Courtesy Of theprp.com:
Thursday have posted a teaser for their upcoming album "Common Existence" online here. The album is slated to arrive in stores on February 17th through Epitaph.
I heard the original title of the album was "Why Are We Still A Band? Nobody Cares Anymore," but Hed Pe already took that name.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
A Second Blog?
The rumors are true.
I have a second blog dedicated to my noon feature here at WYSP, "8 From The 80's."
It can be found HERE:
http://8fromthe80s.blogspot.com/
I have a second blog dedicated to my noon feature here at WYSP, "8 From The 80's."
It can be found HERE:
http://8fromthe80s.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Having Trouble Finding A Christmas Present?
Maybe for the wife?
For the girlfriend?
For Mom?
Clearly, Planned Parenthood has the answer:
You know the feeling when you open up a card and there's a check or a gift certificate inside. The first thought is "where is it to, " and the second thought is "how much is it for?"
"Thanks so much! I can't believe it! A 3 abortion gift card!"
Nothing says "you're irresponsible" or "you're a whore" like a Planned Parenthood gift card.
For the girlfriend?
For Mom?
Clearly, Planned Parenthood has the answer:
You know the feeling when you open up a card and there's a check or a gift certificate inside. The first thought is "where is it to, " and the second thought is "how much is it for?"
"Thanks so much! I can't believe it! A 3 abortion gift card!"
Nothing says "you're irresponsible" or "you're a whore" like a Planned Parenthood gift card.
Third Eye Blind... Bad
At one point, I enjoyed Third Eye Blind's music.
I liked the debut album, and I liked Blue.
In fact, I still like both albums.
However, somewhere in between those albums and now, Third Eye Blind became unlistenable. I'll admit, I didn't listen to the last record, and I've only heard one song from the new record, but it actually made me angry. Take a listen to "Non-Dairy Creamer." Yes, it's really called that.
Aside from the lyrics, which are mostly blatant and political, or blatant and silly, depending on your perspective (maybe both), there's something that's so incredibly unlikeable about his voice. It's the same voice from back in the day, with the same inflection (incidentally, don't ever make the mistake of seeing them live), but somehow it's like nails on a chalkboard to me now.
Also, he used to sleep with Charlize Theron, which infuriates me on several levels.
I liked the debut album, and I liked Blue.
In fact, I still like both albums.
However, somewhere in between those albums and now, Third Eye Blind became unlistenable. I'll admit, I didn't listen to the last record, and I've only heard one song from the new record, but it actually made me angry. Take a listen to "Non-Dairy Creamer." Yes, it's really called that.
Aside from the lyrics, which are mostly blatant and political, or blatant and silly, depending on your perspective (maybe both), there's something that's so incredibly unlikeable about his voice. It's the same voice from back in the day, with the same inflection (incidentally, don't ever make the mistake of seeing them live), but somehow it's like nails on a chalkboard to me now.
Also, he used to sleep with Charlize Theron, which infuriates me on several levels.
Vince Neil On GNR
I found this Vince Neil quote (courtesy of MTV News) particularly funny...
"The thing about GUNS N' ROSES is, it's not really GUNS N' ROSES. If Slash and Duff were still in it, I'd be a little more excited. Hopefully, it's a good album. I hope it's worth it, because they spent a lot of money and a lot of time on it. I like to record in two weeks, so I never second-guess myself."
Now, if I remember correctly, Vince Neil is in Motley Crue. If I remember correctly, Vince Neil is the singer of Motley Crue. But if I remember correctly, there was a Motley Crue album with a guy singing who is not Vince Neil (his name was John Corabi).
I also remember Motley Crue recording and touring with a drummer who is not Tommy Lee. In fact, I remember Motley Crue having two other drummers who are not Tommy Lee (their names were Randy Castillo and Samantha Maloney).
I like Vince Neil. I like Motley Crue. It just seems like those in glass houses...
Friday, November 21, 2008
Chinese Democracy - The Actual Review
So I'm three listens in, and it's time for the review.
