Category Archives: Rock

Live Shows, Metal, Music, Music Video, New Wave, Punk, Random, Rock

Bad Religion @ Cleveland Agora – 1996

11 September, 2008 Brian Mc 2 Comments

Wow did I ever find a gem today on YouTube.

For almost 20 minutes this evening I flashed back to one of my favorite concerts ever 12 years ago. I remember the line up vividly. It was The Gray Race Tour featuring Bad Religion with special guests Unwritten Law and Dance Hall Crashers at the infamous Cleveland Agora.

I was fresh out of high school, reckless, and an avid punk rocker. I went to the show with a big group of friends….we took our friend’s mom’s van that had the worst suspension ever. In fact we had to turn around on route 422 and swap the van out with another friend’s mom’s van.

One thing I recall about that show was there there were cameras all over the place, professional cameras. The cameras were on the balconies of the Agora as well as on the shoulders of cameramen. My friends and I got excited because we were going to be filmed during the performance. We hoped it would be released on VHS (that’s right kids, DVDs did not exist back then).

I owe that tour for introducing SoCal Surf/Skate punk rockers Unwritten Law to me. I am still a fan of them today. During their performance I noticed the cameras were not rolling so we all agreed that the camera were there only for Bad Religion.

When Bad Religion took stage we all went insane. I remember moshing and dancing and just acting like a complete fool. At times I was just falling on people and letting them push me around as I sang at the top of my lungs. I was being a carefree 19 year old and was loving every moment of it. For the record, I was sober too…I got carded when I tried to buy beers….haha.

As the years passed I slowly forgot about that show. Since none of us could ever hunt down that footage of the show we all figured it was lost. A few weeks ago one of my buddies who went to that show with me called me telling me he saw some footage of the show on YouTube. I was in disbelief yet thrilled that it surfaced. Well thanks to my busy like I completely forgot about that phone conversation until today when I logged onto YouTube and looked it up.

Sure enough, it’s Bad Religion at the Cleveland Agora 1996. It was a sold out show. My friends and I were front row slightly to the right of center stage. I laughed when I saw the pit because I know I was a part of it. I remember it so clearly and now you can see what I experienced…

Part I:

Part II:

Other footage:

Funny, Music, Music Video, New Release, Rock

Chris Cornell Teaming Up With Timbaland

9 September, 2008 Brian Mc 3 Comments

Yes you read the title correctly…

If you would have asked me 15 years ago what I would think if the lead singer of Soundgarden would be teamed up with rap artist/producer Timbaland I would have called you crazy. I never would have thought that Chris Cornell would depart with the rock grunge band he started in, work on solo material, and then join a super group with members of Rage Against The Machine called Audioslave.

Well it happened…it all happened…

…and now Chris Cornell is releasing a solo album once again. This time with help from R&B / Hip-Hop producer Timbaland. How the hell did this happen???

Of course my curiosity got to me so I used my old friend the internet to hear this crazy combination. This is indeed an interesting mix and after listening to samples of ‘Watch Out” and “Ground Zero” on his MySpace page I must say I’m not sure if I like what I hear. The beats created by Timbaland mixed with Chris Cornell’s vocals make for a sound reminding me of Gnarls Barkley mixed with Jamiroquai. “Long Gone” another sample track almost upsets me to hear this once rocker toy with pop rock. Chris Cornell’s voice is still amazing but I just do not know about this…

Before I say other comments I’ll just wait until Scream is released on Oct. 14th.

Chris Cornell time line….

Once upon a time this was Chris Cornell:

One of my favs:

Years later:

EDIT:

My good buddy Matt and I spoke tonight and he commented on how he got a kick out of my Chris Cornell time line. We joked about how now Soundgarden will NEVER reunite now. You see, Chris Cornell stated back in 2005 that Soundgarden would probably never reunite. From the looks of things I am pretty sure the remaining members of Soundgarden will never want to be associated with him. After my phone call with Matt from AddictedToVinyl.Com I decided I should elaborate a little more about my humor towards Mr. Chris Cornell.

Matt and I joked about a pseudo phone conversation between Chris Cornell and once guitarist Kim Thayil of Soundgarden.

It would go something like this:

Chris: “Hey Kim”

Kim: “Chris”

Chris: “Kim, I just had to call you and tell you about what I have been doing lately”

Kim: “Ok…”

Chris: “I knew you would want to hear!”

Kim: “…”

Chris: “So yeah, I was thinking about what I could do to totally make myself look even cooler than I already am. I decided what could I, Chris Cornell, do that has never been done by a once grunge rockstar turned supergroup rock hero. I decided to put out a album called ‘Scream’ with help from my newest friend on the block, Timbaland”

Kim: “What? You did what?”

Chris: “Yeah! I know!”

Kim: “Chris, are you even listening to me?”

Chris: “Exactly.”

Kim: “Umm…”

Chris: “Good question! I wanted to completely ruin my image by putting out a pop album with glorified beats. I wanted to disregard everything I have ever done by putting out an album named after one of Timbaland’s hit songs. I wanted to record garbage.

Kim: “And you are telling me this because?”

Chris: “I am going to take over the world. My new album not only will be the greatest album ever made, it will also prove to the world how awesome I am and they will all bow to my feet. I will bathe in glory. I am wonderful… my voice is all controlling… I will rule the… ”

Kim: “That is not possible, I already contributed to Probot.”

Chris: “Money, glory, fame…”

Kim: “I have to go now”

Chris: “My hair will turn to gold, I will become a robot like Michael Jackson did in Moonwalker and I will save all the lost children…”

Kim: “Bye Chris, I have to go out and be a musician.”

Chris: “Mr. Big you look out! I am power.”

Funny, Music, Music Video, Rock

Oklahoma, “Do You Realize?”

8 September, 2008 Brian Mc 2 Comments

The song is amazing. I think about my wife when I hear this song because let’s face it, I love her to death and think she is the most beautiful person in the world. Beautiful song to listen to while thinking about a beautiful girl…. awwww… I’m a sweetheart.

Recently Oklamhoma nominated the Flaming Lips as a contender for the official rock song for the state of Oklahoma. Nine other finalists also have the opportunity to have their song declared the official Oklahoma rock song. Artists who were nominated all have history in Oklahoma be it they were born there or someone from the pan handle state had something to do with a rock song that became a hit.

From September 1 to November 15 the public will vote to decide the Official State of Oklahoma Rock Song. The winning song will be presented to the State Legislature in 2009 to make it official. Votes will be taken via their website that was created called OklahomaRockSong.Org.

I think it is a great idea to give a band the opportunity to hold the title of having a song be the state song, but I have a question…

Oklahoma people who nominated The Flaming Lips…have you actually read into the song? Beautiful and deep, talking about happiness through the reality of knowing death…a little depressing to me. Still, I hope they get it.

The Lyrics:

Do You Realize – that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize – we’re floating in space
Do You Realize – that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize – that everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes – let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It’s hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn’t go down
It’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize – Oh – Oh – Oh
Do You Realize – that everyone you know
Someday will die –

Do You Realize – that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize

For more info check out Yahoo Music!

Emo, Music, Music Video, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock, Screamo

Hawthorne Heights – Fragile Future – CD Review

4 September, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

A lot has been going on for Ohio’s screamo act Hawthorne Heights since their last release. Having said goodbye to a friend and band mate as well as dropping a lawsuit with Victory Records, the band continues to cope and mature throughout. Not letting the past affect them in a downward way, the band proves they refuse to stop with Fragile Future, their third release on Victory Records.

On November 27, 2007 Hawthorne Heights guitarist/screamer Casey Calvert was found dead on the band’s tour bus just prior to their sound check at a Washington D.C. music club. The cause of death was determined to be a possible drug interaction but according to the band’s drummer Eron Bucciarelli it was not a result of hardcore partying but an accident as Casey Calvert was taking other medicines from a recent root canal.

With the death of a loved one the band stated they would continue to go on and never add another guitarist/screamer to their band. After taking some time to themselves and writing new material the band hopes to once again achieve success with Fragile Future even though this time they are one man down.

Of course, the first thing that stands out on this release is the omitted vicious screaming. It would appear that Hawthorne Heights did not even wish to replicate their lost friend’s talent and that, to me, is respectable. Also dropping the lawsuit with Victory Records and patching up past decisions proved the band is on the rise.

When “The Business Of Paper Stars” started I was waiting for the well known screaming backing up lead singer J.T. Woodruff but instead imagined it in my head. There is plenty of opportunity in the song for screaming but the band strays away from that and is now more emo.

Their healed sound continues in “Until The Judgment Day” with memorable lyrics of being “battered and broken” as well as “don’t look back, don’t you ever look back until the judgment day”. Looks as if the band put down the boom box to win the girl attitude and started to see there are more things in life out there.

“Four Became One” was the track I was looking for on this CD, knowing how they lost Casey Calvert. The song really is about the band’s closure with the difficult situation they were subject to. It’s an ode to their friend for the entire world to hear. Having lost friends in my past, I felt their pain in this song.

“321” is the closest song on the CD that shows aggression with a mild screaming dwelling behind the singing. The guitar playing is likable and heavier than the other tracks making for one of my choice cuts. “Come Back Home (Reprise)” was another track that held on to the the old style, especially with borrowed lyrics from “This Is Who We Are” off their sophomore album If Only You Were Lonely.

Fans of Hawthorne Heights will be happy the band continued on and with their change of style and I can see some new folk becoming fans. It is a change, especially if you put this CD in hoping to hear the screamo. This is not their strongest album to date but the fact that they did not let the past hold them back makes them a tough band now. Hawthorn Heights defines the emo genre now that they have experienced true sorrow. Mature and structured, I expect much more from this band in years to come.

Check out their lastest video for the song “Rescue Me”:

Music, Rock

Scott Weiland To Release Second Solo Album

3 September, 2008 Brian Mc 1 Comment

Looks like Scott Weiland is going to try things on his own once again. It’s been about 10 years since he released his first solo attempt 12 Bar Blues under Atlantic. This time around the on-again off-again Stone Temple Pilots (STP) lead front (and once Velvet Revolver front) is releasing Happy under his own label Softdrive.

The CD is scheduled for release on November 18^th and will be featuring guest appearances by members of No Doubt (bassist Tony Kanal, guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young). Happy was produced by Weiland and co-produced by Doug Grean (STP, Velvet Revolver, Sheryl Crow, The Crystal Method).

I am very curious to hear this CD as I was a huge fan of Weiland’s first solo commercial failure. In fact I even was so lucky to catch the solo tour for 12 Bar Blues that was canceled shortly after due to Weiland going to the slammer for buying heroin in Manhattan. It was at the Odeon in Cleveland and I was glad I saw him support his debut just before the tour was canceled. I found it funny that he got busted for drugs but at the same time I felt bad for him.

Many know the success that Weiland has held with STP and Velvet Revolver but many also know his troubles with substance abuse. Earlier this year he departed from Velvet Revolver without much notice and reunited with STP. He is a rock star after all…he can do what he wants.

With song titles like “Missing Cleveland” and “Paralysis” I really am excited to see what Happy will sound like. Currently Weiland continues to tour with Stone Temple Pilots until the end of October. Weiland will then embark on his own tour in support of Happy starting in November.

Let’s see if he can make it through the whole scheduled tour this time. I missed my chance at seeing STP at the 2008 Virgin Fest last month as I chose to view Bob Dylan (big mistake) and really would like to see Scott Weiland before the year’s end.