Music
My Favourite Greatest Hits Collections
Published May 10, 2008 @ 15:25 in Lists, Music
Greatest Hits albums are a great way to introduce yourself to a musician, especially when you're too young to appreciate the meat of an artist's career. I was just reading a list of the best "best of" albums, and it got me thinking about my favourite "Greatest Hits" collections.
Neil Young - Decade
Why It Mattered
In the 1980s, I was a member of Columbia House. You got a bunch of CDs for a penny if you bought a certain amount at regular price over the next few years or something like that. From Columbia House, I ordered Neil Young's double album Decade and I was smitten. If you don't know Neil, start with this compilation and fall in love.
Alice In Chains - Greatest Hits
Why It Mattered
Only ten songs deep, this is Dirt and more. If I just want a power punch of 90s nostalgia, this is my go-to album. Everyone talks about Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Alice In Chains belongs in that group.
The Beatles - Red and Blue double albums
Why It Mattered
The red one covered 1962–1966 and the blue one covered 1967-1970 and if you missed the 60s this was an awesome way to familiarize oneself with the Beatles catalogue. Four CDs in total, all the hits are here from arguably the best band in the history of rock n' roll.
Blue Rodeo - Greatest Hits
Why It Mattered
I started out as a Blue Rodeo fan. I loved "Try" and "Diamond Mine", but then I lost track of these guys. Maybe I felt they were a little too country for me, I dunno, but this fantastic greatest hits compilation reminded me how awesome Blue Rodeo are.
Alice Cooper - Greatest Hits
Why It Mattered
In the late 80s and very early 90s I would hang at Joe's where his brother Frank would show off their stereo that actually went to 11. They cranked a lot of Ozzy and Van Halen and Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits. The Ozzy was alright and the Van Halen was okay, but the Alice Cooper struck a chord. I still love this album.
The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks
Why It Mattered
For people born in the 70s or later, Hot Rocks should be a prescribed rite of passage. My father had this double album in vinyl and that's when I first discovered it. It's hit laden, as you can imagine, and even though I don't consider myself a Rolling Stones fan today, I most definitely was for a few years in the 80s thanks to Hot Rocks.
James Taylor - Greatest Hits
Why It Mattered
This is actually the only James Taylor album I own and I don't feel compelled to buy another. "Sweet Baby James", song #4 on this compact disc, had such an impact on me, I named my first born son after it.
Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits
Why It Mattered
Such sweet melodies, such a wonderful blend of voices, such American classics. I had to to play a little catch-up here so I delved into their Greatest Hits while in high school. Their recordings are just so damn pretty I'd pause Appetite for Destruction just to chill to "The Sounds of Silence".
Kenny Rogers - Greatest Hits
Why It Mattered
Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Why does Kenny Roger's Greatest Hits matter? It's all right here in black and white. When it comes to the music you like, where you come from will always play a role.
Bob Marley - Legend
Why It Mattered
Speaking of rites of passage, Legend from Bob Marley is essential listening for every teenager. I've since accumulated several other Bob Marley albums, but I still find myself going back to Legend when I'm in the mood for a little reggae.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Skynyrd's Innyrds
Why It Mattered
I must confess, for a period in the early 90s, I really got into "Free Bird". There's a ten minute outtake version that appears on Skynyrd's Innyrds that I would play over and over and over again. I'm not ashamed to admit I still love that version.
Janis Joplin - Greatest Hits
Why It Mattered
I'm still searching for a female voice in rock that can do what Janis did. Some say Pearl is all you need from Janis, but Pearl doesn't have "Piece of My Heart" or "Summertime".
Billy Idol - Vital Idol
Why It Mattered
Between Duran Duran and Guns N' Roses, there was Billy Idol. Billy Idol remixed the hits form his first two albums and released Vital Idol in 1987. Actually, I'm told it came out in 1985, but I didn't buy the cassette until 1987. I've since picked up the CD (which is now ripped to MP3) because it is, after all, vital Idol.
The Guess Who - The Best of the Guess Who
Why It Mattered
As a kid, I really only knew "American Woman" and "These Eyes" until I heard "Share the Land" on Q107. I needed to hear what else these Winnipeggers were up to as they paved the way for the many Canadian bands I already had in my Walkman. This album introduced me to "Laughing", "No Time", "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" and other fantastic Cummings / Bachman classics.
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Chronicle
Why It Mattered
CCR was an absolutely brilliant rock band with that swampy Southern feel. If you're about my age, or younger, this is really all you need. It's 20 of their best singles essential listening for anyone with a pulse.
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Sunday Morning Showdown
Published April 13, 2008 @ 18:35 in Music
Ok, kids. It's a "Sunday Morning" showdown. Everyone gets one vote in the comments, make your voice heard.
Which is the best "Sunday Morning?"
No Doubt - Sunday Morning
The Velvet Underground - Sunday Morning
K-OS - Sunday Morning
Maroon 5 - Sunday Morning
Earth, Wind & Fire - Sunday Morning
Julian Lennon - Sunday Morning
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I Liked That? Get The Funk Out!
Published March 25, 2008 @ 17:06 in Music
I got asked an interesting question the other day. I was asked what was the most embarrassing thing on my iPod. My thoughts instantly turned to some rather cheesy late-80s rap I still enjoy, then I wondered if it could be Kelly Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone". The question had me revisiting the cheesier tunes and artists I've enjoyed over the years.
Without a doubt, the most embarrassing album in my collection is Vanilla Ice's To The Extreme. I actually refused to rip that album to MP3 for years for fear people would point and laugh at me as I walked the streets of Toronto. Less embarrassing than that, but equally concerning to me now, is the fact I really liked Extreme's Pornograffiti.
Pornograffiti hooked me with "Get The Funk Out". I was really enjoying the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the time, and Extreme seemed to be cut from the same funky rock cloth. It didn't take long for me to realize I was betting on the wrong horse and way off base. When "More Than Words" broke, I was out like Buster Douglas.
Here's a song I can't believe I liked. Don't tell anyone, k?
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The Curious Cultural Journey of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"
Published March 6, 2008 @ 13:02 in Gord Downie's Hallelujah, Music
The Curious Cultural Journey of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" - Earlier this week, a contestant on American Idol sang Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". The dude did a pretty good job (yes, I saw it, but this isn't about that) and Simon mentioned it was one of his favourite tunes. I get the idea that's true of a great number of people with whom this song resonates.
Although Jeff Buckley's cover has the most fans, I've written extensively about the Gord Downie cover of "Hallelujah" that appears in the movie Saint Ralph. Rarely a day goes by that I don't hear from someone who has come across an entry on that page and wants me to share the MP3.