You know the story. The last, real, full length Guns N' Roses album came out in 1992, so on some level, Chinese Democracy has been 16 years in the making.
There are plenty of people who will say that this band is NOT Guns N' Roses, and this is an Axl Rose solo album. I don't really care what it's called. For what it's worth, the largest part of Guns N' Roses is Axl Rose. I don't think it matters to me whether the the album is named after GNR or Axl. I'd want to hear it exactly the same. It's more fun that it's called Guns N' Roses.
So with great anticipation, I've listened to the record 3 times since I got it on Wednesday.
Something's missing.
I don't think that something is Slash. I don't think it's Izzy. I don't think it's Duff. I mean, it's missing those things, but I don't think by and large, that's the reason for what's missing.
It's just missing feeling. It's sterile. There are good songs. Well written, impeccably performed songs. There's nothing really "wrong" with any of the songs. There are some really good songs, a couple of average songs, and on the whole, it's a really solid album.
"Street Of Dreams," used to be called "The Blues," in all of its leaked versions. It's a grand, heartfelt, mid-tempo power ballad. There's no reason why this song shouldn't live on like "Don't Cry" did. Except that it's missing whatever that thing "Don't Cry" had. I don't buy it. It doesn't make me care. "Estranged" and "November Rain" were overblown and gaudy, they were overproduced, but they somehow, beyond all of that, felt sincere. They felt like he believed in them. They weren't just well written songs.
I like "Better," and I've liked it since I heard it what, almost 2 years ago. It seems to have 2 minutes of waste at the end of it, but it's a good song. There's something that keeps it from being great though. It doesn't have the chorus of "Sweet Child O' Mine," and it doesn't really have the feeling either. Again, it's a good song, and I'll listen to it a lot, but it doesn't really connect for me.
"Chinese Democracy," and "Scraped" are ass kickers. They sound good loud. They do not however, kick ass like "Welcome To The Jungle," "Garden Of Eden," or "Get In The Ring." Good songs, I just don't know what he's mad at. I have troulbe believing he's actually mad at anything.
"Catcher In The Rye," "IRS" and "There Was A Time," all good songs. All good songs that I like listening to, that don't make me feel anything.
Even without the comparisons of the past, I feel like the thought would be the same. I feel like the comparisons are just a good way to express the point.
I think it's a worthwhile buy, and I'd like to see the songs live. It's an album that has been slaved over for years, played on by tens of artists, and re-written and re-produced countless number of times. So technically, it sounds flawless. I guess that's the point. Rock N' Roll isn't supposed to be flawless.
You know the story. The last, real, full length Guns N' Roses album came out in 1992, so on some level, Chinese Democracy has been 16 years in the making.
There are plenty of people who will say that this band is NOT Guns N' Roses, and this is an Axl Rose solo album. I don't really care what it's called. For what it's worth, the largest part of Guns N' Roses is Axl Rose. I don't think it matters to me whether the the album is named after GNR or Axl. I'd want to hear it exactly the same. It's more fun that it's called Guns N' Roses.
So with great anticipation, I've listened to the record 3 times since I got it on Wednesday.
Something's missing.
I don't think that something is Slash. I don't think it's Izzy. I don't think it's Duff. I mean, it's missing those things, but I don't think by and large, that's the reason for what's missing.
It's just missing feeling. It's sterile. There are good songs. Well written, impeccably performed songs. There's nothing really "wrong" with any of the songs. There are some really good songs, a couple of average songs, and on the whole, it's a really solid album.
"Street Of Dreams," used to be called "The Blues," in all of its leaked versions. It's a grand, heartfelt, mid-tempo power ballad. There's no reason why this song shouldn't live on like "Don't Cry" did. Except that it's missing whatever that thing "Don't Cry" had. I don't buy it. It doesn't make me care. "Estranged" and "November Rain" were overblown and gaudy, they were overproduced, but they somehow, beyond all of that, felt sincere. They felt like he believed in them. They weren't just well written songs.
