Spike's Blog

Artie Vs. Buck

2009-06-16T10:13:00.001-07:00

Train Wreck Artie Lange on Joe Buck Live
by bobsblitz

Part 2 is here:

http://deadspin.com/5292467/watch-artie-lange-crap-all-over-joe-bucks-first-show?

Limp Bizkit Is REALLY Back

2009-06-09T06:20:00.003-07:00

I love it. Don't hate me.

Old Spike Stories 2 - Dead Ipod Battery

2009-05-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Dead iPod Battery... A Tribute

From the title you might be guessing that I'm writing a tribute to a fallen iPod, much in the same way that I wrote a blog as a tribute to a padlock. That'd be wrong. Though when the day comes that one of my 2 current iPods actually dies, you can expect a long writing about it. My iPods are probably the important material posession that I own. I own two because I have a real one, and a shuffle for when I run. That's right. Two of them. Running with a big iPod is a pain in the ass.

Anyway, I'll get to the real point of the tribute halfway through. Maybe it'll be at the end. I don't have it mapped out. I'm starting this one off with a story.

"Want to do you... right where you're standing... YEAH!" - Say Anything

I was in Los Angeles this weekend for my brother's graduation from USC. As he reminded me several times, he was the first one in the family to graduate on time. SUE ME. I transferred, I lost a few credits, I didn't work very hard at making them up, so I stayed at Syracuse an extra semester. That, and I failed Music Appreciation. No joke. That class was bullshit though, seriously. Well I showed that guy. Now I pick the music for the masses. VICTORY. I'll show you music appreciation, asshole. Appreciate DAUGHTRY. In any case, I was in LA for a few days to visit with my brother. On Sunday morning, we decided to go take a run at what I THINK was Manhattan Beach.

"Cause I'm young and I'm black, and my hat's real low. Do I look like a mind reader sir? I don't know." - Jay-Z

We had been there once before a couple of years ago. Jason is a better runner than I am. He's got a couple of years experience on me. He was pretty much my inspiration to run. He decided one day while in college, on a bet, to run the Los Angeles Marathon. He trained for about 6 weeks. A week before, he couldn't even walk because of shin splints. The kid finished the race. He's a badass. Another time, at an Ultramarathon in California (a 50k), he passed out around mile 26 from heat exhaustion. A couple of hours later, after he came to, he got up, and finished the race. He's a badass. He's also my brother. He's also an idiot. Just like me. He's pretty much what I would have been had I had me for an older brother. If that makes any sense.

"What if I wanted to break?" - 30 Seconds To Mars

So in any case we roll up to the beach, both with seperate iPod Shuffles. I had given mine to him the night before to charge at his computer, because mine had gotten very low. He swears he did it. I think he's a fucking liar. Why do I think he's a liar? Because about one mile into a 7 or so mile run, mine dies. Let me explain what a big deal this is. We both have our retarded little things we do while we run. I sing, LOUD. I swing my arms. I get into it. I'm not underestimating this. It's exactly what it sounds like. Jason doesn't sing, he kind of mouths the words, but he swings his arms none the less. Needless to say, the both of us running together with our ipods on is a HORRIBLE sight to see. It's ridiculous and upsetting.

"And then the water reached the West coast." - Jack's Mannequin

In any case, I complained to him...

"Dog, my iPod's dead. You didn't charge it."

"Dog, yes I did, the light was green."

"Dog, you forgot, just admit it. It's cool though, I can listen to the fucking waves and myself breathe. It's fine."

I'll add another fact in here. He overslept this particular morning. I'm just pointing out that he's not reliable.

"Dog, take my fucking iPod, it's fine. Take it."

"No Dog, waves and panting, it's all good. You should have charged it."

"Dog, I charged the iPod."

"Whatever you say Dog."

So we continue running, and I'm listening to myself breathe and the ocean to our right. I'm reminding you, Jason does NOT sing out loud when he runs. He's said he has no idea how I do it, that he'd get too tired. Then all of the sudden, I hear him blurt out... "THERE'S A DOWNTOWN CORNER, PEOPLE DOWNTOWN KNOW." I just look over. What is he doing?

"AND A BACK BEAT RHYTHM, ON THE RADIO." What the hell song is he singing? "AND THE GIRL WHO LISTENS, TO A YOUNG MAN'S SONG. ON THE BLOCK I LIVE IN, IN THE PLACE I'M FROM."

And then I knew. It was from the new Hanson album. It was "Been There Before." He was singing because my ipod was broken. I was supposed to sing along. He could hear the music, all I could hear was him. I joined in. Laughing, smiling, joyous, I joined in. You haven't lived until you've seen two moronic white boys swinging their arms while running next to the beach and singing "DOES IT FILL YOUR HEART AND SOUL WITH THE, ROOTS OF ROCK AND ROLL?" Some people at the beach on Sunday lived. A bunch of them lived.

"So what the hell are you waiting for?" - Linkin Park

Jason continued to do this for the entire 7 mile run. He'd blurt out the first line of the song, and sing as loudly as he possibly could, and I would sing along. The best part was hearing him attempt to sing like whomever he was singing. From Say Anything to Jay Z to Jack's Mannequin to 30 Seconds To Mars to Fall Out Boy, it was all equally amusing, and I enjoyed every minute of it. One of the crowning moments was to hear him do every single word of "Admit It!!!" by Say Anything. If you don't know the song, seriously, go listen to it, and imagine someone singing that loudly while running. Hearing somebody scream "you are a vacuous soldier of the thrift store gestapo" while swinging his arms is a sight to be seen, no doubt.

"BULLSHIT!" - Say Anything

This is who Jason is. He's a showman. He's an idiot. He's a runner. He's my brother, and he's as great a friend as I have on this planet. Incredibly, at 22 years old, he's everything that I aspire to be. There's nobody that doesn't like him, which is an incredible feat when you're as weird as he is. He just graduated Cum Laude from the school that I went running from after my freshman year. He's a kind, smart kid, who has all the integrity that a person could ever hope for. He's one of a very small number of things that could ever make me want to live in that soul free, vacuous city.

"Used to barbecue with burgers and ribs." - Fort Minor

This blog is a tribute to my brother, who graduated from USC on Friday, and is moving on to what will no doubt become an even greater time in his life. He's going on to the time where he'll be incredibly successful, so much so that I'll be able to quit my job and go live off of him. It's a tribute to everything he's done, and everything that he's become.

"Every word, from every song, I ever heard, that makes me wanna stay, is what's playing through the in flight radio. Now I, I am, finally waking up." - Jack's Mannequin

It's a tribute to knowing that there's someone in this world who will sing for me for 6 miles because my iPod died. Thank you for everything dude, good luck. I'm proud to call you my brother.

Spike: Greatest Hits

2009-05-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

Since my best blogging was done on Myspace, and a couple of years ago, I've decided to reprint some of what I thought, were my better ones.

You know Myspace right? It was what everyone used to use on the internet to waste time. You know, before Twitter and Facebook.

I'm hoping this will get me back in the practice of writing good blogs.

WARNING: They're all very long.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Worst Possible Decision (A Way Of Life)
For about 3 years, maybe it was two years, I lived with a guy named Dustin Everett. It was right out of college, and I had a job in Philly. I knew Dustin from my college radio station in Syracuse. I wouldn't say we were really friends in college, just knew each other. We did have one awesome night when we got in a car chase with the night guy of Hot 107.9, this kid named Marv Zimmerman. That wasn't the name he used on the air. He showed up at the radio station one night to kick my ass for some reason. Dustin showed up with a bat. It ended in the most retarded car chase of all time. I say this, because I didn't know who was chasing whom at any one point. I also didn't know what would happen if anyone caught anyone else. In any case, Dustin's a good guy. Anyone who would come and get into a car chase and possible battle with a tiny little top 40 DJ, for some guy he barely knew, is a swell guy. Or a guy looking for a fight.

Either way, Dustin and I agreed to become roomates when Dustin accepted his job in Princeton, New Jersey. Dustin agreed to an apartment without ever seeing it. This should have been a sign of things to come. The apartment was fine, this decision ended up being fine. But deciding to live in a place you've never seen with a guy you barely know is a bad decision. This was just the first of many. We developed a series of decisions that we liked to refer to as WPD, or for novices, The Worst Possible Decision.

WPD could be anything. Ordering buffalo wings? Get the hottest sauce and get too many. WPD. You meet a girl out at a cover band show who has a coke problem and goes by the name "Angel?" Date her. You want to go see Metallica, Korn, Kid Rock, Powerman 5000 and System Of A Down? Sure, there's a show 90 minutes away on a weekend, but the WPD would be to go to Boston on a weekday on no sleep and stay with a friend. This is the story of that very decision.

At the time, I was doing late nights at WYSP in Philadelphia. That shift is until 2am. On that Friday, we were going to see the very first Summer Sanitarium show of all time in Boston at Foxboro Stadium. The lineup was Metallica, Korn, Kid Rock, Powerman 5000 and System Of A Down. For us, a perfect line up. We would drive out early on Friday morning (I think Boston was 6 or 7 hours), and go right to the show. I would not sleep. I would get home from work, shower, pack and we'd go. We'd also be taking my then, horrible girlfriend Carolyn. Carolyn had some awful friend in Boston that she'd visit while we were at the show. Carolyn was an awful person, so I can only assume her friend was also awful. I'm not just being bitter, Carolyn was awful.

I did not sleep on the drive up. I even think I drove. I don't remember. What I do rememeber, is exactly what I was wearing. Let me paint this picture for you. First of all, at the time, I was a fat guy. Probably like 225-230. I had bleached hair, but it only looked good if I did it just right, this day, it was not done just right. I was wearing orange shorts, which was actually a bathing suit. I was wearing high top blue and grey Nike basketball sneakers, and a grey New Balance t shirt that said "Sponsored By No One." I'll get more into the look later on, because it got worse.

So we drop awful Carolyn off at her awful friend's house. Then we head to the stadium. Early. Dustin and I got to every single fucking show early. That's what you do when you're stupid and don't know any better. We were pissed off that Dustin's Metallica Club Tickets were in seats on the side, so we traded someone for seats on the ground, with no seats, just GA. Let me lay this out for you here, and what WPD means. This is a 10 hour concert in the middle of the Summer. WE GAVE UP SEATS TO NOT HAVE SEATS. We roll into the stadium and decide it's a good time for a Sam Adams. It's 100 degrees, I haven't slept, I haven't eaten, and now I'm drinking beer.

We venture to the grass. Only, it wasn't grass...

To protect the field in the stadium, they had covered the grass with hard white plastic. Hard plastic is the perfect material to make your stay at an all day, 100 degree concert the worst it can be. Want to sit on the ground and relax? No problem. Just be prepared for whatever skin that touches the plastic to be burnt away.

At this point, the red started.

See, when I'm hot, and I haven't slept, my face gets blotchy. Red and blotchy. Big fat guy, orange shorts, blue and grey sneakers, bleached hair. A big, fat fucking mess at Metallica. No sleep. Hot. Sweating. BAD.

So we casually watch SOAD from the back. Neither of us cared too much at the time, and I didn't think they were very good. We DID however, really like Powerman 5000. So we decided to go up front for them. Before we went up front, Dustin reminded me of the last time he saw Metallica. It was at a free show they did in Philly called the Million Decibel March. Dustin drove from Syracuse to Philly, by himself, without a ticket, and got in. Dustin lost his shoe pushing toward the front. I don't know if he ever got it back. How did he lose the shoe? We don't know. I do know that we bought a bootleg video of that show to try and find him and his shoe. No luck. About halfway through the video, the guy shooting it found two girls in bikini tops who were making out with each other and doing other things to each other. You know, other things. It was interesting.

So we're in the pit. We're doing fine. We're right up front. A giant football stadium, and we're right up front. KILLER. Moshing the day away. And then it happened. I saw a shoe fly up in the air. I look over, and I see Dustin. A look of panic. I start laughing. That was obviously his shoe. He lost his shoe again. Luckily, he recovered the shoe and finished the set unharmed. It was a successful first mosh of the day.

Through Kid Rock, the heat started to wear on us and the rest of the crowd. The only thing to buy down on the field to cool off was this lemon ice stuff, for like 7 bills. It was a cup of lemon Italian Ice, that got less and less "ice" as the day went on. By the end of the day it was like paying 7 dollars for luke warm melted lemon popcicle. It was disgusting. But at this point, it was a God send. It was all we had. We cherished the lemon ice.

By the time Korn came on (probably my favorite band at the time), I was gone. I was no longer living in the same reality as everyone else at the show. I'll remind you though, I was at a Metallica show, and though I love a Metallica show, it's full of some of the worst people in the world. Bad sunburns. Everyone's got a limp. Old drunk guys. Just the worst. So maybe it was BETTER to not be in their reality. In any case, I wasi n my own little world. All I could think about was destroying everyone during Korn. I was going to let loose all of my fat rage on everyone during this set.

I lost my mind. I remember Dustin pulling me aside and telling me that a couple of people have asked that he ask me to settle down. In the pit, during Korn, with 50,000 people, I was asked to settle down. I did not settle down. During their song "Faget," I think I lost my mind more than I've ever lost my mind. I don't remeber parts of the experience. I do remember however, that once Korn was done, I was done. I had nothing left. I hadn't slept, I don't think I had eaten, and it was 123 degrees that day. I didn't even want to stay for Metallica. We were not leaving though, Dustin is a much bigger Metallica fan than I am. He was in the Metallica club. Also, the worst possible decision would be to stay the entire time. So we did.

Metallica played for a minimum of 5 and a half hours that night. They played songs they had never played before. They played some songs three times. They did a couple of Violent Femmes covers, and then they did a whole spoken word part in the middle. They also shared some of their favorite quiche recipes. It was a long set. We stayed till the very end. But finally, it was over. The worst possible decision that we made, somehow, was over. Also, somehow, even though we stayed the whole time, we got our car out of there first, and we were on the road within minutes. Somehow, the WPD Gods were not going to punish us. Somehow, we were going to survive this one.

Or. Not.

We were staying with a friend of mine named Mike Traylor. Mike used to work with me at WYSP, but had gotten fired and was now working at WFNX in Boston. Traylor was a good dude, and insisted that we stay with him. He didn't mention that he didn't have anywhere for us to sleep. He didn't mention also that we had to help him move the next day. I'm not lying. This is why I prefer staying in hotels. Always. Fucking Traylor. This was only going to get worse. WPD was in full effect.

