Band Concert - Galena Style

What can a man learn from middle and high school concerts, and is it possible that an educator can have such an impact on parents as much as he has the children he teaches?  By attending the concerts of both of my children in the past week has taught me so much, but does the necessity of education in "musical arts" have a real place in our schools?

Hairball - Mississippi Moon Bar

Feline issues are not the kind of things one might expect from a music blog and yet I have decided to write about hairballs.  It is surprising that such an issue would be talked about by a man that doesn't own a cat and the thought of me trying to ascertain how such a condition occurs is mind numbing.  So imagine being presented with the chance to see "Hairball"...  Live at the Mississippi Moon Bar.  I was scared.

The Devil's Heir

In my "journey" through the music I dial up every so often I find myself gravitating toward bands of a certain type.  Its not because I am a music snob, it has to do with the list I have created based on suggestions people give me or contacts I have made.  What I find is so interesting is the quality of music I have been hearing and more importantly I find that its music that YOU listen to.  When I found the band "The Devil's Heir", I was really happy that they were on that list.

"Do They Know It's Christmas?"

As I was driving this evening I was listening to XM Radio when the (in)famous Christmas based cry for global help simply known as "Do They Know It's Christmas?" made its presence known.  That little blast of reality made me think back to a time that had me firmly entrenched as a junior in high school but it opened my eyes to the past and forced me to think back.

A Fallen Legend - Dimebag Darrell

Legends are merely what we make of them, yet at times those legends become so inflated that we lose the basic reality of the legend.  While its true that legends endure and continue to retain that inflated state, it is also true that with said state, piety takes hold.  Music has an indelible quality to raise the simple musician to the pious state of "Rock God" and as with every legend there are always those that truly are legends.

Lita Ford - Tailgaters

Lita Ford.  That name is synonymous “Hair Metal” from that classic era buried within the ‘80’s, and I think more importantly she did so much more.  Consider that in a time when the males in the same category were wearing heels, spandex and more makeup than Tammy Faye, Ford was different.  What she did, what she accomplished was phenomenal and still she is “pigeonholed” with bands like “Vixen”, “Femme Fatale” and with the likes of Doro Pesch.  In an era where bands came and went so fast that you would swear they were taken away by UFO's, Ford was different but could she still be that good?

Heart Impaled

Music has an amazing effect on those that listen to it.  With the exception of some really disturbed people (and NO I am not talking about me) music can evoke emotions that we really never knew we had.  At times said music can run the gamete of emotions to such an extent we really don't understand what we just heard and why we might actually feel the way we do.  As I listened to Heart Impaled for the first time some of those thoughts came to fruition, but were the feelings good or really bad?  Well, keep reading then.

Tridon

While digging through my Twitter account recently I came across a band that I knew absolutely nothing about (shocker isn't it).  The band in question is named "Tridon" and after I listened to their music, I came away with a strange tic that I couldn't really explain.

Congress Theater

Having been at many interesting and really cool places to see concerts, it almost seems like when I hear of a concert being held at a venue I have never been too before, I jump on the opportunity.  With a concert of the magnitude of Anthrax, Testament and Death Angel in addition to the chance at a new venue well, I just had to go.

Congress Theater - Anthrax

Anthrax: "an infectious disease of warm-blooded animals (as cattle and sheep) caused by a spore-forming bacterium (Bacillus anthracis), transmissible to humans especially by the handling of infected products (as wool), and characterized by cutaneous ulcerating nodules or by often fatal lesions in the lungs." (courtesy of Merriam - Webster dictionary).  Nothing about that vile disease sounds cool nor does it sound the least bit entertaining.  Why would I want to discuss a transmissible disease on a music blog you may ask, keep reading.

Congress Theater - Testament

During the '80's public perception was that anything related to heavy metal music involved Aqua-Net, 6 inch heels, spandex and trashy looking girls (I do miss the '80's).  Sure there were hair bands popping up all over the place like a Butterball turkey on Thanksgiving, but that wasn't metal, it was hair metal.  Although the hair metal appeared to have taken the hearts and minds of every teenager in North America (Tipper wasn't happy by that comment), that really wasn't the case.  While hair metal tried to thrive, bands like Guns n' Roses, Metallica, Megadeth and Testament grew.  Sure hair metal had its day (and to some extent it still does), but bands like Testament remained.

Congress Theater - Death Angel

When I was presented with the opportunity to see Anthrax, Testament and Death Angel on the 15th of October I was overwhelmed with anticipation (I know that sounds dumb, but keep reading).  Individually these bands would be excellent in concert but with the option of seeing Death Angel was one of those blasts from the past.  Could Death Angel meet or exceed the expectations that I had for the band?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Chickenfoot - III

Bands are made up of a plethora of characters and sometimes that witches brew creates combinations that leaves everyone (often themselves) scratching their heads.  That witches brew can also create a supergroup like no one has seen before but through it all there is one constant that must be achieved: Respect amongst bandmates.  Often these supergroups are chastised and are the butt of oh so many jokes, but occasionally its the punchline that helps make sense of it all.  For example, have you heard the one about the band made up of a Red Rocker, a Surfin' Alien, the guy with two first names and a hot pepper?

Sarah Blackwood

Punk rock by its very definition is not mainstream and if one examines it Punk is much like pork (the Other White Meat) thus punk is the "other type of music".  But how can that be true?  Punk gave us cutting edge bands like the Clash, Ramones and the Sex Pistols and those bands have been the influence of thousands of bands and some of those bands gave us some really amazing music.  Can punk still be the cutting edge for music, or is it really the "other type of music"?  To find out, I entered the realm of "The Creepshow", but more importantly, "Sarah Blackwood".

Sandness

Hair metal, that era of music which bands seemed to follow a nice, formatted formula that helped throw further chaff into the hearts and minds of pubescent boys and masses of hairspray coated females.  Hair metal WAS a very important time in music whether we agree or agree to disagree, but you might ask "Wasn't that killed off by grunge?", uhm no and I can prove it even.

Gift of Destiny

Thrash metal is perhaps one of the most interesting of all forms of the metal genres, its loud, brash, violent and just plain angry.  Thrash metal is a type of music that is so much more than those four descriptive words but to the person that listens to, and understands the music form can expand that list to frightening heights.  Arizona has become the proud parent of a band called "Gift of Destiny" and they may actually be a band that can destroy all of the stereotypes.

Cornfed Bruiser

At one point in my existence I was a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician and during that little slice of heaven I never had a boring call (I had some bogus ones, but never boring).  There were more than a few trillion broken hips, cars upside down, puking nightmares that always had to eat about 60 heads of freaking garlic before I got there and traffic accidents but one type of call always got my attention:  Motorcycle accidents.  Motorcycle accidents seemed to always occur where gravel would just "pop up" on the unsuspecting motorcyclist and with that came "Road Rash".  I know you're bored right now, well keep reading I promise it will make sense.

Chalcedony

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but that doesn't mean that beauty cannot be judged subjectively.  Music is the same really and the true test is whether one can judge subjectively despite being blind to the reality behind its face.  I actually understand what I meant by that statement but until you have listened to "Chalcedony" it may not make sense to you.

Winchester Rebels

Beside the fact I know very little about the City of Santa Barbara, well short of the old soap opera named "Santa Barbara" (I was ill occasionally in the '80's, don't judge me), there was no hesitation to learn more about a band from that fair area.  When "Winchester Rebels" entered my radar I thought it would behoove me (neat word huh) to learn more about Santa Barbara, or at least the "Winchester Rebels".

7 Seconds Bad Luck

Distortion.  Reverb.  Hard edged guitar and driving base.  Deep vocals.  Interesting.  Real meaning.  Despite the fact that these words mean nothing as they were initially read by the reader, they actually mean quite a bit.  7 Seconds Bad Luck.  What does that mean you might ask, that's the name of the band that I penned all of those "meaningless" words at the beginning.