With this AI exposure, the curious cultural journey of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" continues, and I'm just happy to play a small role in the whole fantastic percolation. This link is to a source that does a thorough job of analyzing the whole thing, complete with graphs and charts. It's great reading for any "Hallelujah" fan, but when you're done, don't forget to check out my Gord Downie's "Hallelujah" collection.
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Falling Slowly Redeems Oscar
Published February 25, 2008 @ 19:44 in Music
I watched most of the Academy Awards last night. At around 11pm I bailed, but I caught all five musical performances. This entry is about the five songs I saw performed last night.
Three of the five songs were just awful. Not average or mediocre but awful. "Happy Working Song", "So Close" and "That's How You Know" from Enchanted were so unappealing, I don't know how they got nominated.
A little better was "Raise It Up" from August Rush. It wasn't anything special, but it didn't suck. Buried in the rubble, however, was a wonderful gem of a song by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. "Falling Slowly", from Once, was a stunning little composition that completely stole the show. If you missed it, here's the performance from last night.
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Rhianna and Klaxons Mash It at Brits 2008
Published February 21, 2008 @ 20:49 in Music
I completely missed The Brit Awards this year. That's too bad because I always enjoy the Brits. In this new age of YouTube, however, all is not lost.
Rhianna mashed her hit "Umbrella" with the Klaxons "Golden Skans" and the result was pretty cool. Check this out.
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Songerize Plays the Songs in Your Head
Published February 8, 2008 @ 18:09 in Music
Songerize is an "I feel lucky" button for SEEQPOD, a site I wrote about a year ago.
You simply enter a song name and artist and it plays the first MP3 it comes across on the web that fits the bill. It doesn't host any music, it just finds the audio file hosted by someone else and plays it in milliseconds. It's a lot of fun.
I gave it my standard test. One song that should be everywhere, one song I'm digging lately, one song that my buddy released and one song that's obscure enough it would be impressive if it found it.
You're probably curious what four songs fit the bill today. Here they are with everything but the Hayden track playing right away.
- Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
- Funeral - Band of Horses
- Hey Mister - Custom
- Take - Hayden
Well done, Songerize. Well done...
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Body Of War Boasts Many Faves
Published February 7, 2008 @ 19:33 in Music
A two-disc collection entitled "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran" is due March 18, and it boasts many of my favourite artists. You might recall Eddie Vedder performed last September at the Toronto International Film Festival to promote the documentary of the same name.
Joining Mr. Ed Vedder on this album will be favourite native son Neil Young, Serj Tankian, Ben Harper and Tom Morello. Here's Eddie discussing the music for Body of War.
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Who's Your Grateful Dead?
Published February 5, 2008 @ 12:42 in Music
Bob Weir, Phil Lesh and Mickey Hart reunited yesterday for the first time in four years to back Barack Obama. Weir, Lesh and Hart are the three surviving members of the Grateful Dead. "Deadhead" has become the generic term for super loyal fans who tour with a band as opposed to merely catching them when they hit town. This begs the question, if you were to be a Deadhead, who would be your Grateful Dead?
Chatting about Blue Rodeo recently with SoccerMom, she remarked that they were her Grateful Dead. A couple of bands jump out at me as my Grateful Dead, but I'd have to go with The Tragically Hip. If I had the time and the means I'd gladly tour with The Hip and catch them night after night.
Now it's your turn. Who would be your Grateful Dead if you could be a Deadhead?
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Louie Louie Is Still In Effect
Published February 4, 2008 @ 11:43 in Music
In June of 2006 I wrote about "Louie, "Louie", a 1990 remix of the song by Young MC featuring the rap stylings of our very own Maestro Fresh-Wes.
For years this song only lived in my memories. I couldn't find it anywhere. This morning I awoke to find it in my inbox. Another Mike found my entry, had the song and sent it my way.
And that, in a nutshell, is why I so thoroughly enjoy this little hobby of mine. I'll share the song with you all Wednesday.
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Let Your Backbone Slide
Published January 30, 2008 @ 19:29 in Music
I learnt a lot about my sacroiliac today, and it's giving me a case of deja vu. Where do I know sacroiliac from?
Oh yes, the year was 1989 and Canada's greatest rap song had just been released. I heard it once, was hooked right away, and learnt the lyrics. Of course, I'm talking about Maestro Fresh-Wes' "Let Your Backbone Slide" which contained the lyric "So many suckers on my sacroiliac".
And yes, the 12 inch below is really mine. Call me a hip-hop, tip-tac-tition.
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Black Music for White People
Published January 25, 2008 @ 08:53 in Music
Back in '91, I listened to a lot of Shabba Ranks. Don't look so surprised. I wasn't just about the grunge scene. A friend turned me on to Shabba and I spent a lot of time listening to As Raw As Ever and other singles from the popular Jamaican dancehall recording artist.
The other day I dropped a Shabba lyric while with a non-white friend and he winced. He told me Shabba Ranks was reggae for white people. I was shocked. I only have a white person's perspective, and I just assumed non-white people enjoyed Shabba as much as I did.
Since this enlightening discussion I've revisited my Shabba Ranks collection and I've realized two things. Firstly, it's far cheesier music than I remember it being 17 years ago, and secondly, the fact it's poppy reggae probably means it's black music for white people.
Shabba!
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My Ten Favourite Songs of 2007
Published December 29, 2007 @ 11:10 in Lists, Music, Videos
Oh 2007, where have you gone? It seems like only a year ago you showed up, all fresh and new. Now, it's time to say goodbye.
It wasn't easy trying to come up with my ten favourite songs from 2007. I had "Nature of the Experiment" from Tokyo Police Club on here before I realized it was released in 2006. Same for "Lazy Eye" from Silversun Pickups. Then, I had a couple of Arcade Fire tunes on here before I started making cuts. It turns out I like Neon Bible better as an album than a collection of singles.
Here's my 10 favourite songs of 2007 complete with videos so you can hear the great tunes you missed this year.
10. "Flathead" by The Fratellis
9. "1234" by Feist
8. "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn & John
7. "The Last Fight" by Velvet Revolver
6. "The Pretender" by Foo Fighters
5. "Empty Walls" by Serj Tankian
4. "Backed Out On The..." by Kevin Drew
3. "Is There A Ghost" by Band of Horses
2. "Take Me To The Riot" by Stars
1. "Icky Thump" by The White Stripes
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12 Days of Christmas
Published December 22, 2007 @ 21:24 in Music
I've never liked "The Twelve Days of Christmas". It's so repetitive I'm usually bored by the third day. Bob and Doug's 12 beers of Christmas is fun, but is there a version of the proper song that isn't terribly boring?