So we arrive, and somehow I launch into an argument that his station was silly to be playing DMX. It was a long argument. This was on no sleep. Dustin wanted to kill us. It never ended. If there's someone on this earth that's more stubborn than me, well, I know maybe someone or two in Chicago that are plenty stubborn, but Traylor was #1. Mike used to insist that only people from Texas knew how to drive drunk, and he was one of them. As I was saying, there was nowhere for us to sleep. I slept on a chair, and Dustin slept on a hardwood floor. And like I said, the next day, we were going to help him move. Poor Dustin, he didn't even know Traylor.

Mike insisted that moving would be a piece of cake, even though he had a lot of stuff, most of which not packed. It would be easy, because Mike had TONS of friends coming over to help. So we wake up to the phone ringing over and over again. All I'd hear was "dude, no problem." By the time I finally admitted to being awake, I found out that all of the "helpers" had bailed. So 3 people were moving his entire apartment. Me, Mike and Dustin. I wanted to kill him.

At some point, Dustin found crack cocaine in Traylor's bathroom, in chapstick. Mike had hid the crack in there when his father visited. I'm not lying. There was crack in there.

So we go to pick up the U Haul. Of course, they don't have a truck for him even though Mike had reserved one. That's U Haul's specialty. Somehow I imagine the U Haul reservation office looking like this... A guy, in a room, with a phone. No computer, no pen, no paper. Just pretending like he's taking down information, but not recording a thing, and just hoping it all works out for the best. So we wind up with a truck that's like 3 times the size we needed. It didn't go in reverse. It also didn't have brakes that worked properly. It was also a stick shift. It was 100 feet long if it was an inch. As we drove away, Dustin and I screamed out the window for someone to help us. No one helped. No one cared. I screamed at some guy outside of Newbury comics to help us. He did not help us. We didn't deserve help. We asked for this.

We began to move Traylor. He had shit stored everywhere. TV's in closets. Bikes. So many bikes. So many boxes of records. There was even a big huge TV that I refused to move. After Dustin and I had a huge TV moving mishap at our place, I swore to never ever move a giant TV again. So it was just Dustin, who was just an innocent victim, and Traylor. I directed traffic.

Mike owned several large farm animals, a 2 ton weight and a few fat people. We had to move all of it. Finally, I lost my mind again.

I walked down the street, and screamed at the top of my lungs. My fury had reached it's limit. It was reported to me that the following happened.

Traylor: What was that?

Dustin: That was Spike.

Traylor: What's he mad at?

Dustin: I'm pretty sure it's you.

So we had this big huge truck, way more huge than Mike had ordered, and it was full. Up and down, front to back, completely full. Completely filled by the three of us. It had taken all day. It was 7 or 8 o'clock as I remembered. This is when Mike dropped the bomb that he expected us to move it all into his new house that night. Up several flights of skinny stairs. HAHAHAHA. You must be kidding. You fucking moron. I hate you. You've ruined this trip. I'm going to fucking kill you. I was full of fury, full of rage. We were not moving this shit into the house. I called Carolyn that if I had to, we were instructing her to call us, and lie about a flood at her apartment. We would make pretend we were leaving to drive back to Philly. We would go stay with Caroyln and her awful friend. I'm sure this was going to put a crimp in Carolyn's cheating on me that weekend, but I needed an out.

Luckily, he decided against having us move the stuff in. "Should I just leave the U Haul with all my stuff out here? Will anyone steal it?" I don't care Traylor. I hope you die. Really. I can't believe you just made me do this. This must be pay back for something awful I did. I'm sorry I shoplifted when I was younger. I'm sorry I eat too much. I'm sorry that I made of Chris Sutton for smelling bad in grade school. Whatever it was, I was sorry for it.

We made up some story about having to leave early the next morning. We stayed at Traylor's new house, woke up early, and drove up. I think Dustin convinced me to not set fire to the U-Haul truck, which I definitely would have done.

We drove back, unfortunately not leaving Carolyn in Boston. She came back to Philly and made me pay for every other mistake I ever made. She was a human WPD. She's married I hear somewhere. The last name is now Lutz, and she lives in Boston. Poor fucking guy. He must have lied to a lot of people and is paying for a lot of sins. She likes being tied up and hit because she's a bad person with issues, not because she's fun. You'll find that out pal. You'll be sorry. She's only gonna get fatter too, she looked WAY better in college.

That was Summer Sanitarium in Boston. The first one ever, and the first in a series of several bad decisions Dustin and I made. If this one goes over well, maybe you'll get some other stories. Maybe you'll get "Black Label Society At John's." Maybe you'll get "Tesla at John's" or "Warrant At John's." Perhaps you'll wind up with the "Horrible Girlfriends We Dated." Or maybe "Cheesesteak Eating Contest." Or maybe "Working Together And Drinking Too Much Water One Day." Maybe I'll hit you with "Project Mayhem Night With #1, #2 and the Jens. The White One And The Asian One." Or maybe just "The Band." I look forward to it.

Good talk.

Bands Battling Autism

2009-04-20T07:06:00.001-07:00

I think I'm a good guy. Basically, a good guy. I don't ask for help very often. Maybe if I've fallen, or if my back hurts, or if I need someone to make me cookies, but rarely.

Right now, I'm asking for your help.

For the second year, I'm involved in an event called Bands Battling Autism. It's simple, it's a day of music, and all of the proceeds benefit a charity called Autism Speaks. Every dollar of the ticket goes to Autism Speaks. I don't need to preach about it being a good cause, you know it's a good cause.

I'm personally responsible for making sure 200 people buy tickets to this. I'll be there. We'll have fun. We'll hear good music. We'll go home feeling good about ourselves. Come hang out with me. Only $20.

The event is May 17th, from 2pm until 6pm. It will be (mostly) acoustic, so it'll be a way to see some of these bands in a different light.

You can buy tickets here:

Buy Tickets

Remember, 200. All on me. Make it happen. Be sure to send me an email at spike@94wysp.com to let me know if you've bought a ticket so I can keep track.

I'm proud of the lineup this year.

So far we have:

Tommy Conwell

Fosterchild

The Band Formerly Known As Blue Collar

Jamie Stem (Of Sinch)

Brian Bortnick

Kick The Dog

Plutonics

The Kevin Monco Band

And a bunch of kids who played killer Classic Rock songs last year. They were like 16 and they tried Freebird. God bless them.

Metallica RNR HOF Footage

2009-04-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

enjoy.

Master Of Puppets

Enter Sandman

Cliff Burton's Dad

Speeches

James and Lars Speech

All Star Jam

Axl Speaks Again

2009-02-27T08:08:00.001-08:00

To Del James at Spinner.com. That's where the interview is.

I gotta be honest, as a huge fan, I think I'm almost done with all of this. God bless him, I hope he's happy and successful. The whole situation has become tedious to me. For sure, long after it'd be come tedious to most. It's hit me though.

Did you break up the old Guns?

It is my belief that the commitment to end old Guns came long before the band started in the heart and soul of one man. After that, it became more visible sometime before/during [the 'Use Your Illusion' albums], when the others opted for personal reasons to change our approach, styles and methods of working together. At the time, I unwittingly chose as a means of what I felt was both my own and Guns' survival to adapt, and threw myself into whatever I could get out of that to support and promote our efforts.

The group shot of the band in front of the piece 'Dead' was not a coincidence but not something I felt could be talked about openly, and something I hoped would change. I couldn't reach Izzy [Stradlin] and couldn't manage or curtail Slash and his personal objectives to take over Guns anymore than I did at the time, and I'm lucky to have survived, got what we did out of it and some still enjoyed the results. But for all intents and purposes, the 'Appetite [for Destruction]' lineup and approach was already dead, and with the addition of Matt [Sorum], the end of the then-lineup and what Guns was really about was only a matter of time. Only heartfelt choices by the others could or would change that. Unfortunately, nothing did.

I'm generally blamed for the time it took to release 'Illusions,' but again the reality of my fault would be in not finding a way to manage Slash complete with his addictions and bring both him and Izzy together either similar to 'Appetite' or in some other progression more conducive to Guns than how 'Illusions' was accomplished. Unfortunately, that never truly happened, and both Guns and the public suffered for it. I'll take the responsibility in the sense that had I known how to achieve those goals we would have made what I feel would've been a more effective and powerful album at the time.

See? There's the catch, right? All this time, most thought I changed the direction with 'Illusions.' A lot of nonsense theories, speculation and complete nonrealities put together by others, based on Slash and others' crap and off one interview taken out of context I did with Kurt Loder where I said I hated 'Appetite.' That sentence has been used and twisted in every conceivable way since to vilify me and purports to prove my guilt and responsibility, when I wasn't speaking to the music itself but the overwhelming and at that time seemingly drowning success of our record.

My statement was in specific response to the feelings I had listening to DJs at the L.A. hard rock station KNAC at the time complaining about having to play the entire record for the umpteenth time for fans. I simply wanted to make another record and have it be as good or better. If you don't think I would've liked to have five 'Appetites' and been living like the Stones at the time, you're high. With that, any other avenue I hoped to pursue musically would more than likely been available as well. This was something I could never get through to the others with. Personal need to dominate in Guns was very important to them. Izzy has to be in charge or he's not comfortable, same with Slash. Duff [McKagan] tries convincing himself he's equal partners with Slash. Each to their own.

Why didn't you write 'Appetite'-style songs yourself then?
,
Part of what destroyed Guns was the battle between those guitars that works so well for 'Appetite.' I have no concept how to duplicate that with either the old guys or anyone else. I liked it then but can't say I truly understood their nature as I feel I do now. Make no mistake: That was a war and the efforts of one man to "successfully" remove another in his path between him and I. Neither player wants to deal with each other in those ways again. Those battles have already been fought, both sides went their prospective ways. Regardless of if they were to work together or not, the true dynamics of back then aren't something Izzy has an interest in or would allow himself to actually be in to such a degree other than for appearances, if that. Also, anything I had written I felt was in similar directions then, during and after the 'Illusions' tour was more than rejected by both Slash and Duff at a time, which greatly helped destroy whatever confidence I may have had at the time.

Why so many guitars on 'Chinese Democracy'?

Why not?

Seriously, past Guns records have only two. Why did you feel the need for more on this endeavor?

I understand it's for whatever reason a bit of a challenge for most people to feel comfortable in their minds with any band having more than two guitarists, but technically, as far as our recording goes, we're a bit more alike with the older recordings than one might think. On the older records, though, it's very distinct that there are generally two guitar parts -- each part is actually performed and recorded twice, giving a fuller sound, so in effect you have four guitars. Leads and fills are another pass, and often songs were originally written and demos were done with other guitarists as well.

On 'Chinese,' instead of having the same player double his part, we chose to add another voice and either each player's own take on the part or their take of another's, then there's leads and fills which vary from one person or a few on a track. Also on this record, though, you may have one player playing more than one part in a section; they generally tend to be two distinct parts and not overdubs or harmonizing with their own leads or fills. No way is better than another; it's just whatever works for what you're trying to do, what you personally want or for whatever reason you feel you either need, choose or like.

For this record, I wanted a blend of different-style sounds and approaches; some at least a bit unique to the individual players and their takes on these songs. I feel the different personalities and techniques give the material its own sense of originality. Live, I prefer the more solid approach of the three guitars now, especially as the performances with the rhythm are more energetic, consistent and reliable. It was fun having Izzy on board a bit adding yet another voice to the mix and seemed to work better for the songs this way, as opposed to having him by himself.

Would you consider a reunion with the 'Appetite' or 'Illusions' lineups?

No

Why not?

A lot more reasons than I'll get into here now. Different reasons for each version and each individual. The Izzy bit was fun -- and also fun because we didn't have to rely on him in any way, which is how he prefers things and works better for everyone. That said, you never knew if Izzy would be there or not or if he'd remember the song or decide to leave early. It didn't cause any problems, because we were doing our show regardless and didn't have to depend on anything, but it did open everyone's eyes a bit and blow minds.

He called, asked to come out and negotiated a deal with management that it's probably best that none of us knew about or the fun would've seemed a bit more like being used or taken advantage of spoiling the moment. As it was, we had a great time.

It'd be highly doubtful for us to have more than one of the alumni up with us at any given time. I suppose Duff could play guitar on something somewhere, but there's zero possibility of me having anything to do with Slash other than by ambush, and that wouldn't be pretty. He wrote that whole bit about not having his guitar in Vegas, I'd assume, to save face. I was told by both the Hard Rock and different Guns industry people who had come out to be supportive of the new band and were a bit surprised to see him there, especially guitar in hand, but just assumed it was a surprise for the show and we were in on the arrangement.

Steven [Adler] brings assorted ambulance-chasing attorneys and the nightmare of his mother. One gig, or even a couple songs, could mean years of behind-the-scenes legal aftermath.

Wouldn't you make more money?

If the music was there, meaning new music, I can't say for sure right now -- and there have been market surveys, and various promoters have put together different projections and analysis that in areas where there could be more, it's not enough to sell your soul and live in hell the rest of your life for, that's definitely certain. But that's the catch, right, the music? If I believed in that as a reality which, no offense meant to anyone, I haven't seen anything in all these years to convince me or we'd be doing this interview under different circumstances of some sort, to say the least.

It's not some place I want to be or have any interest in being. If I believed in it in regard to the music, not in direction so much but in how it feels and to what degree, then maybe it'd be another story. I'm in no way trying to be offensive to anyone here, and I'm allowed to have my own feelings in regard to what inspires me, not someone else. Other than a one-off or something, I don't really do songs because someone else likes them.

There is the distinct possibility that having his intentions in regard to me so deeply ingrained and his personal though guarded distaste for much of 'Appetite' other than his or Duff's playing, Slash either should not have been in Guns to begin with or should have left after 'Lies.' In a nutshell, personally I consider him a cancer and better removed, avoided -- and the less anyone heard of him or his supporters, the better.

Didn't you say you loved him in what -- '06?

No. I said "loved," as in past tense. It was a misquote by a writer I mistook as a fan.

Do you think he can play guitar?