I like "Better," and I've liked it since I heard it what, almost 2 years ago. It seems to have 2 minutes of waste at the end of it, but it's a good song. There's something that keeps it from being great though. It doesn't have the chorus of "Sweet Child O' Mine," and it doesn't really have the feeling either. Again, it's a good song, and I'll listen to it a lot, but it doesn't really connect for me.
"Chinese Democracy," and "Scraped" are ass kickers. They sound good loud. They do not however, kick ass like "Welcome To The Jungle," "Garden Of Eden," or "Get In The Ring." Good songs, I just don't know what he's mad at. I have troulbe believing he's actually mad at anything.
"Catcher In The Rye," "IRS" and "There Was A Time," all good songs. All good songs that I like listening to, that don't make me feel anything.
Even without the comparisons of the past, I feel like the thought would be the same. I feel like the comparisons are just a good way to express the point.
I think it's a worthwhile buy, and I'd like to see the songs live. It's an album that has been slaved over for years, played on by tens of artists, and re-written and re-produced countless number of times. So technically, it sounds flawless. I guess that's the point. Rock N' Roll isn't supposed to be flawless.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Billy Corgan Has Lost His Mind
I don't know if you've seen this:
Or if you've seen this:
But they are both examples of the Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan losing his mind.
Billy decided to "reunite" Smashing Pumpkins a couple of years ago, make a record and tour. Now the reason I said "reunite" the Smashing Pumpkins, is because it's not a reunion at all. It's just Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin. Now, that doesn't even particularly bother me. Smashing Pumpkins always was, and always will be be Billy Corgan.
So the Pumpkins are currently on a 20th Anniversary tour. In celebration of this Anniversary, it seems as if the Pumpkins have decided to launch an assault on their fans. First, they've decided to play a bunch of songs that nobody cares about. Instead of celebrating what made the band great in the first place, he's decided to play long versions of sub-par new songs, and cover songs done in all kazoo. He's then decided to charge a lot of money for tickets to these shows. Somehow, Billy is surprised that fans are disappointed with the show.
The confusion Billy has is based in his refusal to accept the fact that even his most loyal, most current fans, don't care about his new material. The reason for that is probably two-fold. First of all, no matter how good the new material is, a 30 year old guy who grew up on Gish and Siamese Dream is never going to care MORE about the new stuff than that stuff. The second part though is that the new material isn't very good. Metallica fans seem to have no problem hearing the new songs, when they're good. AC/DC played 4 or 5 new songs the other night when I saw them, and I didn't hear one fan boo.
Billy mentions in the first video that he doesn't know what the fans want. Seems like a simple answer to me. They want the Smashing Pumpkins to play the Smashing Pumpkins songs they like. Fans aren't that hard to figure out.
There's nothing worse than an artist that thinks he knows what his fans want better than the actual fans do. Billy has become that artist. He not only is unable to figure out what the audience wants, but when they tell him, he becomes belligerent and obnoxious.
Also, why does he wear a fucking dress?
Or if you've seen this:
But they are both examples of the Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan losing his mind.
Billy decided to "reunite" Smashing Pumpkins a couple of years ago, make a record and tour. Now the reason I said "reunite" the Smashing Pumpkins, is because it's not a reunion at all. It's just Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin. Now, that doesn't even particularly bother me. Smashing Pumpkins always was, and always will be be Billy Corgan.
So the Pumpkins are currently on a 20th Anniversary tour. In celebration of this Anniversary, it seems as if the Pumpkins have decided to launch an assault on their fans. First, they've decided to play a bunch of songs that nobody cares about. Instead of celebrating what made the band great in the first place, he's decided to play long versions of sub-par new songs, and cover songs done in all kazoo. He's then decided to charge a lot of money for tickets to these shows. Somehow, Billy is surprised that fans are disappointed with the show.