I say there's one. This is John Denver singing with The Muppets and it's the one entertaining version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas".
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Songs for a Snowy Day: The Best Snow Songs
Published December 16, 2007 @ 12:03 in Lists, Music
I just scanned my collection for songs with "snow" in the title. Here are the best of the bunch.
Note the dominance of Canadian artists. This list is 50% CanCon. We write about what we know.
- Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- What The Snowman Learned About Love - Stars
- Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! - Dean Martin
- Snowsuit Sound - Sloan
- 20 Years of Snow - Regina Spektor
- Snowed In - Joel Plaskett Emergency
- Snowblind Friend - Steppenwolf
- Snowmobile Song - Stompin' Tom Conners
- By-Tor and the Snow Dog - Rush
- Snowbird - Anne Murray
- Footprints in the Snow - Mac Wiseman
- On a Snowy Christmas Night - Elvis Presley
- Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Snowmen - Barenaked Ladies
- Snow White Queen - Evanescence
- Snowblind - Black Sabbath
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John Lennon Loved Us
Published December 8, 2007 @ 15:40 in Music
It was twenty-seven years ago today that John Lennon was shot four times in the back by Mark Chapman. As my blogging years advance, it becomes harder to write these annual-type entries without repeating myself. As a result, I'm blatantly ripping off this entry I wrote four years ago today.
I was quite young at the time, but I remember a brief discussion in grade one that one of the Beatles had died. I knew the Beatles were famous and that this was a significant event, but only years later would I realize how significant it was.
A brilliant, peaceful man, it's terribly tragic that he'd be murdered at the young age of 40. Without a doubt my favourite Beatle, his songs had the most depth and sounded cooler than any of Paul's. His solo work was awesome as well and he always had a special relationship with the city of Toronto and Canada. He came here in May 1969 promoting world peace, praised Canada as the first nation to embrace his campaign for peace, played his first live performance outside of the Beatles at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival at Varsity Stadium and wrote and recorded "Give Peace A Chance" in Montreal.
Chapman has thus far cheated us of twenty-seven years of John Lennon's music. That really, really sucks.
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In Praise of the Long Song
Published December 7, 2007 @ 16:36 in Lists, Music
I discovered this Rolling Stone list after Fameone linked to it. It's the 50 best songs over 7 minutes long, and it's got me thinking...
What are my favourite songs over nine minutes in length? Here are my top ten.
- In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly (17:02)
- The End - The Doors (11:44)
- Xanadu - Rush (11:07)
- Cowgirl In The Sand - Neil Young (10:08)
- Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd (10:08)
- All I Want Is You - U2 (9:52)
- Born Slippy - Underworld (9:45)
- Down By The River - Neil Young (9:20)
- Jesus Of Suburbia - Green Day (9:08)
- Tainted Love - Soft Cell (9:01)
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More Cowbell
Published November 26, 2007 @ 21:29 in Lists, Music
I watched Christopher Walken demand more cowbell in an SNL skit over on Humble's blog and it got me thinking about songs that feature a cowbell.
Here are my ten favourite songs with cowbell. I need more cowbell!
- Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name
- Guns N' Roses - Mr. Brownstone
- Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies
- AC~DC - You Shook Me (All Night Long)
- Radiohead - Creep
- Queens of the Stone Age - Little Sister
- Mountain - Mississippi Queen
- War - Low Rider
- Tone Loc - Funky Cold Medina
- Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come
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Everyday Normal Guy Rap Song
Published November 26, 2007 @ 19:36 in Music
I can totally relate to this guy.
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Big Shiny Dominance
Published November 23, 2007 @ 19:38 in Music
If you're Canadian, and between 25 and 35 years old, you likely know Big Shiny Tunes. Big Shiny Tunes is a compilation MuchMusic started putting out in 1996. It was full of popular rock songs of the year and I used to collect 'em. Because the many editions of Big Shiny Tunes found their way into my collection, they've each got pages on this site.
My Big Shiny Tunes pages rule the Big Shiny universe. I really am the top web dog when it comes to Big Shiny Google ranking. Check this out.
Big Shiny Tunes is the best-selling album series in Canadian history.
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RHCP Sue Showtime Over Californication
Published November 20, 2007 @ 14:46 in Music, Television
My favourite news story of the day comes out of Los Angeles. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have sued Showtime Networks over the name of the television series "Californication," which is also the name of the band's 1999 album and a single on it.
I've written quite a bit about this David Duchovny show we get on TMN. It's a love/hate thing in that I love to hate it. I caught every episode and tore it to shreds with running commentary that my wife will confirm was funnier than the show.
When I first learnt they were calling the show "Californication", I thought it was an homage to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and I didn't think it infringed on copyright. I also noted a character was named Dani California, so they didn't try very hard to hide the name's inspiration. I hit Wikipedia to find out if RHCP invented this term, and there I learnt "Californication is a portmanteau of California and fornication, written about in Time on August 21, 1972 and seen on bumper stickers in the U.S. states of Colorado, Oregon and Idaho."
I can see why RHCP are pissed. If a show is going to bum your name, you want it to be a great deal better than this one.
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Charting Rap
Published November 19, 2007 @ 11:49 in Music
Metafilter linked to a site that's right up my alley. It's called rap represented in mathematical charts and graphs and if you're a fan of the genre, you'll find it pretty self explanatory and very funny.
Here's one of my favourites, based on Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day", not only one of my favourite rap songs, but one of my favourite songs... period.
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Parade Songs
Published November 17, 2007 @ 17:53 in Lists, Music
We're all set for tomorrow's Santa Claus parade. As mentioned, this will be my fourth year in a row attending the world's largest Santa Claus parade, and I'll bring my camera to try and snap each float as it rolls by.
Here are my entries and photosets from the last three parades.
Here are "parade" songs found in my collection.
- The Street Parade - The Clash
- The Soft Parade - The Doors
- Macy's Day Parade - Green Day
- Hit Parade of Love - Jimmy Martin
- Parade - Luscious Jackson
- Bulls on Parade - Rage Against the Machine
- Soft Parade - The Watchmen
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Arcade Fire PLUG'd
Published November 16, 2007 @ 17:07 in Music
I just read that Montreal's Arcade Fire trail only Of Montreal and Battles in nominations for the 2008 PLUG Independent Music Awards, which recognize the best indie acts from around the world. Canadians Emily Haines, Sunset Rubdown, The New Pornographers, Caribou, Chromeo, A-Trak and the profanely named Toronto acts Fucked Up and Holy Fuck received one nomination each.
