Category Archives: Music

Funny, Music, Music Video, New Release, Rock

Chris Cornell Teaming Up With Timbaland

9 September, 2008 Brian Mc 3 Comments

Yes you read the title correctly…

If you would have asked me 15 years ago what I would think if the lead singer of Soundgarden would be teamed up with rap artist/producer Timbaland I would have called you crazy. I never would have thought that Chris Cornell would depart with the rock grunge band he started in, work on solo material, and then join a super group with members of Rage Against The Machine called Audioslave.

Well it happened…it all happened…

…and now Chris Cornell is releasing a solo album once again. This time with help from R&B / Hip-Hop producer Timbaland. How the hell did this happen???

Of course my curiosity got to me so I used my old friend the internet to hear this crazy combination. This is indeed an interesting mix and after listening to samples of ‘Watch Out” and “Ground Zero” on his MySpace page I must say I’m not sure if I like what I hear. The beats created by Timbaland mixed with Chris Cornell’s vocals make for a sound reminding me of Gnarls Barkley mixed with Jamiroquai. “Long Gone” another sample track almost upsets me to hear this once rocker toy with pop rock. Chris Cornell’s voice is still amazing but I just do not know about this…

Before I say other comments I’ll just wait until Scream is released on Oct. 14th.

Chris Cornell time line….

Once upon a time this was Chris Cornell:

One of my favs:

Years later:

EDIT:

My good buddy Matt and I spoke tonight and he commented on how he got a kick out of my Chris Cornell time line. We joked about how now Soundgarden will NEVER reunite now. You see, Chris Cornell stated back in 2005 that Soundgarden would probably never reunite. From the looks of things I am pretty sure the remaining members of Soundgarden will never want to be associated with him. After my phone call with Matt from AddictedToVinyl.Com I decided I should elaborate a little more about my humor towards Mr. Chris Cornell.

Matt and I joked about a pseudo phone conversation between Chris Cornell and once guitarist Kim Thayil of Soundgarden.

It would go something like this:

Chris: “Hey Kim”

Kim: “Chris”

Chris: “Kim, I just had to call you and tell you about what I have been doing lately”

Kim: “Ok…”

Chris: “I knew you would want to hear!”

Kim: “…”

Chris: “So yeah, I was thinking about what I could do to totally make myself look even cooler than I already am. I decided what could I, Chris Cornell, do that has never been done by a once grunge rockstar turned supergroup rock hero. I decided to put out a album called ‘Scream’ with help from my newest friend on the block, Timbaland”

Kim: “What? You did what?”

Chris: “Yeah! I know!”

Kim: “Chris, are you even listening to me?”

Chris: “Exactly.”

Kim: “Umm…”

Chris: “Good question! I wanted to completely ruin my image by putting out a pop album with glorified beats. I wanted to disregard everything I have ever done by putting out an album named after one of Timbaland’s hit songs. I wanted to record garbage.

Kim: “And you are telling me this because?”

Chris: “I am going to take over the world. My new album not only will be the greatest album ever made, it will also prove to the world how awesome I am and they will all bow to my feet. I will bathe in glory. I am wonderful… my voice is all controlling… I will rule the… ”

Kim: “That is not possible, I already contributed to Probot.”

Chris: “Money, glory, fame…”

Kim: “I have to go now”

Chris: “My hair will turn to gold, I will become a robot like Michael Jackson did in Moonwalker and I will save all the lost children…”

Kim: “Bye Chris, I have to go out and be a musician.”

Chris: “Mr. Big you look out! I am power.”

Funny, Music, Music Video, Rock

Oklahoma, “Do You Realize?”

8 September, 2008 Brian Mc 2 Comments

The song is amazing. I think about my wife when I hear this song because let’s face it, I love her to death and think she is the most beautiful person in the world. Beautiful song to listen to while thinking about a beautiful girl…. awwww… I’m a sweetheart.

Recently Oklamhoma nominated the Flaming Lips as a contender for the official rock song for the state of Oklahoma. Nine other finalists also have the opportunity to have their song declared the official Oklahoma rock song. Artists who were nominated all have history in Oklahoma be it they were born there or someone from the pan handle state had something to do with a rock song that became a hit.

From September 1 to November 15 the public will vote to decide the Official State of Oklahoma Rock Song. The winning song will be presented to the State Legislature in 2009 to make it official. Votes will be taken via their website that was created called OklahomaRockSong.Org.

I think it is a great idea to give a band the opportunity to hold the title of having a song be the state song, but I have a question…

Oklahoma people who nominated The Flaming Lips…have you actually read into the song? Beautiful and deep, talking about happiness through the reality of knowing death…a little depressing to me. Still, I hope they get it.

The Lyrics:

Do You Realize – that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize – we’re floating in space
Do You Realize – that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize – that everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes – let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It’s hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn’t go down
It’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize – Oh – Oh – Oh
Do You Realize – that everyone you know
Someday will die –

Do You Realize – that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize

For more info check out Yahoo Music!

Funny, Metal, Music, Random

Are You Effin’ Serious Lars Ul-RICH????

6 September, 2008 Brian Mc 3 Comments

So I am sure many of you know the new Metallica album Death Magnetic was leaked on the internet. It is almost impossible these days for a release to not be leaked. Someone somewhere out there gets the glory of having an advance copy of something…and promptly uploads it on the internet for millions of filesharing people to obtain.

Metallica with members of Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl & Taylor Hawkins)

I am sure everyone remembers what Napster used to be. If not, get your head out of the clouds… Napster was one of the first publicly recognized music sharing program sites out there that helped music fans get what tunes they wanted for free all while violating copyright law. In time it was shut down and then bought out and molded into what it is now but I know I remember Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica, not being too happy about the situation. After all their demo of a song for the Mission: Impossible II soundtrack called “I Disappear” was found circulating on Napster by Metallica before it was even released.

In fact they along with a few other musicians stood up together around 2000 to try and stop digital music sharing (piracy). They might have had better luck saving rain forests. Lawsuits, bogus charges, and many years later they changed their mind and allowed digital downloads of their albums and then finally in 2006 their catalog appeared on iTunes.

Anyways, I came across a quote from Lars today on www.punknews.org and I almost lost it.

Here is his quote:

If this thing leaks all over the world today or tomorrow, happy days. It’s 2008 and it’s part of how it is these days.

Seriously Lars? Happy days? I am glad you finally have come to terms with it. Me thinks Rick Rubin put some sense into you guys, thankfully.

The CD is good. Not that I have heard it from a recently downloaded copy (cough*cough).

Music, Punk

Dead Kennedys Announce Indefinite Touring Hiatus

5 September, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

I really missed out on the 80’s punk rock movement. I was just a kid. I still wish I was a little bit older at the time so I could have attended some of the most memorable punk acts of that time. One of the acts specifically would be the Dead Kennedys. How I wish I could have seen them in their prime.

The hardcore punk act seemed to e a little too extreme for many therefore they never tasted success. With their over the edge look on America and witty humor they were handed ridiculous lawsuits for various situations including distributing harmful matter to minors. The band eventually split up, and not in good terms with one another. For more info on their ups and downs check out their Wikipedia page.

By the time I started to appreciate the Dead Kennedys it was too late for me to see them live as they disbanded in 1986. Regrouping in 2001 did not mean anything to be because Jello Biafra was not a part. To me “regrouping” is when the entire band decides to get together and play out (unless of course in the case of a band like Alice In Chains where one member passed away).

Last March some of the members of Dead Kennedys announced that they would be touring in support of Milking The Sacred Cow, a greatest hits compilation originally released in October of 2007. After touring overseas at select venues and starting in California the band had to call it quits. Not because they felt bad going on without Jello Biafra but because of health.

Original bassist Klaus Flouride has been having health issues, unknown at this time, that has prevented him from touring as planned. Announced in late August, the Dead Kennedys will no longer tour. Klaus will still collaborate with other members of the band, but only locally. It’s sad to hear when age prevents musicians from going forward with their talent. I am glad to hear he has not completely hung up his bass. I’ll be looking for side projects with him in the near future. Looks as it this time Dead Kennedys is done…

The good thing though is that the band was finally recognized.

In May of 2008 Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death was certified gold in the US and UK. In addition In God We Trust, Inc., was certified gold in the UK.

They may not be a band anymore but I still love putting on a classic Dead Kennedys albums and enjoying their left-wing satire and humor.

Emo, Music, Music Video, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock, Screamo

Hawthorne Heights – Fragile Future – CD Review

4 September, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

A lot has been going on for Ohio’s screamo act Hawthorne Heights since their last release. Having said goodbye to a friend and band mate as well as dropping a lawsuit with Victory Records, the band continues to cope and mature throughout. Not letting the past affect them in a downward way, the band proves they refuse to stop with Fragile Future, their third release on Victory Records.

On November 27, 2007 Hawthorne Heights guitarist/screamer Casey Calvert was found dead on the band’s tour bus just prior to their sound check at a Washington D.C. music club. The cause of death was determined to be a possible drug interaction but according to the band’s drummer Eron Bucciarelli it was not a result of hardcore partying but an accident as Casey Calvert was taking other medicines from a recent root canal.

With the death of a loved one the band stated they would continue to go on and never add another guitarist/screamer to their band. After taking some time to themselves and writing new material the band hopes to once again achieve success with Fragile Future even though this time they are one man down.

Of course, the first thing that stands out on this release is the omitted vicious screaming. It would appear that Hawthorne Heights did not even wish to replicate their lost friend’s talent and that, to me, is respectable. Also dropping the lawsuit with Victory Records and patching up past decisions proved the band is on the rise.

When “The Business Of Paper Stars” started I was waiting for the well known screaming backing up lead singer J.T. Woodruff but instead imagined it in my head. There is plenty of opportunity in the song for screaming but the band strays away from that and is now more emo.

Their healed sound continues in “Until The Judgment Day” with memorable lyrics of being “battered and broken” as well as “don’t look back, don’t you ever look back until the judgment day”. Looks as if the band put down the boom box to win the girl attitude and started to see there are more things in life out there.

“Four Became One” was the track I was looking for on this CD, knowing how they lost Casey Calvert. The song really is about the band’s closure with the difficult situation they were subject to. It’s an ode to their friend for the entire world to hear. Having lost friends in my past, I felt their pain in this song.

“321” is the closest song on the CD that shows aggression with a mild screaming dwelling behind the singing. The guitar playing is likable and heavier than the other tracks making for one of my choice cuts. “Come Back Home (Reprise)” was another track that held on to the the old style, especially with borrowed lyrics from “This Is Who We Are” off their sophomore album If Only You Were Lonely.

Fans of Hawthorne Heights will be happy the band continued on and with their change of style and I can see some new folk becoming fans. It is a change, especially if you put this CD in hoping to hear the screamo. This is not their strongest album to date but the fact that they did not let the past hold them back makes them a tough band now. Hawthorn Heights defines the emo genre now that they have experienced true sorrow. Mature and structured, I expect much more from this band in years to come.

Check out their lastest video for the song “Rescue Me”: