Tuesday, January 30, 2007
ROCK IS DEAD.........LONG LIVE ROCK
In 1999 I was working for a mp3 download site called CDuctive.com, don't look for it, it got eaten by E-music, who laid me off, and gave me dead stock - but that's another story. At CDuctive, there was a guy whose job it was to license Hip Hop, and one day he told me that Rock was dead. I was offended by his remark, but looking back, he was right. Not in the sense that he thought he was. He meant that it was dead as in 'over', a non-entity.
That is not true, and the success of bands that Fred will tell you all about have proven Hip Hop Guy wrong.
But he was right, or at least his statement is correct in the sense that Rock stopped growing, it is what it is. It has all been done. The culture that birthed it is gone, the culture that nurtured it is gone, the culture that propelled it into the stratosphere is gone, and the culture that popped the balloon and brought it back to it's basic essence is gone.
When did it die?
I believe that Rock died in 1994 by a self inflicted shotgun blast to the head, and was buried in a heart shaped box.
Since then there has been some great records, but no ground has been broken. Many have sought to revive it by breeding it's progeny with close relatives, such as Hip Hop and Country. Others have tried to revisit glorious moments of Rock's past that the masses may have missed. All of that is well and good, and as I am as guilty of living in denial of Rock's passing as anybody - but it is dead.
Long Live Rock.
In 1999 I was working for a mp3 download site called CDuctive.com, don't look for it, it got eaten by E-music, who laid me off, and gave me dead stock - but that's another story. At CDuctive, there was a guy whose job it was to license Hip Hop, and one day he told me that Rock was dead. I was offended by his remark, but looking back, he was right. Not in the sense that he thought he was. He meant that it was dead as in 'over', a non-entity.
That is not true, and the success of bands that Fred will tell you all about have proven Hip Hop Guy wrong.
But he was right, or at least his statement is correct in the sense that Rock stopped growing, it is what it is. It has all been done. The culture that birthed it is gone, the culture that nurtured it is gone, the culture that propelled it into the stratosphere is gone, and the culture that popped the balloon and brought it back to it's basic essence is gone.
When did it die?
I believe that Rock died in 1994 by a self inflicted shotgun blast to the head, and was buried in a heart shaped box.
Since then there has been some great records, but no ground has been broken. Many have sought to revive it by breeding it's progeny with close relatives, such as Hip Hop and Country. Others have tried to revisit glorious moments of Rock's past that the masses may have missed. All of that is well and good, and as I am as guilty of living in denial of Rock's passing as anybody - but it is dead.
Long Live Rock.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
TCHANKOVSKY, HERE'S THE NEWS
Lovie Vs. Tony - a win/win situation.
Bye Bill, for the, um........., the third time.
I like these things:
People are finally tuning into this guy's message:
These two make an interesting couple:
This guy is fucked:
"What feels wrong is wrong, and what feels right is outta sight!" - Jackson 1/23/2007
Lovie Vs. Tony - a win/win situation.
Bye Bill, for the, um........., the third time.
I like these things:
People are finally tuning into this guy's message:
These two make an interesting couple:
This guy is fucked:
"What feels wrong is wrong, and what feels right is outta sight!" - Jackson 1/23/2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
HARLAN
We tracked upright bass on Harlan last week, courtesy of Dan Edinberg. Tonite we see Dave Cavalier and his banjo.
Harlan is a song by Daryl Scott that Tony Alva is recording at Smoke and Mirrors. Next we move upstairs to put a mic on George's Huge Organ. There may a fiddle or two invovled as well.
We tracked upright bass on Harlan last week, courtesy of Dan Edinberg. Tonite we see Dave Cavalier and his banjo.
Harlan is a song by Daryl Scott that Tony Alva is recording at Smoke and Mirrors. Next we move upstairs to put a mic on George's Huge Organ. There may a fiddle or two invovled as well.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Thursday, January 11, 2007
HER LIFE WAS SAVED BY ROCK AND ROLL
She don't give a damn about her bad reputation.
Recently someone came into The Studio and asked for the 'Joan Jett' guitar sound. That was an easy request for me, as I have worshiped the guitar tones on her records.
I once met Ricky Bird (Guitar on the mega selling 'I Love Rock and Roll' record), and all I could muster was something like; "Awesome tone on that record, dude".
"Yeah", He said.
Fucking A Right.
That sound kills, and he knows it, I know it, and you fucking know it.
Joan Jett knows it.
Joan Jett is Rock and Roll. Just listen to any song on either of the first two Blackheart records. She simply kicks ass first, asks questions later.
I have seen Joan and the Blackhearts live twice. Once back in 82, when she was on top of the charts, and last year, when she wasn't.
Same woman.
She's an absolute, a constant in a world of musical entropy, and she should be worshipped as the God of Rock that she indeed truly is.
Because after all:
"I don't give a damn
'Bout my reputation
I've never been afraid of any deviation
An' I don't really care if ya think I'm strange
I ain't gonna change
An' I'm never gonna care
'Bout my bad reputation"
Woah no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
Not me, me, me, me, me, me, me..........
She don't give a damn about her bad reputation.
Recently someone came into The Studio and asked for the 'Joan Jett' guitar sound. That was an easy request for me, as I have worshiped the guitar tones on her records.
I once met Ricky Bird (Guitar on the mega selling 'I Love Rock and Roll' record), and all I could muster was something like; "Awesome tone on that record, dude".
"Yeah", He said.
Fucking A Right.
That sound kills, and he knows it, I know it, and you fucking know it.
Joan Jett knows it.
Joan Jett is Rock and Roll. Just listen to any song on either of the first two Blackheart records. She simply kicks ass first, asks questions later.
I have seen Joan and the Blackhearts live twice. Once back in 82, when she was on top of the charts, and last year, when she wasn't.
Same woman.
She's an absolute, a constant in a world of musical entropy, and she should be worshipped as the God of Rock that she indeed truly is.
Because after all:
"I don't give a damn
'Bout my reputation
I've never been afraid of any deviation
An' I don't really care if ya think I'm strange
I ain't gonna change
An' I'm never gonna care
'Bout my bad reputation"
Woah no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
Not me, me, me, me, me, me, me..........
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
SWAMI SAYS
Only a fool would pick the Saints to win it all, but I'm comfortable with it.
Only a fool would pick the Saints to win it all, but I'm comfortable with it.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
HAPPY (insert holiday)!!!
Have you all abonded me, weary reader? Did I forsake thee?
Yep.
Sorry about that.
Gosh, so much to talk about.
FOOTBALL
Mangini is GOD.
Dallas sucks.
The Giants suck, and don't deserve to lose later today to the Eagles.......but if they win, OH HELLS YEAH!
Nick Saban is all about Nick Saban. He was like that when he was eleven and lived down the street from me, with his rich-daddy bad-ass moto-cross bike with double goose-neck handlebars - fuck you Nick.
I can't be a Miami fan due to my Jets affiliation (Go Jets!), but I feel bad for Miami fans, like my imminent Father In-Law.
Guys like him deserve better than the likes of Nick Saban, his empty promises, and complete lack of honor and loyalty.
I watched the Jets/Miami game with the Legal Diva's father. It was a hard game for everybody concerned.
I am very excited, as you might expect, about the Jets, and their season of wonder.
CHARLESTON FOR CHRISTMAS
The Legal Diva and I drove down to Charleston, from whence she came, for the Christamas Holiday. We drove man
y miles,
took many photos,
ate wonderful meals,
saw wonderful places,
spent quality time with family,
and friends.
We had a wonderful time.
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
The Studio has been rocking as well these past weeks with visits from:
Chan Chandler
Tony Alva
Geek Farm
As well as Silk Sheets and Just One, Rob Spar, Via Skyway, and Strikes Again (no photo available).
The new Gear (including new mics George got for Christmas) has conspired to make some awesome sounds.
HOLIDAY PARTIES
Many were attended.
"Ha Ha, Dallas lost!" - T. Alva
We are very happy.
Hope you are too.
Have you all abonded me, weary reader? Did I forsake thee?
Yep.
Sorry about that.
Gosh, so much to talk about.
FOOTBALL
Mangini is GOD.
Dallas sucks.
The Giants suck, and don't deserve to lose later today to the Eagles.......but if they win, OH HELLS YEAH!
Nick Saban is all about Nick Saban. He was like that when he was eleven and lived down the street from me, with his rich-daddy bad-ass moto-cross bike with double goose-neck handlebars - fuck you Nick.
I can't be a Miami fan due to my Jets affiliation (Go Jets!), but I feel bad for Miami fans, like my imminent Father In-Law.
Guys like him deserve better than the likes of Nick Saban, his empty promises, and complete lack of honor and loyalty.
I watched the Jets/Miami game with the Legal Diva's father. It was a hard game for everybody concerned.
I am very excited, as you might expect, about the Jets, and their season of wonder.
CHARLESTON FOR CHRISTMAS
The Legal Diva and I drove down to Charleston, from whence she came, for the Christamas Holiday. We drove man
y miles,took many photos,
ate wonderful meals,
saw wonderful places,
spent quality time with family,
and friends.
We had a wonderful time.
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
The Studio has been rocking as well these past weeks with visits from:
Chan Chandler
Tony Alva
Geek Farm
As well as Silk Sheets and Just One, Rob Spar, Via Skyway, and Strikes Again (no photo available).
The new Gear (including new mics George got for Christmas) has conspired to make some awesome sounds.
HOLIDAY PARTIES
Many were attended.
"Ha Ha, Dallas lost!" - T. Alva
We are very happy.
Hope you are too.
