Pop music is a liberal and vague category of modern music not marked by artistic considerations but by its promising audience or future market. Pop is music composed with calculated objective to influence the majority of its contemporaries.
In contrast to music that calls for education or arrangement to appreciate, a significant characteristic of pop music is that anyone is able to enjoy it. Artistic concepts such as complex musical form and aesthetics are not a matter in the writing of pop songs, the key aim being audience satisfaction and commercial triumph. Although the aim of pop music is to sell records and do really well in the charts, it does not require wide acclaim or commercial success. There are bad or unsuccessful pop songs.
Originally the term was an abbreviation of, and synonymous to, popular music, but developed around 1954 to express a particular musical category. The stylistic origins of pop music is folk,jazz,R&B,rock and roll,traditional pop music.The typical instruments are electric guitar,bass guitar,drum kit and keyboard.The cultural origins date back to 1950's in the United States.It is popular worldwide since 1960s.
The standard format of pop music is the song, usually less than five minutes in length. The instrumentation can range from an orchestra to a lone singer. In spite of this wide choice, a standard lineup in a pop band includes a lead guitarist, a bassist, a drummer (or an electronic drum machine), a keyboardist and one or more singers, generally not themselves instumentalists.
Pop songs are generally conspicuous by a heavy rhythmic element, a mainstream style and traditional structure. The most common modification is strophic in form and focuses on memorable melodies, catchy hooks and the appeal of the verse-chorus-verse arrangement, with the chorus sharply contrasting the verse melodically, rhythmically and harmonically.
Lyrics in pop compositions are usually simple and speak of universal experiences and feelings, moving away from incomprehensible or debatable issues.The international appeal of pop was evident in the new millennium, with artists from around the world influencing the genre and local variants merging with the mainstream. As of 2008, pop music is now currently the most popular style of music of youth culture, making competition with hip hop, dance and country.
By: mary rose
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
The Author Mary Rose has authored several books including books related to music and harmony.For more information logon www.casanads.com/bm/me.htm
Monday, January 28, 2008
Free Mp3 Download – Are They Real?
Let me first start by defining an Mp3 Player – An Mp3 player is simply an electronic gadget that plays not only Mp3, but additional audio files as well. DAP or Digital Audio Player is the closest term to correctly define the term Mp3 player many Mp3 players are software-based and available for most computer platforms. Mp3 players are highly flexible, so they can be hooked into car stereos, CD players, computer hard drives, and simply as a stand alone player with its own music collection.
Getting free Mp3 downloads is not a difficult task; you just need to know about some of the online sites that giveaway free downloads. Not only can you get free Mp3 music downloads of your favorite bands and artists but you can also put up your own Mp3s on the web too. Now if you are an upcoming singer or have a band of your own, this is the perfect way to promote your music. It takes a lot of time, money and effort to establish a band or to become a popular singer. If you are sponsored by a leading production company, then it is entirely a different issue, but ask any budding artist and he or she will tell you how difficult it is to get a big name to back you and produce an album. Making your music available and searchable on the web for downloading is a wonderful option for upcoming singers.
There are a few trusted free Mp3 music download sites that do work. With this, you might be of the knowledge that a lot of research is needed in knowing the best ones. Music for music lovers has always been the sole inspirational factor wherein they draw each inspiration from music to live their lives. Music has never had any barrier nor has anyone been able to bound music. Music lovers have a world of their own and these free Mp3 downloads websites have triggered this unity even further. These free Mp3 downloads work at the command of your finger. The free Mp3 downloads can be downloaded at the press of a button and this can be done from anywhere and at any point of time. Free Mp3 downloads have made it easy for music lovers to download and save and listen to all their favorite songs that they have been looking for ages but had no clue from where to find them. In fact these free Mp3 downloads sites have all kinds of songs and language seems to be no issue and definitely the age of the music is no bar.
Free Mp3 downloads have come to a long way from the beginning with models that allow for viewing video and downloading files, while they are primarily used for music many cellular phone companies have begun incorporating Mp3 players into their phones in order to tap into the market of the portable free Mp3 downloads player. Do you know that Amazon may be the best known for its books, but the site also features a free music downloads section where you can download legal Mp3s. The site offers music from different genres, including alternative, Indie, Punk, Blues, Broadway, Children music, Christian, Classical, Country, Dance, Folk, International, Jazz, Latin, New Age, Opera, Pop, Rap, Hip Hop, Rock, R&B, Soundtrack, and more. If you are a musician or an artist, you can also upload your own Mp3s here for free and let music lovers discover and experience your own brand of music.
By: Marlone
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Marlone is an MP3 enthusiast, For more information on Free Mp3 Download Song check out unlimitedmp3music.blogspot.com Where you can get informative articles and see many of the latest MP3 players and accessories.
Getting free Mp3 downloads is not a difficult task; you just need to know about some of the online sites that giveaway free downloads. Not only can you get free Mp3 music downloads of your favorite bands and artists but you can also put up your own Mp3s on the web too. Now if you are an upcoming singer or have a band of your own, this is the perfect way to promote your music. It takes a lot of time, money and effort to establish a band or to become a popular singer. If you are sponsored by a leading production company, then it is entirely a different issue, but ask any budding artist and he or she will tell you how difficult it is to get a big name to back you and produce an album. Making your music available and searchable on the web for downloading is a wonderful option for upcoming singers.
There are a few trusted free Mp3 music download sites that do work. With this, you might be of the knowledge that a lot of research is needed in knowing the best ones. Music for music lovers has always been the sole inspirational factor wherein they draw each inspiration from music to live their lives. Music has never had any barrier nor has anyone been able to bound music. Music lovers have a world of their own and these free Mp3 downloads websites have triggered this unity even further. These free Mp3 downloads work at the command of your finger. The free Mp3 downloads can be downloaded at the press of a button and this can be done from anywhere and at any point of time. Free Mp3 downloads have made it easy for music lovers to download and save and listen to all their favorite songs that they have been looking for ages but had no clue from where to find them. In fact these free Mp3 downloads sites have all kinds of songs and language seems to be no issue and definitely the age of the music is no bar.
Free Mp3 downloads have come to a long way from the beginning with models that allow for viewing video and downloading files, while they are primarily used for music many cellular phone companies have begun incorporating Mp3 players into their phones in order to tap into the market of the portable free Mp3 downloads player. Do you know that Amazon may be the best known for its books, but the site also features a free music downloads section where you can download legal Mp3s. The site offers music from different genres, including alternative, Indie, Punk, Blues, Broadway, Children music, Christian, Classical, Country, Dance, Folk, International, Jazz, Latin, New Age, Opera, Pop, Rap, Hip Hop, Rock, R&B, Soundtrack, and more. If you are a musician or an artist, you can also upload your own Mp3s here for free and let music lovers discover and experience your own brand of music.
By: Marlone
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Marlone is an MP3 enthusiast, For more information on Free Mp3 Download Song check out unlimitedmp3music.blogspot.com Where you can get informative articles and see many of the latest MP3 players and accessories.
Nevermind
Kurt Cobain wasn't some amazing guitarist, he wasn't an incredible wailer. He was just an ordinary dude from a shit whole Washington city like myself.
When Cobain wrote shit he wrote what he truly felt, which already makes him better than 80 percent of bands. He wasn't trying to become a famous rich rock star, although he certainly enjoyed it for a while. He wrote his damned emotions.
He wasn't a great guitarist, although he was a solid rythm guy considering he sang like a f---ing psycho while playing. He's a sloppy guitarist he uses alot of effects. He puts effects to good use too, getting a certain sound for each song that matches the sentiment in the lyrics. He wasn slightly more than a three chord bitch, and he wrote some of the coolest chord progressions ever. Listen to In bloom. That song sounds amazing guitar wise, simple but badass.
Nirvana came along and blew all the fake shit out of music, hell even James Hetfield praises Cobain. If Nirvana hadn't come along, music would be alot shittier today than it is. Face it, most people can't choose music for themselves, they have to eat up whatever shit the radio throws to them. Nirvana came along and gave all of us who hated those people something to listen to. Sure, Nirvana was blown out of proportion. No band should get that kind of attention, but still, many bands have been alot worse and gotten more praise.
I wouldn't say this is their best album, it's a really raw, intense album, where In Utero is just pissed off and kind of eerie. Nevermind has cool chord progressions, with a dirty distortion heavy sound, thumping bass that just goes perfectly with everything, and over the top drumming. On Nevermind, Nirvana goes all out and rocks as hard as they can. It's pure intensity, very powerful. The amount of emotion and energy in each song, along with the masterful lyrics, and true meaning in each song, really makes this album nearly perfect.
They rock their fucking asses off in this one, and they are completely honest about it. This album just gives off a vibe of 'fuck you, like us or don't'. This is an album and kicks your ass and doesn't apologize. It is as powerful as an album get's, in my opinion.
There's Teen Spirit, everyone know's that one, which is a very interesting song, and it really embodied something, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. Lithium is pure emotion, it kicks your ass. What makes Nirvana so good is that they play their shit as if they don't care what you think, forget how famous they got and how much money they made, forget everything about them, and listen to this album, you can't fake this kind of power. This album is genuine, from the repressed anger of Teen Spirit, to the tortured pain and regret in Lithium, to the apathetic emotion of On A Plain, to the whistful narrative power of In Bloom, this album is something else.
Too many people write Nirvana off, I can't stress how important it is to keep an open mind with this album. Try to forget everything about that era, and listen to this. It will kick your ass.
My interpretations of the album...
Teen Spirit - Repressed anger unleashed, disgust for the "establishment." Apathetic feelings towars the good that remains in society. 10 Powerful song. You can really feel the anger in this one, here Cobain is just mad, and he lets you know it. A real masterpiece, although it was overdone, Nirvana was about much more than this sentiment, and Cobain wanted to get that out, and did with In Utero. The palm muting in the signature chord riff, really brings out the anger here. The solo is perfect with that watery sort of stoned distortion, it all builds up to that simple but effective solo with the "nur nah," plucking of the b and high E strings on the first fret, and the white noise of the higher b and E string sounds, followed by the signature chord progression. This song is pure emotion. The simple 1111 1111 4444 4444 bass line is simple but works to perfection, and the drum work also matches perfectly. Masterpiece.
In Bloom - Narrative of the band wagon bitch created by the MTV society. 8 This song is eerie. When you consider it was written before Nirvana was anything, it's creepy how it describes many people who became band wagon fan's of Teen Spirit, and abused the power and sentiment, pretending to understand, but just following the leader. This song is kind of off balance, the sentiment changes from the beginning to end, kind of like a spacey mind. The bass line is perfect. Great song. Fuzzy fuzz distortion, and the verse, beautiful. 'But he, don't know what it means, don't know what it means when I say'.
Come As You Are - Apathetic anthem. This is like an ode to your girlfriend, after all sorts of emotions and pain and fear, you finally just decide, come as you are. 10 When all the pain disappears and is replaced with apathy, and the fear of what lies ahead becomes the gratefulness of what's happening in the present. The treble-ee, chorus-ee, plucky sounds of the beginning riff and the signature white noise sound, and then the dirty distortion happy chorus. Beautiful. Nice bass line. The drums steal the show here if not for the guitar work, the drumming is genius, very intelligent. As par for the course on this album, the sentiment changes rapidly and is very apathetic in that 'I don't give a shit' way. Very beautiful. Masterwork.
Breed - When you're really frustrated and stressed out over a situation with your chick, and you decide to fix it all by just saying OK. 9 1/2 This song is Certainly not apathetic. The polar opposite of Come As You Are, it would of made sense for this to come before Come on the cd, but it doesn't. Breed is about the feeling you have, when in a relationship, when it seems to be going all wrong, and you are stressed and angry in general over the helplessness of making wrong moves everytime you open your mouth, and just can't find a way to say 'I love you'. You just go, you know what, whatever happens, it's ok, and I want to be with you during whatever shit happens. Something like that. Great song.
Lithium - This song is one of the best songs of all time, and it can't be interpretated in just one way. Relationship wise, it's when a relationship is just about failed, and the stress remains, but the anger of Breed subsides, and you just need to say, I love you. It isn't easy, and the relationship is probably already dead, but the feelings stay. You know somehow the other one feels the same, but you just can't reconcile. And finally, apathy takes over, and you just need to say the same thing in Breed but without any anger, with the apathy of Come but later on in a relationship when it's going to end. Inside, you know it's over, but it can't really be over right, which is what the chorus is saying. I love you but I'm not gonna crack, saying, I love you, but I can't give in anymore. If it ends, let it be, I can't fight it anymore. Somber indeed. 10 I also think of it as a way of narrarating the hopeless feeling you're bound to get living in Seattle, where it's raining, and cloudy, and then the sun comes out and shines on everything, and a cold warmth consumes you, which is the feeling you get from living in Seattle, I lived there. It's a little nihilistic, a little apathetic, a little angry, and a little sad. It's about reaching a point in life where you accept life, and the anger over things going wrong leaves, and you start to think, 'OK, life may be tough, but it really isn't that bad, look at the silver lining'. When you realize things aren't nearly as bad as they feel, and you start to accept life. Cool bass, very fuzzy nasty dirty distortion, simple guitar work. Beautiful song. Thank you Kurt, this one really means something.
Polly - This is as simple as Nirvana gets. Based on Kurt reading about some girl that was abducted and tortured or something. It's a simple narrarative basically, I can't really say. I just enjoy this one, I don't see any real meaning, you could find some, but generally, the meaning is about how cruel people can be and how disgusting it is. Nothing more. 7 Acoustic, pretty guitar work. Basic bass. Simple, pretty little acoustic ballad. It's nothing truly special, although it is very enjoyable, it's not anything like the power and meaning of Lithium. Interesting they put it in the very middle of 12 songs. Feels almost like a B-side.
Territorial Pissings - Here is where we get a little less intelligent and nihlistic, and just get pissed. Badass song. About the stupidity of machismo and how crazy it is that us dudes get so fucking arrogant and shit, just because we're men. 8 Badass song. I'm more like the type of guy they're making fun of here, but that's ok, I can take a joke. That's basically what this is, it's not overly emotional, it's just a fun, tough, rock song. It's an ass kicker, no true emotion other that the emotion of rocking out, this one is just a song for fun.
Drain You - Pick up perfectly after the feeling of Pissings, this is a real song, in the lieu of Lithium. There's real meaning here, but it retains the sense of fun found in Pissings. A perfect mix of fun, emotion, and meaning, so it will please all kinds of music fans. Very juvenile. I've read it's about sexual relationships, I certainly wouldn't be surprised, it feels like it's coming from a quirky, humorous, friendly angle while having some meaning, and a little emotion. Fun song. 8 Certainly about relationships, I think it feels like it's talking about the adolescent stupidity of teenage relationships, and how crazy they can be. Youthful, ya know. Fun song. The beginning strumming is just beautiful, and as always in this album, sets the mood for the rest of the song, on that guitar tone alone. As usual, the guitar sentiment is dumbed down so everyone can enjoy, while being interesting and fresh enough for even the most insanely guitar obsessed guitar nerds around. Nothing technically dazzling, of course, just abuse of a guitar with violent strumming, and weird feedbacks and fuzzy dirty unnatural yet completely natural distortions. Of course, wonderful chord progression as usual. Great drum work, matches the mood, simple bass.
Lounge Act - Picks up from Drain You, but gets more mature, and get's a focus on a sentiment and emotion for the first time since Lithium. It's still fun, but it's a serious song, and it's less frills guitar wise, it's simple and dumbed down, completely straightforward. Same old violent sloppy apathetic nihlistic arrogant strumming patterns, pretty heavy distortion, but not a feedback fest. Basic, but enjoyable and compatible bass line. Very good drum work, matches very nicely. About losing your girl to another guy, a friend of yours, and the competitive anger over this, and wanting your chick back, but not coming completely clean about it. Could mean that, except being confrontational about it. Or maybe it's just gibberish. 9 Fun song.
Stay Away - More complex song, not serious in the slightest, just a basic human emotion, of wanting someone to stay the fuck away, and making a song about it and jamming. 9 Brilliant, this is Nirvana for you. The apathy, and anger, and youthful excitedness, the carelessness, the lack of polish or direction, all while being 'clean' in that it's intelligently done, and genuine. Great.
On A Plain - This picks up Perfectly, only this time, we have a song of the emotional and sentimental strength of Lithium again. Pure beauty. About overwhelming emotion, crippling emotion, and dealing with that emotion. Dealing with pain and emotion you can't even comprehend, and being totally ok with it. Confusion, anger, fear, hopelessness, and then happiness. Trying to deal with that happiness when you think you shouldn't be happy, and trying to figure out why you're so fucking crazy. Being totally ok with all of this, and figuring all of this out completely alone, no chick, no friends, just you in a dark room with yourself and your thoughts. 11 Best song ever. The guitar is hauntingly beautiful, distortion but not ridiculous amounts. Same simple chords done over and over, beautiful. Great drumming, matches well. Bass as well. "Love myself, better than you, I know it's wrong, so what should I do". Masterpiece.
Something In The Way - Beautiful ending song, same value to ending an album as Release on Pearl Jam's Ten. A soft, powerfully gripping ballad of something that overwhelms you. In this case, something that blocks you from completing something, or doing something you need to do. Thing's that stop you from doing something you really want to do, but don't want to cause others grief by doing. Self reflection. 10 Masterpiece. Great song. Beautiful.
Music isn't who makes it, it's what it means to us. It can be written by the biggest stoner/metalfreak/rapfag/whatever imaginable but if it mean's something to you and you find meaning and relevance in the lyrics, then it's music. Many bands can make songs that sound catchy and you listen to, but only a few can makes songs that are truly music. Say It Ain't So by Weezer, On A Plain by Nirvana, Release by Pearl Jam, The Unforgiven by Metallica, Under The Bridge by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Santeria by Sublime, Sober by Tool, Good For You by Third Eye Blind, Creep by Radiohead, Big Empty by Stone Temple Pilots, Just Like Heaven and Close To Me by The Cure, What You Are by Audioslave, Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix, NYC by Interpol, Iris by Goo Goo Dolls, For All The Cows by Foo Fighters, Perfection Through Silence by Finch, Seattle by Fastball, Glycerine And Comedown by Bush, Idiot Wind or anything by Bob Dylan, and Sunshine by Alice In Chains, some songs that bands have made that are truly music.
So, whatever you may think about Nirvana or "grunge," give this album a chance, then try Bleach and In Utero.
Just make sure you forget all the stereotypes and give this one a real chance.
from: ultimate-guitar.com
When Cobain wrote shit he wrote what he truly felt, which already makes him better than 80 percent of bands. He wasn't trying to become a famous rich rock star, although he certainly enjoyed it for a while. He wrote his damned emotions.
He wasn't a great guitarist, although he was a solid rythm guy considering he sang like a f---ing psycho while playing. He's a sloppy guitarist he uses alot of effects. He puts effects to good use too, getting a certain sound for each song that matches the sentiment in the lyrics. He wasn slightly more than a three chord bitch, and he wrote some of the coolest chord progressions ever. Listen to In bloom. That song sounds amazing guitar wise, simple but badass.
Nirvana came along and blew all the fake shit out of music, hell even James Hetfield praises Cobain. If Nirvana hadn't come along, music would be alot shittier today than it is. Face it, most people can't choose music for themselves, they have to eat up whatever shit the radio throws to them. Nirvana came along and gave all of us who hated those people something to listen to. Sure, Nirvana was blown out of proportion. No band should get that kind of attention, but still, many bands have been alot worse and gotten more praise.
I wouldn't say this is their best album, it's a really raw, intense album, where In Utero is just pissed off and kind of eerie. Nevermind has cool chord progressions, with a dirty distortion heavy sound, thumping bass that just goes perfectly with everything, and over the top drumming. On Nevermind, Nirvana goes all out and rocks as hard as they can. It's pure intensity, very powerful. The amount of emotion and energy in each song, along with the masterful lyrics, and true meaning in each song, really makes this album nearly perfect.
They rock their fucking asses off in this one, and they are completely honest about it. This album just gives off a vibe of 'fuck you, like us or don't'. This is an album and kicks your ass and doesn't apologize. It is as powerful as an album get's, in my opinion.
There's Teen Spirit, everyone know's that one, which is a very interesting song, and it really embodied something, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. Lithium is pure emotion, it kicks your ass. What makes Nirvana so good is that they play their shit as if they don't care what you think, forget how famous they got and how much money they made, forget everything about them, and listen to this album, you can't fake this kind of power. This album is genuine, from the repressed anger of Teen Spirit, to the tortured pain and regret in Lithium, to the apathetic emotion of On A Plain, to the whistful narrative power of In Bloom, this album is something else.
Too many people write Nirvana off, I can't stress how important it is to keep an open mind with this album. Try to forget everything about that era, and listen to this. It will kick your ass.
My interpretations of the album...
