May’s featured denizen of the Dark is none other than Garrison Fagro! He’s the lead guitarist for the Los Angeles band, Skumlove and a Cancer to the core.
“I have been told that I am the quintessential Cancer,” says Garrison, a strong, imposing-looking man whom one would certainly want on one’s side in a street fight. Surprisingly enough, he describes himself in much softer terms. “I am all of the stereotypes, especially being sensitive, moody, defensive, and protective.”
Any aggression Garrison might display is when he kicks your ass with his guitar virtuosity. I asked how he had discovered his passion for music and he said, “ I have always had it. My mom kept a journal of my first few years of life and she wrote that when I was old enough to crawl around, I would go over to the piano and bang around on it. Being a musician is what I am. It‘s like breathing and eating.”
Nowadays, he bangs around on stage with Skumlove, an outfit whose aesthetic he describes as “punk influenced, goth industrial rock with a lot of energy.” Garrison definitely bares some claws when he’s shredding in that particular context. Catch them live for a hard-hitting night of naughty fun.
Happy birthday, Kahuna.
And now, your ‘Scopes.
Aries
Casual conversation sparks a flood of new and innovative ideas for you to put into practice this month. A number of these talks are going on without you, but that’s just fine. People with some serious star power are painting you in a positive professional light. By the end of the month, even you might feel a bit intimidated by the Big Dogs with whom you find yourself negotiating. On the home front, some of your closer, non-business relationships are beginning to feel the strain of your schedule. New rules and boundaries should be proposed to keep your loved ones from becoming your lost ones.
Taurus
The solar eclipse at the top of the month may feel like a bit of a Mercury retrograde as it wreaks some brief havoc on your phone, car and computer. Just back up your files and change your oil. It’ll resolve itself in a couple of days. Helpful jolts of energy keep showing up throughout July to get you out of your rut and ready to revise the old, worn out routine. While your mood might make you more inclined to stay close to home and focus on personal matters, your friends require your support in a number of outside projects that keep you moving at a respectable pace. It will all pay off, and then some.
Gemini
By the power of Greyskull! Mars is in your sign all month, putting a nice, steady fire under your ass. There are movers, shakers and contract makers gathering in your corner and even a few wild cards who seem to want a victory for you. It’s as if the ‘Verse is conspiring to make up for all the Gemini suck over the last year or more. But, with all this brand new, positive energy swirling about you, it’s all too easy to become drunk with power. Check your moral and ethical compass more than once this month. You could save yourself from squandering your fortune like some nouveau-riche Jersey housewife.
Cancer
The solar eclipse that starts the month lands right in your sign, taking with it a little piece of your secret identity. The personal, private aspects of yourself that have – until now – distinguished you among the rabble seem to have dissolved into nothing but sand. You feel like Clark Kent having to hang up the big, red cape for good. He’s still there, alive and kicking. But, the superpowers are gone and so he is left to find a new reason for being. The people with whom you truly connect are the ones who’ll show you what’s even more awesome about you than x-ray vision.
Leo
Consciously establish and work to maintain your perspective, as many of the things that are obvious to others are invisible to you this month. An open mind is your greatest asset throughout July, as the changes keep coming hard and fast. The winter’s plans are taking shape now in manifested reality, but there are many cases in which they look nothing like the pictures did in your imagination. A wise Leo steps back and asks, “Is it wrong just because it’s not what I thought?” An even wiser Leo says, “Maybe this is even better than what I thought I wanted.” It’s not being a flake; it’s being flexible.
Virgo
Creative inspiration abounds and there are more great ideas than there are hours in a day to explore them. You want to be your usually helpful self, but everyone is being so aggressive and pushy this month! It’s like no one values the slow-and-steady approach anymore and it’s making it really hard to lend people a hand without getting frustrated. Stick to your guns, pick and choose your projects, and take all the time you need. July 28th brings hard evidence that you were right all along and the ones who were smart enough to listen to you will benefit. The ones who weren’t will know better, next time.
Libra
Order, structure, and solid plans make for an elegant symmetry in your life at the moment. It may not be fast-paced and exciting, but it’s reassuring in its simplicity. In the midst of a few big and potentially disruptive changes, that source of inner peace will be a strong foundation for you to stand on. You may not know it, but you are in a very authoritative position throughout the month and the strangely territorial attitudes of those “in charge” are a clear reflection of that. They feel threatened. Just go ahead and let them have their pissing contest. You focus on maintaining your Zen.
Scorpio
You may not have the rich and powerful so firmly in your pocket this month, but you do have good friends in low places. Now is really not the time to try to take over the world, Pinky. For now, just keep letting your plans and schemes marinate. Bounce your ideas off a very select few of your trustworthy and loyal supporters. It would not be a bad idea to team up with a Virgo, specifically since they seem to be on the same page regarding patience. After July 28th, you can start putting some very well-formed plans into action. The results depend entirely on perfect timing.
Sagittarius
Your patience is being tested, right now. The tediously slow pace of June is bleeding over into July and threatens to stay that way through the rest of the year. Don’t pull your hair out just yet, and please resist the childish urge to take your ball and go home. (That’s just way too stereotypical of Sagittarians.) This summer is kind of like being on an airplane; it may not feel like you’re getting anywhere, but you can be quite sure that bailing out mid-flight would be bad idea. Take stock of what has already been accomplished. It’s more than you think. So chill the fuck out.
Capricorn
The eclipse at the start of the month puts tension on your already wavering faith. You feel the urge to retreat into your cave. That might not be a bad idea. Solitude and silence are excellent medicine, and meditation provides much-needed clarity, especially on the 14th, when the full moon in your sign amplifies your intuition. Pay attention to your dreams and don’t disregard anything your instincts tell you. As pragmatic as you usually are, much of the information you need comes from non-logical sources. Don’t worry, I wont tell anyone you’re chanting “ohm” in your corner office.
Aquarius
It’s not a month to play it safe. Fortitude, discipline, patience, and strength will propel you much father this month than you (or anyone else) think they will. Even more valuable is your tendency to think in new, inventive ways that – if courageously shared – can offer fresh perspective. Not everyone wants to see things differently and you will catch some flak for not playing well with others, but that’s familiar territory to you. Don’t undervalue your essential, Aquarian gifts: unshakable individuality and a complete willingness to be weird.
Pisces
It may seem like you are getting nowhere fast, but that may have more to do with your perception than with quantifiable reality. If you take an accurate account of your progress, the numbers won’t lie. What have you been working on? Paying down our debt? Plodding your way through school? Now include all the victories along the way you hadn’t planned on. If you look at the big picture objectively, you’ll see you’ve covered some serious distance. That awareness can go a long way toward keeping you motivated. Sorry, Pal. You’re going to have to find a different excuse to be grumpy.
About Forest
Forest is available by appointment for personal astrology and tarot readings by visiting her website: NuiCobalt.com