Month: September 2006

New Kid on the Blog

Ah… the first entry.

Usually where its the most redundant entry comes in, but you just feel you are obliged to write something….anything cos you spent the last hour trying to sign up for the damn thing.

Which is what is exactly happening now.

Hmm…lets see, a little self intro?

Am Single.

Unattached.

In my thirties (uh-oh! bad combo) 

Hokkien but pretending to be a Cantonese.

Loves Movies.

Currently hooked on Haruki Murakami Novels.

Still reading comics Graphic Novels.

Prefers Cats to Dogs. 

Nike Slut.

In Love with watches I can never afford to buy.

Basically, I just another typical Gen-X guy who's comfortably numb in his own shell.

 

Stay tuned, folks.

 

Rick Miller – Bohemian Rhapsody

Basically, one guy singing Bohemian Rhapsody with 25 different voices. Amazing, hilarious too. His Steven Tyler and Mick Jagger are particularly impressive, but that shirt has got to go.

Rick Miller performs Bohemian Rhapsody

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Nirvana – All Apologies

Like them or not, Nirvana was the voice of a generation. Their MTV unplugged performance was perhaps their most unusual, and with no small irony the sum of everything they were. Great musicianship, subtle nuances, angst (yes it has become a cliché, so sue me), all their everything.

Of the original compositions, All Apologies was particularly devastating, and of course with those lyrics: “Married…Buried…”. Yes, Courtney, we still blame you.

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Foo Fighters – Everlong

Actually, just Dave Grohl and his guitar in an outstanding acoustic performance of Everlong, the song that made me go from “Foo Fighters? Yeah they’ve got some catchy songs” into a raving fan boy.

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Mark Goffeney – Last Dance With Mary Jane

Mark Goffeney was born without arms, but he not only managed to learn to play the guitar with his toes, he plays it well. The only word that describes this man is “amazing”.

This is a video of him playing Tom Petty’s Last Dance With Mary Jane in Bolboa Park, San Diego. Now, I probably (maybe?) can play this particular song as well as he can, but I sure as hell cannot sing as well. Truly inspirational.

Read an article about Mark in Ability Magazine.

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David Bowie – Heroes

David Bowie of course needs no introduction. This is a fine live performance of “Heroes” (obligatory quotation marks) from September 2002, Berlin. I rate it higher than the celebrated 1985 performance at Live Aid.

And may I add David looked very good for someone in his fifties… not that I have tendencies like that or anything…

David Bowie - Heroes (live)

Stream of Passion – Calliopeia

Okay, the synchronised head-banging is pretty goofy (I might have found it cool when I was 16…) but this progressive metal band founded by Dutch progressive master Arjen Lucassen has got the goods musically. The lead singer Marcela Bovio was heavily featured on the Human Equation, the last Ayreon album, and I daresay she is one of the best female voices in metal. As for the band itself, as a friend opined “they remind me of Evanescence, but I can’t quite put a finger on what’s different…ah yes, they don’t suck”. Plus Marcela is much hotter than whatshername…

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Pearl Jam with Chris Cornell – Hunger Strike

Stealing a good idea from Crooks and Liars‘ Late Night Music Club, here’s Pearl Jam with guest Chris Cornell performing Temple of the Dog’s Hunger Strike, Santa Barbara 2003. Its not everyday you get two of the best hard rock singers of the 90s on the same stage, singing the same song.

Hunger Strike live - Pearl Jam with Chris Cornell

More Than A Feeling

Boston

I looked out this morning and the sun was gone
Turned on some music to start my day
I lost myself in a familiar song
I closed my eyes and I slipped away

Picked up the remastered Boston’s debut album. Now, I want to assume this album needs no introduction, but that is unlikely (kids these days…) so for the uninitiated, this is a short summary:

  1. Tom Scholz was the founder, producer and engineer of Boston, and he has a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. He was working at Polaroid before Boston made it.
  2. Singer Brad Delp worked in a coffee maker manufacturing plant.
  3. Most of the album was recorded between the two of them; with Scholz playing and recording most of the instruments in his basement and Delp handled the lead, hamonising and backing vocals.
  4. Tom Scholz liked overdubbing and he was going to use it,
    dammit. As an old Guitar World article put it, Boston mocked the Mormon
    Tabernacle Choir.
  5. This is a 30th anniversary release (that’s right, it was first released in 1976).

The remastering job is outstanding, so if you already are a fan and wondering if you should pick it up, the short answer is “yes”, and the long answer is “be a man, do the right thing“. If you are one of the unwashed plebes who have not heard of the album, then be aware that this album is the ultimate rock and roll fantasy and is much more than a feeling.

Music Is Drugs

Very interesting article on the book “This Is Your Brain on Music”. Probably explains why I cannot accept new rock music, and also why old *coughbonjovicough* songs make me happy even though I know they are crap.

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