Recently pop punk rockers Story Of The Year released a very heartfelt video for their song titled “Terrified”, a song off of their 2008 release The Black Swan. This is one of those songs that can bring some tears to your eyes and the video just adds even more potential. With Independence Day this weekend the band recently created the video in honor of all the men and women who are or have served in the armed forces.
The band talks about the video:
“The video for “Terrified” is pretty much a direct interpretation of the lyrics,” explains singer Dan Marsala. “A story of a husband who is off at war, scared of the fact that he might not ever make it home to his wife and family, and a pregnant wife who is left at home, not knowing if she will ever see her husband alive again. It is an extremely touching subject because there are hundreds of thousands of families in America going through this exact scenario as we speak. It has to be one of the most terrifying situations that any family could ever experience. I think the video is a great representation of the story told in the lyrics and it is our tribute to all the families who suffer through this situation every day.”
“What excites me the most about this video,” adds guitarist Ryan Phillips, “is that it takes an enormous issue our generation is facing, the war in Iraq, and instead of getting political we honed in on the human aspect of the situation.”
Story Of The Year – “Terrified”
This pop-punk ballet got me going a little as one of my friends / co-workers who was serving overseas was injured thanks to a roadside bomb in Iraq. As I will not reveal his identity for personal reasons I can tell you that the kid’s life will be changed forever and he is currently in Washington D.C. at a hospital. He will survive but will never be the same. He is a brave man for doing what he did and I am so glad he was able to return to the states to his family. I just wish it was not because of the injury.
My thoughts go out to him and his family on a speedy recovery.
Just in time for the holiday weekend, a free summer sampler thanks to the good folk at Fearless Records.
All you need to do to get it is to visit the record label’s MySpace page and click on the top of the page where it says FREE. The 7 track sampler contains some great tracks from some up and coming artists and seeing how it is free, you might as well just check it out. I did! (and I actually like a few of the tracks too…especially the Def Leppard cover!)
Some info about the summer sampler (as well as some of the bands) direct from an email I received from Fearless Records:
The 2009 Fearless Records Summer Sampler is finally here and you can download it all for FREE on the top of our Myspace page. The 7-song sampler also includes unreleased songs by Breathe Carolina, The Word Alive and Lets Get it. Check out the full track listing below and download your copy TODAY!
Track Listing
1. Sparks The Rescue – “Autumn”
2. Breathe Carolina – “Welcome To Savannah”*
3. The Word Alive – “Quit While You’re Ahead”*
4. Artist Vs Poet – “Assurance Closure”
5. Eye Alaska – “Walk Like A Gentleman”
6. A Skylit Drive – “Those Cannons Could Sink A Ship”
7. Lets Get It – “Do Not Disturb”*
The Fearless Records Myspace has also suited up for the kick-off of the 2009 Vans Warped Tour! The new Fearless Myspace will be your one-stop shop for everything Warped including exclusive video content, updated photos and exclusive giveaways for MySpace friends ONLY.
So if you’re not yet a Fearless Myspace friend, add us today to stay updated with Warped Tour all summer long and make sure you check back daily!
Eye Alaska Full Album Stream of “Genesis Underground”
Eye Alaska‘s upcoming album, “Genesis Underground,” is now streaming in it’s entirety on AbsolutePunk.net. “Genesis Underground” is available in stores and online Tuesday July 7th. To celebrate, the band will be doing an Absolute Punk Chat on Monday, July 6th, at 7pm ET/4pm PT, so be sure to tune in!
If you like what you hear, make sure to pre-order your copy of “Genesis Underground” now at iTunes, SmartPunk, InterPunk, or MerchNow.
Let’s Get It is excited to announce that their upcoming “Digital Spaces EP,” due out August 4th, is now available for pre-order. Pick up your copy today from SmartPunk, MerchNow, or Interpunk and receive a free poster with purchase. In addition, with all SmartPunk pre-orders you will also receive an autographed booklet signed by the entire band!
Breathe Carolina Official Album Art & Tracklisting
Breathe Carolina have released the official album art & tracklisting from their upcoming album Hello Fascination in stores and online August 18th. Check out the album art and tracklisting here.
Also, remember to catch them playing live all summer long on this years Warped Tour! Breathe Carolina Tour Dates
The Maine “Pour Some Sugar On Me”
The Maine have released a clip of their new cover song, “Pour Some Sugar on Me” by Def Leppard, on their MySpace page. You will be able to purchase the song off their upcoming Deluxe Edition of “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” available July 14th. Also, don’t forget to check out the band on this years Warped Tour and keep up to date with them all summer long on their blog!
It’s no news that everyone has heard about the late pop-star Michael Jackson. The King of Pop is no longer with us.
I really was not going to blog about this instance because everyone already is and I was not quite sure what I really had to say about it.
Twitter was overloaded with updates and Facebook seemed to have endless comments but fans as well as people who thought it would be a good time to start with the jokes.
This morning I thought maybe I should just post something about the musician seeing on how he had a pretty big influence on me musically as I grew up.
I was getting a tattoo yesterday when I found out. I was just killing some time during the process and checked Twitter where I started seeing posts that Michael Jackson was taken to the hospital, then rumors of his death followed by statements of the artist falling into a coma. Finally it was confirmed, Michael Jackson died from cardiac arrest.
I did not know what to think at the exact moment it hit me that the pop star passed.
I can tell you one thing, Michael Jackson was the last person I would have ever expected to pass away on a summer day. The news was shocking and it took me a few visits to various websites to finally learn it was the truth. I realize sometimes things get blown out of proportion but this was real.
I was a Michael Jackson fan when I was a kid and I am not ashamed to say it. I am pretty sure everyone was and I do not believe you if you say you did not like any of his material. I rocked the parachute pants, did the moon walk, but never had a sparkling glove.
One of my favorite memories of when I went to Epcot Center at Walt Disney World in the late 80’s was when I saw the 3-D adventure Captain EO. Just a few weeks ago I was actually talking about it to some friends and watched the movie in two segments on YouTube. (Part 1 & Part 2 for those of you that have never seen it and are wondering what I am talking about…)
Then there was Moonwalker a movie/music video that I watched over and over on VHS. Sega actually even created a video game based on the movie that was easily one of my favorite Sega Genesis video games of all time.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw the video for “Thriller” on MTV. It was late at night and my Aunt warned me it was going to be scary. I loved every minute of it.
I still have Thriller on my iTunes and always will. It is easily one of my top 100 albums of all time.
Today Michael Jackson’s name is being said a lot. Good things and bad will be talked about him for days to come and just like many other music lovers out there I am saddened by his loss.
I really wish that Micheal Jackson could have toured just one more time not just for the millions of fans, but also for himself. The poor guy really went through lots of hell. Regardless if all those allocations were true or not, the guy changed the way people would listen to music forever. It would have been nice to see Michael Jackson back on the stage doing what he liked to do best…
Sony Comments on the Passing of Michael Jackson (on www.michaeljackson.com):
NEW YORK, NY – June 25, 2009 – Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.
Commenting on his passing, Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, said: “Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era. His artistry and magnetism changed the music landscape forever. We have been profoundly affected by his originality, creativity and amazing body of work. The entire Sony family extends our deepest condolences to his family and to the millions of fans around the world who loved him.”
Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, CEO, Sony Music Entertainment, said: “Michael Jackson’s unsurpassed artistry and beloved music brought joy to every corner of the world. We join today with his millions of fans in expressing our profound sadness and we offer our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. It was a true privilege for all of us in the Sony Music family to work with one of the most talented superstars in the history of music. We will miss him greatly.”
Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, said: “Michael was the kind of amazing talent that comes along once in a lifetime. He was an incredible recording artist, an insightful businessman, an unmatched performer, and a true icon. To all of us at Sony/ATV Music Publishing, he was also a trusted and passionate partner, who was very proud of our accomplishments. He will be dearly missed. We wish his children and entire family our deepest condolences.”
Five of Jackson’s solo albums – “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous” and “HIStory,” all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and “Thriller” as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award’s Artist of the Century Award.
Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early 1980s, he defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking videos as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and the epic “Thriller.” Jackson’s sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.
This is the last review I thought I would ever be typing out, but here I am ready to post about what I experienced last night when I traveled to Columbus to see a different type of circus, featuring Britney Spears.
Before I even begin telling you of all my adventures last night, I might as well give some history on to how a ticket came into my hands for a show like this. As most of you may know I tend to keep with the punk rock and metal shows but I never will pass up the opportunity for a good time, even if it is an almost sold out show with thousands of screaming tweens. I wrote a short blog about it with more details but in a nutshell an old friend found himself with an extra ticket and invited me. There was no way I was going to pass this up.