That's great, because I really like Neon Bible and Arcade Fire in general, but what does indie really mean these days? Neon Bible was released by Merge Records here in North America, and Merge Records is an independent record label. According to Wikipedia, "an independent record label (or indie record label) is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels". Maybe I'm a little dim, but I'm not sure I fully grasp the difference between an indie record label and a major record label, but maybe you can help me.
Here are the nominations for best album.
- Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
- Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
- Battles - Mirrored
- Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
- El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
- Justice - †
- Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
- Panda Bear - Person Pitch
- Radiohead - In Rainbows
- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
- Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
- The National - Boxer
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Last Canadian Music Chain Closes
Published November 13, 2007 @ 15:53 in Music
Did you know Music World was the last Canadian-owned national music store chain? Neither did I until today when I read Music World is under bankruptcy protection and will close its stores.
That makes HMV the last chain standing in an age of digitized music collections and downloads. There was a time in the early 90s when I would head downtown and hit HMV, Sam the Record Man, Music World and A&A Records. I'd usually go home with two or three CDs, too. Times have certainly changed.
How many CDs each month do you now buy in a non-digital format?
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City and Colour's Cowgirl in the Sand
Published November 12, 2007 @ 19:19 in Music
Neil Young rules. It's as simple as that. The man is a living legend.
Borrowed Tunes II: A Tribute To Neil Young was released last month, but I haven't heard it yet. I have heard City and Colour's cover of "Cowgirl In The Sand" and I dig it. That's one of my favourite Neil Young songs, but I like what Dallas Green has done with it. It's completely stripped down, and if you just listen to the guitar, it sounds like a Hayden song.
I'm sure Neil Young purists will blow a gasket when they hear this tune. Neil Young is so unique, he's difficult to cover. With Bob Dylan you get a great song writer that other singers cover to create great songs. With Neil Young, you get a great song writer where the cover is rarely as good as the original. In fact, other than a couple from Pearl Jam, I can't think of a Neil Young cover that really does him justice.
You can hear City and Colour's version of "Cowgirl In The Sand" here or you can watch the live performance below.
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Feist on SNL
Published November 7, 2007 @ 21:25 in Music
Leslie Feist recorded one of my favourite albums of 2005 and Saturday night she was kicking ass on SNL. I'm asleep before Saturday Night Live hits the air, but thanks to YouTube, I can enjoy these performances over and over and over again. What an age we live in!
Here's "1234" and "I Feel It All", live from New York.
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In Theory, Communism Works
Published November 6, 2007 @ 20:08 in Music
Last month I wrote about how Radiohead was leaving it up to us. Buyers could name their own price when downloading "In Rainbows". At the time I wrote "As I understand it, there's no minimum, but by treating their loyal fans so nicely you can bet this will pay off."
The fact is, 62% of downloaders in a four-week period last month opted not to pay a cent. When asked to name their price, they went with 0. The remaining 38% voluntarily paid an average of $6.
I must admit, I'm surprised that many people refused to pay a dime. I'm guessing many of those 62% were casual fans or weren't fans at all and were just checking out some "free" music.
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Radiohead's Acoustic Creep Redux
Published November 6, 2007 @ 11:19 in Music
I first linked to the Flash video for Radiohead's acoustic version of "Creep" two years ago today. I'm sharing this video again today because it's a fantastic combination of a great performance and a great video.
If you haven't yet seen this, today's your lucky day.
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The 10 Most Terrifyingly Inspirational '80s Songs
Published October 30, 2007 @ 15:23 in Lists, Music
Cracked.com has published a list that's right up my alley. They call it The 10 Most Terrifyingly Inspirational '80s Songs and here it is.
- "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
- "You’re the Best" by Joe Esposito
- "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins
- "Jukebox Hero" by Foreigner
- "Don’t Stop Believing" by Journey
- "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler
- "Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar
- "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen
- "Wanted (Dead or Alive)" by Bon Jovi
- "The Final Countdown" by Europe
I think it's a very strong list. It's very hard to argue against that top three, in fact, check out this Friday Five I did back in 2005. It's pretty similar, only I actually put "You're the Best" ahead of "Eye of the Tiger", but that's just me.
Where the hell is Mark Safan's "Win in the End? Now, that was inspirational.
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Everyday Is Hallowe'en
Published October 29, 2007 @ 18:21 in Music
With Wednesday being Halloween, it would be pretty easy to make Ministry's "Everyday Is Hallowe'en" my weekly MP3, but I did that last year.
If Halloween had carols, this would be a modern classic. You never hear it anymore outside of October but it's actually pretty strong. It's Ministry when they were more dancy and less angry.
There's no official video, but here's the tune set to some stills. Play this along with "Devil Inside", "Monster Mash", "Welcome to My Nightmare" and anything by Frozen Ghost.
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Hockey Songs: The Best Music About Our Game
Published October 27, 2007 @ 12:16 in Lists, Music, Sports
There is nothing more Canadian than hockey. It's a little past noon on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and I'm already thinking about Hockey Night in Canada tonight as my Leafs take on the Rangers. Hockey is life and pretty sweet.
Alison, who refers to herself as a stranger-friend because she drops by daily, wrote me to ask if I had ever posted a hockey playlist. She was looking for songs that would pump up a young hockey team in the dressing room, but my mind instantly turned to songs about our national game. I started thinking about hockey songs and decided to post the top ten hockey songs.
Here are the best ten hockey songs, in no particular order, and with apologies to Hayden because the amazing "Skates" isn't about hockey.
Hockey - Jane Siberry - Before she changed her name to Issa, Torontonian Jane Siberry was best known around these parts for "Mimi on the Beach", but my favourite Jane Siberry track is "Hockey" from her 1989 album Bound By the Beauty. Check out these pretty lyrics.
They rioted in the streets of Montreal when they benched Rocket Richard,
And that is true bona fide Canadian history, that's what really counts
That's what we're all about
Don't let those Sunday afternoons
Get away get away get away get away
Break away break away break away break away
You use your rubber boots for goal-posts
And you're so proud of that, cause they're your boots that they're usin'
Have a listen here and if you're not touched by the beauty you didn't grow up around here.
The Hockey Song - Stompin' Tom Connors - This song is simple, but has rightfully become a national anthem of sorts. Of all of Stompin' Tom's songs, this is the one we'll still be singing nightly in fifty years. I know you know the lyrics, but here's a taste anyway.
Where players dash with skates aflash the home team trails behind
But they grab the puck and go bursting up and they're down across the line
They storm the crease like bumble bees they travel like a burning flame
We see them slide the puck inside - it's a 1-1 hockey game!