Teen Spirit - Repressed anger unleashed, disgust for the "establishment." Apathetic feelings towars the good that remains in society. 10 Powerful song. You can really feel the anger in this one, here Cobain is just mad, and he lets you know it. A real masterpiece, although it was overdone, Nirvana was about much more than this sentiment, and Cobain wanted to get that out, and did with In Utero. The palm muting in the signature chord riff, really brings out the anger here. The solo is perfect with that watery sort of stoned distortion, it all builds up to that simple but effective solo with the "nur nah," plucking of the b and high E strings on the first fret, and the white noise of the higher b and E string sounds, followed by the signature chord progression. This song is pure emotion. The simple 1111 1111 4444 4444 bass line is simple but works to perfection, and the drum work also matches perfectly. Masterpiece.
In Bloom - Narrative of the band wagon bitch created by the MTV society. 8 This song is eerie. When you consider it was written before Nirvana was anything, it's creepy how it describes many people who became band wagon fan's of Teen Spirit, and abused the power and sentiment, pretending to understand, but just following the leader. This song is kind of off balance, the sentiment changes from the beginning to end, kind of like a spacey mind. The bass line is perfect. Great song. Fuzzy fuzz distortion, and the verse, beautiful. 'But he, don't know what it means, don't know what it means when I say'.
Come As You Are - Apathetic anthem. This is like an ode to your girlfriend, after all sorts of emotions and pain and fear, you finally just decide, come as you are. 10 When all the pain disappears and is replaced with apathy, and the fear of what lies ahead becomes the gratefulness of what's happening in the present. The treble-ee, chorus-ee, plucky sounds of the beginning riff and the signature white noise sound, and then the dirty distortion happy chorus. Beautiful. Nice bass line. The drums steal the show here if not for the guitar work, the drumming is genius, very intelligent. As par for the course on this album, the sentiment changes rapidly and is very apathetic in that 'I don't give a shit' way. Very beautiful. Masterwork.
Breed - When you're really frustrated and stressed out over a situation with your chick, and you decide to fix it all by just saying OK. 9 1/2 This song is Certainly not apathetic. The polar opposite of Come As You Are, it would of made sense for this to come before Come on the cd, but it doesn't. Breed is about the feeling you have, when in a relationship, when it seems to be going all wrong, and you are stressed and angry in general over the helplessness of making wrong moves everytime you open your mouth, and just can't find a way to say 'I love you'. You just go, you know what, whatever happens, it's ok, and I want to be with you during whatever shit happens. Something like that. Great song.
Lithium - This song is one of the best songs of all time, and it can't be interpretated in just one way. Relationship wise, it's when a relationship is just about failed, and the stress remains, but the anger of Breed subsides, and you just need to say, I love you. It isn't easy, and the relationship is probably already dead, but the feelings stay. You know somehow the other one feels the same, but you just can't reconcile. And finally, apathy takes over, and you just need to say the same thing in Breed but without any anger, with the apathy of Come but later on in a relationship when it's going to end. Inside, you know it's over, but it can't really be over right, which is what the chorus is saying. I love you but I'm not gonna crack, saying, I love you, but I can't give in anymore. If it ends, let it be, I can't fight it anymore. Somber indeed. 10 I also think of it as a way of narrarating the hopeless feeling you're bound to get living in Seattle, where it's raining, and cloudy, and then the sun comes out and shines on everything, and a cold warmth consumes you, which is the feeling you get from living in Seattle, I lived there. It's a little nihilistic, a little apathetic, a little angry, and a little sad. It's about reaching a point in life where you accept life, and the anger over things going wrong leaves, and you start to think, 'OK, life may be tough, but it really isn't that bad, look at the silver lining'. When you realize things aren't nearly as bad as they feel, and you start to accept life. Cool bass, very fuzzy nasty dirty distortion, simple guitar work. Beautiful song. Thank you Kurt, this one really means something.
Polly - This is as simple as Nirvana gets. Based on Kurt reading about some girl that was abducted and tortured or something. It's a simple narrarative basically, I can't really say. I just enjoy this one, I don't see any real meaning, you could find some, but generally, the meaning is about how cruel people can be and how disgusting it is. Nothing more. 7 Acoustic, pretty guitar work. Basic bass. Simple, pretty little acoustic ballad. It's nothing truly special, although it is very enjoyable, it's not anything like the power and meaning of Lithium. Interesting they put it in the very middle of 12 songs. Feels almost like a B-side.
Territorial Pissings - Here is where we get a little less intelligent and nihlistic, and just get pissed. Badass song. About the stupidity of machismo and how crazy it is that us dudes get so fucking arrogant and shit, just because we're men. 8 Badass song. I'm more like the type of guy they're making fun of here, but that's ok, I can take a joke. That's basically what this is, it's not overly emotional, it's just a fun, tough, rock song. It's an ass kicker, no true emotion other that the emotion of rocking out, this one is just a song for fun.
Drain You - Pick up perfectly after the feeling of Pissings, this is a real song, in the lieu of Lithium. There's real meaning here, but it retains the sense of fun found in Pissings. A perfect mix of fun, emotion, and meaning, so it will please all kinds of music fans. Very juvenile. I've read it's about sexual relationships, I certainly wouldn't be surprised, it feels like it's coming from a quirky, humorous, friendly angle while having some meaning, and a little emotion. Fun song. 8 Certainly about relationships, I think it feels like it's talking about the adolescent stupidity of teenage relationships, and how crazy they can be. Youthful, ya know. Fun song. The beginning strumming is just beautiful, and as always in this album, sets the mood for the rest of the song, on that guitar tone alone. As usual, the guitar sentiment is dumbed down so everyone can enjoy, while being interesting and fresh enough for even the most insanely guitar obsessed guitar nerds around. Nothing technically dazzling, of course, just abuse of a guitar with violent strumming, and weird feedbacks and fuzzy dirty unnatural yet completely natural distortions. Of course, wonderful chord progression as usual. Great drum work, matches the mood, simple bass.
Lounge Act - Picks up from Drain You, but gets more mature, and get's a focus on a sentiment and emotion for the first time since Lithium. It's still fun, but it's a serious song, and it's less frills guitar wise, it's simple and dumbed down, completely straightforward. Same old violent sloppy apathetic nihlistic arrogant strumming patterns, pretty heavy distortion, but not a feedback fest. Basic, but enjoyable and compatible bass line. Very good drum work, matches very nicely. About losing your girl to another guy, a friend of yours, and the competitive anger over this, and wanting your chick back, but not coming completely clean about it. Could mean that, except being confrontational about it. Or maybe it's just gibberish. 9 Fun song.
Stay Away - More complex song, not serious in the slightest, just a basic human emotion, of wanting someone to stay the fuck away, and making a song about it and jamming. 9 Brilliant, this is Nirvana for you. The apathy, and anger, and youthful excitedness, the carelessness, the lack of polish or direction, all while being 'clean' in that it's intelligently done, and genuine. Great.
On A Plain - This picks up Perfectly, only this time, we have a song of the emotional and sentimental strength of Lithium again. Pure beauty. About overwhelming emotion, crippling emotion, and dealing with that emotion. Dealing with pain and emotion you can't even comprehend, and being totally ok with it. Confusion, anger, fear, hopelessness, and then happiness. Trying to deal with that happiness when you think you shouldn't be happy, and trying to figure out why you're so fucking crazy. Being totally ok with all of this, and figuring all of this out completely alone, no chick, no friends, just you in a dark room with yourself and your thoughts. 11 Best song ever. The guitar is hauntingly beautiful, distortion but not ridiculous amounts. Same simple chords done over and over, beautiful. Great drumming, matches well. Bass as well. "Love myself, better than you, I know it's wrong, so what should I do". Masterpiece.
Something In The Way - Beautiful ending song, same value to ending an album as Release on Pearl Jam's Ten. A soft, powerfully gripping ballad of something that overwhelms you. In this case, something that blocks you from completing something, or doing something you need to do. Thing's that stop you from doing something you really want to do, but don't want to cause others grief by doing. Self reflection. 10 Masterpiece. Great song. Beautiful.
Music isn't who makes it, it's what it means to us. It can be written by the biggest stoner/metalfreak/rapfag/whatever imaginable but if it mean's something to you and you find meaning and relevance in the lyrics, then it's music. Many bands can make songs that sound catchy and you listen to, but only a few can makes songs that are truly music. Say It Ain't So by Weezer, On A Plain by Nirvana, Release by Pearl Jam, The Unforgiven by Metallica, Under The Bridge by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Santeria by Sublime, Sober by Tool, Good For You by Third Eye Blind, Creep by Radiohead, Big Empty by Stone Temple Pilots, Just Like Heaven and Close To Me by The Cure, What You Are by Audioslave, Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix, NYC by Interpol, Iris by Goo Goo Dolls, For All The Cows by Foo Fighters, Perfection Through Silence by Finch, Seattle by Fastball, Glycerine And Comedown by Bush, Idiot Wind or anything by Bob Dylan, and Sunshine by Alice In Chains, some songs that bands have made that are truly music.
So, whatever you may think about Nirvana or "grunge," give this album a chance, then try Bleach and In Utero.
Just make sure you forget all the stereotypes and give this one a real chance.
from: ultimate-guitar.com
Understanding Steve Vai Music
For the first time ever Steve Vai have done a tour of Russia and the Ukraine where he conducted three evening master class clinics, and three daytime in-store autograph sessions.
The tour was a big success. This was the most helpful and emotionally pleasant guitar clinic I ever seen before. Steve was able to get that perfect balance between music and talks. The genius has developed serious topics out of simple questions. He was always in contact with the audience. Steve played both, his composed music and spontaneous improvisations too. He was able to make clear for us and illustrate how he is composing music that's coming from inside.
Very deep self-reflection: it is incredible, when the musician does not say something like "well, I just listen to radio and - ah! - create a melody." No! Steve looks deep inside himself to analyze his inner world to create his masterpieces. When you get it mixed with live sound, concert atmosphere, his words come right into your mind, into your heart. I mean, everyone can understand what he's talking about.
What can I say, it is useless to copy Steve Vai!
I wanted to make a video record of For The Love Of God, in order to get something useful for myself from it later: But then Steve told the audience how his music was created. Sometimes, he finds an image or situation and tries to "sound" like this image to imitate it. Sometimes, people around him and relationships can give birth to his music. Sometimes he just play exercises and chord progressions, trying to hear and find out something new. Sometimes he's singing along with chord progression and record himself, then finding interesting ideas.
But the most beautiful music is created, when he is listening with his "inner ear" - something, that is very personal and sounds in his mind. Combining all the above with Steve's playing For The Love Of God, Crying Machine and Lotus Feet that evening, I have suddenly realized, how useless video can be. There is only personal behind those sounds.
Steve's music will remain his music.
Another ideas was delivered to the audience is the following. We all are occupied with our problems and everyday routine. Those 24 hours isn't enough to learn everything in music and guitar, or even 50% of it.
The deeper you go, the more unexplored lands you can see. But every and each of us can and must learn how to hear and feel what's going on in our inner world, to take it out in form of sounds, music, and to express ourselves but not necessarily those speed licks or arpeggios - this is what I AM, and this is MY music. It doesn't matter sometimes, how good or bad it is. It doesn't matter if anybody else need this music. First we need it ourselves.
Yuri Nikitin
Ibanez guitars fan.
Guitar Lessons Pros
Ibanez Guitars
The tour was a big success. This was the most helpful and emotionally pleasant guitar clinic I ever seen before. Steve was able to get that perfect balance between music and talks. The genius has developed serious topics out of simple questions. He was always in contact with the audience. Steve played both, his composed music and spontaneous improvisations too. He was able to make clear for us and illustrate how he is composing music that's coming from inside.
Very deep self-reflection: it is incredible, when the musician does not say something like "well, I just listen to radio and - ah! - create a melody." No! Steve looks deep inside himself to analyze his inner world to create his masterpieces. When you get it mixed with live sound, concert atmosphere, his words come right into your mind, into your heart. I mean, everyone can understand what he's talking about.
What can I say, it is useless to copy Steve Vai!
I wanted to make a video record of For The Love Of God, in order to get something useful for myself from it later: But then Steve told the audience how his music was created. Sometimes, he finds an image or situation and tries to "sound" like this image to imitate it. Sometimes, people around him and relationships can give birth to his music. Sometimes he just play exercises and chord progressions, trying to hear and find out something new. Sometimes he's singing along with chord progression and record himself, then finding interesting ideas.
But the most beautiful music is created, when he is listening with his "inner ear" - something, that is very personal and sounds in his mind. Combining all the above with Steve's playing For The Love Of God, Crying Machine and Lotus Feet that evening, I have suddenly realized, how useless video can be. There is only personal behind those sounds.
Steve's music will remain his music.
Another ideas was delivered to the audience is the following. We all are occupied with our problems and everyday routine. Those 24 hours isn't enough to learn everything in music and guitar, or even 50% of it.
The deeper you go, the more unexplored lands you can see. But every and each of us can and must learn how to hear and feel what's going on in our inner world, to take it out in form of sounds, music, and to express ourselves but not necessarily those speed licks or arpeggios - this is what I AM, and this is MY music. It doesn't matter sometimes, how good or bad it is. It doesn't matter if anybody else need this music. First we need it ourselves.
Yuri Nikitin
Ibanez guitars fan.
Guitar Lessons Pros
Ibanez Guitars
The Ten Commandments Of Rock Journalism
To start with,being a metal journalist is completely different from being an ordinary music journalist. Unlike the music journalist who would review the latest Jazz album to hit stores, over coffee by the fire, the metal journalist would rather like to find themselves in a pit in Wacken or shouting out “Maiden! Maiden!” alongside another fifty thousand metal-heads at a “Matter of Life and Death, Promo Tour” gig.However being a metal journalist is harder than being “just another music journalist”,and here I will cover what I believe to be “The ten commandments of Rock Journalism”.
01. Know your music-To be a music journalist, let alone being a metal journalist,you have to know your music. This might sound a bit obvious,but I personally know quite a lot of people,who do not really know what the Locrian mode is,but will criticize the latest Cannibal Corpse album for not being melodic enough.
Yes, ”melodic”, I said! To be honest,you can’t really explain the evil element that you feel when listening to Black Sabbath’s “Black Sabbath”, without knowing the Tritone or “Diabolus in musica”, can you? But, funnily enough, people try to.
02. Know your metal-Just knowing the theory behind Sabbath will not make you a metal journalist. You have to know your metal. Assume you are reviewing Drowning Pool’s latest Studio Album “Full Circle”. You have to know and mention, how Drowning Pool has evolved throughout the years with vocalists ranging from Dave Williams to Jason “Gong” Jones and Ryan McCombs. The vibe you felt when listening to “Full Circle”, is not just enough,you have to be able to notice the difference between the vibe you felt when you first listened to “Tear away” and the vibe you felt listening to “Full Circle”.
03. Be open to all forms of metal-You may already know this, but metal is the single genre within which one can find the most number of sub-genres. I will save the list of all the metallic sub-genres for another post. So, yes, as a metal journalist you have to be equally open to all these sub-genres. One minute you’ll be looking upon a wall of death at a Lamb of God concert, struggling with words as to how to put it into words to appear in your live gig review. And the next, you’ll be scribbling down your album review of HIM’s “And love said No!”. This also includes appreciation towards other forms of music too(Note:In my point of view, Timbaland does not fall under “other forms of music”. Add Hilary Duff to it too, if you want). For instance to appreciate(”appreciate” is the key word here) Nevermore’s cover of Simon and Garfunkle’s “Sound of Silence”, not only do you have to listen to both, the original and the cover, but have to be able to notice the significant difference of the sounds brought into the same song, by two different artistes.
04. It’s not just the riff-Metal has a lot of elements within it. The most amateur metal band may produce a demo which can more complex than all the Christina Aguilera albums put together. So, when reviewing metal, draw focus onto every single aspect of it. It will take you from the lyrical meaning of Iron Maiden’s Rain Maker to the fake spot just above Dee Snider’s lips. All these elements make metal what it is. It is not ”Hit me baby one more time” kind of music. It is extremely complex, and this what I believe to be the reason behind the stigmatization of metal. So, as a metal journalist, you should dive into every thing within it.
05. Listen/watch/read before you write-This is an essential part of metal. Maybe it is due the complexity of the genre. Whatever the reason is please know what you are going to review about. When reviewing an album please try to listen to the full discography of the band before hitting the paper. May it be a documentary, a DVD, an album or a book, have a thorough understanding of it, before you write. People need an in depth discription, it has to be innovative and factual. They don’t need to read a boring article on your first time experience as a Kamelot fan, they want a sneak peek of their new album before they buy it. What it is like, have they changed the sound, all that. Know what you are going to write about.
06. Have your say-You are a metal journalist, you are supposed to be loud. And Heck!Why not?Be harsh if you want to, but please be insightful too. People don’t read metal journals to learn swear words, they wouldn’t mind the occassional swear word every now and then, but it’s not the point. I can mention a hundred very harsh reviews I consider as constructive critism. One such is the Kerrang!review of Disturbed’s “Ten Thousand Fists”, where the writer mentioned “the slappable face” of David “Mad” Draiman”. If you have a lengthy but factual and interesting article in line but not sure about the length,don’t worry.Write it as it is.Metal fans are metal fans. There’s no such things as a “Die-Hard” metal fan,you are either a metal fan or not. So they will always read it no matter how long it is, as long as it is not boring. They can spend an extra minute or two. That’s the speciality of being a metal journalist, you know your fans will always be there.
07. Be you-As obvious as it may sound, being unique is crucial. Have your inspirations, learn from them, but never imitate. Personally, I have been inspired(or maybe influenced, because music plays a major role, inspiration is not strong enough a word) by Malcolm Dome alot. But I know for a fact that I cannot be Malcolm Dome, and I don’t want to fall under the list of “copycat journalists”. You may have a different approach, never try to change it becuase that’s not how Malcolm Dome or Steve Gett writes. People don’t need a Steve Gett. Jr, they know Steve Gett and expect something different from you.
08. Prepared be hammered and hammer back-This is a part of metal. The occassional hammering from whom I would like to call “the third party” may occur at any moment. So be prepared,and never retreat. You are metaller,you know what Dee Snider went through following Twisted Sister’s induction into the Filthy Fifteen by the PMRC. But didn’t that help to sculpt Twisted Sister into what it is? So, welcome hammering!It’s a sign of success!!!
09. Go against the rules-That’s what metal is all about. Do not stick to the traditional “by the couch” reviews. Reviews coming out of scribbled notes written in the pit at rock gigs have proven themselves to be the best live show reviews ever. I am not promoting alcohol or anything, but the best interviews have usually taken place over vodka and beer. Remember the Mayhem interview with Sam Dunn? Ah,now you are getting it!!!
10. Finally, Just be Metal-Yes, just be metal, stay true the sound, the vibe, the lyrics, the culture. Metallers don’t care whether you are black, brown or white, they(or should I say “we”?) don’t care whether you are from Norway, Sweden or Sri Lanka,as long as you can give the metal horns when Dio gives you the metal horns,you are in, and we are stronger than anyone. Just stay true the people. Remember what the late Dimebag Darrell said? He said: ”The thing about us is that we stayed on the ground level with the fans. We never rode above the fans”. That’s not just any guitarist, that’s Dimebag Darrell friends. Never ride above the fans!!!
~We miss you,Dime!!!~
article from: ultimate-guitar.com
01. Know your music-To be a music journalist, let alone being a metal journalist,you have to know your music. This might sound a bit obvious,but I personally know quite a lot of people,who do not really know what the Locrian mode is,but will criticize the latest Cannibal Corpse album for not being melodic enough.
Yes, ”melodic”, I said! To be honest,you can’t really explain the evil element that you feel when listening to Black Sabbath’s “Black Sabbath”, without knowing the Tritone or “Diabolus in musica”, can you? But, funnily enough, people try to.
02. Know your metal-Just knowing the theory behind Sabbath will not make you a metal journalist. You have to know your metal. Assume you are reviewing Drowning Pool’s latest Studio Album “Full Circle”. You have to know and mention, how Drowning Pool has evolved throughout the years with vocalists ranging from Dave Williams to Jason “Gong” Jones and Ryan McCombs. The vibe you felt when listening to “Full Circle”, is not just enough,you have to be able to notice the difference between the vibe you felt when you first listened to “Tear away” and the vibe you felt listening to “Full Circle”.
03. Be open to all forms of metal-You may already know this, but metal is the single genre within which one can find the most number of sub-genres. I will save the list of all the metallic sub-genres for another post. So, yes, as a metal journalist you have to be equally open to all these sub-genres. One minute you’ll be looking upon a wall of death at a Lamb of God concert, struggling with words as to how to put it into words to appear in your live gig review. And the next, you’ll be scribbling down your album review of HIM’s “And love said No!”. This also includes appreciation towards other forms of music too(Note:In my point of view, Timbaland does not fall under “other forms of music”. Add Hilary Duff to it too, if you want). For instance to appreciate(”appreciate” is the key word here) Nevermore’s cover of Simon and Garfunkle’s “Sound of Silence”, not only do you have to listen to both, the original and the cover, but have to be able to notice the significant difference of the sounds brought into the same song, by two different artistes.