I prefer listening to others in general, especially those who both push their talents and infuse them with a level of energy that I've seldom heard in his efforts over the years. I'm not taking anything away from the man that are his to claim for his past efforts; it's just that for whatever reason for me, whether the approach, style or basic hands-on technique is there, the passion and true dedication to the art of guitar in his chosen area other than being, in my opinion, a whore for the limelight has generally seemed absent or lacking with most efforts for a long time. To me, it's sad. I don't get it. Where does it go? Is it a choice? Sometimes it's there on covers; I think Clive [Davis, legendary record executive] fell for that.

It wasn't there with me on 'Sympathy [for the Devil]' or ['The] Spaghetti [Incident?'] and it took years for me to get there again, in my opinion, and in the ways I wanted it to be. Will I keep it? Who knows? I'd like to, but who can say?

Who's your favorite drummer you've worked with?

I've liked elements that each brought in. Josh [Freese], [Brian] "Brain" [Mantia] and Frank [Ferrer] have been the easiest to work with and get along with, as well as it being fun to hang out with any of them. I do feel that all three were the right drummers to make this album. The rehearsals with [Dave] Abruzzesse and Pod as a duo were really cool; it was a shame then that it didn't work out but seemed for the best once we found Josh. In regard to old Guns, I don't listen much and for different reasons -- more because of the drums than anything else.

With 'Appetite,' for me the parts, playing, etc., timing flaws, whatever, are perfect, and as a moment in time for me, the whole record is. That said, the sound of the drums, which at the time in our niche of the woods was a bit of a bold statement and a somewhat successful effort to change things from the current flow at the time, and so may have been necessary but for me sound the most dated of anything there sound-wise.

With 'Illusions' several years ago, something came on the radio and I realized how the energy in the drums, though solid and consistent, brought me down in a way I feel damaged the material in the long run, if not from the get-go. Maybe it's there with some, most or all of us in ways, but I specifically notice it more with the drums. And when listening in that sense of analyzing how something feels to me in regards to its involvement or inclusion in the song, whether anyone disagrees I'm somewhat capable of removing myself and events from the picture.

For m,e it's more about certain energies and feel, and I'm not into what we did there for a good bit in regard to the drum work. To actually have a drummer that could play at the time, though, was a bit too overwhelming. The public has no idea what went into Steven's parts and the notion of getting through songs in rehearsal if ever, with no exaggeration, was unfortunately a nightmare that neither I or Izzy could take, and eventually the others as well, though they lasted longer for other reasons.

What do you think of Steven being on the VH1 rehab show?

I wish Steven the best; unfortunately Steven's given us the spoiler for that. I hope people are able to find answers and get the help they need; other than that, I'm not the biggest fan of the show.

Who's in the band?

I think we'll go with a combo of who's around and who's on the album for now and worry about that when we get ready to tour.

Is Robin [Finck] in the band?

Last I was aware, he had some interest in touring, though I can't say what that means until then. In our opinion, he's made things a bit awkward publicly, but that's just his way.

Is Brain in the band?

Last I checked. Brain works on several things with Guns either from his home or in the studio.

So you have two drummers? Will they both tour?

Yes, and who knows?

When's the next album?

Have no idea and don't care. Hopefully, we'll be working 'Chinese' for a good bit. Of course there's the same idiots that have been around forever already demanding release dates.

How much material is there?

Not as much as Baz [Sebastian Bach] thinks he heard! Really, it doesn't matter. If things go well enough, we'd like to get another out at some point in our lifetimes.

Is anything finished?

Depends how you look at it.

How do you look at it?

Not something we've focused on.

You're not saying much.

You got that? What I can say is if you don't like this, then you probably won't like that. Same people, lots more approaches, bit meaner in places and darker in some. Robin does a really great Stevie Ray Vaughan-type solo on one track.

Slash has said that the sessions they did with Izzy before Velvet Revolver were the best Guns album ever. What do you think of that?

Politics.

In what way?

Old Guns promotion.

What happened between you and [photographer] Robert John?

Hmmm ... I don't know anyone who knows. Last I heard he was allegedly doing a lot of meth and sleeping on his mom's floor. Anyone whose opinions I trust seems to thinks he lost his mind, lives in a fantasy world and knows everything.

What's that about, if you don't mind me asking?

Have no idea. This is a guy that I got in the business, got him gigs, paid and treated well, promoted, etc. Helped him get a house, helped him keep his house, bought his photos, and when Merck [Mercuriadis, former G N' R manager], for whatever reasons took forever to pay him, Robert sues me ... but I didn't know anything about it. Next thing, I'm the Antichrist because I didn't like some photos. F--- if I know.

I called Robert out of the blue back when, because I felt I knew something was wrong. Finally, he says he was gonna kill himself. I put up about 60-something-K on the mortgage, got a couple payments, but that wasn't where the trouble started. It was that the bank was foreclosing on that money, so he was pissed at our accountant, who kept on him trying to sort out what we should do and Robert avoiding him -- who was the others' accountant as well. I only learned of any of this near the end. He and Robert knew each other for years. He's one of the guys who allegedly saw Slash with his guitar in Vegas. And it seems genuine because he didn't know anything was going on. He's like, "Why was Slash there with his guitar?" And the Hard Rock people -- what did they have to lie about? They deal with all the bands ... friends, enemies, whatever, so it's just business. As far as I know, we're all good with that.

Mark Slaughter - BAD Singing

2009-02-27T06:22:00.000-08:00

Ouch. I mean, this is painful.

The only thing I can compare this to is when Silverchair did Straight Lines on Leno, and Daniel Johns was sick and just painfully destroyed the song. This is bad.

In fairness, I do know Mark Slaughter can sing this song. I've heard him sing this song. But this my friend, this is a bad day. It sounds like he was gargling with barbed wire, fire and acid before he sings. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Sorry for posting it Mark.

A-Blog

2009-02-10T06:25:00.000-08:00

It's funny when topics like these assault the country. It's true, even though the A-Rod story is only a couple of days old, I, along with I would guess thousands of others, are generally overwhelmed.

Because of the 24/7 coverage of ANYTHING both on TV and the internet as well as newspapers, by the time a story hits, it seems like we're sick of it already. Sick of it, and still can't get enough. I was annoyed that the first 20 minutes of Sportscenter this morning was all A-Rod, but I still watched the whole thing. I flipped to CNN and saw a clip of President Obama talking about it.

So, although I'm sick of everyone else's opinion, I feel like I need to offer mine. Why? Because that's what I do. I'm certainly no expert, I'm just a clown with a computer, but in this world of everyone's got a forum, I've got mine.

Let's first get out of the way that baseball, from the late 80's/early 90's until the last couple of years, has been riddled with steroids. If we had any doubt, that doubt probably was steeped in denial, and has been erased with the news that Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 1993, along with 104 other players. Be sure that the news that 104 players tested positive for steroids is as big a story as the A-Rod story. I'm not sure if the news has surfaced regarding how many players were actually tested, but 104 players testing positive, along with A-Rod, Clemens, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, Giambi, Petitte et al, pretty much confirms that a great deal of stars, both hitters and pitchers, and average players (there aren't 104 stars) were doing steroids during this time.

So the context is now set. The era is the era. How we choose to dissect the records that were set is for us to discuss for the next 50 years. Probably without resolve. Regardless of the punishment that baseball hands down, one could reasonably assume that any player that saw their star rise during this time has very little shot of making it into the Hall Of Fame if there was any association between themselves and steroids. This is a decision that seems to have been made by the writers voting for the Hall, and for once, it seems like the writers positions seems to reflect the community. So with that decision made, they can go back to making piss-poor decisions like voting Jim Rice into the Hall Of Fame.

The issue, though upsetting as all hell to most baseball fans, including myself, is simple though. There was no regulation, almost everyone did it, and it seems to be coming to a close with stricter penalties from baseball. We can argue from now until the end of time about who was responsible for letting it get this bad, but it doesn't REALLY change what the issue is, or the turnout.

All that's left is the drama. The drama is fun. The drama took another step with A-Rod's interview with Peter Gammons (who looks like a Muppet), on Sportscenter last night.

What was promoted as an admission of guilt from Rodriguez, ended up being one of the single biggest moments of sports double-talk I've seen in my 32 and a half years of living on this Earth.

I will remind you, that this is a comment on the drama, not the issue. The issue is what it is. A lot of people cheated, some people get caught. I don't even particularly blame Rodriguez for taking the drugs.

So, Alex starts out with this:

Back then, it was a different culture. Um, it was very loose. I was young. I was stupid. I was naive. And I wanted to prove to everyone that, you know, I was worth, um, you know, being one of the greatest players, uh, of all time. And, uh I did take a banned substance, and, um, you know, for that I'm very sorry and deeply regretful.

I'm thinking if the interview ended here, it would be great for A-Rod. He admits to it, he says he's sorry, he does the whole Michael Phelps "I was young" and the whole "I was under a lot of pressure" routine, which are both to be expected. Perfect. Unfortunately for A-Rod, the interview continued.

When Gammons asked him what he took:

Peter, that's the thing. Again, it was such a loosey-goosey era, that ... I'm guilty for a lot of things. I'm guilty for being negligent, naive, uh, not asking all the right questions. And, um, to be quite honest, I don't know exactly what, um, substance I was guilty of using.

Wow, 120 seconds into the interview, and you're already lying. So let me get this straight, A-Rod. You're a professional athlete, you're smart, you're in good shape, and you decide to take something to make you stronger. There's a great likelihood that this something enters your body through a needle, and you didn't know what it was? Because it was "loosey goosey?" Was it right next to the Gatorade? Come on, bro. If you're going to come clean, come clean.

Where did you get the substance A-Rod?

I mean, there's things that have been removed from GNC today that would trigger a positive test. I'm not sure exactly, um, what substance I used. But whatever it is, I feel terribly about it.

Wait a minute, Alex. Are you actually suggesting that the substance you tested positive for may have been something you got at GNC? A Clif Bar maybe? And even though you're not sure what it is, you're sorry for it? Wait a minute big guy, that kind of sounds like the thing you say to a girl when she's yelling at you for something that you don't even remember doing? "If I did something wrong, I'm sorry." What good is sorry, if you don't know what you're sorry for?

Where were you introduced to the substances?

The culture, it was pretty prevalent. There were a lot of people doing a lot of things. There was a lot of gray area, too. You know, back then you could walk in GNC and get four or five different products that today would probably trigger a positive

Right, GNC again. Probably Muscle Milk.

* Side note, I do know that GNC does sell things that could trigger a positive test. I'm also fairly sure that if A-Rod thought that's what it was, he'd say it. Hence, the sarcasm.

Alex, talk a little more about the culture:

It was over 100 degrees, and you know, you felt like, without trying to over-investigate what you're taking, can I have an edge just to get out there and play every day.

OHHHHHH. It was hot. Now I get it. "Hey A-Rod, it's way hot out here, want some water, gatorade, or anabolic steroids?" Maybe that's what he got at GNC.

How much of this was going on in Texas?

You know, I've always been a guy that raced my own race. And, and I don't like to look left, I don't look right.

Wait a minute bro. If you were racing your own race, how did you get caught up in all of this peer-pressure to go to GNC?

You said you didn't know you failed a test, but Gene Orza said he told you:

Gene was very specific in 2004. We had a meeting in September, um, or August. Don't quote me on the date, but, uh, he said there's a government list, there's 104 players on it. You might or might not have tested positive."

Somebody needs to work on the definition of "specific" with Alex.

Now Alex, Jose Canseco said years ago in his book that he introduced you to steroids. What do you say to that?

That couldn't be more false. That's 100 percent not true. And, you know, it's kind of interesting how SportsCenter and ESPN still, still quotes this guy. Um, no. It's 100 percent false.

Well clearly, he got it all off of the anabolic steroid shelf at GNC. It's right next to the multi-vitamin.

Axl Speaks!

2009-02-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

Use Your Illusion 1 and 2 came out in 1991.

17 years later, after rumors, leaks and fake release dates, the next real, full length GNR was released, Chinese Democracy.

Of course, Axl Rose was the only remaining original member.

Oddly, which fits everything Axl has done for years (which I actually think is great), Axl has done absolutely no press since the album came out. Until now. Axl did his first interview, with Billboard.

I like Chinese Democracy. I like it a lot. I think it's a good record. Axl Rose is one of the last remaining rock stars, and part of that is the length it took for the album to come out. Part of it is the behavior. All of the things that frustrate people about Axl, I think is kind of cool.

I do however think it's hilarious how he can say some of things he says, and say them sounding so intelligently, but have the actual text seem SO incredibly ludicrous.

When asked why the album took so long to be released, Axl said:

There aren't too many issues of the hundreds [we ran into] that happened as quickly as anyone would have preferred, from building my studio; finding the right players; never did find a producer; still don't have real record company involvement or support; to getting it out and mixed and mastered.

I think this is funny because it's so matter-of-fact. There is no nod to "well, yeah, it did take an awfully long time." No smile and nudge. Just that they ran into a lot of problems. Building a studio and finding the producer. We're talking MORE than 4 presidential terms between this one and the latst one. I mean, a new producer could have been born and been almost old enough to produce this record in this time.

Also, the notion that the record company didn't want to help or support also seems questionable to me. I wouldn't be surprised at this point, with the industry in shambles, and the wait as long as its been, and the fact that Best Buy guaranteed 1.6 million copies sold, for the label to be not as much help as he'd have liked. I cannot believe though, that Geffen (and now Interscope) would not have supported a Guns N' Roses release. It just doesn't make any sense. Record companies do a lot of things that don't make sense, but this seems particularly outlandish.

In response to how the record company handled the release of the album:

I do know [that] I've been asking for a marketing plan for over five years and still haven't got anything. We've asked for a complete breakdown of promotion expenses and efforts from all parties but unfortunately I've received very little information, if anything, so far.

Well, in fairness dude, they've been asking for an album for like 13 years. Millions of dollars were spent making an album that you didn't seem like you'd ever be happy with. That being said, I again, have trouble believing that if you seriously sat down with the record company, they wouldn't have given you a marketing plan if you asked for one. I'm certainly not doubting what Axl is saying, it just seems incredibly far-fetched.

when asked about the supposed 2 other already recorded albums:

We'd like to get another album out at some point, but for now our focus is on "Chinese."

Focused on Chinese Democracy. So focused there is no tour, no video (yet) and no interviews. How exactly is he focused?

