Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Friday, February 8, 2013
Fall Out Boy is back?
I can't believe I am saying this but I am strangely happy that Fall Out Boy is back making music. Maybe it's because their music is about as rock as popular music gets and while I love how much alternative-type music has crossed over to the pop music landscape, true pop-rock tailor made for pop radio is exactly what the repetitive radio stations need most right now. While "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" really had the most nonsensical lyrics possible, the video above for Fall Out Boy's new single seems to signal that they are attempting a rebirth of their band. It's cool and it has a good beat and those two things alone should equate widespread success and appeal to the masses.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
A Drive 105 Playlist?
Twin Cities alternative radio station Drive 105, which had a five year run on the airwaves, may have now been gone for almost as long as it existed but today I happened across an 81 video YouTube playlist featuring just some of the rather unique flavor of alternative rock songs which the station featured.
The YouTube user who put this playlist together either has a fabulous memory or kept some sort of spreadsheet chronicling the interesting brand of alternative rock music which was put together for the station's small but somewhat loyal fan base.
Cool stuff that brings back more than a few memories with bands like The Bravery, Low Millions, Weezer, The Kooks, The Killers, Pete Yorn, Tegan and Sara, The Dresden Dolls, The Strokes and artists I had completely forgotten about like Rock Kills Kid, Luce, The Features, Agent Sparks, Razorlight and of course local favorite and The Voice alum Tim Mahoney!
The YouTube user who put this playlist together either has a fabulous memory or kept some sort of spreadsheet chronicling the interesting brand of alternative rock music which was put together for the station's small but somewhat loyal fan base.
Cool stuff that brings back more than a few memories with bands like The Bravery, Low Millions, Weezer, The Kooks, The Killers, Pete Yorn, Tegan and Sara, The Dresden Dolls, The Strokes and artists I had completely forgotten about like Rock Kills Kid, Luce, The Features, Agent Sparks, Razorlight and of course local favorite and The Voice alum Tim Mahoney!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Ellie Goulding bares her head-lights in sheer white dress
The “Lights” singer seemed unfazed by the bitter cold weather, however, there was one telling sign (or two) that the air was frigid.
Ellie made sure to show off all angles, exposing her boobs, nipples and underwear.
Monday, October 1, 2012
The constant of change
Music is powerful. It evokes memories of days gone by. It's music that marks milestones in our lives. Music, like our lives, is constantly changing too.
Music, just like breathing, is free. It is beamed in to our cars and homes for free. (Well, almost free. There are commercials and the small investment of a radio to consider.) It can open a world of possibilities and while we bemoan its current state of blandness and lack of energy, there are those occasional bits of genius that make an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of a few.
The passion about music is what breeds such an emotional attachment to it. The people who love it are most attached and losing what you loved and were so attached to can be heard in their voices when it hits them that change has hit and it's inevitable.
The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are often billed as a musical mecca. Sure, our fair cities are no Los Angeles or New York City. We can't claim that punk rock was born here. We can't lay claim to birthing an entire genre of music. Hell, it's a melting pot here with well-known acts such as Atmosphere, The Replacements, Husker Du, Lifter Puller, Soul Asylum, Tapes 'n Tapes and of course Prince hailing from here.
It only seems fitting that such a musically rich and diverse region would have an equally rich history of playing the genre-crossing rock and roll that has created memories for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans.
In the days gone by, radio was the choice for the average music fan to break the monotony of our two seasons. It would warm our cold souls during the winter months and follow us outside during the summer months. For many, music has been and always will be a constant companion. The fanatics will remember these pieces of Minnesota's musical history far better than I will as I have only read about them and write today from the perspective of a fan with much to learn.
Hearing the likes of recorded snippets from KJ104 (KJJO, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, St. Paul), it's hard to imagine life in the early 90s in the Twin Cities. This radio station which would become a whole host of other formats, landing as JACK-FM most recently, began in the modern heyday of rock music. They missed out on grunge rock as the plug was pulled in 1992 in favor of country but some of the forefathers of modern rock radio in the Twin Cities got their start there. I heard names such as Shelley Miller and BT mentioned during their farewell broadcast. They were a family and they loved what they did. They exposed Minnesotans to homegrown music and to music which wasn't being played elsewhere. The following was never huge but they were dedicated.
A two-year absence of modern rock followed but that drought was ended by the still-remembered REV 105. Yeah, the likes of BT, Mary Lucia, Brian Oake and again Shelley Miller surfaced here and poured their hearts in to the little station that could. Eventually three stations ringing the Twin Cities, REV 105 gained a foothold and a dedicated fan base. The staff knew the music and loved the music. The one thing they didn't have power over was the ownership who sold the station to ABC who ditched the modern/alternative rock format in favor of hard rock sending listeners to the closest thing available, 93.7 The Edge.
A mere nine months later, 105 was reborn as Zone 105 with a somewhat lighter and more "safe" alternative rock format. I still remember being scared to death as my friend's sister drove us down 35W faster than any sane person would drive as I heard Liz Phair coming through her car's speakers. From that moment on, I became a diehard alternative rock fan. As my trips to the Twin Cities became more frequent, I would enjoy whatever Zone 105 had to offer. Yes, even as they floundered around with various flavors of alt-rock and even in to alternative classics. Then one day it vanished. Replacing it was some classic R&B music. It sounded like a bad disco record.