04. It’s not just the riff-Metal has a lot of elements within it. The most amateur metal band may produce a demo which can more complex than all the Christina Aguilera albums put together. So, when reviewing metal, draw focus onto every single aspect of it. It will take you from the lyrical meaning of Iron Maiden’s Rain Maker to the fake spot just above Dee Snider’s lips. All these elements make metal what it is. It is not ”Hit me baby one more time” kind of music. It is extremely complex, and this what I believe to be the reason behind the stigmatization of metal. So, as a metal journalist, you should dive into every thing within it.
05. Listen/watch/read before you write-This is an essential part of metal. Maybe it is due the complexity of the genre. Whatever the reason is please know what you are going to review about. When reviewing an album please try to listen to the full discography of the band before hitting the paper. May it be a documentary, a DVD, an album or a book, have a thorough understanding of it, before you write. People need an in depth discription, it has to be innovative and factual. They don’t need to read a boring article on your first time experience as a Kamelot fan, they want a sneak peek of their new album before they buy it. What it is like, have they changed the sound, all that. Know what you are going to write about.
06. Have your say-You are a metal journalist, you are supposed to be loud. And Heck!Why not?Be harsh if you want to, but please be insightful too. People don’t read metal journals to learn swear words, they wouldn’t mind the occassional swear word every now and then, but it’s not the point. I can mention a hundred very harsh reviews I consider as constructive critism. One such is the Kerrang!review of Disturbed’s “Ten Thousand Fists”, where the writer mentioned “the slappable face” of David “Mad” Draiman”. If you have a lengthy but factual and interesting article in line but not sure about the length,don’t worry.Write it as it is.Metal fans are metal fans. There’s no such things as a “Die-Hard” metal fan,you are either a metal fan or not. So they will always read it no matter how long it is, as long as it is not boring. They can spend an extra minute or two. That’s the speciality of being a metal journalist, you know your fans will always be there.
07. Be you-As obvious as it may sound, being unique is crucial. Have your inspirations, learn from them, but never imitate. Personally, I have been inspired(or maybe influenced, because music plays a major role, inspiration is not strong enough a word) by Malcolm Dome alot. But I know for a fact that I cannot be Malcolm Dome, and I don’t want to fall under the list of “copycat journalists”. You may have a different approach, never try to change it becuase that’s not how Malcolm Dome or Steve Gett writes. People don’t need a Steve Gett. Jr, they know Steve Gett and expect something different from you.
08. Prepared be hammered and hammer back-This is a part of metal. The occassional hammering from whom I would like to call “the third party” may occur at any moment. So be prepared,and never retreat. You are metaller,you know what Dee Snider went through following Twisted Sister’s induction into the Filthy Fifteen by the PMRC. But didn’t that help to sculpt Twisted Sister into what it is? So, welcome hammering!It’s a sign of success!!!
09. Go against the rules-That’s what metal is all about. Do not stick to the traditional “by the couch” reviews. Reviews coming out of scribbled notes written in the pit at rock gigs have proven themselves to be the best live show reviews ever. I am not promoting alcohol or anything, but the best interviews have usually taken place over vodka and beer. Remember the Mayhem interview with Sam Dunn? Ah,now you are getting it!!!
10. Finally, Just be Metal-Yes, just be metal, stay true the sound, the vibe, the lyrics, the culture. Metallers don’t care whether you are black, brown or white, they(or should I say “we”?) don’t care whether you are from Norway, Sweden or Sri Lanka,as long as you can give the metal horns when Dio gives you the metal horns,you are in, and we are stronger than anyone. Just stay true the people. Remember what the late Dimebag Darrell said? He said: ”The thing about us is that we stayed on the ground level with the fans. We never rode above the fans”. That’s not just any guitarist, that’s Dimebag Darrell friends. Never ride above the fans!!!
~We miss you,Dime!!!~
article from: ultimate-guitar.com
The Importance Of Practicing Improvisation
The ability to improvise is a useful skill that is sometimes not given enough attention by aspiring guitarists. Of course, everyone likes to jam, but many don’t have the fundamental skills that would really make them sound like a pro.
One reason for this is that many guitarists don’t fully understand how to practice improvisation. It’s not a part of their regular practice routine and isn’t taken as seriously as learning a song or practicing scales.
So what is improvisation? You already improvise every day even if you don’t play an instrument. When you’re having a conversation with someone, you don’t plan what you’re going to say beforehand. You have to react to them in the moment and spontaneously create.
I've heard a number of people say something like this: "just play, you need to express yourself naturally." There is a big difference between a master guitarist who “just plays” and a novice or intermediate guitarist who “just plays.” The problem is that you can’t “just play” until you’ve learned how to. Learning how to improvise is like learning a language. I wouldn’t ask someone to “just speak” a foreign language because if they haven’t practiced the language they won’t know what to do. It’s exactly the same with the guitar.
Improvisation isn’t just tied to a single style of music, but style is important. Soloing over a jazz progression requires different knowledge and skills than soloing over a metal riff. However, many of the fundamental skills are the same. A talented improviser can adapt to stylistic changes much more quickly.
There are many benefits to practicing improvisation, but here are a few important ones:
Improved Aural Skills
Aural skills are, in my opinion, the most important skill a musician can have. Being able to hear exactly what someone else is playing, and react to it effectively is fundamental to improvisation. With practice, you’ll be able to recognize intervals, chords and scales instantly. You’ll be able to hear the “right” melody, meaning the one that's right for you, before you even play it. Being able to do this is at the core of improvisation. We all want to play the music of our minds, not our fingers.
Improved Creativity
Again, improvisation is composing music in the moment. If you can write music live with a band, then it’s that much easier to do it at home in the studio. The same skills apply, no matter what the situation. Even though you have more time to think at home, being able to create spontaneously is a huge advantage. You will be able to write great music more quickly.
Your solos will become more creative since more possibilities will be open to you. Being able to react effectively to a particular musical context is the key to playing great solos. Improvisation will open up new patterns of thinking about your music.
Getting Started
Here are some basic ways to begin increasing your skills:
Turn on the radio and play along to anything that comes on. Try to make it sound the best that you can. This is challenging since you don’t know what’s coming next, and the musical styles might change drastically.
Memorize the sound of the basic intervals and chords. You can start doing this with your guitar, or a pitch pipe. Think of an interval, and hum it to yourself. Then check and see if you got it right with your guitar or pitch pipe. For chords it’s best to have someone play a chord for you so you can guess what kind of chord it is. For more information on intervals and chords, read this article.
Have a friend play any rhythm guitar part that comes to their mind. This will be similar to playing along with the radio. It could be constantly switching keys, time signatures, tempos and styles. The point is for you to improve your reaction time to these changes and be able to adapt as quickly as you can. This can be very difficult at first, but should be fun too. Of course, you could be playing with a bassist or keyboardist instead and do the same thing.
Memorize all of the basic major/minor mode patterns. This takes a while, and it’s not necessarily that much fun, but it is extremely important. It will become much easier to figure out the “right” scales to use if you are very familiar with these patterns.
Conclusion
Great improvisational skills will have a significant effect on your activities in music. When you are writing music with a band, you'll be able to hear new, creative ideas to put in songs, and how to organize the songs better. You'll be able to play creative solos, even if you've never heard the music you're soloing over.
When you write solos, those solos will be more creative and interesting because they will be informed by your improvisational ability. These skills will free you to express your music any way that you want and enable you to play with anyone, even if you don’t know any songs in common. With all these benefits available, it should be clear now why practicing improvisation should be a core part of your regular practice routine.
For more articles and resources to improve your playing, visit Dave's website at Cardwellmusic.com.
Copyright 2007 Dave Cardwell. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
One reason for this is that many guitarists don’t fully understand how to practice improvisation. It’s not a part of their regular practice routine and isn’t taken as seriously as learning a song or practicing scales.
So what is improvisation? You already improvise every day even if you don’t play an instrument. When you’re having a conversation with someone, you don’t plan what you’re going to say beforehand. You have to react to them in the moment and spontaneously create.
I've heard a number of people say something like this: "just play, you need to express yourself naturally." There is a big difference between a master guitarist who “just plays” and a novice or intermediate guitarist who “just plays.” The problem is that you can’t “just play” until you’ve learned how to. Learning how to improvise is like learning a language. I wouldn’t ask someone to “just speak” a foreign language because if they haven’t practiced the language they won’t know what to do. It’s exactly the same with the guitar.
Improvisation isn’t just tied to a single style of music, but style is important. Soloing over a jazz progression requires different knowledge and skills than soloing over a metal riff. However, many of the fundamental skills are the same. A talented improviser can adapt to stylistic changes much more quickly.
There are many benefits to practicing improvisation, but here are a few important ones:
Improved Aural Skills
Aural skills are, in my opinion, the most important skill a musician can have. Being able to hear exactly what someone else is playing, and react to it effectively is fundamental to improvisation. With practice, you’ll be able to recognize intervals, chords and scales instantly. You’ll be able to hear the “right” melody, meaning the one that's right for you, before you even play it. Being able to do this is at the core of improvisation. We all want to play the music of our minds, not our fingers.
Improved Creativity
Again, improvisation is composing music in the moment. If you can write music live with a band, then it’s that much easier to do it at home in the studio. The same skills apply, no matter what the situation. Even though you have more time to think at home, being able to create spontaneously is a huge advantage. You will be able to write great music more quickly.
Your solos will become more creative since more possibilities will be open to you. Being able to react effectively to a particular musical context is the key to playing great solos. Improvisation will open up new patterns of thinking about your music.
Getting Started
Here are some basic ways to begin increasing your skills:
Turn on the radio and play along to anything that comes on. Try to make it sound the best that you can. This is challenging since you don’t know what’s coming next, and the musical styles might change drastically.
Memorize the sound of the basic intervals and chords. You can start doing this with your guitar, or a pitch pipe. Think of an interval, and hum it to yourself. Then check and see if you got it right with your guitar or pitch pipe. For chords it’s best to have someone play a chord for you so you can guess what kind of chord it is. For more information on intervals and chords, read this article.
Have a friend play any rhythm guitar part that comes to their mind. This will be similar to playing along with the radio. It could be constantly switching keys, time signatures, tempos and styles. The point is for you to improve your reaction time to these changes and be able to adapt as quickly as you can. This can be very difficult at first, but should be fun too. Of course, you could be playing with a bassist or keyboardist instead and do the same thing.
Memorize all of the basic major/minor mode patterns. This takes a while, and it’s not necessarily that much fun, but it is extremely important. It will become much easier to figure out the “right” scales to use if you are very familiar with these patterns.
Conclusion
Great improvisational skills will have a significant effect on your activities in music. When you are writing music with a band, you'll be able to hear new, creative ideas to put in songs, and how to organize the songs better. You'll be able to play creative solos, even if you've never heard the music you're soloing over.
When you write solos, those solos will be more creative and interesting because they will be informed by your improvisational ability. These skills will free you to express your music any way that you want and enable you to play with anyone, even if you don’t know any songs in common. With all these benefits available, it should be clear now why practicing improvisation should be a core part of your regular practice routine.
For more articles and resources to improve your playing, visit Dave's website at Cardwellmusic.com.
Copyright 2007 Dave Cardwell. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Friday, January 25, 2008
All Excess Review
Release Date: July 17, 2007
Prior to the release later this year of the band's next explosive album, the DVD All Excess brings fans up-to-date with a visual and aural history of the group. This is only the beginning for A7X.
Featured review by: razorblade666, on october 25, 2007
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: What a great way for A7X to psych everyone up about the new album. If you didn't know, All Excess is a DVD chronicling the early days of the band and eventually leading up to what they are today. There are interviews with each memeber on a number of topics. The bonus features are amazing. This DVD is a must have for any true A7X fan. // 10
Content: The DVD shows what the band went through. How times got rough and they didn't have money or food. They tell you a lot of great stories about them before they were "famous". I can not get enough of this DVD. They have live performances, music videos, and behing the scenes stuff. There are a lot of hilarious parts throughout the whole DVD. One part in particular, there just driving around Cali showing you were they hung out back in the day and they tell some amazing stories. I'm not gonna say anymore because you have to buy the DVD, if you want to know. // 10
Production Quality: The quality of the production was amazing. It was well put together from my point of view. The menus are easy to navigate. The quality of the entire movie is probably the best yet to come. I can truly say that they worked hard on this and they acheieved the best quality. // 10
Impression: My overall impression of this DVD, is that it couldn't have been better. Who doesn't wanna know what happend to there favorite band before they were big. The maind story is the most impressive thing. All the hardships they had to go through. Amazing. I wouldn't have asked for anything better. // 10
Reviewed by: humanchipmunk, on july 24, 2007
2 of 6 people found this review helpful
Sound: As an Avenged Sevenfold fan who has been with them since before Waking The Fallen, a DVD has been long anticipated. Expecting to see the concert I attended a year ago at Soma in San Diego they filmed to later show on MTV2, I was somewhat saddened to hear it was strictly a documentary. // 5
Content: It certainly is not a live concert DVD, but more of an homage to the many places the band has gotten hammered, plastered, shit faced, etc. The first half shows the coming together of the band and where they grew up and went to school. They also made sure to mention the many bars, fights, and arrests that also occurred in their growing up. However, the second half was slightly more interesting with their discussing the coming together of City of Evil and the very brief shots in the studio showing the orchestra that played on a couple tracks. As a musician I would have much rather seen footage of them in the studio recording tracks or just jamming rather then seeing them in bars drunk off their asses. To be honest the special features were more interesting than the documentary as a whole. // 3
Production Quality: The quality of the DVD as a whole is quite good. The live concert shots, though far too few, are professionally done with multiple angles as opposed to a stationary camera that doesn't pick up everything well. There were shots of each individual band member interview style talking about certain things which weren't spectacular but well put together. // 8
Impression: My overall impression as someone that appreciates the music more than anything was the DVD was disappointing. They briefly talk about at the end how much they admire Metallica, however Metallica has a few live concert DVDs, and even on "Some Kind Of Monster" there is a lot of footage of them in the studio. Perhaps somewhere down the line A7X will follow in the footsteps of their heroes, but as for now I don't think the DVD was worth the money or the time spent watching it. Sadly if it was stolen I would just let it go. // 3
Joe Satriani: New Album Details
Over the course of his illustrious career, Joe Satriani has achieved legendary success with his 12 solo albums and 3 platinum DVD’s selling more than 10 million units worldwide. On April 1st, 2008, Satriani is set to continue his brand of electric education for the masses with the release of his 13th solo album entitled Professor Satchafunkilus And The Musterion Of Rock (Sony/BMG).
Following the albums release, Satriani will embark on a worldwide tour, kicking off April 30th in Lisbon, Portugal before hitting the European market, Australia, South America and finally returning to the U.S. in the fall of ‘08.
Professor Satchafunkilus was produced through the creative envisioning of Satriani and John Cuniberti; guiding the musical talents of longtime drummer/percussionist Jeff Campitelli and reknowned bassist Matt Bissonette. A special addition to the album’s artist list is Joe’s own son, ZZ Satriani, playing the tenor sax.
"This is definitely a rocking record," Satriani recently told Billboard.com. "We set out some parameters, and when I say 'we,' I'm working with long-time collaborator John Cuniberti, he's engineering and co-producing with me. Jeff Campitelli is playing drums, Matt Bissonette is back playing bass on eight of the 10 songs, and Eric Caudieux came back to do some digital editing and sound design."
Track Listing for Professor Satchafunkilus And The Musterion Of Rock:
01. Musterion
02. Overdriver
03. I Just Wanna Rock
04. Professor Satchafunkilus
05. Revelation
06. Come On Baby
07. Out of the Sunrise
08. Diddle-y-a-doo-dat
09. Asik Vaysel
10. Andalusia
In other news, Joe Satriani will be the featured guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, airing Wednesday, April 2 at 11:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. PST. Fans can talk live with Satriani by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you or to listen to the show live via the Internet, go to Rocklineradio.com.
Check out Joe Satriani performing at Ibanez party at NAMM 2008 here.
News from ultimate-guitar.com
Following the albums release, Satriani will embark on a worldwide tour, kicking off April 30th in Lisbon, Portugal before hitting the European market, Australia, South America and finally returning to the U.S. in the fall of ‘08.
Professor Satchafunkilus was produced through the creative envisioning of Satriani and John Cuniberti; guiding the musical talents of longtime drummer/percussionist Jeff Campitelli and reknowned bassist Matt Bissonette. A special addition to the album’s artist list is Joe’s own son, ZZ Satriani, playing the tenor sax.
"This is definitely a rocking record," Satriani recently told Billboard.com. "We set out some parameters, and when I say 'we,' I'm working with long-time collaborator John Cuniberti, he's engineering and co-producing with me. Jeff Campitelli is playing drums, Matt Bissonette is back playing bass on eight of the 10 songs, and Eric Caudieux came back to do some digital editing and sound design."
Track Listing for Professor Satchafunkilus And The Musterion Of Rock:
01. Musterion
02. Overdriver
03. I Just Wanna Rock
04. Professor Satchafunkilus
05. Revelation
06. Come On Baby
07. Out of the Sunrise
08. Diddle-y-a-doo-dat
09. Asik Vaysel
10. Andalusia
In other news, Joe Satriani will be the featured guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, airing Wednesday, April 2 at 11:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. PST. Fans can talk live with Satriani by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you or to listen to the show live via the Internet, go to Rocklineradio.com.
Check out Joe Satriani performing at Ibanez party at NAMM 2008 here.
News from ultimate-guitar.com
My Chemical Romance Promise 'Punk Rock' Album
News from: Ultimate-guitar.com
My Chemical Romance are set to start work on a “punk rock” new album this year.
Speaking to NME.COM, singer Gerard Way explained why he wanted to pare the band’s sound down for their next record, the follow-up to 2006's 'The Black Parade'.
Speaking about a new song the band began playing live in November, Way said: “We haven’t told anybody the title yet because I noticed that if you change the title later, kids get pissed off. So it’s just called ‘New Song’ right now. It’s one of those songs that just spills out of you, and you’re very inspired. It’s nice because it’s a return to punk rock music. It feels like a rock song.
Way explained that, having done away with their theatrical stage show on their most recent dates, album number four would most likely follow suit. “I think (the next album) will definitely be stripped down. I think the band misses being a rock band,” he declared.
“That doesn’t mean we won't explore really crazy ideas on the next albums, or do something even crazier. It doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll start to take steps backwards creatively.
“But it felt in a live sense, this is what we do great live. And we’re better musicians for having written and played 'The Black Parade', so you're dealing with (the fact that) everybody's better as musicians and singers. So to have that to play with in a live sense is really thrilling. We can cut loose more.
"The new song, with a chorus line that goes “Someone out there loves you”, is markedly more optimistic than most of the band’s output thus far.
“It’s letting somebody know something and its knowing that yourself and it’s a great thing to know,” said Way. “And it’s a completely different direction thematically than what we’re used to.
“We have stuff with a lot of hope in it but not like that. It’s written from a different kind of place. It’s not written from a place of scepticism at all."
See the new issue of NME for more album exclusives from the likes of Primal Scream and Panic At The Disco.
The Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 are coming soon – and it’s time to have your say. Vote now by heading to NME.COM/awardsvote and you could win VIP tickets to the ceremony, which takes place in London on February 28.
Thanks for the info to NME.com.
My Chemical Romance are set to start work on a “punk rock” new album this year.
Speaking to NME.COM, singer Gerard Way explained why he wanted to pare the band’s sound down for their next record, the follow-up to 2006's 'The Black Parade'.
Speaking about a new song the band began playing live in November, Way said: “We haven’t told anybody the title yet because I noticed that if you change the title later, kids get pissed off. So it’s just called ‘New Song’ right now. It’s one of those songs that just spills out of you, and you’re very inspired. It’s nice because it’s a return to punk rock music. It feels like a rock song.
Way explained that, having done away with their theatrical stage show on their most recent dates, album number four would most likely follow suit. “I think (the next album) will definitely be stripped down. I think the band misses being a rock band,” he declared.
“That doesn’t mean we won't explore really crazy ideas on the next albums, or do something even crazier. It doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll start to take steps backwards creatively.
“But it felt in a live sense, this is what we do great live. And we’re better musicians for having written and played 'The Black Parade', so you're dealing with (the fact that) everybody's better as musicians and singers. So to have that to play with in a live sense is really thrilling. We can cut loose more.
"The new song, with a chorus line that goes “Someone out there loves you”, is markedly more optimistic than most of the band’s output thus far.
“It’s letting somebody know something and its knowing that yourself and it’s a great thing to know,” said Way. “And it’s a completely different direction thematically than what we’re used to.
“We have stuff with a lot of hope in it but not like that. It’s written from a different kind of place. It’s not written from a place of scepticism at all."
See the new issue of NME for more album exclusives from the likes of Primal Scream and Panic At The Disco.
The Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 are coming soon – and it’s time to have your say. Vote now by heading to NME.COM/awardsvote and you could win VIP tickets to the ceremony, which takes place in London on February 28.