The confusion Billy has is based in his refusal to accept the fact that even his most loyal, most current fans, don't care about his new material. The reason for that is probably two-fold. First of all, no matter how good the new material is, a 30 year old guy who grew up on Gish and Siamese Dream is never going to care MORE about the new stuff than that stuff. The second part though is that the new material isn't very good. Metallica fans seem to have no problem hearing the new songs, when they're good. AC/DC played 4 or 5 new songs the other night when I saw them, and I didn't hear one fan boo.
Billy mentions in the first video that he doesn't know what the fans want. Seems like a simple answer to me. They want the Smashing Pumpkins to play the Smashing Pumpkins songs they like. Fans aren't that hard to figure out.
There's nothing worse than an artist that thinks he knows what his fans want better than the actual fans do. Billy has become that artist. He not only is unable to figure out what the audience wants, but when they tell him, he becomes belligerent and obnoxious.
Also, why does he wear a fucking dress?
Chinese Democracy - A Review
As I said yesterday, this might be the last release ever that I get this excited for.
The kind of release where I refuse to listen to the leaked version. The kind of release where I want the actual CD, with the actual booklet, and the actual artwork handy while I listen to it.
I distinctly remember buying the GNR Lies cassette at the Granite Run Mall, and rushing home to listen to it. I remember looking at the liner notes as I listened. Though I enjoy the technology of having music being instant and portable, there's certainly a part of me that misses that process.
So I guess that's what I was trying to recapture yesterday. I can't imagine another release that would create the anticipation (from me at least) that Chinese Democracy did. A band that if they had stayed together, almost certainly would have been more important to me than Metallica.
So I decided even though the album leaked on Tuesday, I would not listen to it. I would wait for my CD copy, which arrived yesterday. I even tried to forget the fact that of the 14 songs on the record, I've heard versions of 8 of the songs already due to previous leaks. I put that aside. I put it all aside, and sat down on my couch, with the booklet, to listen.
Unfortunately, that's where this review stops. I don't really know what to write, because I don't entirely know what I think. I guess there are times where I can listen to an album once and know what I think of it. To be truthful though, I've always been amazed at album reviews that come at one full listen, if that. Some of my favorite albums, I haven't liked until I've had for months.
So, I don't know what I think. I know there are songs I liked. I know there are songs I didn't love. I know, or I think I know that I like the album. But I'm not sure. Plus, I have the new Killers and David Cook albums to listen to as well.
I'll give the album more listens over the weekend, and be back with a real review on Monday. I know you'll be on the edge of your seat.
The kind of release where I refuse to listen to the leaked version. The kind of release where I want the actual CD, with the actual booklet, and the actual artwork handy while I listen to it.
I distinctly remember buying the GNR Lies cassette at the Granite Run Mall, and rushing home to listen to it. I remember looking at the liner notes as I listened. Though I enjoy the technology of having music being instant and portable, there's certainly a part of me that misses that process.
So I guess that's what I was trying to recapture yesterday. I can't imagine another release that would create the anticipation (from me at least) that Chinese Democracy did. A band that if they had stayed together, almost certainly would have been more important to me than Metallica.
So I decided even though the album leaked on Tuesday, I would not listen to it. I would wait for my CD copy, which arrived yesterday. I even tried to forget the fact that of the 14 songs on the record, I've heard versions of 8 of the songs already due to previous leaks. I put that aside. I put it all aside, and sat down on my couch, with the booklet, to listen.
Unfortunately, that's where this review stops. I don't really know what to write, because I don't entirely know what I think. I guess there are times where I can listen to an album once and know what I think of it. To be truthful though, I've always been amazed at album reviews that come at one full listen, if that. Some of my favorite albums, I haven't liked until I've had for months.
So, I don't know what I think. I know there are songs I liked. I know there are songs I didn't love. I know, or I think I know that I like the album. But I'm not sure. Plus, I have the new Killers and David Cook albums to listen to as well.
I'll give the album more listens over the weekend, and be back with a real review on Monday. I know you'll be on the edge of your seat.
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