Once again, though, the alternative rock returned. Having sustained my musical tastes for many years on a steady diet of CDs, I discovered one day on my return trip from visiting my girlfriend for the weekend that alternative rock was back on the 105s. Reborn this time as Drive 105, I remember hearing some older Smashing Pumpkins and The Ramones. Those weekends I spent in the Twin Cities, I'd be sure to check out Drive 105 and each time I tuned in, I heard something new that I liked. Sure, it wasn't the same as before but it worked for me. Slowly, my CD collection took a back seat to Drive 105. Even more so as I finally moved to the Twin Cities. I'd listen to 105.7 at work, 105.1 at home and around town and enjoyed it as the station took on an identity of its own instead of competing against Cities 97. Shelley Miller once again was a voice at the station and my ears, for the most part, were happy.
The music wasn't cutting edge but it wasn't being heard anywhere else in the Twin Cities.
Then came 2005 when Minnesota Public Radio and their deep wallets started their own station experimenting with flavors of alt-rock. 89.3 The Current was born and for over two years, I flipped between the two stations. When The Current began, I was exposed to Minnesota rapper Atmosphere and a host of other local music. The more mass appeal acts were on Drive 105. For me, the two stations co-existed well. If the music on one sucked, the other might be the place to be. They were three and five on my car radio's presets.
Then one day in May 2007, I flipped on my desk radio and heard the DJ on Drive 105 say a brief goodbye and that it had been fun. She played "Say it ain't so" by Weezer. It was the end of Drive 105. Hey, five years for alt-rock is a fabulous run. Sure, I was upset by the loss but after well over a year, 89.3 The Current itself has evolved. I still tune in every day to see how Mary Lucia will surprise me in the afternoon. Maybe alternative rock won't ever come back to the commercial airwaves but the listeners support The Current and it's my hope that as long as there is a fan base the music will live on to create more memories for the diehard music fans who still supplement their iPod listening with the tried and true radio.
************
Somehow, this lengthy post sat unpublished since 2008. Here it is if you care.
Music, just like breathing, is free. It is beamed in to our cars and homes for free. (Well, almost free. There are commercials and the small investment of a radio to consider.) It can open a world of possibilities and while we bemoan its current state of blandness and lack of energy, there are those occasional bits of genius that make an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of a few.
The passion about music is what breeds such an emotional attachment to it. The people who love it are most attached and losing what you loved and were so attached to can be heard in their voices when it hits them that change has hit and it's inevitable.
The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are often billed as a musical mecca. Sure, our fair cities are no Los Angeles or New York City. We can't claim that punk rock was born here. We can't lay claim to birthing an entire genre of music. Hell, it's a melting pot here with well-known acts such as Atmosphere, The Replacements, Husker Du, Lifter Puller, Soul Asylum, Tapes 'n Tapes and of course Prince hailing from here.
It only seems fitting that such a musically rich and diverse region would have an equally rich history of playing the genre-crossing rock and roll that has created memories for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans.
In the days gone by, radio was the choice for the average music fan to break the monotony of our two seasons. It would warm our cold souls during the winter months and follow us outside during the summer months. For many, music has been and always will be a constant companion. The fanatics will remember these pieces of Minnesota's musical history far better than I will as I have only read about them and write today from the perspective of a fan with much to learn.
Hearing the likes of recorded snippets from KJ104 (KJJO, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, St. Paul), it's hard to imagine life in the early 90s in the Twin Cities. This radio station which would become a whole host of other formats, landing as JACK-FM most recently, began in the modern heyday of rock music. They missed out on grunge rock as the plug was pulled in 1992 in favor of country but some of the forefathers of modern rock radio in the Twin Cities got their start there. I heard names such as Shelley Miller and BT mentioned during their farewell broadcast. They were a family and they loved what they did. They exposed Minnesotans to homegrown music and to music which wasn't being played elsewhere. The following was never huge but they were dedicated.
A two-year absence of modern rock followed but that drought was ended by the still-remembered REV 105. Yeah, the likes of BT, Mary Lucia, Brian Oake and again Shelley Miller surfaced here and poured their hearts in to the little station that could. Eventually three stations ringing the Twin Cities, REV 105 gained a foothold and a dedicated fan base. The staff knew the music and loved the music. The one thing they didn't have power over was the ownership who sold the station to ABC who ditched the modern/alternative rock format in favor of hard rock sending listeners to the closest thing available, 93.7 The Edge.
A mere nine months later, 105 was reborn as Zone 105 with a somewhat lighter and more "safe" alternative rock format. I still remember being scared to death as my friend's sister drove us down 35W faster than any sane person would drive as I heard Liz Phair coming through her car's speakers. From that moment on, I became a diehard alternative rock fan. As my trips to the Twin Cities became more frequent, I would enjoy whatever Zone 105 had to offer. Yes, even as they floundered around with various flavors of alt-rock and even in to alternative classics. Then one day it vanished. Replacing it was some classic R&B music. It sounded like a bad disco record.
Once again, though, the alternative rock returned. Having sustained my musical tastes for many years on a steady diet of CDs, I discovered one day on my return trip from visiting my girlfriend for the weekend that alternative rock was back on the 105s. Reborn this time as Drive 105, I remember hearing some older Smashing Pumpkins and The Ramones. Those weekends I spent in the Twin Cities, I'd be sure to check out Drive 105 and each time I tuned in, I heard something new that I liked. Sure, it wasn't the same as before but it worked for me. Slowly, my CD collection took a back seat to Drive 105. Even more so as I finally moved to the Twin Cities. I'd listen to 105.7 at work, 105.1 at home and around town and enjoyed it as the station took on an identity of its own instead of competing against Cities 97. Shelley Miller once again was a voice at the station and my ears, for the most part, were happy.
The music wasn't cutting edge but it wasn't being heard anywhere else in the Twin Cities.
Then came 2005 when Minnesota Public Radio and their deep wallets started their own station experimenting with flavors of alt-rock. 89.3 The Current was born and for over two years, I flipped between the two stations. When The Current began, I was exposed to Minnesota rapper Atmosphere and a host of other local music. The more mass appeal acts were on Drive 105. For me, the two stations co-existed well. If the music on one sucked, the other might be the place to be. They were three and five on my car radio's presets.
Then one day in May 2007, I flipped on my desk radio and heard the DJ on Drive 105 say a brief goodbye and that it had been fun. She played "Say it ain't so" by Weezer. It was the end of Drive 105. Hey, five years for alt-rock is a fabulous run. Sure, I was upset by the loss but after well over a year, 89.3 The Current itself has evolved. I still tune in every day to see how Mary Lucia will surprise me in the afternoon. Maybe alternative rock won't ever come back to the commercial airwaves but the listeners support The Current and it's my hope that as long as there is a fan base the music will live on to create more memories for the diehard music fans who still supplement their iPod listening with the tried and true radio.
************
Somehow, this lengthy post sat unpublished since 2008. Here it is if you care.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Music from the MySpace relaunch video
JJAMZ (pronounced juh-jams) is the band providing the soundtrack to today's MySpace relaunch video which, in itself, is pretty damn cool looking but what caught me was the music. The track, entitled Heartbeat, is catchy, infectious and seems to be custom-tailored for what MySpace is trying to achieve with their upcoming relaunch. The one lyric, "I haven't seen you in a long, long time" could be construed as meaning that the website has become a ghost town of sorts when compared to its mid-2000s heyday.
The video (below) for Heartbeat has a bit of a creepy vibe to it with an old man seeming to be chasing down a cute blond high schooler preparing for a dance.
As for the relaunch video for MySpace, it's cool as hell. If the website itself can live up to even half of the wow factor of the video touting the site's relaunch, MySpace can be a true competitor once again to Facebook and the up-and-coming Google+. The new MySpace, if it comes together as promised, has a mix of Pinterest, Facebook integration, a crisp feel due to the choice of the font package with photos at the forefront. I'm in if it can draw an audience compatible with my likings.
The video (below) for Heartbeat has a bit of a creepy vibe to it with an old man seeming to be chasing down a cute blond high schooler preparing for a dance.
As for the relaunch video for MySpace, it's cool as hell. If the website itself can live up to even half of the wow factor of the video touting the site's relaunch, MySpace can be a true competitor once again to Facebook and the up-and-coming Google+. The new MySpace, if it comes together as promised, has a mix of Pinterest, Facebook integration, a crisp feel due to the choice of the font package with photos at the forefront. I'm in if it can draw an audience compatible with my likings.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Frank Ocean - MTV VMA performance
Frank Ocean, whose music sort of defies genres, first made a splash in the music world a few weeks ago when it was announced that the mellow singer with R & B underpinnings announced that he was bisexual. Tonight, though, marked what I can only assume was his live television debut. While he didn't perform the song I am most familiar with, Lost, he has garnered all sorts of buzz from his MTV VMA performance of Thinking About You.
Frank Ocean makes his network television debut Saturday, September 15th where he will be the musical guest on the season debut of NBC's Saturday Night Live. The smart money is on Frank Ocean performing both Lost and Thinking About You.
Frank Ocean makes his network television debut Saturday, September 15th where he will be the musical guest on the season debut of NBC's Saturday Night Live. The smart money is on Frank Ocean performing both Lost and Thinking About You.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Why is Pussy Riot in jail?
The all-female Russian punk band Pussy Riot has landed themselves in jail. But it wasn't for what rock stars are typically jailed for. They didn't trash a hotel room or accost police or beat a fan or kill someone. Instead, they put on an impromptu performance at Moscow's Christ the Savior church -- performing what they called a "punk prayer".
From the description of the YouTube video below:
"Pussy Riot's gig at Christ the Saviour took place on 21 February. Five members broke into the Moscow cathedral, performing a "punk prayer" from the altar. Their song "Holy Shit" is a condemnation of the Russian Orthodox church's close ties to Putin. "Holy Mother, Blessed Virgin," they sang, "chase Putin out!" Three of them have been arrested for hooliganism and they could face up to seven years in jail."
I can see why Pussy Riot is so polarizing. Russia is a country which is very much rooted in their past which is very religious and politically backwards compared to the United States and many European countries. Punk music, at its heart, is supposed to be polarizing. It is supposed to question what is considered normal. Punk music like that of Pussy Riot is supposed to be loud and seem strange to the majority. It should ruffle feathers. It should not end in jail for the musicians performing it. Again, Pussy Riot didn't damage property or injure anyone. Yes, they did probably trespass but they also communicated their message that Putin must be chased out. For a democracy to be effective (like our own somewhat effective system of government) there must be changes in leadership and the simple fact that Putin is in his third term as president of RUssia tells me that the members of Pussy Riot have a valid message and that their arrest and subsequent jail time will be an embarrassment for Putin and the law enforcement members who pulled the band from the altar of Christ the Savior church.