Thanks for the info to NME.com.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Rare Nirvana. Part 3
Welcome to the 3rd (and probably final) part of A Guide To Rare Nirvana
Tracks covered this section:
01. It's Closing Soon/ Old Age
02. D-7
03. Moist Vagina
04. More Than A Feeling
05. Montage Of Heck
06. Escalator To Hell
07. Dough, Ray & Me
08. Baba O'Reighly
09. Black & White Blues
10. Heartbreaker
11. Moving In Stereo
12. My Best Friend's Girl
13. Formalahyde
14. Buzz Cut
It's Closing Soon/ Old age
This is a Kurt & Courtney duo found on the 1993 Rio Tape. I think the only other song that has surfaced from this tape is Old Age. Apparently a genuine 1 minute clip of Old Age is circulating. There is dispute as to whether the song (Old Age) was written by Kurt or Courtney.
D-7
A great cover of the Wiper's song, D-7 was recorded in the 1990 Peel Session (the same session that brought us Son Of A Gun, Molly's Lips And Turnaround.) This song was rarely played live, but featured as an encore at Nirvana's 1992 Reading festival performance.
Moist Vagina
An In Utero out take that didn't make the album, this song was originally to be titled 'Moist Vagina, and then she blew him like he's never been blown, brains stuck all over the wall' but was abbreviated to MV. It was later covered by Sonic Youth.
More Than A Feeling
Smells Like Teen Spirit was often commented to have "borrowed" it's legendary intro riff from this Boston classic. Nirvana once played a sample of MTAF to introduce Teen Spirit, but this was more to mock the allegations than anything.
Montage Of Heck
Often mislabellled 'Noise Bleed' this is a, shall we say, collage of audio clips from movies, songs, and TV shows, as well as Kurt experimenting with backwards talking, made by Cobain on his 4 track. The "song" also features a snippet of a track, presumably titled 'The Lanlord Is A Piece Of Shit From Hell' which features Krist Nevosolic singing this one line over a sludgy guitar riff.
Escalator To Hell
Sometimes called 'Montage Of Heck Part II' this follows the same theme as MOH, as it is compiled by snippets of songs, movies etc. Like Montage Of Heck, Kurt made this on his 4 track.
Dough, Ray & Me
One of the rarest of the rare, this is one of the last ever recordings made by Cobain, in his basement with Eric Erlandson and Pat Smear. Apparently there are two known recordings, one has surfaced under the name 'Me And My IV'
Baba O'Reighly
A cover of the well known "The Who" song, Cobain replaces the lyric 'I hope I die before I get old' to 'I hope I die before I get like Pete Townsend'
Black & White Blues
A two minute instrumental of Kurt playing bluesy riffs on an acoustic guitar. This has confirmed to be authentic.
Heartbreaker
Apparently Nirvana played a bit of this Zeppelin classic at their first ever performance (a house party in Tacoma 1987) but the song broke down after Kurt forgot the lyrics.
Moving In Stereo
This cover of the Cars' song was played in Munich, (March 1st, 1994) which was the last show Nirvana ever played. The song ended the set, so is therefore significant for being the last song ever performed by Nirvana.
My Best Friend's Girl
Another Cars' song from the Munich show, there is nothing too noteable about this song, except that as far as I know, it was only ever played that once.
Formalahyde
Sometimes called 'Bullshit Jam' this is a jam of the band playing the Carmen opera theme tune, I think at a house party. Quite rare, I've never heard a recording of this song.
Buzz Cut
When Love Buzz was first recorded for Bleach, it was going to have a 45 second long intro, that was made up of clips from children's records. The intro was later cut to 10 seconds, before being abandoned altogether. However it still exists under the name 'Buzz Cut'.
That's all for now. I may do a part 4 if I can find enough info on other Nirvana rarities, but possibly not.
Peace out and R.I.P Kurt Cobain.
All questions/comments to the_legend_kurt@hotmail.com.
from: ultimate-guitar.com
Tracks covered this section:
01. It's Closing Soon/ Old Age
02. D-7
03. Moist Vagina
04. More Than A Feeling
05. Montage Of Heck
06. Escalator To Hell
07. Dough, Ray & Me
08. Baba O'Reighly
09. Black & White Blues
10. Heartbreaker
11. Moving In Stereo
12. My Best Friend's Girl
13. Formalahyde
14. Buzz Cut
It's Closing Soon/ Old age
This is a Kurt & Courtney duo found on the 1993 Rio Tape. I think the only other song that has surfaced from this tape is Old Age. Apparently a genuine 1 minute clip of Old Age is circulating. There is dispute as to whether the song (Old Age) was written by Kurt or Courtney.
D-7
A great cover of the Wiper's song, D-7 was recorded in the 1990 Peel Session (the same session that brought us Son Of A Gun, Molly's Lips And Turnaround.) This song was rarely played live, but featured as an encore at Nirvana's 1992 Reading festival performance.
Moist Vagina
An In Utero out take that didn't make the album, this song was originally to be titled 'Moist Vagina, and then she blew him like he's never been blown, brains stuck all over the wall' but was abbreviated to MV. It was later covered by Sonic Youth.
More Than A Feeling
Smells Like Teen Spirit was often commented to have "borrowed" it's legendary intro riff from this Boston classic. Nirvana once played a sample of MTAF to introduce Teen Spirit, but this was more to mock the allegations than anything.
Montage Of Heck
Often mislabellled 'Noise Bleed' this is a, shall we say, collage of audio clips from movies, songs, and TV shows, as well as Kurt experimenting with backwards talking, made by Cobain on his 4 track. The "song" also features a snippet of a track, presumably titled 'The Lanlord Is A Piece Of Shit From Hell' which features Krist Nevosolic singing this one line over a sludgy guitar riff.
Escalator To Hell
Sometimes called 'Montage Of Heck Part II' this follows the same theme as MOH, as it is compiled by snippets of songs, movies etc. Like Montage Of Heck, Kurt made this on his 4 track.
Dough, Ray & Me
One of the rarest of the rare, this is one of the last ever recordings made by Cobain, in his basement with Eric Erlandson and Pat Smear. Apparently there are two known recordings, one has surfaced under the name 'Me And My IV'
Baba O'Reighly
A cover of the well known "The Who" song, Cobain replaces the lyric 'I hope I die before I get old' to 'I hope I die before I get like Pete Townsend'
Black & White Blues
A two minute instrumental of Kurt playing bluesy riffs on an acoustic guitar. This has confirmed to be authentic.
Heartbreaker
Apparently Nirvana played a bit of this Zeppelin classic at their first ever performance (a house party in Tacoma 1987) but the song broke down after Kurt forgot the lyrics.
Moving In Stereo
This cover of the Cars' song was played in Munich, (March 1st, 1994) which was the last show Nirvana ever played. The song ended the set, so is therefore significant for being the last song ever performed by Nirvana.
My Best Friend's Girl
Another Cars' song from the Munich show, there is nothing too noteable about this song, except that as far as I know, it was only ever played that once.
Formalahyde
Sometimes called 'Bullshit Jam' this is a jam of the band playing the Carmen opera theme tune, I think at a house party. Quite rare, I've never heard a recording of this song.
Buzz Cut
When Love Buzz was first recorded for Bleach, it was going to have a 45 second long intro, that was made up of clips from children's records. The intro was later cut to 10 seconds, before being abandoned altogether. However it still exists under the name 'Buzz Cut'.
That's all for now. I may do a part 4 if I can find enough info on other Nirvana rarities, but possibly not.
Peace out and R.I.P Kurt Cobain.
All questions/comments to the_legend_kurt@hotmail.com.
from: ultimate-guitar.com
Rare Nirvana. Part 2
Since the last one was (kinda) a success, here's part 2 to A Guide To Some Of Nirvana's Rarer Tracks.
01. Imodium
02. Pay To Play
03. Cracker
04. Here She Comes Now
05. Anorexocist
06. High On The Hog
07. Beans
08. Help Me
09. Oh, The Guilt
10. If You Must
11. Curmudgeon
12. Grey Goose/ Ain't It A Shame
Imodium
Imodium is simply an early version of the punk-rock classic, Breed, with alternate lyrics. The band decided to change the name to Breed to avoid lawsuit. The story behind the name Imodium, is that a friend of the band's was on Imodium (some sort of drug) and thought it would make a good name for a song (despite the fact it has no relation to the song).
Pay To Play
Another early version of a Nevermind classic, Pay To Play was the first version of Stay Away, with Pay To Play being sung in the chorus instead of Stay Away. The song was originally about bands having to pay to play gigs in bars and clubs. Pay to play was released on a DGC rarities compilation.
Cracker
The very first version of Polly sees the song being given a spooky, electric feel. Although the lyrics remained pretty much the same throughout the song's life, the title was originally Cracker, then Hitchiker, and eventually Polly.
Here She Comes Now
This is a cover of the Velvet Underground song, that the band performed live many times. It has been officially released on a Velvet Underground tribute compilation.
Anorexecist
Probably the rarest and most mysterious Nirvana track, some say this is the same song as Suicide Samarui. A version of the song under the title Anorexecist has never surfaced, so many don't believe this song exists.
High On The Hog
This is actually a band called TAD that Cobain toured with. On this song, Kurt provides vocals. This song is commonly mislabelled as Alcohol, because of the one line chorus.
Beans
A "quirky" song with a four note tune running throughout, this was confirmed by Nirvana's ex-drummer Chad Channing, to be authentic. It has also been confirmed it is, (rather strangely) Kurt Cobain singing on this track. It was left off of Bleach, as Sub Pop thought it was "retarded". Some versions have surfaced where somebody, at the beginning of the song is saying "I don't like you, I'm gonna beat you up."
Help Me
An unreleased song that was performed live on several occasions. In typical Nirvana fashion, the verse, ("Help me, I'm fucking happy, I'm fucking hungry, I'm fucking high") breaks into a chorus of Cobain manically screaming some uncomprehensable lyrics.
Oh, The Guilt
Released as a split single with the Jesus Lizard's song, Puss, Oh, The Guilt reached number 12 in the UK charts.
If You Must
The first track ever recorded in a studio by Nirvana, If You Must was the first track on the demo they recorded in Seattle. The demo also included Downer, Floyd The Barber, Beeswax and Pen Cap Chew.
Curmudgeon
The B-side to Lithium, this song was performed live just once, in Belgium. The content of the song, is bleak and depressing. ("I'm not sad, until I'm home") I think the song perhaps reflect Cobain's own feelings, of how he would never be happy despite how much money he had.
Grey Goose/ Ain't It A Shame
Recorded in 1989 with Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees (for his solo album), (Cobain and Nevosolic only recorded, not Chad Channing), this Leadbelly cover was one of three recorded at the session. Ain't It A Shame remains unsurfaced, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night was the only song of the three that made the album. Grey Goose, as far as I know, also remains unsurfaced.
Note On Nirvana Rarities
Remember that some Nirvana "rarities" found on the internet will be FAKE, for example Kurt's solo of Miss Robinson. He never did this song! In my Guide To Rare Nirvana, I am only gonna cover somgs that are confirmed to have been done by the band, (and if not, I will clearly label the song as fake). If you want to use my work on your website please email me first: the_legend_kurt@hotmail.com.
Well that's all for now, until part three...
from: ultimate-guitar.com
01. Imodium
02. Pay To Play
03. Cracker
04. Here She Comes Now
05. Anorexocist
06. High On The Hog
07. Beans
08. Help Me
09. Oh, The Guilt
10. If You Must
11. Curmudgeon
12. Grey Goose/ Ain't It A Shame
Imodium
Imodium is simply an early version of the punk-rock classic, Breed, with alternate lyrics. The band decided to change the name to Breed to avoid lawsuit. The story behind the name Imodium, is that a friend of the band's was on Imodium (some sort of drug) and thought it would make a good name for a song (despite the fact it has no relation to the song).
Pay To Play
Another early version of a Nevermind classic, Pay To Play was the first version of Stay Away, with Pay To Play being sung in the chorus instead of Stay Away. The song was originally about bands having to pay to play gigs in bars and clubs. Pay to play was released on a DGC rarities compilation.
Cracker
The very first version of Polly sees the song being given a spooky, electric feel. Although the lyrics remained pretty much the same throughout the song's life, the title was originally Cracker, then Hitchiker, and eventually Polly.
Here She Comes Now
This is a cover of the Velvet Underground song, that the band performed live many times. It has been officially released on a Velvet Underground tribute compilation.
Anorexecist
Probably the rarest and most mysterious Nirvana track, some say this is the same song as Suicide Samarui. A version of the song under the title Anorexecist has never surfaced, so many don't believe this song exists.
High On The Hog
This is actually a band called TAD that Cobain toured with. On this song, Kurt provides vocals. This song is commonly mislabelled as Alcohol, because of the one line chorus.
Beans
A "quirky" song with a four note tune running throughout, this was confirmed by Nirvana's ex-drummer Chad Channing, to be authentic. It has also been confirmed it is, (rather strangely) Kurt Cobain singing on this track. It was left off of Bleach, as Sub Pop thought it was "retarded". Some versions have surfaced where somebody, at the beginning of the song is saying "I don't like you, I'm gonna beat you up."
Help Me
An unreleased song that was performed live on several occasions. In typical Nirvana fashion, the verse, ("Help me, I'm fucking happy, I'm fucking hungry, I'm fucking high") breaks into a chorus of Cobain manically screaming some uncomprehensable lyrics.
Oh, The Guilt
Released as a split single with the Jesus Lizard's song, Puss, Oh, The Guilt reached number 12 in the UK charts.
If You Must
The first track ever recorded in a studio by Nirvana, If You Must was the first track on the demo they recorded in Seattle. The demo also included Downer, Floyd The Barber, Beeswax and Pen Cap Chew.
Curmudgeon
The B-side to Lithium, this song was performed live just once, in Belgium. The content of the song, is bleak and depressing. ("I'm not sad, until I'm home") I think the song perhaps reflect Cobain's own feelings, of how he would never be happy despite how much money he had.
Grey Goose/ Ain't It A Shame
Recorded in 1989 with Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees (for his solo album), (Cobain and Nevosolic only recorded, not Chad Channing), this Leadbelly cover was one of three recorded at the session. Ain't It A Shame remains unsurfaced, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night was the only song of the three that made the album. Grey Goose, as far as I know, also remains unsurfaced.
Note On Nirvana Rarities
Remember that some Nirvana "rarities" found on the internet will be FAKE, for example Kurt's solo of Miss Robinson. He never did this song! In my Guide To Rare Nirvana, I am only gonna cover somgs that are confirmed to have been done by the band, (and if not, I will clearly label the song as fake). If you want to use my work on your website please email me first: the_legend_kurt@hotmail.com.
Well that's all for now, until part three...
from: ultimate-guitar.com
Rare Nirvana
This is a brief guide to some of the rarer Nirvana tracks.
Tracks covered:
01. Bambi Slaughter
02. Spank Thru
03. Suicide Samarui
04. Opinion
05. Sappy
06. I Hate Myself And I Want To Die
07. Do You Love Me
08. You Know You're Right
09. Blandest
10. The Money Will Roll Right In
11. Even In His Youth
12. Token Eastern Song
13. Marigold
14. Pen Cap Chew
15. Verse Chorus Verse
Bambi Slaughter
This track, apparently one of the mysterious Fecal Matter demo tape, tells the story of a small boy who decides to pawn his Mom and Dad's wedding rings. The trance like guitar riff gives a strange effect to the song, reminiscent of the style of Downer.
Spank Thru
Another one of the Fecal Matter songs this song would later appear on the Sub Pop 200 compilation (this version featuring Jack Endino on backing vocals), and a live version would appear on From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah. The song is about masturbation, ("I can beat it, I can spank it, masturbate it").
Suicide Samarui
As far as I know, only one version of this Fecal Matter song has surfaced. The slashing guitar riff gives the song a real edge and agression about it. When Fecal Matter went to Kurt's Aunt Mary's house to record it, she said she was troubled by the lyrics, but thought it was just "Teenager stuff."
Opinion
Hailed as the greatest Nirvana rarity by many, this song is actually just Kurt, on an acoustic guitar at a radio station. The song, which is only about 90 seconds long, could possibly be about success and the opinions of the public about Nirvana's music. Kurt claimed to have written the song on the way to the radio station, and after performing it, asked "Don't you think that song sounds like taxman?"
Sadly for those who heard it, it was only ever performed that once.
Sappy
This melodic track follows the theme of confinement and imprisonment, ("He'll keep you in a jar, and you'll think your happy"). It featured on the No Alternative compilation. A great Nirvana track.
I Hate Myself & I Want To Die
As bleak as the title is, this song is actually not depressing in the slightest. The track starts with a lot of high pitched feedback, before the grudgy, tuned-down guitar riff breaks in. The chorus is merely one line, altough whether it's "In the someday, what's that song?" or "In the someday what's that sound?" is unclear to me.
However it is a great track, and can be found on the soundtrack to The Beavis And Butthead Experience.
Do You Love Me
A fairly straight cover of the Kiss song, that would later appear on a Kiss tribute compilation. Interesting for being the only track Nirvana ever recorded to feature second guitarist, Jason Everman.
You Know You're Right
The last song ever recorded by Nirvana, this song's lyrics clearly reflect Cobain's feelings during the last through months of his life. Lines like "Nothing really bothers her, she just wants to love herself," reflect Kurt's feelings about Courtney Love, then wife, and the line "Never speak another word, I will crawl away for good" reflect Kurt's feelings about himself. This song was only ever played live once, but when it was the band announced to the title to be "Autopilot". It was later changed to "You Know You're Right" and then released on the Greatest Hits album in 2002.
Blandest
This Nirvana track is quite early (Bleach-era). After recording it, Kurt asked Jack Endino to demolish the tape, as he was embarassed by the vocals. He later regretted it, when he wanted to release it on "Incesticide".
The Money Will Roll Right In
Performed at the Reading festival in August 1992, this is a great cover of the Fang song.
Even In His Youth
The B-side to SLTS, this is an excellent track. The lyrics show Kurt's feeling about not only himself, but also his father. ("Daddy was ashamed he was nothing") Originally recorded in 1989, but then remastered in '91 for the... Teen Spirit single.
Token Eastern Song
This song was one of the songs that was recorded in the Nevermind sessions, (along with Sliver And Sappy) but didn't make it to the album, along with the other two mentioned. The song is often mislabeled as Junkyard or Born in a Junkyard, as that is the one line chorus; Cobain screaming "Born in a Junkyard!" about 7 or 8 times.
Marigold
The only Nirvana original not written or sung by Kurt Cobain, (written and sung by Dave Grohl) is a soft acoustic song. Released on the Pocketwatch cassette, and then later as the B-side to Heart Shaped Box.
Pen Cap Chew
Another of the Fecal Matter songs, the crunchy, but muddy guitar riff starts this song off. The soft verse later leads into the raving, screaming of the chorus. This is perhaps the earliest evidence of Nirvana's signature quiet-loud sound, that would later become legendary in songs such as Lithium.
Verse Chorus Verse
Quite regularly played live, this song really is teriffic, and probably the best Nirvana rarity. The theme of the song is drug overdosing and self harm. At one stage this was going to be the name of Nirvana's third album (In Utero). Despite this, the song never even featured on the album.
Thanks for reading, I hope to do a second part soon.
from: ultimate-guitar.com
Tracks covered:
01. Bambi Slaughter
02. Spank Thru
03. Suicide Samarui
04. Opinion
05. Sappy
06. I Hate Myself And I Want To Die
07. Do You Love Me
08. You Know You're Right
09. Blandest
10. The Money Will Roll Right In
11. Even In His Youth
12. Token Eastern Song
13. Marigold
14. Pen Cap Chew
15. Verse Chorus Verse
Bambi Slaughter
This track, apparently one of the mysterious Fecal Matter demo tape, tells the story of a small boy who decides to pawn his Mom and Dad's wedding rings. The trance like guitar riff gives a strange effect to the song, reminiscent of the style of Downer.
Spank Thru
Another one of the Fecal Matter songs this song would later appear on the Sub Pop 200 compilation (this version featuring Jack Endino on backing vocals), and a live version would appear on From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah. The song is about masturbation, ("I can beat it, I can spank it, masturbate it").
Suicide Samarui
As far as I know, only one version of this Fecal Matter song has surfaced. The slashing guitar riff gives the song a real edge and agression about it. When Fecal Matter went to Kurt's Aunt Mary's house to record it, she said she was troubled by the lyrics, but thought it was just "Teenager stuff."
Opinion
Hailed as the greatest Nirvana rarity by many, this song is actually just Kurt, on an acoustic guitar at a radio station. The song, which is only about 90 seconds long, could possibly be about success and the opinions of the public about Nirvana's music. Kurt claimed to have written the song on the way to the radio station, and after performing it, asked "Don't you think that song sounds like taxman?"
Sadly for those who heard it, it was only ever performed that once.
Sappy
This melodic track follows the theme of confinement and imprisonment, ("He'll keep you in a jar, and you'll think your happy"). It featured on the No Alternative compilation. A great Nirvana track.
I Hate Myself & I Want To Die
As bleak as the title is, this song is actually not depressing in the slightest. The track starts with a lot of high pitched feedback, before the grudgy, tuned-down guitar riff breaks in. The chorus is merely one line, altough whether it's "In the someday, what's that song?" or "In the someday what's that sound?" is unclear to me.
However it is a great track, and can be found on the soundtrack to The Beavis And Butthead Experience.