MirrorMind

Objectivity is the thing that separates us from apes (and you thought it was the thumb) and utilizing that trait is important in all of our decisions.  Music as a rule cannot be objective rather it can be subjective (I think) but utilizing that rule we can select the best music possible for our enjoyment.  MirrorMind is a band where subjectivity can go out the window.  Why is that you might ask, keep reading...

National Overdrive

When you talk about Minnesota a few things are a no-brainer, the Twins, Vikings, cold, snow and Jesse Ventura seem to be the topics of interest (did I mention cold and snow).  When talking about music from Minnesota usually one performer comes to mind and yes that means the artist formerly know as Prince (or one of the variations upon the name) and for most people that's really think of, but is there another performer in Minnesota that should be talked about too?

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

It feels like I have said in nearly every post that I am so happy with all of the great music people have recommended, so today I have decided to say something different.  I am "elated" with the suggestion I received on "Grace Potter and the Nocturnals".  I can't help it, its the truth but to what extent?

September 11th

Its 12:25 AM on September 11th and I just spent the last hour trying to find music that I could share with my Facebook friends.  I chose several great versions of classic patriotic music, intermingled with some versions of Christian music, and as I was closing up shop for the evening, I had a moment that made me reflective and made me want to write it up.

The Hunting Accident - It Was No Accident

Band names are one of the best ways to spark interest in the band (if you haven't heard their music first), and at times can be a clue as to the type of music they perform (i.e., Ratt, Twisted Sister, Metallica, Megadeth  and judging by the names, not an easy listening band).  When I heard of the band named "The Hunting Accident", I had to listen.

BoH - Birth of Happiness

Through the magical world of the internet, I was contacted about a band called BoH (Birth of Happiness) and as I dug through the chaff that lay upon the floor, I discovered a band that I really have to talk about.

Asia featuring John Payne - Mississippi Moon Bar

The decade of the '80's means so many different things to oh so many people, but to me the '80's, more specifically 1982 was the year I entered high school.  This portion of the '80's was intertwined with school, girls, and music and all of the trappings that went with it.  The music of the '80's had a profound effect on the generation, it was an era that helped shape my musical palate, and bands like Asia were building blocks to that palate.

The Worshyp

Remember the era of the "Hair Bands", and how any band that played heavy metal was labeled the same way?  It was assumed that all of the musicians were nothing more than neanderthals that could play an instrument and had big, huge Aqua-Net enhanced hair.  Even today metal bands seem pigeon holed and those beliefs seem to still have a white knuckled grip on the genre, but that is simply inaccurate.

You don't believe me, then take the time to listen to "The Worshyp".

Or Nothing - Boston's Very Own

Using the electronic media for good instead of evil, I posted that I needed to find some new music to listen to and write about, damn if that wasn't the best idea I've ever had.  Through the miraculous "Twitter", I learned about the band, "Or Nothing", and I couldn't be giddier if I tried.

Pat Benatar And Neil Giraldo - Mississippi Moon Bar

"Actually, there are three girls at Ridgemont who have cultivated the Pat Benatar look."  That one solitary line from "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" alerted the rest of the American public to what was the phenomena of Pat Benatar and firmly cemented her place not only in the pop culture of 1982, but for the next 29 years.  Cut to August 18th, 2011 and Pat Benatar's appearance at the Mississippi Moon Bar in Dubuque, IA and the question that befalls all of the musicians from the '80's, "Can she still rock?".

"Riot" At The Wisconsin State Fair

The headlines read "State Fair melees produce 11 injuries, 31 arrested", "Racial mob violence rocks the Wisconsin State Fair", and "Did Gov Walker Stage Wisconsin State Fair Race Attack?", so what does one do when given the opportunity to see a music act that one has seen previously?  Queue the creepy music because that is exactly what I did.