From the description of the YouTube video below:
"Pussy Riot's gig at Christ the Saviour took place on 21 February. Five members broke into the Moscow cathedral, performing a "punk prayer" from the altar. Their song "Holy Shit" is a condemnation of the Russian Orthodox church's close ties to Putin. "Holy Mother, Blessed Virgin," they sang, "chase Putin out!" Three of them have been arrested for hooliganism and they could face up to seven years in jail."
I can see why Pussy Riot is so polarizing. Russia is a country which is very much rooted in their past which is very religious and politically backwards compared to the United States and many European countries. Punk music, at its heart, is supposed to be polarizing. It is supposed to question what is considered normal. Punk music like that of Pussy Riot is supposed to be loud and seem strange to the majority. It should ruffle feathers. It should not end in jail for the musicians performing it. Again, Pussy Riot didn't damage property or injure anyone. Yes, they did probably trespass but they also communicated their message that Putin must be chased out. For a democracy to be effective (like our own somewhat effective system of government) there must be changes in leadership and the simple fact that Putin is in his third term as president of RUssia tells me that the members of Pussy Riot have a valid message and that their arrest and subsequent jail time will be an embarrassment for Putin and the law enforcement members who pulled the band from the altar of Christ the Savior church.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Singer Jessie J - cameltoe
While I don't understand why British "singer" Jessie J is a star in her own country, much less here in the United States, her poor fashion choices make up for her lack of talent. For no other reason than spotting camel toe in her skin-tight spandex bodysuits, Jessie J at least makes for good conversation even if it does center solely on her lack of talent and the fact that she should take a look in the mirror before she hits the stage. Her performance during the London Olympics closing ceremony, like much of her other performances, was lackluster and her nude-colored bodysuit failed to reveal any camel toe but the purple number pictured below her Olympic disaster does show her camel toe.
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| Jessie J's nude colored Olympic body suit revealed no camel toe |
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| This purple catsuit does show off camel toe. |
Sunday, August 12, 2012
London Olympics closing ceremony
The 2012 London Olympics are officially over. With the closing ceremony -- yet to be shown here in the United States -- feeling much like a musical repeat of the 1990s, I have to say that London's big spectacle was definitely the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. When your closing ceremony features the likes of actor Eric Idle, Noel Gallagher formerly of rock group Oasis and The Spice Girls, that says to me that the heyday of England was about 15 years ago. Talk about clinging to the past. I was half expecting a hologram of The Beatles to perform while Winston Churchill addressed the crowd. At least The Spice Girls brought with them the possibility of some form of excitement -- I'm thinking nip slip or full-on wardrobe malfunction, maybe even some sort of below-the-waist flash revealing that Victoria Beckham likes to go commando but unfortunately there was nothing more than an appearance by the manufactured girl group showing off the fact that Melanie Brown (Scary Spice if you're nasty) hasn't been doing her cardio (at least Melanie Brown's outfit gave us the possibility of Scary Spice camel toe).
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| The Spice Grils performing at the London Olympics closing ceremony with out nip slips, wardrobe malfunctions of gratuitous nudity. |
Monday, May 14, 2012
FOX fall 2012-13 schedule
The FOX fall 2012-13 schedule has been officially released and while I like that three of their four comedies on Tuesday night (I've never been a fan of "Raising Hope") either sound or are truly solid shows and their Monday night schedule of the veteran "Bones" and newcomer "The Mob Doctor" should be a solid duo ("The Mob Doctor" stars Jordana Spiro previously of "My Boys" on TBS) I don't like the network's extremely heavy reliance on singing competitions.
American Idol did produce legitimate singers who went on to have solid careers - about 7 years ago - but the show is growing old. Ryan Seacrest must be on autopilot by this point and the judges are still a bunch of has-beens - only now they're has-beens who have nothing bad to say to the contestants. Seriously, most of these contestants need a heavy dose of reality - they will never amount to music stars. Sorry to dash your dreams Idol contestants but this show is all about the ratings now - making a star out of someone isn't even on the back burner, it's still in the box in a warehouse nearing its expiration date.
As for The X-Factor, that show is a non-starter. If it produces a legitimate, everyone knows this person's name kind of star, I'll shave my head, eyebrows and legs and wear a dress for a month because I know it won't produce a household name type of singing star. It just doesn't happen anymore. FOX's heavy reliance (3 hours each week nearly every week of the TV season?!?) will eventually knock them down. At least I hope so. But the tastes of the television viewing public are utter garbage so this trash sticks around.
Anyhow, below is the FOX fall 2012-13 schedule. Again, their timid slate of three new shows for the fall season is solid and should put them in second place behind CBS once again.
MONDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM THE MOB DOCTOR (new)
TUESDAY:
8:00-8:30 PM RAISING HOPE
8:30-9:00 PM BEN AND KATE (new)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (new)
THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason.
WEDNESDAY:
8:00-10:00 PM THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)
THURSDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE
FRIDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM TOUCH
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (fall)
HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.
SATURDAY:
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)
COPS returns in midseason.
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.
SUNDAY:
7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
American Idol did produce legitimate singers who went on to have solid careers - about 7 years ago - but the show is growing old. Ryan Seacrest must be on autopilot by this point and the judges are still a bunch of has-beens - only now they're has-beens who have nothing bad to say to the contestants. Seriously, most of these contestants need a heavy dose of reality - they will never amount to music stars. Sorry to dash your dreams Idol contestants but this show is all about the ratings now - making a star out of someone isn't even on the back burner, it's still in the box in a warehouse nearing its expiration date.