Do You Love Me
A fairly straight cover of the Kiss song, that would later appear on a Kiss tribute compilation. Interesting for being the only track Nirvana ever recorded to feature second guitarist, Jason Everman.
You Know You're Right
The last song ever recorded by Nirvana, this song's lyrics clearly reflect Cobain's feelings during the last through months of his life. Lines like "Nothing really bothers her, she just wants to love herself," reflect Kurt's feelings about Courtney Love, then wife, and the line "Never speak another word, I will crawl away for good" reflect Kurt's feelings about himself. This song was only ever played live once, but when it was the band announced to the title to be "Autopilot". It was later changed to "You Know You're Right" and then released on the Greatest Hits album in 2002.
Blandest
This Nirvana track is quite early (Bleach-era). After recording it, Kurt asked Jack Endino to demolish the tape, as he was embarassed by the vocals. He later regretted it, when he wanted to release it on "Incesticide".
The Money Will Roll Right In
Performed at the Reading festival in August 1992, this is a great cover of the Fang song.
Even In His Youth
The B-side to SLTS, this is an excellent track. The lyrics show Kurt's feeling about not only himself, but also his father. ("Daddy was ashamed he was nothing") Originally recorded in 1989, but then remastered in '91 for the... Teen Spirit single.
Token Eastern Song
This song was one of the songs that was recorded in the Nevermind sessions, (along with Sliver And Sappy) but didn't make it to the album, along with the other two mentioned. The song is often mislabeled as Junkyard or Born in a Junkyard, as that is the one line chorus; Cobain screaming "Born in a Junkyard!" about 7 or 8 times.
Marigold
The only Nirvana original not written or sung by Kurt Cobain, (written and sung by Dave Grohl) is a soft acoustic song. Released on the Pocketwatch cassette, and then later as the B-side to Heart Shaped Box.
Pen Cap Chew
Another of the Fecal Matter songs, the crunchy, but muddy guitar riff starts this song off. The soft verse later leads into the raving, screaming of the chorus. This is perhaps the earliest evidence of Nirvana's signature quiet-loud sound, that would later become legendary in songs such as Lithium.
Verse Chorus Verse
Quite regularly played live, this song really is teriffic, and probably the best Nirvana rarity. The theme of the song is drug overdosing and self harm. At one stage this was going to be the name of Nirvana's third album (In Utero). Despite this, the song never even featured on the album.
Thanks for reading, I hope to do a second part soon.
from: ultimate-guitar.com
The History Of: System Of A Down
System of a Down formed when lead singer Serj Tankian, and guitarist Daron Malakian jammed together in a recording studio, way back in 1993. They were both there to record with the bands they were in at the time, and upon discovering that they shared Armenian heritage (Serj was born in Lebanon with family in Armenia, Daron had lived in Hollywood all his life, but his parents, and most of his family were Armenian) and more importantly, similar ideas, musically, they formed a band named Soil, with two 'un-named' people. The name Soil probably came from a poem that Serj Tankian wrote, and the band later recorded a song under the same name for their first album. The poem and the song, however are completely unrelated.
The band met bassist Shavo Odadjian in 1994, who was also of Armenian descent, and had attended an Armenian private school in Hollywood, along with Daron and Serj. He hung around with Soil a lot and was originally going to be the bands manager, but in early 1995, he became the band's bassist. The original drummer was replaced by Andy Khachaturian in 1995, (lead singer of The Apex Theory until 2002, now lead singer of VoKEE), and the line up remained this way until 1997.
In this time period (i.e. up until 1997, when the band was signed to American Recordings by Rick Rubin) the band achieved quite a lot, recording three demo tapes, playing many live shows and undergoing a name change, first to Victims Of A Down (after a poem that Daron Malakian wrote) and then to System Of A Down. Serj Tankian explains the reason 'System' was chosen instead of 'Victims'; "System was chosen as a better, stronger word, and it makes it into a 'whole'. Instead of people in particular, it's the society."
The band's first ever recording is believed to be a demo consisting of 2 songs; Flake and Toast. Very little is known about the recordings, as it would seem that nobody outside the band has heard the songs. System of a Down's earliest surfaced recording is a demo of the song X (also known as Multiply) which is dated around early-1995. The version lacks any snare drum and is of very rough quality. Despite the fact that it was first recorded and performed in 1995, the song didn't see official release until it was re-recorded for the bands second album, 2001's "Toxicity".
It is believed that also during early 1995, the band recorded 3 other songs that would later be used on official System of a Down releases; Roulette, 36 and P.I.G. The latter would later undergo a name change to "Mr. Jack" and the songs would be re-recorded for the 2002 release "Steal This Album."
The band's first release was a demo tape recorded the same year, that was sold at early live shows. The demo (which was of poor quality) had four songs on it, three of them (Sugar, Suite Pee and P.L.U.C.K) were re-recorded for the bands 1998 self titled debut. The remaining song, Dam, has never been re-recorded, but was played live very often at early shows. The song is a Daron Malakian solo-song, that consists of creepy robotic vocals, muttering "Everyone is sleeping", over a middle-eastern guitar riff.
The band continued playing live shows and writing new material, and in 1996, released another demo tape, this one of much higher quality than their 1995 tape. However, of the three songs, only 'Soil' made it onto an official release (a re-recording of the song was used on the band's first album). Honey and Temper, like Dam, have never been re-recorded, but many live versions of the songs exist.
1997 brought a lot for the band. A new 3 song demo tape was released, featuring Know, War? and Peephole (all three tracks were re-recorded for the bands debut album), Andy Khachaturian left the group, and new drummer John Dolmayan joined the band. Then, on July 30th, the band was signed to American Recordings by Rick Rubin following a show at the Viper Rooms in Hollywood. Rubin commented on the band “I was blown away”.
The band set about writing and recording new material for their debut album, and in late 1997 recorded many new tracks as well as re-recording old ones. As well as re-recording 7 songs that had seen release on demo tapes (Sugar, Suite Pee, P.L.U.C.K, Soil, Know, War?, Peephole) the band recorded 6 new tracks that were included on the album, Suggestions, Spiders, Devil, Mind, CUBErt and Darts. The band also recorded many tracks that never have been officially released and are only available on bootlegs; re-recordings of 36 and Friik (a song supposedly first recorded around the time of Toast and Flake), as well as Blue, Storaged, Marmalade, and a cover version of the pop-song, The Metro, which was originally performed by the 80's pop group Berlin.
The International version of the album contained a bonus track, Marmalade, that was written some time in mid-1997. The Japanese import version of the album included,
as well as Marmalade, Storaged, from the 1997 recording sessions. The song is a short, heavy noise blast, where Serj sings about the moral issues relating to abortion.
Three days before the release of System's first album, the band played at the Ozzfest Festival, the first time the band had played to a large audience. When the first album was released, it got a good response. The band started gathering a large fan-base, and in 1999 released the Sugar EP. The EP featured the album version of Sugar, along with live versions of the song, live versions of War? and the studio version of Storaged. In 1999, the band also performed on the Conan O'Brien Show, and chose to play Spiders.
By 2000, the band had to start thinking about a follow up to their self titled album. Their fan-base was growing bigger, and in this year the group enjoyed several movie-soundtrack appearances. They entered the studio to start recording their new album, and the product was 2001's multi-platinum selling "Toxicity." The album included:
Prison Song
Needles
Deer Dance
Jet Pilot
A re-recording of X (Multiply)
Suicide (later re-titled Chop Suey! This is the song that made the band huge, and was the first single off the album)
PJ's (later re-titled Bounce)
Forest
ATWA (Air, Tress, Water, Animals)
Science
Shimmy
Version 7.0 (later re-titled Toxicity and released as the second single off the album)
Psycho
Aerials (this was the third single from the album)
Der Voghormia; This is an unlisted track that is commonly mislabelled as 'Arto', most probably because the song is a collaboration with a friend of Serj's called Arto Tumboyacian. The track is a traditional Armenian funeral song for the dead.
On the same day that Toxicity was released, System of a Down released a one-track single, 'Johnny'. The song was also released on limited edition versions of the album, and as a B-Side on the Chop Suey! single.
Toxicity sold quickly and soon after it's release, System of a Down had became a massive band, that had even slipped into the mainstream, thanks mainly to lots of radio airplay of the albums' three singles (Chop Suey!, Toxicity and Aerials).
As if any proof was needed that System were on the verge on conquering the world of alternative music, they were asked to headline the Ozzfest Festival in 2002. The year also brought (along with the release of 2 singles) Steal This Album! The release was a 16 track compilation of tracks from the Toxicity sessions that didn't make the album. Before the album was released many of the tracks leaked on the Internet, and the band re-recorded a lot of them. Although the album sold well in time, the album lacked the mainstream appeal of Toxicity. Nonetheless, System remained on top of the music world, and in 2004, announced that they would be releasing a double album.
'Cigaro' was the first song that fans heard from the new double album. By this time it was November 2004, and it was known that the double album was going to be released in two parts, and that the new albums were called Mesmerize and Hypnotize. One was going to be released in 2005, with the other being released about half a year later.
In January 2005, System played at the Big Day Out Festival in Sydney, Australia. Whilst playing that show, and various others that month, System of a Down debuted tracks from their new albums, BYOB, Holy Mountains and Kill Rock n Roll were played frequently around this time. Other than those few tracks, and the leaked version of Cigaro, fans were kept in the dark, hearing very little from the new albums.
About a month before Mesmerize was due to be released, a south-American website posted 30 second clips of all the tracks from the album. The clips were only up for less than a day, but that was enough for most fans who hadn't heard much System material since Steal This Album. Then, two weeks before the official release date of May 16th (17th for the USA) the whole album was leaked onto the internet.
The album travelled quickly and word spread. This was a big deal. After all, the album had been voted 'Most Anticipated Album of the Year' in an internet poll earlier that year. System heard about the album leaking, and posted a statement on their official web-site asking fans not to download the album.
Despite the album leaking, it sold over 500,000 copies in the week following it's release. Since then it has gone platinum. The album's two singles, BYOB and Question! are played extensively on rock radio stations. Whether they like it or not, whether they intended to or not, System of a Down are a huge band in the alternative music scene, and even in mainstream music. It all seems quite strange for a band who's first single included the lyric "My girl, y'know she lashes out at me sometimes and I just fucking kick her". Perhaps to show that the band haven't lost their aggressive edge, when playing a live performance of BYOB on Saturday Night Live, guitarist Daron Malakian, shouted "Fuck Yeah!" during a break in the song. The band were threatened with legal action, but nothing ever came of it.
Since the release of Mesmerize, System have mainly been doing press release for Hypnotize, part two of the double album set, which is to be released in November 2005, and touring to promote their new albums. They recently finished shooting the video for the first single from their new album, the title track, Hypnotize. The song has also been made available on the band's official website.
Hypnotize will no doubt sell platinum, thanks partly to airplay on the radio of the title track, but mainly to the success of Mesmerize. The album may even go platinum in it's first week!!
At this stage it's not too clear what the band have planned for the future. They've been touring fairly solidly for nearly a year now, and surely it's too early to be thinking of a follow up to Hypnotize?
The only thing it's fair to say is, that System of a Down have brought heavy music back into the mainstream, in a way that hasn't been done since Nevermind and Dookie, back in the early nineties. Not bad for a band whose most well known song , up until a few years ago, was about sitting in a desolate room, no lights, no music...
all history are from: ultimate-guitar.com
The band met bassist Shavo Odadjian in 1994, who was also of Armenian descent, and had attended an Armenian private school in Hollywood, along with Daron and Serj. He hung around with Soil a lot and was originally going to be the bands manager, but in early 1995, he became the band's bassist. The original drummer was replaced by Andy Khachaturian in 1995, (lead singer of The Apex Theory until 2002, now lead singer of VoKEE), and the line up remained this way until 1997.
In this time period (i.e. up until 1997, when the band was signed to American Recordings by Rick Rubin) the band achieved quite a lot, recording three demo tapes, playing many live shows and undergoing a name change, first to Victims Of A Down (after a poem that Daron Malakian wrote) and then to System Of A Down. Serj Tankian explains the reason 'System' was chosen instead of 'Victims'; "System was chosen as a better, stronger word, and it makes it into a 'whole'. Instead of people in particular, it's the society."
The band's first ever recording is believed to be a demo consisting of 2 songs; Flake and Toast. Very little is known about the recordings, as it would seem that nobody outside the band has heard the songs. System of a Down's earliest surfaced recording is a demo of the song X (also known as Multiply) which is dated around early-1995. The version lacks any snare drum and is of very rough quality. Despite the fact that it was first recorded and performed in 1995, the song didn't see official release until it was re-recorded for the bands second album, 2001's "Toxicity".
It is believed that also during early 1995, the band recorded 3 other songs that would later be used on official System of a Down releases; Roulette, 36 and P.I.G. The latter would later undergo a name change to "Mr. Jack" and the songs would be re-recorded for the 2002 release "Steal This Album."
The band's first release was a demo tape recorded the same year, that was sold at early live shows. The demo (which was of poor quality) had four songs on it, three of them (Sugar, Suite Pee and P.L.U.C.K) were re-recorded for the bands 1998 self titled debut. The remaining song, Dam, has never been re-recorded, but was played live very often at early shows. The song is a Daron Malakian solo-song, that consists of creepy robotic vocals, muttering "Everyone is sleeping", over a middle-eastern guitar riff.
The band continued playing live shows and writing new material, and in 1996, released another demo tape, this one of much higher quality than their 1995 tape. However, of the three songs, only 'Soil' made it onto an official release (a re-recording of the song was used on the band's first album). Honey and Temper, like Dam, have never been re-recorded, but many live versions of the songs exist.
1997 brought a lot for the band. A new 3 song demo tape was released, featuring Know, War? and Peephole (all three tracks were re-recorded for the bands debut album), Andy Khachaturian left the group, and new drummer John Dolmayan joined the band. Then, on July 30th, the band was signed to American Recordings by Rick Rubin following a show at the Viper Rooms in Hollywood. Rubin commented on the band “I was blown away”.
The band set about writing and recording new material for their debut album, and in late 1997 recorded many new tracks as well as re-recording old ones. As well as re-recording 7 songs that had seen release on demo tapes (Sugar, Suite Pee, P.L.U.C.K, Soil, Know, War?, Peephole) the band recorded 6 new tracks that were included on the album, Suggestions, Spiders, Devil, Mind, CUBErt and Darts. The band also recorded many tracks that never have been officially released and are only available on bootlegs; re-recordings of 36 and Friik (a song supposedly first recorded around the time of Toast and Flake), as well as Blue, Storaged, Marmalade, and a cover version of the pop-song, The Metro, which was originally performed by the 80's pop group Berlin.
The International version of the album contained a bonus track, Marmalade, that was written some time in mid-1997. The Japanese import version of the album included,
as well as Marmalade, Storaged, from the 1997 recording sessions. The song is a short, heavy noise blast, where Serj sings about the moral issues relating to abortion.
Three days before the release of System's first album, the band played at the Ozzfest Festival, the first time the band had played to a large audience. When the first album was released, it got a good response. The band started gathering a large fan-base, and in 1999 released the Sugar EP. The EP featured the album version of Sugar, along with live versions of the song, live versions of War? and the studio version of Storaged. In 1999, the band also performed on the Conan O'Brien Show, and chose to play Spiders.
By 2000, the band had to start thinking about a follow up to their self titled album. Their fan-base was growing bigger, and in this year the group enjoyed several movie-soundtrack appearances. They entered the studio to start recording their new album, and the product was 2001's multi-platinum selling "Toxicity." The album included:
Prison Song
Needles
Deer Dance
Jet Pilot
A re-recording of X (Multiply)
Suicide (later re-titled Chop Suey! This is the song that made the band huge, and was the first single off the album)
PJ's (later re-titled Bounce)
Forest
ATWA (Air, Tress, Water, Animals)
Science
Shimmy
Version 7.0 (later re-titled Toxicity and released as the second single off the album)
Psycho
Aerials (this was the third single from the album)
Der Voghormia; This is an unlisted track that is commonly mislabelled as 'Arto', most probably because the song is a collaboration with a friend of Serj's called Arto Tumboyacian. The track is a traditional Armenian funeral song for the dead.
On the same day that Toxicity was released, System of a Down released a one-track single, 'Johnny'. The song was also released on limited edition versions of the album, and as a B-Side on the Chop Suey! single.
Toxicity sold quickly and soon after it's release, System of a Down had became a massive band, that had even slipped into the mainstream, thanks mainly to lots of radio airplay of the albums' three singles (Chop Suey!, Toxicity and Aerials).
As if any proof was needed that System were on the verge on conquering the world of alternative music, they were asked to headline the Ozzfest Festival in 2002. The year also brought (along with the release of 2 singles) Steal This Album! The release was a 16 track compilation of tracks from the Toxicity sessions that didn't make the album. Before the album was released many of the tracks leaked on the Internet, and the band re-recorded a lot of them. Although the album sold well in time, the album lacked the mainstream appeal of Toxicity. Nonetheless, System remained on top of the music world, and in 2004, announced that they would be releasing a double album.
'Cigaro' was the first song that fans heard from the new double album. By this time it was November 2004, and it was known that the double album was going to be released in two parts, and that the new albums were called Mesmerize and Hypnotize. One was going to be released in 2005, with the other being released about half a year later.
In January 2005, System played at the Big Day Out Festival in Sydney, Australia. Whilst playing that show, and various others that month, System of a Down debuted tracks from their new albums, BYOB, Holy Mountains and Kill Rock n Roll were played frequently around this time. Other than those few tracks, and the leaked version of Cigaro, fans were kept in the dark, hearing very little from the new albums.
About a month before Mesmerize was due to be released, a south-American website posted 30 second clips of all the tracks from the album. The clips were only up for less than a day, but that was enough for most fans who hadn't heard much System material since Steal This Album. Then, two weeks before the official release date of May 16th (17th for the USA) the whole album was leaked onto the internet.
The album travelled quickly and word spread. This was a big deal. After all, the album had been voted 'Most Anticipated Album of the Year' in an internet poll earlier that year. System heard about the album leaking, and posted a statement on their official web-site asking fans not to download the album.
Despite the album leaking, it sold over 500,000 copies in the week following it's release. Since then it has gone platinum. The album's two singles, BYOB and Question! are played extensively on rock radio stations. Whether they like it or not, whether they intended to or not, System of a Down are a huge band in the alternative music scene, and even in mainstream music. It all seems quite strange for a band who's first single included the lyric "My girl, y'know she lashes out at me sometimes and I just fucking kick her". Perhaps to show that the band haven't lost their aggressive edge, when playing a live performance of BYOB on Saturday Night Live, guitarist Daron Malakian, shouted "Fuck Yeah!" during a break in the song. The band were threatened with legal action, but nothing ever came of it.
Since the release of Mesmerize, System have mainly been doing press release for Hypnotize, part two of the double album set, which is to be released in November 2005, and touring to promote their new albums. They recently finished shooting the video for the first single from their new album, the title track, Hypnotize. The song has also been made available on the band's official website.
Hypnotize will no doubt sell platinum, thanks partly to airplay on the radio of the title track, but mainly to the success of Mesmerize. The album may even go platinum in it's first week!!
At this stage it's not too clear what the band have planned for the future. They've been touring fairly solidly for nearly a year now, and surely it's too early to be thinking of a follow up to Hypnotize?
The only thing it's fair to say is, that System of a Down have brought heavy music back into the mainstream, in a way that hasn't been done since Nevermind and Dookie, back in the early nineties. Not bad for a band whose most well known song , up until a few years ago, was about sitting in a desolate room, no lights, no music...
all history are from: ultimate-guitar.com
The History Of: Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck/Blow By Blow, Wired, with Jan Hammer Group Live In the mid-70's Jeff Beck formed a band with some premier sidemen and invented a genre and a blueprint for hundreds of guitar-gods. An all instrumental, guitar-driven, jazz-rock fusion project. Over the next several years he produced some of the most influential and innovative music, commercially successful and critically acclaimed, and all without the focus of pop music, a vocal track. His guitar was the lead voice, supported by virtuoso musicians playing rocking yet elegant arrangements of great compositions. Here's a rundown of the first and probably best known 3 of those albums.
Blow By Blow (1975):
01. You Know What I Mean
02. She's A Woman
03. Constipated Duck
04. AIR Blower
05. Scatterbrain
06. Cause We've Ended As Lovers
07. Thelonius
08. Freeway Jam
09. Diamond Dust
Featuring Max Middleton, Phil Chenn & Richard Bailey.
Originally released in March, 1975, Blow By Blow was a radical departure from Beck's previous records. After stints with Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck Group, playing mainsteam rock in support of a lead vocalist, Beck took an entirely new direction. Jazz influenced arrangements of songs by Beck and the band, Stevie Wonder and Lennon/McCartney were produced and orchestrated by the legendary George Martin. The result was an eclectic mix of funk-rock beats, acid-rock guitar, jazz bass licks and Middleton's funky clavinet and Fender Rhoads, with a brooding and moody string backdrop that was both classic and original. Amazingly for an instrumental album, with went platinumand spent 25 weeks on the Billboard album chart, peaking at number 4. Echoes of Blow By Blow can be heard on every guitar-slinger showcase since, spawning the likes of Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and hundreds of other Mr. Varney prodigies.
