Ray Mensh and Mem V. Stein of Exumer @ 2019 Brutal Assault Festival
@exumerofficial #brutalAssault2019 #brutalassault
The 2019 Brutal Assault Festival was a thrash metal music fan’s paradise. Exumer, from Germany, has only played a handful of shows in the USA since their formation in 1985, and none of those shows were anywhere near me. I would never have a chance of seeing a band like this without going to European summer music festivals.
Anyway, the day after I took this photo I found myself on a plane from Prague, Czech Republic to Frankfurt, Germany. Who should be sitting next to me on the airplane? None other than Ray Mensh pictured above (on the left).
I almost saw Clutch again in 2019 at Copenhell. However, their set overlapped with Slaegt, and it’s difficult to be in two places at once.
In 2020 I was set to see Clutch at MetalDays, but, of course, that was canceled. That brought my near misses with Clutch up to four (2008 Roskilde Festival, 2008 Metaltown, 2019 Copenhell, and 2020 MetalDays).
Coincidentally, on Saturday I had all of the songs on my phone (over 3,000) on shuffle and the one that just so happened to come on right after Biden was announced as the new President of the USA was this one, which brought a smile to my face:
I’m gonna be President
Of the United States
First Tuesday in November
Mark it down, and save the date
Live music in the White House
Strictly B.Y.O.B
…
First thing that I’m gonna do is disclose all those U.F.O.S
Put Jimi Hendrix on the 20 dollar bill
And Bill Hicks on a five note
Hot damn! The democratic process
What a time to be alive
Oh, I’m ready to give the people what they want
And what they want is straight talk and no jive!
We have exit polls coming in
Rhode Island and American Samoa
We have more results coming in
From Puerto Rico and both Dakotas
Breaking news
Happening right now
I believe we’re ready to call it
Do you want us to call it?
(Yeah) I believe
We have a winner