As for The X-Factor, that show is a non-starter. If it produces a legitimate, everyone knows this person's name kind of star, I'll shave my head, eyebrows and legs and wear a dress for a month because I know it won't produce a household name type of singing star. It just doesn't happen anymore. FOX's heavy reliance (3 hours each week nearly every week of the TV season?!?) will eventually knock them down. At least I hope so. But the tastes of the television viewing public are utter garbage so this trash sticks around.
Anyhow, below is the FOX fall 2012-13 schedule. Again, their timid slate of three new shows for the fall season is solid and should put them in second place behind CBS once again.
MONDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM THE MOB DOCTOR (new)
TUESDAY:
8:00-8:30 PM RAISING HOPE
8:30-9:00 PM BEN AND KATE (new)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (new)
THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason.
WEDNESDAY:
8:00-10:00 PM THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)
THURSDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE
FRIDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM TOUCH
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (fall)
HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.
SATURDAY:
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)
COPS returns in midseason.
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.
SUNDAY:
7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Will Against Me! survive Tom Gabel's transgender journey?
I was first introduced to the punk rock band Against Me! with the song featured above, "Don't Lose Touch". Gabel's vocals have a gutturat quality to them and the driving beat of the drums drew me to their music. I was totally blown away when they officially made it big with their breakthrough album featuring this song, "Thrash Unreal".
Again, more guttural vocals with a totally catchy hook and a kick-ass video with some equally meaningful lyrics about a young woman who has pissed her life away as a party girl. Imagine my surprise, though, when I cracked open my browser early this morning and see both Against Me! and lead singer Tom Gabel as hot search trends. Imagine my further shock to see that Tom Gabel publicly announced that he is dealing with gender dysphoria and considers himself to be transgendered and will be transitioning to life as a woman.
I have to think that this is a first in the rock world -- think about it, have you ever before heard of a straight-up punk rock band whose frontman has come forward as transgendered. While I'm all for people doing whatever it takes for them to be happy with the person they are, I have to wonder what this means for the band he has worked tirelessly to lead to success. What will become of Against Me!? Will Against Me! go forward as a band without Gabel/Laura Jane Grace? Will Laura Jane Grace (formerly Tom Gabel) continue to front the punk rock outfit and bring about attention to the struggles transgendered people face while still writing and performing truly amazing music? Only time will tell but Rolling Stone has an in-depth interview with Gabel so we'll all know shortly.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Madonna Superbowl halftime show
To summarize the Madonna Superbowl halftime show in one word is easy: bland. Madonna's career has now spanned four decades and the best she could do was put on a Superbowl halftime show which left me reaching for my remote and actually asking my wife to flip back to the Lifetime movie which I had pried her away from. And how in the holy hell did the hacks who make up schlock-rap due LMFAO get a spot alongside Madonna. It was a contrast of polar opposites. On one hand there's Madonna who is a legitimate performer with 30 years of experience and on the other hand there's LMFAO who are relative flashes in the pan. They've had two pop hits in the past calendar year and will likely be forgotten in five, hell, two years but they get to duet with Madonna for a few seconds because they guest on a track on Madonna's new CD? I could make my hair look entirely stupid and wear spandex too but I don't have a spot during the Superbowl halftime show with Madonna, do I?
All told, a Superbowl show featuring a recording artist who has a storied and deep career is the norm. We'll never see a Superbowl halftime show in my lifetime featuring a hot and now artist or a rising star in the music world. Instead we're subjected to an artist or band with a deep catalog of tracks because the Superbowl is about mass appeal. If it were anything else it would have all the popularity of the Puppy Bowl.
By the way, anyone know who won the Puppy Bowl? I was working.
All told, a Superbowl show featuring a recording artist who has a storied and deep career is the norm. We'll never see a Superbowl halftime show in my lifetime featuring a hot and now artist or a rising star in the music world. Instead we're subjected to an artist or band with a deep catalog of tracks because the Superbowl is about mass appeal. If it were anything else it would have all the popularity of the Puppy Bowl.
By the way, anyone know who won the Puppy Bowl? I was working.
Kelly Clarkson National Anthem Super Bowl 2012
Kelly Clarkson puts her own slight twist on the National Anthem prior to Superbowl XLVI. A damn good performance of the National Anthem at the Superbowl compared to some prior performances and Kelly Clarkson is a much more seasoned and talented performer than some who have belted out the National Anthem at the Superbowl.
As you can see, Kelly Clarkson is a much more suitable singer for the National Anthem at the Superbowl that someone like Jewel or Cher and especially Christina Aguilera who, in my opinion, ruined any chance of a comeback she had.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Amy Winehouse: the ticking time bomb
When I heard via a friend's smart phone late Saturday evening that Amy Winehouse had been found dead, I made some off-color remark about her death. You'd have to be an idiot if you didn't see her death coming from a mile away. Hell, I'm surprised that she held on this long. I had her in my death pool as far back as 2008.
But nobody at 27 years old deserves to die. It's sad to think that she peaked years earlier after winning a couple of Grammys for "Rehab" which was both catchy and an ode to her defiant, booze- and drug-fueled lifestyle. She had a ton of potential as an artist. Unfortunately she was surrounded with enablers.