Jani Lane Dies At 47

Jani Lane the former lead singer of "Warrant" was found dead in a hotel room in the San Fernando Valley (north of Los Angeles) on August 11th, 2011, he was 47.  Death at any age is a tragedy, and inasmuch as that is true, I'm sure that press agencies will be speculating on a cause of death.  Obviously I am not a press agency, but I believe that talking about the man is more important than rampant speculation on a cause of death.

Home Sweet Home - The Soundtrack Of My Life

"You know I'm a dreamer, but my hearts of gold"  So starts one of the most emotional songs in my life.  We all have songs that remind us of someone or something, they may elicit a variety of emotions and reactions and occasionally we aren't sure why.  Sometimes we have to look deep within to understand to find a reason if not merely to explain our emotions.

i wireless Center - Motley Crue

It was a very interesting time the '80's wasn't it?  Bands came and went, there were so many flashes in the pan it was hard to tell if it was a quick dying of their fan base, or someone put a flame to all of the Aqua-Net they were wearing.  A few bands survived, and a few thrived but a few brought monstrous success and that brings to mind Motley Crue.  Motley Crue has the distinction of having been all three, but what about today?

i wireless Center - Poison

Poison has come quite away from their first album cover where, as a friend of mine once said, there were four "hot chicks" on the cover.  For the past 25 years Poison has played together, faced hardships, nearly died and been a part of several reality television shows and yet they seem to be able to push everything behind them.  But can they still perform and be relevant?  That's the $64,000 dollar question now isn't it.

i wireless Center - New York Dolls

Its fascinating to think about all the bands from the '80's being reborn and their fan base beginning to explode with that rebirth.  While this phenomena appears not to be slowing down, other bands, from other eras are creeping in and appear to be trying to catch a little bit of what the '80's bands are experiencing.  The band "New York Dolls" is doing just that.

The i wireless Center

Being from Illinois (keep your snickers to yourself) and less than 100 miles from Moline, IL, it seems that I should be very familiar with the city  Unfortunately I really am not that familiar with it, except my Uncle David lived there and John Deere is there but that's really about it.  Moline sits in a Bi-State area of Illinois and Iowa and is part of the Quad Cities and although I have attended many concerts on the Iowa side, Moline has never been a destination for me, until now.

Half Way Jam - Skid Row

The decade of 2010 seems to have become a decade that every rock band from the '80's has made a triumphant return and the lineup of "Halfway Jam" really reflected that.  Skid Row closed out the third day of what could only be described as an All-Star lineup.  Was Skid Row and the singer "that isn't Sebastian Bach" worthy of closing out the event?

Halfway Jam - Kix

Have you ever listened to a band that you think has had only one good song, and although you never listened to well, anything but that one song of theirs, you still assume there isn't much else there.  Recently I attended "Halfway Jam" (I'm guessing you have already discovered that) and that one band, with only one good song climbed onto the stage.

Halfway Jam - Stephen Pearcy

I'll be honest, I went to "Halfway Jam" to see Stephen Pearcy and having seen Ratt before as well as his solo act earlier this year, I was excited to travel to Royalton, MN for just that reason.  What would make a man travel so far to see a show that he has seen previously?  Its Stephen Pearcy (weren't you following that?).

Halfway Jam Was Far From Half Way.

Apart from seeing "Monsters of Rock" at Alpine Valley 20 + years ago, I really haven't attended a "music festival" of any sort, which has prevented my seeing acts that I now wish I had seen.  On Saturday July 23rd I was invited to attend "Halfway Jam" in Royalton, MN and my wife and I jumped at the opportunity and I think we are very lucky we did.

Justin Bieber and The Baseball Bat of Life

I did it.  I finally did it, I listened to a Justin Bieber song, two of them actually.  I felt a little nauseous, light headed and clammy while doing so but I'm guessing that had much to do with the weather then anything else.

I Miss My Old Vinyl Records

Do you remember your first vinyl album, I still remember getting KISS Alive 2 for Christmas and two days later having to get another needle just so I could continue the repetitious playing of that album.  I still have in my music collection (somewhere), 45's and those big, bulky 33 1/3 RPM vinyl albums.  By the way, why was it 33 1/3, couldn't it have been 32 or 34?

The Birth of a Nation

The Constitution is a living, breathing document that has provided the citizens of the United States of America the ability to provide the most fair government possible and through the auspices of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence the framework has been laid.

Jackyl Kills Hazel Green

Believe me I understand how much that sounds like a bad B movie almost like a giant Jackyl killing a woman named "Hazel Green", but I assure you its not.  The title however is indicative of what happened when the band Jackyl visited The Sandy Hook in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Jackyl and The Sandy Hook

The chainsaw wielding denizens Jackyl, and the 93 degree temperature are waiting patiently to violate the peace and tranquility of  The Sandy Hook and its patrons.  I will be one of the patrons and when I get back from the show, I'll give my two cents on nights festivities.

I'm off!

Jackyl - I Stand Alone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhrJQu4rzno

Johnny Cash and You

Long before Joaquin Phoenix put on the imitation black leather boots and said his first line, Johnny Cash was firmly entrenched in the fabric of the music world.  So entrenched that acts and too many karaoke singers flock to his works in an attempt to grab just a little of the success that he achieved by putting their spin on his classic hits.  That's where YOU come in.

300 Views... It's Getting Fun Doing This

Wow!  I'm up to 300 page visits, so I'm asking my wonderful friends and family to spread the word (I'm being greedy I know but hey a man's gotta find a niche).  If I can so ask more of you, will you let me know what topics you would like me to write about (music and music related stuff only please)!

I Needed a Good Laugh

It's 11 o'clock and I'm trying to wind down to hopefully allow myself to sleep and then it happens; a full-fledged debate.  After posting a video from YouTube earlier this evening, a friend of mine and I began talking about bands and it happened, he said the "H" word.  No not "hydrogen", he said "HAIR", as in "hair bands", well so much for sleep.

The Sweet - A Blast from the Past!

The title of this post really doesn't do the band justice, but I think for many it is a blast from the past.  I would be remiss if I didn't say very early on that "The Sweet" came, saw and beat the living crap out of the Mississippi Moon Bar.

It's been over a month since a post??? Really???

Why yes, it has been over a month and yes I've been bad but I am making an attempt to atone.  First up, I'm off to the Mississippi Moon Bar this evening to see a band with one of the most recognizable song of all time.  

Social Distortion at The Rave

Social Distortion.  The Rave in Milwaukee.  Saturday night.  Three pretty amazing things in and of themselves if you ask me, but mix them together and you get nirvana.  No not the damned band "Nirvana", rather the "an ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, or joy" (thanks Yahoo!) and nirvana may have just been achieved.

Damned if they don't get it

Finding new bands that I enjoy seems like an almost daily occurrence, and from time to time I find a band that just seems to get music and they do what they want.  Any entertainer whether it be a comedian, an actor, or a musician needs fans and at times keeping those fans is not very easy.  One hit wonders abound, from all eras and types of music, so a good band finds their comfort zone and if so they don't become the next one hit wonder.  In my quest for musical nirvana (not the band, don't get me started about that band), I found a band that gets it.

2010 and 2011 - My Life in Concerts

Its been a fairly interesting, starting in September through today, I have been at a very eclectic series of shows.  Its been interesting to think how I have, in many instances, revisited some of my youth.  Having an exceptionally varied musical palate, it shouldn't be a surprise but the lineups of shows is even a bit of a head scratcher for me.

The Ramones

The Ramones.  That name in synonymous with the genre of Punk Rock, and the influence that they have given to the music world is unsurpassed through their sound, lyrics, stage presence and characters.  Four young men from NYC, started a revolution that has transformed music from the earliest moments of their creation.

