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So if you’ve been listening to me in the wee hours of the morning, chances are you’ve heard the new song “Dragon Fly” by a band straight out of Jeff City, Missouri. If you haven’t heard this song, check out the video below…It’s one of my favorite songs out there right now. Enjoy!
–F ‘Em Up
So I was perusing the world wide web of the internets and stumbled across this badass video. Check it out: Shadows Fall covering the Prince of Darkness’ “Bark At The Moon.” The coolest part of the video, besides the crushing cover, is the fact that the guys stayed very close to the original (albeit cheesy) feel of the video. Enjoy.
And you know what? Since it’s Friday, how about a LIVE version of this song? Sound good? That’s what I thought…
–F ‘Em Up
On February 13th, 1970 (yes, Friday the 13th) Black Sabbath released their self-titled album, Black Sabbath. When it comes to rock and roll, the impact of this band and this album is truly significant. Granted, it’s not the most well-known Black Sabbath disc and it might not be the definitive work of the band, but it is truly one kick-ass piece of rock history.
From the opening riff of the title track, you know what this album is bringing to the table. The tritone guitar riff still sounds menacing, but I can’t even imagine the power it inflicted 40 years ago. If you haven’t heard of the tritone or The Devil’s Interval, check it out here, and then listen to track 1 on this album…You’ll have a whole new appreciation for what Iommi was doing.
I learned a lot about this band and their first album simply by reading Ozzy Osbourne’s autobiography. As I already knew, Black Sabbath was not a Satan-worshiping band. I knew that, but I didn’t really know why they played the dark music if they didn’t really believe in anything as dark as what they were singing about. Basically, they started out as a blues band…as that didn’t really take off like they had hoped, Tony Iommi suggested they start writing scary music…If people like to get the hell scared out of them at horror movies, why not transfer that to rock and roll? I also didn’t know that they literally had no say on the design for their first album. They got the record deal, and then they saw the album…They didn’t pick the creepy picture of that dark figure standing in a desolate area for the album cover…They didn’t pick the upside-down cross for the inside art. They simply made the music, and let their manager do what he thought was best.
40 years later, and Black Sabbath still kicks ass. Granted, there has been a lot going on with the band, from Iommi suing Live Nation to Ozzy suing Iommi, to Iommi, Geezer and Ward working with Dio in Heaven and Hell. But it doesn’t matter…Black Sabbath rocked 40 years ago, and they still do.
I was fortunate enough to see the original Black Sabbath – as I’m sure many of you were – at an Ozzfest back in 2004. Yes, the guys are a little older than they once were, but it was still a hell of a show…and from what I understand from reading books/articles and hearing stories, they’ve always put on killer shows. My dad saw the band at Memorial Hall in Kansas City back in the 70’s and said it was insane. He had front row seats and the one thing he will never forget is Ozzy picking up one of the monitors and throwing it across the stage.
So…40 years and we’re still talking about Black Sabbath. 40 years and we’re still listening to Black Sabbath. You got any cool stories? Wanna talk about Black Sabbath? I’m just like you: a fan…I’m not a historian, I’m not a genius on the band…I’m just a fan. Leave a comment and throw your 2 cents in, man!
–F ‘Em Up
Alright…I’ve had Hellbilly Deluxe 2 in my hands for almost a week now and I think I’ve listened to it enough to form an opinion on it. Let me say that I’m a huge Zombie fan, so I might be just a bit impartial. I loved Educated Horses. I loved the Educated Horses tour. I loved the Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour, and guess what? I love Hellbilly Deluxe 2.
I love Zombie’s new album for different reasons than I loved Educated Horses. The thing about Educated Horses was it was stripped down. It ROCKED, and it used very little sampling…It was just the band rocking out and recording it.
Hellbilly Deluxe 2 goes back to what Rob Zombie is known for…Sampling audio tracks and absolutely crushing, crunchy, dirty, fuzzy rock. You can tell that Zombie has found a band that finally works perfectly together. Zombie, John 5, Piggy D and Tommy all mesh well together. You can hear it in this album. In fact, at times, it almost seems like a John 5 album.
John 5 has got some killer riffs on this album, and every once in awhile it felt like it was his song, instead of Rob Zombie’s song. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, I’ve just never heard that from a Zombie song before.
I love the CD. Besides the obvious kick ass music that’s on the album, the CD booklet is one of the coolest I’ve seen. Check it out. Crank it up. You won’t be disappointed.
Want a taste of it? You’ve heard What?. You’ve heard Sick Bubblegum. You’ve heard Werewolf Women of the SS. They all rock. Another rockin’ tune? Jesus Frankenstein. Mars Needs Women. And my personal favorite, Werewolf Baby.
Enjoy.
–F ‘Em Up
From Spinner.com:
Though there have been many posthumous releases from Jimi Hendrix’s archives since his tragic death, the recently-announced ‘Valleys of Neptune’ isn’t meant to be a “lost” album. Rather, it’s a look at the creative period in Hendrix’s life between the 1968 release of ‘Electric Ladyland’ and his legendary appearance at Woodstock the following summer.
“In the aftermath of ‘Electric Ladyland,’ he made a series of recordings with the original Experience,” co-producer, author and Experience Hendrix catalog director John McDermott tells Spinner. “When they effectively stopped working as a three-man recording unit, he brought in [bassist] Billy Cox — this album captures that transition. We don’t want to over-dramatize it. This is that missing period of time.”
The dozen tracks on ‘Valleys of Neptune’ reflect a time where Hendrix, finding his way with a new band while fighting contractual problems, was blossoming creatively. Featuring reworked hits like ‘Fire’ and ‘Red House’ as well as fully-realized songs that have never officially been released, the album shows that Hendrix was embarking in a new direction, one that would later be heard on ‘Band of Gypsys.’
The album will be released on March 9th. Just for you, here’s a little preview of it…the title track, “Valleys of Neptune.” Enjoy, and get ready for the Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour on March 16th at The Uptown…I can’t wait for it!
–F ‘Em Up
Are you ready for it?
Tomorrow is the day for you my Rockaholic fried to once again reap the benefits of your Rockaholic status!
Yes, it is time for another Low Dough show and this is going to be a hell of a show!
Sevendust and Drowning Pool!
For $9.89?
Hell, you cant go to a movie for that anymore.
Not sure if you have had a chance to see either of these bands before but both of them put on a show that you will never forget.
The sheer intensity of Sevendust will stick with you.
Drowning Pool…What can I say I have always been a huge fan of them!
Ok, enough of the sell.
Get over to the main page and make sure that you are a Rockaholic and be ready to jump in tomorrow morning for your tickets!
Ill see you at the show!
M
Alright…It’s not like I’m reaching into the classic rock vault, or talking about a throwback album from way back when. I want to talk about Three Days Grace’s second studio album, “One-X.” It was released in 2006, so it’s not old, but it’s not new. But it’s an album definitely worth discussing.
I’ve never been a huge Three Days Grace fan. I’ve always liked what they do, always enjoyed the singles, but never went beyond that. The song we’re playing now, “Break,” in my opinion is one of the best songs on the air. But I didn’t ever really get into the albums of Three Day Grace…Until about a few days ago.
If you’ve ventured onto this blog before, you know that I’m remodeling my house. I moved from Downtown KC (Sorry Nivens!) and bought a house in suburbia that needed some work, which then turned into a lot of work. I was doing some drywall work the other night, had my iPod in my pocket and decided to listen to Three Days Grace’s “Riot.” Nivens recommended this song, and I get requests for it every once in awhile. I figured I’d give it a shot.
I loved it. I listened to it about 5 times in a row, each time it got a little louder in my headphones. Maybe not the perfect drywall music (what the hell really is?), but it still got me fired up. So I thought to myself, if “Riot” is this good, what else is on One-X?
Let me tell you, if you haven’t given it a shot, pick up “One-X,” and listen to it from beginning to end, front to back, left to right, whatever. You’re gonna dig it. Of course you’ve got the songs like “Animal I Have Become” and “Pain,” but you also got “Riot” (obviously), “Never Too Late,” “Get Out Alive,” and “On My Own.” Basically, the entire album is pretty rad.
Sooo…Maybe I just suck and should’ve listened to this album the day it came out, but I figured better late than never. If it’s good music, it doesn’t matter if it came out 50 years ago, yesterday, or in this case, nearly 4 years ago…It’s still good music!
Enjoy this little ditty, set to one of the most bad-ass films of all time, “300.” If this doesn’t make you want to punch someone in the face, I don’t know what will.
–F ‘Em Up
Alright…So, 2009 is almost finished. Personally, the year flew by. A lot of ups and downs, a lot of surprises, a lot of EVERYTHING happened this past year.
I don’t know about you, but I had a blast.
Probably the crowning jewel of 2009 was Rockfest. The coolest part about this year’s Rockfest is that YOU GUYS bought 43,000 tickets during the Rockaholics presale. Yeah, that’s right…you listeners nearly sold it out in less than a week. How badass is that? And besides that, the day was awesome. From Korn all the way to Crooked X, Rockfest 2009 was incredible. I’m guessing you agree with me?
From the Low Dough shows to Twisted Christmas and The Big Ball coming up in just a couple days, 2009 was ripe with killer shows and nights most of us won’t forget (we may not remember them, but that’s for a different reason!). And besides shows, a lot of great music was released…I’m gonna give you a list of some of my favorite Rock titles that came out this year:
That’s just a list. It’s in no certain order…BUT, I feel like I’d be a gigantic douche if I didn’t give you my top 5 Rock albums of 2009…not that you care, but I would feel incomplete without it. So humor me if you will. Drumroll please!!
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1. Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue
I loved this album when it first came out. I had high expectations, and to be honest, it met all of them. BUT, I didn’t realize how absolutely kickass this album was until last week when I was driving to Christmas dinner…Since we were driving about 40 mph in the snow, our normal 45 minute drive was extended long enough to listen to this album in its entirety, each track back to back to back. This album is AWESOME. By far, my favorite disc of 2009. And AIC is coming to KC in February! Hell yes! |
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2. Mudvayne – Mudvayne
I’m a big Mudvayne fan. I’ve always been, and I’m guessing I always will be. From the first time I heard “Scream With Me,” the new single off of this album, on the Rock to now listening to the entire album, I am a fan. I think you will be, too. Seriously. The opening track, “Beautiful and Strange” sets the pace for the rest of the CD. It rocks! |
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3. The Black Crowes- Before the Frost…Until the Freeze
The Black Crowes are one of the greatest rock bands around right now. They do a great job of mixing their own rock style with classic blues, and the outcome flat out rocks. Their latest album was recorded in Levon Helm’s barn studio in Woodstock in front of a very small crowd of BC fans…So this is a pretty unique experience as far as albums go. It delivers the studio quality you’d expect, but also the attitude that comes with live performances. AND, when you buy the physical CD (Before the Frost), you get a download code for the second disc (Until the Freeze) for free. |
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4. Breaking Benjamin – Dear Agony
I love Breaking Benjamin. I was excited when they headlined Twisted Christmas, especially since it was after their latest album released, so we could plan on hearing new tracks live! From the opening “Fade Away” to the ending, crushing “Without You,” Dear Agony, in my opinion, takes you back to the days of Saturate. I think you’ll dig it if you’re the slightest fan of BB. |
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5. Five Finger Death Punch – War is the Answer
With a title like that, you’d expect this album to absolutely crush it…And it does just that. From beginning to end, this disc is everything you’ve come to love about 5FDP and more. One of the highlights of the new album is their rendition of “Bad Company,” which you heard live at Freaker’s Ball this year! If you like it hard and heavy, you’ll definitely love the new 5FDP! |
So there it is…My Top 5 Albums of the year. Throw in your 2 cents and let me know some of your favorite music from 2009! Should be fun to see what comes out of 2010 (ROB ZOMBIE!!).
I hope you guys have your tickets for the New Year’s Eve Big Ball…it’s gonna be a hell of a way to say goodbye to 2009 and hello 2010!
–F ‘Em Up
Alright…you’ve heard us play it…The brand new song from Slipknot, off of their latest album All Hope Is Gone. Now, check out the video for “Snuff.” I think it’s a killer song, and this video is wicked. It’s pretty weird, but I’d expect nothing less from the guys in Slipknot. Enjoy!
–F ‘Em Up
So as we near the end of 2009, obviously there are a ton of “Best Of” lists popping up…and not even just for this past year, but for the decade, too (See Rolling Stone’s latest issue). I’m sure I’ll throw my two cents in here in a few days as far as my “Best Of” goes, but not yet.
Right now, I want to see who you think are some of the greatest guitarists of all time…I know, that’s a fairly loaded proposal, eh? But seriously, think about the greats we still listen to. I want to know who you think are the best…Just throw your ideas out there.
I think I will have to say that my number one guitarist of all time is the late, the great Jimi Hendrix. This is no surprise, and probably won’t stray from many people’s opinions either. But if you go back and listen to the music he created and today listen to the music that is obviously inspired by it, I think you’ll have a huge respect for the man.
As far as other greats go, I’ll throw out Kirk Hammet of Metallica. Mighty Metallica is my all time favorite band, and I’ve always been fascinated with Hammet. The dude is insane. I think it’s safe to put Jimmy Page on a list of top guitarists of all time, too.
Your list doesn’t have to stick strictly to rock and roll…a lot of the old time greats were blues or country guitarists that have influenced the music we listen to today. Think about it…Chuck Berry, BB King, Buddy Guy, Robert Johnson.
And there’s guitarists that aren’t recognizable by name, but are definitely recognizable by their music…The one that comes to my mind is Luther Dickinson. I think this guy is in the top five guitarists alive today, maybe number one in my book. Currently, he jams out with The Black Crowes. If you’ve listened to their “Warpaint” album or their latest “Before the Frost…Until the Freeze,” you’ve heard his stuff. I’ve seen him live multiple times, and he is absolutely incredible at what he does.
There’s also guitar greats that might not be the shredder that Hammet is or the bluesy type that Hendrix was, but are still influential and unique…Take Adam Jones of Tool or Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide or Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine…All these guys are insane on the guitar, but in such a different way than Page or Dickinson.
Who could forget Angus Young, even? He has created some of the most well-known guitar riffs of all time, and if you’ve ever seen AC/DC live, you know that he is definitely capable of melting your face for 15 minutes straight.
And of course, there’s those other guitarists…those really, really, really, really good guitarists that don’t quite fit in any category…guitarists like Gary Hoey, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.
So what do you think? Who are your favorite guitarists, most influential guitarists or just hands down the all-time most badass guitarists you’ve ever heard?!?!?!?!!??!
Give ‘em up! Leave a comment below and let’s see who’s out there.
–F ‘Em Up
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