK COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID MITCHELL III.
THE DRUMMER THANKS:
MOM, DAD, EVE, KATIE: THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ENDLESS HOURS OF PERCUSSIVE PRACTICE AND FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING MY DECISIONS EVEN WHEN I WAS BLIND TO THE TRUTH. WITHOUT YOU THERE, I WOULDN'T BE ME. I OWE YOU MORE THAN YOU'LL KNOW. GRANDMA AND GRANDPA, SO MANY WONDERFUL PICTURES IN MY MIND HAVE YOU IN THEM. YOU GAVE TO ME UNCONDITIONALY... I LOVE YOU FOR EVERYTHING. THANK YOU AUNTS AND UNCLES FOR ATTENDING THE GIGS THAT MADE ME MONEY, BUT NOT HAPPY. (TWO JAYS AGREE!). THANK YOU TIM, A BETTER ROADIE THERE ISN'T! THANK YOU JAY, R. SCOTT, AND CHUCK FOR MAKING THIS FUN BEFORE ALL ELSE. YOU ARE MY BROTHERS. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, THANKS TO LEAH H., JEFF D., NICKI S., LISA S., COLLEEN H., NICOLE C., DAVE A., TONY C., TRACY P., SUE D., SANDY S., CHRISTY F., ERIC N., ERIC M., JOSH C., DAVE F., THE SHARPS, THE BEANS, THE CLAN OF MITCHELL, THE FURNARI'S, THE WOOLSEYS, BECKY, THE FAMILY HEITZ, CORKY'S, DAVE M., DAMON M., SHAWN P., JAVA HOUSE @ 12 AND BUNERT, RABBLES, DIET PEPSI, POT, PURE IMAGIONATION, THE GODFATHER, THE WHITE DOG KNOWN AS PEPPER, SPONGE BOB SQUAREPANTS, FRAGGLE ROCK, ADULT SWIM, AND ALL CARTOONS BIG AND SMALL. THANKS TO THOSE WHOM I NEGLECTED TO NAME FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. THANKS TO MARDI GRAS...GOOD CLEAN FUN, I'M SO WASTED. THANK YOU JEN. I LOVE YOU. I'M NOT SCARED ANYMORE. P.S. DO OR DO NOT, THERE IS NO TRY.
