McG checking in from San Pedro, California

Just finished up a two-day conference for work out in Santa Monica.

Had an afternoon to kill, so I jetted down to San Pedro.

No, not to chase the ghost of D. Boon or see where The Minutemen got their start.

OK, maybe the latter.

A kid wearing a faded Smiths t-shirt at Williams Book Store told me Pedro has been dead for a few years now.

They had a copy of the awesome zine The Rise and Fall of the Harbor Area, which was FREE! It's got a cover story on George Hurley no less.

I bopped across the street to Sacred Grounds coffee shop which is playing some really shitty smooth jazz right now.

BUT, they offer free wi-fi and I had a slice of lemon bundt cake that was all homemade moist and what not.

I'm sitting right where that P.A. speaker is in the picture above.

I see that Toys That Kill is playing in L.A. tomorrow.

Their latest record "Shanked" didn't knock my socks off the way "Control the Sun" did, but they definitely rock in a brilliant and awesome way.

Next time I fly out this way, I HAVE to be able to extend the trip so I can catch some of these west coast bands I really dig.

This California trip and the London vacation is taking back to the days of being on the road, seeking out the cool zine stores, record stores.

I love being able to go up to someone who looks like they know the scene well and being able to find out exactly where to go and what is happening.