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10 Favorite Albums of 2010...

2011-01-03T22:11:00.008-05:00

So many critics have their year's best and worst lists, but I'm no critic, and most year end lists are a pathetic slop of opinionated, sometimes skewed views on mostly the same selected group of releases that have everyone talking. I haven't heard all the albums on all of these year end lists, and my opinion is just as worthy as the next person, so this is simply a list of my personal favorite albums of the year and why.

(11. Jack Johnson, "To The Sea": I know I said 10 favorite albums, but this one was too good to leave off, but I still liked everything ahead of it slightly better).

10. Cee Lo Green, "The Lady Killer":
With the year's catchiest and possibly most controversial single "F**k You" as well as a string of other head bobbing pop hits, "The Lady Killer" was the definitive R&B album of the year. The "Saturday Night Fever"-ish "Bright Lights Bigger City" opens the album with a bang, and when most R&B is stale or jumping the shark in auto-tune overtones, this had to be one of the ballsiest and soulful LP's of the year.

9. Band of Horses, "Infinite Arms":
The album's lead single "Laredo" has one of the best and catchiest riffs of the year, and the perfect addition to any road trip mix tape, along with another standout track "On My Way Back Home". The opening track "Factory" sounds like a"Soft Bulletin" Flaming Lips b-side, and I can guarantee is the most striking and powerful coupling of "An hour later" with taffy candy "The Now and Laters" you'll ever hear.

8. John Legend & The Roots "Wake Up!":
What do you get when you pair the Marvin Gaye of the 2000's with the E Street Band of modern hip hop? A collection of obscure vintage soul covers that are given new lives of their own in a prolific time. The early 70's Bill Withers Vietnam epic "I Can't Write Left Handed" is the album's defining moment in my opinion, highlighting Legend's and the Roots' most powerful combination of performance on the album. The album's opener "Hard Times" is like a soulful Jethro Tull track, and "Shine" is an original track that closes the album beautifully blending right in with the 1970's interpretations all over the rest of the album. With overblown egos prevalent in today's music scenes, two heavyweights laid the groundwork for one of the best collaborative efforts of the past decade.

7. B.O.B, "B.O.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray":

Probably the best produced and executed hip hop debut since Kanye West's "The College Dropout" to me. There's no boundary between pop, rock, and hip hop on this album, and it's more impressive than Kanye's "Twisted Fantasy" in that it didn't take a nervous breakdown of Brian Wilson proportions and a period of exile to conjure up (as far as we know). It took Kanye 2 or 3 albums to get into the kind of experimental territory B.O.B. seemed to achieve effortlessly on tracks like "Don't Let Me Fall" or the biggest crossover smash of 2010 "Airplanes". "Lovelier Than You" and "Magic" are the greatest Andre 3000 songs we've never heard and it's really saying something when you don't even need a track with Eminem on the radio to move your debut album. With musical chops that don't need an elongated auto-tune experiment, as long as B.O.B. keeps doing what he's doing, he has the potential to take over where Outkast left off.

6. Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More":
This debut is filled with tracks that play out like roller coaster rides slowly building to a sudden rush of pounding folk codas which seem to be this band's identifying trait. They sound like a band plucked right from a neighborhood pub in the English countryside with brutally honest choice words, which brings a gritty honesty and beauty to this album. Never has a banjo sounded so badass and in the forefront as it does here.

5. Brandon Flowers, "Flamingo":

The solo debut of the Killers frontman matched up to the band's latest album "Day And Age" and easily surpassed their previous album "Sam's Town" with a distinct synth heavy sound. Some of these songs could have been top 40 hits in the 1980's, which make this collection of tunes stand out even more in the 21st century. The album opens with a haunting and honest ode to his hometown, "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" and continues with the pop anthem singles "Only the Young" and "Crossfire" which showcase the songwriting skills that have made the Killers a worldwide smash. The deluxe version of the album includes some bonus tracks, one of which may be the best on the album, a modern Johnny Cash sounding storybook "The Clock Was A Tickin'". On his solo tour, as an added bonus Flowers has been reworking some of his Killers hits such as an acoustic stripped down version of their definitive track "When You Were Young" and a version of "Losing Touch" that might surpass the original. If the upcoming Killers album has any shades or leftovers of "Flamingo", then it will likely end up on similar lists at the end of 2011.

4. Eminem "Recovery":

After his disappointing comeback album "Relapse" from last year, Slim Shady released what should have been his return from a long hiatus this year with his most powerful and definitive music since "The Marshall Mathers LP". This was the year's best hip hop album front to back, as Kanye West's album was more of a genre shape-shifter. Some of the best rhymes of his career come through on the Lil' Wayne/Haddaway unlikely partnering of "No Love" and even the weakest tracks on this album run circles around most lead singles on any top 40 hip hop album of the last 5 years. Where Kanye's formula for 2010 was overexposure and making an album as close to "Dark Side Of the Moon" as hip hop can get, Eminem went back to basics. He simply had Dr. Dre and a stable of other heavy hitting producers provide the backdrop of beats so he could focus on his rap "Recovery" that took us to school with the abstract and definitive rhymes that made him one of the biggest music acts of the new millennium.

3. The Black Keys, "Brothers":
This duo is to Akron, Ohio what the White Stripes are to Detroit, Michigan. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney's latest LP follows their breakout album "Attack and Release" picking up right where that album left off. The lead single "Tighten Up" produced by Danger Mouse has all the Black Keys signatures; Auerbach's vintage blues vocals and swerving guitar licks, and Carney's ground stomping drumbeats. Other highlights of the album are the sing along "Howlin' For You", the lovey dovey "Everlasting Light", the ode to fraternal friendship "Unknown Brother" which pretty much serves as the album's title track, and the mysterious "Ten Cent Pistol". The Keys have evolved in their sound while never straying too far from their original formula. After opening shows on Pearl Jam's tour earlier in the year, they should be headlining arenas throughout the US in no time.

2. Kings of Leon, "Come Around Sundown":
This album didn't have a weak song on it, and blended the best elements of their previous 2 albums "Because Of The Times" and their breakout album "Only By The Night". A lot of people accused this band of selling out on their last album, which makes about as much sense as U2 selling out when they recorded "The Joshua Tree". Usually, that's how it works when a band makes a steady climb from hipster underground to top 40 radio, but that doesn't automatically diminish their music, that only means they're not churning out the same boring formula album after album. The opening track "The End," is fitting as it picks up sounding like something that they left off of "Only By The Night". The album's first single "Radioactive" is one of the only songs that had heavy rotation on the radio this year with the unconventional formula of a chorus that doubled in length to the verses. Then the album plows ahead with some of the band's best songs to date in "Mary", "The Face", and two songs that seem like a sign of things to come in "Pyro" and "Back Down South". With "Pyro", they've made a song as serious as "Sex On Fire" was tongue in cheek. And exploring their Nashville roots in "Back Down South" has conjured up a song that would be right at home at either a summer cookout or in open air stadiums. While critics poured over Arcade Fire this year, "Come Around Sundown" had the total package in what a popular rock album should sound like.

1. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs "God Willin' And The Creek Don't Rise":
For Ray LaMontagne's fourth album, he captured a stripped down sound heavy on upright bass, lapsteel, with some banjo sprinkled in, that sounded like it was recorded in a barn...because it was recorded in a barn. The opening track "Repo Man" and the closing track "Devil's In The Jukebox" are as hard as they come on this album, and everything in between sounds like nothing else out there right now, but at the same time could have fit in being played on a freight train rolling through a mountain range at the turn of the 20th century. If you want to hear what the closest thing to the musical equivalent of a man losing his soul, it's never been captured better than on "Are We Really Through". LaMontagne brilliantly compares distant love to the current state of the musical airwaves in "Rock & Roll And Radio" and "Beg Steal or Borrow" could fit right in between "Tangerine" and "That's The Way" on "Led Zeppelin III". This album is a throwback but at the same time sounds like nothing you've ever heard before with a distinct voice that's immediately recognizable (think a softer version on Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys). With albums that keep getting better than his last, I'm sure the next Ray LaMontagne album will bring about more surprises that are just as easy on the ears as this one, maybe more so.

DVD Review: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, "London Calling: Live in Hyde Park"

2011-01-03T21:50:00.005-05:00

In an age where music is scarce at regular retail, music DVD's could be considered an endangered species. There is very little incentive for artists or record companies to commit to releasing any sort of video products when a channel called Music Television hasn’t played a music video in its entirety for over half a decade. However, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's 2010 concert release "London Calling: Live In Hyde Park" swims against this current tide, and shows why these releases can still be relevant and worthwhile.

Shot in high definition video and sound, “London Calling: Live In Hyde Park” brings the Bruce Springsteen live concert experience right into the living room, minus the heavy ticket/concessions expenses. With a blockbuster setlist spanning over 3 hours, the epic scale of a Springsteen concert is given even more depth as the show starts toward the end of summer daylight, continuing into the night.

This incredible live document was filmed in the midst of the E Street Band's European tour in the summer of 2009. While headlining stadiums and festivals across the Atlantic, this one was the Hard Rock Calling concert in London's historic Hyde Park. The setlist is sprinkled with fan favorites such as "Badlands," "Born To Run," and "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)," obscure gems "Night," "Johnny 99," and "Out In The Street” along with some unique covers, such as The Young Rascals’ “Good Lovin’” in all it’s Hammond B3 organ glory, and the most fitting of The Clash's "London Calling" which opens the show. Fellow New Jersey native and lead singer of The Gaslight Anthem guests on the 80’s Springsteen anthem “No Surrender” also. There is plenty here to wet the palette of even the most casual of Springsteen listeners and any fan of music or an appreciation of a live concert experience will get more than their money's worth out of this one.

Some added bonuses to the DVD are extra performances of "The River" from the 2009 Glastonbury Festival, and "Wreckin' Ball" performed exclusively at the band's residency for the closing of Giants Stadium during the same tour. The brilliant direction of Chris Hilson as well as the mixing and mastering of longtime Springsteen collaborators Bob Clearmountain and Bob Ludwig make this release a testament to why this format is still endangered but not extinct, showing that it is noteworthy enough to stand alongside the other albums in the Bruce Springsteen cannon.

Thoughts from the 51st Grammys...

2009-02-08T21:27:00.006-05:00

Tonight marks the 51st Grammy Awards from Los Angeles. Here's some random observations and thoughts from the evening from my brain...

Note: My commentary picks up about a half hour into the show since I got home after it had started. I missed U2's show opening performance of their whacky, off kilter "Achtung Baby" sounding new single, "Get on Your Boots," but I'll surely Youtube it before the night is over..

A "Sign of the Apocalypse" moment: Who in Sam Hill let the Jonas Brothers onstage with one of popular music's most legendary performers, Stevie Wonder. Please, someone tell me Stevie was tricked into this, heavily medicated, or lost some sort of Super Bowl bet on the Arizona Cardinals. Say it isn't so Stevie. How could you let these musical children of the Corn butcher one of the funkiest, hop in your step songs of the past 40 years "Superstition"? Why, Stevie, why?

Jumped the shark/worst haircut of the night: I have been a big fan of Kanye West ever since he exploded onto the scene a few years back, first as the producer of some of Jay Z's biggest hits, then as he came into his own as an incredible solo artist. But Kanye is stuffing too much of his Kanye-ness down our throats as of late, and his uber-mullet hairdo tonight was about as stale as his overuse of Auto Tune music software. I was initially hooked by the uniqueness of "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless," but the biggest musical contributions Auto Tunes will go down in history for having created will forever be Cher's "Believe," and the mediocrity of T-Pain. There's a reason singers used to get signed based on their natural abilities, not needing computer technology to correct their tone and pitch...it's called talent.
Why was Morgan Freeman at the Grammys? Morgan himself answered my question-- he's friends with Kenny Chesney, who'd have thunk it. Any film Morgan Freeman is in turns to cinematic gold, so I'll give Kenny the benefit of the doubt based on Morgan's assessment of his good character.

Best fashion accessory: P. Diddy's lavender Member's Only jacket. Members Only jacket=good, Kanye's uber mullet=bad. I only wish I had the prowace and fashion presence to be able to pull off this nylon coat of yesteryear.

Deja vu moment: Coldplay looking like they scoured the dumpsters outside of Abbey Road Studios for the Beatles old "Sgt. Peppers" uniforms. At least the band was noble enough to admit this with Paul McCartney sitting in the front row when they collected one of several awards on the night.

If Kanye should stop singing, Kid Rock should stop rapping: In his multi-song medley, Kid Rock gave the crowd an old fashioned decadent rock performance reminiscent of the mid 1970's. He's got the chops to be a hard rock frontman, and should keep the hip hop on the shelf for a while. I've thought so since his great cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" ten years ago at Woodstock '99.

Katy Perry kissed a girl, liked it, and lost her voice: This bi-curious top 40 radio smash hit sounded off key while accompanied with the stage setup of a Shop Rite can-can commercial. By the sound of her performance, it's pretty obvious her vocal lack of talent was polished like pair of Prada shoes with the help of studio magic.

Queen Latifah can't fool me into thinking "Swagga Like Us" was a Rat Pack song: Kanye, T.I., Lil' Wayne, and Jay Z aren't the Rat Pack as much as they like to reference them in their songs. Last time I checked Frank, Dean, and Sammy never had Kanye's mullet, Wayne's tone-deafness, or a pregnant M.I.A. onstage with them. I'm usually a big fan of Jay Z and Kanye, but their hodge podge, inconsistently paced performance was so choppy the crowd wasn't even sure when to start applauding.

The Walrus was Grohl?: Dave Grohl pummelled the drums backing Sir Paul McCartney, and made us all remember that before he fronted the Foo Fighters, he was the Keith Moon of the grunge era providing the backbeat for Nirvana. I was surprised at Paul's choice to play "I Saw Her Standing There," as I'm a bigger fan of the later Beatles stuff, and was equally surprised that this was the only song he performed. His appearance fee must be up there with the Super Bowl commercial rates.
Robert Plant is still a Golden God: The frontman of Led Zeppelin picked up some awards with collaborator Allison Krauss with whom he made a great album that abandoned his hard rock roots for some bluegrass ones, "Raising Sand." Recently, Plant totally killed all rumors of a Led Zeppelin reunion saying there wouldn't be anything to gain from it. I'm glad he made this decision, as he closed the door for the band to become another Spinal Tap punchline like so many others that refuse to hang it up when their time has come. As much as I love Led Zeppelin, I respect Plant more as an artist now that he refused to just fold to the financial fortune he could have made on this reunion that would have been nothing more than a nostalgic revisit of the band's mid 1970's peak. They would never sound as good, so their legend and memories can now live on.

Jumped the shark/worst haircut of the night Part II: Radiohead's performance with the USC marching band. (Also lead singer Thom Yorke's Jonas Brothers haircut deserved mention alongside the increasingly popular Kanye uber mullet.) So, what's the deal with Radiohead? I mean, I like them and everything, but why does everyone hail them as the absolute soul saviors of all things music? Their musical peak, according to most music critics, "OK Computer," I find second to what I feel is their best album musically, their previous, "The Bends." I like "In Rainbows" as well, and "OK Computer" is more than OK, but I still think "The Bends" is their best album; and I'm not budging on that stance. Sorry if I prefer melody and modern rock fare to music produced on Pluto. I continue to applaud them for abandoning the ordinary though.

T.I. and J.T. proves much better than T.I.'s previous "Swagga Like Us" debacle: The best part about the Grammy's? Most of the premier artists get countless chances to totally redeem their sub par performances that took place earlier in the evening. "Dead and Gone," was a great performance by an artist I haven't had too much familiarity with other than his music on the radio, T.I. Accompanied by Justin Timberlake, it was one of the surprisingly better performances of the night.

The President of the Grammy's, Neil-something looks like Tommy Chong of Cheech & Chong: He then went on to introduce Smokey Robinson. So, a guy bearing striking resemblance to Tommy Chong introduces a guy known to the Motown-loving world as Smokey...that's some coincidence.

Performance we could have used more of: Keith Urban, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and John Mayer playing "Bo Diddley" in tribute to the late great blues virtuoso was a hearty buffet of guitar. This was a great performance I wish had gone on longer than it did. Maybe by next year Lil' Wayne won't have to be onstage four more times than one of the Beatles to make room for longer performances by these proven acts. Hopefully Katy Perry's out of tune 15 minutes of fame will be over by then as well.

A "Sign of the Apocalypse" moment Part II: Gary "Lieutenant Dan" Sinise introducing Lil' Wayne in one of his half dozen appearances of the evening. Even he probably asked himself what he was doing at the Grammys. Perhaps his involvement in a film with one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, "Forrest Gump," automatically qualifies him.

As the show was winding down: T-Pain's George Clinton-inspired outfit made P.Diddy's lavender Members Only jacket look like an evening coat for a United Nations diplomatic formal dinner at the Waldorf Astoria.
Robert Plant and Allison Krauss sounded as good live as they do on their record: Plant's voice is aged, and galaxies away from the high pitched hard rock wail from his Led Zeppelin days. It's a different voice, not better or worse, but one that he's grown into and made more great and alternate music with. It was fitting that less than 2 minutes after their performance they collected the award for album of the year.

The show closed with a performance by Stevie Wonder: Because the show's producers realized how royally they screwed Stevie hours before by making him share the stage with the haircare product endorsing Jonas Brothers.

"I AM A GOLDEN GOD!"- Robert Plant from the balcony of the Continental Hyatt (Riot) House in the mid 1970's. Back in town for the Grammy's tonight, he may be repeating the same proclamation.

The Greatest Story Never Told..."Killing Bono"

2009-02-08T01:53:00.003-05:00

The name of one of the best rock n roll authors is one that is as random as it is anonymous..Neil McCormick. The author of "Killing Bono," has written one of the most interesting, thoughtful, and entertaining books on the music industry or the entertainment industry in general that I've ever come across. It's title sounds a bit psychotic, and may disappoint anyone who has a disdain for Bono, world renowned frontman for U2. I picked the book up after finding the liner notes interesting. McCormick grew up alongside Bono and the other members of U2 as they went to school together in Ireland. McCormick had lifelong aspirations of becoming a world famous musician, larger than life figure who made music that transcended genres and generations, pretty much everything that Bono and the rest of U2 went on to accomplish.

The sad part about the tale is, with as much fame, success, and fortune U2 had, Neil McCormick had an equal amount of hard times, misery, and misfortune. All of this makes for an extremely entertaining tale. He hits just about any brick wall imaginable in the music business, and to make matters worse, one of his closest friends was simultaneously taking the world by storm. Bono called McCormick his doppelganger, a real life Bizarro Bono in the flesh, even himself admitting to Neil that the only way for his life to be set right would be by "Killing Bono."

Recently, I read the autobiography of guitar legend Eric Clapton because I'm a sucker for music biographies or other true stories in paperback. Clapton's autobiography however, was one of the biggest letdowns I've ever had as I made it a habit over the years not to read much unless I was really interested by something. Since I've started commuting via mass transit every day though, I've had more time to read, and all the time I wasted on Clapton's autobiography, I would have rather had reading McCormick's book again. I haven't lost any respect for Clapton as a musician, but as an author, his book painfully and just barely scratches the surface almost feeling like a cliff's notes version of the book everyone would have wanted to read. If you were thinking of this book, don't buy it unless it's at a garage sale, Clapton phoned it in. A 40 plus year career through the trials and tribulations of rock and roll decadence, and a guy who only scratched the surface of the music industry had an endless amount of more interesting tales to tell.
In reading McCormick's book, it feels like half U2 biography told from a luckless man on the side, watching everything go right for them as the whole world around him fell apart. In his failures as a musician McCormick shines most. His endless determination and conviction make the book comical but touching at the same time. He's a man with a dream, who won't give up on it no matter what. The fact that he constantly gets a figurative kick to the groin with U2's gradual rise to super stardom from their beginnings in the high school gym to selling out Wembley Stadium gives the book a style unlike any other rock n' roll saga. He gets cursed out by Sinead O'Connor, has nightmares about being abandoned by Bono outside the velvet rope, and gets ripped off by Adam Clayton, U2's bassist who sells Neil his first piece of junk instrument.

This book is also just as valuable to a U2 fan, since you're getting the brutally honest opinion of someone who grew up next to them. With a summoned typical biographer there's no doubt going to be inflated stories as well as untold tales. With an authorized biography, a band or musician has the control to leave out some embarrassing memories that they might want to leave in their inner most circles. With a unique and interesting person as McCormick telling it, you get brutal honesty along with an unmatched style. He's not afraid to tell you that Adam Clayton was the most maniacal of U2's members when they were growing up, in one case horrifying girls at their in home rehearsals in the early days only wearing a robe that inadvertently flashed them his own member. I'm also somewhat certain an authorized U2 biography wouldn't dare tell the story of how Bono was invited to join Bob Dylan onstage in Dublin for "Blowin' In the Wind"

but fumbled the lyrics like Ray Finkle trying to kick the Miami Dolphins a Super Bowl victory.

These are stories you couldn't make up, and the luck that they have been told by a guy with a unique and hilarious literary style is the same stars aligning in the sky occurrence U2 has had in becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet. His combativeness with Bono is hilarious, as are his many encounters with people from every depth of the music industry. This book would make one hell of a film, but odds are it could never be visualized nearly as fantastic as it reads. Neil McCormick's tale is one that comes along once in a lifetime, about as often as a monumental band like U2 comes along, perhaps only several times for each generation. The luck of this Irishman had it that he also had the writing chops to get it all down on paper for the world to read. Go out and read this book now. The quote on the cover by Elton John says it all: "The best book I've ever read about trying to make it in the music business."

Editorial: Another Candle in the Wind, Gone at the Top of His Game.

2009-01-13T10:55:00.009-05:00

On Sunday night, Heath Ledger won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his unforgettable role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight." He received the night's first standing ovation, and the film's director Christopher Nolan, accepted the posthumous award on Ledger's behalf.

When Ledger died last January from an accidental overdose on medication, I was unusually shaken by it. Perhaps it was his youth, or more likely my anticipation in seeing the most anticipated film of the year in my eyes, "The Dark Knight." Earlier that December, I went to see "I Am Legend" in IMAX just to get a glimpse of the first 6 minutes of "The Dark Knight" which was being promoted with it. You only saw Ledger for all of 10 or 20 seconds, but the anticipation was boiling over nearly 7 months before the film was due in theaters that July.

I don't recall how I got the news; I remember being at work, scouring CNN's website for information, at first thinking it was a hoax for whatever reason. I think my brother was the first person I told about it, as I knew his anticipation for Ledger's upcoming film was as heightened as mine. I got home in a daze, and watched various news networks for several hours, the most stunning sight was seeing the medical staffers take his body out of his apartment building where people had already flocked to. I can't compare it to the assassination of John Lennon in 1980, but seeing the images over the years of fans flocked outside of his home in the Dakota Building also in New York City, came to mind.

The last time I remember being this moved or stirred by the passing of a celebrity was when I was around my 14th birthday in 1997, when I heard in the car on the radio that Chris Farley had died of a heroin overdose, also ironically in New York. I remember it somewhat vividly now, it was Christmastime, it was on z-100 (back when I still listened to that station) and Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah Song" had just played. It felt like a cold dose of reality, or queasy feeling, not so much a punch to the stomach, but a feeling of unease, that these people I idolized on the silver screen were just as fragile as you or me.

Last January, I was revisited by this feeling, having been a fan of Ledger's work in "The Patriot," "Brokeback Mountain," and remembering the first film I ever saw him in, "10 Things I Hate About You." Here was our generation's James Dean, a tremendous talent, who we would never see come to his fullest potential, a sad casualty to the perils of celebrity and a life cut short.

Then, I saw "The Dark Knight" in IMAX on opening night, actually at the 3AM show with my brother since the midnight shows were long sold out. The crowd was buzzing, and one would have thought it was an 8PM showing, giving no hint other than checking your watch for the time that you could be labeled certifiably insane for seeing a film during the middle of the week 3 hours before the sun was due to come up.

I remember the feeling of the film, that opening sequence, the crowd cheering at the first glimpse of the Joker. Ledger became this character, as I had no recollection or memory of his death for the entire 2 and a half hours of the film. The sign of a brilliant actor, a performer who comes along only a few times in each generation that really changes the way you look at films; someone who raises the bar so high that you don't know if there's anywhere for it to go but down from that moment forward. I'm sure the colossal IMAX screen added to this effect, but I believe it would have been the same feeling regardless. An exhilarating witness of a great story onscreen, portrayed by an actor at his best, helping to redefine the comic book film genre. It started with the first film, "Batman Begins," but major awards buzz already surrounded the film, guiding this ship of a genre down a completely different path.

Then, as some of the crowd lingered during the credits, as my brother and I almost always do whenever we see films together, the first return to reality came with the dedication to Ledger and the stunt man who died during filming. The ride home and next few days were filled with excitement, remorse for what could have been, more excitement, and wondering if a film could get any better than that. We went into the theater in the dead of night, and emerged after 6 AM with the sun up, a surreal experience, fitting for this epic motion picture event. The daze of fatigue and deep thought, and disorientation engulfed us.

I returned to the theater 2 more times to see "The Dark Knight," once the next day, the official opening Friday, and again a few weeks later, to see it again on IMAX. Each time, for those 2 and a half hours, I was removed from the sad reality outside the theater doors, that Heath Ledger's swan song was playing out right before our eyes in that dark theater. But that's what great actors and great films do; they take you away from the world outside for a few hours, away from worries of families, economic crisis, relationships, education, work, and whatever else sits in the back of your mind on a daily basis. Heath Ledger accomplished this in his films, most notably "The Dark Knight," but now, part of the realities of the world outside the cinema, was that he was no longer here.

I came back to these memories today, when reading a post on slashfilm.com recalling this same sentiment, that compiled a list of the greatest final performances by actors prior their deaths, some timely, some untimely. Ledger made this list along with other cinema legends including John Wayne, Greta Garbo, James Dean, and Henry Fonda, and rightfully so. This sad tribute during awards season will hopefully continue with the Oscars, which he most certainly should be at least nominated for in the coming months.

Ledger has one more film yet to be released, "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus," directed by Terry Gilliam, whom he also worked with on "The Brothers Grimm" a few years back. Ledger's work was not finished on that film as he was still working on it at the time of his death, leaving "The Dark Knight" as his last complete film. The fantasy based story left his character the openness to be portrayed in different forms by different people. Therefore, his part has since been taken over by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Collin Farrell, all of whom are donating their wages to start a trust fund for the young daughter Ledger left behind.

Link to the article at Slash Film: http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/01/13/john-wayne-leads-list-of-10-best-final-performances-in-acting-history/#more-18690

The Best Films to Watch This Time of Year...

2008-12-23T18:21:00.007-05:00

(Simply my opinion, but these would be what I deem Holiday Classics, films that I try to watch at least once around this time every year, and some I actually watch throughout other seasons of the year also.)

"Scrooged" is an all-time favorite of mine, both around Christmas and even throughout the year. Based on Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," this is probably the only film version of the story I can watch over and over again and never get tired of. Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, the ruthless head of a major TV network who gets a dose of reality when visited by 3 ghosts on Christmas Eve. Bill Murray brings his comedic genius to a role that is one of the least celebrated of his career, but still among his greatest in my opinion. Picture Peter Venkman from "Ghostbusters" with more of a chip on his shoulder, no ghosts or Stay Puft Marshmallow man, and Bobcat Goldwait.

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" was the third film in the "Vacation" series, and by far the greatest. The simplicity of the story is what makes it so ironically great; the Griswold's don't go anywhere on vacation, but rather have their wacky in-laws stay with them for Christmas. Chevy Chase is at his comedic peak, but still gets overshadowed by Randy Quaid's Cousin Eddie who rolls into town in a broken down Winnebago with his wife, son Rocky with the lip fungus, daughter Ruby Sue whose eyes are no longer crossed, and the family Rottweiler Snot, who loves it when people rub his belly. Uncle Louis and senile Aunt Bethany also add to the Griswold family fun in this festive funny film.

"Elf" is a more recent film that has since become a Christmas classic. While it takes an unrealistic character and thrusts him into a realistic world, the film still works because Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf so convincingly and innocent. It's an original and smile-inducing film and a role that could never have been pulled off by any other actor past or present. It's as funny as Bad Santa, but without all the four letter words and Santa loving nymphomaniac.

"A Christmas Story" is the film that coined the catchphrase "You'll shoot your eye out" and came from the same guy who brought us the comedy classic "Porky's," the late Bob Clark. The world would never know what a "major award" could be personified as until this film showed us, in the form of a voluptuous leg lamp. It's also the only film that continues to be played for 24 hours straight on Christmas that I still continue to watch over and over.

"The Santa Clause" is probably Tim Allen's best cinematic work next to his voice over as Buzz Lightyear in the "Toy Story" films. In one of the oddest casting moves in the history of merry movies, Tim Allen is the first, and most likely only onscreen Santa to sport a mullet. When Santa falls off his roof, he is forced into the role of Kris Kringle in a film that maintains the level of innocence in "Elf" but falls just short of it's side-splitting comedy. However, this is still a worthy holiday motion picture.

"Gremlins" isn't a conventional Christmas film, but still has all the evidence of a holiday film: Furry critters, snow, Christmas carols, and a youthful Corey Feldman. My earliest memory of this film is how creeped out I was when Phoebe Cates tells the story of how her father died trying to come down the chimney dressed as Santa one Christmas. The traumatic effect of this is most likely why this film is still etched in my memory...and Corey Feldman.

"Bad Santa" is not only one of the funniest Christmas films I've ever seen, but probably one of the funniest films period I've ever seen. If ever there was a role Billy Bob Thornton was born to play, it was Willy, the safe-cracking, booze guzzling, manner-less, moral-less, and often homeless store robbing Santa poser. His character is the epitome of a person on their own self-imposed highway to hell, befriending a nympho bartender, overweight victim of bullies and his senile grandma along the way. This was also the last film performance of John Ritter, best known for his role as Jack in "Three's Company," and Junior's father in the "Problem Child" films.

"Die Hard" might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of holiday-centric films, but my list is comprised of films whose story is somewhat built on the notion of the Christmas holiday around it. "Die Hard" pulls this off from the start as NYPD Detective John McClane is visiting his ex-wife and children in Los Angeles but his ex-wife's company Christmas party is crashed by money hungry German terrorists. McClane brings the audience further into the Christmas spirit after killing the first terrorist, clothing him in a Santa hat, and marking up his sweatshirt in red marker with "Now I have a machine gun. Ho Ho Ho." He takes out the terrorists with some outside assistance and moral support from Reginald Vel Johnson who would shortly after go on to portray another famous police officer, Carl Winslow in the classic TV series "Family Matters."

"Batman Returns," like "Die Hard," is another obscure but nonetheless worthy pick of this list. The second film in the first "Batman" series had the Penguin and Catwoman pinned up against the Caped Crusader in the midst of Gotham City's busiest shopping season. Of all the things that have after all these years stood out and remained etched in my memory these are the most prevalent from this film; Paul Reubens A.K.A. Pee Wee Herman's cameo as the Penguin's father in the beginning of the film, Danny DeVito's portrayal of the Penguin as he was perfect for the role, and Christopher Walken as Max Shreck. Seeing this film in the theaters, one of the things that stuck with me were his hair and awkward vernacular. This was my first experience with Christopher Walken on film, and would cause me to always seek out more of these eccentric performances to this very day.

"Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York" were the pinnacle of comedy in my childhood, only to be matched later by "Mrs. Doubtfire." These Christmas films were slapstick at its finest, a child's answer to the 3 stooges, and a brilliant yet simple story. A kid gets left alone at Christmas by his annoying family, neighborhood robbers try to break into his house, and he fights back with the best household booby traps since Data in "The Goonies." Without Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as thieves Harry and Marv, this film would never have been so widely popular or deservedly great. Their chemistry that recalled such dummy pairings as Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, and Martin and Lewis, gave these films their luster and countless laugh out loud moments years before the acronym LOL was even conceived.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas." Is it a Halloween film? Is it a Christmas film? Well, it's got a character named Jack Skellington headlining it, but he does have Santa envy and the film is sprinkled with holiday cheer and musical numbers. The answer lies in the agent of this unique story, Tim Burton. Burton's dark themes portrayed in his other films of the period, "Beetlejuice," "Edward Scissorhands," "Batman," and previously mentioned "Batman Returns," simply give us the explanation that it's a Christmas film, Tim Burton style. The animation was visually perfect for the story, and before Pixar started the computer trend with "Toy Story." If this film were made ten years later than it was, it would likely have been rendered on a computer, but it would have lost its effect as its gritty claymation adds to its quality even over a decade and a half since it's original release.

"Jingle All the Way" gives us two things never before seen in a holiday film before it. A factory full of bootlegging Santas and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Coming out around the same time as the Tickle Me Elmo craze, Turbo man was the Red Ryder BB gun of this film. Arnold plays the underachieving Christmas Dad in this film (see James Caan in "Elf," Tim Allen in "The Santa Clause") who is challenged with the next to impossible task of finding his son the unattainable Turbo Man action figure on Christmas eve. With Leon the mailman (played by Sinbad) hot on his trail, and his neighbor (Phil Hartman) hot on his wife, Ahnuld faces a challenge he never saw with Terminators or Predators: bringing joy home for the holidays.

What does J-E-T-S spell? Inconsistent.

2008-12-15T15:22:00.006-05:00

While nursing the consequences of a fun filled Saturday evening for my 25th birthday, Sunday's performance by the New York Football-less Jets could have given a sober 70 year old woman a hangover. For the past few weeks I've found myself looking desperately for the same team that manhandled the undefeated Tennessee Titans, and keep coming up with what looks like the same old disappointing Jets. They could have locked the division up weeks ago, but after disappointing losses to Denver and a horrendous 49ers team that was without Frank Gore for half the game, they continued their downward spiral yesterday. By some miraculous act of something otherworldly, they managed to score 10 points in the fourth quarter without even managing a first down. That's almost the equivalent of saying, they won the game even though the other team outplayed them...wait a minute, that's actually what happened.

Jets fans have the idiotic play calling of Bills coach Dick Jauron to thank for this half-hearted miracle that gave us an early Christmas present. Had Jauron called a running play and continued to give the ball to Marshawn Lynch (who the Jets couldn't tackle all afternoon), they'd probably have the win all locked up. I am convinced however, that Jauron did this to torture the soul of every Jets fan, including myself, who now have a renewed false sense of hope going into the last two games of the season.

The Gang Green go out to Seattle next weekend to play the Seahwawks, a team who barely beat the Rams yesterday, yet still nearly upset the Patriots last week. This is a game the Jets could very well lose, and judging by how they've played lately, have a 50/50 shot at losing. Jets play the Miami Dolphins in the final game of the season, which if both teams win next weekend will decide who takes the AFC East, and who gets to go home.

Games like the last 3 the Jets have played are the reason Brett Favre's beard gets a shade grayer each week (though he's partly to blame for their shortcomings this year) and may likely be his reason for actually retiring (again) after this season. I'd like to see Brett back (mainly because Kellen Clemens isn't our savior), but will not be angry or disappointed if he isn't. Eric Mangini is great at finding a game plan, and using it...for the entire season, even when it stops working or teams figure it out. Prime examples: They run the ball almost every time Leon Washington is on the field; If Brad Smith is in, they're going to some sort of ridiculous triple reverse option (Smith didn't play yesterday, and I think the team is better off with Clowney in. He's a faster and better receiver, and his name is Clowney.) They don't blitz anymore and wonder why Shaun Hill looked like the reincarnation of Joe Montana last weekend. Luckily J.P. Losman might be the worst QB on the planet, thus a main reason to why they won against the Bills.

Long story short (I know, too late.), the Jets, though they seemed to be the new and improved Jets at the start of the season and especially after the Titans game, are the same old Jets. Or as Mr. Hurley in "Big Daddy" called them, "The goddamn Jets." That's right, their horrendous shortcomings have been so bad in the 1990's/2000's that they get a shout out by a drunk old man at the Blarney Stone in an Adam Sandler film (If you saw the game yesterday you'd also notice Sandler was at the game, as well as Michael Douglas).

I really don't know where I'm going with this whole post other than to revoice what was once my former disdain for the New York Jets. I rewatched "Step Brothers" and "The Dark Knight" before and after the game yesterday in my day of lethargy, and both were more rewarding and fulfilling to watch than the Jets have been in the past 3 weeks. I hope this does not understate the greatness of both films, as it is not my intention for the overt crappiness of the Jets recently to be so dismal that it would mean watching "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" would also be more rewarding or fulfilling.

One more sidenote: what the hell is up with Chad Pennington? The guy leaves the Jets then unleashes 40 yard passes of the likes we have never seen? Must be the warm Miami weather loosening up his once linguini-like arm.

The Legend of Lennon Lives On...

2008-12-09T19:19:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was the 28th anniversary of the assassination of John Lennon on December 8, 1980. To mark this occasion, Rolling Stone has done something credible and respectful, words not typically associated with the magazine this day and age. They have posted the complete interview Editor in Chief and Founder of the magazine Jann Wenner had with John Lennon accompanied by Yoko Ono spanning 2 of their 1971 issues. The interview is quite a lengthy read, but undoubtedly contains more insight and just as much relevance as anything you may currently read anyway.

Looking back at the former Beatle, he has a unique outlook on life many today can still envy and admire. Having been a fan of, and sought out information of the Beatles over the years, reading this interview shed light on some things I had not previously known. It also reaffirmed my belief that following the Fab Four's breakup, Paul McCartney's next band Wings might as well have been called Beatles 2.0. Ringo is portrayed as lovable but stupid, George as a loopy Hare Krishna with a catchy radio tune, and Paul as a power hungry puppet. He didn't think George Martin did much producing for them after "A Hard Day's Night," also an interesting revelation considering their abstract later period. Lennon also reveals his love for Creedence Clearwater Revival, disdain for Ike and Tina Turner's Beatles covers, and sheds light on the fact that anything the Beatles innovated, the Rolling Stones just copied 2 months later.

Even nearly 30 years after his death, my opinions have changed from some of his insight. This interview made me gain more respect for Yoko Ono, and should show people she can't be looked at as the reason the Beatles broke up. I also realized in reading it that it was a good thing the Beatles ended when they did. There was no room in the bloated scene of 1970's arena rock that saw such acts as Led Zeppelin, The Who, and Queen rise to prominence. The Beatles were above all that, and they were here just long enough and not too long at the same time. I respect his decision to get out of a situation where he felt there was no more musical growth and suffocation on his evolution as an artist.

"Gimme Some Truth" was an iconic tune of his, and this is what he gave the readers in this look into his private life, career with the Beatles, and his solo work. Seeing the recent documentary, "The U.S. vs. John Lennon" gives more insight to his steadfastness in America throughout the 1970's that shines through in this vivid picture of the man who doesn't believe in Beatles, but just himself. Every year around this time we continue to hear on the radio what is still, in my opinion, the greatest Christmas song ever recorded, "Happy X-Mas (War is Over)." Times like these that are so enjoyable are also saddened by the fact that this great artist was taken much before his time. With all the great music he recorded with and without the Beatles, we will never know what would come later in his middle age that never was.

Of all the musicians taken before their time, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Tupac Shakur, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Notorious B.I.G., Marvin Gaye, Jeff Buckley, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Duane Allman, and Brian Jones to name only a few, while Lennon had a larger body of work than most of them, I still feel today like some of his best work was still ahead of him. Where those artists were gone too soon, they had the candle in the wind mythos to their musical bodies of work. Each were best suited for the time they had here, did the most with it, and may have just wilted away musically and never had as full a legacy. John Lennon, on the other hand, was a completely different story. He had been to the mountain with the Beatles, chopped it down with solo songs like "Instant Karma," and "God," then solidified his own legacy with iconic songs like "Imagine" and "Working Class Hero" which spoke to generations past, present, and now future.

In 1975 following the birth of his son, he took a 5 year hiatus from music, returning with the comeback album "Double Fantasy" in 1980, only to be killed 3 weeks after its release. This new musical outpouring was the next chapter in his story that we will never see the end to. You can hear glimpses of this in the incomplete demos the surviving Beatles completed in the mid-1990's, "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love." Wondering what the 1980's music of John Lennon would have been like is like wondering what the 1970's music of the Beatles would have been like. We will never know, but luckily, the music can still be heard of what he did in his time here. Let it be a lesson to us all.

Part 1 of the Interview (From the January 21, 1971 Issue): http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/24937978

Part 2 of the Interview (From the February 4, 1971 Issue):
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/24946866

Paul McCartney's tribute to Lennon, "Here Today." Probably the most moving song Paul McCartney has ever written, with or without the Beatles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY09Wa7z_38

The Lennon demos as completed by the surviving Beatles in 1994/95:

"Free As A Bird" great video, it actually won a Grammy that year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D196-oXw2k

"Real Love": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZjCGF57v4Q

Viva La Ripoffs???

2008-12-05T09:39:00.005-05:00

Guitar legend Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay for allegedly ripping off the melody from his 2004 guitar instrumental "If I Could Fly." Rolling Stone broke the story, and also has the videos posted side by side comparing the two. The similarities are definitely there, and if Satriani's lawyers can prove Coldplay heard the song before recording "Viva" they've got a case. However, proving someone listened to a song doesn't seem as easy as it looks, so he might end up on the short end of the stick with this one.

Last summer, Coldplay faced similar accusations from a Brooklyn indie group, Creaky Boards, whose ironically titled, "The Songs I Didn't Write" also sounds all too similar to "Viva La Vida." The band started a campaign via YouTube, supplemented by a conspiracy theorist-like claim that a man resembling Chris Martin was in the audience while they played the song during the CMJ Festival in New York and seemed to really enjoy the tune. Their case is a bit more feasible, but the conspiracy theory thing only hinders their cause in my opinion. Rolling Stone covered this occurrence as well.

I'm trying to be objective about this, and will give Coldplay the benefit of the doubt since I'm a big fan of their music. Also, I think this an argument that goes back a ways.

Creaky Boards' "The Songs I Didn't Write" (from 2007) vs. Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" (2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUhFLiw6h6s

Joe Satriani's "If I Could Fly" (from 2004) vs. Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" (2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofFw9DKu_I&feature=related

Rolling Stone Article that broke the story.

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/12/05/joe-satriani-sues-coldplay-for-viva-la-vida-plagiarism/

Rolling Stone Article that broke the story of the Creaky Boards comparison last June. Take notice of the comments section below the article. Several people make mention of the Satriani similarities as far back as September. Perhaps Joe's people took a hint from them before filing legal action.

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/06/16/new-york-band-claims-coldplay-stole-viva-la-vida-melody/

Here's a look at an older case of the ripped off song with Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters Theme" having ripped off Huey Lewis's "I Want a New Drug." I'm sure this had Huey singing "I want a new royalty check!"

Huey Lewis and the News "I Want a New Drug"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMSFX1Vb3xQ

Vs.

Ray Parker, Jr. "Ghostbusters Theme"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4uxIo4t7xM&feature=related

AND...an even older case of Beatle George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" which riffed off of The Chiffons' "He's So Fine." Harrison actually ended up having to pay up after the case went to trial in the 1970's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzlRMhtXaD0&feature=related

AND... Led Zeppelin have so frequently done this, there's a whole compilation of it up on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjPAEPFaxoM In later years, Zeppelin went on to credit the older songs they "borrowed" from, but I think they were forced to. I don't care though, I still happily listen to them on a weekly basis.

AND...probably the most talent-less hacks in this article, The Offspring, possibly one of the worst bands I've ever heard in my life. They are one of the only bands I immediately switch the radio station on if I hear them come on. I can't even say this about the Beastie Boys as even though I hate their music, I still listen to "Sabotage" or "Intergalactic" if I hear them come on.

The Offspring, mercilessly ripped off the old Beatles classic "Ob La Di, Ob La Da" with their song, "Get A Job." Adding a steel drum to the song doesn't constitute a non-ripoff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duyAHixppcM

In the words of Cleveland from "Family Guy" in his response to why he stabbed Skeet Ulrich, the same can be said of this band: "There is nothing good about who you are or what you do."

Live Footage from the Fifteen Fleeting Show

2008-12-04T10:55:00.005-05:00

FIFTEEN FLEETING FOOTAGE!
Here's a link to a video of Fifteen Fleeting's cover of "Come Together" from the show at Maxwell's in Hoboken last weekend. This was definitely a highlight of the show. The band also has a couple other killer performances from the show up on their You Tube page, so check those out! They'll be playing next at Chubby's in Red Bank next Saturday, December 13th, and I'll be there as it is also my 25th birthday. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B40ezJVx1n0

Live Review: Fifteen Fleeting Fire It Up at Maxwell's

2008-11-30T23:14:00.000-05:00

A week with Fifteen Fleeting culminated with a blistering set at Maxwell's in Hoboken Saturday night. The band sold out the standing room only venue that also saw the official release of their latest collection of music, "Signals From an Empty Room." The band was explosive in their first appearance at the venue since their debut EP release nearly a year ago. You could feel the energy from the crowd, and Fifteen Fleeting pulled out all the stops in what may have been their most solid live set ever.

Opening with an instrumental jam that led into a newly anointed crowd favorite, "If It's Alright," they sounded tight right out of the gate. They then treated the loyal fans to one of their older tunes "Alive," which rocks about as hard as anything in their catalog and lets singer/guitarist Vinny Belcastro, lead guitarist Dan Rodriguez, bassist Mike Petzinger, and drummer Scott Petzinger show off their hard rock chops dutifully. This was followed by three of their "Signals From an Empty Room" numbers, "This Time," an epic rendition of "The Only," and the bluesy superhero love number "Man of Tomorrow."

Fifteen Fleeting then gave the crowd their first of four amazing covers of the night, with "All Along the Watchtower." This is one they've mastered in more recent shows, that they've managed to give fresh life to. Fifteen Fleeting's rendition plays at the tempo of Bob Dylan's original version, infused with the guitar blitzkrieg of Jimi Hendrix's definitive version, creating F.F.'s stamp on the classic rock tune. "Torn In Two" is another older song from their days as Trust that fits the band naturally and has helped define their musical identity so far; it sounds great on record and explodes even more so in concert.

The loyal crowd was then treated to a sentimental new tune "In Your Arms," which went over well, and brought them into some conversation with the crowd who has been there with them from their beginnings to their career pinnacle thus far, playing 2007's Bamboozle music festival at Giants Stadium. This led nicely into their next cover of "The Middle," by a band they shared the stage with at Bamboozle, Jimmy Eat World.

Singer Vinny Belcastro playfully urged the crowd to take their lighters out during their ballad, "Among a Million." A great surprise addition to this number was the band being joined onstage by Chris Klaus on violin, who also played on the album version. This really showed everyone in the audience that night how far the band has come in such a short period of time; filling up the room, everyone singing along to their songs, and being joined onstage by guest musicians. This also gave the band a different, somewhat fuller sound, with Belcastro manning the acoustic guitar along to Rodriguez's electric.

Their rock n' roll saga "A Just Perspective," is a song I think their audience will appreciate more in time as they listen to the album a few times, but they got the crowd into its mounting buildup and heavy riffs. Following this, Fifteen Fleeting had a pleasant surprise up their sleeves. Their cover of The Beatles' "Come Together," looked to be one of the band's crowning moments onstage in their budding career so far. The band and the crowd were on fire, and they rocked the hell out of the classic fab four number. It also gave ample spotlight to talented six-stringed bassist Mike Petzinger, who sometimes goes unnoticed but never unheard among the shining onstage personas of bandleaders Belcastro and Rodriguez. Where the sometimes underrated George Harrison was known as the "Quiet Beatle," it was fitting that the "Quiet Fleeter" had shone brightly during the Beatles number. They gave the crowd full reign as they let loose the iconic "One and one and one is three..."

"Streetlamp Limelight" followed, widening the eyes of a crowd in awe that this seemingly small time group can still pull off such groundbreaking sounds and studio techniques so seamlessly when playing live. Where Mike Petzinger tore up the Beatles cover his brother, drummer Scott Petzinger took a stranglehold of Fifteen Fleeting's final cover of the night. One might think pouring gasoline and setting fire to such a late 1980's pop number as Madonna's "Like A Prayer" would make about as much sense as a Britney Spears better parenting seminar, but the members of Fifteen Fleeting turned a risky move into an ultimate triumph. They spun "Like a Prayer" into a hard rock opus and Scott Petzinger's drums eluded to such techniques seen on U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday," or Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out."
The final two numbers gave a nice bookend to the evening. "A Little Change" is a song that defined them in their beginnings and could be labeled conductor on the freight train that got them from their humble start to a huge stage at Bamboozle. The band slips into this song like an old pair of jeans and they always make sure the crowd is singing along with them. At the end of this tune, Fifteen Fleeting gives us all a great taste of the talents in this four piece as a musical powerhouse. They've grown confident allowing their highest output of energy and musical freedom which is hard to miss such an intimate venue.

Since it was a night of celebration in the release of their new CD, the band ended it rightfully with the title track, "Signals From An Empty Room." This was an ironic ending, as this room was nowhere near empty and the band could have played all night at this point feeding off their own energy as much as the audience's. Whatever wasn't spent up on their previous 16 numbers, they laid out on the stage for this one. This gave the band a chance to relish the moment once more and if smoking hadn't been banned in New Jersey bars, a match could have set the whole room on fire; that's how explosive this ending was. With a performance that far exceeded the small price of admission, Fifteen Fleeting should be filling a lot more venues very soon as they continue to build a reputation as one of the area's rising rock bands.

As the buzzing crowd poured out to the bar for drinks among the unlucky ones who didn't make it in to the show, a clueless young woman approached me asking if I was there to see Fastball play later on that night. I nearly laughed when I said that I wasn't, and even if I had tickets, why would I? I had just seen the best rock n' roll show west of the Hudson this weekend.

Set List:

1. Intro Jam

2. If It's Alright

3. Alive

4. This Time

5. The Only

6. Man Of Tomorrow

7. All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan Cover)

8. Torn In Two

9. In Your Arms

10. The Middle (Jimmy Eat World Cover)

11. Among a Million (w/guest Chris Klaus-violin)

12. A Just Perspective

13. Come Together (Beatles Cover)

14. Streetlamp Limelight

15. Like a Prayer (Madonna Cover)

16. A Little Change

17. Signals From an Empty Room

Fifteen Fleeting Topics With Fifteen Fleeting:

2008-11-26T11:58:00.015-05:00

As part of our week long coverage with New Jersey rockers Fifteen Fleeting, I interviewed the band about their humble beginnings, recording, their influences, and their live shows among other things. Here are Fifteen Fleeting Topics with Fifteen Fleeting:
1. Topic: Meeting Across the River
How did you guys get together as a band?
SCOTT: The band originally started with Vinny and I just jamming on songs Vinny wrote up on the campus of Ramapo College. One thing led to another, things became serious and [we] sought Dan to play guitar (Vinny and Dan met in college) and my brother Mike to play bass, who also went to Ramapo. Everyone met through Ramapo, though I was the only one never to attend Ramapo College. By April 2007, the band’s lineup was complete and played under the name Trust, and later released our debut EP in November 2007.

VINNY: If it wasn't for Ramapo, this band would not exist [laughs]. I began looking to start up a new band in the summer of '06. Scott was the first I approached as I had seen him play a bunch of times in another band and really thought he was a great drummer and an excellent fit for what I had in mind. Then I remembered Dan was an amazingly talented musician/guitarist from one of my classes at Ramapo, so I gave him a couple of songs to listen to and asked him if he was interested in joining Scott and I. Mike completed the lineup in the summer of '07 before we recorded our debut EP.

MIKE: Vinny said it pretty well.

DAN: We met at Ramapo College. I knew Mike since my Freshman year before he picked up a bass. I met vinny pretty late in my college career through a music writing class we had together. First time I met scott, I thought he was mike. They look like twins at first glance!

One day, Vinny approached me to come to a practice/jam session and I decided to come. I was pumped since I have never been apart of a band before. Im so glad he came up to me cause I was real shy about approaching people with music in general.

2. Topic: My Chemical Chemistry
When was the first time you guys really clicked musically whether it was onstage, rehearsing, or in the studio?
SCOTT: When we wrote the song “A Little Change” in my basement. It was the first by-product of the Trust machine. Once we had that song down, we had more idea of what direction the band was going in musically. If our first song written together was different, we could have easily went in a different musical direction.

VINNY: That's hard to say, but I do remember the first time ever Scott, Dan, and myself practiced and Dan started playing along to one of the earlier songs I had written. It just sounded so natural and from inside of himself that I knew right then and there we had something special.

MIKE: I can't speak from the beginning-beginning, but at my first practice, I had only gotten to work on learning the band's 13 or so songs for about 3 days, and there was a show the very next day after that. It seemed to work pretty well at practice and the subsequent show, so after that I felt pretty good about us.

DAN: The first jam we had together I felt something. I knew [Vinny] was super talented from the class as well as hearing his songs on myspace. Mike wasn’t around then but I think as the 4 of us, writing “A Little Change” was a moment when it all just happened. I think the song “The Only” really came about much in the same fashion.

3. Topic: Harsh Times
What was your worst musical moment whether with Fifteen Fleeting or in another band?
SCOTT: Thankfully I don’t have just one “worst” moment. I just have a collection of bad times, all which stem from equipment/instrument failures. When a stick breaks, or a drum head breaks, or something moves out of place, all are recipe for disaster. There’s times when one of these things happen, and just snowball into affecting the whole band and our sound.

VINNY: I've had some bad moments [laughs], but one that always stands out was losing my voice during one of our sets at the Whiskey Bar [in Hoboken, NJ].

MIKE: Didn't have gloves at Bamboozle and it was windy and unseasonably cold. Just a little scary playing bass without a pick, slapping, and tapping with numb hands.

DAN: We have had a lot of weird/strange/annoying/humorous stuff happen on stage. Nothing too terrible – just typical with a regularly gigging band. Vinny had his voice go Mini-mouse in front of 75 ppl in Hoboken for a second. My voice has changed into an 85 year old woman voice with a smoking addiction of 95 years (that’s her entire life plus 10 years- in the womb and her mother smoked). Scott has busted a number of sticks. Mike once did a dipsy doodle I believe. We also played a show in front of no one before in NYC. Literally – no one! There was a bartender and a soundguy and they were in and out during the set. That was rough.

4. Topic: Band Name

Where did your band name come from? How did “Trust” come about, and when you had to change it, why did you change it and how did “Fifteen Fleeting” come about? Part 2 to this question: Regardless of how great or crappy the specific band is, what are some of your favorite historic past and present band names in music?

SCOTT: Part I: I’m sure one of the others can answer this better. But here’s how I look at it. Trust. You can’t get away from Trust. Life is based upon trust. Think about it… Fifteen Fleeting A.K.A. fifteen minutes of fame. Everyone gets a small window of opportunity at fame. It’s whether one is able to realize when that time is, and be able to take advantage of it before it “fleets” away from you. Part II: I don’t think I’ll ever understand band names. It’s all relative. Like All-American Rejects? A bad name turned into a good name. Who would have thought?

VINNY: Trust was a name I had in my head since I was 16. And to me Trust was more of a philosophy than anything else. Everything in life boils down to trust. When we had to change the name, I thought about what we wanted and everyone is supposed to get their 15 minutes of fame. Those 15 minutes don't last, and so I thought of Fifteen Fleeting.

MIKE: Vinny said it pretty well.

DAN: Trust came about when Vinny mentioned it. It struck a meaning with me because it was something I lacked at the time. It was like a sign that I needed to approach things, people, and life differently. We changed it to avoid confusion with other bands named Trust - a la 1980’s band or a brazlian metal band.

Fifteen Fleeting is a carpe diem name saying that when you get your 15 minutes – make the most of it.

I personally view all band names as either not serious or so bad that they're good. There is no such thing as a good band name in my opinion. Aerosmith? What the hell is that? Flaming lips? Ya – okaaay buddy. Counting Crows? Stupid – but theyre counting money all the way to the bank! There's a few good names out there but 99% of them suck. Theyre just names though. Id say the best and most accurate band name is Rage Against the Machine. A close 2nd would be Dick Buttkiss.

5. Topic: Influences
Who are your biggest musical influences past and present?
SCOTT: I pull different influences from different bands. Huge influences on my music as well as my outlook on pursuing music as a career are acts like Saves the Day, The Starting Line, The Early November, etc. These acts came up out of the Jersey/Philly area playing small firehall shows in front of only a few heads, and have ended up being able to tour the world and sell out shows miles away from where they started. It gives me hope and light.

VINNY: I would have to say Silverchair and A Perfect Circle because each album they do is so different and unique, and that shows maturity and progression in songwriting.

MIKE: Bandwise, I think Vinny got that. Individually: Stanley Clarke, Larry Graham, Tim Commerford, Dirk Lance

DAN: I gain the most just by observing whatever is playing at the moment. I have some favorite artists but I really try to pay attention and examine anything that is on at any given time. My influences have changed over the years. I used to be into writing like Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine – heavier rock stuff in general. Then I got into a phase of classical style in high school a la Mozart, Chopin as well as a big acoustic theme (Dave Matthews Band, Dispatch, Guster). Then I got into blues/jazz/shoegaze sounds later on. Right now, I drawing a lot of inspiration from Radiohead, Eric Johnson, John Mayer, Lydia, People in Planes, Guster, Beatles, Hendrix, etc…
6. Topic: High Points
What has been your best moment musically as a band so far?
SCOTT: Each new day is our best moment musically. This band continues to impress with me the fact of how far we’ve came, and how far we still have to go. Sure, moments like Bamboozle will always be great, but as we progress new shows and songs are superceding the past. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

VINNY: Opening up the Bamboozle '08

MIKE: Bamboozle '08.

DAN: Bamboozle '08. To be topped with (hopefully) Bamboozle '09.

7. Topic: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
What has changed the most about the band since you first formed/recorded your EP (as Trust) to now with your stint on Bamboozle, headlining shows, and new album?
SCOTT: Professionalism. We were once a band with nothing on our resume. Now we have 2 records, some big shows, and a bright future; something I feel we have to live up to when you go out each night and play. Having dealings and working along side bands who do it for living makes you not take music and the band for granted. People will not take your band serious if you don’t take your own band serious. We’ve matured quickly in our time.

VINNY: I think we are more recognizable now [laughs]. We have gained a lot of credibility within the past few months, so I think we are just establishing ourselves as a name to be remembered.

MIKE: We're definitely defining our own sound at this point. I feel like you can listen to us and hear a bit of each of our personalities within.

DAN: Confidence. I knew that being in a band with original music, it takes time to gel. And now after nearly 1.5-2 years since day 1 of practice before we were truly a band, I realize that’s a never ending process. However, now, instead of gelling, its about exploring each other's possibilities and potentials. I have so much more confidence in what we each do. Im learning about them and myself each day. As we continue to grow, we’ll continue to take each other to higher levels – and hopefully – never peaking!

8. Topic: Strange Sounds (Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Part Deux)
What, if anything, has changed about the band’s sound and approach since you first formed?
SCOTT: Our sound and approach hasn’t necessarily changed, but more less has settled. It’s like going clothes shopping. We’ve found the right pair of jeans. They fit well.

VINNY: I think our songwriting has been evolving and we are beginning to carve our own sonic niche.

MIKE: I think our songs are getting progressively more diverse.

DAN: I think we’re starting to mess with song structuring a little more now. Also, I know that Mike and myself are deeply into the spacey and atmospheric sounds. I think our direction is that of a double headed dragon in a sense. We want to have the appeal to a wide audience (pop) yet also have a sound that is not typical radio and still tingles your ear. Like I said to the last question, it’s a learning process. Music and people are things that you can always learn more about and from.
9. Topic: Onstage and In Concert
You’re a group who puts a lot of energy and work in onstage. Do you find that it’s necessary when you’re not as accessible as big acts, or do you just enjoy performing, or do you think both aspects come into play?
VINNY: There is nothing like performing, and as far as accessability, I want the crowd to feel as though they are performing with us. They are without a doubt what fuels our live shows.

MIKE: Both, without a doubt.

DAN: I love to play live. I'm so uncoordinated that I need to calm down so I don’t look too stupid! But playing music live is now a show. You have to engage the audience and make them feel a part of the event. We try to do that as much as possible.

10. Topic: Simply the Best
What are some of the best concerts or live performers you’ve ever seen? Is there anything you take a hint from them on that you put into your performances individually in the band?
SCOTT: Watching any major performing artist live is great even if I don’t like the music. Some of these acts have so much equipment, electronics, and instruments going on, it’s cool to see the whole production come together. In the end, it gives me ideas to apply to FF’s live show.

VINNY: The Police at PNC Arts Center in '08 were amazing. There's only three of them, yet they owned that whole stage and put on an amazing performance. And of course I have to say Metallica at Giants Stadium in '03...the one thing I loved about that was James Hetfield's control over the crowd and the show in general. With the point of a finger he had the entire stadium erupting.

MIKE: Return to Forever in NYC, August 8th 2008. Both the music and the energy that band brought that night were unreal. And you could just tell they were just up there having fun. I always like when you can tell the band is enjoying it as much as the fans.

DAN: Just like listening to music – good or bad – you can always learn something. I truly believe that. Same comes to shows. Ive seen some bad shows but always manage to take away something. Maybe it's something not to do but hey – you still learn something. I think the craziest shows I've seen were of Rage Against the Machine. They're insane. Foo Fighters put on a great show. N.E.R.D. put on an AMAZING show. The Roots – probably one of the best shows to see time and time again. They may be the best live act of my generation and maybe throughout…
11. Topic: GOAL!!!!(S)
What are your goals as a band both that you have accomplished already, and ones that you look to accomplish going forward?
SCOTT: Keep progressing. We can’t stop. We won’t stop.

VINNY: The main goal is to get our music in as many ears as possible and to continue to evolve in our songwriting and live performances.

MIKE: Taking names and kicking ass [laughs]. On a serious note, we've accomplished a ton of unbelievable stuff on the local level. The next step is broadening the scope of that success I believe.

DAN: Goal – Never plateau!

12. Topic: Music to Your Ears
What are the greatest albums you’ve ever heard? Give a top 5 either individually, or collectively as a band. Any specific reason those are your favorites?
SCOTT: Too many to name. Let me leave you with best 3 best of 2008:
“The Glass Passenger” by Jack’s Mannequin
“Illuminate” by Lydia
“Fearless” by Taylor Swift

VINNY:
1) Queen- "A Night at the Opera" 2) Pink Floyd- "Dark Side of the Moon"
3) Zakk Wylde- "Book of Shadows"
4) Silverchair- "Neon Ballroom"
5) Pearl Jam- "Ten"

MIKE:
In no particular order:
Led Zepplin II - Led Zepplin
Master of Puppets - Metallica
Origin of Symmetry - Muse
Blackwater Park - Opeth
Kezia - Protest the Hero

DAN:
This is one of those questions that is so simple to ask but impossible to answer. If you put a simple math equation into a super computer, it would end up out-thinking itself and making the question a million times more complicated with variables and constants and s**t…eventually it would blow up. I will say this – Lydia – Illuminate is the best sounding album I've ever heard. That’s me personally. I haven’t heard a better sounding album than that.

13. Topic: In the Beginning…

When did you start playing music? Did you always play the same instrument?

SCOTT: I started playing drums in 4th grade because everyone else was doing it. In the end, I’m the only one left playing now. It’s never good to be a follower, but I’m glad I followed.

VINNY: I started playing guitar when I was fourteen, but I didn't start singing until my freshman year in college...I was always too shy to be in front of the mic.

MIKE:I didn't do a thing involving music 'til I was a senior in high school. Didn't pick up a bass 'til I was a freshman in college, and then I ended up majoring in music.

DAN: I started with the drums as a youngin'. I steal Scott's kit every now and then. I think he gets mad at me but f**k him!! I sold my kit/my dad got a few bucks back for the kit he bought for me around junior year of high school. I picked up the guitar in middle school and haven’t put it down since.

14. Topic: The Things You Do For Music.

What’s the most ridiculous thing(s) you’ve had to do as a band on your journey so far? (Examples: playing a birthday party at a bowling alley, a VFW senior citizen’s dance, or winning a pie eating contest to get a gig)
MIKE: Theres been a lot but I can't think of anything specific....any one else guys?

DAN: Um….the NYC show in front of no one was pretty bad.

15. Topic: Meatloaf.

Meatloaf once sang, “I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that.” If you said “I would do anything for music, but I won’t do that,” what would “that” be in your case? (You could have more than one “that” in this instance)
SCOTT: I would do anything for music, but I won’t NOT do that.

VINNY: I would do anything and everything for our music.

MIKE: Jail time.

DAN: I would not play one of those keyboard guitars and pretend to enjoy it in a live setting. F**k no. I would play a keyboard guitar on stage in a live setting as long as I could show my disdain for the instrument – however, I would not pretend to enjoy it. F**K NO [laughs].

Stay tuned for more coverage!

EXCLUSIVE NEW MUSIC REVIEW: Fifteen Fleeting, "Signals From An Empty Room"

2008-11-25T21:58:00.003-05:00

Below is my review of Fifteen Fleeting's latest disc, "Signals From An Empty Room," as part of my week long exclusive coverage of the band from Jersey. The band is playing this Saturday at Maxwell's in Hoboken (located @ 1039 Washington St./http://www.maxwellsnj.com/) which will be the first chance you have to get your hands on the new disc, which is included for free with admission.

Fifteen Fleeting's debut album, "Signals From An Empty Room" is a collection of songs that spreads across musical genres maintaining a focus on some catchy hooks, tight rhythms and aggressive expansion. This is not so much a departure from their debut "Almost Everything" (when the band was still known by their original name, Trust) as it is an exploration and settling into their comforts and strong points as a unit.

The intro and opening title track kick the album off nicely. "Signals From An Empty Room" hits hard, and combines lead singer Vinny Belcastro's refined voice with a fast, repetitive guitar scream that takes me back to Soundgarden's "Pretty Noose" (YouTube that song if you don't know what I'm talking about, once the first chorus comes in) One aspect I like about this song comes down to something as simple as its placement on the track listing. It kicks the album off in a state of confusion and isolation with the subject matter, while at the same time sets up the listener for a nice ride. When the the heavy and unpredictable guitar solo of Dan Rodriguez takes hold of the song, it's the album's first departure from their first EP. They seem to have let themselves free in the studio while maintaining their tight song structure and catchy hooks. This combines an untapped potential not fully reached in their previous recording, and combines it with their existing musical strong points.

"If It's Alright" isn't the band's single, but if they had a single out right now, this should be it. It's the song that will most likely make the fans scream and go wild. The difference here is the catchy as hell on a hot day guitar progression in the chorus that sounds like it came out of Eddie Van Halen's school of rock. It's no surprise this tune has become a regular on their setlists during live shows since it's probably as fun for them to play as it is to listen to. At first glance it seems like a summer romance tune, but don't let the catchy chorus get you, I comprehend the song as a reminiscent tune about life, opportunities, not taking anything for granted and specifically an autobiographical tune about a band on the rise.

"Streetlamp Limelight" is another tune they've polished off in concert, and now utilized the recording studio very well with. This song comes off as almost a sequel or another chapter to the album's title track. The layering of the guitars over Mike Petzinger's six string bass, especially during his solo, gives them all the right to put something sounding as catchy as "If It's Alright" right behind it. They capture a story of a girl yearning for the spotlight, and the song has a nice cinematic quality to it. This is a tale of desperation, fading potential, only or last chances, and paints picture of a vivid, realistic, and modern cityscape. "If It's Alright" is the yin to "Streetlamp Limelight's" yang.

The superhero blues-rock number "Man of Tomorrow" highlights one of the album's coolest workings with Rodriguez's guitar singing along to Belcastro's vocals. This is something not done enough in music today (and also why I still listen to pre-1971 Allman Brothers Band records regularly). Right around this point of the album, I started seeing the picture coming together, whether intentional by the band or not. I felt like "Man of Tomorrow" was singing to "Streetlamp Limelight" girl, and they were both trying to get to the place in"If It's Alright." This one might not go over so well and could fall under appreciated in a musical world where Kryptonite and Superman songs have been played out to all ends.

"Among A Million" is a poetic take on the world at large and is the band's first excursion outside of their live boundaries, adopting the soft violin sounds of guest Chris Klaus. It took the Foo Fighters 6 or 7 years to realize they should go outside their own parameters to give themselves a more dynamic sound, so Fifteen Fleeting is off to a great start. If "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" had a pulse and a soul, it might sound slightly like this...might being the key word there.

"This Time" is a modern rocker of shaky love, and comes off as a darker version of "If It's Alright." This one could have done a bit more or less, and is probably the only track that doesn't bring too much extra to the table. The opening really hits hard but doesn't deliver as much as some of the other songs. I hear hints of things done on "Man of Tomorrow" and "The Only" on here, only they were pulled off better on those songs. It has a buildup similar to "The Only," but doesn't match nearly match it.

It's surprising how many different musical ideas they could fit into a 10 track span, especially with one of those tracks being an intro and another being a 90 second instrumental. This is another idea the group isn't afraid of. They've got various sounds and different sounds, not limiting themselves to a specific genre or crowd. In an age where everyone and their uncle Larry has a video on YouTube of their keyboard or accordion rendition of "Stairway to Heaven" up in exponentially larger quantities, groups have to avoid the one trick pony status to keep their heads above water. Fifteen Fleeting has recognized this epidemic and how to stand against it by exploring their musical ideas and they're not afraid to lay them down in the studio and play them to audiences.

"The Only" is Fifteen Fleeting's greatest musical accomplishment in their budding career so far. It may not capture each individual's finest musical moment on the album, but what it does capture is the greatest musical combination they've gotten into song on record. The opening guitar effects covered in the heavy drum cadence and distorted bass take you down a dark road. The echoed vocals, dreary guitar layering, distorted bass, rolling drums, and harmonies erupt on record giving the band it's best moment. This is the album's climax, it's peak moment that gets the band clicking on all cylinders at full speed, and just as Coldplay will always have a song as powerful as "Fix You" in their concerts from now until the end of time, Fifteen Fleeting should do the same with this gem. This one shouldn't get put on the shelf anytime soon.

The brief instrumental "In Pursuit Of.." sounds similar to a mariachi in the attic, and is a nice dissension from the fireworks of "The Only." Leading into the track's final tune, "A Just Perspective," we are left with one more pleasant surprise from Fifteen Fleeting. This is a journeyman's tale, and could have been a b-side to Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters," were the band around 17 years ago. This song also reminded me of the recent departures from Silverchair, who are ironically an influence on the band. The lower register in the vocals and the soft guitar further displays their newly acquired versatility. I think some bands today go in this direction because it's something different from the countless other bands who do the whole high pitched heartfelt crooning scream thing with their singing. It's not always necessary to sing at the highest possible note to get a certain emotion across, and I think this is something the band should try more of. Fifteen Fleeting should try to utilize these standout nuances in future songs so they don't allow themselves to be stuck in familiar territory.

With the exception of "If It's Alright," the band has ventured into darker territory, and flexed their muscle in a lot of this experimentation. The work in the studio of Producer Rob Freeman has also helped the band evolve from his work with them on the "Almost Everything" EP to this new collection of tunes. The epic wall sound achieved on "The Only" is definitely his and the band's crowning achievement on this disc and surpasses most million dollar major label productions currently out there.

I believe the strongest moments on this album come from very different songs, being "If It's Alright," "The Only," "Man of Tomorrow," and "A Just Perspective." Perhaps leaving a song or two off, abandoning the intro, and maybe making "In Pursuit Of...A Just Perspective" one song and trimming it a bit would tighten up the set a bit. Not to say that the songs are superior or inferior to the other songs, but some of them give off a vibe of the potential the band has, and perhaps a glimpse into how they may stretch each of these musical directions in their future songs.

JohnnyBeBlogging EXCLUSIVE!!!

2008-11-24T13:31:00.012-05:00

A Week With Fifteen Fleeting...

Hello, worthy reader of the blog. I've recently had the opportunity to cover an up and coming band right out of New Jersey, and am highlighting these reportings in a week of blog material putting them in the spotlight. The band I speak of is Fifteen Fleeting. They're coming off a hot summer which saw them perform at Giants Stadium for the Bamboozle Festival, sharing the stage with such acts as Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, Gym Class Heroes, and the incomparable Snoop Dogg.

This will be the first exclusive to the blog content since my review of Medium Cool New York City concert in September. The Fifteen Fleeting coverage will have much more content, bringing you closer to the band and giving you a glimpse into their new music before you can hear it anywhere else.

The band has been playing shows here in Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia for over a year now. They've been on an upward climb since releasing their debut EP, "Almost Everything," in the fall of last 2007, when they were still known as Trust. With their latest effort "Signals From An Empty Room," the band has brought their music to another level. The album could be looked at as somewhere between an EP and a full length album, definitely heavier on material than their EP, but slightly less than an album.

Vocals/Rhythm Guitar: Vinny Belcastro

Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals: Dan Rodriguez

Drums/Percussion: Scott Petzinger

Bass: Mike Petzinger

Throughout this week I'll be taking you behind the scenes with a band on the rise, giving you exclusive access to Vinny, Dan, Scott, and Mike. You'll hear about the band's humble beginnings, their influences, what makes them tick, and what matters most to them. You'll also get to see my review of the extended EP "Signals From An Empty Room" before it's released to the public this weekend. This will culminate in the band's record release show at Maxwell's in Hoboken on Saturday night, where I'll also be reporting a live review for the end of the weekend. Stay tuned for my signals from an empty Blog.

Sincerely,

Johnny Be...Blogging

"James Bond May Make You Crave an Omega Watch."

2008-11-17T22:23:00.005-05:00

I just saw a commercial for an Omega watch, as worn by Daniel Craig playing James Bond in the famous British spy's latest onscreen adventure "Quantum of Solace." This brought me back to my recent re-watch of Craig's first trek in the martini loving MI-6 agent's shoes, 2006's "Casino Royale," probably the best modern James Bond movie. The only argument present there would be between "Casino" and Pierce Brosnan's Bond debut, "Goldeneye." In the spectrum of old Bond films, "Goldeneye," stays within the realm of the other films and brings it to another level. "Casino Royale" took that old Bond mold, placed it on a cinder block, bashed it to smithereens with a pick ax, and burned the remains with a blowtorch. And I mean that in a good way.

In an age where conventional popcorn movies are transforming into gritty, more realistic affairs ("The Dark Knight," "Iron Man") "Casino Royale" was a well needed shot of new life into the series. This really didn't come as a surprise to some, as it was co-written by Paul Haggis who wrote and directed "Crash," as well as writing other Oscar winners "Million Dollar Baby," "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima." Craig was more Connery than Brosnan, more badass than Moore, and face it, Hugh Grant would be about as good as Dalton was, so that settles that argument. Craig's Bond brought back the freakish villain who weeped blood, right in line with the circus sidehows that were Jaws, Baron Samedi, and Oddjob, the quintessential Bond villain/henchman.

Given this newly anointed darker Bond series, it can be argued that Craig is the first actor to give the character an identity since the original, Sean Connery. Connery gave set the standard for all the actors following him that would never surpass his defining of Bond. Brosnan came the closest, but was still too GQ to capture the character's underlying ruggedness. Craig, on the other hand, was called upon to reinvent Bond; his Bond's story starts from the beginning just as he attains his double 0 agent status. This give the realism explanation, and allows Craig to bring something fresh to a character that's been played by half a dozen actors over nearly 50 years.

The early reviews say that "Quantum of Solace" isn't as good as "Casino Royale," but I wouldn't expect it to be as "Casino" was one of the best films of the past 2 years. So long as it keeps pace with the gritty realism and ruggedness the 21st century Bond is bringing to the table, the film should deliver like UPS. Once I get to the theater, I'll be sure to report on it.

It's strange what kind of random thoughts a watch commercial can conjure up...

Chinese Democracy??? More like American Crap.

2008-11-11T14:05:00.005-05:00

So, after waiting since my 11th birthday or so for a new Guns N' Roses album, it seems that day is soon approaching. And I have to say, this is a bitter sweet feeling. I've heard most of the songs on Chinese Democracy in earlier forms, and I have to say it wasn't worth the wait. Granted this new branded "Guns N' Roses" only consists of one original member (resident lead singer nut job extraordinaire W. Axl Rose) so there has always been an immediate rip-off cloud hanging over this album since the mid 1990's when work began on it.

Chinese Democracy has the makings of the closest thing we'll see to a real life Spinal Tap in our lifetimes. The album has cost reportedly upwards of $13 million to produce, far greater than any other record in history (and probably more than the Beatles and Led Zeppelin's entire album catalogs combined), and is doused with multiple members who have come and gone out of Axl's dysfunctional band of merry men since 1995. It truly is like Spinal Tap, except everyone in the band is the drummer, constantly being recycled with a replacement.

I've been laughing since the turn of the millennium when we were promised a new GNR album which showed some promise after Axl turned up to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards to close out the show in 2002. Axl, wearing an Oakland Raiders Jerry Rice jersey that looked like a Canal Street knockoff, sporting cornrow extensions, and some fresh botox on his face looked like a sad shell of his former self. On top of this, he proceeded to run around the stage like he did back in 1993, only this time, he was overweight and his voice sounded like an old woman screaming for help while being mugged in an alley in St. Louis.
I guess a debacle like that could send him and his album people stopped waiting for back into recluse mode for another half decade. Soon after, some of the Chinese Democracy songs leaked, most sounding like an industrial doody. This wasn't anything near the hard rock classic sound of "Appetite for Destruction" and even made the altered direction of the "Use Your Illusion" albums sound like a 3 piece in a garage (These are not compliments Axl, you hack.)

I am interested to hear the final version of Chinese Democracy, but am not expecting much. In fact, what I expect is something that will probably sound like it should have come out around 1997 or '98 and has been so blown out of proportion to this point that it is destined for failure.

Rolling Stone has given the album 4 stars, while they've recently given the Jonas Brothers 4 stars (which you know if you've read my previous posts), so that doesn't really hold much weight.

Maybe next time a Guns N' Roses album is announced to come out, they'll keep a lid on it until they've got the CD's on the trucks getting ready to ship out to stores. Depending on how this train wreck in the GNR saga goes, we most likely won't see bupkus from them until China actually has a democracy or the Berlin Wall goes back up. About the same time, Pink Floyd gets back together to record "The Wall Part 2" and Mick Jagger lets Keith Richards take over all lead vocal duties on the next Rolling Stones album. When, you ask, will this be? I'll tell you...two weeks from never.

When I do get to hear the album, expect about as nice a review as one could expect from a lifelong fan who has been sitting on hopes of a new album for 15 years, only to be told the entire band except for the singer have bounced, our biggest influence is now Rammstein. If you held your breath for this, you'd be in an iron lunch 10 years ago.

VIVA LA COLDPLAY @ the IZOD CENTER...full review coming soon!

2008-10-27T10:18:00.005-04:00

The Coldplay show was out of this stratosphere ridiculous last night. It was at the Izod Center, and our seats were pretty much as sick as they were for the Stone Temple Pilots show at the Borgata couple months back. Unfortunately, my digital camera is broken, so I had to settle for a disposable. If any of the pics came out though, they are going to be INSANE! Chris Martin was all up in our grills, so much in fact that his sweat hit my girlfriend; that's right, Chris Martin's sweat hit my girlfriend, amazing. We also spotted Gwyneth Paltrow at the show, and we actually had better seats than she did. I also caught her mom singing along to "In My Place" which was as amusing as the song was amazing.

A detailed review is coming soon, I wanted to try to get the ridiculous pictures up with it also, so hopefully it should be in the next couple days. In the meantime, here's the setlist which was phenomenal, heavy on the "Viva La Vida" and "Rush of Blood to the Head" as well as "X&Y." The alternate arrangements they did, especially on "The Hardest Part," gave the songs some freshness, and "Yellow" was the only song from "Parachutes" that made it into the set. Stay tuned for more!

Setlist:
Life In Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Speed Of Sound
Cemeteries Of London
Chinese Sleep Chant
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno version)
Talk (techno version)
The Hardest Part (piano - Chris)
Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental)
Viva La Vida
Lost!
The Scientist (acoustic)
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will singing)
Viva La Vida (remix interlude)

Encore 1:
Politik
Lovers In Japan
Death And All His Friends

Encore 2:
Yellow
The Escapist (outro)

Led Zeppelin Minus Plant?

2008-10-13T14:36:00.004-04:00

After the rumor I previously posted about a Led Zeppelin reunion tour had been squashed, I vowed to no longer listen to the ramblings of British tabloids ever again. However, here's an interesting bit that proves the story to not be entirely untrue.

It seems Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham are ready to make a gajillion dollars for a tour and are tired of waiting for Plant to come around. They've recruited American singer Robert Kennedy (not JFK's brother) who is most (or least depending on how you look at it) famous for being the lead singer of the rock group Alter Bridge. For those of you who don't know who they are, not to worry, they are the group formed by several former members of 90's monster balladeers Creed after their lead singer Scott Stapp got all crazy on account of the chocolate (in his case the "chocolate" being pills, booze, and other extracurricular activities. The remaining Zeppelin members have brought Kennedy in for rehearsals and Dee Snider (yes Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider) has said the band is putting an ultimatum in front of Plant which is, join us or be replaced!

This seems to have worked wonders in the past for bands like Journey, Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd and countless others who turned themselves into a punchline of washed up, money milking, musical hacks, but I think this could have several outcomes for a band of Led Zeppelin's stature. Here are some of my thoughts on these possibilities:

1. Jimmy Page has gone on the road with Zeppelin tunes minus the iconic lead singer before, as he did in 1999-2000 with the Black Crowes. I was able to attend one of these shows and it was phenomenal, however, it wasn't billed as Led Zeppelin, it was billed as Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes, very distinctly. If this same approach is taken and they call it something other than Led Zeppelin, I think they'll still make a ton of money and sell out arenas all over the place. However, I don't see them getting the same money from a concert promoter if the name "Led Zeppelin" is taken off the bill. If Plant doesn't budge, this outcome is likely.

2. Maybe the scare tactic works and Plant comes back singing "I'm Gonna Crawl" to his bandmates as his expression of how he is returning. Think of this though; Plant is a proven musician who doesn't need the money, so I don't think this is likely. The only way he comes back to Led Zeppelin is if he truly wants it, he won't let anyone boss him around, and I'm sure he would fight the remaining members tooth and nail over using the name without his involvement. If he needed all this money they would have done this years ago, the same reason why the Beatles never reunited while all 4 members were still alive, they didn't need the money. Plus, if the Beatles did reunite, we would never have such Ringo Starr solo gems as "Back Off Bugaloo."

3. They put it to rest and stop pressing so hard to Plant can finish up his recent solo re-emergence and let him return on his terms. This would be the best scenario for everyone involved, as it would likely make for the best effort put forth by the four band members.

If Zeppelin goes back on tour with another lead singer, it shouldn't be called Led Zeppelin, they should name themselves after one of their songs, "Trampled Underfoot" as that's what they'll be doing to their lead singer Robert Plant. And of all people, Jason Bonham should not support this decision. His father was the original drummer, who's death caused the group to disband in the first place. Robert Plant is the one who brought John Bonham into Led Zeppelin as the two were great friends before meeting Page and Jones, and going ahead without Plant would be like beating Plant over the head with his father's old drumsticks while tarnishing Bonzo's memory. Unless Jason Bonham owes some shady characters out of a Guy Ritchie film tons of money, I can't see him supporting this without Plant's blessing, unless Page and Jones have a very strong influence on him. (Who knows, maybe Jimmy Page has gotten back into witchcraft lately) Whatever the outcome, whatever they call themselves, and whoever is singing, I'd still pay to see these guys in concert. I just hope it doesn't turn into a merchandising/money ploy that cheats the fans and some of the members of the band.

Here's a link to NME's article that broke the story. It also has a link to the Dee "What the hell am I doing involved in a conversation about a Led Zeppelin reunion" Snyder video reporting on this story: http://www.nme.com/news/led-zeppelin/40389

Editorial. New Music to Your Ears: Music in the Oasis, and "Fire" from the Kings.

2008-10-01T13:57:00.007-04:00

Alright, I've been falling off like Jimmy Hoffa in the mid 1970's here, but it's hard to stay away people!!! I've got some new music for your ears if liking the listening of new and fantastical things is your thang (Notice how I said, "thang" there, to reiterate the coolness)

One tune is a new diddy from a group that's been around for about 15 years, Britain's favorite marble mouthed, outspoken Beatles/Stones clones Oasis. The group's best album would have to be their breakout 1995 album "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" which boasted such superhits as "Wonderwall," "Don't Look Back in Anger," and their hippie magnum opus, "Champagne Supernova." I've got a couple of their albums in between then and now, and have to say their last album from a couple years back "Don't Believe the Truth" is right on par with "Morning Glory." It's got a lot of catchy melodies/choruses, and has a lot more soul than much of the stuff out today. It's also a good pacemaking disc if you're into the British sound, but not as far out into Radiohead depths, but shy away from the popular tunes of Coldplay. It's vintage but fresh if that makes any sense.

Oasis has a new album coming out next week titled "Dig Out Your Soul," that critics are saying is their best in years. Well, if their first single is any sign of it, then I'll take their word for it. "Shock of the Lightning" is the tune, and it's got a freight train like roll that is sure to fill arenas in England and the US alike as they embark on a world tour. They're playing New York's Madison Square Garden for the first time in over 10 years this December, and these new tunes should hold up well. Take a listen to "Shock of the Lightning" here, this song is like "Tomorrow Never Knows" hanging from the edge of the caboose on a silver bullet train, ballsier, wilder, and out of this world. These guys are as close to a modern psychedelic sound as you can get; you can call Radiohead psych- i guess, but I'd rather refer to them as computerdelic; Oasis holds the torch for modern psych/Beatles/Stones/Who rock. Hear the song/see the music video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87IQhui_Yy8 Looks very Warhol-esque.

The next tune of choice comes from Nashville's very own Kings of Leon, and their recent album "Only By the Night." The song is "Sex on Fire," and I heard it on the new radio station 101.9 WRXP yesterday in the midst of a traffic fueled commute home. The song was so great and hit me like nothing I've heard recently, that I desperately tried to remember the sound, as well as the songs played on the station before and after it in hopes of finding out its origins today. Luckily, like most stations, WRXP keeps backlogs of the songs they play, so I found the mystery song today. There it was, sandwiched right after Radiohead and Elvis Costello, and right before Pink Floyd and the Meat Puppets, Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire" (Yes, this station is the best thing on radio right now; what other station has enough brass to play such obscure and great music??)

I've heard one of the Kings' previous albums and wasn't a huge fan, but this new album has a totally different sound/feel to it. I don't know what they've done here, but they need to keep on doing it. Has a sound much like the Killers, with an alternative vocal style. Check out the song/video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHhhcKxflMY

If you want to get a jolly ol' hop in your step listen to these tunes, rinse, and repeat.

2008-09-26T09:19:00.000-04:00

Ok, I know I've been slacking off as of late, but it is for good reason, which will come in a formal announcement soon. But not bad news at all, rather a new direction, and a huge undertaking I'm working on in the near future.
However, this bit of news is a drop everything and do a backflip in your cubicle news. My new favourite (notice my British spelling of "favorite") music news website, England's NME.com, has broken a story originating from British newspaper The Sun. Apparently the Led Zeppelin reunion tour is on like Donkey Kong, as Peyton Manning would say, for next summer. The lone member to be holding back this monumental tour, lead singer Robert Plant, seemingly couldn't take not being part of the reunion plans. The story reports Plant finally told other band members Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and new drummer Jason Bonham (replacing his father John) that he was ready, and they will soon set rehearsals with next summer in mind for their re-emergence.

Needless to say, I'm beside myself with excitement about this and can't believe it at the same time. I am skeptical to some degree, as the band has aged and their hard rocking songs aren't as easy to pull of as say, Paul McCartney still nicely managing shows showered with his old Beatles numbers. However, I'll be the first one in line for a ticket to this thing, and can't wait to see what they have in store, I'm sure they'll have some sort of wacky visual thing going on to make up with whatever they might be lacking or aged in sonically. As I listen to "The Rain Song" on this miserable day, I'll know that a Led Zeppelin reunion is "What Is and..." definitely not "What Should Never Be," and "That's the Way," it should be. I could go for a swim in "The Ocean" right now, even though I'd just look like a "Fool In the Rain," as they are showing their longtime fans a "Whole Lotta Love," with this reunion. Hopefully "Poor Tom" can make the gig if he's not busy still fighting "The Battle of Evermore"

Here's a link to NME's article: http://www.nme.com/news/led-zeppelin/40014

PS: I beat Rolling Stone to the news again.

WEEK 2 NFL PICKS!!!

2008-09-21T11:14:00.005-04:00

WEEK 3:

Kansas City @ Atlanta: This one is a stinker, and after an impressive week 1 win, the Falcons proved they're still the Falcons last week. I still think Kansas City is a worse team, so Atlanta should take this one.

Oakland @ Buffalo: Buffalo will without a doubt move their record to 3-0 as the Raiders are without Justin Fargas. Darren McFadden is playing with a toe injury, but even at full strength, the Raiders inconsistent offense didn't stand a chance on the road to Buffalo.

Tampa Bay @ Chicago: Tampa Bay and Chicago still don't have a verdict on how they're looking for the season, but this should be an even keel matchup. I think Chicago will have the edge and win this one at home, perhaps with the help of Brian Urlacher's Old Spice Swagger.

Houston @ Tennessee: Houston has not shown much this season, and the Titans are 2-0, even with former booze hound quarterback Kerry Collins. The Titans should easily get the win at home in the land of Elvis.

Carolina @ Minnesota: Minnesota has Gus Frerotte starting for him. Yup, anyone with the first name Gus isn't a proven NFL QB. With Adrian Peterson nursing a hamstring injury, Gus will show us why he may make a career switch to the Bass Masters fishing circuit on Monday morning. Carolina, with Steve Smith back, should pull off the win on the road.

Miami @ New England: Miami will go to 0-3, no big surprise there. New England will go to 3-0, and I will still hate them, even without Tom Brady.

Cincinnati @ NY Giants: Cincinnati is closer to becoming this year's winner of the #1 draft pick for next season with every pathetic game they play this season. The defending champion Giants should easily embarrass the team and kindly allow fans to beat the NJ Turnpike traffic by the early fourth quarter when they have their third stringers in. Ocho Stinko, Johnny Carson Palmer, and T.J. HoushmandzIplayLikeYourMama will give the Cincy fans plenty to boo about once again.

Arizona @ Washington: Washington impressed with their first win last week, and the Cardinals put on a high flying circus show victory with the aerial assault of a vintage looking Kurt Warner. This should be a tight game that could turn into a barn burner on the scoreboard, but I think the Cardinals are the better team overall, and will win it.

Detroit @ San Fransisco: Both these teams have showed us in the first few weeks they haven't improved much, and perhaps even taken a couple steps back from last season. San Fransisco is the only one of the two who has won a game so far this season, so in this coin flip, I'll give them the edge to win with their home field advantage also on their side.

St. Louis @ Seattle: Both teams are pretty crappy, but the Rams are in heavy contention for best shot at the biggest loser this season along with Cincinnati. I think Seattle will take this one at home, and St. Louis will come closer to interviewing new head coaches.

New Orleans @ Denver: This one should be a high flying passing show between two teams who are sure to score over 30 points each. I think right now, Denver is the better team, but the Saints have potential once they have a few more games under their belts. The Broncos will win this one at home, and Ed Hochuli won't have to be there to help them this week.

Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia: Philly impressed a lot of people with that hard fought game in Dallas last Monday night, which ended (barely) in a loss on their record. Based on that performance, and with the Philly fans rallying behind their on again off again lovefest with QB Donovan McNabb, they should win this game against the Steelers. Willie Parker's ridiculous performances should slow down this week, proving to be the advantage for Philly in this battle of Pennsylvanians.

Jacksonville @ Indianapolis: The Colts defense will be hindered with the loss of Bob Sanders. However, Jeff Saturday and Dallas Clark are likely to be back in the lineup for the Colts offense. Even with the series of injuries they faced, the Colts would have won. Now, having their once highly feared offense nearly at full strength, they should easily get the first win at their new stadium.

Cleveland @ Baltimore: These division rivals are likely not going to get a shot at winning their division this year with the Steelers playing so well, but either one's win this week will certainly get them back in the mix. Baltimore lost a heartbreaker to Pittsburgh last week in the midst of a monsoon, and the Ravens had an unexpected by due to Hurricane Ike which put their game against the Texans on hold. With that extra rest, I think the Ravens should win against the Browns, who are still battling injuries.

**UPSET OF THE WEEK**

Dallas @ Green Bay: Green Bay's post-Brett Favre era has started off impressively with new stud QB Aaron Rodgers. Dallas, however, is still the favorite in the NFC right now and many people pick them to win this one as they are far superior to Green Bay's first two opponents, Minnesota and Detroit. Green Bay should still win their division, and most think they don't have a shot in this one, but with Green Bay at home, I'm picking them to upset the Cowboys who are working on a short week and a close, high-scoring shootout with the Eagles.

NY Jets @ San Diego: The Jets really made me sick last week. There I said it. The Chargers were robbed of a victory last week, which means they will be foaming at the mouth like a grizzly bear on Shawn Merriman's stash of steroids. (He's got plenty extra laying around now that he's done for the season with the bum knee) Even though Ladanian Tomlinson might be on the sidelines, I still just don't see the Chargers going 0-3. I will be ecstatic if the Jets pull off this road win on Monday night, but would also be very fool hearted to expect such. I think the Chargers will win, but would happily call myself a fool on Tuesday morning if the Jets pull off the upset.

"The Name's White. Jack White."

2008-09-19T10:14:00.004-04:00

The new James Bond theme has made it's way online, about 2 months before the latest film "Quantum of Solace" hits theaters. This tune is a first, as it is the first ever duet used in a Bond film, pretty hard to believe in nearly 50 years of being on the silver screen. White Stripes/Raconteurs front man and music producer extraordinaire Jack White, wrote and produced the tune, which he performs with Alicia Keys.

The song has a very vintage, Paul McCartney "Live and Let Die" feel to it. I like to think that Jack White, had he been a Beatle, would never have let himself get outbid by Michael Jackson for publishing rights to the fab four's music, thus preventing the use of anthemic masterpieces like "Revolution" from being used in a sneaker commercial in the 1980's. Anyway, that's neither here nor there.

White's self started record label, Third Man Records, is streaming the song for free on their website. I'm not sure how long it will be up there, since the single is being released this coming Tuesday, September 23rd, digitally, on CD, and in the form of a limited edition 7" record. If this film is a sign of what's to come with the film, I'm very excited. The last theme song from "Casino Royale," by Chris Cornell was another great one, much better than the ones of the past decade or so that had been lacking in the Pierce Brosnan Bond films. If great collaborations like this are still to come as long as Daniel Craig is playing the martini drinking British ladies man super agent, then he should keep the role until he's 60.

Originally, Amy Whine(Crack)house was supposed to do it, with Mark Ronson producing, but she likely took the advance they gave her and bought meth with it. Amy came back to the studio Monday morning and said, “Crikey! I got the most extraordinary song of all the Bond films!” She proceeded to sing her rendition of Shirley Bassey’s “Goldfinger,” and the producers told her that it was a 40 year old Bond song (see clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSc1n8ByDiE , still the greatest Bond song of all time). She then said, “Oh bloody hell! That’s bollocks!!! That old curmudgeon stole the bloody song from me!” She ran out of the studio, not before taking someone’s wallet, and for obvious reasons, lost the gig.

By the looks of it, she can play some sort of ghoul-zombie in the next "Harry Potter" movie.

Here's the link to the website you can stream the song at:

http://www.thirdmanrecords.com/

NFL Week 2 Results!!!

2008-09-18T14:50:00.003-04:00

(Picture above: a furious Norv Turner on the blown call hear round the world in Week 2)

Tennessee 24, Cincinnati, 7: The Titans won again, as I predicted, along with everyone else in the coutnry. The Bengals spent their week two bolstering their competition with the Rams for crappiest team in the league

Green Bay 48, Detroit 25: As predicted the Pack went 2-0 under new stud quarterback Aaron "Not related to the former lead singer of Bad Company, current lead singer of Queen's Paul" Rodgers.
Oakland 23, Kansas City, 8: This one was pretty much a clownshow as expected, the Raiders won in an uneventful matchup. I called it, crappy game, crappy Oakland win.

NY Giants 41, St. Louis 13: Mark Bulger continues to stink up my fantasy bench, and as we all thought, the G-Men went to 2-0 playing what resembled a Kentucky Division 2 High School football team. Way to go Rams, your city has the highest crime rate in the nation, and you have the lowest sense of self esteem in the NFL.

Indianapolis 18, Minnesota 15: I said this one would be decent, but we didn't expect a last second nailbiter. With seconds left in the game Adam "I wear little kicker's shoes but still have 3 Super Bowl rings" Vinatieri won it with a long kick for the Colts.

Washington 29, New Orleans 24: After watching the Redskins sleep through four quarters of football in week one against the Giants, they were brought back to life in week 2, and pulled off an impressive win on the road. I didn't call this one, and after watching their week one laugh fest, I don't think many other people did either.

Chicago 20, Carolina 17: The Bear surprised me, and other people picking Carolina to win at home, especially after a very impressive victory last week against the Chargers. I guess the Bears are proving us all wrong, in that a team really can win without the presence of a quarterback or any sort of passing game.

Buffalo 20, Jacksonville 16: I called this one being close, with the Bills winning, and they pulled it off by 4 points, going to 2-0 to match their division leading New England Patriots.

San Fransisco 33, Seattle 30: I thought the Seahawks would pull this win out at home, but much like the rest of their division, on any given Sunday, any team can suck. Don't let the high score fool you, the San Fransisco defense is the only bright spot on either side and even they let up 30 points.

Tampa Bay 24, Atlanta 9: After an impressive win over the Lions in week one, I thought the Falcons would take care of the Bucs since they had Brian Griese starting for an injured Jeff Garcia. Well, Atlanta proved that they're still only one year removed from a mess of a season, and the Bucs smacked them around.

New England 19, NY Jets 10: I don't even want to get into this game, save for the fact that Eric Mangini proved he has always and unless anything changes, will always be scared of the Patriots (even without Tom Brady). The Jets were coached like they were still being led by Chad Pennington, proven with 3 straight runs with a first and goal inside the 5 yard line in the first half. Last time I checked Brett Favre was their quarterback. That's right, the same quarterback who leads NFL record books for red zone touchdown passes. Mangini and O-Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer need to take their heads out of their rear ends and smell the dirty NJ Turnpike air and get their act together. Needless to say I thought the Jets would win; they didn't.

Arizona 31, Miami 10: Arizona's potent offense came through as I suspected, and dropped the Dolphins to 0-2. The road to another 1-15 season is paved by games like this one.

Denver 39, San Diego 38: Well, with the most contraversial blown call of the season or recent memory, the Chargers slipped to 0-2, while the Broncos popped up on a bunch of radars going 2-0, on the heels of a gutsy call by coach Mike Shanahan to go for a 2 point conversion to win the game rather than an extra point to tie in the closing seconds. I am very afraid for my Jets going into San Diego for Monday Night Football next week against a Chargers team that is foaming at the mouth to pound the crap out of somebody.

Pittsburgh 10, Cleveland 6: Pittsburgh won this one 10-6 in the midst of what looked like a hurrican in Cleveland on Sunday night. Cleveland is 2-0 and far from the team that surprised a lot of people last year. The Steelers are emerging as an AFC powerhouse, now that the Colts, Patriots, and Chargers are obviously weakened.

Dallas41, Philadelphia 37: I thought Dallas would win this by 10 or 14 points, but the Eagles proved they are a force to be reckoned with in the NFC East again, coming off a rough season last year. Here's a quote from my predicitons: "This is probably the best Monday Night Football matchup the league could have planned for in week 2." Bam, there, I said it and my premonition delivered. This had to be one of the most offensively potent games in recent Monday Night history. To take a line from those Sunday NFL Ticket Direct TV commercials Jimmy Kimmel has been in, this is a game that had the defensive coordinators from both teams updating their resumes.

(Postponed) Baltimore @ Houston: Due to Hurrican Ike tearing through Texas this game has been rescheduled for week 8.

Record This Week: 9-6/ Overall Season So Far: 20-11

"My Week 2 NFL Picks...A League Without Tom"

2008-09-12T17:35:00.000-04:00

Tennessee @ Cincinnati: Vince Young's mom asked the fans to stop booing him. Well, he won't have to hear anymore boos as he nurses his injured knee for the next few weeks. Kerry "Where's the nearest bar, and I'll have a double" Collins is starting, but I'll still go Titans on this one as the Bengals aren't much to worry about. Cincinnati is in shambles right now, and the NFL refuses to let Chad wear the "Ocho Cinco" on the back of his jersey until he recoups all of Reebok's expenses or they sell out of their now useless supply of "C. Johnson" jerseys. When Young comes back from his injury, he could still be sitting on the bench as the Titans aren't taking anymore chances by bringing in free agent Chris Simms to bolster their bench.

Green Bay @ Detroit: Detroit got embarrassed last Sunday by the Falcons, who were supposed to still be figuring out their post-Michael Vick plans going into this season. Matt Ryan and Michael Turner put their minds at ease, and Green Bay will go 2-0 by beating up on the Lions in Detroit. Aaron Rodgers is looking good, but there's almost nothing he can do this season to make the cheese heads forget about Brett Favre already (especially while he's still wearing a different shade of green every Sunday).

Oakland @ Kansas City: It's a battle between this game, and the San Fran/Seattle game for which one gets most painful game of the week to watch honors. I think the Raiders will win this one, but honestly who cares. Neither one of these league laughing stocks will make the playoffs, but at least one of them will get the goose egg out of their win column this weekend.

NY Giants @ St. Louis: The Giants impressed early last week, and the Rams impressed high school teams all around the country that they could probably play a closer game with the Eagles. The G-Men will go 2-0, and I will continue to let Mark Bulger sit on my fantasy team's bench. Why do I pick this guy every year?

Indianapolis @ Minnesota: This should be a pretty decent game, but I think the Colts will return to form and pull off the victory. This is definitely a weakened team with a still rusty Peyton Manning, but the Vikings can't ride on Adrian Peterson's back all year, especially not starting in week 2.

New Orleans @ Washington: Besides the Rams, Washington looked pretty pathetic last week. I think their coach's days are numbered if they continue down this path, but they should get better as the year goes on. It won't be against the Saints though. The Redskins won't be able to keep up with the Saints offense, even if Marques Colston in out for at least a month. Devery Henderson and David Patten should see more passes come their way as well as Jeremy Shockey, while he can stay healthy. Reggie Bush looked impressive last week; add all those weapons up, along with their improved defense, and the Redskins have too much working against them.

Chicago @ Carolina: Both these teams surprised everyone last week, the Bears by beating the Colts at home, and the Panthers by winning a last second stunner against the Chargers. I'm not completely sold on the Bears just yet, especially since Peyton Manning was still brushing the dust off and Joseph Addai went out early for the Colts. The Panthers without Steve Smith, on the other hand, beat the Chargers, pretty much at full strength, in a close game. At home, the Panthers should win this one.

Buffalo @ Jacksonville: Jacksonville stunk it up last week against their division rival Titans, who didn't even play that well to begin with. Buffalo laid a beating down on the Seahawks who had no receivers playing. This one should be pretty close, but I think the Bills will pull off the win in a close one.

San Fransisco @ Seattle: Both these didn't impress much in week one, but even if both finish at 7-9, they'll have a shot at the playoffs in their joke of a division that is the NFC West. The Seahawks are the more experienced team, so at home they should take care of business and beat the 49ers.

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay: Atlanta beat up on the Lions last week with impressive debuts by their rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and new starting running back Michael Turner. Jeff Garcia is out for Tampa Bay, and Brian Griese will get the start. Atlanta should take care of the Bucs, though Griese might show us he's still got some gas left in the tank by keeping it close.

New England @ NY Jets: This is probably the most anticipated matchup of the week for two reasons. One, everyone wants to see how Tom Brady's replacement, Matt Cassell will do in his first NFL start, and two, everyone wants to see if the Jets are serious about taking advantage of Brady's absence and going after the AFC East. I think Cassell will turn out ok this season in Bill Belichick's system, but it will take him another few weeks before he gets comfortable in the role. The Jets will most likely throw a lot at Cassell when the Patriots don't run the ball, and Favre will get better as he spends more time on the field this season. This one should be close, but I think the Jets will win by a touchdown.

Miami @ Arizona: Miami and new quarterback Chad Pennington showed promise last week, and I predict the team will get better as Chad gets more accustomed to their system, and Ricky Williams gets less accustomed to fumbling the ball on every other carry. Arizona at home with a potent offense should beat the Dolphins D that no longer has Zack Thomas or the Lord of the Dance, Jason Taylor. I'll go with the Cardinals.

San Diego @ Denver: Shawn Merriman is lights out for the season on that Tom Brady knee he thought he'd be able to rough it out on. The Broncos looked sharp on Monday night annihilating the Raiders, even without the services of Brandon Marshall. However, what all these sports heads are failing to realize as they rant and rave about how the Broncos are back, is that they played the Raiders. Last time I checked, their Warren Sapp resembling quarterback hasn't proven anything, and they've still got more holes than Roger Clemens's HGH story. Even without a hobbled Merriman, the Chargers will still threaten this year, and I just can't see them going 0-2 to a team that is all of a sudden an AFC front runner one week into the season. The Chargers should pull this one out, but it will be close.
Pittsburgh @ Cleveland: Cleveland is still trying to figure out if last season was a fluke, and if they blew it by not trading Derek Anderson when his stock was at its highest last year. While they continue their pondering, the reemerging Steelers should start the season 2-0 while fans in Cleveland get to boo the Browns 2 weeks in a row.

Philadelphia @ Dallas: This is probably the best Monday Night Football matchup the league could have planned for in week 2, as both these teams easily embarrassed their respective opponents in week one. Philadelphia looked sharp last week, but Dallas still has too many weapons the Eagles can't have all the answers for. That, along with this being the Cowboys home opener, means they should win this one. I would say by at least 10 or 14 points.

Baltimore @ Houston: In an odd move, there's another Monday night game, but this one is scheduled to be on CBS. Both these teams didn't show much promise last week, though the Ravens won their matchup. The Texans should be better, but I have been saying that the last two years, and they seem doomed for a franchise of mediocrity and unrealized potential. The Ravens should win this matchup, and probably would if they were playing at home, but I'm going to have to go Texans all the way on this one. It will be close, but the Texans should get their first win of the season.

"Don't Make Russell Angry, You Wouldn't Like Him When He's Angry..."

2008-09-11T10:51:00.005-04:00

Earlier this week I reported on the best new commercial I've seen in months, starring Snoop Dogg. Well, it looks like Snoop is also making headlines this week in Australia, for not so good reasons; well depending on how you look at it.

Snoop is scheduled to tour the continent this October with fellow Los Angeles native Ice Cube, but Snoop hit a snag when the Aussie government denied his international visa to enter the country. Their reasoning behind this is pointed to people in the country allegedly being concerned about the legal troubles in Snoop's past. Now it seems Snoop has turned to a famous friend of his who is a native of Australia: Russell Crowe. Yes, that Russell Crowe. The only connection between the two is that they both had roles alongside Denzel Washington, Snoop in "Training Day," Russell in "American Gangster. Other than that, I have no explanation for how these two very different artists could have hooked up.

Russell has more pull than Nicole Kidman and Crocodile Dundee in his homeland, so he took it upon himself to write a lengthy letter to his native government displaying Snoop's community work, previous tours in the country that went without incident, and their friendship of 3 years. He went on to say, "Snoop has built a stellar reputation with promoters and audiences worldwide."
With that, the Australian government is now reconsidering reversing their decision and may require Snoop to go through some sort of counseling on how to conduct himself while in the country. Looks like the Gladiator himself has plenty of pull in his homeland; that or he's thrown plenty more phones on many occasions at people there than he has here. Or, perhaps Russell pulled the old, "Look, I beat a guy over the head with a phone over in the states, so the least you could do is let Snoop D-O-double Geezy in, mate" line. Just a token (no pun intended) to the kind of stand up guys they both are to have each other's backs regardless the international boundaries between them.

To read more about the story, and Russell's further articulation regarding Snoops charitable community work, you can take a look at the article that's been following this story over at allhiphop.com.

Rolling Stone and Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph also had news of the story, so this is definitely not a fabrication.

http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2008/09/10/20488640.aspx

Here is the Telegraph's coverage of the story:

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24324782-5001021,00.html

Click here to read the actual letter directly from the Gladiator:

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/image/rc-snoop-letter.jpg

My NFL Week One Results: Not as Bad As I Thought

2008-09-09T23:29:00.006-04:00

Here are the results of my week one picks for the NFL season. Some crazy things happened: Brett Fave, pushing 39, threw a 56 yard bomb to Jerricho Cotchery, The Panthers upset the Panthers with no time left. Some disheartening things happened: Tom Brady's season ended in 7 and a half minutes, the Lions showed us they still have that "Same old Lions" mantra embedded into their heads. Either way, it is all attributed to one realization: It must be football season.

Today, on Michael Kay's afternoon show on 1050 AM, ESPN Radio, I made it on the air to prove to Mr. Kay that he's out of his mind not only for picking the Dolphins to beat the Jets last weekend, but his emphatic and matter-of-fact picking of the Pats over the Jets this Sunday. He thinks people are writing Matt Cassell off too early, but is forgetful of Cassell being with the team for five years, and displaying a losing preseason showing in place of Brady. He also was quick to show disdain for the Jets performance against the Dolphins, when both teams had quarterbacks starting who have been with each team for less than a month. The Pats O-line is going to face similar pressure (maybe not as skillful and intense) that they did in the Super Bowl, and this time with a quarterback far less skilled, poised, and seasoned as Tom Brady. With that will be less accurate throws to Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and more running behind the previously mentioned O-line. Mike took notice of my good point on Randy Moss historically giving up in the face of lost seasons in the past, which seems like it would especially effect a young QB desperately needing everything from the players around him.

Washington @ NY Giants: I started off the season with an accurate and nicely explained pick. The Giants beat the horrendous looking Redskins on Thursday night in a game that should have done us all a favor and just ended at halftime. I quote my prediction, "The defending champions have a lot to prove in their own eyes. They just gave Plaxico Burress a hefty new deal and have a chip on their shoulder for being labeled a fluke champion last season. Jason Taylor will be worried more about getting his tango moves right on the nationally televised game instead of going after the quarterback. Eli Manning has gotten a bad rap the last couple seasons, but I think Brett Favre going to the Jets took some media attention away from him, and will ultimately help him continue to get better. After all, he is a Super Bowl MVP and his last name is Manning. His interceptions still wouldn't tempt me to draft him to my fantasy team though. The Giants should win this game, and I think will win 9 or 10 total this year and get another Wild Card Playoff spot."

Jason "I left my football shoes in my tap dancing shoes bag, and my tap dancing shoes in my football bag" Taylor was non-existent, Jason Campbell looked so lost he belonged on the side of a milk carton, and if this is a sign of things to come from coach Jim Zorn, I predict he will be the first coaching casualty of the '08 season. Eli came out with an impressive first drive, but the Giants put it into cruise control for the most part after that, as it became the Brandon "I leave footprints on Laron Landry's face and turf in his mouth" Jacobs show.

Detroit @ Atlanta: Here's one that left me scratching my head: "Atlanta has a rookie quarterback, and not enough weapons on either side of the ball to beat an exciting passing offense in the Lions." Yup, I'm an idiot. Matt Ryan's first NFL pass was a 60+ yard TD pass, and new starting running back Michael Turner ran for over 200 yards and a couple scores. Yes, the Lions have an M.I.A. defense, and they're said to be going to the run game more this year (something they haven't done since the days of Barry Sanders), but this was still an impressive win for the other laughing stock of the league last season next to the one win Dolphins.

Seattle @ Buffalo: I'm leaving my entire entry for this prediction right here: "Buffalo is a much better team than everyone thinks, and has one of the best up and coming backs in Marshawn Lynch. I think the Bills will upset the Seahawks who are used to playing division 2 college level teams like the 49ers and Rams. A 7-9 team has a shot at the playoffs in the NFC West; that makes me want to spew." I couldn't have nailed this one more on the head as the Bills opened up the season by embarrassing the Seahawks who were without any decent receivers. They still play in the miserable NFC West, and I'm not using this game as a prediction on the Bills season. They should have won this game, and they did, by a lot. Now, we'll see if they can keep it going with a seemingly light schedule they share with the other AFC East'ers The Pats, Jets, and Dolphins.

Jacksonville @ Tennessee: I quote my own stupidity: "The Jags are too good to go into Tennessee and let a mediocre team upset them in the opening game." Even with Vince Young hurt, the Titans, who I thought were an inferior team showed that within your division anything can happen. Tennessee won at home and added questions to a team that is supposed to be a front runner in the AFC this year.

NY Jets @ Miami: I said this one might be close, with the Jets getting the win, and I was spot on. Chad "My 2 minute drill always ends with a beach ball in the wind throw that gets intercepted" Pennington threw up a pick in the end zone with less than 20 seconds left in the game. Brett Favre threw 2 spectacular touchdown passes, and we're sure to see some more of those as the season goes on. It looks like he's enjoying throwing the ball Jerricho Cotchery's way, and with more practice and an improved game plan against the Patriots, the season's first big test comes this weekend.

Kansas City @ New England: The biggest story of the weekend, and I'll open it with this quote from my predictions last week: "Tom Brady has been M.I.A. this preseason, but Shirley Temple could be at quarterback for the Patriots and they'd still win this game." Well, I guess you can call Matt Cassell "Shirley Temple," because when Tom Brady went down early with a season ending knee injury, he came in and got the win. Barely; and against a horrible Chiefs team. I equate Cassell's situation right now to that of Ferris, Cameron, and Sloan taking out Cameron's dad's vintage Ferrari in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." You could call Cameron's Dad Tom Brady, or perhaps Bill Belichick (bear with me here) and the car is the Patriots dynasty of the past decade. Will the car end up dismantled at the bottom of a pile of trees in the woods behind Cameron's house (in this case, I hope so), or will they turn the odometer back and get the car back like they never even drove it. Tom Brady and especially Bill Belichick are hoping for the latter, but that's not how it went down in the movie, and I don't think it will happen that way here either.

The AFC East race will certainly be interesting now, as the Jets and a very impressive Buffalo Bills team should be in a heated battle for the top spot throughout this season. I don't think the Patriots will have a horrendous season, but I do think they will be a vulnerable team, especially without 40+ points to support their aged and limited defense. This along with the offensive line that provided no protection for Tom Brady in the Super Bowl loss, will create challenges for a quarterback who hasn't started a game since high school in 1999. I like the Bills of the Jets to take the division, because once the Pats lose one or two in a row, Randy Moss won't play 100% like he always has in the past, and Wes Welker is good, but he's not a #1 receiver. Lawrence Maroney is sure to get more carries, but again, this goes back to the exposed Pats O-line.

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans: The Saints got the win at home, as I suspected, and Drew Brees put up Madden-like numbers throwing for nearly 350 yards. Reggie Bush had a good game as well, and Jeff Garcia threw a pick late in the game when they had a chance to stay in it.

St. Louis @ Philadelphia: I guess it could have been worse for me, I originally contemplated going with the Rams as my upset of the week. The Eagles, as I predicted, put the lopsided shellacking of the weekend down on Nelly's hometown team this weekend, and made me actually feel bad for the fellas. It really made me feel bad for the fact that Mark Bulger is on my bench in fantasy again this year (I never learn).

**Upset of the Week**
Houston @ Pittsburgh: My upset pick of the week couldn't have been more wrong. The Steelers made everyone who passed on Willie "Don't call me Spiderman because my first name isn't Peter" Parker in fantasy football look foolish. Big Ben also put up some good numbers, and with the Brady Bunch in New England now up in the air without their QB, as well as the shaky play from the Chargers and Colts, the Steelers have moved up a lot of lists in power rankings. With their division's next best holdover from last season getting embarrassed at home by the Cowboys, it looks like the Steelers are the favorites to win the AFC North and possibly go deep into the playoffs.

Cincinnati @ Baltimore: I predicted the Ravens to squeak this one out and they got the W. However, I didn't expect the Bengals to be this bad. If they don't shape up, it's going to be a long season for the Ocho Cinco elite.

Carolina @ San Diego: This might have been the game of the week, and I had it all wrong, picking the obviously better San Diego team, who proved the saying that on any given Sunday any team can win. Even without Steve Smith, the Panthers pulled off probably the biggest upset of the week. Smith was suspended for sucker punching a teammate during training camp, and good guy coach John Fox proved that good prevails and no one is above the team as his Panthers squeaked out a victory with a Jake Delhomme TD pass with no time left on the clock. To add insult to injury, it only took this game for Shawn "I'm above the team, got caught with 'roids, and played on a shotty knee that is now mush" Merriman to further injure himself. He's now on injured reserve, will have his surgery, and miss the rest of the season. Way to go Shawn; if the Chargers don't make a playoff run, I'm sure you'll be sitting on your couch with a brace on your leg and screws in your knee, laughing that they couldn't do it without you. Jackass.

Arizona @ San Fransisco: No surprisingly, the 49ers lost at home, as I suspected against a 99 year old Kurt Warner, and an overall superior Cardinals team. I'm sure that's a sentence that will be repeated several times this season.

Dallas @ Cleveland: This game wasn't even close, as my prediction of a Cowboys victory on the road came true. Cleveland looked like they'll have a rocky road ahead of them, though the Cowboys offense can do that to you.

Chicago @ Indianapolis: With Joseph Addai going out early with a head injury (which also injured one of my fantasy teams) the Colts were upset by Chicago in the opening game at their new stadium, named Lucas Oil Field, or something like that. I think the Colts lost the game based on this horrendous name for their new home.

Minnesota @ Green Bay: I picked Green Bay, and Mr. Rodgers did not make me look like a fool. I still think Adrian Peterson isn't going to have the same year he did last season, and with how the Bears upset the Colts, this division could go back and forth all season long.

Denver @ Oakland: On Monday night I was 2 for 2; I picked the Broncos, and they prevailed, going into Oakland to lay an old fashioned beatdown on the Raiders. The Raiders and their quasi-rotund number one draft pick QB of last year are not showin much signs of improvement. Their defense should do better as the season goes on, so hopefully JaMarcus Russell and rookie sensation Darren McFadden can give the crazy Raider fans something to cheer about other than Al Davis's liver spots and latest set of false teeth.

Record for picks this week: 11-5.

In seeing all the crazy things that happened this past weekend, my picks, when looking at my overall numbers, really weren't that bad. I guess, it was my emphatic picking of the games I got wrong that created a false illusion that my picks were train wrecked. Therefore, picking 11 out of 16 games correctly, I will keep bringing it for the 2008 season.

How Will Belichick Win Without his Golden Boy???

2008-09-09T13:10:00.005-04:00

My breakdown of my Week One NFL picks (which were as inconsistent as wardrobe changes at an Elton John concert in Vegas) will be coming later on this evening, but for now, here's a great(and I mean great) take on the harsh reality the New England Patriots now face without their franchise, quarterback Tom Brady, for the rest of the 2008 season. Jeffri Chadiha of ESPN.com makes a substantial and tangible argument in the case of Patriots coach Bill Belichick: Without Tom Brady as his quarterback, Belichick historically, is a loser (cue my laughing out loud like a crazed buffoon).
Chadiha analyzes Belichick's coaching record with the Cleveland Browns and the Patriots before Mr. MVP came along. 42-58. That's right; his horrendous tenure in Cleveland, followed by a 5-10 first season with the Patriots in 2000, and the starting of the 2001 season at 0-2. Then, enter Tom Brady, part savior, part magician, and now, depending on how the season goes, Belichick might end up looking like the great and powerful Oz when Toto gnawed at his curtain to reveal a weak, sad, and pitiful little man. The Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2001 with Tom Brady and the same team that went 0-2 before he started running the ship. Now, we will see how skilled Belichick is since his golden boy is done for the season. The weakened Patriots O-line, and weathered, aged defense won't have 40+ points per game to rely on when Matt Cassell is screaming for the refs to "Blow the whistle!" like Papke, the backup quarterback in "Necessary Roughness."

Cheers to Jeffri for saying what everyone else is afraid to say; that it is possible that while Belichick is no doubt a legendary coach, he hasn't been tested without his star quarterback in the post-Super Bowl phase of his career. If Belichick fails miserably, it will be redemption for him abandoning the Jets when Bill Parcells handpicked him to be his successor in 1999. If he doesn't, it is what all the sports pundits will attribute to his genius game planning and talent management. I still think 18-1 is a much more stunning and widely known number than 42-58, regardless of how this turns out.

To check out Jeffri Chadiha's no holds barred column that gets my vote for the "what everyone is thinking, but no one has the brass tactics to say" article of the month, click here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeffri&id=3576284

If this guy is accurate, he'll probably end up taking Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column by season's end.

"The Funniest Commercial of 2008"

2008-09-08T22:42:00.005-04:00

It's no secret I'm a fan of Snoop Dogg and all of his hilariousness both in and out of the music world. As a performer and a genuine pop culture character, he is unique and always entertaining, be it on the latest hip hop chart topper, or simply popping up randomly on TV or in film. His latest foray into multimedia has him promoting the new X Box 360 game "Facebreaker," which sounds a bit too aggressive to be one of Snoop a Loop's chart topping hits of recent years.
Having become a character unto himself, a modern day Andy Kaufman if you will, Snoop's commercial has to be one of the best 30 seconds of advertising I've seen all year, and probably better than most Super Bowl commercials of recent memory which likely had production value in the stratosphere next to this simple concept. I'm always a fan of someone who can give others the joy of laughter while putting across the notion that the image they put out there is genuine; Snoop Dogg is one of these rare individuals, so whether a fan or not, he has my respect as a unique, honest, funny, and entertaining person.

Whenever he randomly pops up in films, it is always welcomed, and usually hilarious. His turns in "Starsky and Hutch," "Training Day," "The Wash," "Half Baked," and "Old School," be it a cameo or if he is front and center, Snoop brings his persona to every role he plays. You could say he's one of those performers that, no matter what the role, will always be known to the audience in their original incarnation. The same can't be said for such performers as Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, or Johnny Depp. Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell, they have it to a certain extent, but what Snoop Dogg has that he puts out there for the public's entertainment, is unmatched.

Feast your eyes on this commercial and prepare for some side-splitting laughter that will leave you "looking different," as the man himself proclaims.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsH4NsXosY8

"I Ain't Afraid of No...Sequel???"

2008-09-08T19:52:00.007-04:00

Before I get into how horribly my NFL week one picks went this past weekend (my post will come tomorrow following the two Monday Night games happening as I type this), I've got a breaking story on the digging up another 1980's franchise from under a rock front.

Rumors have been circling for a few months now that a "Ghostbusters" sequel was in the works with Judd Apatow (Writer/Director of "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up," producer of "Walk Hard," "Superbad," and "Step Brothers") at the helm along with original writers and stars of the original films, Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis. The connection came with Harold Ramis playing the father of Seth Rogen in "Knocked Up," and Apatow co-producing "Year One," an upcoming comedy Ramis is directing, starring Jack Black and Michael Cera.

All four actors from the original 2 "Ghostbusters" films, Akroyd, Ramis, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson recently did voice work for an upcoming video game due to come out in 2009. In an email to Chicago Tribune entertainment columnist Mark Caro, Ramis said that currently his "Year One" writing team Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg (also behind the NBC hit comedy series, "The Office") are working on a script. Ramis also went on to say that Sony is "hoping to tap into some of the same acting talent" as Apatow's other films. If you are a fan of Apatow, this is great news. The potential here, is for actors such as Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, James Franco, Michael Cera, or possibly Jason Segal (star of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," or Craig Robinson (Darryl in "The Office," the hilarious nightclub doorman in "Knocked Up").
While I want to be excited about this, I'm also a bit skeptical. I was also excited when I heard they were making another "Indiana Jones" film, but that turned out to be a dookie sandwich with aliens. I remember back in the 1990's when the rumors were flying around that they were going to make another "Ghostbusters" film, this one with Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Chris Farley. Then, when Farley died of a drug overdose in 1997, it echoed the same occurrence in the original film, when John Belushi's role was taken over by Bill Murray (a little known fact). Now that would have been a great film, the passing of the baton from one great "Saturday Night Live" generation to the next.

Too bad the best days of SNL are long gone, and this new pairing, as funny as Apatow's films are, wouldn't be the "Ghostbusters" of old. Apatow's humor is more in line with "Animal House" and "Stripes," a far cry from the underlying innocence and slapsticky "Ghostbusters." There was the subtle adult humor but these films were, after all, rated PG.

I'm a huge fan of Apatow's comedies, but it is evident that the resurrection of "Ghostbusters," if it were meant to be, would have happened much closer to 1989 when the second one was released. Ironically, this was the same year the last "Indiana Jones" film that was actually worth watching was released. 5 years stood between the first and second "Ghostbusters" films, 20 years before another one seems ill advised.

I'm going to call it as I see it here: this film is only being made for the purpose of generating money. Any artistic credibility they had went out the window with the 1990's. If the film was meant to be for the fans, then they wouldn't have made the fans wait 20 years for it, plain and simple. No sugar coating can change this fact, so immediately, this movie has one strike against it since the fourth "Indiana Jones" film wasted the "we were waiting for the right story and script to come along" excuse. If that miserable excuse of a movie was the script they were waiting 20 years for, then Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas should have retired somewhere between "Jurassic Park" and "The Phantom Menace." At the urging of the respective film studios who have steadily seen declines in ticket sales over the past few years as prices go up, these films are rearing their filthy heads into our nostalgic hearts, and we keep paying to see them, hoping, wishing, praying that we'll see a glimmer of what we once did.

The picture Ramis is painting for this one is having him and the other originals be present in a mentor-like capacity, with the younger busters taking over. Originally, the buzz was that the new group would be the 4 main guys from "The 40 Year Old Virgin," Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Rogen, and Romany Malco. This team seems to be more true to the original film's formula and age range (maybe it's Carell's doofy, child-like performance as Brick in "Anchorman").

Regardless of the cast, I'll be one of the first in line to see this movie, wearing my vintage $5"Ghostbusters" t-shirt, in all my dorky glory, repeating such vintage lines as: "When someone asks you if you're a god, you say YES," "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria," and "Okay, who brought the dog?" Whether it succeeds, or even gets made is a story yet to be told. I'm willing to bet it will make tons of money, maybe not up there with the $400 million or so Indy 4 made, but this film will also cost a lot less as well since it's a comedy first and foremost. By the looks of Hollywood desperation, and original ideas being in a drought as of late with regurgitated old franchises and remakes that should never happen, this film will be made. I hope another 20 years in the making sequel doesn't make me question my childhood taste in movies twice in 2 years; that's all I got to say about that.

Below is the link to Mark Caro's Chicago Tribune blog which broke the news:

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_popmachine/2008/09/harold-ramis-co.html

"Johnny Be's Week One Football Picks"

2008-09-04T17:58:00.005-04:00

Washington @ NY Giants: The defending champions have a lot to prove in their own eyes. They just gave Plaxico Burress a hefty new deal and have a chip on their shoulder for being labeled a fluke champion last season. Jason Taylor will be worried more about getting his tango moves right on the nationally televised game instead of going after the quarterback. Eli Manning has gotten a bad rap the last couple seasons, but I think Brett Favre going to the Jets took some media attention away from him, and will ultimately help him continue to get better. After all, he is a Super Bowl MVP and his last name is Manning. His interceptions still wouldn't tempt me to draft him to my fantasy team though. The Giants should win this game, and I think will win 9 or 10 total this year and get another Wild Card Playoff spot.

Detroit @ Atlanta: Detroit will beat the team that once boasted a troubled quarterback who is now public enemy number one to dog lovers everywhere. Atlanta has a rookie quarterback, and not enough weapons on either side of the ball to beat an exciting passing offense in the Lions.

Seattle @ Buffalo: Buffalo is a much better team than everyone thinks, and has one of the best up and coming backs in Marshawn Lynch. I think the Bills will upset the Seahawks who are used to playing division 2 college level teams like the 49ers and Rams. A 7-9 team has a shot at the playoffs in the NFC West; that makes me want to spew.

Jacksonville @ Tennessee: A lot of the experts are expecting the Jaguars to do a lot this season, and rightfully so. They've got all their returning weapons from last season, which was overshadowed by an early playoff exit and a team trying (unsuccessfully) for perfection. The Jags are too good to go into Tennessee and let a mediocre team upset them in the opening game.

NY Jets @ Miami: This game might, might be close, but the Jets will win. Yes, Chad Pennington knows the Jets' offensive and defensive schemes, but the Jets also know Chad's T-rex arm. Therefore, the former team edge's go out the window, and the Jets should dominate based on overall talent on both sides of the ball, and the questionable running game in Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, which won't pan out until week 4 or 5.

Kansas City @ New England: Tom Brady has been M.I.A. this preseason, but Shirly Temple could be at quarterback for the Patriots and they'd still win this game. The Chiefs still don't have a quarterback and let the one of their only stars, Jared Allen, go to the Vikings. Larry Johnson is going to have another bad season, and I'm just glad I wasn't dumb enough to draft him to my fantasy team because last year was not a fluke.

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans: Tampa Bay will be a contender in an open division this year, but the New Orleans Saints will return to the same form they rolled with in the 2006 season. They had plenty of offensive weapons already, and Jeremy Shockey will be effective (until he suffers another inevitable injury like he does every season) in this first season alongside Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, and a recuperated Deuce McCallister (who had season ending knee surgery last year).

St. Louis @ Philadelphia: I think the Eagles will definitely have a better season than they did last year, but some of these sportswriters around the country are nuts in predicting them to make the Super Bowl. If memory serves correctly, Assante Samuel is the same guy who blew it for the Patriots in the Super Bowl (along with their offensive line), and the combination of young linebackers they're relying on, and still having zero receivers will be their downfall. The Eagles will still beat the Rams who still need some reps to return to form with a hobbled Torry Holt, and unproven Stephen Jackson who bowed out early due to injury last year.

**Upset of the Week**

Houston @ Pittsburgh: While Pittsburgh will be expected to make easy business of the nonthreatening Texans, this is my upset pick of the week. I think the Texans will surprise a lot of people this year, starting with this game against the Steelers. The Steelers are not the same team that won the Super Bowl a couple years ago, and the Texans are not the same team that has been unremarkable the last couple of years. I see the Texans winning about 8 or 9 games this year, and same for the Steelers. Andre Johnson will have a couple receiving touchdowns, and Mario Williams will put Big Ben on the turf a few times.

Cincinnati @ Baltimore: Rookie Joe Flacco will start for the Ravens, but their defense is what wins them games. Cincinnati will be playing with a recovering Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson, who will be roughed up by the physical Ravens secondary. T.J. Houshmandzadeh will be double covered and new tight end Ben Utecht might make a splash, but it won't be enough to beat a ruthless Ravens defense at home. The game will be close, but I think the Ravens will squeak this one out by 3 points or so. Not that it matters, since both these teams will be lucky to have 6 or 7 wins at the end of the season.

Carolina @ San Diego: Rookie running back Jonathan Stewart (not the host of the "Daily Show") is supposed to make some noise this season, but without their biggest offensive weapon Steve Smith, the Panthers are likely to get embarrassed in this game. If the Chargers don't win this game by at least 14 points, I'd be very surprised.

Arizona @ San Fransisco: The Cardinals should be a better team with Kurt Warner at quarterback for the whole season than they would be with Matt "Had great talent around him in college, but can't get it done on his own in the bigs" Leinart. San Fransisco has J.T. O'Sullivan at quarterback...J.T. O' who??? Exactly. Frank Gore, if he can stay healthy, should flourish again if he can get some passes out of the backfield in new Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz's system. Isaac Bruce reuniting with his old coach from the Rams should also make some noise. The 49ers defense should be good again this year, but with Fitzgerald, Boldin, the Edge, and Warner calling the plays, the Cardinals should win this close one.

Dallas @ Cleveland: On paper, Dallas is the best team in the NFC right now; whether Tony Romo continues to rack up numbers in the loss column during the playoffs is yet to be determined. Cleveland however, won't stand a chance against the Cowboys who have something to prove this year, starting with this game on the road. The departure of Julius for another Jones, rookie Felix, should help Marion Barber take center stage as the starting running back; a job he has undoubtedly earned over the past couple seasons.

Chicago @ Indianapolis: In the first Sunday night game of the year, America will still realize that the Bears don't have a quarterback. The Bears could literally go out on the field without a quarterback, snap the ball, and see what happens, and they'd still have as much of a chance as they do right now. Their defense can only get them so far, and a horrible quarterback will lose at least 2 or 3 games single-handedly for them. Even though Peyton Manning has been out of action during the preseason, Joseph Addai will take center stage in this victory for this AFC powerhouse of the past few years.

Minnessota @ Green Bay: In the first game of this Monday Night Football double header, this might be the best match up of the week if all goes according to plan. Aaron Rodgers is making his Favre-replacing debut against an improved, and already good Vikings team at Lambeau field. If Rodgers can stay healthy, then the Packers should be at least a 10 or 11 win team this year. However in the few appearances he had last season, while he looked sharp, he got injured rather quickly. I don't think Adrian Peterson will have as stellar of a season as he did last year, especially since his blocking Pro Bowl fullback Tony Richardson left for the Jets. An unproven Tavaris Jackson will have more pressure on him, but the defense should also guide the Vikings to a worthy battle of these two division rivals who will likely claw at each other for the division title all season. Either way, I think Rodgers has a lot to prove, and knows it, and will lead the Packers to their first win of the season at home.

Denver @ Oakland: Everyone is itching to see the Raiders and their first round explosive draft pick Darren McFadden hit the field this season in the second of two Monday Night Football openers. Along with former number one pick (and current Twinkie eating champion) the hefty JaMarcus Russel, the Raiders might improve this year. They've beefed up their defense as well with the addition of cornerback DeAngelo Hall, but still don't have an offensive line. This could be a problem for their horizontally expanding quarterback, and rookie running back. Denver is the more seasoned team, though they probably won't have a good season, but they should win this one by a touchdown.

Kevin Arnold Loved the Jets, And So Should You. Broadway Brett: El Capitan.

2008-09-04T15:15:00.002-04:00

Remember "The Wonder Years," one of the greatest television dramas in history? What a great show (that I'm still waiting for on DVD), with a great main character, Kevin Arnold, who famously championed for Winnie Cooper's affections while donning a vintage Jets jacket at the height of the Broadway Joe era. Kevin's older brother Wayne is still one of the most hated characters in TV history, one that could make you want to put your fist through some drywall.