To see that former druggie Russell Brand referred to Amy Winehouse as a "Fucking genius" may very well be true. It's just that, outside of her Grammy-winning "Rehab", we never saw that genius. Instead, we were treated to photos of her looking like death's sick cousin. Winehouse was often photographed wearing lingerie in public -- looking like she had no idea where she even was. She sported a tattoo in script that read "Blake" which was like a love note for her on-again off-again boyfriend Blake Fielder Civil. Sadly, their love of drugs was far stronger than their love for each other but when you're both fucked out of your minds on heroin you only care about your next fix and surpassing the high of the last one. Hell, it was pretty obvious that drugs were what kept them together and tore them apart and it is a decent guess that she died of a heroin overdose. I'll be shocked if the cause of death is something else.
It seems to me that, at least in part, Amy Winehouse didn't want to be helped. Maybe she was one of those types that felt that the heroin brought her creativity. Maybe Winehouse felt that the world would be better without her -- a sort of inferiority complex. Maybe she simply liked to tempt fate as reckless rock stars sometimes do. Whatever the case, she joined the 27 club this weekend along with the likes of Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
As one writer put it this weekend, "Why couldn't it have been Pete Doherty who died instead?"
But nobody at 27 years old deserves to die. It's sad to think that she peaked years earlier after winning a couple of Grammys for "Rehab" which was both catchy and an ode to her defiant, booze- and drug-fueled lifestyle. She had a ton of potential as an artist. Unfortunately she was surrounded with enablers.
To see that former druggie Russell Brand referred to Amy Winehouse as a "Fucking genius" may very well be true. It's just that, outside of her Grammy-winning "Rehab", we never saw that genius. Instead, we were treated to photos of her looking like death's sick cousin. Winehouse was often photographed wearing lingerie in public -- looking like she had no idea where she even was. She sported a tattoo in script that read "Blake" which was like a love note for her on-again off-again boyfriend Blake Fielder Civil. Sadly, their love of drugs was far stronger than their love for each other but when you're both fucked out of your minds on heroin you only care about your next fix and surpassing the high of the last one. Hell, it was pretty obvious that drugs were what kept them together and tore them apart and it is a decent guess that she died of a heroin overdose. I'll be shocked if the cause of death is something else.
It seems to me that, at least in part, Amy Winehouse didn't want to be helped. Maybe she was one of those types that felt that the heroin brought her creativity. Maybe Winehouse felt that the world would be better without her -- a sort of inferiority complex. Maybe she simply liked to tempt fate as reckless rock stars sometimes do. Whatever the case, she joined the 27 club this weekend along with the likes of Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
As one writer put it this weekend, "Why couldn't it have been Pete Doherty who died instead?"
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The music of the 1990s is making a comeback
It's hard to believe that we are a whole ten years removed from the last No Doubt album (Rock Steady) which some people say is a normal evolution for what was once a ska-based band but I felt that Rock Steady was the final step in the band changing their sound to appeal to a far wider swath of the population. Sure, that move led to huge sales numbers and radio play (not to mention launching Gwen Stefani's short-lived pop career) but the typical fans of pop music consume that music in heavy doses but do so for only a short time before quickly moving on to the next new thing.
Hopefully No Doubt will return to the pop/ska roots with their sixth album due out in mere weeks. Maybe the sounds of the 90s which I came of age during are bound for a comeback.
I keep hoping that's true as one of my favorite bands, Blink 182, are supposedly releasing a new album this year. I'm not holding my breath on it. They originally announced their reformation during the 2009 Grammy Awards and had already been writing at that point in time. Two-plus years to produce a new album is an insanely long time but I truly loved their final album, the self-titled effort which yielded their most mature songwriting to date and possibly my favorite Blink 182 song, Always.
Blink is on tour this summer and the album's first single is due to be released sometime this month. I'll believe it when I hear it (because I'm forever a skeptic) but this is one of t hose rare songs I am eager to hear.
Then there's The Red Hot Chili Peppers. They began as a band in the early 1980s but didn't become widely popular in the wide world of rock music until the late 1980s with the release of Mother's Milk and achieved what many call "superstardom" in the early 1990s with the release of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. From that point -- even with members leaving and rejoining -- RHCP were hugely popular. I really latched on to them as a band with 1999's Californication and 2002's By The Way.
I'm throwing The Red Hot Chili Peppers in, even though they have spanned three decades already, because the band reached their pinnacle of popularity and refined their sound in the 1990s. They are one of those bands who I also can't wait to hear what they come up with next. 2006's Stadium Arcadium was a decent effort but, due to the demise of many alternative-rock radio stations and the further fragmentation of musical genres, the album never reached a wide audience and it's a shame because it did spawn three or four spectacular tracks which live on my iPod.
Their new album, I'm With You, is supposed to be released on August 30th.
Maybe the 1990s are making a comeback. Oh, sure, three bands whose popularity peaked in the 1990s releasing new work ten-plus years later doesn't make a trend but to me it does. If you were to look at my CD collection you'd notice that the bulk of the 500 or so CDs were released in the 90s. I padded my collection into the early 2000s but a couple years in to the decade I had made the move to digital tracks and had slowed my spending on music. That's probably fairly typical as people's priorities change but I am welcoming the return of some of the band which I sort of grew up with.
Welcome back 90s, welcome back.
Hopefully No Doubt will return to the pop/ska roots with their sixth album due out in mere weeks. Maybe the sounds of the 90s which I came of age during are bound for a comeback.
I keep hoping that's true as one of my favorite bands, Blink 182, are supposedly releasing a new album this year. I'm not holding my breath on it. They originally announced their reformation during the 2009 Grammy Awards and had already been writing at that point in time. Two-plus years to produce a new album is an insanely long time but I truly loved their final album, the self-titled effort which yielded their most mature songwriting to date and possibly my favorite Blink 182 song, Always.
