Saturday 28 January 2012

Under the Influence on the Road

I live rurally.  This means when I need to stock up on groceries and other household necessities it is a 45 minute drive into the city (Lethbridge, AB).  As it happened, this weekend I had a couple of the loves of my life along for the ride.  My 18 year old twin sons.  One of the boys had band practice in the city as well, so instead of using two vehicles we rode in together.  His brother decided to come along for the ride and help me with the groceries.  I love it when my kids come along for the ride. Each taking turns in the front seat - one on the way there, his brother on the way back - whoever is riding in front will plug his mp3 into the car stereo and I get a taste of what he's currently listening to.
I was so impressed by their playlists that I just have to share some of it with you.  Marco called shotgun first.  Let me tell you about Marco.  He's a fucking incredible guitar player for his Deathcore band, Reborn Extinction.  Despite the fact that Deathcore is the only genre of music Marco is currently playing himself, his musical interests and influences are very diverse and his playlists never cease to surprise and please me.  He has exposed me to so much music I otherwise would not have heard.  The following is the playlist he chose on this day...
The first song he played was Manchester Orchestra - I Can Feel a Hot One.  Take a listen




The second song to come over the speakers is not only one of my kids favorites but one of my personal favorites as well.  I was groovin and singing along with Krizz Kaliko Misunderstood




And no shit, the third song was Mother Mother Wisdom.  I don't think most would expect a Deathcore artist to enjoy this.  Mother Mother is one of Marco's bands, take a listen....




No Deathcore artist's playlist would be complete without some Death Metal.  I was fucking delighted by this cover of Pink Floyd's Us and Them by Misery Signal.  Keep in mind that it is Death Metal, so when you listen, expect Death Metal...only different from the regular Death Metal....I fucking love it!




In addition to the songs above, Marco's playlist included Straylight Run, Hands in the Sky; TV on the Radio, DLZ; Under the Influence of Giants. Against All Odds; Immortal Techniques, Bin Laden; Will Smith, Wild Wild West and more. On the way home, we listened to Moe's playlist....it's just as fucking incredible...I'll tell you all about Moe and share his playlist with you another time. 
The times I've had alone with any of my 4 sons were mostly used to share our biggest common interest - music.  No matter what their age at the time, we've always had something to talk to each other about.  I'm coming to realize that these moments alone together are becoming fewer and fewer as my babies are now young men.  I truly appreciate the influence they have been on me.  Jeff. Justin, Marco and Moe, I love you guys!  You fucking rock............; )

Saturday 21 January 2012

Move Over Guys

I love men. Hm mmm!  Everything about them.  The way they look, smell, taste...hehehe.  And yeah even the way they think!  I love the way their arms feel around me and how they can always open the pickle jar.  But that's not to say I don't like women.  True, I don't swing that way sexually, but when a girl needs a friend, nothing beats a chick.

I know a number of kick ass chicks.  These are chicks that don't pull fucking punches. They tell it like it is and they are there for you when you need them.  As my best friend put it, "You can fight your own battles, but if you're down and bloodied, I'll step in over your bloody body and continue the fight for you."  They fucking make you laugh when you don't think it's even possible to crack a phoney smile.  They are supportive and fun. I love them. They fucking rock!!  There's one woman in particular that I know that not only rocks as a friend, but as a musician as well.

Though the genre is comprised predominately of men, there have been a number of chicks that literally fucking rock.  I know this because I've been listening to them fucking rock for the last 40 years. Janis Joplin, Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane), Carole Pope (Rough Trade), Holly Woods (Toronto), Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart), Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Deborah Harry (Blondie), Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac)...and that's only up to the fucking 70'... and not even a complete list at that.  These women paved the way in the industry and were an influence for future rocker chicks such as Sass Jordan, Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse and my friend Lauren Wolf

Lauren, like so many other independent artists, promotes her music through social media, twitter, facebook, etc. I took a listen to her stuff and became an instant fan. This chick can wail!  The great thing about social media is not only are you able to discover new artists and music, but you can connect with or contact the artist as well.  I use my twitter account to such purposes...it gives me fodder for this blog and I'm able to do my little bit to help independents by promoting their stuff on twitter and facebook.  I'm glad I do, because it was through twitter that I not only heard of Lauren Wolf and her music but connected with her and her fans as well. 

I actually won Lauren's CD (autographed, HA!), All My Secrets, from a contest on twitter with Rising Magazine...by the way, you gotta check Rising Magazine.  I put a link below for the issue that Lauren is featured in, but I also suggest subscribing to it....very concise information about up and coming musicians.  But enough of that for now...back to Lauren Wolf's CD.  Lauren starts with a mind blowing cover of Janis Joplin's Move Over, and she fucking rocks it!  So I'm hooked, right off the bat.  She also does a few more covers throughout the album - The Letter, originally recorded by The Box Tops, though the version I remember most was Joe Cocker's rendition (did you know this song has been recorded over 200 times by different artists?), Crazy by Gnarls Barkley and Journey's Separate Ways.  In Lauren's renditions she stays true to the original artist but no doubt, she makes them her own with her raw and soulful style. Then there are the original songs, One Day, Secrets, and You Are are just a few of my favorites.  They're full of feeling and soul as well, sung by one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.

I gotta get to a Lauren Wolf live show...besides knowing I will be rocked right out of my socks, I've heard that for her meet and greets before the show she serves Booze Balls (a delicious bite of dessert, filled with booze - two of my most decadent pleasures), that she makes herself!  Man, can this chick get any better?  I don't think so, I already think she's the best!  I absolutely love her as a musician and as a person.  Check her out, you will too!  And by the way Lauren, I got your back baby, anytime you need someone to step over the bloody body, I'm there........; )

Check out Lauren Wolf music here:
Lauren Wolf website
Lauren Wolf on facebook
Lauren Wolf on twitter
Lauren's 6 page spread in Rising Magazine

Thursday 12 January 2012

Give Me the Blues, Baby...

I listen to different kinds of music depending upon my mood or state of mind.  Then there's that music I can listen to no matter what my mood.  I can cry to it, I can laugh to it, I can dance to it and if I'm with the right someone, hehehe, I can strip to it too!  oh yeah baby! 

The music I speak of is blues. The same song, depending upon the mood I'm in can evoke a different reaction from me each time I listen to it.  Regardless of how simple or complicated the music and lyrics in the many styles of blues music it undoubtedly has the same effect on me...it digs into me, drawing out and reflecting back 10 fold any emotion I might be feeling. 

I don't profess to be a blues expert by any means.  Like anything else - if I like it, I turn it up.  Some of my favorites in the genre include BB King, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Colin James, Jeff Healy, Jimi Hendrix and now.....J Edwards!

There are a couple of different approaches to writing music. One approach is to write from the inside looking out, sharing personal experiences for others to relate to.  Another is to write from the outside looking in, observing the world and sharing a perspective from an empathetic point of view.  J Edwards' style of writing is the latter.  This is what he'll tell you on his website, anyway.... J gets into the heart of every subject he writes from and is so sympathetic to his subject that it's really difficult for me to believe that it's not his own personal experience.

J Edwards performs what he describes as Bluecountry and the moment I heard the intro to Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog, I was interested.  Then I heard J Edwards' voice!  Damn, it was made for the blues!  This man has incredible fucking talent.  No, actually that is actually an understatement....it's apparent when you listen to him that the blues live in his soul.  He wears his music, and his guitar for that matter, so comfortably you know they are as much a part of him as any of his limbs.

When I listen to J Edwards, his music takes over me and I can't help but move my body.  I have yet to hear I song of his that I'm not fucking in love with.  I'm very particular to Eatin' at LuLu's though....you see LuLu has a Cat House, hehehe....

If you like the blues at all...a lot or even a little bit, you have to listen to this artist.  I dare you to tell me you aren't crazy about him.  Hell, I double dare you......... ; )

J Edwards on Reverbnation - listen to his stuff here!
@jedwards004 follow him on twitter
J Edwards website


Thursday 5 January 2012

Metal Works!

Okay Metal-heads, this post is for you!  I've mentioned before that I get off on all kinds of fucking music...rock, blues, rap, alternative, and of course metal.   And one of the things I can say about metal musicians is they are the nicest fucking people in the world.  I wonder if it's because all their aggression is outsourced through their music.

Metal is hard hitting, aggressive in your face music and I love it.  When I am down or angry, nothing picks me up like metal music.  You have probably heard of some of my favorite metal artists including Metallica, Hell Yeah, Mudvayne, Slip Knot and if you've been paying any attention at all, you also know about Gift of Destiny!

Now I would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to a new favorite.

Killed the Fixtion is a metal band from New Jersey and these guys know how to fucking RAWK!  I fucking love them!  The band consists of  Nelson Ceron, front man with kickass vocals, Kevin Izquierdo, who kills it on guitar, Robert Asencio on bass - I fucking want to see you play man, fuck! And I'll tell you what - Abbad Ibn Townsend's drums know who's fucking boss!

I can't be still when I listen to their music. Their song Pulse is an energetic mix of heavy metal and hard rock.  Nelson's vocals are fucking incredible! I don't know whether to fucking headbang or jump. So I do both!   Seems a shame my chiropractor is making all the money though.... KTF - investment option?  
Crank takes you straight into their punk influences and showcases Kevin's and Abbad's musical talent on guitar and drums.  Yeah, I'm fucking jumping again! My chiropractor - "cha ching!"
Shades of Limit and we are back into old school metal...that's right, I hear those Metallica and Black Sabbath influences! Headbanging! My chiropractor - "going to Hawaii!!"

I think it's awesome that these guys know older music...much of which is older than them, I'm sure...hell they know Barry White!  And Barry White is fucking sexy man! And now that we are on the subject of sexy....nice segue, don't you think?...these boys are hot! Ah, I know what you're thinking....what a perv, right?  Hey...just because I'm a few years older doesn't mean I can't enjoy the scenery too...so fuck off.

As with any band I get excited about, I wanted to learn more about Killed the Fixtion.  I read some of their history...how music served as the very outlet of aggression that I spoke of earlier.  That by focusing on their music it led them away from the street gangs and the trouble that would have followed.  They chose positive over negative, creativity over destruction.  I admire that.  Too many young people today are thinking it's cool to be gangsta, and that saddens me....yeah, that's right, I said gangsta, get over it.

I am so fucking impressed when bands find the right brothers work with and Killed the Fixtion is definitely one of those bands.  Drawing from a number of styles and influences they have a cohesive relationship that allows them to bring it all together and cook up something fucking incredible.  Metal Punk Rock Stew...fuck yeah! I'll have another bowl of that!.........; )

Don't take my word for it...check 'em out yourself:
Killed the Fixtion on facebook 
Killed the Fixtion on myspace 
@KTFNJ on twitter