On possibly ever playing again with Slash:

Give me a fucking break. What's clear is that one of the two of us will die before a reunion and however sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is. Those decisions were made a long time ago and reiterated year after year by one man.

It seems like he's blaming this on Slash, and saying that Slash made the decision. I guess it's a bunch of he said/he said, so you can't really tell who is telling the truth. Probably a mix of both. I love the Axl cryptic way of just blaming it on Slash though. "One man," as if it could be Bernie Parent, or Matt Lauer.

If Whoopie Goldberg Can Talk About Michael Phelps, So Can I

2009-02-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

Also, Jane Velez-Mitchell can also kiss my ass. If you watch this video, you'll know why.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/podcasts/showbiztonight/site/2009/02/03/sbt.phelps.mishap.cnn

Let's get some things straight here.

Michael Phelps is not a kid. He's 23 years old. 23 years old is not a kid. If he was 9, and he got caught having a messy room, being a kid may be an excuse. When you're a 23 year old millionaire, probably not.
Smoking pot is certainly not the worst thing in the world for a regular person.
Michael Phelps is not a regular person. Michael Phelps is the most successful Olympic athlete in history.
Michael Phelps does not make a living swimming. Michael Phelps makes a living endorsing products. He's an amateur athlete. He's not getting paid to swim. He's getting paid to be, you guessed it a ROLE MODEL (Sorry Charles).
By taking that money, Michael Phelps agrees to take on that responsibility of being a role model. Part of that responsibility, though not WRITTEN anywhere, is to not have pictures taken of you while smoking weed out of a bong.
Believe it or not, this is not validation for anyone who does drugs, as proof that successful people do drugs. It is not redemption for the pot-smoking world. I'm relatively certain that Michael Phelps does not regularly smoke marijuana, especially while training. Michael Phelps is not on your side, Mr Pot Smokey. He didn't come out and say "Yeah brother, just a little weed ain't hurtin' anybody!" He was embarrassed by his behavior.
Michael Phelps actually handled this the right way. He said he was sorry, he said it wouldn't do it again. Pretty much end of story. He probably shouldn't be crucified for it. However he should understand, once again, that youth stops becoming an excuse when you start living in the grown-up world.
Finally, Michael Phelps should find whatever person took that picture, and set that person on fire. I would take that person's digital camera and shove it clean up their ass. Someone could have cost him millions of dollars because they thought it was funny. Seriously. I wouldn't stop shoving things up that person's ass.

Thanks, have a great day. Stop talking about this now. Let's discuss more important things, like Kobe vs. Lebron.

New Manson Album

2009-02-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

Marilyn Manson has a new album coming out, called the "The High End Of Low," along with a new single of course, and had this to say about it:

The album’s first video will be ‘I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies’. Manson told Rolling Stone, ”It’s nine minutes long. Severely sadist. Basically, it’s murder, sex, death, the end.”

I'm going to write an album ABOUT Marilyn Manson. It's going to be called "I Want You To Be Interesting Like You Used To Be." It's going to be 75 minutes long, severely critical. It's basically like, shocking, imaginative, great songs, out of ideas, same thing over and over again, everyone stops caring, the end.

Don Dokken Talks Sh*t

2009-02-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

This is from a few months ago, but I mentioned it on 8 from the 80's today.

I never really liked Dokken. So it makes me happy to see that Don Dokken is kind of a jerk and looks like an old lady.

Chuck Palahniuk Interview

2009-01-30T08:43:00.000-08:00

I interviewed Chuck Palahniuk when he came through to promote the Choke movie.

This is the interview.

Well, most of the interview.

The sticker on the left side of his head is his "Visitor" sticker that people have to wear when they enter our building.

Wing Bowl Pictures From Jeff

2009-01-30T06:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks to WYSP Program Director for taking some shots from Wingbowl.

Thanks to Jeff for actually stepping foot in that place.

He stinks of beer, wings and sin.

One of these days, I'm going to channel my old fat self and win Wingbowl.

Congrats To Jerome Allen

2009-01-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

When I was a freshman at the Episcopal Academy, I was, like all other freshmen, assigned a "Senior Buddy." Mine was Jerome Allen, who was a star guard for the basketball team.

I only talked to Jerome a few times that year, but he was always cool, and I ended up being friends with Jerome's cousin Sam for my four years of high school.

I continued to follow Jerome as he played at the University Of Pennsylvania, and along with Matt Maloney and Eric Moore, led the best Penn team I've ever seen play.

I remember being with his family as he was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jerome went on to play for a few more NBA teams, as well as France and Italy

Jerome will be inducted this year into the Big 5 Hall Of Fame, and deserves every bit of it. A great player, with a ridiculous crossover, and a great dude.

Good work!

Happy Thorogood Thursday!

2009-01-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

A celebration of Thorogood Thursday.

Every Thursday until the show on March 21st.

Remember This? Danzig Gets His Ass Beat

2009-01-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

I was talking about this on the air today.

Danzig, getting his ass beat.

Van Halen Asteroids

2009-01-27T11:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Bram for this one.

Enjoy.

Don't say I've never done anything for you.

Van Halen Asteroids

Well... My iPod Has Some Cool Bootlegs

2009-01-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

A dude who bought a cheap MP3 player from a thrift store, connected it to his computer and found some government military secrets!

Sorry, I can't get it to embed. Here's the link:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2009/01/27/lavandera.nz.mp3.cnn

See kids, this is why you have to make sure you have a number and a symbol in all of your passwords. When you don't, all of your secret government files end up on cheap MP3 players. And then you'll have less room for the entire Metallica library you wanted to upload on there.

On another note, boy do I feel unsafe today. Whew. No public transportation or large crowds until tomorrow.

Doc Gooden Says "LIAR!"

2009-01-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

From ESPN.COM...

David Justice and Dwight Gooden denied allegations made by former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski during an exclusive interview with "Outside the Lines" on Sunday. Radomski told ESPN that Justice lied about knowing him and purchasing performance-enhancing drugs from him and said he twice took urine tests for Gooden in the 1990s.

HAHA... Gooden's quote must have been, "Steroids. Fuck no. I did COKE. Don't you remember, I did TONS and TONS of coke. Now I know that had some effect on how I played, but people now are only concerned with steroids. I mean, it's true, I was OUT OF MY FUCKIN' MIND on coke, no steroids though."

Farewell Shirt Corner

2009-01-27T06:43:00.001-08:00

I started working at WYSP when I was 20 years old. I'm 32 now, so I've been coming to work in Old City Philadelphia for a long time. The area has changed a lot since I got here.

One thing has stayed the same.

Shirt Corner has stayed the same.

If you needed a 6 button green or purple suit for $89, and some fake snakeskin shoes, Shirt Corner was the place you needed to go. You could also get a black silk collarless shirt to go along with it.

Shirt Corner closes its doors today, and we are a worse city for it.

Bon Jovi Video Featuring Some Dude's Ex-Girlfriend

2009-01-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

So a dude just called and said his best 80's memory was dating a girl who was in a Bon Jovi video.

He said the video was filmed in Seaside Heights, which means it's the one for "In And Out Of Love."

His girl, according to his drescription, appears at 1:04 and 2:34.

A special "thumbs down" for Richie Sambora's white overalls with no shirt underneath. No way brother. Not on my watch. Not even in the 80's.

Guitar Hero Metallica Track List

2009-01-26T05:26:00.000-08:00

Starting March 29th, when Guitar Hero Metallica comes out, you can pretty much count me out of anything involved with life for about a week.

Here's the tracklist, according to the INTERNET. And everything on the internet is accurate.

Metallica Songs

All Nightmare Long
Battery
Creeping Death
Disposable Heroes
Dyers Eve
Enter Sandman
Fade To Black
Fight Fire With Fire
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Frantic
Fuel
Hit The Lights
King Nothing
Master of Puppets
Mercyful Fate (Medley)
No Leaf Clover
Nothing Else Matters
One
Orion
Sad But True
Seek And Destroy
The Memory Remains
The Shortest Straw
The Thing That Should Not Be
The Unforgiven
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Wherever I May Roam
Whiplash

Other Artists

Alice In Chains - No Excuses
Bob Seger - Turn The Page
Corrosion of Conformity - Albatross
Diamond Head - Am I Evil?
Foo Fighters - Stacked Actors
Judas Priest - Hell Bent For Leather
Kyuss - Demon Cleaner
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Tuesdays Gone
Machine Head - Beautiful Mourning
Mastodon - Blood And Thunder
Mercyful Fate - Evil
Michael Schenker Group - Armed and Ready
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Queen - Stone Cold Crazy
Samhain - Mother of Mercy
Slayer - War Ensemble
Social Distortion - Mommy's Little Monster
Suicidal Tendencies - War Inside My Head
System of a Down - Toxicity
The Sword - Black River
Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back in Town

Wikins vs. King James

2009-01-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

I'm looking for your opinion.

All I did in high school was argue about sports.

Given my family history, I guess that makes sense.

All I did was argue about sports with a small group of guys. Every single day. In between classes. During lunch. After school. At any one time, there was always some argument about some sport (never hockey).

Anyway, thanks to Facebook, I have found these guys again, and like not one day has passed (about 15 years has), the arguing has started again.

Today's topic, batted around by Smoke, Oronde and myself, is "Who Is The Better In Game Dunker; Dominique Wilkins or Lebron James?"

Watch Wilkins Top 10:

Watch Lebron's Top 10:

Your opinion, please.

SHOCKER!

2009-01-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

From ESPN.COM...

A new book proposal, submitted by the admittedly estranged brother of Mark McGwire, claims the former major league slugger used both steroids and human growth hormone during his career.

In the proposal, first reported Wednesday on Deadspin.com, Jay McGwire alleges that Mark used Deca-Durabolin and that he introduced Mark to performance-enhancing drugs in 1994.

Didn't we already know this? Wasn't the fact that he took the 5th in front the Senate about steroids three years ago, along with the fact that he tripled in size, confirmation that Mark McGwire did steroids. Isn't the fact that just about no one has voted for him to be in the Hall Of Fame, pretty much confirmation that everyone already knows?

In retrospect, it seems though like either we need to crucify everybody or nobody. Steroid use was SO rampant, that it seems odd to me to just punish the people who had the most success (Clemens, McGwire, Bonds). Don't get me wrong, I think the fact that everyone in baseball was on steroids is deplorable, but it seems odd to single some of the guys out rather than the others. But just because Andy Petitte admitted it, and just because Jason Giambi didn't break any records, doesn't mean that they're to be held to any different standard today.

I love how we in this country pick and choose our moral high grounds. We condemn baseball players for taking drugs to hit longer home runs and throw faster pitches, but we continue to watch TV shows and buy magazines that chase celebrities and do their best to ruin lives.

Rage Acoustic

2009-01-20T08:02:00.001-08:00

This is not new... But I was mentioning it on the air today.

Tom Morello and Zack De La Rocha at the House Of Blues in Chicago.

People Of The Sun

New Song

Bulls On Parade

The Most Puzzling Gym Behavior In History

2009-01-20T07:06:00.001-08:00

More than once, I, as well as others, have written about the characters you'll see at any gym, no matter where you go. The old guy who is naked too much in the locker room. The guy who reads the paper while he lifts weights. The woman who gets all dolled up, puts on tons of makeup, then walks on the treadmill for 20 minutes while talking on her cell phone. The guy who does cardio every day but is still fat.

The list goes on and on...

Then there's the blog about the "no no's" at the gym. The guy who sweats and doesn't clean up after himself. The guy who uses 3 weight benches at once. The guy who hits on every girl and has to make friends with every dude.

There is a no one. I would venture to say, that in any gym in history, this has never happened until now. Bold, I know, but gyms aren't hard places to figure out. I've been a member of I think 7 in the last 7 years, in different towns and cities, expensive and cheap, neighborhood gyms and large chains gyms, and nothing is really all that different. It's all the same people, just with different faces and names. Still, all the same people.

At my gym, a couple brings THEIR BABY to the gym. In a stroller. Every time.

Now you must be saying, "Spike, they must have a daycare center that they're bringing the baby to." No, in fact, they do not. There is no daycare center at my gym. I go to a great gym, but it's a small, family owned gym. There is no daycare. They bring this baby in as they lift weights. As they use the cables. They do a set, then push the stroller back and forth for a minute.

Now you must be saying, "well, maybe they can't get a baby sitter at 5:30am on a Tuesday." Fair point. They bring the baby in on Saturday at noon as well. Also, THERE ARE TWO OF THEM. There is a mother and a father. They come together. So regardless of whether there's a babysitter, one could stay home while the other one goes to the gym. Aside from the puzzling logic, it seems like a blatant disregard for the baby's safety.

Mind you, this is not just awkward and puzzling like the guy who works out in jeans.

No no no. This is not the stupid and annoying like the 8 year old at the gym trying to use the treadmill even though he can't reach the controls.

No sir. This is an actual baby, at the gym. A baby that can't be more than 3 months old, at the gym. Where meatheads lift heavy weights and women cheat on their husbands with their trainer.

In all of my years on this earth, I will never figure people out. Ever.

Michael Irvin's Gunman Run-In

2009-01-14T09:50:00.000-08:00

Plaxico Burress is a Cowboys fan. Who knew?

DALLAS -- Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin says he calmly chatted with a gunman in another vehicle after the armed passenger turned out to be a Dallas Cowboys fan.

Irvin, who was not harmed, says he was "very afraid."

A Dallas police report says Irvin was stopped at a red light Monday night in North Dallas when two men in a truck pulled up next to him.

The driver rolled down his window, so Irvin did the same, thinking the two men recognized the radio talk show host and television commentator.

The passenger flashed a gun. Then the retired NFL star heard one of them call out his name and mentioned being a "huge Cowboy fan."

"The passenger pulled out a semiautomatic and I knew what time it was," Irvin told the Dallas Morning News. "But he said, 'Oh, that's Michael Irvin, with the Dallas Cowboys.' "

Irvin says he began talking with the men about the team's disappointing 9-7 season and Dallas not making it to the Super Bowl.

"So we started talking about the Cowboys and everything," Irvin said in the Morning News. "Then they got back on the highway."

The pair eventually drove off.

"I tell you what, I'm glad he was a Cowboy fan," Irvin told the Morning News.