I was lucky enough to see Connors perform "The Hockey Song" live when I saw Conan O'Brien back in 2004. Here's awesome footage of Connors doing it up with some great vintage footage of our game.
Hockey Night In Canada Theme - The Shuffle Demons - Speaking of unofficial Canadian national anthems, the opening theme for Hockey Night In Canada is right up there. It was written in 1968 by Dolores Claman and it only takes one note to prepare for puck droppage in Pavlov's dog-style. I threw The Shuffle Demons' cover on this list because it's chock full of bop rap goodness. Note to self: share "Spadina Bus" this weekend.
The Ballad of Wendel Clark, Parts I and II - Rheostatics - I recently wrote about this song as the video contains glimpses of the now defunct Old Mill Donuts on Dundas Street West. It's a great hockey song with a Toronto slant and mandatory listening for those of us who suffered through the 1980s Norris division follies. Check out the lyrics.
Well I heard Wendel talking to Dave Hodge last night
he said that he was confident and keen
he said that Jacques Plante didn't die
so all of us could glide
he said that hard work is the ethic of the free.
And here's that video I mentioned with classic Etobicokery.
50 Mission Cap - The Tragically Hip - The Hip's classic homage to my favourite legend, Bill Barilko, needs no introduction. It's everything that's great about this country rolled into one inspiring package. Here's the lyrics.
Bill Barilko disappeared that summer
He was on a fishing trip
The last goal he ever scored won the Leafs the cup
They didn't win another until 1962 the year he was discovered
I stole this from a hockey card I keep tucked up under
My fifty mission cap I worked it in to look like that
Here are the Hip playing "50 Mission Cap" back in '93 on The Another Roadside Attraction Tour.
Hockey Skates - Kathleen Edwards - This song isn't really about hockey, but it's called "Hockey Skates" and it's really good, so I'm throwing it on this list. I fell upon it while listening to the Men With Brooms soundtrack and it instantly captured my fancy. Here's a taste of the lyrics.
Going down in the same old town down the same street to the same bar
And the same old people saying hi and I don't care
Going down in the same old bar and I don't even order anymore
I am so sick of consequence and the look on your face
I am tired of playing defense
I don't even have hockey skates
While looking for Kathleen singing "Hockey Skates" I found another song of hers opening Hockey Night in Canada. This seems appropriate for this entry.
Gretzky Rocks - The Pursuit of Happiness - I remember the video for this song getting airplay on MuchMusic. It was well after Love Junk, and not TPOH at their best, but Gretzky does in fact rock and that needed to be said in song. Here's how it starts...
Walter Gretzky had a son,
he grew up to be the great one
He came from Brantford, Ontario;
he liked Gordie Howe you know.
Americans don't understand,
the national sport of the northland
The worlds best game they're always dissin'
but they don't know what they are missin'
Unfortunately, I can only see this video in my mind because there's no trace of it online. Moe Berg was in the penalty box for a while, I believe.
Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song) - Warren Zevon - 2002's My Ride's Here is the second last album of Warren Zevon's career and the cover shows him sitting in a hearse. For this album, he recorded "Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)". Mitch Albom, a sports columnist for the Detroit Free Press, helped write the tune while David Letterman chipped in by yelling "Hit Somebody!"
There were Swedes to the left of him
Russians to the right
A Czech at the blue line looking for a fight
Brains over brawn--that might work for you
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do?
What else can a farm boy from Canada do?
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do?
What else can a farm boy from Canada do?
Hit somebody! was what the crowd roared
When Buddy the goon came over the boards
"Coach," he'd say, "I wanna score goals"
The coach said, "Buddy, remember your role,
The fast guys get paid, they shoot, and they score
Protect them, Buddy, that's what you're here for.
The Zamboni Song - Gear Daddies - This song is probably best known from MasterCard commercials and from The Mighty Ducks soundtracks. It's pretty popular at arenas throughout this country and the kids dig it. It's safe to say this is the only Gear Daddies song you'll ever hear.
Now ever since I was young it's been my dream
That I might drive a Zamboni machine
I'd get the ice just as slick as could be
And all the kids would look up to me
Here's the song from this Austin, Minnesota band.
The Lonely End of the Rink - The Tragically Hip - I couldn't resist putting a second Tragically Hip song on this list. They litter hockey references all over the place and I could easily justify including "Fireworks" because of the references to The Summit Series and Bobby Orr. "The Lonely End of the Rink" is drenched in a romantic hockey sentiment we can all relate to. It's explained briliantly by Gord Downie in the clip below.
At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
Oh to join the rush
As the season builds
I hear your voice 'cross a frozen lake
a voice from the end of a leaf
saying, 'you won't die of a thousand fakes
or be beaten by the sweetest of dekes'
This song opened the first Hockey Night in Canada telecast last year and it was perfect. Enjoy the unofficial video for another great hockey song.
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My Ten Favourite Canadian Albums
Published October 19, 2007 @ 20:34 in Lists, Music, O Canada
Earlier today, I wrote about my inherent disadvantage when compiling a list of this nature. Below are my ten favourite Canadian albums of all-time, but you won't find Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Rush or The Guess Who. You also won't find The Band, Leonard Cohen or Gordon Lightfoot. I kept this list to actual albums I enjoyed and banned all greatest hits collections.
I'm listing these here in no particular order. You may commence judging my ten favourite Canadian albums..... now. If you're interested, I also recently listed the top 100 Canadian songs of all-time, and that list has lots of Neil, Joni, Leonard and Gordon.
The Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
Favourite Tracks:
"At the Hundredth Meridian"
"Wheat Kings"
"Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)"
Sloan - Smeared
Favourite Tracks:
"Underwhelmed"
"Take It In"
"500 Up"
Barenaked Ladies - Gordon
Favourite Tracks:
"Brian Wilson"
"If I Had $1000000"
"Be My Yoko Ono"
The Pursuit of Happiness - Love Junk
Favourite Tracks:
"I'm an Adult Now"
"She's So Young"
"Hard to Laugh"
Hayden - Everything I Long For
Favourite Tracks:
"Bad As They Seem"
"In September"
"Tragedy"
The Lowest of the Low - Shakespeare My Butt
Favourite Tracks:
"Henry Needs a New Pair of Shoes"
"Eternal Fatalist"
"Bleed a Little While Tonight"
Maestro Fresh-Wes - Symphony in Effect
Favourite Tracks:
"Let Your Backbone Slide"
"Drop the Needle"
"Tear it Up"
Rusty - Fluke
Favourite Tracks:
"Groovy Dead"
"Wake Me"
"Misogyny"
The Tragically Hip - Up to Here
Favourite Tracks:
"Blow at High Dough"
"New Orleans Is Sinking"
"38 Years Old"
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Favourite Tracks:
"Wake Up"
"Rebellion (Lies)"
"Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)"
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My Inherent Disadvantage
Published October 19, 2007 @ 09:59 in Music
I heard from a few sources yesterday that Bob Mersereau was promoting his book The Top 100 Canadian Albums which ranks the top Canadian albums of all time. Freddie P wrote about this on his blog and gave his top five. I was surprised to realize that I've never ranked my favourite Canadian albums of all time. I've ranked the top 100 Canadian songs and my favourite albums, but not my favourite Canadian albums.