Wired (1976):
01. Led Boots
02. Come Dancing
03. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
04. Head For Backstage Pass
05. Blue Wind
06. Sophie
07. Play With Me
08. Love Is Green
Featuring Max Middleton, Jan Hammer, Richard Bailey, Wilbur Bascomb & Narada Michael Walden.
Where Blow By Blow had been very much an ensemble album, Beck's next release, Wired, was a more personal and introspective album. Instead of extended jamming and vamping on funk beats, Wired was more melodic and the lead lines were more pronounced and dominant, with less rambling soloing. The compositions were tighter and more focused. Narada Michael Walden's beautiful compositions were perfect vehicles for Beck's emotional phrasing and feel. Jan Hammer contributioned the most memorable tune, the soaring Blue Wind. A bluesy rendition of Charlie Mingus' jazz standard Goodbye Pork Pie Hat showcased Beck's grasp of dynamics and pacing. On songs like GPPH and Sophie Beck showed incredible touch and feel, sometimes barely touching the strings, then squeezing searing bends and squeals out of his strat. Originally released in May, 1976, Wired also went platinum and spent 25 weeks on Billboard's album chart, peaking at number 16.
Jeff Beck With Jan Hammer Group Live (1977):
01. Freeway Jam
02. Earth (Still Our Only Home)
03. She's A Woman
04. Full Moon Boogie
05. Darkness/Earth In Search Of A Sun
06. Scatterbrain
07. Blue Wind
with Jan Hammer, Tony Smith, Fernando Saunders, & Steve Kindler
Backed by Jan Hammer's band of hotshot session wizards, Beck only had to stand up and play while behind him the tight and funky rhythm section pulsed out powerhouse renditions of new original tunes and highlights from the two previous albums on 1977's Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live. The album bristles with peaks, like Steve Kindler's jazz violin on Scatterbrain, doubling Beck's blistering guitar line, and the screaming solos and jam sections, between the valleys of ambiant moody keyboard pieces like Darkness and Earth (Still Our Only Home), and the swampy funk of Full Moon Boogie. Beck mostly sticks to playing "colors" and soloing over the band's arrangements, but it works beautifully. While impressive and spirited, without the fire of his guitar the songs and playing of the sidemen would be without the focus and depth Beck provides. Only a band as competent and talented as Hammer's could provide the support to Beck's loose and rangy style. A perfect balance, although their are a few uncomfortable vocal moments that make you wish he had stuck to his all instrumental format. Perhaps Beck felt an all-instrumental show wouldn't hold the crowd's interest. Whatever the reason, they provide the only weak point to the entire album, which succeeds on every other level, Hammers multi-layered keyboards more than filling out and filling in for Walden and Martin's string arrangements.
Long before the time with Jan Hammer Group Live went platinum Beck proved that a guitar could replace vocals, and project just as much expression, soul, feeling and depth to carry an album. In fact, it melded more easily and distracted less from the other instrumentalists and guitar rhythm textures. The melodic lines were just as memorable and strong, both the stacked lead lines and the gentle, solo guitar melodies were full and powerful. Beck didn't just noodle over his backing band's groove, in the studio and live he melded with it, producing music that was technically proficient and impressive, but full of feeling and expression. None of the imitators since have really improved on the original master. And he also provided the solution to every lead guitarist who was sick of dealing with the asshole lead singer.
all history are from: ultimate-guitar.com
Thanks to them
Blow By Blow (1975):
01. You Know What I Mean
02. She's A Woman
03. Constipated Duck
04. AIR Blower
05. Scatterbrain
06. Cause We've Ended As Lovers
07. Thelonius
08. Freeway Jam
09. Diamond Dust
Featuring Max Middleton, Phil Chenn & Richard Bailey.
Originally released in March, 1975, Blow By Blow was a radical departure from Beck's previous records. After stints with Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck Group, playing mainsteam rock in support of a lead vocalist, Beck took an entirely new direction. Jazz influenced arrangements of songs by Beck and the band, Stevie Wonder and Lennon/McCartney were produced and orchestrated by the legendary George Martin. The result was an eclectic mix of funk-rock beats, acid-rock guitar, jazz bass licks and Middleton's funky clavinet and Fender Rhoads, with a brooding and moody string backdrop that was both classic and original. Amazingly for an instrumental album, with went platinumand spent 25 weeks on the Billboard album chart, peaking at number 4. Echoes of Blow By Blow can be heard on every guitar-slinger showcase since, spawning the likes of Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and hundreds of other Mr. Varney prodigies.
Wired (1976):
01. Led Boots
02. Come Dancing
03. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
04. Head For Backstage Pass
05. Blue Wind
06. Sophie
07. Play With Me
08. Love Is Green
Featuring Max Middleton, Jan Hammer, Richard Bailey, Wilbur Bascomb & Narada Michael Walden.
Where Blow By Blow had been very much an ensemble album, Beck's next release, Wired, was a more personal and introspective album. Instead of extended jamming and vamping on funk beats, Wired was more melodic and the lead lines were more pronounced and dominant, with less rambling soloing. The compositions were tighter and more focused. Narada Michael Walden's beautiful compositions were perfect vehicles for Beck's emotional phrasing and feel. Jan Hammer contributioned the most memorable tune, the soaring Blue Wind. A bluesy rendition of Charlie Mingus' jazz standard Goodbye Pork Pie Hat showcased Beck's grasp of dynamics and pacing. On songs like GPPH and Sophie Beck showed incredible touch and feel, sometimes barely touching the strings, then squeezing searing bends and squeals out of his strat. Originally released in May, 1976, Wired also went platinum and spent 25 weeks on Billboard's album chart, peaking at number 16.
Jeff Beck With Jan Hammer Group Live (1977):
01. Freeway Jam
02. Earth (Still Our Only Home)
03. She's A Woman
04. Full Moon Boogie
05. Darkness/Earth In Search Of A Sun
06. Scatterbrain
07. Blue Wind
with Jan Hammer, Tony Smith, Fernando Saunders, & Steve Kindler
Backed by Jan Hammer's band of hotshot session wizards, Beck only had to stand up and play while behind him the tight and funky rhythm section pulsed out powerhouse renditions of new original tunes and highlights from the two previous albums on 1977's Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live. The album bristles with peaks, like Steve Kindler's jazz violin on Scatterbrain, doubling Beck's blistering guitar line, and the screaming solos and jam sections, between the valleys of ambiant moody keyboard pieces like Darkness and Earth (Still Our Only Home), and the swampy funk of Full Moon Boogie. Beck mostly sticks to playing "colors" and soloing over the band's arrangements, but it works beautifully. While impressive and spirited, without the fire of his guitar the songs and playing of the sidemen would be without the focus and depth Beck provides. Only a band as competent and talented as Hammer's could provide the support to Beck's loose and rangy style. A perfect balance, although their are a few uncomfortable vocal moments that make you wish he had stuck to his all instrumental format. Perhaps Beck felt an all-instrumental show wouldn't hold the crowd's interest. Whatever the reason, they provide the only weak point to the entire album, which succeeds on every other level, Hammers multi-layered keyboards more than filling out and filling in for Walden and Martin's string arrangements.
Long before the time with Jan Hammer Group Live went platinum Beck proved that a guitar could replace vocals, and project just as much expression, soul, feeling and depth to carry an album. In fact, it melded more easily and distracted less from the other instrumentalists and guitar rhythm textures. The melodic lines were just as memorable and strong, both the stacked lead lines and the gentle, solo guitar melodies were full and powerful. Beck didn't just noodle over his backing band's groove, in the studio and live he melded with it, producing music that was technically proficient and impressive, but full of feeling and expression. None of the imitators since have really improved on the original master. And he also provided the solution to every lead guitarist who was sick of dealing with the asshole lead singer.
all history are from: ultimate-guitar.com
Thanks to them
The History Of: The Beatles
The story of one of the greatest rock bands ever started on a day in 1957 when Ivan Vaughn introduced John Lennon, born October 9th, 1940, to Paul McCartney, born June 18th, 1942. They form a group called the Quarrymen that same year. The Quarrymen soon began performing at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. In 1958, The Quarrymen got George Harrison, born February 24, 1943, to be its next member. Later in the year they would record their first single, the A side being Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day". The B side was an original track by Paul and George called "In Spite Of All The Danger".
The next year, the Quarrymen changed their name to Johnny And The Moondogs and played dead end gigs in Liverpool. In January of 1960, John's art school friend Stuart Sutcliffe, born June 23, 1940, joined on bass. They would continue without a regular drummer until August when Pete Best, born November 24, 1941, joined the band. The band renamed itself the Silver Beatles, then just the Beatles that same year. Soon after the name change, The Beatles travelled to Hamburg, Germany and began a 17-day residency at the Indra Club, before moving to the larger Kaiserkeller Club. The Beatles went into a studio in Hamburg and recorded "Summertime". Pete Best was absent during this session. His seat was filled by Richard Starkey a.k.a. Ringo Starr, born July 7th, 1940.
The Beatles left Germany, with Stuart staying behind by request, at the end of 1960. The band began a residency at their old Quarrymen hangout, The Cavern Club, in February of 1961. During one of these gigs, they met Brian Epstien, who would become their manager. The next year, The Beatles auditioned for Decca Records, but were turned down. About three months after the Decca audition, the Beatles received word that Stuart Sutcliffe had died of a brain haemorrhage. He was only 21 years old. Later in the year, the Beatles were signed to EMI Records, where they met George Martin, who would produce the band through much of their career. On August 14th, 1962, Pete Best was fired from the group. Ringo Starr was his replacement. The Beatles recorded "P.S. I Love You", "Ask Me Why", and "Love Me Do" later in the year. By the end of the year, "Love Me Do" would reach #17 on the UK charts.
At the beginning of 1963, the Beatles began their first headlining tour. Soon after the tour, the Beatles released their debut album, Please Please Me. It shot up to #1 on the UK charts. Later in the year, they released With The Beatles. It too was a smashing success. At the beginning of 1964, the Beatles landed in the US. Their first album in the US was an exact copy of With The Beatles, but titled Meet The Beatles. Beatlemania had begun.
On February 9th, 1964, the Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. This performance would become legendary. On February 29th (leap year), the Beatles' latest album, Introducing...The Beatles shot up to US #2, where it was behind Meet The Beatles. On July 6th, A Hard Day's Night was released. The movie/album would become a smashing success, climbing to #1 on both the US and UK charts. In late August, the Beatles released Beatles For Sale, another #1. The beginning of 1965 brought the release of Beatles '65, which, of course, climbed to #1 on the charts. The Beatles released yet another album in July. It was titled, "Beatles VI". Like all of the Beatles albums before it, it was a smashing success. The Beatles were on top of the world.
August brought the release of the Beatles' second movie, Help!. The soundtrack would shoot up to #1, where it would stay for nine weeks. On December 3rd, the Beatles began their final UK tour, with only 9 dates. The end of the year brought the release of Rubber Soul, an experimental album that marked a departure from the typical pop songs they had been playing before. But even though it was so different from the albums before it, Rubber Soul ascended to #1 in both the US and UK. In early 1966, John said in an Evening Standard interview that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus". John would apologize for the statement later in the year. In July of that same year, Yesterday And Today was released. It's original album cover, featuring the Beatles dressed up as butchers with dismembered dolls and bloody cuts of meat surrounding them, was taken off the shelves and replaced with an alternative cover.
On August 13th, 1966, Revolver was released. It was another experimental album, and marked the beginning of the later half of the Beatles' career. On August 29th, the Beatles played their final US concert in San Francisco, California. The band had more creative choices now that they wouldn't have to play live. Their next album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, was their most experimental yet, featuring orchestras and horns. Soon after, Brian Epstein died of an overdose at the age of 33. In September of 1967, the Beatles began filming their TV movie, Magical Mystery Tour. The soundtrack would be released a few months later. It was around this time that John first met Yoko Ono, who he began dating. Soon after, the Beatles form Apple Records. One of the first bands signed onto the new label was Badfinger.
In 1968, Yellow Submarine, the soundtrack to the animated film of the same name, was released. The Beatles didn't actually supply the voices for their characters in the movie and only made a cameo appearance at the end. Later in the year, John's wife, Cynthia, divorced him because of his affair with Yoko Ono. In December of 1968, the Beatles released a self-titled double album that would usually be referred to as The White Album because of its white cover. In 1969, the Beatles began recording Get Back. The album project was abandoned and the Beatles began working on Abbey Road, which was revolutionary. Also around this time, the Beatles played for 42 minutes on top of the Apple building until they were stopped by the police. In March, John married Yoko. Tension was building between the Beatles, partially because of Yoko. The Beatles' reign of success would soon end.
In 1970, the Beatles finished Get Back and released it as Let It Be. It would be the Beatles' last album. The band split in April. John went on to have a successful solo career until he was murdered in 1980. Paul formed Wings and also had a successful solo career. George, just like John and Paul, had a great and influential solo career. He died in 2002. Ringo too had a solo career, but his was a little more low-key. The Beatles are remembered today as one of the most influential rock bands ever. Their influence is shown in many classic and modern rock bands. Their legacy will never be forgotten.
The next year, the Quarrymen changed their name to Johnny And The Moondogs and played dead end gigs in Liverpool. In January of 1960, John's art school friend Stuart Sutcliffe, born June 23, 1940, joined on bass. They would continue without a regular drummer until August when Pete Best, born November 24, 1941, joined the band. The band renamed itself the Silver Beatles, then just the Beatles that same year. Soon after the name change, The Beatles travelled to Hamburg, Germany and began a 17-day residency at the Indra Club, before moving to the larger Kaiserkeller Club. The Beatles went into a studio in Hamburg and recorded "Summertime". Pete Best was absent during this session. His seat was filled by Richard Starkey a.k.a. Ringo Starr, born July 7th, 1940.
The Beatles left Germany, with Stuart staying behind by request, at the end of 1960. The band began a residency at their old Quarrymen hangout, The Cavern Club, in February of 1961. During one of these gigs, they met Brian Epstien, who would become their manager. The next year, The Beatles auditioned for Decca Records, but were turned down. About three months after the Decca audition, the Beatles received word that Stuart Sutcliffe had died of a brain haemorrhage. He was only 21 years old. Later in the year, the Beatles were signed to EMI Records, where they met George Martin, who would produce the band through much of their career. On August 14th, 1962, Pete Best was fired from the group. Ringo Starr was his replacement. The Beatles recorded "P.S. I Love You", "Ask Me Why", and "Love Me Do" later in the year. By the end of the year, "Love Me Do" would reach #17 on the UK charts.
At the beginning of 1963, the Beatles began their first headlining tour. Soon after the tour, the Beatles released their debut album, Please Please Me. It shot up to #1 on the UK charts. Later in the year, they released With The Beatles. It too was a smashing success. At the beginning of 1964, the Beatles landed in the US. Their first album in the US was an exact copy of With The Beatles, but titled Meet The Beatles. Beatlemania had begun.
On February 9th, 1964, the Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. This performance would become legendary. On February 29th (leap year), the Beatles' latest album, Introducing...The Beatles shot up to US #2, where it was behind Meet The Beatles. On July 6th, A Hard Day's Night was released. The movie/album would become a smashing success, climbing to #1 on both the US and UK charts. In late August, the Beatles released Beatles For Sale, another #1. The beginning of 1965 brought the release of Beatles '65, which, of course, climbed to #1 on the charts. The Beatles released yet another album in July. It was titled, "Beatles VI". Like all of the Beatles albums before it, it was a smashing success. The Beatles were on top of the world.
August brought the release of the Beatles' second movie, Help!. The soundtrack would shoot up to #1, where it would stay for nine weeks. On December 3rd, the Beatles began their final UK tour, with only 9 dates. The end of the year brought the release of Rubber Soul, an experimental album that marked a departure from the typical pop songs they had been playing before. But even though it was so different from the albums before it, Rubber Soul ascended to #1 in both the US and UK. In early 1966, John said in an Evening Standard interview that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus". John would apologize for the statement later in the year. In July of that same year, Yesterday And Today was released. It's original album cover, featuring the Beatles dressed up as butchers with dismembered dolls and bloody cuts of meat surrounding them, was taken off the shelves and replaced with an alternative cover.
On August 13th, 1966, Revolver was released. It was another experimental album, and marked the beginning of the later half of the Beatles' career. On August 29th, the Beatles played their final US concert in San Francisco, California. The band had more creative choices now that they wouldn't have to play live. Their next album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, was their most experimental yet, featuring orchestras and horns. Soon after, Brian Epstein died of an overdose at the age of 33. In September of 1967, the Beatles began filming their TV movie, Magical Mystery Tour. The soundtrack would be released a few months later. It was around this time that John first met Yoko Ono, who he began dating. Soon after, the Beatles form Apple Records. One of the first bands signed onto the new label was Badfinger.
In 1968, Yellow Submarine, the soundtrack to the animated film of the same name, was released. The Beatles didn't actually supply the voices for their characters in the movie and only made a cameo appearance at the end. Later in the year, John's wife, Cynthia, divorced him because of his affair with Yoko Ono. In December of 1968, the Beatles released a self-titled double album that would usually be referred to as The White Album because of its white cover. In 1969, the Beatles began recording Get Back. The album project was abandoned and the Beatles began working on Abbey Road, which was revolutionary. Also around this time, the Beatles played for 42 minutes on top of the Apple building until they were stopped by the police. In March, John married Yoko. Tension was building between the Beatles, partially because of Yoko. The Beatles' reign of success would soon end.
In 1970, the Beatles finished Get Back and released it as Let It Be. It would be the Beatles' last album. The band split in April. John went on to have a successful solo career until he was murdered in 1980. Paul formed Wings and also had a successful solo career. George, just like John and Paul, had a great and influential solo career. He died in 2002. Ringo too had a solo career, but his was a little more low-key. The Beatles are remembered today as one of the most influential rock bands ever. Their influence is shown in many classic and modern rock bands. Their legacy will never be forgotten.
The History Of: 90's Rock Music
The Nineties continued to see the expansion of alternative rock, both artistically and commercially. The general trend of the era was towards more and more abstract music, music that had lost its original label of dance/party music.
First and foremost, the Nineties were the decade of singer songwriters who play ever more intellectual compositions: female composers such as Robin Holcomb, Tori Amos, Lisa Germano and Juliana Hatfield, male composers such as Matthew Sweet, Magnetic Field, Smog, Beck. Canada had Jane Siberry and Loreena McKennitt, two of the most conceptual musicians of their time, until Alanis Morissette emerged as a leader of the female folksinger movement. Ireland had two of the most unique voices, Sinead O'Connor and Enya, soon joined by Iceland's Bjork. In England, only Polly Jean Harvey ranked with these masters.
"Foxcore" was a brief fad propelled by West Coast all-girl punk bands such as Hole, Babes In Toyland, L7 and Seven Year Bitch.
Industrial music staged a dramatic comeback in Chicago with two of the most visible acts of the decade: Ministry and Nine Inch Nails, inspired by older European bands like KMFDM. New York followed suit with Cop Shoot Cop and Type O Negative, San Francisco with Neurosis, Steel Pole Bath Tub, Thinking Fellers Union. Texas with a florid industrial/psychedelic school that included the Pain Teensm Bedhead, and the Vas Deferens Organization.
Gothic rock came from the sun belt (Lycia, Black Tape For A Blue Girl) and was never as popular as the northern variant of industrial music.
Hard sounds still ruled in the aftermath of grunge, and New York (Unsane, Helmet, Surgery, Monster Magnet) and Los Angeles (Tool, Stone Temple Pilots, Kyuss, Korn) had their share of the pie.
Techno was the new trend in dance music. Invented in the Eighties in Detroit by the triad of disc jockeys Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May, techno crossed the Atlantic and established itself in England and in the continent (Front 242), marching hand in hand with the rave scene. America was left behind (Moby and not much else).
Britain was the place for psychedelic music. It started with the Liverpool revival of Echo And The Bunnymen and Julian Cope, then it picked up speed with dream-pop (Cocteau Twins, the Australian Dead Can Dance, the Norwegian Bel Canto, and later the formidable triad of Slowdive, Bark Psychosis and Tindersticks) and with the Scottish noise-pop bands (Jesus And Mary Chain and Primal Scream ) and finally reached a climax with the shoegazers (My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, Loop, Spiritualized, Catherine Wheel), before folding into a new form of ambient music.
By the end of the decade, Britain was awash in Brit-pop, a media-induced trance of super-melodic pop that spawned countless "next big things", from Verve to Oasis to Blur to Suede to Radiohead, the band that finally disposed of it. But the best in the melodic genre came from humbler groups, led by girls, like Primitives and Heavenly.
The 1990s were also the decade of heavy metal, that peaked in Los Angeles with Metallica, Jane's Addiction, Guns And Roses, and that soon split into a myriad subgenres (doom metal, grind-core, death metal, etc) and funk-metal (Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against The Machine in Los Angeles, Primus and Faith No More in San Francisco). Marilyn Manson was the late phenomenon that recharged the genre.