Rick Springfield @ The Mississippi Moon Bar

A typical Saturday night rarely starts raging to the sounds of Rick Springfield but I think Saturday 09 April 11 is the closest I think it can really come.  It became obvious whilst waiting in line for the show to begin, as it began to filter though those hanging about that some of us were there almost TWELVE hours early.

Whats new?

There isn't much to say, but I will be adding some tabs for bands / performers and concerts so take a look.

Did you ever...

I was going through my CD's earlier today and I picked up an old "History; America's Greatest Hits", by the BAND America, not the country, and I decided to listen for a little while.  Now I sit here listening to it still and I am remembering what it was about America that I really liked.

Guilty Pleasure - Pomplamoose

I was given a link tonight for a song by a band named Pomplamoose, and in listening a few of their songs I sat here slack jawed.  I do believe that this band is now my new guilty pleasure.

Remakes

Earlier as I was perusing the halls of YouTube (figuratively obviously), I came across some remakes by Carrie Underwood and it made me think.  As I was watching some concert footage that a random fan recorded, I realized that for the most part the songs I was listening to, she be recorded in a studio by Carrie Underwood.  They sounded that good.  Inasmuch as I believe that the songs I heard should be re-recorded by Ms. Underwood, there are oodles and oodles of songs that should have never been remade.

The Badge of Honor

I was thinking today about some of the bands I have seen throughout the years and I was trying to decide what united us, the '80s hairband-er (I may have just created a new word.  At least in my mind).  As I bantered about the potential link, I thought perhaps its the music, perhaps but what was the one tie we had and unless you were at a specific concert you had no clue what that freaky long hair with his impossibly thin goatee (it was growing in thicker every day) and the large chested, Aqua Net soaked bottle blonde had in common?  Then it hit me, we all had a Badge of Honor.

Concerts - The Hammer of the Gods

Now that is one dramatic title isn't it?  It seems to me that the description, "Hammer of the Gods", does fit a concert setting but in a non-religious fashion.  What is a concert really?  Isn't it our attempt to connect with our musical heroes?  Don't most of us seek a connection in the realm of "hero worship" and what do we worship?  No not the "almighty dollar", we worship our gods.

Everything I learned about life I learned in the '80s?

The decade of the '80s provided the listening public options that really had never been seen before.  With the onslaught of Pop, Alternative, Punk, Hair bands, Metal bands, Hair Metal bands that were pretending to be not a Hair Band, New Country, Electronic jibberish, and so many other creatures came from the primordial ooze that was the Decade of the '80s.

Mr. Music

Okay so the title of Mr. Music is really just a stupid attempt at getting your attention and if you continue to read, then I guess it worked.  I don't pretend to know everything about music, I act like I do. 

In a literal sense the title of Mr. Music reflects an appreciation for music that has no boundaries, but honestly anything that is assumed to be "popular" music now is trash.  It is not possible to consider Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga music, it is merely regurgitated bubble gum that fits neatly into a template that music execs know will make them money.  Today's music could be compared with the steaming piles of poo that was the era of Disco, that black hole in music that squirmed its way into the 1970's.

The Disco era overwhelms the musical senses by making us assume that all of the music from the '70's was trash and this was simply not true.  Bands like Black Sabbath, Rainbow, America, and T Rex made their mark in the same era as Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor and the Village People.

Today much of the music can be slopped into a similar, all too comfortable '70s mold and with the onslaught of Bieber, Lady Gaga, and the Black Eyed Peas, bands such as Linkin Park, Stone Sour, Papa Roach and Avenged Sevenfold seek what their '70s rock bands achieved; success while their music goes unmentioned and a meager existence within the heavy radio coverage of the new era of Disco.

Its sad, it really is.  Within the confines of college radio, satellite radio, and a rabid group of fans, they will succeed.  They have to, its either that or Lady Gaga, and they thought Marylin Manson was bad.