As I started forming my list I quickly realized I'm at quite the disadvantage. Let's take Neil Young, for example, my favourite Canadian singer of all time. The first Neil Young album I bought was Freedom which I purchased after falling in love with "Rockin' in the Free World". Then, I bought Decade, a double album of his biggest hits from 1966 and 1976. So you see, I can't really speak to the wonders of Harvest or After the Gold Rush, two albums that would rank very high on my list if you checked out my top 100 Canadian songs list.
The same is true for The Guess Who, a band I really only know from Greatest Hits collections. Still, I'm going to give this a shot. It's supposed to be subjective, and when I leave After the Gold Rush off my list, you'll now know why.
I'm too young to appreciate albums released ahead of the '80s. That's my inherent disadvantage.
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Black Music for White People
Published October 10, 2007 @ 12:49 in Lists, Music
With apologies to Screamin' Jay Hawkins, I love this list of the top 10 rap songs white people love. It's a pretty strong collection of rap songs your average white person will get awfully excited about.
Here's their top ten:
- Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back
- House of Pain - Jump Around
- Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
- Tag Team - Whoomp (There It Is)
- Naughty By Nature - Hip Hop Hooray
- Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock - It Takes Two
- Young MC - Bust A Move
- Biz Markie - Just A Friend
- Digital Underground - The Humpty Dance
- Positive K - I Got A Man
That's pretty sad, isn't it? My favourite of the bunch? You guessed it. Pack it up, pack it in... Let me begin.
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Love Junk's Best Song
Published October 2, 2007 @ 19:34 in Music
I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I'm not a particularly social guy. When I'm told we're expected to make an appearance at a social gathering, dinner party or any collection of peers, I dread it. Unless I'm ultra comfy I'm liable to find a corner and entertain myself.
On Saturday, we were invited over to another couple's house for conversation and dinner. Normally this is ranked in my books alongside getting a root canal and chewing glass, but on this particular Saturday afternoon the conversation drifted to Love Junk.
Love Junk was the debut album from The Pursuit of Happiness, and I bought it on cassette based on the absolute wickedness of the lead single, "I'm An Adult Now". I loved Love Junk but it rarely comes up in conversation these days. On this particular Saturday, a discussion arose over which song on Love Junk was the best of the bunch.
I still think it's "I'm An Adult Now", although Drew made a good case for "She's So Young". I think "She's So Young" and "Hard To Laugh" were sensational singles and incredibly strong, but "I'm An Adult Now" is one of my ten Canadian tracks and a Canadian classic.
Why can't more social gatherings erupt in such stimulating debate?
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Radiohead Leaves It Up to Us
Published October 1, 2007 @ 09:11 in Music
Boing Boing has a link to the Radiohead store where they're selling their new album, In Rainbows. Radiohead is doing something very cool here. Downloads of the album are name-your-own-price.
That's right, you decide how much you're willing to pay for the digital downloads of their hot and fresh material. As I understand it, there's no minimum, but by treating their loyal fans so nicely you can bet this will pay off. They might even sell some of the $80 box sets.
I can only think of one other band that would try something like this, and that's Pearl Jam. I see unsigned veteran bands with loyal fanbases like Radiohead and Pearl Jam as leading the digital revolution and taking the power back from those greedy fat cats in the record company.
Very cool indeed...
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Patrick Watson Win 2007 Polaris Prize
Published September 25, 2007 @ 11:46 in Music
My prediction was wrong. I thought Chad VanGaalen would win the 2007 Polaris Prize, awarded on the basis of artistic merit, regardless of musical genre, profile or record sales. Instead it went to Montreal's Patrick Watson.
To prove how little I know about Patrick Watson, I thought it was a him and not a them. It turns out Patrick Watson is a four-piece band that performs and records under the name of its singer and chief songwriter.
As with last year, better known acts like Arcade Fire, Feist and Joel Plaskett Emergency got shut out. There's something cool about that.
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Bands and Artists I Really, Really, Really Like
Published September 23, 2007 @ 16:42 in Lists, Music
Perusing my music collection, I realize there's only a handful of bands and artists I really, really, really like. There are many I like, such as Coldplay, Broken Social Scene, Sam Roberts and Arctic Monkeys, but I don't really, really, really like them.
I really, really, really like the following:
- Alice in Chains
- Arcade Fire
- Audioslave
- Beastie Boys
- Beck
- Billy Talent
- Blue Rodeo
- Johnny Cash
- Alice Cooper
- The Cranberries
- Cypress Hill
- Death From Above 1979
- Eminem
- Foo Fighters
- Green Day
- Guns N' Roses
- Hayden
- Ice Cube
- Billy Idol
- Kid Rock
- Gordon Lightfoot
- Maestro Fresh-Wes
- Nirvana
- Oasis
- The Offspring
- Our Lady Peace
- Outkast
- Pearl Jam
- Public Enemy
- R.E.M.
- Radiohead
- Rage Against The Machine
- Sloan
- The Smashing Pumpkins
- Soundgarden
- Bruce Springsteen
- Stone Temple Pilots
- The Strokes
- System of a Down
- The Tragically Hip
- Weezer
- The White Stripes
- Neil Young
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Top 5 Grunge Albums?
Published September 20, 2007 @ 09:25 in Lists, Music
A web site called Cinema Blend ranked their top 5 grunge albums, and as a product of the grunge outbreak of the early 90s, I read with great interest.
I'm not going to analyze their rankings, which includes a rather surprising number one, I'd just like to state how much I love all five albums they listed. In fact, over a decade after grunge fizzled out, I constantly listen to all four of these discs and enjoy them as much today as I did back then.
Here's the Cinema Blend top five.
- Stone Temple Pilots - Core
- Alice In Chains - Unplugged
- Pearl Jam - Ten
- Nirvana - Nevermind
- Foo Fighters - The Colour And The Shape
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Some Bad Brains
Published September 9, 2007 @ 16:06 in Music
American Hardcore had such great footage of Bad Brains rocking out in Washington, DC and New York City, I feel as if I've discovered something great. Of course, Bad Brains has been right under my nose this whole time, and most of you are probably laughing at the fact I'm just discovering them, but it's true.
If you're an uncool cat like me who hasn't heard and seen Bad Brains circa 1979, check out these performances of "Pay to Cum" and "Attitude".
Hear the Nirvana? Hear the RHCP? Hear the Offspring? Me too...
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2007 MTV Video Music Awards
Published September 9, 2007 @ 15:13 in Music, Television
Tonight's the 24th annual MTV Video Music Awards and us crazy canucks can watch it live on CTV at 9pm. For years this was my favourite music awards show of them all. The best artists were always on the bill and the coolest videos for great songs often took home an award or two. Then, I got old.
Today it's for the kids, all about the Justin Timberlakes and Beyonces, but there are still great moments tucked in amidst the crud, like Sarah Silverman's Paris diss last year.
This year I'll be watching for a performances from the Foo Fighters featuring Queens Of The Stone Age member's Josh Homme and Troy Van Leeuwen and System Of A Down's Serj Tankian. That, and some comeback thingy by the Brit. Hey, I'm only human.
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We're Not Going To Take It
Published September 3, 2007 @ 19:53 in Music, My 2 Cents
As sad as it is to admit this, I'm getting used to hearing my favourite tunes exploited to sell products. For a long time I had a serious issue with this and bitched every time an artist sold out. Now I'm okay with it so long as it's a fairly appropriate product and the original recording is used instead of some watered down cover by studio singers. I'm okay with it until I hear "Smells Like Teen Spirit" used in a deodorant commercial or Pearl Jam's "Wash" in a shampoo spot.
I just saw an ad for birth control using a re-worked girly version of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It". I know Dee Snider is an astute business man, but is this the right product and arrangement for his biggest hit? I cringed listening to the thing, and then I called my doctor about alternative oral contraceptives.
The video for "We're Not Gonna Take It" was killer and totally made by Mark Metcalf's performance in the intro as the abusive dad. Metcalf went on to create another stellar character, The Maestro, but here he is in the role that first made him famous.
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Feist on Letterman
Published August 29, 2007 @ 21:18 in Music
I'm just catching up on my YouTubery. This is a sweet performance of "1234" by Feist on Letterman the other night. Check out those back up singers. You'll see members of Broken Social Scene, the New Pornographers, Grizzly Bear and The National.
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Best Bands That Have Survived 20 Years
Published August 26, 2007 @ 11:39 in Lists, Music
The Ongoing History of New Music is discussing bands that were around in the 70s and continue to make music to this day. That got me thinking about my favourite bands that were making music twenty years ago and are still making new music today.
To qualify for this list, the band must have released material in 1987 or earlier and must be still recording new music today. Here's my top ten.
- The Tragically Hip
- Public Enemy
- R.E.M.
- Beastie Boys
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- U2
- Blue Rodeo
- The Flaming Lips
- 54-40
- The Cure
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Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros' Johnny Appleseed
Published August 15, 2007 @ 18:04 in Music, Television
One of the best things about John From Cincinnati was the opening credits. It was cool grainy surfer imagery with Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros' "Johnny Appleseed" playing overtop. I had never heard "Johnny Appleseed" before but I'm now a big fan.
Download the song in MP3 here and watch the opening credits from the recently cancelled John From Cincinnati below.
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Alice in Chains at the Molson Amphitheatre
Published August 13, 2007 @ 07:00 in Music
Last night's concert at the Molson Amphitheatre opened with Kill Hannah and closed with Velvet Revolver but for me it was all about Alice in Chains.
I spin the crap out of Dirt regularly and find the Alice in Chains sound appeals to my sensibilities like very few band do. When Layne Staley passed away, I assumed I had missed my chance to hear these songs live. I'm very happy to report that new lead singer William DuVall is spot on and when I closed my eyes during "Angry Chair", "Them Bones" and "Man in the Box", I couldn't tell the difference. The band was tight, the vocals strong and the entire set was vintage AiC.
It was cool seeing Slash, Duff and Scott on stage as the headliners, but I think they got that backward. Velvet Revolver should have been opening for Alice in Chains. I'm actually surprised Velvet Revolver could carry a show like that. They're okay, with a couple of singles I like, but I don't go to concerts to see a band perform a couple of singles I like. Dare I suggest Velvet Revolver is overrated? I think I just did...
Thanks to ShowClix for sending me to the amp to see one of my favourite bands of all time. I can now cross another item off my "things to do before I die" list.
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Too Early To Cover Yourself?
Published July 31, 2007 @ 11:16 in Music
The latest single from Arcade Fire is "No Cars Go" from their Neon Bible album. It's a great single, and I'll probably throw it on SLS18, but any fan of Arcade Fire has heard this song before. Arcade Fire has covered themselves.
Before Funeral, Arcade Fire had a self titled EP that contained "No Cars Go". The two versions aren't that different. Arcade Fire has essentially covered themselves, and they're doing it on their second full album. I'm wondering if it's too early for a band to cover their own work.
Of course, I don't think they call it a cover when it's your own work. They'll tell you they re-recorded the song. I'm not judging Arcade Fire, a band I totally dig, but was it necessary to re-record a song at this early stage of their career? And it's not like this EP is obscure and difficult to get. After Funeral, it was remastered and rereleased and it quickly found it's way into my collection.
I expect this from a band like Aerosmith who felt “Sweet Emotion” needed another crack at the charts, but Arcade Fire are not Aerosmith. That's what we love about them.
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Chantal Kreviazuk Least Likely to Appear in a Headline?
Published July 24, 2007 @ 09:04 in Music
The Associated Press has a story entitled "Singer-songwriters, or just singers?". It's about Chantal Kreviasuk's recent comments regarding Avril Lavigne's songwriting ability and whether artists actually co-write all the songs they get credit for.
As a Canadian, I was caught off guard by the opening paragraph of this article.
Of all the names in music, Chantal Kreviazuk may be the least likely to appear in a headline. Though she recently released her own album, the songwriter usually stays behind the scenes to pen hits with artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
Sometimes an artist has a string of hits in Canada and you just assume they've made waves in the American market. Ten years ago, Kreviasuk's Under These Rocks and Stones spawned a number of hits over here, with "Wayne" and "Surrounded" being two of my favourites. Hits like "Feels Like Home" and "Before You" followed, but in retrospect it seems these were only hits in Canada. According to her Wikipedia page, she only struck big in the USA with her cover of "Leaving on a Jet Plane" that appeared on the Armageddon soundtrack.
It's hard to say why some Canadian artists sell well south of the border while others do not. Avril's a household name in the states and Kreviazuk is least likely to appear in a headline. Go figure.
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Mother's Milk and Me
Published July 22, 2007 @ 11:25 in Memories, Music
Back in 1989, I was a member of Columbia House. Almost all of my disposable income was going toward CDs, so I whipped out a calculator and figured the 7 discs I'd get for a penny made up for the 4 or so I'd have to buy at $20 a pop. I discovered a great deal of new music through this club and in 1989 it helped me discover the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
In the monthly magazine, the quote for Mother's Milk read something like this: "The Red Hot Chili Peppers make me want to pee in my pants!". That was all I needed. I ordered Mother's Milk and dove in.
Wow. The quote did this album justice. It was the Red Hot Chili Peppers' fourth album, but it was my first taste and their first disc with guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith. It was a total play through with funky songs like "Good Time Boys" and "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky", solid singles like "Knock Me Down" and "Taste the Pain" and fantastic covers like "Higher Ground" and "Fire". There was also the instrumental gem "Pretty Little Ditty" and the basketball tribute "Magic Johnson".
I remember how cool it was when Q107 started playing "Higher Ground" and how shocked I was to learn it was a Stevie Wonder song. Their next album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, was massive and RHCP belonged to the masses. My favourite Pepper album remains Mother's Milk, as you never forget your first taste.
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Heartache Songs
Published July 19, 2007 @ 16:16 in Lists, Music
There are eight songs in my collection with the word "heartache" in the title. Here's the counter punch for the heart songs I listed a couple of years back.
- Good Morning Heartache - Billy Holiday
- Tonight The Heartache's On Me - Dixie Chicks
- That's When Your Heartache Begins - Elvis Presley
- Nothing But Heartache In Your Social Life - Gord Downie
- Heartaches By The Number - Guy Mitchell
- Heartaches & Troubles - Jimmy Reed
- Good Morning Heartache - Ol' Dirty Bastard
- Can't Stand The Heartache - Skid Row
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The White Stripes One Note Show In St. John's
Published July 18, 2007 @ 15:25 in Music
The White Stripes played a secret gig in St. John's, Newfoundland. They didn't play a very long set, in fact, they played a single note. Jack White picked up the guitar and hit a C-sharp, putting Newfoundland in the books as the final province The White Stripes would play on this tour. They played in every province and territory in the nation.
Here's the secret gig, caught on tape.
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Steve Varga Sounds Like A Made Up Name
Published July 17, 2007 @ 20:53 in Music
Somebody named Steve Varga took exception to this entry about Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend being a little too similar to The Rubinoos' I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.
It was a rather interesting comment, so I'm reposting it here. The spelling and grammatical errors belong to Steve.
This goes out to anybody caught up in this mishap. Those accusations
against my girl for copyright infringment, are bologney, and they are not
quite true, there 2 differnet songs and I can prove it. First of all they
have 2 differnt meanings, Avril is a very close friend of mine and I have
known her for years. I told her " I LOVE YOU" and I called her my
"GIRLFRIEND" I do the rumors are true. Then when she was working on the
album they decided to write the track GIRLFRIEND I guess Av talked her band
into it. The guy she is singing about is me And this song meant something
to me, the song was the bands gift to me, and for these guys to put a
lawsuit up against her is unfair, and they should have done their reasearch
because I'll try my best to be at the trial and those dummies think she
coppied it while this is the truth They didn't , they don't deserve a
penny, from this and for them to get a settlement they don't deserve is
unheard of. I think they are just jelous of her sucess, In the lyrics av
said I meantioned it a lot, maybe AV was right women always are I did
meantion it a lot I told her "I love you" every day , for the first time
the other day I personally did my reasearch and read the lyrics and This
song makes sense to me. I am the only guy out there besides her band that
actually understands what she is singing about. I also found five other
songs with the chorus starting off with" HEY HEY " This is just a big
misunderstanding, this is not a copied version if the song was copied The
band would have made it a tribute because they do do tributes, which they
have done for a number of other bands in the past.
MY name is STEVE VARGA I am 23 years old and I live 1 hour north of
Toronto, for anyone who wants to contact me or leave me their comments you
can at ferencjames@yahoo.ca
I have the real story and for these guys to say she copied a song that
menat so much to me is rude. They owe me and the band an apology and
thanks for wasting our time and money. I would be willing to do an
interview if someone is available and I also can't wait to talk to Tommy
and james about this , I am personally going to review this track with them
and explain every line of the song to them, For future references tell them
they obviously havn't done there reasearch, don't just assume something,and
accuse someone before you find the truth.
AV I MISS U
LOVE always and forever
STEVE
Steve is either a stalker or he's got a great story to tell his grandkids.
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If You Could Only Own 20 Albums
Published July 17, 2007 @ 10:41 in Lists, Music
There are 1623 complete albums in my collection. That's a lot of music. Imagine if you had to start your collection from scratch but you were capped at twenty discs. Which twenty albums would make the cut?
It's a ridiculous question, because in reality there is no 20 CD maximum, but it's a question that really gets you questioning the value of each album in your collection. If I had to prune my collection to 20, here are the discs I'd own.
- Alice In Chains - Dirt
- Arcade Fire - Funeral
- Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
- Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
- Green Day - Dookie
- Guns N' Roses - Greatest Hits
- The Lowest of the Low - Shakespeare My Butt
- Nirvana - Nirvana
- Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror (Down Side)
- Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror (Up Side)
- Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
- Radiohead - OK Computer
- Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
- Soundgarden - A-Sides
- System of a Down - Toxicity
- The Tragically Hip - Yer Favourites (Disc 1)
- The Tragically Hip - Yer Favourites (Disc 2)
- Weezer - Blue Album
- The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
- Neil Young - Greatest Hits
That wasn't easy. At the last second I bailed on my Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden selections and went with their greatest hits packages. I figure the mix on Nirvana beats the collective that is Nevermind. I did, however, stick with Alice in Chains' Dirt instead of going with their greatest hits compilation. Tough decisions were made, now it's your turn.
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The Effect of Music On a Road Trip
Published July 14, 2007 @ 20:14 in Music, My 2 Cents
Last weekend we loaded up the van and hit the road for a little road trip. It was about a six hour round trip, so I filled up my new iPod Shuffle, plugged it into my FM transmitter and shuffled my way to Pinery and back.
Never underestimate the positive effect of a good music mix on a road trip. I was singing along with every track, loving every minute of it. I didn't even notice I was driving, it was heaven. I never heard the same song twice and I started wishing the road trip was longer just so I could finish the 1GB of music I had lined up.
With the right music, everything is tolerable. It makes all the difference in the world. It's everything.
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