Updates, Reviews, etc.

I've been completely absent from this blog. Apologies all around. I plan on posting four album reviews in the next few weeks. Oh, guess what? It's officially been one year since I began this blog. It's been an interesting experience posting random bits about music, posting album reviews, and simply discussing upcoming releases and news. To those who have read my blog, thank you. Hell, I could be the only person reading this blog. However, if you have read it, thank you.

We'll see you in 2010.

Upcoming Reviews

Black Gives Way to Blue - Alice in Chains (3.8/5)
Dear Agony - Breaking Benajmin (4/5)
Life Starts Now - Three Days Grace (3/5)
Comes and Goes - Default (3.8/5)
Raditude - Weezer (2.2/5)

Your Decision

Billboard Debuts

September 22nd, 2009 - Three Days Grace (#5 - 77,000 copies)

September 29th, 2009
- Breaking Benajmin (#4 - 134,000 copies)
- Alice in Chains (#5 - 125,000 copies)

Hmm, that's quite interesting. Three Days Grace got owned. Why? "Life Starts Now" is a mediocre album. I've been planning on reviewing the three albums above but I have very little time to even post on here. (University life is kicking my ass)

Other posts TBA

Passing the Torch

Sooner or later, the life span of your favourite artist or music group will come to an end. It's very important that you come to grips with that and realize that there are fresh, young bands out there that will become just as important as your music of the past. If you choose not too, then good luck listening to Led Zeppelin for the next 20 years.

As for me, I've come to realize that the majority of my favourite rock groups are now in their 40's and probably won't be around too much longer. It sucks to say that but it's true. Here is a list that I created to say hello to the old and new generation of my music...

The Offspring
Stone Temple Pilots
Our Lady Peace
Goo Goo Dolls
Alice In Chains
Metallica
Motley Crue
GN'R
Chris Cornell
Filter
Weezer
U2

-------------------

Default
Breaking Benjamin
Three Days Grace
Trapt
Red
Rise Against
Shinedown
Lostprophets
Saosin

Chickenfoot

Chickenfoot is another rock supergroup composed of Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Chad Smith. Yay!

Well, not exactly. I don't see anything special about this band. I mean, all four of these men are in the 50s and after hearing their album, it's the same thing. Boring. You would figure that they would be more creative instead of singing and rocking out to songs about girls and partying. Like honestly, it's been done to death and this shit sucks.

Sammy Hagar singer sings "Oh yeah! Come on girl, tell me what you want!" Who are you speaking too? Your wife? The forty-five year old in the bar? Or is it one of your daughter's friends?

Either way, I'm not down with their music. I'm sorry. Check them out if you want.

Worst Rock Albums of 2000s

Check out this hilarious list of the "Worst Rock Albums of The 2000s" on Ultimate Guitar. It's a great list and it's absolutely hilarious! Here are a few blurbs from the site.

12. Guns N Roses: "Chinese Democracy" (2008)

Nobody expected a masterpiece but to spend so long producing such a steaming pile of shit is almost hilarious. It is bereft of anything even resembling listenable music and is as charming as Axl Rose himself.

Despite some relatively positive reviews from critics upon its initial release, "Chinese Democracy" has aged as nicely as full fat milk left in direct sunlight for 12 months. An absolute stinker!

10. Puddle Of Mudd: "Life On Display" (2003)

Puddle of Mudd? Puddle of shit more like. As 2003's "Life On Display" showed, there was an unfortunate problem in the music industry at the turn of the century that meant dire rock bands somehow managed to grace the mainstream. Thankfully, however, hindsight exposes this terrible flaw and allows us to add the US band's terrible album into our worst of the decade countdown.

07. Nickelback: "All The Right Reasons" (2005)

Aka the album which spawned "Rockstar", one of the worst songs in the world. Normally that would be enough for inclusion on any worst albums list, but worse, "All The Right Reasons" also features a whole succession of turgid sub-Grunge rubbish featuring the strained vocals of Sarah Jessica Parker, sorry- Chad Kroeger.
In a career of awful music, Nickelback reached their nadir with this album.

Thanks, Ultimate Guitar!

VOTE SHANTZ

VOTE MICHELLE SHANTZ FOR THE NEXT MUCHMUSIC VJ

HERE!

DO IT

2009 VMA's

Oh boy...

I watched 2 minutes of the MTV VMA's tonight and couldn't take it. First off, Kanye West is a douche and good for Taylor Swift. Second, great speech from Madonna about Michael Jackson.

Even though I knew it wasn't going to happen, I just wanted Metallica or Alice in Chains to come out and play some rock music. Imagine the reaction?! Everybody would be scared or confused. VMA's are all about rap and dance. There is no edge in music, I mean come on! I knew Green Day would be there, it's obvious that the once young rebels are now considered aging heart throbs due to "American Idiot."

It's not like I hate the VMAs but it's the same thing every year! Eminem wins awards and trash talks. Kanye West becomes a bigger egotistical prick. Beyonce wins more awards (nothing against Beyonce). Another pathetic pop group gets voted "Best New Artist." Another R&B artist with the same voice as every other R&B star becomes even more famous. Zzzzzzzzzzz...

Sorry, that's my opinion.

Top 200 of the '90s

I love 102.1 the edge; it's a great rock radio station in Toronto. This past weekend, they showcased the Top 200 songs of the 1990's. Even though I was born in 1987, I was raised on '90s rock, courtesy of my siblings and Muchmusic. What a treat it was. Here is the list...

1 1991-Nirvana • Smells Like Teen Spirit!
2 1992-Nirvana • Come As You Are
3 1996-Smashing Pumpkins • 1979
4 1997-Blur • Song 2
5 1994-The Offspring • Self-Esteem
6 1996-Sublime • What I Got
7 1991-Red Hot Chili Peppers • Under The Bridge
8 1992-Stone Temple Pilots • Plush
9 1993-Nirvana • All Apologies
10 1990-The Tragically Hip • New Orleans is Sinking
11 1996-Sublime • Santeria
12 1994-Beck • Loser
13 1994-Green Day • When I Come Around
14 1995-Smashing Pumpkins • Bullet with Butterfly Wings
15 1994-Nine Inch Nails • Closer
16 1996-Our Lady Peace • Superman's Dead
17 1991-Red Hot Chili Peppers • Give it Away
18 1993-Radiohead • Creep
19 1994-Green Day • Basket Case
20 1992-Nirvana • Lithium
21 1996-The Tragically Hip • Ahead by a Century
22 1992-Pearl Jam • Jeremy
23 1999-Red Hot Chili Peppers • Scar Tissue
24 1993-Nirvana • Heart-Shaped Box
25 1995-Green Day • Brain Stew
26 1995-Our Lady Peace • Starseed
27 1995-Oasis • Wonderwall
28 1999-Red Hot Chili Peppers • Around the World
29 1994-Stone Temple Pilots • Interstate Love Song
30 1998-Foo Fighters • Everlong
31 1998-The Tragically Hip • Poets
32 1994-Soundgarden • Black Hole Sun
33 1998-Sloan • Money City Maniacs
34 1993-Smashing Pumpkins • Disarm
35 1999-Matthew Good Band • Hello Time Bomb
36 1991-Nirvana • In Bloom
37 1998-Beastie Boys • Intergalactic
38 1991-Pearl Jam • Alive
39 1999-Our Lady Peace • One Man Army
40 1997-The Verve • Bittersweet Symphony
41 1993-Blind Melon • No Rain
42 1992-The Tragically Hip • Courage
43 1997-Green Day • Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)
44 1993-Red Hot Chili Peppers • Soul to Squeeze
45 1996-Sloan • The Good in Everyone
46 1994-Pearl Jam • Better Man
47 1996-I Mother Earth • One More Astronaut
48 1994-Weezer • Buddy Holly
49 1994-The Offspring • Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)
50 1995-Our Lady Peace • Naveed
51 1993-Pearl Jam • Daughter
52 1999-Foo Fighters • Learn to Fly
53 1994-Stone Temple Pilots • Vasoline
54 1993-The Tragically Hip • Fifty Mission Cap
55 1995-Oasis • Champagne Supernova
56 1994-Weezer • Undone-The Sweater Song
57 1997-Big Wreck • The Oaf (My Luck is Wasted)
58 1993-Rage Against the Machine • Killing In The Name
59 1999-Matthew Good Band • Load Me Up
60 1999-Blink-182 • All the Small Things
61 1997-Our Lady Peace • Clumsy
62 1995-Bush • Comedown
63 1994-Nirvana • The Man Who Sold the World
64 1995-Bush • Glycerine
65 1999-The Tragically Hip • Bobcaygeon
66 1998-Everlast • What it's Like
67 1997-The Tea Party • Temptation
68 1992-Nirvana • About A Girl
69 1992-Sloan • Underwhelmed
70 1994-Stone Temple Pilots • Big Empty
71 1998-Lit • My Own Worst Enemy
72 1993-Nirvana • Rape Me
73 1991-Metallica • Enter Sandman
74 1998-Big Wreck • That Song
75 1992-Alice in Chains • Would?
76 1993-The Tragically Hip • At the Hundredth Meridian
77 1997-Radiohead • Karma Police
78 1997-Matthew Good Band • Everything is Automatic
79 1991-Nirvana • Polly
80 1994-Beastie Boys • Sabotage
81 1999-Lenny Kravitz • American Woman
82 1994-Green Day • She
83 1997-Econoline Crush • All that You Are
84 1995-Smashing Pumpkins • Tonight, Tonight
85 1999-Our Lady Peace • Is Anybody Home?
86 1994-Pearl Jam • Yellow Ledbetter
87 1991-The Tragically Hip • Little Bones
88 1999-Incubus • Pardon Me
89 1998-Watchmen • Stereo
90 1992-House of Pain • Jump Around
91 1998-Harvey Danger • Flagpole Sitta
92 1994-Soundgarden • Spoonman
93 1998-Matthew Good Band • Indestructible
94 1994-Green Day • Welcome to Paradise
95 1991-R.E.M. • Losing My Religion
96 1996-I Mother Earth • Used to Be Alright
97 1992-Stone Temple Pilots • Sex Type Thing
98 1992-The Tragically Hip • Locked In the Trunk of a Car
99 1995-Sublime • Smoke Two Joints
100 1999-Finger Eleven • Above
101 1996-Rage Against the Machine • Bulls on Parade
102 1992-Alice in Chains • Rooster
103 1995-Filter • Hey Man Nice Shot
104 1998-Lenny Kravitz • Fly Away
105 1994-Sloan • Coax Me
106 1991-U2 • One
107 1996-Soundgarden • Burden In My Hand
108 1999-Econoline Crush • You Don't Know What It's Like
109 1999-Rage Against the Machine • Guerilla Radio
110 1990-The Tragically Hip • 38 Years Old
111 1999-Pearl Jam • Last Kiss
112 1991-U2 • Mysterious Ways
113 1998-The Offspring • The Kids Aren't Alright
114 1993-Cypress Hill • Insane in the Brain/Loco En El Coco
115 1998-Eve 6 • Inside Out
116 1998-Fatboy Slim • The Rockafeller Skank
117 1994-Live • All Over You
118 1991-Metallica • The Unforgiven
119 1993-Smashing Pumpkins • Cherub Rock
120 1999-Sloan • Losing California
121 1993-Tool • Sober
122 1993-The Tragically Hip • Fully Completely
123 1995-Smashing Pumpkins • Zero
124 1992-Nirvana • Lithium
125 1997-Foo Fighters • Monkey Wrench
126 1995-No Doubt • Just a Girl
127 1990-Faith No More • Epic
128 1994-The Offspring • Gotta Get Away
129 1993-Cracker • Low
130 1995-Radiohead • High and Dry
131 1996-Big Sugar • Diggin' a Hole
132 1998-Matthew Good Band • Apparitions
133 1996-Marilyn Manson • The Beautiful People
134 1992-The Tragically Hip • Looking For A Place To Happen
135 1994-Green Day • Basket Case
136 1994-Moist • Push
137 1993-James • Laid
138 1996-Stone Temple Pilots • Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart
139 1997-Treble Charger • Friend Of Mine
140 1994-The Cranberries • Zombie
141 1997-Econoline Crush • Sparkle and Shine
142 1994-Bush • Everything Zen
143 1993-Pearl Jam • Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
144 1998-Big Wreck • Blown Wide Open
145 1995-Rancid • Time Bomb
146 1991-The Tragically Hip • Three Pistols
147 1997-Age of Electric • Remote Control
148 1994-Nine Inch Nails • Hurt
149 1996-I Mother Earth • Another Sunday
150 1995-Silverchair • Tomorrow
151 1994-Beastie Boys • Sure Shot
152 1997-Treble Charger • Red
153 1992-Pearl Jam • Even Flow
154 1996-Fun Lovin' Criminals • Scooby Snacks
155 1998-Foo Fighters • My Hero
156 1995-The Tragically Hip • So Hard Done By
157 1997-Our Lady Peace • Automatic Flowers
158 1993-Smashing Pumpkins • Today
159 1996-Sloan • Everything You've Done Wrong
160 1997-Treble Charger • Red
161 1991-Alice in Chains • Man in the Box
162 1994-Green Day • Longview
163 1997-The Headstones • Smile and Wave
164 1996-Sublime • Wrong Way
165 1996-Moist • Resurrection
166 1999-Red Hot Chili Peppers • Californication
167 1995-The Tragically Hip • Grace, Too
168 1993-I Mother Earth • Not Quite Sonic
169 1992-Pearl Jam • Black
170 1996-Marcy Playground • Sex and Candy
171 1997-The Gandharvas • Downtime
172 1995-Bush • Machinehead
173 1992-Stone Temple Pilots • Creep
174 1993-The Headstones • When Something Stands For Nothing
175 1999-Red Hot Chili Peppers • Otherside
176 1994-Moist • Silver
177 1995-The Tragically Hip • Nautical Disaster
178 1993-Nirvana • Dumb
179 1997-Our Lady Peace • 4:00 A.M.
180 1994-Killjoys • Today I Hate Everyone
181 1994-Soundgarden • Fell on Black Days
182 1999-Danko Jones • Bounce
183 1995-Live • Lightning Crashes
184 1998-Big Sugar • Better Get Used To It
185 1990-Jane's Addiction • Been Caught Stealing
186 1995-The Gandharvas • The First Day Of Spring
187 1992-Beastie Boys • So What'cha Want
188 1991-The Tragically Hip • Twist My Arm
189 1993-Lenny Kravitz • Are You Gonna Go My Way
190 1990-Spirit Of The West • Home For A Rest
191 1992-Metallica • Nothing Else Matters
192 1993-Doughboys • Shine
193 1997-Blink-182 • Dammit
194 1992-Temple of the Dog • Hunger Strike
195 1996-Pure • Anna Is A Speed Freak
196 1996-The Offspring • Gone Away
197 1996-Cake • The Distance
198 1996-Odds • Eat My Brain
199 1991-The Tragically Hip • Wheat Kings
200 1995-Foo Fighters • Big Me

Break

BREAAAKK!!!!!

Here is the new Three Days Grace song, "Break." Go rock the f*ck out. Cheers!

"Life Starts Now" 09.22.09

Album Review: "Green Album" by Weezer

Release Date: May 15th, 2001
Producer: Ric Ocasek

It seemed quite obvious that after 1996's "Pinkerton" failed to impress the music industry critically and financially, Weezer had dug themselves a grave and decided to stay there. After playing a show at the 2000 Warper Tour, the band realized that their fans were glad they had returned and were patiently waiting for a new album. After parting ways with their very annoying bass player, Matt Sharp and other band members pursuing different projects, it was time for some new music...

Dun, dun, dun, dun...dun, dun, dun, dun! The first single, "Hash Pipe" was finally released to radio and accompanied by a sumo wrestler infested music video in March 2001.

It's a pretty cookie cutter rock record. Although it seems uninspired at times, you can't ignore Weezer's ability to create great sounding rock'n'roll. At 28 minutes, the ten track album was a fresh addition to Weezer's catalogue. Who will ever forget the bland but striking green album cover? It's classic and also pays homage to 1994's "Blue Album." This was the first Weezer album I payed attention too and actually ignited my love for Weezer's music. Check it out, it's a good album. Plain and simple, just like this album.

Oh, by the way, isn't it ironic that after six albums, "Pinkerton" is often credited as Weezer's best album? Hmm...I guess some critics are biting their tongues.

Rating: 3.9/5

1. Don't Let Go
2. Photograph *
3. Hash Pipe **
4. Island In The Sun
5. Crab *
6. Knockdown Dragout
7. Smile
8. Simple Pages
9. Glorious Day
10. O Girlfriend *

The Verve

UK rockers, The Verve have called it quits for the third time.

I'm sorry? Wait....I can't hear you....

Ohhhh, you don't care? Yeah, neither do I. But I will say they've had some good songs. Like 3, 4 or 5....maybe 6 or 7.

Raditude

Weezer is back...again. The pop-rockers will release their seventh studio album, called "Ratitude" on October 27th, 2009. (whatever that title means is beyond me...) Anyways here's the first single "(If You're Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To."

In my honest opinion, it doesn't sound like a Weezer tune. It reminds me of a song left off of River Cuomo's "Alone II" album. However, it is catchy but how many times can Rivers sing about girls? I'm a big Weezer fan but I've heard this type of song before. Maybe he'll write another song about pork and beans?

Album Review: Army of Anyone

Release Date: November 14th, 2006
Producer: Bob Ezrin

Ah, Army of Anyone...damn, was their self-titled debut album ever good. This is one of my favourite albums of all time and probably my favourite of 2006. It seems like an odd pairing doesn't it? Here you have Filter's Richard Patrick, STP's Robert and Dean Deleo and famed drummer, Ray Luzier - do you think these different musical backgrounds can co-exist? Well yes they did.

What would have been Filter's fourth album, Richard Patrick decided that the music he created with the help of Robert and Dean Deleo, could be a separate project/band of its own. After enlisting drummer Ray Luzier, Army of Anyone was born.

This album is a straight ahead rock record. Plain and simple. Led by lead single "Goodbye", AOA already had fans of both former bands on their feet. (My hats off to Ray Luzier for the incredible drum solo in the end.) With the big sound production form veteran producer, Bob Ezrin, the many sound dynamics of this record amplified. "Disappear" features sumptuous strumming guitars, "A Better Place" offers a steady, groovy bass line, and "Father Figure" shows off Ray Luzier's fantastic drum skills. What impressed me most was Richard Patrick's vocals. We all know his heavy, screaming tracks in Filter but it was really cool to hear him adapt to another sound.

It's a record that breaks down the walls of the rock genre, and fans of both bands should appreciate it.

Rating: 4/5

1. It Doesn't Seem to Matter
2. Goodbye***
3. Generation
4. A Better Place*
5. Non Stop*
6. Disappear*
7. Stop Look and Listen
8. Ain't Enough
9. Father Figure
10. Leave It
11. This Wasn't Supposed to Happen

Life Starts Now

Oh September...

Three Days Grace will release their third studio album "Life Starts Now" on September 22nd, 2009! Woohoo! The first single "Break" will hit radio in a few weeks. The album was also produced by Howard Benson.

There is some great music coming your way in September 2009.

Peaches for Lump

The year was 1995 and the Presidents of the United States of American ruled the world. Come on, you obviously remember these tunes...

September 29th, 2009

This day will be hectic for me as three of my favourite bands will be releasing an album.

THIS JUST IN!!!!

Breaking Benjamin will be releasing their fourth studio album entitled "Dear Agony" (sounds a tad emo) on September 29th, 2009. Their first single "I Will Not Bow" will hit radio airwaves August 17th. WOOHOO! I can't wait to hear some new shit from BB.

Also, like the previous post -Default will be releasing "Comes and Goes" AND Alice In Chains will release "Black Gives Way To Blue." Save up some cash folks! Rock is on its way baby!

Comes and Goes

Canadian rockers Default, will finally be releasing their long-awaited fourth album "Comes and Goes" on September 29th, 2009! First single "All Over Me" is currently #20 on iTunes Canadian Singles. Keep buying/requesting it on iTunes and local radio stations! (Sorry for the small image)

Tracklisting
1. All Over Me
2. Caught In The…
3. Comes And Goes
4. Fascination
5. Goodbye
6. Hold Onto You
7. A Little Too Late
8. Show Me
9. Supposed To Be
10. Turn It On
11. Yesterday’s Song

AC/DC Singer Retiring?

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson admitted in a new interview with Classic Rock magazine that he has been considering retirement. "We were talking about the end of the tour and I said, 'We're finishing in May and that's me done!'" he says. "But Malcolm [Young, rhythm guitarist] said, 'What are you talkin' about? We're not gonna let you retire!' And now they're talking about next year. I'm going, 'What do you mean next year? We're finishing in May in Japan, I'll be tired!' And they said: 'Well, we've been offered some festivals…'"

Brian Johnson, 61, is scheduled to publish his autobiography "Rockers And Rollers" in October, and insists that he remains fully committed to AC/DC, but says, "It's a tough one. It's not me — it's just my age," he reveals. "I try to keep myself fit, and I love it being in this band. But it's not just me — Cliff [Williams, bassist] is knocking on a bit more than the others. The other lads are in their early 50s. I'm the old dog in the regiment."

You gotta give the guy credit, I mean how many singers still tour around the world at 61? Well done.

Down In A Hole

One of my favourite A.I.C. songs...

Rock Mix 6

1. All You Did Was Save My Life - Our Lady Peace
2. A Looking In View - Alice In Chains
3. Don't Believe A Word - Third Eye Blind
4. All Over Me - Default
5. Count On Me (Somebody) - Tonic
6. We're All To Blame - Sum 41
7. Rusted From The Rain - Billy Talent
8. Silvergun Superman - Stone Temple Pilots
9. The Fixer - Pearl Jam
10. Dig - Incubus

C.K. Update

Here's some fresh news in the world of Crash Karma - the band now has two full length songs available on their myspace page. It's great to hear some fresh, new riffs from Mike Turner (ex-OLP guitarist). The songs are called "Awake" and "Fight." The band sounds promising! According to the band, their debut LP will hit stores this Fall. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Crash Karma myspace.

PJ's Fixer

Check out Pearl Jam's new single "The Fixer" from their forthcoming album "Backspacer" due in September 2009. It is just a LOVELY song...just click HERE.

Rogers Bayfest

I would like to take this time to reflect on my concert experience at Rogers Bayfest in Sarnia. It was July 11th, 2009 and my friend John and I were stoked to see two of our favourite bands - Stone Temple Pilots and Our Lady Peace. After a surprisingly easy drive to Sarnia (from Hamilton = 2.5 hours) we arrived and began walking around the outdoor festival. It was a great venue and the weather was on our side making the experience even better! Ahh...

Before we begin, Rogers Bayfest in Sarnia is a popular outdoor event that features a rock and country weekend, showcasing big names in both genres of music. The rock weekend consisted of Counting Crows w/ The Trews (Thursday), KISS w/ Dean Liquer (Friday..yeah, KISS!) and Stone Temple Pilots w/ Our Lady Peace (Saturday). In previous years, Def Leppard and Aerosmith have played Bayfest. Pretty cool eh?

Let me fast forward to the OLP performance. What can I say about their performance? They sounded great! Did you catch that? They SOUNDED great...I barely saw the stage and even the small, pathetic screens they had around the festival. I'm 5'7 and that's not tall, so obviously everybody in front of me were 6'0 and over. Even my friend John, who is 6'0, had trouble seeing the stage. The first 30 yards or so in front of the stage was devoted to VIP ticket holders and anything beyond that was general admission. It just so happens that I was part of the general admission. Oh well but I didn't expect the crowd to be total pricks!

I've been to many outdoor festivals/concerts and they were never violent or uncomfortable. I've gotten used to the aroma of marijuana, cigarette and cigar smoke so that was all good, it didn't bother me too much. As for the OLP show, I had the opportunity to glance at the band on stage here and there but nothing was permanent. It usually ended by some douchebags pushing people aside or running through crowds or even jumping off TREES...yeah, trees! Honesty, are you kidding me? Anyways, STP came on at 10:30pm and of course, I got my ass kicked in a mosh pit during "Wicked Garden" and "Vaseline." Ugh, it was horrible! Even the Offspring mosh pit was less violent then that. Once again, STP sounded great and I actually got to see a good portion of their show - that was because I moved to the back of the festival.

I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy myself but it was way too violent and abrupt to actually enjoy a good rock show. It was definitely an experience I will never forget. Perhaps OLP/STP will play Hamilton or Toronto...separately...with security...and no trees.

To all those people who pushed and punched innocent rockers...

Album Review: "Burn Burn" by Our Lady Peace

Release Date: July 21, 2009
Producer: Raine Maida

Back in 2008, Our Lady Peace – more specifically Raine Maida, promised that their next LP would be “a proper rock record” again, comparing it to the likes of their debut album, 1994’s “Naveed” but “more mature.” This meant that OLP had quite the challenge in 2009. However, after fifteen years of great music, you’d think that bands begin to go sour or lose their touch. But OLP proved to defy the odds by releasing two albums under mediocre/weak ratings but selling more then usual - 2002’s “Gravity” and 2005’s “Healthy In Paranoid Times.” Say what you want, both albums are good and should remain an asset in the OLP catalogue.

On to 2009’s “Burn Burn” – a solid set of new tunes and MATURE music. Although it’s not as heavy or too close to “Naveed”, you can always count on OLP to impress the listener. Think of “Burn Burn” as Naveed and Gravity.

Produced by Raine Maida, this gave the band the ultimate freedom of writing their best songs to date and to not worry about pleasing a record label or outside producer. Thus, listeners get a very ambitious record with ascending solos, beautiful piano, hopeful lyrics and straightforward rock. “Dreamland” is a fine example of an up-tempo song with positive lyrics causing the listener to be entranced.

One of album’s finest moments is “Monkey Brains”. This eerie song takes you on a ride through the darkness of “Clumsy” with lyrics “they’re coming after you” and then slowly fading into a gentle acoustic ballad bridge. Some other honourable mentions is the ballad “Never Get Over You”, rocker/potential second single “The End Is Where We Begin” and album closer “Paper Moon.”

Since joining OLP in 2002, guitarist Steve Mazur has really shined and deserves credit on this record. Steve’s guitar playing has really evolved since joining the band and fans should look forward to hearing more from him in future releases. Duncan and Jeremy once again offer solid rhythms and sounds. Oh and Duncan, well done on “Monkey Brains”. As for Raine Maida, he voice is a little plain on this record but he still sounds great. Perhaps the falsetto will return on the next record…*sigh*. Also, is it still wrong to want Arnold Lanni back? Nothing was wrong with Raine’s production skills but has Arnold Lanni been completely excluded from future albums?

All in all, it’s a good record. OLP got it together and proved they can still rock and release great music. For a band that is almost two decades into their career, this was the right record to make.

Rating 3.8/5

1. All You Did Was Save My Life *
2. Dreamland *
3. Monkey Brains ***
4. The End Is Where We Begin **
5. Escape Artist *
6. Refuge
7. Never Get Over You *
8. White Flags
9. Signs Of Life
10. Paper Moon
__________________________________________________
(Deluxe Version)
11. Time Bomb
12. The Right Stuff * (Why wasn't this included in the standard version??)

Saosin Readies #2

California rockers Saosin are ready to release their sophomore album "In Search of Solid Ground" on September 8th, 2009 via Virgin Records. The highly anticipated album will feature five songs that feature Butch Walker at the producer chair.

The first single off the album has yet to be announced, but is expected to hit radio in the coming weeks. Saosin's first self-titled Capitol album has sold over 300,000 units since its 2006 release and featured the hits "You're Not Alone," and "Voices".

Don't Believe A Word

What is it with bands taking four, five even SIX years to release an album? Geeze...

Here is the brand new single from Third Eye Blind entitled "Don't Believe A Word." It marks the first single from their upcoming album "Ursa Major" due August 18th, 2009!

BPS: Greg K

Over the next few days, I will shine the spotlight on some of my favourite and most influential bass players. So, let's begin -


Bass Player Spotlight
Greg K
January 29th, 1965 (age 44)
The Offspring

Gregory David Kriesel was born on January 29th, 1965 and is best known by his stage name Greg K.,and the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the punk band, The Offspring.

Greg K is one of the founding members of the Offspring alongside lead singer, Dexter Holland. He is a very quiet guy, rarely does interviews and doesn't add much spark on stage, however, that's the best thing about him. When Greg's time/solo shines on stage, the entire crowd is behind him and claps along to his beats. Example: solo in "Have You Ever."

From 1984 to 1994, Greg K used a Fender Precision Bass, as seen in the videos for "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem". After the success of "Smash", Greg K was endorsed by Ibanez and used an Ibanez ATK from 1995-2004 and an Ibanez RD500 from 2004-2009. As of 2009, Greg is once again using a Fender Precision Bass.

**QUICK FACT** - Greg K has a degree in Finance and was also on the track and field team in high school along with fellow bandmate Holland, and was also in the Math Club. He also is the co-owner of Nitro Records with Dexter Holland.

Check out some of his solos and classic riffs on Bad Habit, Self Esteem, Have You Ever, Come Out Swinging, Meaning of Life, Trust In You, Hammerhead and The Noose!

All Over Me

This is my first entry in a long time. I apologize for my laziness. Umm, look our for some album reviews and concert stories.

UNTIL THEN...FINALLY! Default has released their new single from their upcoming fourth album due September 29th, 2009. It's a great tune and will hopefully be a hit! Check it out!

Offspring Concert

On July 2nd, I went to the Offspring concert in Toronto. It was truly one of the best concerts of my life - and I've been to MANY concerts. This was a special concert for me because not only was I seeing my favourite band live in concert, but it was also the day before my birthday. In other words, it was nice saying "I'm spending my 22nd birthday with the Offspring."

The Offspring played a 90 minute set in front of a sold out crowd at the Molson Amphitheater in Toronto. The band was in tip-top form, the tunes were blasting and the mosh pits were insane! Opening acts Frank Turner and Pennywise were great and should be recognized for their performances.

When the lights went out, drummer Pete Parada hit the stage and began banging away to set opener "Stuff Is Messed Up." My oh my, I knew every word to each song. It was great seeing such classics like "Gotta Get Away", "Americana" and "Meaning Of Life." However, I must admit that "Bad Habit" and "All I Want" were some of my favourites. Dexter even sang "Gone Away" with a piano!

All in all, it was a great show. My last Offspring show was back in May 2004, so it was a real treat. Rumour has it that the band is scheduled to release a new album in 2010. If they come to a city near you, GO!

Epiphany

Welcome to Strings and Shooting Stars.

As you all know, my blog spent seven months under the name "Let's Hear It For Rock Bottom." It has now been changed due to many reasons - the most important reason being my career.

The original "rock bottom" title is actually an Offspring song. To me, it was a clever title for a blog, so I kept it. However, over the past few months, I wanted to change my blog title because it wasn't generated from my creativity. The point of this blog is to offer news, opinions, album reviews and thoughts on music from my mind.

Epiphany - Last week, I went for a walk at 11:00pm at night. It was a nice night out and the stars were in full form. As I was listening to my iPod, "Sell My Soul" by OLP came on and it made my walk even calmer. Within that song, lies a tremendous combo of vocals, guitar overdubs and miscellaneous sound effects. The chorus is my favourite part of that song. During the chorus of the song, I looked up and saw a shooting star. It was absolutely marvelous.

In that moment, I knew that music was going to be my chosen career path and blogging was my first step to let my voice be heard. There you have it! STRINGS AND SHOOTING STARS.

**Listen to the chorus** :)

A Looking In View

It's Here! The world finally has brand new music from Alice in Chains!

A Looking In View

This song is great! Pure hard rock, baby! It's a great taste of what is to come with the release of "Black Gives Way To Blue" on September 29th! New singer, William sounds awesome.

Rainy Monday

It's been a really crappy day - a rainy monday, to be exact...

iTunes Update

Top Ten Songs on iTunes

1. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
2. Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
3. I Know You Want Me - Pitbul
4. Fire Burning - Sean Kingston
5. Black Or White - Michael Jackson
6. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
7. Don't Trust Me - 30H!3 (who?)
8. The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
9. Thriller - Michael Jackson
10. Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson

Top Ten Albums on iTunes

1. Number Ones - Michael Jackson
2. The Essential Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson
3. Thriller - Michael Jackson
4. The E.N.D. - Black Eyed Peas
5. Old Crows / Young Cardinals - Alexisonfire
6. Michael Jackson Greatest Hits - Michael Jackson
7. Far - Regina Spektor
8. Off The Wall - Michael Jackson
9. The Fame - Lady GaGa
10. Bad - Michael Jackson

Blog Renovation

Hello Everyone,

I hope you have been enjoying my blog so far. It has been 8 great months since I began "Let's Hear It For Rock Bottom" and it has become a delightful hobby of mine to blog about music.

On July 1st, this blog will be under a new name, address and theme. I will provide the reasons on that day. All of the entries will still be here and I will continue to blog about music. Blogcatalogue will also be updated. Think of this as the next step...

Rock on,

Greg

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson: August 28, 1958 - June 25, 2009

Michael Jackson, also known as the King of Pop, passed away at the age of 50 on Thursday, June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles, CA home. His death came just before what was to be his "comeback" tour with 50 sold out shows at London’s O2 Arena that were set to begin on July 13 and end on March 6, 2009.

It is difficult to write this entry because of the many emotions running through my head. The music industry/world has lost an icon, a figure that will never EVER be matched again. No artist will ever come close to MJ's success, influence, and records. He was truly one for the ages and an artist who defined an era and a way of feeling the "beat."

Michael Jackson's remarkable career spanned over 35 years, from the Jackson 5 to his solo efforts. Honestly..."Thriller", "Off The Wall", "Bad", "HIStory." Those records, to this day, are a few of the worlds BEST selling albums of all-time. He has sold over 750 MILLION RECORDS, released 13 number 1 singles and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time.

The remaining - let's say - 15 years of his life was unfortunately invaded by allegations, surgeries, charges and parody. I will admit that I am as guilty as any of YOU for saying MJ jokes and criticizing him for any of his actions. Everybody has their own opinions of MJ, but the bottom line is that Michael Jackson was a legend and his music will never die. His memory will live forever through his music, inspirations and collaborations with countless artists.

Please read this comment:
Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers:
"Sitting in a dressing room in Calgary, Canada I am more saddened than I can remember in maybe the last five years. Call the guy whatever you want... judge his actions, judge his judgments, and judge the man any way in any language you want. But Michael Jackson was the best. There was no one better. There never will be anyone better. People don’t try anymore. You can take any pretty loser who can't sing who has a good smile and sells records and make him a star. Just look at Anyone on the charts today. Today we lost a part of music history, a legend, and the greatest pop music artist there ever will be. The things Michael created on 'Thriller', 'Off The Wall' and 'Bad' will never be matched. By anyone ever. Michael Jackson was the best. People believed in Michael Jackson who didn't believe in Jesus. And that, my friends, is a legend. God bless Michael Jackson's music, his soul, and his legend. That can never be replaced. Rest in peace, sir. God bless your soul."

Absolutely. I love every word of this paragraph. MJ's creations will never be matched. You can watch all of your Justin Timberlake's, Rihanna's, Pink's and even your Lady GaGa's (dear God...) but they will never amount to Michael Jackson. Don't get me wrong, I think those artists are tremendous performers, but you get my point.

Michael Jackson, you were one of a kind and will remain in the hearts of your fans forever. Rest in peace.

Soundgarden: Reunion?

In an interview with England's Kerrang! Magazine, Shinedown frontman, Brent Smith, there is talk of a potential Soundgarden reunion. Smith said, "There's talk of a reuniting of Soundgarden in the States soon. I know actually someone specific who told me that, who is actually specifically in their organization. Kinda told me that they're talking about it."

Other sources state that a Soundgarden reunion tour was in the works for the summer of 2010, and that all four members of the band were tentatively interested. Really? Even Cornell?

Soundgarden broke up in 1997 after releasing five studio albums over a twelve year career. The group sold millions of records and was one of the key acts of the Seattle "grunge" scene, joining the ranks of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains.

Frontman Chris Cornell recorded three albums with Audioslave after Soundgarden's demise and has also embarked on a checkered solo career (Ahh! "Scream"). Drummer Matt Cameron plays in Pearl Jam, while guitarist Kim Thayil and bass player Ben Shepherd have kept lower profiles.

SPOONMAN!!!!!!!

Stargazer

Well it's another night under the stars and I have the PERFECT song to coincide with my mood.

Classic Album Review: "Healthy In Paranoid Times" by Our Lady Peace

Release Date: August 2005
Producer: Bob Rock

According to Raine Maida, it took OLP 1145 days to write, record, mix and master “Healthy In Paranoid Times.” The final CD version contains 12 songs, but 45 were written and recorded.

There was so much shit that went into the making of this album. It was the band’s sixth studio album and second with producer, Bob Rock. Right off the bat, you know it’s a different sound then the Mike Turner/Arnold Lanni OLP. Put it this way, Gravity and H.I.P.T are the second era of OLP. There was so much creative tension during the making this record that it was almost unbearable for all parties. According to the band, Our Lady Peace came dangerously close to breaking up during the making of the record. Producer Bob Rock and each member of the band walked away or was fired from the project least once but always came back to finish the album.

Healthy in Paranoid Times is another different album for the band. Singles “Where Are You”, “Angels Losing Sleep” and “Will The Future Blame Us” are faster numbers and are some of the few heavier songs on the album. Beyond that, the overall resulting sound was more commercial rock – with less hard rock and more light tones, mid-tempo and pop-rock numbers. Raine Maida’s lyrics once again grace heavy world issues and personal anguishes. In the song “Picture”, he sings "I'm waiting by the telephone, breathing through a giant rubber hose, God only knows / Photographs of you and me, pictures of the friends you used to know / Where did they go?" That is some pretty heavy stuff.

The bands musical abilities once again shine to their fullest on this record. On a personal note, I was impressed with what guitarist Steve Mazur brought to OLP. Both he and Duncan showcase some catchy riffs and polished melodies.

The concluding track, “Al Genina (Leave The Light On) is beautifully written, acoustic rock ballad that describes Raine’s experience in the middle east. Raine Maida is a member of War Child Canada, an organization that aids families in third world countries.

Overall, it’s a good record. It was a challenging record the band, and its outcome was exceptional. Our Lady Peace has always been a great band, creating many classics and making great records. However, did this album really need to take 1145 days to make? I don’t think so.

Rating: 4/5

Track-listing

01. Angels Losing Sleep *
02. Will The Future Blame Us? *
03. Picture ***
04. Where Are You?
05. Wipe That Smile Off Your Face
06. Love And Trust **
07. Boy *
08. Apology
09. The World On A String
10. Don`t Stop
11. Walking In Circles
12. Al Genina (Leave A Light On)

Offspring 2010

According to billboard.com, The Offspring are already planning the follow-up to 2008'a critically acclaimed "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace."

Guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman tells Billboard.com that frontman Dexter Holland recently sat down with producer Bob Rock -- who produced 2008's "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" -- to start plotting the follow-up. "They kinda went over a couple of things that were left off the last record," he reports, "and songs that were even left off 'Splinter' or maybe even 'Conspiracy of One' and kind of looked at some things with free eyes and see if there was anything there that can be worked on."

Wasserman says the group would "like to have a new record out next year for sure" but isn't likely to hit the studio until January, after it finishes the touring cycle for "Rise and Fall..." And he doesn't expect the group to come up with new material on the road. "It's really hard to do that," Noodles notes. "It almost never happens."

The new album will be be the first to include the recordings of drummer, Pete Parada.

The Offspring are touring North America into mid-July, then head to Europe for the balance of the summer.

Oh, by the way, I'm seeing them on July 2nd in Toronto! Wooooo!

Album Review: "Only Through The Pain..." by Trapt

Release Date: August 5th, 2008
Producer: Garth Richardson

Trapt has been well-established for a few years now and their third record, "Only Through The Pain..." is another good addition to their catalogue. The album debuted at #18 on the Billboard 200 Chart and #4 on the Rock Album Chart. It moved 25,000 copies its first week.

If you listen to Trapt's entire library of songs, you will always find different elements of rock. New songs such as "Who's Going Home with You Tonight?", "Contagious" and "Cover Up" play very well to the genre and are great tracks. Tracks like "Ready When You Are" and "Black Rose" are produced very well and deserve to be radio hits. "Black Rose" features a phenomenal overdubbed, layered vocal bridge that will impress any listener. Chris Taylor Brown's lyrics reflect life's thoughts, curiosities and troubles and mix well with the hard-driven, funky and clever guitar riffs. What more can you ask for?

When a band incorporates many sounds of rock into an album, they can only climb higher up the ladder. Trapt is a great example of that. They do it very well and their future releases will show that. People should look past "Headstrong" and actually listen to what these guys have to offer. It's great modern rock and their albums are all thoroughly produced and striking.

Rating: 4/5

Track-listing

1. Wasteland
2. Who's Going Home with You Tonight? *
3. Contagious*
4. Black Rose***
5. Ready When You Are*
6. Forget About the Rain
7. Cover Up*
8. Only One in Color
9. Wherever She Goes
10. Curiosity Kills
11. The Last Tear

Got'chu

Another forgotten classic...

Default Update

Remember the band Default? If not, does the song "Wasting My Time", "Deny" or "Count On Me" ring a bell? I'm sure if you heard, you'd recognize it. If you're wondering where they've been, here's an update...

Default's absence from the music scene has become well known, including their forever forthcoming CD that has been in the works for two years now. In 2005, Default released their third studio album entitled, "One Thing Remains" and was led by first single, "Count On Me." It was well received by many critics and fans but was poorly marketed and didn't generate many sales. This was because of their label, TVT Records. This label basically screwed Default's career. Singer Dallas Smith recalled their label "not investing time and money on the right bands." The metal band, Sevendust, was an example he mentioned.

In the Fall of 2007, Default began recording the follow-up to "One Thing Remains." The record was complete in December of 2007, but as Default was preparing to release the first single, take photo shoots and finalize the cover art, TVT Records filed for bankruptcy in February 2008, causing the record to come to a halt. What was next for Default? Barely anything! It was a very slow time in the career of Default. The band played very few shows and kept fans waiting with very little updates.

The majority of 2008 was spent in search of a new label and distribution company. If TVT records went under, who owns the master tapes now? In Spring 2008, Default signed a deal with The Orchard, an online music distribution company that owns the digital masters of numerous well-known artists. In a sense, this was good for Default because fans can still purchase Default records online. Drummer, Danny Craig reassured fans in June 2008 that their album, then titled "Still Standing" would be released in March 2009. That release date was never met.

In March of 2009, Default posted an update on their Facebook page stating "Still Standing" would be released in July with a first single hitting Canadian airwaves in May. What happened? You guessed it; it's June 15th and we haven't heard anything. However, it wasn't until a few days ago that I heard an interview on Alternative Addiction Radio with Dallas Smith. Default is now releasing their new album in September 2009 via EMI Canada Records. The album title is no longer "Still Standing" and has yet to be given a new title. Yeah, Default! Hopefully the date is met because Default needs to be back in the spotlight. They're such a great band, with tremendous potential and it's a shame TVT never put the spotlight on them. Cheers to a Default comeback. Be patient, my friends.

Check out the interview at Alternative Addiction! Default interview

This picture was taken in October 2008 at a Default show in Oshawa. Jeremy and Danny were cool guys and it was a great show!

New A.I.C.

Legendary rockers, Alice In Chains, will release "Black Gives Way To Blue", their first studio album in 14 years on September 29th, 2009 via EMI/Virgin Records.. It will also the mark the first recording with new vocalist, William DuVall. The album was also produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters). "It's been a meaningful journey and a hell of a story," says Cantrell.

"We're very excited to have a home at Virgin/EMI and are looking forward to writing new chapters in the book of Alice."

"We're in a good place," adds Kinney. "We've made a record that we're really proud of, we've got a team in place that's passionate about the music and we're excited for the fans to hear the new songs."

"Alice In Chains has had a big hand in the evolution of music and I still can't believe we get to work with them," says Rob Stevenson, President of Virgin Records. "This music is going to remind people what we've all been missing."

"There is a tremendous sense of excitement and dedication within EMI around the world as we head into this album release," added Jeff Kempler, EMI's COO of New Music for North America and the U.K. "Alice In Chains' place in rock history is undeniable and when people hear this remarkable new work it will be clear how timeless, potent and visionary this band is."

Alice In Chains were among the headliners at the recent Rock on the Range festival in Columbus, OH. Next up is a July 18 show with Kid Rock at Comerica Park in Detroit, to be followed by festival shows with Metallica overseas, including an August 1 date at Marlay Park in Dublin and an August 2 show at the Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth. Earlier this year, the quartet took a break from recording to perform a string of shows in Australia with Nine Inch Nails.

Throughout their career, Alice In Chains has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 17 million albums worldwide and achieved 11 top 10 hit singles.

Thanks for the report to ultimate-guitar.com

Bass Gear

This upcoming July will mark my seventh year as a bass player.

Throughout the past six years, I have purchased three bass guitars; a Squier P-Bass, an Ibanez RD300 and a Schecter Model-T Bass. There's really no need to have more then one, but at the same time, it's good to collect them. Hey, I have one bass for every tuning! Yeahhhh.

My most recent bass has been my main weapon of choice. The Schecter Model-T Bass is absolutely incredible and is the official bass of STP bassist, Robert Deleo.

This Schecter bass has a bolt-on Maple neck and an Alder body. The neck is a medium 34" scale with 22 medium frets and dot inlays on a Rosewood fingerboard. Also has heavy duty Grover chrome tuners and chrome hardware, Seymour Duncan Basslines P/J pickups and Diamond vintage bridge. What blew me away was the sound of this bass! It has a big crunching sound that'll blow you away!

I plan on purchasing another Schecter within the next year or so. It's a totally reliable and will offer you the playing satisfaction you deserve. Here's a picture of me rockin' out with my Schecter...

Treble Charger

Hailing from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Treble Charger was an indie-rock turned pop-rock band that consisted of Greig Nori, Bill Priddle, Rosie Martin and Trevor McGregor.

In 1994, TC released their first record, nc17, independently and was a hit on campus radio, MuchMusic, and CFNY. It was later re-issued on Sonic Unyon Records in 1997. Also, in 1997, TC released their sophomore album and major label debut, Maybe It's Me. This album was more commercial rock, led by single "Friend of Mine."

Three years later, TC released their infamous third album, Wide Awake Bored, which spawned three massive hits; "American Psycho", "Brand New Low" and "Business." You gotta love "American Psycho", it's a classic.
This album was the first Treble Charger album to have success in the United States and was nominated for an award at the 2001 Juno Awards. Following Maybe It's Me, this album is Treble Charger's second most successful album to date.

Finally in 2002, their fourth and final album was released. Detox was another album to spotlight their evolution to a pop-punk band. It featured singles "Hundred Million" and "Don't Believe It All". The video for "Hundred Million" is awesome and features Sum 41, Avril Lavigne and Gob. Detox was also certified Gold of 50,000+ copies sold in Canada.

Guitarist Bill Priddle left the band in 2003, citing creative differences. Priddle's work with the band was widely acclaimed and praised for their indy rock style. According to sources, Priddle wasn't comfortable with the bands new image and sound. In 2006, singer/guitarist official disbanded Treble Charger.

You know, it's actually sad how this band ended. Treble Charger was a band that became popular after tensions in the band hit an all-time low. It's a real shame because the band always had potential of being a well established Can-rock act but never got the respect or attention they deserved.

Not much has serviced from the band since. Greig Nori is the host of the show "Disband" on MuchMusic but that's all I know. Go listen to some Treble Charger!

Treble Charger Discography
nc17 (1994)
Maybe It's Me (1997)
Wide Awake Bored (2000)
Detox (2002)

Ian's Big Wreck

After spending a few days listening to Ian Thornley's "Big Wreck" and "Thornley", I have come to the conclusion that Ian should have kept the name Big Wreck. Think about it...

1997: Big Wreck's debut album "In Loving Memory Of..." is a huge success in Canada, spawning #1 hits "The Oaf", and "That Song", not to mention other radio singles "Blown Wide Open" and "Under The Lighthouse." The album went 2x Platinum (200,000+ sold) and put Big Wreck on the map. Well done, great album. I would also like to mention the fine production by producer Matt DeMatteo.

2001: Big Wreck returned with their sophomore and FINAL album "The Pleasure and the Greed." This album barely crossed the "heavy metal" line and offered heavier riffs but didn't live up to its predecessor. It was a commercial failure, probably due to poor marketing. Perhaps, the four year gap in-between albums caused this turn off? It's really 50/50, bands have to keep in the publics eye, especially after a breakthrough debut album. In 2002, the band called it quits. Why? Who knows.

2004: Ian Thornley returns with his new band, Thornley. Their debut album, "Come Again", is another success in Canada, with #1 hits "So Far So Good" and "Come Again." This album went Gold in Canada (50,000+ sold) and Thornley was nominated for two Juno Awards in the wake of Come Again: New Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year.." Some thanks goes out to Chad Kroeger, who signed Thornley to 604 Records. It's a heavy but great album! WHAT IF BIG WRECK NEVER BROKE UP? This album would have solidified the band in Can-Rock music as a headliner.

2009: Five...years...later. Thornley releases "Tiny Pictures." It's a solid album but why the five year gap? Ian explains the troubles of being with a record label as the issue. Fair enough, it is hard to get an album out nowadays. Lead single "Make Believe" is another radio hit, however, didn't reach the magnitude of prior singles. It also was produced by Grammy Award winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver, Rush). Nevertheless, this could have been Big Wreck's fourth studio album.

Now, I'm not knockin' Ian Thornley for branching off from BW and creating Thornley. There are probably SO many reasons as to why BW didn't work but in a dream world, Canada would have benefited from Big Wreck. They would've been another band to join the likes of Tragically Hip, Sloan, Rush, I Mother Earth, Our Lady Peace, Matthew Good Band, Nickelback and Three Days Grace. We should, however, be thankful for the music Ian Thornley has provided us. Cheers to future releases.

STP 2010

In a recent interview, STP vocalist, Scott Weiland has told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that STP is working on material for a new album, tentatively due in 2010. Sweet!

"We've already got 18 songs written. We'll probably whittle it down to the best 12," he said. "But then there'll be a lot of other songs ready for the next record."

He added, "We're working with [producer] Don Was. And if he could make records with the [Rolling] Stones and all their shenanigans ... then he can handle STP."

This will mark the group's first studio album since 2001's "Shangri-La-Dee-Da" and the sixth STP album overall. However, the recording process has been complicated due to contractual disputes from Scott and Weiland, drummer, Eric Kretz and Atlantic Records. Oh boy, enough of this record label bullshit. Why is it so hard to record an album these days? I can't believe I'm saying this but go INDIE. You'll have more creative and business control.

In 2008, as an act of divine intervention, STP reunited and completed a successful 65-date tour across North America. On July 11th, I'm seeing them (2nd time) at Sarnia Bayfest with Our Lady Peace. Dear God...what a combo!

Source: Alternative Addiction

Classic Album Review: "Dr. Feelgood" by Motley Crue

Release Date: September 1st, 1989
Producer: Bob Rock

What a great album. This 1989 classic offering from L.A. headbangers, Motley Crue, will always be regarded by music critics and fans as being Mötley Crüe's strongest and bestselling album. Not only did this album debut at #1 on the Billboard charts, but it was the first album to be recorded in a sober state.

In 2009, after celebrating it's 20th Anniversary of release, Dr. Feelgood has sold over 6 million copies in the U.S. alone. Mind you, the album was also reissued and mastered in May. The album sure had a run for its money; "Dr. Feelgood" and "Kickstart My Heart" were both nominated for Grammy awards for Best Hard Rock Performance and the song "Dr. Feelgood" was ranked #15 on VH1 Greatest Hard Rock Songs and #41 on VH1's 100 Greatest '80s Songs. Oh yeah!

Also, let's bring our most discussed producer, Bob Rock! Wow, he pops up everywhere. Bob did a great production job on this record, providing the album with a shiny and vibrant sound which were obsolete from the band's previous albums. The instrumentation on this album is fantastic. Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx are great song-writers and it shows through unforgettable riffs like "Kickstart My Heart", "Dr. Feelgood", and "Rattlesnake Shake." Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee's rhythm section is tight and perfect, Mick's solos are rockin' and Vince's vocals are epic.

The lyrics in this album seem to fall into various categories;
Sex ("Sticky Sweet", "She Goes Down", "Rattlesnake Shake")
Relationships/Love ("Without You", "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)")
Drugs ("Dr. Feelgood", "Kickstart My Heart") Plus, we all know the story behind "Kickstart My Heart" right? Well, if you don't, Nikki Sixx died from a drug overdose and was luckily revived by two adrenaline shots to the heart.

Your speakers will thank you for putting on this record. Make sure to pick up a copy of the digitally re-mastered version of "Dr. Feelgood." Grab a few drinks, call some friends and blare this record. Rock and f*ckin' roll baby!

Rating: 4/5

Track-listing:

1. T'N'T
2. Dr. Feelgood ***
3. Slice Of Your Pie
4. Rattlesnake Shake ***
5. Kickstart My Heart ***
6. Without You
7. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.) ***
8. Sticky Sweet
9. She Goes Down
10. Don't Go Away (Just Go Away) ***
11. Time For Change

Crash Karma

Get ready Can-Rock fans, there's a new supergroup in town! Woo! Please welcome to the stage, Crash Karma, featuring members of I Mother Earth, OLP, Tea Party and Zygote. Rumour has it that they plan on releasing their debut LP on July 1st, 2009. Well, guess what? That won't happen because a single should have been released by now.

Once again, Crash Karma are the following:

Vocals: Edwin (I Mother Earth/Edwin Solo), Drums: Jeff Burrows (The Tea Party), Guitarist: Mike Turner (Our Lady Peace) and Bassist: Amir Epstein (Zygote)

Classic Album Review: "Gravity" by Our Lady Peace

Release Date: June 18th, 2002
Producer: Bob Rock

I like to write album reviews. It's fun, challenging and it's something I enjoy tremendously because of my passion for music. When I choose the albums that I'd like to review, it's always good to have them one or two years past their release date. Why you ask? It's a way to stay current and talk about what's popular or worth mentioning. However, this review will be different. I'm going to start posting reviews of older albums. Why not? Let's dust off this album and give it a try.

First off, "Gravity" by Our Lady Peace is one of my favourite albums of all time and will probably remain that way for the rest of my life. Yes, bold statement, I know. This is one of those albums that you will never put away. It impressed me back in 2002 and it still impresses me to this day. In fact, it's been seven years this month since its' release. "Gravity" a special album by Our Lady Peace. It was their sixth studio album, the first with new producer, Bob Rock and was the final album to feature founding guitarist and main songwriter, Mike Turner. I should, however, mention that "Gravity" is NOT my favourite OLP record. Weird eh?

If you're a devotee of OLP, then you should already know that "Gravity" is a radical departure from its predecessors. There are a number of reasons for that and you can thank Bob Rock for the majority of it. Rock's touch is very apparent throughout the album. The difference between Bob Rock and former producer, Arnold Lanni is that Rock tends to pervade and get heavily involved with all aspects of the writing and recording. Nothing wrong with that right? Well not really, but Bob, this was a different case. Arnold Lanni existed only to allow the band to be creative and write their own music. Gone for the most part are the sumptuous harmonies and careful, expansive arrangements of their older material; in their place debuts repeated light verses/heavy distorted chorus dynamics.

As previously mentioned, guitarist Mike Turner and production keyboardist Jamie Edwards exited the group in 2001 citing "creative and personal differences." Both left three writing credits (All For You, Bring Back The Sun and Story of a Girl) leaving frontman Raine Maida to complete the songwriting himself. OLP then welcomed 24-year-old guitarist Steve Mazur to the band, replacing the irreplaceable Mike Turner. This was a difficult project for Mazur, simply because he walked into already written material and, because he was new, he was more inclined to follow Bob Rock's lead.

Under all of these sudden changes, a great rock record emerged. Give the band their dues, lead single "Somewhere Out There" was their first international hit and was huge in Canada and the US. This was an album where each musician had to step up and give it their all under new management, change and direction. Even Raine Maida's infamous falsetto took a back seat on this record. Some may say it's a simple, uninspired record but I disagree. It's a definitely a departure from their unique, rock sound to commercial rock, but Raine Maida and company have always silenced and divided themselves from critics. Each song segues its way from easy verses to beautiful choruses and offers violen riffs, great guitar hooks, stringed arrangments and soothing melodies slapped with impassioned vocal outcrys by Raine Maida.

"Innocent" displays powerful vocals from Maida, especially with the inclusion of a children's choir creating a more majestic final chorus. "Not Enough" is a moody song from start to finish. You really feel the dark instrumentation with lyrics such as "There's nothing left to prove/Nothing I won't do/Nothing like the pain I feel for you and laments/What you want/What you had/What is gone/It's over." The closing track, "Story Of A Girl" is phenomenal. Here is where Mike Turner kicks in with terrific guitar overdubs, an addicting chorus and Raine's lyrics about a troubled girl looking for love and assurance.

This album means a lot to me, and even my friends. "Gravity" still gets played year round and will always get credited as a "summer album." It was, however, difficult to learn about the departures and changes of this great band through this album, but it gave OLP a new vision and new challenge of testing themselves as a band. Perhaps I will discuss their 2005 "Healthy In Paranoid Times" soon. Try and look past the absence of classic OLP trademarks and give the Bob Rock stamped OLP a try.

Rating: 5/5

Track listing:

1. All For You
2. Do You Like It ***
3. Somewhere Out There
4. Innocent
5. Made of Steel ***
6. Not Enough ***
7. Sell My Soul
8. Sorry ***
9. Bring Back the Sun
10. A Story About a Girl ***

Sometime Around Midnight

What a chillin' song...

Neil Peart Drum Solo

Absolutely incredible. Rush drummer Neil Peart is a drum god.

Dirty Magic

This video is for old school Offspring fans. "Dirty Magic" is from the album, Ignition (1992). In this video, Dexter and Noodles perform this classic tune acoustically.