Here's a quick story about the only time someone ever pulled a gun on me. I was driving, in Conshohocken, when a white van pulled up next to me.

The guy motioned at me to roll my window down, so I did. Then I recognized him. I don't know which guy he was, I don't remember, but the guy was on Jackass. He wasn't one of the main guys, but he was definitely on Jackass.

Anyway, the guy told me he had these speakers. He was doing a delivery, and they were extra, and he could give them to me at a great price.

Now this is a scam. I don't know if you've ever heard of this scam, but this is how you end up buying 50 dollar speakers, which you think are 800 dollar speakers, for 200 dollars.

So I told him, "nah bro, no thanks."

And he goes "come on man, you gotta see these speakers."

Then I tell him "dude, I know it's a scam."

At which point, he flashed a gun, and drove off quickly.

Then he jumped into a shopping cart, rode down the street in it, used a stun gun on his private parts and filled his parents house with zoo animals.

Kara DioGuardi - THE WORST

2009-01-14T09:17:00.000-08:00

Now I realize, as I write this, that this is the blog that a maniac would write.

I understand how this looks. I get it. I'm going to do it anyway, because this is what the internet is for. Complaining about things that do not matter.

Kara DioGuardi is the new judge on American Idol. I have to be honest, I was skeptical at best about adding a 4th judge. Not because I'm crazy and I don't think you can change the show. Well, maybe a little bit. Mostly though, because I think all 3 necessary viewpoints are covered by the current judges. The "Super Positive" viewpoint (Paula), the "Super Negative Asshole" viewpoint (Simon) and the "Down The Middle, Honest Guy" viewpoint (Randy). So any other judge is just going to be doubling one of these three.

Turns out, DioGuardi is doubling the Simon viewpoint, which is the least tolerable. Look, Simon is probably the best judge. He's the most accurate, but he is grating. He's kind of like hot sauce. You definitely need hot sauce, but if it's the only seasoning, and you have too much of it, it loses its desired effect. Having a second asshole is a dissapointing turn I think.

In addition, she pulled off maybe the most awful move I've ever seen pulled off by a judge. First, she attempted to sing a song that she thought the contestant couldn't sing correctly. Think about how crazy this is. Imagine you were watching diving in the Olympics, and one of the judges jumped up on the platform and dove to show the competitor how to do it. A competitor who COULD sing, and oh, by the way, showed up in a bikini, which I'm sure made DioGuardi just chomping at the bit to tell the girl she couldn't sing.

The fact that she lost her cool and showed such insecurity so quickly is a bad sign. She's like the worst possible combination of Simon and Paula. It was uncomfortable to watch.

I know she's accomplished, I know she's qualified, I know she probably knows her stuff. It's just too bad she has such a horrible personality.

Superman?

2009-01-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

Kevin Garnett thinks Paul Pierce is Superman.

2 things here KG. First of all, if Paul Pierce was, in fact Superman, he probably would have prevented you from losing 7 of your last 11 games, including losses to the Knicks and Bobcats.

Second, if Paul Pierce, was in fact, Superman, he probably wouldn't be stroking his weak-ass facial hair the entire time you're mumbling during the press conference. Superman shaves more than once every 3 weeks. Paul Pierce has that facial hair that the kid in 6th grade who really needed to shave had.

I hate the Celtics.

Email Of The Year

2009-01-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

From my brother.

Received last night.

Please note, when he writes "sarce," he means "sauce." We decided a couple of years at De La Costa in Chicago, while dining, that sauce would be referred to as "sauce."

Also, "cock sarce," is what we call sriracha. It's a thai hot sauce with a rooster on the bottle. Hence, "cock."

I'm quite sure I'll be the only one to enjoy this email. That's alright with me.

Dog, I'm gonna be honest with you here. I'm really gonna have a moment with you. We're brothers, we're best friends, we're almost the same person. I don't know where I'd be without you.

So, all that being the case, I'm gonna bare it all for you right now. Late last week, my throat started hurting. It hurt so bad on Saturday, I didn't even want to eat cause it hurt so much to swallow. I didn't have a fever, stuffy nose- nothing- just a wrecked throat.

Saturday night didn't help at the Papa Roach show when I was screaming the songs the entire time.

Dog, barely had a voice piece yesterday and today. I'm dyin dog. My throat piece is nearing the end of the line. Like a train.

So dog, let me be honest with you right now. I'm gonna bare all and reveal what was probably the dumbest decision of my entire life. Dog, I made myself baked chicken and quinoa tonight for dinner. You know what I slathered on top of my chicken cause I love it so much? You know what I put on top? Dog, I put my new spicy habenero sauce on top. Yep. All over the chicken, Dog. THEN dog, you know what I did next? Cock sarce. All over the quinoa.

Dog. End of the line. Like a train. Dumbest head on earth. But dog, not for nothin, I love that sauce.

Jason Eskin
Tenth Street Entertainment
700 San Vicente Blvd, #G410
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: xxxxxxxxx
Fax: xxxxxxx
AIM: xxxxxxxxx

A gift from my blackberry

The 10! Show

2009-01-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

So, the truth is, I'm not very interesting.

I'm not interesting enough to be on television. That's probably why I haven't been on television. Not interesting or good looking enough. Scratch that, I was on television once. When I was about 10 years old, I was in a "Happy Holidays" commercial with my dad on Channel 3. It was the entire news staff of Channel 3, and the two hosts of Evening Magazine, Nancy Glass and Ray something. I forget Ray's name. In any case, the best part is that the one scene with me and my father was he and I looking up the chimney, for Santa. Two Jews, looking up the chimney for Santa. Classic.

I don't have any great desire to have a television career, however, I'd guess like most other people, being on TV seems like a cool thing to do.

So let me take you to about 2-3 months ago at an auction for the incredible, awesome charity PAL (Police Athletic League). There were several packages, all out of my price range. I went into it however, deciding that I was going to spend some money, give to a good cause, and get something cool.

I was priced out of the couple of packages that I targeted. One however, caught my eye that I hadn't noticed before.

"The Pampering Package."

Now, you might say, "Spike, that sounds like a package for a woman." Well, that's where you'd be wrong.

See, the package included a spa day for two at the Joseph Anthony Salon, 2 nights at the Loews Hotel on New Year's Eve and New Year's Night, some other assorted things, along with a makeover for two on the 10! show on NBC.

Ok, so I guess it does sound like a package for a woman. That's what she said. No time.

Anyway, the notion of being on TV caught my eye, and the bidding was slow. I'd have had it for less, but Beasley Reese (who was doing the right thing by driving up the price), did a good job of making me pay more for it. Still, it was within what I decided I could spend, and I won the package.

I was excited for everything, truly, but the thing I was most excited for was to be on television. My girlfriend, who would accompany me, was very excited as well. Probably because SHE'S A GIRL AND GIRLS LIKE MAKEOVERS. I've never been accused of being very masculine though, so I shared her excitement.

As I discovered when I got there, there isn't much you can makeover with a guy who has short hair and basically takes good care of himself. They made my hair a little darker, they gave me a button down shirt. I had a great time. I got to shoot Mario Lopez some dirty looks. Everyone was cool, the girl from State Of Grace, the people from Joseph Anthony Salon, and the gentleman who sent over my clothes from Pants in Bryn Mawr. Everyone at the 10! show as well, including Bill Henley, who kept telling me that my girlfriend was pretty, but I needed a lot of work. Thanks, Bud. By the way, Lori Wilson told me I was hot.

Jackie, my dear girlfriend, had a great time as well, and is clearly much better looking than I am.

I will soon have the behind the scenes video. Until then, enjoy.

Why Are We So Stupid?

2008-12-19T08:51:00.001-08:00

More evidence that people shouldn't have any rights at all (From the Philadelphia Inquirer):

With gas prices low, SUVs roar back

By Maria Panaritis

Inquirer Staff Writer

So long, cute little economy car. Welcome back, big truck, buddy ol' pal.

Americans who fled to small vehicles during $4-a-gallon gas are rushing back into the arms of sport-utility vehicles and light trucks, reversing a trend in which economy cars soared in popularity while consumers ditched brawny gas hounds.

"Americans don't want to drive little cars," said Sophia Koropeckyj, a senior economist and auto-markets analyst with Moody's Economy.com in West Chester. "They really prefer larger vehicles, and gas prices have receded more than half since the summer. That's the only conclusion there is."

Here's a quick note to everyone buying SUV's... Gas prices will go up again. Actually, I have a few notes. Gas prices will go up again, SUV's still use MORE gas which makes them MORE expensive, you're probably not going to take your vehicle "off-roading." JUST BUY A FUCKING ACCORD.

Headbanging

2008-12-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

From ABC News in Australia:

In a study published in the British Medical Journal this week, two University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers concluded that head-banging to a typical heavy metal tempo could cause mild traumatic brain injury or concussion, and neck injury, particularly as the tempo of the music and angle of movement increased.

"Clearly it's a serious issue," says Associate Professor Andrew McIntosh, co-author and professor of biomechanics at UNSW.

"If you observe people after concerts they clearly look dazed, confused and incoherent, so something must be going on and we wanted to look into it."

Well, now I guess we all know why Jason Newstead is such an idiot. No word on why he's such an asshole though.

Axl Speaks

2008-12-17T05:18:00.000-08:00

It's been reprinted 100 times, but here it is again.

Axl, who won't really do interviews (or hasn't), posted this on a GNR message board.

An interesting read, mostly because of the emoticons and the fact that he basically refutes a lot of things Slash wrote in his book.

Enjoy:

Ok then!! The questions aren’t here but the answers as it moves along I think point pretty clearly to what was asked in pretty much order or close of the 7 pages. If I didn't answer it was either already answered, off topic or I mistakenly overlooked the question, my apologies for the inconvenience. It’s not as light hearted as some of the other sessions but that’s the subject matter. Whew!!

So let’s start here… the whole Axl wouldn’t go on stage yada yada… is complete and utter crap.

Never happened, all made up, fallacy and fantasy. Not one single solitary thread of truth to it. Had that been the case I would’ve have been cremated years ago legally, could’ve cleaned me out for the name and damages. It's called under duress with extenuating circumstances. In fact the time that was mentioned the attorneys were all in Europe with us dealing with Adler depositions.

Couldn't talk sooner as it could have jeopardized whatever nonsense was going on.

When Guns renegotiated our contract with Geffen I had the bit about the name added in as protection for myself as I had come up with the name and then originally started the band with it. It had more to do with management than the band as our then manager was always tryin’ to convince someone they should fire me. As I had stopped speaking with him he sensed his days were numbered and was bending any ear he could along with attempting to sell our renegotiation out for a personal payday from Geffen.

It was added to the contract and everyone signed off on it. It wasn’t hidden in fine print etc as you had to initial the section verifying you had acknowledged it.

Now at that time I didn’t know or think about brand names or corporate value etc. All I knew is that I came in with the name and from day one everyone had agreed to it being mine should we break up and now it was in writing.

I still didn’t grasp any other issues until long after I’d left and formed a new partnership which was only an effort to salvage Guns not steal it.

In my opinion the reality of the shift and the public embarrassment and ridicule by others (which included a lot of not so on the level business types he was associating with at the time) for not contesting the rights to the brand name, were more than Slash could openly face. Also we aren’t lawyers or formally business educated so it was just a matter of all of us being naïve and doing what we thought was right at the time. Slash was imo being on the up and up in agreeing I had the rights and I wasn’t trying to be some snake in the grass pulling a fast one. The others could’ve cared less.

But when the reality of the breakup hit and the strategy to have me crawl back was put into play Slash had to save face and get business team and public support. Painting me as the one who held a crowd hostage forcing the others to sign over the name worked out pretty well in that regard. I’m the bad guy and Duff, the fans and most importantly himself were the victims. Oh and they had actually made the sacrifice for the crowd, the people, the fans at the show. But again…. IT NEVER HAPPENED.

Media and others ignorantly, wrongly and falsely harped on about it at mine and the fans expense for years and Slash has hoped to use all that to continually sue and have some sort of legal nonsense going on behind the scenes in an effort to reverse things. He wouldn’t have been able to get the support and action on the part of his various team members over the years to do so if the truth were out there especially when the statute of limitations had run out years ago.

Why keep the name? I’m literally the last man standing. Not bragging, not proud. It’s been a fucking nightmare but I didn’t leave Guns and I didn’t drive others out. With Slash it’s been nothing more than pure strategy and saving face while manipulating the public like he used to me. I earned the right to protect my efforts and to be able to take advantage of our contract I’d worked hard for where Slash’s exact words were that he didn’t care. I get that some like a different version or lineup the same way some like a specific team line up or a particular year of a specific car but because you and I are getting played I’m supposed to throw the baby out with the bath water?

I didn’t make a solo record. A solo record would be completely different than this and probably much more instrumental. I made a Guns record with the right people who were the only people who really wanted to help me try, were qualified and capable while enduring the public abuse for years . The songs were chosen by everyone involved. I didn’t want to do This I love in anyway shape or form and Robin and Caram insisted gaining Tommy’s and the others support. There’s been a lot of pressure to go with using my name (all external) but that never felt right to me for this band and the parameters in regard to this music have lots more to do with the mindset of Guns than something else. The instrumental I wrote for End of Days that’s more a solo effort at least presently.

As far as a new name…this is who I am not whatever else someone else thinks of. I don’t see myself as solely Guns but I do see myself as the only one from the past making the effort to take it forward whether anyone approves or not and giving beyond what many would or fight for to do so. The name helped the music more than you could ever know and I’m not talking in regards to studios or budgets I mean it as in being pushed by something and having to get the music to a place where I can find my peace regardless of what anyone says. And that wasn’t fully achieved until the last round of mastering and swapping out a version of a track at the pressing plant that had gotten inadvertently changed at the last minute.

Also the name was what the industry wanted as well and the burden of keeping it was something to endure in order to make the record. After the monies invested by old Geffen (that were decisions made that have worked out for me but I'm on record as having opposed) dropping the name became suicide.

The cost of legal battles has been astronomical but I felt the deal made with Universal was fair for where it is and most things balanced out for both sides.

David Bowie likes Floyd with Barret, many with Waters and those without. And there are those who like all the different lineups. Imo what makes our situation a bit more unique at least in how it’s played out is the ugliness of what really took place. If I’d done what was said then I’d say fuck me too. I also realize this is just one issue in something with upteen however many more so conclusions can’t be formulated off this little bit alone by most which is more than understandable.

That said because someone leaves the shop I started in which I still legally have the rights to the name I started it with… makes up a bunch of nonsense to win public and legal support in an effort to get whatever it is they want at mine and the public’s expense… I don’t feel any reason whatsoever I should have to throw what I’ve not only worked for but fought and suffered for away because some hurt, angry, betrayed, misguided and lied to people with a lynch mob mentality, joined by others who could care less (especially in the media), enjoying the controversy and hate, choose one over the other regardless of what’s right because they want what they want. And you can still prefer then as opposed to now and no one’s arguing your right to do so.

In regard to nuGuns, I get that sometimes it helps to be able to clarify. Personally I call this Guns and the Illusions or previous lineups old Guns.

We can play what we want as far as I’m aware.

It wasn’t so much that it was a good course or that if looking back I could do something differently it’s that for better or worse it was the only course and had I not done this Slash would have succeeded in destroying me publicly much more than he, others or myself have so far and I would have gone bankrupt.

I don’t know where I’d be but there’s clearly no happy ending there and with everything else that had gone on in every other area of my life the devastation isn’t something I feel I would have overcome at least to any real degree publicly. Hopefully I would’ve been able to pick myself up enough to get a job or sing somewhere else but I doubt anything that significant.

The sharing thing is interesting but even with all this time the complications of the red tape and trying to get something out fall on my world to sort and not theirs. They are amazingly supportive and do their best to keep me in up spirits and focused which I had less and less of in Guns way before Sweet Child caught on. If that were to change then that may be something to look at. I hope for us to grow more together as we continue so who knows.

If I hadn’t secured the rights I don’t know where I’d be and I’d probably call what would then be the current lineup “Those mother fuckers!!”

The name is something I take great pride in as I feel anyone who’s been a part of it should, the same as other bands or teams etc. The burden when it is such is a nightmare but not as much or as hopeless as I’d imagine without it could have been.

On the what’s the difference… I think I get what you’re asking… I feel it depends on how and in what ways either the formers members are using the association and what the true circumstances regarding why they moved on from both the band and the name that would or could affect the decision to continue on with the name by in this case this lineup and or myself.

As for selling more records it’d be nice to be in a position to possibly do so at some point but that’s never been my base reasoning. I would think it fits into not feeling I shouldn’t be forced to throw away possible opportunities in a hostile attempted takeover. I believe I should fight for Guns in a patriotic sense or sense of loyalty or honor. Not just my vision or direction for Guns as those things can evolve and you can make forward moving positive compromises by what others bring to the table but I mean more as in what principles I feel were important to Guns in regard to an overall commitment to the music.

It helped us get here but most of that was with Universal and the positives of that wore off years ago until recently and after the initial run it’ll be about the music and us. Then it’s about touring and there’s not a question the name’s helped at most everywhere but not so much the states. With that it comes down to the strength or quality of the performance. Having the name kicks your ass every night as it’s not some side project or something u can fuck off in. You don’t deliver u get your ass handed to u. So it makes us work much harder than I feel we would outside of it and it hasn’t been too ugly yet.

I didn’t see lineup changes etc back then I saw it more as a crash and burn, goin’ down with the ship. On one hand I knew the band was over before we started touring Illusions but you have hope… but I saw it more like the Titanic sinking than moving on or surviving. And in reality I went the distance with each and every one in Guns to where they felt for whatever reasons they either couldn’t or wouldn’t give what Guns required.

And I’m not talking change of styles or sounds etc. A lot of people bought that crap and me having gone in other directions seems to many to have verified that. Then you have the mind twisting equally as true horseshit in Slash’s book but I have the rehearsal tapes. There’s nothing but Slash based blues rock and he stopped it to both go solo and try to completely take over Guns. I read all this if Axl would’ve put words and melodies on it could’ve… That was denied and I didn’t walk till several months after having 3 to 4 hour phone conversations nearly every day with Slash trying to reach a compromise. I was specifically told no lyrics, no melodies, no changes to anything and to sing what I was told or fuck off.

As to what would possibly make me change the name would be some form of evolving that I don’t feel we’ve reached yet and not in any way consciously trying to at this time. It’s really hard to say. I’d have to feel it was right for me and those involved and whatever we’re doing at that time.

Never thought about that , with the RRHOF. The whole “mature enough” bit was cute. Not to offend anyone but personally I don’t have an interest and other than inducting Elton don’t quite get what it is exactly and who decides what. It seems to mean more to some than others and more so amongst fans. It’s nice to get recognition and have some form of acceptance but in regards to joining others the price is too high and just not worth it. It’s a ways away and seems a bit presumptuous to be contemplating being inducted now.

About following particular styles yes I do feel there are parameters with Guns as opposed to not being or in Guns. Chinese is imo an evolution not necessarily how each from the past would but how the music and intent could and did. Guns did not have specific lifelong criteria to follow and many of the influences on Appetite were abandoned by the others long before me. In fact Slash hated a good portion of those on Appetite and wasn’t all that into the involvement or association but knew it worked at the time and realized it was the cusp of a wave that was growing. It’s a trip for me to witness as so many of the people he performs with etc he hated then, them, their bands and their music where the others or I were the fans.

I like touring with these guys a lot more than the old band. The beginning was fun but it started going bad our first gig opening for the Cult in Halifax between Slash and I. That’s when the ok I put up with all Axl’s and Izzy’s crap now I’m gonna be the man trip started with him runnin’ right out front on the ego ramp for the whole show. It was pretty funny.

No one ever talked about or suggested using another name. The guys are really respectful in regard to the old band and I’m not sure if they’ve said a paragraph apiece in all the years towards or about the old band whether I’m talking about whatever or not. But from being with me for so long they know a lot of it’s shit so they get bummed at the endless interviews and nonsense. Personally I’m so proud of them I wouldn’t know how to express it. I can’t see me handing something like this as they have with so much class and maturity especially being shit on publicly to such a degree. “Hey join my band, bring an umbrella!!”

If I were to leave Guns I could consider giving, selling, shelving or opening a GNR Burger chain with the name!! Ha!! j/k. I’m not so different than the alumni in that there’s generally something going on that makes things suck and when that reaches overflow I want out too but if you didn’t when it’s ugly I think that’d be less normal.

If I went solo which I haven’t I wouldn’t call it Guns.

The name does come from mine and Traci’s as the original inspiration but was something I played with not Traci and Guns was Guns before Traci joined. It was Guns Before I knocked on Izzy’s window. Earlier I had gotten Tracii to use the name Guns (as he had mentioned a girl had called him Mr. Guns sometime) so he’d stop calling his band Persian Rose. So I guess we have the girl to thank.

The other’s having a sense of entitlement to the name isn’t completely off but has more to do with how Slash dealt with things and his particular strategy and I say strategy because that’s what it’s been. But since I managed to hold out that didn’t play out so well for him in regard to the name.

It’s a band name more than a brand name. As Tommy said regarding our struggles to make this happen “We’re not lettin’ what took so much blood and heart get turned to shit and dust.” And I guess you could apply that to current former or whatever.

Slash never had ANY arguments for keeping the name until long after and again I feel that had a lot to do with seedy biz types and him feeling he had to save face.

Keeping the band name alive was very important. Not out of ego and I don’t know exactly why in the sense of putting into words but I think it has something to do with the global effect it has and how Guns surviving in some way is sometimes inspiring to others around the world and in that there’s a sense of obligation.

I don’t regret keeping the name though I wish more were supportive or at least not as aggressively opposed.

The details are that my attorney shit when I made the move. He was very against it fearing long litigation but even then no one talked about brand names or individual interests in a brand name. I look back and have no idea why. Not my people, not his people, no one.
No one pressured me, everyone was afraid and no one including myself wanted to break up Guns or the relationship. And Bubbles and I talk all the time!

We can “chat” about the contract and the reasoning another time

The battles were during the breakup. Our people and my individual legal basically forced me to go thru the motions with everything I had to make things work for over 2 years in the sense that if they felt I wasn’t making every effort 110% and with all the sincerity and all above board I wouldn’t have their support which I wanted, couldn’t afford to lose or risk losing. Which led to the trial period where Slash played the key bits of Fall to Pieces but once I showed some interest that was over.

I get the part about reckless but it was more about strategy and underestimating how long I would stick with it.

As far as people knowing me, this is a statement that in light of others decisions that I chose to pursue as Guns N’ Roses and what some may feel is a different this or that may seem as if the arguments or disagreements are about the band or the style of music such as blues or influences on earlier Guns has some relevance but imo points more to deeper base elements I wanted to put forth for people in general.

Such as a more positive intent and instead of as self destructive more of healing. There’s all kinds of things to help you die or be more negative. I wanted to try and make as powerful a hard rock album as we could while incorporating beauty and an openness to other forms both traditional and more recent without going religious etc. I didn’t attempt to make a party record or dance record both elements consciously in Appetite. I wasn’t trying to purposefully appeal to the heartland or middle America in those ways (not that I was trying to avoid them or have an issue). But for example Sweet Child wasn’t in any way trying to write a “hit” mainstream song it was trying to write the best Guns N’ Roses Lynard Skynard influenced song we could as tribute and recognition in the tradition of Tuesdays Gone With the Wind or Simple Man etc and at a time when nothing could have seemed more unpopular.

One man forced me to work with others. One man forced me to work with others to survive. And I can’t say what would have happened on different terms. I say yes because it was agreed from day one. U have to realize we were on the street. It wasn’t the first band. Whoever thought of the name kept the name unless he gave it up or moved on. Everyone was always having a new version of whatever their band name was. I wouldn’t have thought of using LA Gunns or any of Slash’s band names. We all knew that we could break up the next week. You had to have that stuff somewhat sorted between each other going in. It was a deal that we made. The issue becomes the value or perceived value now and the fans attachment and or acceptance. Really weren’t things we consciously considered even during the breakup.

I don’t exactly know what Guns N’ Roses is but I know it’s my job in the sense of an obligation and I’m good with that.
The name and rights have nothing to do with the breakup. That’s all a created façade a decoy and a smoke screen. Now had what Slash said actually transpired then I’d say of course but in reality, No.

Going into Guns there wasn’t a #2. At that time I was going to make it in a band that started as Guns N’ Roses and could evolve but that was the starting point and it was all the way or bust. I knew what I wanted when I knocked on Izzy’s window. I also knew I wanted Slash but we still had differences and Izzy wasn’t down with it.

I wasn’t legally obligated but we probably would have gotten dropped and I would have been driven into bankruptcy.

I think it varies and happy Christmas to u and everyone.

I don’t think about the dangerous bit or status or identification. I’ve always thought of the symbolism since thinking of the 2 words together. And in that I absolutely feel this is a Guns N’ Roses record.

It’s an issue that gets brought up a lot especially in the media at all levels and it gets really ugly. It’s ugly right now with dj’s across the country who feel their sticking up for something that they bought into unaware. So I wanted to start going at it a bit.

Most critics have higher opinions of theirs than is merited. I haven’t read much from outside sources in the media regarding my world that know much of anything let alone what would be in my best interest other than looking at events in hindsight and playing armchair music mogul. Which most times means nothing and though could seem logical is usually just as far off base as anything else they’ve said.

The heart and commitment these guys play the material with is much more than the others were prepared to give pursuing their own interests for a very long time. The music changed after Slash and I parted so the direction was where I took Guns not where I had intended or tried to go previously. It had a lot to do with not finding or knowing a more blues based player that I found inspiring and I was really knocked down and beat up. Slash, Duff and Matt’s decisions had as much to do with kicking a guy when he’s down or abandoning ship at the time as anything else. Other things were going on with music as well, we were basically dead at Geffen. I liked other things as well so I wanted to explore, be legitimate and survive. I wasn’t doing what was written so often about chasing fads etc. Jesus, I wouldn’t have agreed for Zakk to come down if any of Slash’s or the media’s nonsense were real. And that could’ve worked on some level but like Guns it would’ve been up to those two and their relationship. They talk nice but it wasn’t pretty… but it was pretty awesome!!

No plans not to be Guns for the future.

Solo efforts… Much more experimental and instrumental.

It doesn’t bother me unless it’s being done at my expense and or to keep him associated as in Guitar Hero. Him being Guitar Hero’s fine but not when Activison in using Jungle, having Yahoo use Sweet Child unauthorized, claims no involvement with Slash, his or anyone’s image or VR or anyone or anyone’s music in either camp in promotion or commercials etc. I wasn’t broadsided. I read about it as it moved along but Activision continually denied it right up to the release. That’s some low life chicanery on all their parts.

Yes Slash was in Guns and on Jungle (and the whole I came to him for his riff is as much crap as him saying he brought Locomotive and Coma in as complete songs) and he has rights to perform it but not to be represented in this context in association with Guns. And since they weren’t granted the license it’ll take some sorting.

Universal has Guns under contract but I own the name.

I don’t have problems with whoever doing the songs but film or video gets into sync rights and I don’t have an interest in anyone new, old or whatever trying to sell themselves as GNR under another name that way.

It’s my understanding the lawyers were scammed like the everyone else so for them to continually try and find a way to reverse things is normal and would seem appropriate but again it NEVER Happened.

Thanks everyone. Hope to get back soon. I’ll take a look at that list. As long as we don’t get to personal or offensive I’m good with things. Thanks for all the questions, my apologies for not answering specifically to each, this was just a bit easier for this subject. Hope no one took wanting to stay on topic to personal. Thanks again to everyone who participated. Thanks to everyone for the great comments and appreciation. Happy Holidays.

Axl-

YES!

2008-12-16T10:35:00.000-08:00

You won't see me for months. I'm finally going to get better than my little sister at this game.

Another Day, Another Story About Billy Corgan Being Stupid

2008-12-11T07:38:00.000-08:00

So perhaps you've read recent stories about the Smashing Pumpkins 20th Anniversary Tour.

Most people would expect a 20th Anniversary Tour would be a celebration of the 20 years of the band's existance by playing the greatest songs of those 20 years. Like, imagine you bought a 20th Anniversary Video for a band. You would expect the history of the band on the video, not new things on the video.