The drive to Columbus was fine until I drove past Grandpa’s Cheese Barn in Ashland, OH and then it just started pouring. From there it was limited visibility and a-hole drivers all around me almost causing multiple accidents. I finally made it to downtown Columbus where my pal was staying at a nice hotel and after getting lost in the hotel parking garage decided to venture down High Street and see what record stores were still around before heading to the show. After a nice meal at Skully’s and some success at finding some good records it was time to head to the Value City Arena, also commonly referred to as The Schottenstein Center.
Having never been to the Value City Arena I had no idea where to park and we wasted time stuck in traffic and pulling illegal u-turns all over the premises finally finding a legal place to park. I was pissed that it took so long to find a parking space that I originally drove past the first time but for $3 I was not complaining.
Mass crowds of folk, mostly female, were flocking to the arena so we jumped in the mad dash to get there and found our seats in no time. Sitting in our seats we laughed that we were actually about to see a pop show and laughed even harder at the people who sat near us just stared at us perhaps asking themselves if we were lost.
The stage was located in the center of the arena and people who paid the big bucks got to sit in what looked like giant chairs while others crowded in a general admission area. We were lucky enough to sit in the front row of section 218 where there were no real distractions in front of us.
A large curtain hid the center stage and soon arose featuring pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls who were all situated on a steel staircase of sorts. I lost my hearing for a short second from the welcoming applause and screams. Not familiar with their material at all the only song I picked out was the ever popular “Don’t Cha”. Along their 45 minute set they also played “Jai Ho!”, a song originally written for the hit movie Slumdog Millionaire that later was rerecorded by The Pussycat Dolls with English lyrics. The five beautiful clad women danced all over the stage to an adoring crowd. Their dance moves were suggestive, their outfits were small, and the crowd loved them.
After the Pussycat Dolls finished their set stagehands quickly worked and dismantled the steel stair case of sorts and removed it from the stage. The giant curtain dropped again where a 360 degree monitor soon emerged that would be a focal point for all types of visuals for the evening. The theme for the evening was a circus inspired performance so seeing the three section stage was appropriate for what was about to come.
Before the main event, the Big Apple Circus took the stage with various entertaining performances including a muscleman who twirled what looked like a section of fence around and around and tossed it about like it was metal pizza dough. That same performer then grabbed a giant cube made out of steel bars and balanced it on his palm and spun it to the crowds enjoyment. I was not as thrilled and of course made a joke to my pal about how all the guy ever wanted to do in life was spin a giant cube in front of thousands and how today was his day.
Other performers included a very flexible girl who was more of a human pretzel, clowns, hula hoops, people being thrown in the air, and martial artists who wooed the crown with their shiny weapons. I have to admit it was pretty entertaining.
Once everyone cleared the stage the lights dimmed and a very interesting video played on the 360 degree monitor with a cross dressing queen providing a rather disturbing introduction for the rest of the evening. The crowd erupted in excitement through the intro and not too far after the sexy ringmaster, Britney Spears, was lowered down from the 360 degree monitor as her performers met her on stage. It was at that moment it struck me that I was actually at this show.
At the beginning of their performance I found myself more interested in the stage set up itself over the performance. There were elevator like trap doors that would allow access to the stage without any of the performers leaving the center of the venue. It was a show in itself just watching how everyone worked together to make the stage work.
Again I am not a pop music fan so I did not know a lot of the songs that were being performed but I did know that there was a ton of choreographing going on for the two plus hours that the show went on. There was a lot of hard work going on during the set.
One point during the evening had me scratching my head at was when the 360 degree monitor was lowered and Marilyn Manson‘s version of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)” started playing as videos of Britney Spears footage was displayed. It was clear that the video was being played so everyone could take a breather. I still could not believe that a Marilyn Manson song, even if it was an Euythmics track, was playing at high levels to the crowd.
The show started to get a little more entertaining, performance wise, after the quick break with darker skits and more daring stunts and dances, but soon ventured back to sexy cop Britney Spears and a whole slew of different types of dancing. At one time gangster looking dudes rode in on low rider bicycles and surrounded the star of the night. Once again I could not help but to comment to my comrade how I felt I was witnessing an Eminem ice capades.
As far as song titles go, I really did not recognize a lot of them. “Womanizer” was one song I recognized towards the end of the night as well as a remixed version of “Baby One More Time”. Other then that if you were to pay me for each song I could tell you that was played that night I would not be earning much money.
It was clear that the night was all about lip-singing, but I did not let that bother me at all, after all I did attend a Britney Spears concert. The 360 degree monitor that showed all of the strange footage over the performance as well as ads for Virgin Mobile and Candies makeup never once showed live shots from the evening. I felt bad for the people who sat all the way in the higher section of the arena seeing how I was in the middle section and had a hard time seeing the show myself. These tickets were not cheap by any means and you would think that they would at least cater to the nose bleed sections.
The dancing was mostly handled by Britney Spears’ entourage of performers and to me it looked like most of the time Britney Spears was either being pushed around on various carts, being picked up by hanging men, or resting on furniture props as she moved her lips to the music. I expected more on her behalf. Still, it was a performance I was looking for when I agreed to go and not a full fetched music showdown. I was not even phased towards the end of the show when two guys pretended to play guitars as women showered them with sparks from what looked like metal sanders. It was a performance, a show, nothing to be taken seriously.
Britney Spears was not much of a crowd participation person except for a quick thank you to the crowd who spent way too much money on tickets to see her and even more money on merchendise. I think she spoke to the crowd once, but that one time was good enough for the packed house of fans.
My ears still ring from the loudness of the show, mostly from the screaming fans. It was clear that the fans who showed up that night were excited to be there and had a great time dancing and singing about. Then there was me…
Honestly, I did have a great time though and I never in my life thought I would say that I went to a Britney Spears concert, and I had fun. Stranger things have happened…
Here are some quality photos taken with my trusty iPhone. You can not see anything…
The finale was a shower of sparks that burned everyone on stage to a crisp. Human s'mores.That red mess above is the 360 degree monitor. Notice the hanging people? Britney is in the right sided circle pointing at a way out.If you look hard enough you might be able to see the metal stairs I was talking about. This was taken right when the Pussycat Dolls broke into a sweet version of "Freebird".
I’ve been keeping a secret of sorts for the last week from you all. It has to do with music so I hope none of you are too shocked… I have two shows lined up this week that I am attending.
Tomorrow I am headed to Columbus to one of them.
Who am I seeing you ask? Good question.
First let me tell you who I am seeing this Saturday with Matt and two of my out of town friends…
On the night of Gaslight Anthem a couple of weeks ago Matt gazed into my eyes and asked “do you like Mastodon and would you be interested in catching them in a couple weeks?” My answer was of course yes. The show is sold out at the Beachland in Cleveland and until Matt hooked me up I really thought I was not going at all. My friends Shannon and Josh from West Virginia reached out to me a month ago stating they were driving all the way up here to see them. I told them we would all go so it will be even more enjoyable now.
A lot of people are loving Mastodon’s new album Crack the Skye with the progressive metal wizard rock. Some on the other hand think the band went soft because this album is not as hard as the others and there is actually harmonic singing this time. I think it is awesome and from what I heard the band will be playing the entire Crack the Skye album start to finish during one set followed a second set full of older material. I can not wait! The CD is one of my favorite releases so far this year.
Still wondering who I am seeing tomorrow? I will give you a couple of hints…
-I am not a fan at all
-Under normal circumstances I would not be caught dead at this type of show
-I own nothing by this artist
So if I am not a fan and would not want to be caught dead at this show then why am I going you wonder?
Well I used to be a part of an alt-girl pin up website where I met a lot of cool people. After leaving I stayed in touch with a few of the members who were more so friends. Actually Shannon and Josh, my WV pals, are from the site. Anyways one of the guys on the site went by the name Prendick. He and I became good friends while I was on that site and continued to keep in touch after I left.
Prendick had something happen to him last week that will change his life forever. To respect his privacy I will not discuss what happened but he reached out to me last week saying he had tickets to a show in Columbus and asked if I would take the place of someone. Under the circumstances I told him of course I would attend.
Brokenheadphones at a Britney Spears concert??? Yes, I laugh at it too but I am actually looking forward to it now. Mostly I am looking forward to hanging out with Prendick but I have been told the show has been entertaining. I will do my best to take a few photos and post them here.
So this week is all about pop rock and metal. This shockingly is not the first time I have been through something like this.
Years ago during the same week I saw Pink and a couple days later Slayer. I remember sitting 4th rock center at the Pink show surrounded by screaming girls in pink shirts as I slammed beers and wore a CKY shirt. Pink actually looked at me for a second because I stuck out so bad.
Anything is possible I guess.
Have you ever been to a live show that you did not tell your friends about or have you ever gone to a show that you never in your life thought you would? I want to know!
