General observations!

...Is it just me, or...

...whenever anyone starts to do some improv lyrics, thay always start with "I was walkin' down the road..."???

...is Chris Isaak's version of Cheap Trick's classic choon "I Want You To Want Me" the best version? He certainly beats the original, dunno if it beats the Letters To Cleo one though...

-Cheap Trick's Original:

-Letters To Cleo's Cover:

-Chris Isaak's Cover:

...are zippos awesome? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOHwjDzUDnE

...is Lene Nystrom from Aqua (yes, Aqua!) surprisingly hot when she wants to be?

...are Van Canto awesome?

...are Sixteen Layers THE best unsigned band EVER? And possibly the next (I'm not going to say big, but-) awesome thing?

...has beatboxing gone to awesome new levels?...

...Well, That's it for the minute, back soon!

An insight in to my musical mind.

Right, after hearing Daft Punk's Harder Better Faster Stronger on the radio for the first time in AGES, I set out to listen to their entire Discovery album again. Once I hit play, I thought "God, this is one of my favourite albums of all time!" When I thought this, I started to think "What ARE my favourite albums of all time?" Well, I haven't figured that out exactly yet... Which is why I'm posting this: I'm just listening to my large, very random music selection, and putting down an album here when I feel that it's an essential or special album to me. Some of these albums you will agree with, others you will laugh at, and others you will just cringe. But I don't care- good music to me is something special to a person, and just because it's good to one person, does not it'll be good to you (and I'm looking at you, Big D... You'll see why.) Music is an unbelievably personal thing, and it's a beautiful way to make your feelings known and immortalised...

So, Without further adieu, my favourite albums of all time, and why.

Daft Punk- Discovery. This was one of the first artists I got into, back when I was around 11/12, and this was one of my first albums. It sounds just as fresh and exciting now as it did when I was only yay high [places hand by waist].

Essential track from this essential album: Aerodynamic
====================

Foo Fighters- One By One. My favourite album from one of my all-time favourite artists. When I got this album, I didn't really know them at all, I just got it because I thought the cover was cool! But when I got home and pressed play, I was blown away. The quiet guitar at the start of All My Life created so much tension, with Mr. Grohl whispering in your ear... Nothing could've prepared me for the mental outbreak that was coming... An unbelievable album. Also one of my first.

Essential track from this essential album: Low
====================

Iron Maiden- Killers/Powerslave. I couldn't choose between these two albums, Killers with its old-school metal sound, and Powerslave, which to me is immaculate. The musicianship and melodies in both of these albums is so indescribably good, they are two albums that any real musician should own (wether or not you like them, you have to be able to appreciate them at least!). These two albums also made me yearn for a bass.

Essential track from this essential album: Killers- Killers
Essential track from this essential album: Powerslave- Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
====================

James Blunt- Back To Bedlam. Before I say why I like this album, please stop sniggering. I know you are! In fact, fuck it. Laugh all you want. This album means a great deal to me emotionally, and I don't care if you think I'm lame/soft/gay, I know I'm not. I'm diverse, open and I like James Blunt. So go off and listen to your single preferred music genre, you twat.

Essential track from this essential album: Out Of My Mind
====================

Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory. This album had a huge effect on my music tastes- It got me more into Rap, Metal, everything! I was addicted to this one for months on end... And I still love it. It's bringing back a serious case of nostalgia, back from when I was an impressionable young boy... Back when life was pretty simple, and this album was new, exciting, energetic and defiant. This one really is a gem to me.

Essential track from this essential album: One Step Closer
====================

Metallica- The Black Album. Do I really need to explain why this is on the list? Right, cut short... It was one of my first introductions to the handsone gentleman that is Metal, and it's easily the best album for that job.

Essential track from this essential album: My Friend Of Misery
====================

Nickelback- Curb. Hahaha... This one... This was THE first album I EVER bought, and to be honest, I'm surprised I'm still alive... The first time I pressed play, I heard a faint guitar in the left speaker, so I cranked the volume and got really close to the speakers... then the band came in and nearly ripped my face clean off! This is an essential album for anyone, it's heavy, melodic, upbeat, stoner, accessible, perfect.

Essential track from this essential album: Detangler
====================

Red Hot Chilli Peppers- Greatest Hits. Ok, not exactly an album per se, but it made me look at music in a totally different light. Again, one of my first albums, which gave it bigger impact value. It affected me, it infected me, it made me want to make music. I hold this album in very high regard, its sound, its feeling, its melodies, harmonies, everything. It is a truly amazing introduction to a band, one that I could not have done without.

Essential track from this essential album: Save The Population
====================

Rammstein- Mutter. My formal introduction to industrial metal, and proof that you could create rocking songs, no matter how simple they were. Plus, the German language was made for metal!

Essential track from this essential album: Adios
====================

Breaking Benjamin- We Are Not Alone. Now here's a relatively new addition to the list. This was added here because it helped my through a shit 6 months... Not the "OMG THEY STOPPED ME FROM KILLING MYSELF COZ OF THEIR MUZICS LOLZ I <3 MCR!!!" kinda help, but it was more of a way to relate. The songs are very emotionally charged, and they seemed to be able to (in a way) channel my feelings. The songs sounded like how I felt... Hard to understand, I know... I guess you'll just have to take my word on it.

Essential track from this essential album: Follow
====================

The Black Mages- The Skies Above/The Black Mages. Ok, I love Final Fantasy. The games are just incredible (VII in particular, closely followed by VIII). The music is just breathtaking, and Mr. Nobuo Uematsu, composer, organist and one of my biggest music idols, has truly created some real masterpieces. Who the fuck cares if it's nerdy, cheesy, or lame? Not me- the music on these albums mean too much to me. If you do not own these albums, you are missing out BIG TIME. And if you're a musician and you don't own these, hang your head in shame, walk out the door, go to your nearest music store, and beg the girl behind the counter to order you a copy of The Skies Above and The Black Mages.

Essential track from this essential album: The Skies Above- The Skies Above
Essential track from this essential album: The Black Mages- Those Who fight Further
====================

Bullet For My Valentine- The Poison/Scream Aim Fire. I really can't pick between the two... Well, I guess The Poison would win, but just barely. These albums are intense, melodic, emotional, heavy and catchy. Again, these albums mean a lot to me, and it's so refreshing to know that there's still unique bands out there. Not unique, you say? Well, I guess you're deaf then.

Essential track from this essential album: The Poison- Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow
Essential track from this essential album: Scream Aim Fire- Take It Out On Me
====================

Alice In Chains- Nothing Safe: Best Of The Box. Ok, another best of, but this really is all of the best songs from one of my favourite artists. I got this album very soon after seeing them live (they were one of the first bands I saw live too), and I was just as impressed with the album as I was with the live performance. Highly, HIGHLY recommended.

Essential track from this essential album: Would
====================

Arch Enemy- Doomsday Machine. Never before hearing this album did it ever occur to me that metal could be so heavy, be so melodic and have such a good feel to it... Nor did I think any woman could be a good metal vocalist. But Arch Enemy' Doomsday album proved me wrong. And Ms. Angela Gossow is now one of my favourite vocalists/ performers/ frontpersons. And rightly so.

Essential track from this essential album: Taking Back My Soul
====================

Dream Theater- Train Of Thought. You can not and will not find a tighter and more talented set of musicians. This is a true balls-to-the-wall record, and it will knock you for six, the same way the intro to Honour Thy Father did to me the first time I heard it.

Essential track from this essential album: Endless Sacrifice
====================

That's all for now, I'm sure I'll post more up at a later stage, but till then, bedtime..........

Music Time!

Right, I promised myself that I'd talk about other stuff for at least 3 posts before ploughing into my musical thoughts... And I kept that promise! Now, let's see... where to start...

...Is is just me or do Nickelback not get enough credit? I mean how many of you have actually listened to their new album, Dark Horse? Its dynamics as an album is impressive- Start it off with a few rocking tracks, bring it down for a couple, then bring the riffs right back in through to the end. Their standout track on this album for me is Just To Get High. It's a complete wall of sound, encorporating the typical Nickelback quiet verse/loud chorus vibe... but I'm getting to particular here... BUY THAT ALBUM!!!

I mentioned in a previous post that I may never get to see Breaking Benjamin, due to their singer's fear of flying... Which is quite upsetting, to be honest. Even though I only began listening to them somewhat recently, they grew on me very, very quickly... Plus they formed the majority of the soundtrack to some of the shittest few months ever for me, so they're a special band to me. Get their acoustic version of Diary Of Jane, it's an emotional, melodic gem.

Clutch. My first introduction to them was their song The Mob Goes Wild, which begins with singer Neil Fallon stating: "Please allow me to adjust my pants so that I can dance the good-time dance, and put the onlookers and innocent by-standers into a trance". I thought to myself "That's the best intro... EVER!" Check that song out, and I defy you to find a more attention-catching intro! Not to forget that they have an amazing groove goin' on...

Evanescence... Yeah, Amy Lee's hot. No, they don't make lame music that 16 year old girls listen to. It is much more than that. It's some seriously amazing music, you know... It's so melodic, emotional, special to a surprising number of people for countless different reasons. And I've no problem admitting that the full band version of My Immortal is one of the only songs that made me cry.

Ever heard of Flyleaf? I think I'm the first person in the country to discover them, because no one else has ever heard of them! Think Paramore, only more serious and grungy. Their song Perfect really is a "perfect" example of their style... Loud guitars in the choruses, and verses that sound like they've been ripped right out of a Blondie number. Singer Lacey Mosely really is a unique vocalist, being able to sing very sweetly... but also just as comfortable forcing one hell of a scream. Simply amazing.

Let's see... What's the next song on my playlist? Oh, that...
Ever heard of Firewind? Think Dragonforce, only more ACTUAL metal, less bent, more cheesey, and better melody. They're completely underrated! However, their cover of Michael Sembello's Maniac (better known as flashdance) is pure metal-pop-cheese-80's-hair-keyboards-leather-cheese perfection! In fact, the album that song's on, The Premonition, is quite simply amazing! Cheesey, but amazing!

When I mention Canada, what pops into your head? I can guess- South Park, Bryan Adams, Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne. All of which are nothing in comparison to Finger Eleven, the best band that no one knows. These fine Canadians wrote and performed (remember WWF?) Kane's intro music, Slow Chemical. But they're biggest hit so far has to have been Paralyzer, which is so ridiculously catchy, it has been in my head for six months and counting! And the best part? I'm still not sick of it! ...Blame Canada for great music.

Let this be known- I don't care if Katy Perry kissed a girl. I know that she's both Hot and Cold. But that's not what I'm trying to get across here... Her album One Of The Boys is simply brilliant! It's been a long time since I've picked up an album and just listened to it straight through, with out analyzing the bejaysus out of it... until now. This album is just full of fun songs! Who cares if I'd change the sound of the guitars? The songs are good, she looks good, it's all good!
Download the title track!

Ah yes... the whole Kings Of Leon obsession... Now normally I'd go against the idea of obsessing over an album, but I'll make an exception for this one... Only By The Night is easily one of the best sounding albums to come out in the past 10 years... Mr. Caleb Followill's voice on this album is gold, the guitars are quiet but still big, the drums are constantly driving... There isn't one thig on that album I'd change. Don't be like everyone else and download Sex on Fire though... Download Sex on Fire and Be Somebody, and Use Somebody... Look, just get the album, ok?

I'm not gonna even start to describe Mindless Self Indulgence... Just download their song Bitches and you'll understand. They are indescribable in a good way, though!

When you think Opeth, you think metal, odd-time signatures, ridiculous drums and guttoral screams/growls... Not quiet. However, their song Hours of Wealth is an amazing piece of music... very reminiscent of Zepplin circa IV, thanks to the pipes/ strings etc. But when the vocals come in, you could nearly swear it was a recent pop-like ballad! It's truly something you have to hear to understand.

Ok, ok... I know about the recent obsession with The Script. But I found their song Rusty Halo, and when I first heard it, I thought it was a song by The Police that I haven't heard yet... it's got a driving bassline, the drums are tight yet still somehow loose and singer Danny O'Donoghue could easily be Sting's successor. I am quickly becoming a fan... I still believe that they perform better on their more upbeat songs, but their more ballad-esque numbers are almost as impressive and emotive.

Wow, it's 3 in the morning... I think I'll call it a night...

What I would kill for.

Here is my list of the coolest stuff I don't have yet, and could actually afford this year!

1- Korg Kaossilator... Just plain savage!
2- FireSteel... It's steel, it makes fire... It's perfect!
3- Stylophone... We go old school!
4- A decent Zippo... HOW DO I NOT HAVE ONE YET?!?
5- USB-rechargable batteries... I know, I'm lame... But I'm not a nerd. Nerds are smart!
6- A Leatherman... Coz everyone needs a Leatherman!

Stuff that pisses me off...

Here's a list of stuff that pisses me off. Some things are only small, others are big... And before you go about thinking that I'm "another big fuckin' complainer", let me make it known now that I'm also gonna leave another post listing off things that make me happy/smile/etc.
But first, the lame shite:

-THE FUCKING COLD!!!
-When I make a coffee, go out for a smoke, come back in and someone else's taken it.
-When I make another coffee to replace the stolen one, go out for a smoke, come back in and it's gone cold.
-When I just get through the turnstyles at the train station to watch the doors of the only train that could get me into college on time slam in my face.
-When my Christmas presents don't arrive in time for christmas... Stupid Thomann...
-Bipolar Parents. I Don't get why they're screaming like demons one day, ignoring me the next, and then being so incredibly nice the next day... It really fucks with yer head! (That's what she said! Hahaha!)
-Not getting to see enough of a very special person...
-People that are only into one genre of music. They're missing out on so much amazing music! And I know, a certain someone out there now's thinking that had I said this a year ago, I would be ridiculously hippocritical. But that's the thing- I now realise that I was missing out on so much amazing music! But I digress...
-When I run out of smokes, I'm pulling an all-nighter in college, it's 3 in the morning, and nowhere's open.
-The way the strap on my guitar keeps falling off at the most inopportune moments, like just before the last chord in a take, and the guitar just hits the floor. Hard.
-The way it's dark by 5 O'clock... Despite my often grouchy behaviour, I'm quite a dillusionally optimistic person! One of the problems is that I'm pretty sure I have seasonal affected disorder, which would explain my lameness during the winter/ shite days, but I still need an explanation for my lameness every other day... Hahaha!
-When I have an exam in the morning... Only this time, I know for a fact I'm gonna completely fail the living daylights outta this one, coz it's impossible. That, and I need 90% to pass...
-Chapped lips... I'm constantly afflicted with it...
-When I go to a discussion group, and I can't say anything, even if I want to... Mainly because I don't speak the same language. Hard to explain the situation, so yeah...
-The way my nice guitar amp's an hour and a half away in one direction, and some of my recording equipment's an hour in the opposite direction.
-When your mp3 player runs out of space!!! GRRR!!!(just so you know, I believe iPods are the devil's work... Not the cool, heavy metal devil, but the bent one. Creatives are the mp3 players of the gods.)
-The way the best sounding headphones are massive, and they make me look like a complete twat.
-Being broke. Admittedly, I'm nowhere near as broke as last year, but it's still a bit bent.
-The way I might never see one of my favourite bands live, even though they're still touring. Breaking Benjamin's singer Ben Burnley is shit scared of heights, so the band can't fly outside of the US. BENT!!!!!!!
-Sometimes I'll listen to a lot of amazing music, become really inspired, pick up the guitar and... Nothing comes out. I just dn't get it, and it's the most frustrating feeling I've ever experienced...
-I wrote a song once, and when I played it to some friends, they remarked: "Oh, that sounds like that song from [insert random shite band here]!" Not cool.
-The way some people are just chronic complainers. Wow, I am hippocritical now, aren't I?
-The way Hotmail's being a right gimp for me at the minute.
-When I accidently put too much milk in my coffee. Lukewarm, tasteless shite... Sounds like a few assholes I know... Hahaha!
-When a discustingly irritating song's stuck in my head (The Killers, anyone?). And for the most part, it's not even the whole song, it's just one fucking line! (I can't believe I managed to make it this far without uttering the "F" word!!!)
-The way I can't remember any more stuff that pisses me off...

This list is far from complete, so I'll post another yoke soon enough to finish it. What a weight off my chest...

First yoke!

Well, this is strange... I said to myself before: "Scott, you're never doing one of those blog yokes, coz it's just throwing your opinion out there!" But then I was reading my dear Sally's blog, Happiness Machine (www.thehappinessmachine.blogspot.com) and I then said to myself: "Scott, you should do one of these blog yokes, coz it's getting your opinion out there!"... So... here it is! And this being the first yoke, (I'm gonna call these posts "yokes", coz I said so!) let me just make this known now:

I do not mean to offend anyone in these yokes. If in the aforementioned yokes I happen to cause offense to anyone, then I didn't mean it in the same way that you took it up.