Billy Corgan, genius that he pretends to be, suggests that people should have thought otherwise, and he seems to be offended that they didn't.

So now, Billy has talked more about the tour and the lousy 2007 album Zeitgeist that the tour supported.

About making albums in general:

"We're done with that. There is no point. People don't even listen to it all. They put it on their iPod, they drag over the two singles and skip over the rest"

Not entirely true Billy. It is accurate that people's attention spans are shorter, and are more apt to listen to singles. However, if there is a genre of music that lends itself to albums more than any other, it's rock. People care and listen to Metallica's entire album. People will care and listen to U2's new album. People seem to care and listen to Radiohead's new album.

If your band was as good and important as you still feel they are, you'd be able to make an album people listen to. The problem is that Zeitgeist wasn't good. People don't like listening to songs they don't like. If you write a bunch of good songs, people will listen to them. It's not that people don't like albums, they don't like YOUR album.

"We will crack the egg like we did in '92, without doing something embarrassing like working with Timbaland."

Wow, Billy takes a shot at Chris Cornell. First, I think the Cornell record is pretty awesome. Second, I can't imagine working with the most successful producer in music now is thought of as "embarassing." Maybe Corgan should try something so embarassing. Cornell has kept himself relevent, one way or another, for the last 20 years. Not so much with the Smashing Pumpkins.

"I can write songs."

Anyone can write songs. You used to write GOOD songs.

On why they broke up in 2000:

"The real story was Iha was driving me out of my mind. He was so negative. The guy literally drove me insane. "

I can attest to James Iha being a pretty miserable guy. That being said, Corgan calling Iha negative is like Wilt Chamberlain calling Shaq a bad free-throw shooter.

"Show me any band that lasts for any tenure, they don't have the original members. This world doesn't care about that. They just want to hear the songs."

Well, then play the songs. Dipshit.

"Let me be blunt. When Bruce Springsteen puts out a new album, I pay attention. Same with Neil Young. Because they're major artists who have something to say. I consider us in that category. When we do something it should be taken seriously, even when we're off. If we're marginalized by the culture, we're not going to play dead and say thank you for our B-plus status. I poured my blood into my songs. I've had a bad marriage and seven bad girlfriends in a row. I make sacrifices to do my work. That's not victim talk; that's nobody's fault; that's a choice I made for me."

You are not in the same category as Bruce Springsteen. This is like Dan Quayle comparing himself to John F. Kennedy. Take your B+ status, at this point, you probably deserve D+ status.

Really. Fucking. Funny.

2008-12-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

These are three of the funniest things I've seen in a long time:

Fucking brilliant.

Lars... WHAT?

2008-12-02T08:38:00.001-08:00

I love Metallica.

I like Lars.

I thought he was RIGHT during the Napster thing.

Still, I'd have trouble sticking up for him after this (courtesty of Blabbermouth):

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich gave up cocaine awhile ago, but he does miss something about it, according to ChicagoTribune.com.

"The bonding," he tells Blender magazine. "Two guys in a bathroom stall — it feels like the most important place in the whole world in that moment. I've actually gone into bathroom stalls with friends since I quit, just so I still have a little bit of that bonding."

No fucking way. You have not gone into bathroom stalls with friends to bond with them. Bullshit. I'm calling bullshit on that. That's horseshit. If it isn't horseshit, he needs to discover football or video games or something.

There is the possibility he was kidding. If he was kidding, my deepest apologies.

Big News From Thursday

2008-11-27T07:52:00.000-08:00

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.

A Second Blog?

2008-11-27T07:31:00.000-08:00

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/

Having Trouble Finding A Christmas Present?

2008-11-26T08:32:00.000-08:00

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.

Third Eye Blind... Bad

2008-11-26T08:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Vince Neil On GNR

2008-11-26T07:44:00.001-08:00

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...

Chinese Democracy - The Actual Review

2008-11-21T06:10:00.000-08:00

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.

Billy Corgan Has Lost His Mind

2008-11-20T10:02:00.000-08:00

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?

Chinese Democracy - A Review

2008-11-20T07:09:00.000-08:00

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.

What A Disaster

2008-10-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Clearly, last night's World Series game was a disaster.

I don't really believe it was anyone's fault, but a disaster none the less. Blaming this on anyone, would literally be blaming them for the rain. I don't know that I'd like to give anyone that power. We can blame it ON the rain, much like Milli Vanilli did, but I don't know that I'd like to blame the rain ON anyone.

In retrospect, perhaps things could have been handled differently.

If there was a meeting with Bud Selig and the teams before the game discussing the possibility of dismissing rules in order to play a full game, I think that probably should have been public before the game. I think it was the right decision, no one wants a World Series game to end after a 5 inning game, but I think probably people could have known that possibility existed.

Maybe they could have shut things down an inning early. If the weather is too messy for the infield fly rule to exist, perhaps it's too messy to play the World Series. Just a thought.

In any case, it is what it is, and what happened, happened, and we'll finish it up Wednesday it looks like.

That's not how we see it here in Philly though. I love this city, and I love the people, I do. The passion is truly unmatched. Anywhere. In no place do people live or die with their teams like they do in Philadelphia. The problem, is that it comes at the cost of perspective and reality.

The thought that the announcers and the officials are always against us is funny. I've got no problem with that. In no way, in any case, is it true, ever. Regardless, it's a fun thing to think. In addition, everyone here is SO convinced of it, that there's no convincing anyone otherwise anyway. The same people who are so convinced that the umps are against us, apparently missed the strike zone that Scott Kazmir had to pitch to last night. I guess they missed that call where Jimmy Rollins was clearly tagged out in a rundown but ruled safe. Maybe the umpires are bad, but they are surely not biased. They're a bunch of fat, old guys. Anyone who thinks they're the most qualified to officiate a professional sport is out of their minds anyway.

Back to today... I expected to wake up to a dissapointed city. A city hoping to celebrate last night was left with nothing. Just to wait another couple of days. I was hoping though, that we could just wake up dissapointed and not angry.

Boy, was I wrong.

"We got screwed." "Bud Selig is a moron." This is what I wake up to.

Again, sure it was messy. But did I miss something? Did we have to play in the rain while Tampa played in the sun?

From Philly.COM:

"Major League Baseball is all about [sportscaster] Joe Buck and the ratings - they don't want to see Philadelphia win a championship," said Michael Hughes of Holland, Bucks County, in a comment that seemed to capture the sour and even conspiratorial mood at the rain-drenched ballpark.

Um, what? Why doesn't MLB want Philadelphia to win a championship? To what end? We're a bigger market than Tampa. We buy more tickets than Tampa. We have more money to spend than Tampa. If this was about money, they'd be favoring Philly. I have ZERO idea where the Joe Buck part comes in. Maybe that's the big twist of the World Series. Maybe the fix it so Joe Buck wins.

Also from Philly.COM:

""The fact that Major League Baseball, with all the weather reports and all the technology, went ahead with this game just points to money and greed," said Jeff Sherry of Havertown, who came with his son Danny. "Just another chance to suck the money out of the fans.""

Ok, well first of all, I don't know that they did this because of "money and greed." They still play the same number of games. They're not secretly adding games. Maybe they made a mistake, but I don't think it was a calculated decision based on greed. Also, they won't be selling more tickets, and you can park with the same stub that you parked with, so additionally, they will not be "sucking any money out of the fans."

In addition, I don't know if you've noticed, Jeff, but the weather reports and technology fail us on a pretty regular basis. Whatever Doppler 85,000 that the local TV stations use are generally wrong about 86% of the time. I'm not going to blame MLB for the fact that we can not now, nor have we ever, been able to accurately predict the weather.

Be bummed, sure. Be dissapointed, sure. Just leave the notion that people are trying to keep victory from the city out of your head.

Let's save our energy for the parade.

Chinese Democracy

2008-10-22T04:21:00.000-07:00

So I've heard this song before.

If you're a Guns N' Roses fan, and you have the internet, you've heard this song before.

And I don't mean "I've heard this song before," in some clever "I've heard it all before" way or in a "oh, we've heard this story before" way. I mean, I've actually heard Chinese Democracy before.

I guess that's what happens when you mix the internet with 15 years of waiting for an album, things get out there.

The official first single from the long, long, long, LONG awaited Chinese Democracy album was released to radio and the world today at 5am. I'm here, at WYSP, to download the song and give it to Frank Lario so he can play it at 8am.

I'm sitting in a production studio, about to listen to the final mix of the song for the first time. Since we have a "no repeat" policy here at 94 WYSP, I won't be able to play it during my show, so this is going to be the big first listen for me.

I may sound old here, but this is something the internet ruined for me. The internet ruined it for me by allowing me to hear an unfinished version of the song months ago. Unfinished versions of some of the songs on the album, years ago. And even though I knew it couldn't possibly help my experience when I actually got the real album for the first time, curiousity almost always got the better of me, and I listened.

Guns N' Roses, had they not broken up, would have been the most important band to me in my lifetime. They did break up though, and in retrospect, never had enough material to really become that band. So Metallica became that band. Back in the day though, there were NO albums I listened to more than Appetite For Destruction and the Use Your Illusions. I even listened to LIES a lot. No bullshit.

For today, and for this week, I'm going to suspend the "it's not really Guns N' Roses" talk. It's been done. No, this is not the same band that recorded Appetite For Destruction. That's for sure. But it wasn't the same Metallica that recorded Death Magnetic that recorded The Black Album that recorded Master Of Puppets. I guess this is more members than just the bass player, and I guess it's different, but this is still more of GNR to me than Velvet Revolver ever was or will be.

Sure, Izzy wrote a lot of songs.

Slash played the guitar as only Slash can.

But by and large, Guns N' Roses was always Axl Rose. I'll still take Axl and a bunch of weirdos playing the songs right than Slash, Duff and ANYONE singing. Would I prefer Slash, Duff and Axl, sure. They're all too rich to make that happen right now though. So this is the best of what we got.

With that, I'm going to listen to "Chinese Democracy" and write as I do it.

Here goes:

Stars off ominously with sound effects.
People talking in the background. Perhaps they're Chinese.
More intro... People talking. More ominous music.
UH OH. BIG DRUM HITS. There's guitar.
There's the riff. It's a big, bad riff. I've heard it before, but it definitely sounds bigger and better.
Chills, for real. Fuck, I'm really excited. What a dork I am.
I hate that Axl has put this effect on his voice on a lot of the new stuff. You're not Cher, Axl.
Dude, this is a BAD ASS TUNE.
"All I got is precious time," is quite an Axl line.
This is not an industrial bullshit tune like "Oh My God" was. Even though I liked "Oh My God." No bullshit.
It's not a bad solo, not at all. It doesn't sound like Axl, and it's a little digitized sounding, but not a bad solo.
The song's got a pretty nice tone to it as well.
"It don't really matter..." is very Axl as well.
Hahaha! Ends with a giant explosion. Maybe that's China being blown up. Who knows.

There it is. It's badass. It's a good tune. It's not the best GNR tune ever, but it didn't have to be. Not for me.

You're going to hear a lot of "we waited 15 years for THIS?" Those people are right, and they're wrong. They're right because sure, there's no way this can lead up to the build of 15 years. It's a song. I don't know a song that could have. I don't know that I'd want something that would instantly grab me like that, because I don't know how long that'd last. It's right because it's been an ridiculous delay. I will resist calling it unecessary, because clearly, on some level it was. I kind of respect Axl's craziness and his obvious dedication to the art of it. This is clearly not about money. He will have lost a lot of money by waiting this long. Because he's not as relevant as he once was. Because the industry isn't what it once was. He never was in this record for the money though. He didn't wait this long to make more money, he waited this long to get it right, at least in his head.

"We waited 15 years for THIS" is wrong because we were the only ones counting down the time to a deadline that was never set. Axl never said "you're going to have to wait 15 years for the next record."

Did he? Well it doesn't matter what I, or you think. On some level, to him, it probably just matters what he thinks. He's an ego-maniac and a headcase for sure. But he's a rock star, and he's supposed to be.

Let's hope he sticks around for a bit. We could use his attitude. Concerts have been starting WAY too early.

8 From The 80's - Day 2

2008-10-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

1. George Thorogood - Bad To The Bone

2. Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne - If I Close My Eyes Forever

3. Van Halen - Everybody Wants Some

4. Warrant - Heaven

5. Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane

6. Motley Crue - Wild Side

7. Tesla - Signs

8. Guns N' Roses - Mr Brownstone

8 From The 80's - Day 1

2008-10-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day for "8 From The 80's," which will happen every day at noon.

Anything worth listening to was recorded in the 80's. You know that.

Here's day 1:

1 - Skid Row - 18 and Life
2 - Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills
3 - Rush - Limelight
4 - Metallica - Master Of Puppets
5 - AC/DC - Back In Black
6 - Cinderella - Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)
7 - Guns N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle (Live)
8 - Def Leppard - Love Bites

Thorogood Thursdays

2008-10-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome Home Part 2

2008-09-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

Only Philly fans would find a way to blame Donovan McNabb for last night's loss.

GIVE THE GUY A FUCKIN' BREAK.

Donovan McNabb doesn't call the plays (4th and 1). He doesn't like Kyle Fucking Orton throw three touchdown passes. He doesn't drop fucking punts. He doesn't let the Bears get that 1st down on that last drive.

Let's repeat, THIS WAS NOT DONOVAN MCNABB'S FAULT.

What It Means To Be From Philly

2008-09-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

I'm home.

Physically, I've been back in Philly for almost a year now (WOW, that went fast). It wasn't till this morning did I really feel like a) I'm back in Philly and b) I'm really from Philly.

I didn't get up and go see the Liberty Bell.

I didn't awaken and immediately go get a cheesesteak.

I didn't get up at 4 and visit the site of the first congress or Ben Franklin's grave.

I did however, I wake up pissed off. I woke up pissed off because of a football game. Boy, did it feel good.

I watched the game at home last night on my couch, as my girlfriend sat next to me on her laptop, not really paying attention to the game. She's not from here, she's allowed to not pay attention, at least for now. Everything was pretty quiet and peaceful until Donovan threw that touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson and I scream. "FUCK YEAH." She jumped. The cat ran away.

"You scared me," she said.

"It was a great throw," I replied.

She probably hasn't seen me like that. I haven't really been like that. I had forgotten that professional sports, which should probably be a great release and entertaining, is actually just another thing to drain the life out of me.

I woke up pissed off. That we couldn't get in on 4th and 1. That the Bears got that first down on their last drive that pretty much sealed the deal. Annoyed that now we're 2-2 in the best division in football and have an uphill climb.

I woke up irritated and dissapointed. I woke up a Philadelphian again.

It's good to be back, even if it feels like shit.

Myspace Music

2008-09-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

Wow! A place where I can stream music for free!

You've got to be kidding! That's never been done before?

And this time I get to use the clunky, graphic heavy, ad-ridden Myspace platform. AWESOME!

The italics indicate sarcasm.

Doesn't Last FM already do this?

I can only imagine how many high powered meetings with idiot record execs went on, trying to come up with a deal to create a site that no one will ever use, and if they do, will be done with within 12 months.

Want to do something creative? Want to do something new? Give music away. Use ads on your site, fund it that way, but give it away. It's the only step that's left to be taken. Giving people a place to stream music has been done, and is almost in the past.

And while you're ad it, fix your fucking blog tool.

Reunion

2008-09-26T06:03:00.000-07:00

There's a rumor floating around the internet (so it must be true), regarding the possibility that limpbizkit (which is the way they wrote it for the last record) will be reforming. The story had the reformation happening without Wes Borland. Instead, playing guitar will be Terry Balsamo, who was in the band before Borland, and later played in Cold and Evanescence.

I was going to write how Borland, though part of the greatest incarnation of Bizkit, is not necessary for the band to write a great record. That the best thing he ever did for his legend was leave the band. He became the one with all the cred.

I was going to write that although Borland was important, we all know Durst is the one thing that makes limpbizkit move.

I was going to write that you should maybe revisit "Results May Vary," which was their record without Borland. I was going to write that it was a really good Bizkit record, though different from the previous ones. That the album was underrated.

I was going to write that even though I'll get teased for caring about the limpbizkit reunion, that we all have selective memory. That I guess I'm the only one that remember them being the biggest rock band in the world for a few years. I guess I bought all million copies of their records the first week they came out.

I was going to write that the world, that the rock world, needs a band like limpbizkit again. Silly and juvenile, maybe, but a band that could capture the attention of the rock world and make us all love a rock star again.

I was going to write th at limpbizkit had the attitude of the rock bands of the 80's that we all loved. Of Motley Crue and Guns N' Roses. I was going to write what a good thing that'd be in the age of rock bands who are still so taken with the grunge movement that I feel like I'm still listening to Nirvana cover bands. I was going to write that if they got their unwashed hair out of their faces, maybe they'd get recognized on the street.

I was going to write that though grunge music was great, there were fewer than 10 bands who really did it right. That's there's a reason for that. That the music was only good when it was honest and full of meaning, and most people don't have that as part of their soul. Which is why the copies fall so flat. Which is why they feel so empty. It doesn't seem that there's any reason why they feel the way they feel. Nirvana and Pearl Jam did a better job of explaining why they were angsty. It was believable. A lot of these current grunge sounding bands write great songs, but there's no feeling.

I'd rather have stupid, harmless fun, than have mopey, angsty songs without any real, mopey or angsty feeling.

I was going to write that I believed Fred Durst when he wrote Break Stuff. I believed him when he wrote Countferfeit and Stuck. I even believed him when he wrote Boiler. It was dumb, but it was harmless, and it seemed real to me.

I was going to write all of that, but then I figured I'd get made fun of for saying that I'd welcome a limpbizkit reunion. Because it's much better form to pretend to rave about the latest Radiohead record. Better form, just not all that honest.

The Worst Thing About The Internet

2008-09-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

I feel old when I say this, but it's true.

I remember what it was like before the internet. It's true. I know there are a lot of people in that same boat, but as the boat gets full, the number of people NOT on the boat becomes larger.

Every day that passes, another person will be born who will have no idea what it was like before the internet. What it was like before cell phones. What it was like without HDTV. I mean, dude, it was a long time ago, but I remember not using cable. True story.

A few years ago, when trying to organize a "meet and greet" with a band at a concert. The band was late. The winners were late. Everyone was late. Thankfully, we all had cell phones and could relay our lateness to one another. A few days later, I was talking about the experience with the record rep who was at the other end of many of the phone calls. She's one of my favorites, and has been in the business for a long time.

I said to her, "man, what did we do without cell phones when we used to do this stuff."

She said to me, "I guess we were just all on time."

Imagine that.

Regardless, I do think that the positives and the advantages of the internet in particular far outweigh the negatives. I like being able to buy and download a song immediately when I feel like hearing it. I like how quickly news travels. I like watching pictures of a hamster making a dramatic face thousands of times.

Isn't this blog titled "the worst thing about the internet?" Yes. It is. I'm getting there.

So I remember, before the internet, reading record reviews in Rolling Stone magazine. Reading record reviews in Rip or Circus or Hit Parader. Actually, I'm not sure those last 3 had them. I definitely read them in Rolling Stone and Spin though. I remember most of the time reading them and shaking my head.

"What the fuck does this guy know about _______?"

The answer I guess, was no more or no less than I did. Sometimes I agreed, sometimes I didn't, but the review was rarely helpful. Most reviewers were faceless writers, whose opinion meant very little to me.

True story, the only album I've ever bought because of a review was "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" by Wilco. I went out and bought it after I read about it Rolling Stone. What a horrible album. If I wasn't so lazy I would have returned it.

An aside and another true story. The only album I ever DID return was "Grave Dancers Union" by Soul Asylum. I hated it. I returned it and got a Queensryche album. I guess in retrospect, the Soul Asylum record was a good record. Boy did I hate it though. I took it back to The Wall.

"I want to return this."

"Why?"

"It sucks."

"Everyone I know likes it."

"Well, I think it sucks."

Finally, I get to the point. The point is now, because of the internet, there are THOUSANDS more reviews from people who I don't care about. Thousands more people sharing their ill-informed, self-important view of what songs and albums are good and what aren't.

WAIT JUST A MINUTE SPIKE.

Yes?

DON'T YOU DO THAT?

Absolutely. It's not the first or the last time I'll do something that I think is acceptable for me to do, but unacceptable for others. The double standard is not something I invented, nor is it something that you've never participated in, so leave me alone. I'm sure the blogs and reviews infuriate and annoy most people.

The problem is that radio DJ's (amongst others) can garner an audience to read what they think on the internet. Most of us have horrible opinions and even worse taste. And now, the internet is flooded with them. Opinions. Regular people who can paint themselves as experts on the internet.

Not just reviews of albums either. About EVERYTHING. Reviews of TV shows and movies and their walk in the park. I used to make fun of 15 year old goth girls blogging about the sandwich they ate and why no one likes them. All of the sudden, we're all that fucking goth girl.

There has been a interesting (I guess) internet discussion about the sound quality of the new Metallica record. People comparing levels and if it's clipping and 256k and 320k and WAV and mp3 files. Regular, every day people. I found it interesting. I forwarded it to a friend of mine, who is a big Metallica fan.

He made a good point. He said, "all of these idiots who listen to 128k mp3's all day long are complaining? How do they know the difference. Everyone should just stop pretending to be some kind of audiophile and shut the fuck up." He's right.

Everyone should practice a little more "shut the fuck up" and maybe clean the internet up a little bit. Maybe everyone shouldn't blog every time they have a good meal or think their boyfriend's cute or decide to review an album, or a song, or a movie, or a TV Show. Maybe everyone should take some time to shut the fuck up.

Except I guess, for me.

The New Killers

2008-09-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Dude. It's awesome.

Viva La Killers.

** Update ** The Youtube link no longer works. Thank goodness for Island/Def Jam stopping the streaming of the song. It's going to eat right into sales. There's no way people can find the song for free if it's not on Youtube. I mean, people will listen to a shitty 56k stream on Youtube over and over instead of buying it. I'm sure you can just download it for free on any number of blogs or file sharing services. Or just type "Human" and "Killers" into the Youtube search engine.

Better Than The Black Album?

2008-09-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

Trevor from Unearth (new album out October 14th), thinks that Death Magnetic is better than the Black Album.

I think Trevor is wrong.

Trevor has more cred than me though. It's not even close.

Listen to the whole interview here:

http://94wysp.com/episode_download.php?contentType=36&contentId=2690655

I Hate Pittsburgh

2008-09-22T08:43:00.001-07:00

Some random thoughts, because I'm a little too tired to string together a long, coherent blog.

-- There's a bathroom at the Eagles stadium, a men's room, with no urinals. Only stalls. GROSS. Bro, guys do not know how to deal with it. I dare you to go into ONE of those stalls by halftime and not have it overfilled with #1 and #2. And on the floor. The only positive is that you don't have to be next to some drunk dude while you release your fluids. Nothing worse than urination anxiety bro.

-- Pittsburgh Steelers fans are the worst. Not because they behave that poorly, which I guess they don't. I was just annoyed at how many of them there were at the game yesterday, and how proudly they wore their colors. I was expecting more fights at the Linc yesterday, and was moderately dissapointed there weren't. Just moderately. I just know at the Vet, there would have been more fights. Did I just say I wanted more fights? I mean, "it was good no one got hurt."

-- I have a new found respect for George Thorogood and Billy Squier. Those guys penned nothing but GOOD TUNES. Everybody funny, now you funny too.

-- We had the dudes from Unearth on Rockers on Friday night. Great dudes. Every time. Trevor said he thought Death Magnetic was better than the Black Album. We tested Trevor for drugs afterward. I'm also invtestigating his relationship with Heavy Hitter's Jason Rudolph.

-- I am on NO SLEEP.

The Videos From The 80's

2008-09-19T08:31:00.002-07:00

Enjoy.

http://94wysp.com/pages/2949941.php

Your suggests are mandatory/welcome.

The Men's Room

2008-09-19T08:31:00.001-07:00

Just a couple of notes about the men's room.

First, if you're in there, and some dude comes in, washes his hands and leaves, washing his hands wasn't his intention. Men do not go all the way to the men's room just to wash their hands. He came in to drop a doodie, and he didn't want to go into the stall in front of you. Though men are generally shameless, they find it difficult to enter stalls in front of other men. He will wait for you to leave the men's room, and then return to drop his bomb. Guaranteed.

Second, if you're in there, and a dude comes in and uses the urinal and then washes his hands, 9 times out of 10, he's washing his hands for your benefit. He does not normally wash his hands after he urinates. In fact, he's annoyed that he has to because you're in there. Of course, if he doesn't, you'll spread the rumor that he's a filthy animal that doesn't wash his hands after going to the bathroom, even though you do too.

Finally, I am THIS close to moving the blog to something other than Myspace. If I get one more fucking "unexpected error" and lose a blog, or have to click "post blog" 87 times before it posts, or I lose one to one of their unexpected errors, I'm going to lose my mind. Whatever is left of my mind, I will lose it. Perhaps Tom should spend less time designing annoying ads for movies I'll never see or bands I'll never listen to on the front page, and make the blog fucking work.

This is a 32 year old man, complaining about the error messages on my Myspace blog. Good lord.

Write. Better. Songs.

2008-09-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

I've said for years now that rappers are the new rock stars.

It began around 95/96 with Puff Daddy. It began with rap, just as it became uncool to be a rock star in rock. Though I loved Nirvana, the explosion of that band and of grunge as a style, thoroughly destroyed any cool that existed in being your typical, David Lee Roth style rock star. No longer was the notion of excess a cool one.

So rappers took off where rock stars left off. I remember seeing the Puff Daddy and The Family World Tour in 97ish both in Buffalo and Philadelphia. I remember watching it, and the only thing it reminded me of was seeing Poison when I was much younger. The explosions. The outfit changes. The adoring crowd.

To this day, rappers are still the only rock stars that exist. Kanye West is more of a rock star in the classic sense of the word than anyone actually making rock music. The rock community villifies anyone that revels in their fame, whereas the hip-hop community, and the people who listen to the music seem to reward it. When I was a kid, I'm sure Poison and Warrant and Def Leppard would have been on every other second of the VMA's, whereas now most of what I see are Kanye and a bunch of other rappers who I can't identify only because I just don't listen to the music.

*Note, I mean the VMA's last year, when I had MTV. I don't this year, and didn't see this year's. Judging by the fact that I heard Britney was on it again, and it was horrible, I can't imagine it was much different.

So, what's the point?

We're getting there.

Lil Wayne is also a rock star. Lil Wayne is really famous and sells a lot of records and has really popular songs. So popular in fact that Jonathan Davis of Korn, and the band Framing Hanley have both COVERED Lil Wayne songs. Songs that are less than a year old. Songs that have not only not achieved classic status (like "Wicked" by Ice Cube had when Korn decided to cover it), but aren't even done being popular the first time yet.

Check out Jonathan's here:

And check out Framing Hanley's here (note that although this is a live version, they recorded a studio version):

I don't have a problem with anyone having any fun by covering a song at a show. Even something as potentially silly as a Lil Wayne song. Hell, when Umbrella was popular, there wasn't a band that DIDN'T cover it. I've heard live versions of both Ted Leo and Butch Walker covering Kelly Clarkson as well. No harm done.

I think going into the studio and trying to garner attention by covering a song that's currently popular is a mistake. I think it shows weakness. Not because they're covering a rap song. Not because the rap song is Lil Wayne (though the silliness of the songs adds to it, at least in my opinion), but because it seems as if the only way that these bands feel they can garner any kind of mainstream exposure is by singing someone else's song.

Rock music apologists will cry that because rap is the only thing that's popular anymore (wrong), that this is one of the only ways to get attention.

Rock music apologists will cry that rock radio "doesn't take chances on new records," and that's why they have to do any and everything to get attention.

Bullshit. Write better songs and people will pay attention. Stop complaining about rap, stop complaining about radio. Write better songs, record them, then get on the road and play them for people.

Newsflash: Hinder got on the radio and took over the country for a minute with a song that wasn't a rap song cover. They also didn't cover a rap song first. Now, I hate that fucking song, but it happened. Saving Abel got a song on rock radio, and now Top 40 radio without covering a rap song. They're (once) nameless, currently faceless bands that made their way onto the radio and into people's (disgusting) hearts just by writing good songs.

Framing Hanley is a good band whose worst nightmare is this cover becoming popular. As Chuck Palahniuk would write: