Tag Archives: Music

Writing

Ingnorantrum ex priortium

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I have a lot of thoughts on this thing called the Mandela effect. I think it’s mostly bullshit, because the science shows it’s known as an effiecint memory when you can’t recall stupid worthless stuff, like the lyric to the song. I got to thinking this morning and tonight, as I’m apt to do, about memory and priorities. When you’re a singer, you might be more prone to remembering vocals better, it impacts the mind more. Same for whatever instrument you fancy most. I love guitar, so I see a lot through the lens of a guitarist.

So this morning, I busted out my Slash AFD Epiphone Les Paul and plugged it into a Femder Mustang amp, with a cry baby. I was just mesyaround as I am apt to do. So for some reason, Crmison and Clover popped into my head. The Tommy James and the Shondells song. My parents were born in the 60s mind you and I heard the song growing up, my parents had albums of a lot of different 60/70/80s bands. So while I’m not overly familiar with it, my mind can still recall it, via something like pitch perfect. So as I am working out a rendition by ear, I was thinking of that one echo fx in the chorus and I was like “oh, cry baby it.” This was before I decided to listen to the song and see what parts of it i might be forgetting.

The echo effect is in the vocals, via plugged in mic with the tremlo set high. My priorities have always been to guitar though, so it isn’t weird that my first thought for that part was the cry baby. Especially since I’m not a vocalist, since the only ways I can carry a tune is by doing death metal vocals or punk vocals. I can use the stuck chords and almost sound like I know what I am doing. Granted I can do a few vocal parodies, but those do not count. So naturally my thought is to make my guitar sing for me. this is a form of thinking things out, just not entirely honed for most people. Since one of my goals since I was young, was to always be a better guitarist, I am aware of this because I want to hone that thinking aspect in the same way I have honed all my other thinking aspects since I was younger. Be razor sharp at as many things as I can be.

I watched a few YouTube videos after I worked mine out to see what others were interpreting and while I found some interesting arrangements. I noticed that, similar to myself, their memory of the song was based in what was a priority to them.

So to recap, I believe this is actually one of the many things people blame on the mendala effect, which isn’t. I call it ignorance from priority. It’s when you have a priority, even if it’s unbeknownst to you and your mind attempts to work it out as if you would as a guitarist or anything else for that matter, even if you’re not a musician, actor, director or anything else for that matter, because feasibly you could do any of these things, even if it’s not at the highest level. People then take it as if they got it wrong, when they didn’t, they just weren’t aware of a cognitive bias working the figurative math out.

Writing

Classical Gas by Mason Williams

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So I’ve been a guitarist for a good enough while, as evidenced by my fingers in the pic. I Got my 1st guitar when I was 12, could do some ok stuff with it, but decided to take it more seriously when I turned 22 and became interested in musicianship vs just sound fx. While I’m still not a great guitarist by any stretch, I have learned a thing or two. So I wanted to break down this song and everything it references.

From the beginning, it’s Metallica. It’s The Unforgiven from the black album.

15 seconds in and we get stairway to heaven by Led Zeppelin

back to an upbeat version of the unforgiven.

59 seconds in, after what appears to be a classic movie intermission, followed by “Only want to be with you” by Dusty Springfield

1:11 we get “closer to the heart” by Rush, just the intro

1:38 sounds almost like Don’t Fear the Reaper by blue oyster cult.

About 2:50 we get “closer to the heart” riff by Rush

Every song on this list, post dates this song, except for Dusty Springfield, which came out in 1964.

Some mutha fuckers got some splain to do, Lucy style.

Writing

Back From The Dead, Halestorm Review.

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So I bought a new phone after years of saying no and dealing with either phones that came free with a switch deal or anything my sister or brother where getting rid of when they upgrade. Yes, I am that cheap. In fact, the last phone I got was a referb in 2018. It is now 2022, so let that sink in. Anyways, I have been listening to music more than I ever have in my life, given how amazing the audio is on this phone. Normally I don’t like to review music that is digital. I prefer records or cds if I am going to do this, but again, given the excellent audio, I will make an exception here.

So I was listening to this song and boy is it epic as fuck. Modern, yet old school. I then listened to the rest. All but one song does it for me, but this the best track.

Epic as fuck!

Now, apparently they’re currently on tour with Evanessence, some top notch shit. If you, like myself, have never heard of this band until a couple days ago, you owe it to yourself to check this album out. Now, 2022 has produced 6 months of some of the best music I have heard in years, but this album alone, might be record of the year in my mind. Nearly every song is, as the “kids” are saying now a days, a banger. If you’re a rock fan in anyway, shape and form, you also owe it to good taste to buy this album and blast it for the rest of the summer, and loud enough so your neighbors can know what a great album is is as well.

5 out of 5 stars.

EDIT: Only a day after posting this I went out and bought this album, in two different formats and a T~shirt.

Non-fiction, Opinion

Top 10 Ambient Songs for your Haunted House

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So I wrote this article about 10 years ago when I first started to make it as a writer, professionally. View wise, it was my most successful article in my early 20’s,drawing in 10,000 or so views per year. Truth be told, though, it felt like abject failure, because in my mind, I wanted to be a serious writer, not the dude who wrote the fluff filler pieces you saw flashy graphics on the cover of People or Teen Beat. I mean, how artistically bankrupt did I have to be to do a top ten? Even for one of my favorite topics, like Halloween? I could do an entire book on Halloween and have been happier. Within the last decade since I wrote it, I’ve come to appreciate the brevity and insight a top ten list could allow for. So presented here, is a new and undated edition of my “classic”.

– click to finish article>

Binder of Woman, Celebrity, Music, Non-fiction, Review, Writing

The Luchagors:Review

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Luchagors-

     I’m going to stay away from what I did in my last musical review, which, as you may recall linked past to present career paths, and instead look at this from a perspective of a band as if I just found them. I think going this away removes a past bias for the performer in one aspect of their life and creates a far more objective outlook at the present. Although I guess I’m wicked late to reviewing this, though.

     So this is the debut album for a band called The Luchagors. Which, according to the internets is wordplay combination, Lucha Libre and Horror flicks. Right up my alley, as I greatly enjoy both. I haven’t had the chance to see them live, so it is just for the album which you can easily find on Itunes or Amazon.

     The band consist of members: Amy Dumas (Lead vocals), Shane Morton (Guitar and vocals), Jay Hedberg (Bass and vocals.), Racci Shay (Drummer). The latter apparently replaced Troy King on drums.

     Right from the first song titled White Boy, the songs are catchy, fast paced, angst filled with all the good stuff punk music is known for. The theme through most of the lyrics seem consistent through several songs, which are that of a woman scorned. An indictment on an unknown person, most likely an ex, whom seems like a little bitch and a going through the motions of regaining independence of her life and eventually resulting in self-fulfillment of a brighter future.

     Granted that could just be a hell of a lot of inference on absolutely nothing, but you can view the lyrics and judge for yourself.

     The vocals are strong, the music crisp, and the lyrical content is interesting, even if it is somewhat banal for lyrical content. Originality can be overrated, though. You can pick up on many of the bands influences if you know about enough about punk rock. I managed to note and find The Misfits influence and I’m sure many more experienced punk rock listeners will find more.

     The run time is over a half hour long, so you won’t spend too much time having to sit down and really and give much thought to it. Given the edgy sound and style, it still manages to be fun. Which is more than I can say about most edgy bands. Usually they’re dark and brooding. Like back before vampires were twinks who sparkled. I digress and… seriously, fuckin’ sparkle? Never mind.

     If you want something you could speed through, say, shopping or at the gym, this is an interesting and excellent choice. Pick up a copy and you can finally stick it to your hipster friend about how you found and like a new band, but they probably never heard of them. That alone would be worth picking up this gem from 2007, never mind actually enjoying it. Enjoying it would just be a bonus. You could spend $9.99 on far worse, like say, 50 Shades of Grey, or you could listen to something that is at least 25 shades of enjoyable.

     This album gets the fingerofapproval

Global, Metal, Music, Reviews, Rock, Wrestling

Do You Want to Start a War?

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     I’ve never been one to review music. To me, it’s one of the hardest things to do and do well and I’m just not that educated when it comes to music. I have some rudimentary skills at the guitar, but I never was musically oriented as a child. So I’ve severally lacking in the ability to put into words what I’m hearing.

     So here goes my first attempt ever to discuss a brand new record. Yes, record, because I bought the vinyl and am listening to the free auto-rip from Amazon.com and so far, I dig what I hear and want to share it.

     Chris Jericho, pro wrestler par excellence and also, apparently, quite the vocalist. Although, not all credit can lie with Chris (Moongoose McQueen, if you prefer.) as his band mates might also be some of the best musicians of the last decade. I’ve known about the band for the last fifteen years, but sadly have never had the chance to sit down and listen to his music. You know him as the rock star of the ring, but the grandiose entrances doesn’t mean the ability to actually be a rock star.

     One would be wrong to not give the band a listen as they might possibly be the finest band in the last fifteen years. A long list of bands have come into the metal scene, but few have had an impact on the musical landscape that Fozzy is seeing and will continue to have well into the future.

     If you’re a rock fan or a metal fan than you are doing yourself a disservice by not buying this record on every format available, it’s that good. If you’re a fan of metal from the 1980’s, then you’re in for a real treat, because it’s been about 30 years since a band has pump out arena hits like this.

     If you aren’t hooked by the ABBA cover SOS, than you have no pulse. If you aren’t having fun by the end of Tonight, you’re DOA and if you cannot enjoy the heavy sounds of Bad Tattoo, you’re six feet under.

     I barley ever give five stars as a rating and this might be only the third time in my life that I’ve done so, because I’m not an easy sell, but five out of five.

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Minor corrections made.

Added link for Item. Click the band’s Name.