Details On The Golden Age Of Heavy Metal
Punk-pop was born in Los Angeles in the Eighties, but somehow peaked in the Nineties elsewhere (Green Day in San Francisco, Screeching Weasel and Pegboy in Chicago).
The Nineties were the decade of intellectual rock, when no song could be just a melody and a rhythm but had to be all twisted and deranged. New York leaned towards rhythm and blues (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Soul Coughing, Royal Trux) and psychedelia (Yo La Tengo ), Boston towards psychedelia (Galaxie 500, Morphine) and pop (Breeders, Belly), Seattle towards psychedelia (Sky Cries Mary, Built To Spill), Los Angeles towards psychedelia (Mazzy Star, Red Temple Spirits, Medicine, Grant Lee Buffalo), San Francisco towards folk and country (American Music Club, Red House Painters), Washington towards punk-rock (Unrest, Girls Against Boys), Chicago towards punk-rock (Jesus Lizard) psychedelia (Codeine, Eleventh Dream Day), pop (Green, Smashing Pumpkins) and country (Uncle Tupelo). All of them owed something to the humble school of Kentucky, led by Slint and peaked with Tortoise.
Remnants of punk-rock in Texas (Ed Hall), Minneapolis (Cows), Tennessee (Today Is The Day) kept sending shock-waves around the nation.
San Francisco started the vogue for lo-fi pop with Pavement, which then begat Sebadoh, Guided By Voices, etc.
The Southeastern states came up strong with more and more intelligent sounds (Bitch Magnet, Blind Idiot God, Don Caballero, Grifters) that eventually peaked in the North Carolina school (Polvo, Seam).
Analog synthesizers staged a comeback with Jessamine, Magnog, Labradford.
But new styles kept coming literally from everywhere: Rhode Island (Six Finger Satellite), Arizona ( Calexico), Ohio ( Brainiac), Montana (Silkworm), Michigan (Windy & Carl).
England kept mutating its variant of psychedelia, that now began bordering on dissonant avantgarde (Stereolab, Ozric Tentacles, Pram, Flying Saucer Attack, Porcupine Tree).
The Nineties were the age of electronic music, whether in dance, ambient or noise format. Electronic musicians and ensembles spread to Belgium (Vidna Obmana), France (Air, Deep Forest, Lightwave), Germany (Sven Vath, Mo Boma, Oval, Mouse On Mars, Air Liquide), Canada (Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Delerium, Vampire Rodents, Trance Mission), Scandinavia, and especially Japan (Zeni Geva, Boredoms, Merzbow, the triad of noise). Britain's revitalized ambient scene yielded Orb, Main, Rapoon, Autechre.
Britain's dance music was far more successful (creatively speaking) than its rock bands: Madchester (Stone Roses), rave (Saint Etienne), transglobal dance (Banco De Gaia, Loop Guru, Transglobal Underground, TUU) ambient house (Orbital, Future Sound Of London, Aphex Twins, Mu-ziq), jungle (Goldie, Squarepusher, Propellerheads), trip-hop (Portishead, Tricky), and plain techno (Meat Beat Manifesto, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers) artists redefined compositional processes and cross-bred countless genres.
Industrial music and grindcore somehow merged and spawned terrifying sounds in the albums of Techno Animal and Godflesh.
The Irish Cranberries and the Scottish Belle And Sebastian are among the revelations of the end of the decade.
Australia still boasts impressive ensembles, and in particular one of the most important instrumental bands, Dirty 3.
The 1990s' boom of singer songwriters will continue throughout the decade. Among the leaders of influential bands, several will continue offering serious music on their own: Natalie Merchant, Kristin Hersh, Bob Mould, Frank Black, Paul Westerberg, Mark Eitzel, Scott Weiland, Chris Cornell, and, greatest of them all, Mark Lanegan.
Freedy Johnston, Vic Chesnutt, Peter Himmelman, My Dad Is Dead, Mountain Goats are among the new voices of the decade, each eccentric in his own way.
And the ranks seemed to increase towards the turn of the century: Jeff Buckley, Sparklehorse, Elliott Smith, Richard Buckner, Ben Harper, Joe Henry, Songs:Ohia, Damien Jurado, Pedro The Lion, etc.
Among female artists, Jarboe, Azalia Snail and Lida Husik were heavily influenced by psychedelia.
Cat Power, Beth Hart, Neko Case, Amy Denio, Heather Duby, Edith Frost, Shannon Wright are among the experimental artists to emerge in the late 1990s.
Liz Phair, Sheryl Crow, Fiona Apple, Lili Haydn represent the commercial aspect of the movement, which peaked with Mariah Carey's innumerable hits.
First and foremost, the Nineties were the decade of singer songwriters who play ever more intellectual compositions: female composers such as Robin Holcomb, Tori Amos, Lisa Germano and Juliana Hatfield, male composers such as Matthew Sweet, Magnetic Field, Smog, Beck. Canada had Jane Siberry and Loreena McKennitt, two of the most conceptual musicians of their time, until Alanis Morissette emerged as a leader of the female folksinger movement. Ireland had two of the most unique voices, Sinead O'Connor and Enya, soon joined by Iceland's Bjork. In England, only Polly Jean Harvey ranked with these masters.
"Foxcore" was a brief fad propelled by West Coast all-girl punk bands such as Hole, Babes In Toyland, L7 and Seven Year Bitch.
Industrial music staged a dramatic comeback in Chicago with two of the most visible acts of the decade: Ministry and Nine Inch Nails, inspired by older European bands like KMFDM. New York followed suit with Cop Shoot Cop and Type O Negative, San Francisco with Neurosis, Steel Pole Bath Tub, Thinking Fellers Union. Texas with a florid industrial/psychedelic school that included the Pain Teensm Bedhead, and the Vas Deferens Organization.
Gothic rock came from the sun belt (Lycia, Black Tape For A Blue Girl) and was never as popular as the northern variant of industrial music.
Hard sounds still ruled in the aftermath of grunge, and New York (Unsane, Helmet, Surgery, Monster Magnet) and Los Angeles (Tool, Stone Temple Pilots, Kyuss, Korn) had their share of the pie.
Techno was the new trend in dance music. Invented in the Eighties in Detroit by the triad of disc jockeys Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May, techno crossed the Atlantic and established itself in England and in the continent (Front 242), marching hand in hand with the rave scene. America was left behind (Moby and not much else).
Britain was the place for psychedelic music. It started with the Liverpool revival of Echo And The Bunnymen and Julian Cope, then it picked up speed with dream-pop (Cocteau Twins, the Australian Dead Can Dance, the Norwegian Bel Canto, and later the formidable triad of Slowdive, Bark Psychosis and Tindersticks) and with the Scottish noise-pop bands (Jesus And Mary Chain and Primal Scream ) and finally reached a climax with the shoegazers (My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, Loop, Spiritualized, Catherine Wheel), before folding into a new form of ambient music.
By the end of the decade, Britain was awash in Brit-pop, a media-induced trance of super-melodic pop that spawned countless "next big things", from Verve to Oasis to Blur to Suede to Radiohead, the band that finally disposed of it. But the best in the melodic genre came from humbler groups, led by girls, like Primitives and Heavenly.
The 1990s were also the decade of heavy metal, that peaked in Los Angeles with Metallica, Jane's Addiction, Guns And Roses, and that soon split into a myriad subgenres (doom metal, grind-core, death metal, etc) and funk-metal (Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against The Machine in Los Angeles, Primus and Faith No More in San Francisco). Marilyn Manson was the late phenomenon that recharged the genre.
Details On The Golden Age Of Heavy Metal
Punk-pop was born in Los Angeles in the Eighties, but somehow peaked in the Nineties elsewhere (Green Day in San Francisco, Screeching Weasel and Pegboy in Chicago).
The Nineties were the decade of intellectual rock, when no song could be just a melody and a rhythm but had to be all twisted and deranged. New York leaned towards rhythm and blues (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Soul Coughing, Royal Trux) and psychedelia (Yo La Tengo ), Boston towards psychedelia (Galaxie 500, Morphine) and pop (Breeders, Belly), Seattle towards psychedelia (Sky Cries Mary, Built To Spill), Los Angeles towards psychedelia (Mazzy Star, Red Temple Spirits, Medicine, Grant Lee Buffalo), San Francisco towards folk and country (American Music Club, Red House Painters), Washington towards punk-rock (Unrest, Girls Against Boys), Chicago towards punk-rock (Jesus Lizard) psychedelia (Codeine, Eleventh Dream Day), pop (Green, Smashing Pumpkins) and country (Uncle Tupelo). All of them owed something to the humble school of Kentucky, led by Slint and peaked with Tortoise.
Remnants of punk-rock in Texas (Ed Hall), Minneapolis (Cows), Tennessee (Today Is The Day) kept sending shock-waves around the nation.
San Francisco started the vogue for lo-fi pop with Pavement, which then begat Sebadoh, Guided By Voices, etc.
The Southeastern states came up strong with more and more intelligent sounds (Bitch Magnet, Blind Idiot God, Don Caballero, Grifters) that eventually peaked in the North Carolina school (Polvo, Seam).
Analog synthesizers staged a comeback with Jessamine, Magnog, Labradford.
But new styles kept coming literally from everywhere: Rhode Island (Six Finger Satellite), Arizona ( Calexico), Ohio ( Brainiac), Montana (Silkworm), Michigan (Windy & Carl).
England kept mutating its variant of psychedelia, that now began bordering on dissonant avantgarde (Stereolab, Ozric Tentacles, Pram, Flying Saucer Attack, Porcupine Tree).
The Nineties were the age of electronic music, whether in dance, ambient or noise format. Electronic musicians and ensembles spread to Belgium (Vidna Obmana), France (Air, Deep Forest, Lightwave), Germany (Sven Vath, Mo Boma, Oval, Mouse On Mars, Air Liquide), Canada (Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Delerium, Vampire Rodents, Trance Mission), Scandinavia, and especially Japan (Zeni Geva, Boredoms, Merzbow, the triad of noise). Britain's revitalized ambient scene yielded Orb, Main, Rapoon, Autechre.
Britain's dance music was far more successful (creatively speaking) than its rock bands: Madchester (Stone Roses), rave (Saint Etienne), transglobal dance (Banco De Gaia, Loop Guru, Transglobal Underground, TUU) ambient house (Orbital, Future Sound Of London, Aphex Twins, Mu-ziq), jungle (Goldie, Squarepusher, Propellerheads), trip-hop (Portishead, Tricky), and plain techno (Meat Beat Manifesto, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers) artists redefined compositional processes and cross-bred countless genres.
Industrial music and grindcore somehow merged and spawned terrifying sounds in the albums of Techno Animal and Godflesh.
The Irish Cranberries and the Scottish Belle And Sebastian are among the revelations of the end of the decade.
Australia still boasts impressive ensembles, and in particular one of the most important instrumental bands, Dirty 3.
The 1990s' boom of singer songwriters will continue throughout the decade. Among the leaders of influential bands, several will continue offering serious music on their own: Natalie Merchant, Kristin Hersh, Bob Mould, Frank Black, Paul Westerberg, Mark Eitzel, Scott Weiland, Chris Cornell, and, greatest of them all, Mark Lanegan.
Freedy Johnston, Vic Chesnutt, Peter Himmelman, My Dad Is Dead, Mountain Goats are among the new voices of the decade, each eccentric in his own way.
And the ranks seemed to increase towards the turn of the century: Jeff Buckley, Sparklehorse, Elliott Smith, Richard Buckner, Ben Harper, Joe Henry, Songs:Ohia, Damien Jurado, Pedro The Lion, etc.
Among female artists, Jarboe, Azalia Snail and Lida Husik were heavily influenced by psychedelia.
Cat Power, Beth Hart, Neko Case, Amy Denio, Heather Duby, Edith Frost, Shannon Wright are among the experimental artists to emerge in the late 1990s.
Liz Phair, Sheryl Crow, Fiona Apple, Lili Haydn represent the commercial aspect of the movement, which peaked with Mariah Carey's innumerable hits.
Les Paul Supreme Review
The beautiful patterns of “flame” maple have distinguished the Gibson Les Paul Standard since the late '50s, and the Les Paul Supreme takes it to the next level, with a carved, flame maple back as well as a flame top. Multiple binding and elaborate pearl inlays make this truly the Supreme creation in the Les Paul family.
Reviewed by: H4T3BR33D3R, on january 17, 2008
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
Price paid: 3160
Purchased from: Lauzon Music
Features: Crafted in 2006, the Gibson Les Paul Supreme has your Standard Gibson features. 3-way toggle Switch, 22 frets, 2 humbucking pickups (498T and 490R), and volume and tone controls for each pickup. Mahogany body with a maple cap, headstock, neck and body binding, abalone 'Supreme' inlay on headstock, mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard. This specific model is different than other Les Paul models as it is chambered. Comes with a hardshell case. // 10
Sound: I'm playing through a Laney VH100R. Through the clean channel using the bridge pickup, the guitar is quite shimmery and bright sounding. Switching to the neck, the guitar is quite rich but tends to get to the muddy side. Moving on to a rock style distortion in the bridge position, the guitar gets a bit aggressive and has a bite to it. It's also quite clear and responsive, every nuance and note is heard. Using the neck pickup, the guitar gets into the woman tone territory, albeit a bit muddy. On a metal setting, the guitar still holds up pretty well. Even with copious amounts of distortion, every note can be heard. // 9
Action, Fit & Finish: The factory set-up was a bit lousy, there were dead spots and fret buzz. After a second set-up, the guitar played brilliantly. The pickup height was top notch. Everything was routed perfectly and there are no flaws on the guitar itself. There were bubbles on the paint behind the headstock, but nothing major. // 8
Reliability & Durability: The guitar is pretty sturdy, it's rock solid. It would be perfectly suitable for Live playing so long as you don't mind dinging the thing. It's pretty dependable but I thought I'd mention that the neck pickup was a dud straight from the factory, it died out after a week or so, but Gibson replaced it. I haven't had any problems with it since. The selector Switch wasn't wired very well either but that's an easy fix. The finish is great. I doubt it will wear easy. // 7
Impression: I play things from pop to metal, and this thing handles them all very well. I've been playing for 2 years now and own many different guitars, but this one is one of the better ones. If it were lost or stolen, I would definitely buy another one. I highly recommend this guitar. // 9
Sex Pistols Plan New Material
The Sex Pistols are set to record their first new tunes in 30 years after the success of their recent reunion tour, they have been inspired to head back to the recording studio according to Wenn.com. The legendary punks returned to the live scene for a series of gigs in November last year. They were so excited about how well received they were by fans that it has convinced the band to start to create the new songs.
Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), Glen Matlock, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook hope to start recording their new material in the first half of this year.
This will mean the new songs could be showcased during their appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival in June.
Drummer Paul Cook said, "There's talk of new material. The only problem is that it's a bit hard to work on anything as John and Steve are in America and Glen and I are in the UK. So, it's a case of finding the time to get together."
Although a whole album looks unlikely, Paul suggested, that the band are indeed hoping to have the new material would be ready for their festival appearance, "We might not pull together an album but hopefully there will be some new stuff in time for the summer."
Whether the new songs will become as legendary as their classics "Anarchy in the UK", "God Save the Queen", "Pretty Vacant", and "Holidays in the Sun" remains to be seen. Very few bands have taken a long hiatus and reformed to make successful 'new' classic tunes.
Thanks for the info to Egigs.co.uk.
Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), Glen Matlock, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook hope to start recording their new material in the first half of this year.
This will mean the new songs could be showcased during their appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival in June.
Drummer Paul Cook said, "There's talk of new material. The only problem is that it's a bit hard to work on anything as John and Steve are in America and Glen and I are in the UK. So, it's a case of finding the time to get together."
Although a whole album looks unlikely, Paul suggested, that the band are indeed hoping to have the new material would be ready for their festival appearance, "We might not pull together an album but hopefully there will be some new stuff in time for the summer."
Whether the new songs will become as legendary as their classics "Anarchy in the UK", "God Save the Queen", "Pretty Vacant", and "Holidays in the Sun" remains to be seen. Very few bands have taken a long hiatus and reformed to make successful 'new' classic tunes.
Thanks for the info to Egigs.co.uk.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The History Of: Alice In Chains
Facelift
This is the major label debut, the CD that started it all. With tracks like “We Die Young,” “Sea Of Sorrow,” and the semi-classic “It Ain’t Like That Anymore,” this found a home in the CD collections of a lot of people before fame came to the band. However, Alice In Chains was destined for nothing more than any other band until, that is, radio and MTV picked up on an infectious and driving song, driven by chunky guitars, a chorus that had nicely performed vocals, and a ripper of a guitar solo. When “Man In The Box” hit the media, the people went nuts. The CD started selling like wildfire, and thus people were hooked on this sound… not really a new sound by any means, but one that had been refined by this band. The sound of Jerry Cantrell’s guitars, Layne’s vocals, Mike Starr’s bass being not just a rhythm instrument but also a melodic one, and even the pounding of Sean Kinney’s drums all come together to create a masterful debut CD, one to be remembered as a truly great CD.
Sap
An odd decision if ever there was one, this was an EP that was almost totally acoustic-guitar driven. From the soothing chords of “Brother” to the rougher chorus of the radio sing “Got Me Wrong,” the first two tracks really highlight the harmonies of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell even better than the debut Facelift did. Quite honestly, this is probably my least favorite release because it’s just too left field for Alice In Chains. Plus, the other two songs take a lot of getting used to and they seem less focused than “Brother” and “Got Me Wrong.” Still, a mediocre AIC release is a good CD.
Dirt
The masterpiece. Considered the band’s best CD, and one of the best discs of all time. Certainly number one in my books. Right from the start, one could tell this was a totally different band than the one that did Facelift. Maybe not in members, but in spirit for sure. There were no ballad love songs on this CD. No songs that sounded like anything a band on the verge of grunge and end of glam would produce. No, this was purehard rock. It shows in songs like “Them Bones” and the classic “Angry Chair.” A slightly different side shows through in another classic and a smash hit to boot, “Rooster.” One recurring theme throughout the CD is undeniable: drug addiction. Specifically heroin, used by Layne a whole hell of a lot. He wrote songs about it because it’s what he knew. At the time, he didn’t think addiction was as bad as he later found out. So he wrote songs that seemed to glorify it. But, deep inside the songs, you could tell he was fighting the addiction. Slowly but surely. Two songs that later would go on to become perennial favorites of every AIC fan were the best signs of what was coming: “Down In A Hole” and “Would?” were the forecast of the coming fall.
“Down In A Hole” is perhaps the most somber song in the history of mankind. Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell use that ability to perfectly harmonize on the verses and a soaring note in the ends of the choruses, but it’s Cantrell’s perfect fingerstyle guitar playing that really sets the tone. Then, when he blasts the distortion and lets it ring through… it’s simply an experience I can’t even comprehend. Then, the close of the CD, quite possibly better known than “Man In The Box” for it’s brooding bass line, “Would?” was the song that really ends the CD on an unforgettable note. The bass kicks the song off and signals the coming tempest, then the guitar adds an eerie element to the song. The vocals are just the icing in the verses, then the full tilt choruses are the perfect kick to get things really going. The solo is well played, of course, and then one more part switch to take it home, then ending on the five discordant notes and the screamed line of “If I Would Could You?” just seals the deal. So closes the disc on a truly awesome and powerful album. The Dirt CD, a true rock classic if ever there was one.
Jar Of Flies
Another EP from Alice In Chains, and the first recordings with new bassist Mike Inez, this one is more balanced. It keeps a free atmosphere and shows that acoustic side of Alice In Chains yet again. This time, the lead single was destined for greatness. Harmony all throughout the song, a rocking chorus, and an insanely catchy guitar riff keep “No Excuses” going, and it was an MTV smash hit, a radio smash hit, and made Alice In Chains do what was heretofore thought impossible: an EP debuted at #1 on the Billboard Music Charts. However, the songs apart from “No Excuses” are, for the most part, acoustic Alice In Chains material: depressing, moody, and full of loss. Even the instrumental “Whale And Wasp,” written solely by Jerry Cantrell, is a somber and grounded little song.
The second single from the CD, “I Stay Away,” was a very strange song from Alice In Chains. A combination of seemingly crazed lyrics and a strange but cool guitar part make this song one to remember. “Don’t Follow” is sometimes overlooked in the face of the singles and “Rotten Apple,” but it’s a great song. It starts with Jerry Cantrell and an acoustic guitar and just sails through the first half of the song, which seems to be Jerry telling his woman not to follow him where he’s going. Then, the song changes direction entirely. The bass kicks in, the guitar comes back, drums start up, and suddenly a nice harmonica comes in and sets the tone for Layne’s rougher voice to continue the story about how he wants to go home from where he is. We assume he’s an older version of the character Jerry portrayed in the first half. Whatever it is, it’s an enjoyable song, to be sure. However, they never did tour behind this CD, which makes the fact that it’s still the #1 selling EP of all time an incredible feat, to say the least.
Alice In Chains
A true return to form for Alice In Chains, this CD was. All rock, all the time. From start to finish, this CD just rocks. Not as dark as Dirt or colorful as Facelift, but a true rock CD nonetheless. The lead single was a bit different for the band, more of a chugging metal attack than the usual, but it served the band well, getting them a lot of radio airplay and a decent amount of MTV exposure. But it was the second single that really hit home with the people, because it somewhat conjured the spirit of “No Excuses.” “Heaven Beside You” featured Jerry Cantrell on lead vocals, the first AIC single to really focus on his voice much more than Layne’s. But it had a lot of acoustic guitar, a hard rocking section, a killer breakdown with some crazy solo work, and a nice, short-but-sweet feel to it. It was another in a growing string of MTV successes for the band. It was also the only first since “Angry Chair” where Layne’s eyes were seen, before then he always had shades on. What significance this had on anything is pretty pointless, but it seems worth mentioning, to some.
The third single, “Again,” inspired something of a national debate over the bridges. Was it two boops or three boops? This actually led MTV to dissect the song, second by second, and they still disagreed (the answer is three, by the way). Kind of an odd way to gain publicity, but if it works, then go with it. The song wasn’t half bad either. The rest of the CD was either straight ahead rock material, like “Head Creeps” and “Brush Away,” or slow, dirge-like songs, such as “Over Now.” The odd songs on this CD were easy to tell: “Frogs,” which was a weird song about… well… umm… umm… okay, no one really knows. It was just weird. And the “Nothin’ Song” which was truly about nothing, and is remembered by many as “That song about peanut butter,” thanks to a lyrics that goes “Oh the nothing son sticks to you mouth like peanut butter on the brain.” Again, a strange way to be remembered. Sadly, this was the last CD of original Alice In Chains material, and it was a good CD overall… but not a truly fitting end to the legacy. Thankfully, MTV saw fit to invite them to do…
MTV Unplugged
This is one of the signs that your band is going to end soon. When MTV says “Can we do an Unplugged and record it for a CD release?” It happened to Nirvana, and it did pretty much happen to Alice In Chains. Who’s next, I ask? However, like Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged: Live From New York, the Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged CD and performance is the single best recording ever of the band. “From the opening chords of Jerry Cantrell’s guitar on “Nutshell” the final chord of the completely new and never recorded “Killer Is Me,” this CD shines. This was the last performance of the band ever, as such it’s only fitting that almost every radio song ever released was on here. “No Excuses,” “Angry Chair,” “Rooster,” “Heaven Beside You,” “Got Me Wrong,” and “Would?” all make showings here. In fact, the band’s mist beloved songs all make appearances, with the notable exception of anything from Facelift. But, what is here is superb.
“Brother” is a much better song on the acoustics than it is plugged in, and when Layne and Jerry do the middle part acapella, it’s soul-stirring. “No Excuses” is even more fun when done acoustic. A surprise in the form of the song “Sludge Factory” from the self-titled CD helps set the mood for the one single song that makes this CD, if nothing else does… an acoustic version of “Down In A Hole.” Simply a haunting reminder of what had been and a gloomy vision of what was to come, but so well done that it accomplishes it’s mission and make you feel the pain that Layne and Jerry felt while writing the song. “Angry Chair” is a nice addition, but I think I like it better plugged in. “Rooster” unplugged has a totally different and ethereal feel to it that just shines. “Got Me Wrong” was a great song plugged in, and it’s just as good unplugged. ”Heaven Beside You” was an excellent choice for the MTV Unplugged show, and it surely connected with the audience.
Now, “Would?” comes in and it too feels different. Vastly different. However, it still has that haunting feel to it. It’s less powerful because Layne’s voice had been devastated by rampant drug abuse, but he makes it work and still pulls out a great performance. Another odd choice from the Alice In Chains disc, “Frogs” rears its head on the CD. No one knows why, really. But, it is masterfully done, so we will give them credit for that much. Then, the closer of the show, sort of. “Over Now” from the self-titled disc (what’s with all the tracks from the latest disc, eh?) was a slow, brooding song. On the Unplugged disc, it’s a fun romp through the song, with a real twangy feel to it. It’s a great way to close the show, except they’re not done. Jerry speaks to the crowd and they decide to do a song that was more or less written during soundcheck, called “The Killer Is Me.” It’s a great song, and it doesn’t show that it’s that new because the band knows what they’re doing, and they show that they cans till play off of each other. The chemistry was still there, which is why it’s so sad that this was the last time they played live. But… what a memorial this disc is. Another must have CD, right here.
Nothing Safe
Um. This was an odd release. Essentially, this was to tide people over until the Alice In Chains box set could come out. It featured a few cools things: a live performance of “Rooster,” a demo of the early AIC classic, “We Die Young,” and the named track “Iron Gland.“ “Iron Gland” made it’s first appearance on the Dirt CD as an unnamed track between “Dirt” and “Hate To Feel” done only because Jerry wanted to play the weird guitar riff in the middle and he wouldn’t stop until it was recorded. Ever stranger still, the vocal parts are all overdub by legendary bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, better known for his role in thrash-metal band Slayer. Go figure, but it sounds cool as hell.
However, the real reason anyone picked this CD up was the inclusion of a brand new Alice In Chains song, called “Get Born Again.” It sounds like something from the Dirt but with a modern feel. AIC fans rejoiced at this song and thus our hope in the band was renewed! The box set promised more previously unreleased goodies and another new AIC song, so it was, of course, a must have. Nothing Safe was nothing spectacular, but it did its job and held the rabid AIC fan base over until the release of…
The Music Bank Box Set
There’s no way to cover this thing. Three CDs of music, a fourth disc containing the enhanced CD from the re-released Jar Of Flies EP and the video for “Get Born Again” as well as a game based on AIC lore? How can you beat that? You can’t. If you are an AIC fan, buy this. Enjoy this. If you already have all the CDs (like me) and aren’t willing to shell out another $50 or whatever for it, then find the track list and get going on the stuff you don’t have. It’s worth the time or money.
AIC Live
Sadly, this ranks among the last AIC releases the world will ever see. This is, essentially, a career retrospective of the band live. Except… it doesn’t do it well. Let’s face facts: this was thrown together by Columbia Records to make money, and that’s it. It’s missing any sign of real life from the band, two of the tracks were already readily available (“Rooster” was on Nothing Safe and “Queen Of The Rodeo” was in the box set), and the quality is less than stellar. Overall, if you want AIC live, you’re better off finding the various import CDs floating around.
Technically, there is an Alice In Chains Greatest Hits package out, as well as reissues of Dirt and Jar Of Flies, but they’re nothing to really spend money on if you already have them. If you don’t, then by all means, grab them. Personally, I think Columbia Records has mismanaged the band and made them some sort of industry joke (“Hey hear about yet another greatest hits CD from Alice In Chains? Bwa ha ha!). It’s not funny, especially now that Layne Staley, possibly one of the greatest voices of all time, has passed away. It’s a tragedy, to be sure, but one can’t say it was unexpected. He knew it was coming, and he did try to kick the habit, but some just can’t get past it. Which makes his tale all the sadder. But… at least he left us with a healthy backlog of awesome music.
Alice In Chains will be remembered as a band from Seattle, if nothing else. One would hope they’ll be remembered for the songwriting team of Cantrell and Staley, the team that fueled this most legendary band. With 5 CDs of original music, two live CDs, and a box set, the band left it’s mark on the world. The music will live on through Jerry Cantrell, who has a solo career but still plays Alice In Chains songs at his shows. The music will live on through the countless bands that will be covering songs from them until the gates of hell open themselves up.
The music will live on through the fans and the amateur musicians who, like myself, will buy every Alice In Chains songbook and learn every song there is, and then learn them all over again just to be sure we have it. The singers who will emulate Layne’s voice, and fail because it’s impossible to do it justice. The bassists Mike Inez and Mike Starr who held the bottom down, usually forgotten in the greatness of Cantrell and Staley, and Sean Kinney, a drummer’s drummer. Never too much, never too little. He played the song, and that made him a good drummer and a perfect fit for the music. Separate, they were a group of Seattle musicians who were burned out on glam rock. Together as Alice In Chains, they shaped an entire generation of musicians. I’m glad to be able to count myself among those musicians. Alice In Chains and Layne Staley… gone, but never forgotten.
from Ultimate-guitar.com
This is the major label debut, the CD that started it all. With tracks like “We Die Young,” “Sea Of Sorrow,” and the semi-classic “It Ain’t Like That Anymore,” this found a home in the CD collections of a lot of people before fame came to the band. However, Alice In Chains was destined for nothing more than any other band until, that is, radio and MTV picked up on an infectious and driving song, driven by chunky guitars, a chorus that had nicely performed vocals, and a ripper of a guitar solo. When “Man In The Box” hit the media, the people went nuts. The CD started selling like wildfire, and thus people were hooked on this sound… not really a new sound by any means, but one that had been refined by this band. The sound of Jerry Cantrell’s guitars, Layne’s vocals, Mike Starr’s bass being not just a rhythm instrument but also a melodic one, and even the pounding of Sean Kinney’s drums all come together to create a masterful debut CD, one to be remembered as a truly great CD.
Sap
An odd decision if ever there was one, this was an EP that was almost totally acoustic-guitar driven. From the soothing chords of “Brother” to the rougher chorus of the radio sing “Got Me Wrong,” the first two tracks really highlight the harmonies of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell even better than the debut Facelift did. Quite honestly, this is probably my least favorite release because it’s just too left field for Alice In Chains. Plus, the other two songs take a lot of getting used to and they seem less focused than “Brother” and “Got Me Wrong.” Still, a mediocre AIC release is a good CD.
Dirt
The masterpiece. Considered the band’s best CD, and one of the best discs of all time. Certainly number one in my books. Right from the start, one could tell this was a totally different band than the one that did Facelift. Maybe not in members, but in spirit for sure. There were no ballad love songs on this CD. No songs that sounded like anything a band on the verge of grunge and end of glam would produce. No, this was purehard rock. It shows in songs like “Them Bones” and the classic “Angry Chair.” A slightly different side shows through in another classic and a smash hit to boot, “Rooster.” One recurring theme throughout the CD is undeniable: drug addiction. Specifically heroin, used by Layne a whole hell of a lot. He wrote songs about it because it’s what he knew. At the time, he didn’t think addiction was as bad as he later found out. So he wrote songs that seemed to glorify it. But, deep inside the songs, you could tell he was fighting the addiction. Slowly but surely. Two songs that later would go on to become perennial favorites of every AIC fan were the best signs of what was coming: “Down In A Hole” and “Would?” were the forecast of the coming fall.
“Down In A Hole” is perhaps the most somber song in the history of mankind. Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell use that ability to perfectly harmonize on the verses and a soaring note in the ends of the choruses, but it’s Cantrell’s perfect fingerstyle guitar playing that really sets the tone. Then, when he blasts the distortion and lets it ring through… it’s simply an experience I can’t even comprehend. Then, the close of the CD, quite possibly better known than “Man In The Box” for it’s brooding bass line, “Would?” was the song that really ends the CD on an unforgettable note. The bass kicks the song off and signals the coming tempest, then the guitar adds an eerie element to the song. The vocals are just the icing in the verses, then the full tilt choruses are the perfect kick to get things really going. The solo is well played, of course, and then one more part switch to take it home, then ending on the five discordant notes and the screamed line of “If I Would Could You?” just seals the deal. So closes the disc on a truly awesome and powerful album. The Dirt CD, a true rock classic if ever there was one.
Jar Of Flies
Another EP from Alice In Chains, and the first recordings with new bassist Mike Inez, this one is more balanced. It keeps a free atmosphere and shows that acoustic side of Alice In Chains yet again. This time, the lead single was destined for greatness. Harmony all throughout the song, a rocking chorus, and an insanely catchy guitar riff keep “No Excuses” going, and it was an MTV smash hit, a radio smash hit, and made Alice In Chains do what was heretofore thought impossible: an EP debuted at #1 on the Billboard Music Charts. However, the songs apart from “No Excuses” are, for the most part, acoustic Alice In Chains material: depressing, moody, and full of loss. Even the instrumental “Whale And Wasp,” written solely by Jerry Cantrell, is a somber and grounded little song.
The second single from the CD, “I Stay Away,” was a very strange song from Alice In Chains. A combination of seemingly crazed lyrics and a strange but cool guitar part make this song one to remember. “Don’t Follow” is sometimes overlooked in the face of the singles and “Rotten Apple,” but it’s a great song. It starts with Jerry Cantrell and an acoustic guitar and just sails through the first half of the song, which seems to be Jerry telling his woman not to follow him where he’s going. Then, the song changes direction entirely. The bass kicks in, the guitar comes back, drums start up, and suddenly a nice harmonica comes in and sets the tone for Layne’s rougher voice to continue the story about how he wants to go home from where he is. We assume he’s an older version of the character Jerry portrayed in the first half. Whatever it is, it’s an enjoyable song, to be sure. However, they never did tour behind this CD, which makes the fact that it’s still the #1 selling EP of all time an incredible feat, to say the least.
Alice In Chains
A true return to form for Alice In Chains, this CD was. All rock, all the time. From start to finish, this CD just rocks. Not as dark as Dirt or colorful as Facelift, but a true rock CD nonetheless. The lead single was a bit different for the band, more of a chugging metal attack than the usual, but it served the band well, getting them a lot of radio airplay and a decent amount of MTV exposure. But it was the second single that really hit home with the people, because it somewhat conjured the spirit of “No Excuses.” “Heaven Beside You” featured Jerry Cantrell on lead vocals, the first AIC single to really focus on his voice much more than Layne’s. But it had a lot of acoustic guitar, a hard rocking section, a killer breakdown with some crazy solo work, and a nice, short-but-sweet feel to it. It was another in a growing string of MTV successes for the band. It was also the only first since “Angry Chair” where Layne’s eyes were seen, before then he always had shades on. What significance this had on anything is pretty pointless, but it seems worth mentioning, to some.
The third single, “Again,” inspired something of a national debate over the bridges. Was it two boops or three boops? This actually led MTV to dissect the song, second by second, and they still disagreed (the answer is three, by the way). Kind of an odd way to gain publicity, but if it works, then go with it. The song wasn’t half bad either. The rest of the CD was either straight ahead rock material, like “Head Creeps” and “Brush Away,” or slow, dirge-like songs, such as “Over Now.” The odd songs on this CD were easy to tell: “Frogs,” which was a weird song about… well… umm… umm… okay, no one really knows. It was just weird. And the “Nothin’ Song” which was truly about nothing, and is remembered by many as “That song about peanut butter,” thanks to a lyrics that goes “Oh the nothing son sticks to you mouth like peanut butter on the brain.” Again, a strange way to be remembered. Sadly, this was the last CD of original Alice In Chains material, and it was a good CD overall… but not a truly fitting end to the legacy. Thankfully, MTV saw fit to invite them to do…
MTV Unplugged
This is one of the signs that your band is going to end soon. When MTV says “Can we do an Unplugged and record it for a CD release?” It happened to Nirvana, and it did pretty much happen to Alice In Chains. Who’s next, I ask? However, like Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged: Live From New York, the Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged CD and performance is the single best recording ever of the band. “From the opening chords of Jerry Cantrell’s guitar on “Nutshell” the final chord of the completely new and never recorded “Killer Is Me,” this CD shines. This was the last performance of the band ever, as such it’s only fitting that almost every radio song ever released was on here. “No Excuses,” “Angry Chair,” “Rooster,” “Heaven Beside You,” “Got Me Wrong,” and “Would?” all make showings here. In fact, the band’s mist beloved songs all make appearances, with the notable exception of anything from Facelift. But, what is here is superb.
“Brother” is a much better song on the acoustics than it is plugged in, and when Layne and Jerry do the middle part acapella, it’s soul-stirring. “No Excuses” is even more fun when done acoustic. A surprise in the form of the song “Sludge Factory” from the self-titled CD helps set the mood for the one single song that makes this CD, if nothing else does… an acoustic version of “Down In A Hole.” Simply a haunting reminder of what had been and a gloomy vision of what was to come, but so well done that it accomplishes it’s mission and make you feel the pain that Layne and Jerry felt while writing the song. “Angry Chair” is a nice addition, but I think I like it better plugged in. “Rooster” unplugged has a totally different and ethereal feel to it that just shines. “Got Me Wrong” was a great song plugged in, and it’s just as good unplugged. ”Heaven Beside You” was an excellent choice for the MTV Unplugged show, and it surely connected with the audience.
Now, “Would?” comes in and it too feels different. Vastly different. However, it still has that haunting feel to it. It’s less powerful because Layne’s voice had been devastated by rampant drug abuse, but he makes it work and still pulls out a great performance. Another odd choice from the Alice In Chains disc, “Frogs” rears its head on the CD. No one knows why, really. But, it is masterfully done, so we will give them credit for that much. Then, the closer of the show, sort of. “Over Now” from the self-titled disc (what’s with all the tracks from the latest disc, eh?) was a slow, brooding song. On the Unplugged disc, it’s a fun romp through the song, with a real twangy feel to it. It’s a great way to close the show, except they’re not done. Jerry speaks to the crowd and they decide to do a song that was more or less written during soundcheck, called “The Killer Is Me.” It’s a great song, and it doesn’t show that it’s that new because the band knows what they’re doing, and they show that they cans till play off of each other. The chemistry was still there, which is why it’s so sad that this was the last time they played live. But… what a memorial this disc is. Another must have CD, right here.
Nothing Safe
Um. This was an odd release. Essentially, this was to tide people over until the Alice In Chains box set could come out. It featured a few cools things: a live performance of “Rooster,” a demo of the early AIC classic, “We Die Young,” and the named track “Iron Gland.“ “Iron Gland” made it’s first appearance on the Dirt CD as an unnamed track between “Dirt” and “Hate To Feel” done only because Jerry wanted to play the weird guitar riff in the middle and he wouldn’t stop until it was recorded. Ever stranger still, the vocal parts are all overdub by legendary bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, better known for his role in thrash-metal band Slayer. Go figure, but it sounds cool as hell.
However, the real reason anyone picked this CD up was the inclusion of a brand new Alice In Chains song, called “Get Born Again.” It sounds like something from the Dirt but with a modern feel. AIC fans rejoiced at this song and thus our hope in the band was renewed! The box set promised more previously unreleased goodies and another new AIC song, so it was, of course, a must have. Nothing Safe was nothing spectacular, but it did its job and held the rabid AIC fan base over until the release of…
The Music Bank Box Set
There’s no way to cover this thing. Three CDs of music, a fourth disc containing the enhanced CD from the re-released Jar Of Flies EP and the video for “Get Born Again” as well as a game based on AIC lore? How can you beat that? You can’t. If you are an AIC fan, buy this. Enjoy this. If you already have all the CDs (like me) and aren’t willing to shell out another $50 or whatever for it, then find the track list and get going on the stuff you don’t have. It’s worth the time or money.
AIC Live
Sadly, this ranks among the last AIC releases the world will ever see. This is, essentially, a career retrospective of the band live. Except… it doesn’t do it well. Let’s face facts: this was thrown together by Columbia Records to make money, and that’s it. It’s missing any sign of real life from the band, two of the tracks were already readily available (“Rooster” was on Nothing Safe and “Queen Of The Rodeo” was in the box set), and the quality is less than stellar. Overall, if you want AIC live, you’re better off finding the various import CDs floating around.
Technically, there is an Alice In Chains Greatest Hits package out, as well as reissues of Dirt and Jar Of Flies, but they’re nothing to really spend money on if you already have them. If you don’t, then by all means, grab them. Personally, I think Columbia Records has mismanaged the band and made them some sort of industry joke (“Hey hear about yet another greatest hits CD from Alice In Chains? Bwa ha ha!). It’s not funny, especially now that Layne Staley, possibly one of the greatest voices of all time, has passed away. It’s a tragedy, to be sure, but one can’t say it was unexpected. He knew it was coming, and he did try to kick the habit, but some just can’t get past it. Which makes his tale all the sadder. But… at least he left us with a healthy backlog of awesome music.
Alice In Chains will be remembered as a band from Seattle, if nothing else. One would hope they’ll be remembered for the songwriting team of Cantrell and Staley, the team that fueled this most legendary band. With 5 CDs of original music, two live CDs, and a box set, the band left it’s mark on the world. The music will live on through Jerry Cantrell, who has a solo career but still plays Alice In Chains songs at his shows. The music will live on through the countless bands that will be covering songs from them until the gates of hell open themselves up.
The music will live on through the fans and the amateur musicians who, like myself, will buy every Alice In Chains songbook and learn every song there is, and then learn them all over again just to be sure we have it. The singers who will emulate Layne’s voice, and fail because it’s impossible to do it justice. The bassists Mike Inez and Mike Starr who held the bottom down, usually forgotten in the greatness of Cantrell and Staley, and Sean Kinney, a drummer’s drummer. Never too much, never too little. He played the song, and that made him a good drummer and a perfect fit for the music. Separate, they were a group of Seattle musicians who were burned out on glam rock. Together as Alice In Chains, they shaped an entire generation of musicians. I’m glad to be able to count myself among those musicians. Alice In Chains and Layne Staley… gone, but never forgotten.
from Ultimate-guitar.com
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