Blink is on tour this summer and the album's first single is due to be released sometime this month. I'll believe it when I hear it (because I'm forever a skeptic) but this is one of t hose rare songs I am eager to hear.
Then there's The Red Hot Chili Peppers. They began as a band in the early 1980s but didn't become widely popular in the wide world of rock music until the late 1980s with the release of Mother's Milk and achieved what many call "superstardom" in the early 1990s with the release of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. From that point -- even with members leaving and rejoining -- RHCP were hugely popular. I really latched on to them as a band with 1999's Californication and 2002's By The Way.
I'm throwing The Red Hot Chili Peppers in, even though they have spanned three decades already, because the band reached their pinnacle of popularity and refined their sound in the 1990s. They are one of those bands who I also can't wait to hear what they come up with next. 2006's Stadium Arcadium was a decent effort but, due to the demise of many alternative-rock radio stations and the further fragmentation of musical genres, the album never reached a wide audience and it's a shame because it did spawn three or four spectacular tracks which live on my iPod.
Their new album, I'm With You, is supposed to be released on August 30th.
Maybe the 1990s are making a comeback. Oh, sure, three bands whose popularity peaked in the 1990s releasing new work ten-plus years later doesn't make a trend but to me it does. If you were to look at my CD collection you'd notice that the bulk of the 500 or so CDs were released in the 90s. I padded my collection into the early 2000s but a couple years in to the decade I had made the move to digital tracks and had slowed my spending on music. That's probably fairly typical as people's priorities change but I am welcoming the return of some of the band which I sort of grew up with.
Welcome back 90s, welcome back.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Kelly Clarkson – National Anthem – NBA Finals
It's rare that I'd actually pay attention to the NBA, much less the playoff or the NBA Finals which seem to drag on to almost July but tonight, with the Dallas Mavericks at home playing the Miami Heat who did their best to buy a championship this year and are leading the series 2-1, it caught my attention.
With the only American Idol winner that actually matters, Kelly Clarkson, singing the national anthem -- and doing it effortlessly and flawlessly -- the Fort Worth, Texas native proved that AMerican Idol should simply turn off the lights and move the crew over to some tacky game show where people open barrels -- each containing snakes or ten million dollars. Of course my ideas might need some polishing but Kelly Clarkson's singing doesn't need any work. Plus, she looks damn good doing what she does.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Tim Mahoney's big break happens Tuesday
When I first heard him on the now-gone Drive 105, I turned my radio up a bit. When I heard the afternoon DJ announce the artists in the previous block of music I was blown away. Holy shit, I said to myself, Tim Mahoney stepped up his game for that track. When his CD, Stay/Leave, landed at Target, I snapped up a copy and when I was organizing my disheveled CD rack yesterday I took note of that disc and how it thanks former Drive 105 DJ J.P. The Radio Slave for getting him on the air on an actual radio station and making him at least regionally popular.
Tomorrow night, though, Tim Mahoney takes to the national stage on NBC's surprise hit The Voice.
His music, especially Piece of You, has the core elements of an excellent rock song with the memorable and sing-along lyrics of a good pop song. He's the type of Twin Cities musician who deserves to be on the larger, national stage and I hope that his national television debut tomorrow night on NBC proves to be successful for him. Check it out locally on KARE-11 at 8 PM C/T.
Tomorrow night, though, Tim Mahoney takes to the national stage on NBC's surprise hit The Voice.
His music, especially Piece of You, has the core elements of an excellent rock song with the memorable and sing-along lyrics of a good pop song. He's the type of Twin Cities musician who deserves to be on the larger, national stage and I hope that his national television debut tomorrow night on NBC proves to be successful for him. Check it out locally on KARE-11 at 8 PM C/T.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Simon Cowell's X Factor tries to silence The Voice
The timing of Simon Cowell announcing his rather lackluster judging panel for the American debut of The X Factor debuting on FOX this fall is convenient. The smug British bastard is a master of timing, publicity and manipulation. While still at the helm of American Idol, he shook things up with the departure of the constantly drunk Paula Abdul and the addition of Ellen Degeneres and that other woman whose name nobody can remember (Karen Dioguardi).
Apparently d Paula Abdul was ditched from Idol a couple years back for no other reason than for her to be a free agent when it came time for Cowell to Americanize The X Factor. But with a judge panel consisting of record producer L.A. Reid, British X Factor judge Cheryl Cole who is a nobody here in the states and experienced judge and laughingstock Paula Abdul, The X Factor seems rather bland. Where's the gimmick? At least NBC's The Voice has blind auditions and "mentors" (Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera) who area t least recognizable names to the target audience. While I don't expect The Voice to do even remotely well when it premieres tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8 PM C/T on NBC, I don't think the announcement of Cowell's latest batch of judges is going to seal its fate.
Both shows are essentially the same and they both are copies of American Idol which itself is a hyped-up version of Star Search done in the vein of a classy karoake competition. If I want to see people singing along to songs I already know, I'll stroll a few blocks and catch karoake night at the neighborhood bar. But if I want to see carbon copies of singing shows, I'll watch both American Idol and The X Factor because from an outsider's perspective they are both the same and both shows are utter garbage. Hell, even the local county fair has a singing contest and at least there I don't have to witness smug pricks past their prime judging the singing.
If I had a gun to my head and had to choose, I'd say that NBC's The Voice has the edge when it comes to originality but it also has a significant handicap -- it's on NBC. If I had to choose one of the three to watch, I'd put a bullet in my TV and finally admit that TV has run its course as a viable form of entertainment.
Apparently d Paula Abdul was ditched from Idol a couple years back for no other reason than for her to be a free agent when it came time for Cowell to Americanize The X Factor. But with a judge panel consisting of record producer L.A. Reid, British X Factor judge Cheryl Cole who is a nobody here in the states and experienced judge and laughingstock Paula Abdul, The X Factor seems rather bland. Where's the gimmick? At least NBC's The Voice has blind auditions and "mentors" (Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera) who area t least recognizable names to the target audience. While I don't expect The Voice to do even remotely well when it premieres tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8 PM C/T on NBC, I don't think the announcement of Cowell's latest batch of judges is going to seal its fate.
Both shows are essentially the same and they both are copies of American Idol which itself is a hyped-up version of Star Search done in the vein of a classy karoake competition. If I want to see people singing along to songs I already know, I'll stroll a few blocks and catch karoake night at the neighborhood bar. But if I want to see carbon copies of singing shows, I'll watch both American Idol and The X Factor because from an outsider's perspective they are both the same and both shows are utter garbage. Hell, even the local county fair has a singing contest and at least there I don't have to witness smug pricks past their prime judging the singing.
If I had a gun to my head and had to choose, I'd say that NBC's The Voice has the edge when it comes to originality but it also has a significant handicap -- it's on NBC. If I had to choose one of the three to watch, I'd put a bullet in my TV and finally admit that TV has run its course as a viable form of entertainment.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The unwatchable halftime show
Are The Black Eyed Peas actually that bad or are the acoustics of Cowboy Stadium just not up to par for a concert-like setting. Either way, the performance of The Black Eyed Peas during tonight's Super Bowl 45 halftime show was the perfect display of how autotune has taken over popular music. From what I witnessed, none of the four-person group could carry a note, much less a tune.
While it was refreshing to see the NFL take a step back from the worn-out has-beens they've been subjecting fans to ever since Janet Jackson pulled out her crusty old nipple a few years ago, The Black Eyed Peas are a sorry excuse for what passes as music in today's culture. They are the epitome of everything that's wrong with the music industry, radio and the concert business. If I had paid money to see the Black Eyed Peas in concert, I would have demanded a refund of double the original ticket price. That display of talentless nobodies made famous by technology makes me almost yearn for the barely-alive presence of The Who from last year's Super Bowl halftime show.
While it was refreshing to see the NFL take a step back from the worn-out has-beens they've been subjecting fans to ever since Janet Jackson pulled out her crusty old nipple a few years ago, The Black Eyed Peas are a sorry excuse for what passes as music in today's culture. They are the epitome of everything that's wrong with the music industry, radio and the concert business. If I had paid money to see the Black Eyed Peas in concert, I would have demanded a refund of double the original ticket price. That display of talentless nobodies made famous by technology makes me almost yearn for the barely-alive presence of The Who from last year's Super Bowl halftime show.
Monday, January 31, 2011
One-namers must have a name ending in a vowel
As I drove to work today, infuriated by stupid drivers whom I wished bad tidings upon, I contemplated the names of famous musicians who go by one name.
I immediately thought of Madonna, Bono, Prince and Kesha. I began noticing a trend. Their names all end in a vowel. Right then, my mind kicked in to high gear as I began trying to think of a musician whose single name would throw a wrench into this theory. I flipped through my presets and heard Rihanna. This was beginning to move from coincidence to trend.
I did some more research to see if this trend could be confirmed as some sort of rule created inside my head. I scoured music logs from a few pop music radio stations. I came across Flo-Rida, Beyonce, Nelly (hey, Ys are sometimes a vowel), Drake and Orianthi.
But then I noticed some other one-name artists who didn't fit the mold. There was Usher, Pink, Akon and Eminem. But even with those four who didn't fit my rule of one-name artists having to end their name with a vowel I have to call the vowel to end a single-name artist to be successful at least a trend. At best, Usher and Akon are flashes in teh pan in the past decade or even less time. Madonna, Bono, Prince and to a lesser extent Rihanna and Beyonce trump any one-name artist whose name ends in a consonant.
So there you have it, this is the kind of crap I think about when I'm left alone with my thoughts.
I immediately thought of Madonna, Bono, Prince and Kesha. I began noticing a trend. Their names all end in a vowel. Right then, my mind kicked in to high gear as I began trying to think of a musician whose single name would throw a wrench into this theory. I flipped through my presets and heard Rihanna. This was beginning to move from coincidence to trend.
I did some more research to see if this trend could be confirmed as some sort of rule created inside my head. I scoured music logs from a few pop music radio stations. I came across Flo-Rida, Beyonce, Nelly (hey, Ys are sometimes a vowel), Drake and Orianthi.
But then I noticed some other one-name artists who didn't fit the mold. There was Usher, Pink, Akon and Eminem. But even with those four who didn't fit my rule of one-name artists having to end their name with a vowel I have to call the vowel to end a single-name artist to be successful at least a trend. At best, Usher and Akon are flashes in teh pan in the past decade or even less time. Madonna, Bono, Prince and to a lesser extent Rihanna and Beyonce trump any one-name artist whose name ends in a consonant.
So there you have it, this is the kind of crap I think about when I'm left alone with my thoughts.
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