You’re So Ugly

In celebration of the re-mastered, re-packaged, re-release of Atmosphere‘s God Loves Ugly, an email was sent my way…

With today’s release of the re-issue of the Atmosphere classic God Loves Ugly we thought we’d give you an opportunity to show off your own ugly mug at www.youresougly.com. Upload a picture or take one with your webcam and just like that you’ll have your very own God Loves Ugly cover. Share it with your friends, add it as your social networking profile picture or print it off and use it as a brand new cover for your repackaged, remastered and uglier than ever God Loves Ugly CD. Now get over to www.youresougly.com and start uglying up the place!

I admit it is a humorous concept idea giving fans a change to emulate their own face where Slug‘s originally is, but I just couldn’t do it.  I did find a few that were posted on the site that humored me though:

If you have not heard of Atmosphere I do want to let you know they are a surfacing one time independent underground hip hop duo.  If you are not into hip hop then you should just move on, but if you do like hip hop they are an act you should know about already.

I have adored Atmosphere since I first checked out God Loves Ugly when it debuted.  At the time I worked at an underpaying under appreciated record store and a copy was put in front of me by a co-worker.  He told me to take it home and listen to it.  I was hooked immediately and have loved every release by the duo since.

With there independent success Atmosphere had a high underground fan base.  It was almost a treat of sorts to know who they were and to be a fan as they were unknown in the mainstream.  That soon changed for them as they were just that good.

Many former fans fell off the bandwagon as the duo achieved stardom with their slick beats and intelligent lyrics.  Soon former fans were calling them sellouts and boycotting their future releases, I myself did not have a problem with their success and remained a fan.  I was even fortunate enough to catch them at the 2006 Bonnaroo.  I must say their set that day was a highlight of that hot, humid day.

They continue to be an impressive act to follow and show no signs of slowing down with their 2008 release When Life Gives You Lemons…You Paint That S@#t Gold.  Again, there were some folk calling them sellouts and saying how terrible the album was compared to their underground material, but to each their own.  I like the old and the new.

Now that God Loves Ugly has been reissued you have a chance to see what they used to sound like before the spotlights took aim.

Check out the following to pick up a copy for yourself:
Fifth Element Online
Buy God Lives Ugly @ Amazon.Com

Video anyone???

01-20-2009

Today is a day that people will be talking about for years to come.  Today is a day that will stand out in history.

Today is a great day.

That’s right folks I speak of the event that is happening today that are making people around the world talk.  The event, in case you are out of the loop, is my birthday.

Yup, today happens to be the first day I opened my eyes the year punk was born.

I happen to share my birthday with quite a few important people too.  In no real order: David Lynch, Bill Maher, Skeet Ulrich, Rob Bourdon (Linkin Park), Sid Wilson (Slipknot), ?uestlove (The Roots), Tracii Guns (Guns N Roses), Greg Kriesel (The Offspring), Nicky Wire (Manic Street Preechers), and Derrick Green (Sepultura).

I will gladly accept presents from anyone.  I accept Paypal as well.

You can stop shaking your head now…

Today is an important day with an important inauguration.  Now I try to stray away from my political/religious views on this site at all costs, but today deserves at least some mention of the day.

I look forward to the Change.

Today starts CHANGE.

by Shepard Fairey
by Derek Hess