Anywho, here's a Broadway Brett update on the same day that the NFL's season kicks off with the Giants-Redskins game tonight. (Editor's Note: I've got Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley going on both of my fantasy teams tonight)

Yesterday it was announced that Brett Favre and Alan Faneca have been voted the offensive captains of the New York Jets for the upcoming season. While I would have liked to see wide receiver Laveranues Coles or maybe tight end Chris Baker as captains, I don't disagree with Brett being one, since he is expected to be the guy who leads this team all season. Coles and Baker lost some pull though when they got into contract disputes/holdouts with management in the off season. Faneca, while also being added to the team only a few months back still has pull over Jerricho Cotchery and Leon Washington, who are still a bit young to be looked at as captain material. Thomas Jones has only been there for one (lackluster) season at running back, and still has much to prove in the fans' and team's eyes, so that's not much of a surprise.
That "C" stitched on his jersey now won't make Brett Favre any better or worse; but same goes for Tom Brady's "minor" (stress fracture) foot injury. Here's my prediction on this ongoing rivalry between the AFC East opponents who meet for the first of 2 regular season match ups next week. The Pats and Jets will split their two games this year; I think the Jets have a shot winning it in week 2 since the Pats haven't (as far as we know) been illegally videotaping Favre on the Jets, and Brady might still be rusty. He will especially have trouble when Calvin Pace tries to rip his head off along with the rest of the revamped Jets defensive unit. Tom Brady, as Walter Sobchak (played by John Goodman) in "The Big Lebowski" best put it, is "entering a world of pain," this season. (See Walter below.)
The Jets will win 10 or 11 games (12 if a couple of the close ones fall their way) and get a Wild Card playoff spot since they don't play in the NFC West where a .500 team can not only make the playoffs, but win their division. The Pats will win at least 13 or 14, but their geriatric defense, and questionable O-line is going to be winded toward the end of the season like they were in last year's Super Bowl. That is why I predict the Patriots will lose somewhere between the first round and up to or including the AFC Championship, either to the Colts (if Peyton Manning stays healthy), Jaguars (another solid D that has a great season under their belt), the Chargers (if they can stay dominant without Shawn Merriman, because he'll take a career and/or season ending injury somewhere by mid-season with the bum knee he's adamant about playing on), or shall I say the J-E-T-S Jets?

A year or two ago I'd be labeled "looney tunes" for such a prediction. However, this is the first season in a long time any Jets fan can firmly say or believe that they have a legitimate shot to win any game they're in on any given Sunday. The Patriots are probably the most feared team in the NFL this season, and even they have questions coming into this year after going 0-4 without Tom and his bum foot throughout the preseason.
(Editor's Note: This is one of the best pictures of Tom Brady I have ever seen.)
Granted losing the biggest game in franchise history to end their season will weigh on the Patriots and give them extra tenacity this year, but on paper and on the field they are a weaker and more vulnerable team than they were last year. This is especially evident when one thinks about how they will need to have more left in their tank at the end of the season for a lengthy playoff run. Sure, Brett Favre is going to be 39 in a month or two, but the fresh life the Jets have breathed into their offensive line, backfield, and defense are more changes than the Patriots have made. If the same team that got pounded by the Giants defense (that boasted only one Pro Bowler) in the Super Bowl shows up this season, other equal or better defenses will be knocking the hobbled quarterback down even more this season.

Interesting enough, ESPN correspondent and Boston (yuck) fan Bill Simmons, has a somewhat similar view on the Pats and Jets. While he sees the Pats being questionable, he still has them making the AFC Championship, and losing to the Jaguars who he has for his Super Bowl pick. The Jets are his annual sleeper pick, though he has them losing their first two games on their way to a surprising 11-5 season. The record prediction sounds about right, but I see them winning at least one of their first two games, if not both. The third game against the Chargers is a toss up depending on whether Merriman is on the IR list by then or how much Phillip Rivers cries like Halle Berry accepting her Academy Award during the game.

You can read all of Bill Simmons's season predictions here on ESPN's website. Although I despise Boston sports teams, I like where his head is at. But I will say I think his view on the Giants is a bit harsh and skewed to the fact that they ruined his team's shot at perfection in the Super Bowl. While I think the Giants are going to have a tougher time this year with their losses on defense (Osi's knee surgery, Strahan's retirement, Mitchell's bouncing), I think Eli Manning will have a better and more consistent regular season than he has previously. They're definitely at least a 8 or 9 win team, but I still think the New York story of the year will be the Jets This is also due to the fact that the Yankees are horrendous this season, and the Mets are likely to come up shorthanded at the end of the season or in the playoffs, the ongoing trainwreck that is the Knicks organization, and the Rangers who have lost Sean Avery, JaomirJagr, and will probably end up at about the same spot they did in last season's playoffs.

Here are Simmons's thoughts:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080904

A Superman Trilogy??? I'll Take It!

2008-09-04T08:09:00.000-04:00

Mark Millar is famous for his comic book work on Superman, Batman, Fantastic 4, you name it. Now, he's in talks to resurrect the "Superman" film franchise (again) with what he hopes to be an epic, "Lord of the Rings," scale trilogy telling a complete Superman saga from the superhero's origins to whatever of the many directions they choose to go in. His vision is to have 3 films, with a comprehensive running time of about 7 hours, an average of 2 hours and 20 minutes for each film. That's a whole lot of the Man of Steel. Does this mean they're going to go the "Death of Superman" storyline route? I hope so, since even though the Doomsday character was nothing more than a big goon with bones sticking out of him, it is still a story that would translate amazingly onscreen.

It is also something that hasn't really been done before in any superhero film, where the hero dies, with the exception of the Phoenix storyline they built up at the end of the second "X Men" film. Unfortunately, director Brett Ratner took the franchise tumbling down the ladder rung by rung with where he went in the third and final "X Men: The Last Stand." This single-handedly ruined one of the biggest setups from a previous film that I have ever seen; the movie was decent, but not near the second film. The transition from the end of "Batman Begins," setting up the Joker in the next film, to the fantastic "Dark Knight," is an example of what Ratner should have orchestrated I guess we can't blame him too much though, since we shouldn't expect much of a superhero film coming from the guy who helmed the "Rush Hour" trilogy.

If similar fashion is taken like "Batman Begins," and "X2," I think a great setup would be to have Doomsday enter the picture at the very end of the second film in the trilogy, with his impending arrival shown to the audience but not to the characters in the film. Then, have the first half of the third film be his entrance and havoc wreaking, with the death of Superman coming about 1/3 of the way into the film, and his resurrection being the big payoff at the end of the trilogy. But Millar gets paid to do this stuff and unfortunately I don't, so we'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, they can get three films green lit, which is their biggest hurdle since "Superman Returns," supersucked both financially and cinematically.

Back to Millar, since the "Death of Superman" story is one of my whimsical pipe dreams at this point. Besides his endless and impressive comic resume, if you are questioning his "Superman: the Movie" devotion, here are some tidbits of information for you. He bought the cat from the first "Superman" film from 1978 off of eBay. You ask how a cat could be alive at 30 years old? The cat is dead, stuffed, and in his house. He also has one of Christopher Reeve's capes from the first film, hanging in his house, and has dined with the original film's director Richard Donner. The first film was said to be "Superman Returns" director Brian Singer's biggest inspiration, but the way it translated to me and many others was, that "Titanic" and an episode of "Melrose Place" were Singer's biggest spring boards for that garbage film we waited almost 20 years for. Maybe it's a bit harsh, but after he made the first two "X Men" movies, a lot of people just expected much more.

If you'd like to see more on Millar discussing his new comic book, "War Heroes," about people with super powers fighting the war in Iraq, as well as his vision of the new "Superman" films, G4TV interviewed him at the Golden Apple comic book shop in Los Angeles. The video and article can be seen here:
http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/688752/Mark_Millar_Working_On_Superman_Trilogy.html

From what he says, I think this is the most perfect person they are going to find out there who can bring the biggest comic book superhero back to life again on the movie screen. Cheers to Mark Millar!

Concert Review: Medium Cool, With a Larger Than Life Sound

2008-09-03T09:30:00.005-04:00

The site of my first on location live concert review was the Cake Shop, on Ludlow Street in New York City. Down on the corner you may recognize Katz's world famous Deli, best known for the Meg Ryan "faking it" scene from "When Harry Met Sally," where the old woman famously stated, "I'll have what she's having." Well, what I was having on Friday night, would turn out to be an audible helping of fresh sounds in a unique venue, delivered at the hands of Medium Cool, a band that is sure to make some noise beyond the borders of the East Village very soon. As I walked into the Cake Shop, it had the look of a vintage coffee house and seemed more along the lines of a venue for an acoustic concert; not anywhere near what I would shortly bear witness to. Their vegan menu had some stand out items on it, and there was a nice mix of a blended crowd mingling about. The Cake Shop also offers up CD's and Records for sale, (Biz Markie was on the shelf, so I took notice) which goes nicely with the ambiance of tea light candles and white Christmas tree lights strewn about the walls; think Starbucks with a pulse and a soul to match.
Then, at the end of the coffee counter, is a sign pointing downward to a doorway that leads to the bar in the basement, where all the fun goes down. A fitting way to describe the upstairs in comparison to the downstairs would be "day and night." As you go down the long flight of stairs the lights dim, and as you go through the doorway, they darken even more as the bar emerges. Break on through to the other side. Resembling a Prohibition Era speakeasy, the stage sits at the back of the long room that's like a hidden basement. This post modern Cavern Club-looking establishment seemed to be a prime location for any show.

The room filled quickly towards the front of the stage and out past the bar as the band assembled. Showing the speed and persistence of a Nascar pit crew on lap number 475 of the Daytona 500 while setting up the stage, Medium Cool got right down to business. Their opening song, "Lovin' Arms," invoked memories of when pop actually popped, invoking emotion with an astoundingly catchy chorus that gives Weezer's best a run for their money. The crowd was embraced by the sound immediately and the band opened up to the warm reception. Having the opportunity to get in touch with the band earlier in the week, they were enthusiastic about the show leading up to it with much rehearsing. This really shined through from the moment they started playing. They came into this show believing they are now a better sounding band than the one on their first EP, and they proved this tenfold on Friday night.

The band is comprised of: (From Left to Right) Tim McCoy on drums and percussion, Casey Smith on lead keys, guitar and vocals, Mark Sanger on guitar and vocals, Marc Philippe Eskenazi on guitar and vocals, and Jonah Green on bass and vocals.Medium Cool's self-titled debut EP has great sounds on it with unique lyrics and melodies, and is the beginning of what should be an extensive catalog of great music. However, they didn't play any songs off their debut at this show. This was rightfully so, as they have now reached another stage in their career where they are really settling in to their musical skin naturally. Since having longtime friend Jonah Green join the group on bass after they recorded and toured with their debut, their evolved sound is what people will get to know Medium Cool by.

Throughout the set I was reminded that rock n' roll is still alive and kicking out there, and bands like this are the reason it's not on the ropes. "Arabesque" had a taste of solo George Harrison, with a touch of today, and was a brave tune to kick into the set's third slot. "Love For Sale" isn't a Beatles tune, (though the title sounds very Beatle-esque) but stood out with a millennium garage rock edge infused with 1960's rock. And speaking of the Beatles, I'm not sure if this was intended, but the guitar break towards the end of the tune was an originally fitting homage to the end of "A Hard Day's Night."On "Good Enough Babe," keyboardist Casey Smith took front and center ripping through the place with stellar harmonica breaks supplemented by brilliant harmonizing between the lead guitar and bass; so moving in fact, that a young woman in the front of the crowd fell over in excitement. Early Who influence was also evident in "No Relation," which had gripping rhythm and blues guitar highlighted by vocal harmonies that Daltrey and Townshend would never try. Medium Cool architectured this custom genre blending superbly, with the further musical freedom of today's scene creating a one of a kind sound. Their take on Lou Reed's "Make Up," was a fitting number for bassist Green, who can register low tones vocally as well as he played them, giving the song fresh signs of life and invoking Reed's presence. The guitar work matched with the softened keyboards to gel nicely with this number.
I'd have to say one of the high points of the night (though there were plenty) was when the band played a recent tune, "Die Another Day." The humming of the guitars layered with Mark Sanger's lead vocals on this number invoke the same kind of emotion great and memorable songs always do, and is sure to be a staple and crowd favorite in their shows to come. It's a great love song, that's got enough soul to not have to label it as such. McCoy's subtle backbeat kept the train rolling, and was underlying yet definitive throughout the set.

Following this song was "What You Came Here Fo'," which was fittingly towards the end of the set. Being another one of the newer songs they played, it contained gripping guitar and bass harmonies while infusing the acoustic guitar wielded by Marc Philippe Eskenazi. Moments like that one are what show you how far the band has come, as they are a very tight unit whose music comes through crisp and polished, yet naturally free flowing at the same time. Medium Cool is sure to catch fire very soon if they keep wowing crowds as they did on Friday night. The band returns to the stage on Thursday, September 18th, when they play at Rehab located at 25 Avenue B, between 2nd and 3rd Street in New York City at 9PM. Admission is $8, and if it's anywhere near the show I saw, it will be well well worth it. You can hear a couple tunes off of the band's debut EP, as well as a premix of "Die Another Day," on their Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/mediumcoolmusic .

All the photos were taken by JohnnyBeBlogging Staff Photographer Nicole Brady.

Below is the show's Set List, as provided by Medium Cool, with new songs/cover songs labeled:

1.Lovin' Arms

2.Egyptian Tomb (New)

3.Arabesque (New)

4.Love for Sale (New)

5.Good Enough Babe (New)

6.No Relation

7.Make Up (Lou Reed cover)

8.Die Another Day

9.What Ya Came Here Fo (New)

Encores:

10.Just Don't Know if it's Real

11.The Losing End (Neil Young cover)

After a Fun Filled/Death Defying Labor Day Weekend...A Coldplay New EP/LP Update!

2008-09-02T12:08:00.006-04:00

After a Labor Day Weekend that included seeing a bat in Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan Friday night (following a great live show I'll be blogging about later in the week), and almost plummeting to my death in an elevator at the Taj Majal in Atlantic City in the wee small hours of the morning on Saturday night, I've stumbled upon some interesting updates about Coldplay and the recent new album I broke news on last week.

The band is releasing left over material from their Viva La Vida sessions as an EP titled "Prospekt's March" at the end of this year, December 26th. The EP will include the song "Luna," which was a collaboration with Kylie Minogue. Wondering what Prospekt is? This was the name of the person posting on Coldplay's website throughout last fall, winter, and spring while the band was recording their album. The posts included updates on the status of the new album, song titles, and other news, many being led to believe Prospekt would be the title of the album that eventually released as "Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends."

While the EP's songs are already recorded and ready for release, the band's previously mentioned upcoming album in 2009 has not been cut yet. Lead singer Chris Martin told the BBC, "We're going to release an album next December to end the decade." So, there you have it, Coldplay's 5th album will be out before we ring in 2010.

Both Rolling Stone and NME reported on this story, but NME's article had further details and specifics from the BBC interview. Both links to the respective articles are below:

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/09/02/coldplay-confirm-december-08-ep-new-full-length-for-2009/

http://www.nme.com/news/coldplay/39403

"The Effect of Beavis and Butthead Doing America"

2008-08-29T11:20:00.005-04:00

One would be surprised what they find on MTV2 throughout the course of the day. Since MTV2 doesn't even play music videos anymore, I usually don't give them more than a second look, but today I noticed something on there that I haven't seen in many years since my youth: "Beavis and Butthead."

Many would say this show was for people as dumb as the two main characters, but it should be credited as what it truly was, a pop culture phenomenon that crossed boundaries and innovated television. "Beavis and Butthead," in its 7 seasons from 1992-1997 paved the way for many coveted shows that followed it on network and cable television. "King of the Hill" was a direct incarnation coming from "Beavis and Butthead" creator Mike Judge. "South Park" pushed these precedents set by "Beavis and Butthead" when it first aired in the summer of 1997, ironically, a few months prior to the final episode of B&B. It could be viewed historically as a torch passing of mockery on pop culture of two groundbreaking cartoons.

A show so massively popular now as "Family Guy" would never have eased its way into American living rooms on Sunday evenings had it not been for B&B. Without the show, there might not even be a place on cable TV today for Beavis and Butthead. Sure, many will argue that a show like "The Simpsons" paved way for "Family Guy," as they both share Fox as a network, but take a closer look.

Think of the "Family Guy" episode from a few years back, "The Thin White Line." The Griffin's martini-loving dog Brian becomes a drug sniffing dog and then develops a cocaine addiction because of his job. Does that sound like anything out of "Simpsons," with the exception of the rarely aired episode where Homer becomes addicted to medicinal marijuana. That "Family Guy" episode sounds more along the lines of a two part "Beavis and Butthead" episode from 1993 titled, "Way Down Mexico Way." The boys cross the border into Mexico, in hopes of getting their hands on illegal fireworks. Chaos ensues, and they are then forced to smuggle drugs back into the country by swallowing them; the subject matter of these two episodes would be taboo in "The Simpsons" universe.

Watching the pair now, over ten years later, makes you appreciate the bits where they watch very dated music videos. I don't know why, but them referring to a musician with a dimple in his chin as a guy God gave two butts to is hilarious; maybe it's just a result of my lack of sleep, who knows.

The animated film, "Beavis and Butthead Do America," from 1996 is probably a more embraceable platform to view these pop culture delinquents, as it has a clever plot, is hilarious, and was actually received well by critics when it was released. That film was also a springboard for the eventual "South Park" film that would come some years later as well.

Mike Judge, along with "King of the Hill," would also go on to write and direct the cult comedy classic "Office Space," and another comedy that fell even deeper into the cracks, "Idiocracy." Starting in 1993, though, while shows like "Full House" and "Family Matters" dominated network television, he innovated what we would come to see in comedic television to this day.

Live From New York It's...Michael Phelps!

2008-08-29T01:07:00.006-04:00

NBC has just announced that Olympic super swimming sensation Michael Phelps will be hosting the season premiere of Saturday Night Live on September 13th, with musical guest Lil' Wayne. Lil' Bow Wow, Lil' Romeo, and Lil' Caesar were all booked, so they went out and got the next "Lil'" guy on the list. In recent years the show has taken a dive, so most likely people will not be watching when this tattoo-faced purveyor of the English language takes the stage. It will be interesting to see Phelps on the show as he is the first Olympian since Nancy Kerrigan in 1994 to host SNL.
My personal favorite of all the athlete hosts on SNL has been WWF star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson; that is, if he counts as an athlete, which there's definitely room for a dispute on. His somewhat theatrical day job at the WWF was sure to lend a hand in his onstage charisma. One of the funniest skits I can remember from that episode was when he was dressed in drag as an undercover cop who had become the girlfriend of the Ladies Man, played brilliantly by Tim Meadows (still one of the best SNL characters ever).

Below is a list of all the athletes/people associated with sports (George Steinbrenner- Owner of the New York Yankees, Carl Weathers- Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" films, and Mr. T- Clubber Lang in "Rocky III") I wish I could have seen the Billy Martin episode, I'm sure they touched on him getting fired 20 times by Steinbrenner. The ones I remember from my younger days were Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan (his skit with Stuart Smalley is a classic), Charles Barkley, George Foreman, Deion Sanders, The Rock, Derek Jeter, and more recently Peyton Manning and Lebron James.

For the most part, when athletes host Saturday Night Live, they remind us that they don't make their money acting. However, the show is a staple in pop culture, and athletes are a part of that pantheon. I'm sure Michael Phelps will get a few laughs, if not Lil' Wayne's music may. I think the show has been lacking substance and has come off as very stale and tired the last 3 or 4 years.

The show always has dark ages like this though, so hopefully it comes out of this as it always has, wiping the slate clean, with the exception of a couple gems in the cast. I haven't seen too much of Bill Hader on the show, but he was hilarious as the cop in "Superbad," and I wish he was featured more in "Tropic Thunder" as Les Grossman's assistant, so he can stay. Darrell Hammond, who has been on the show forever, will always get laughs for his spot on impersonations of Sean Connery and Bill Clinton, so he can stay for another 13 years if he likes. The guy from Keenan and Kel who played Fat Albert in the film, he's got to go. He's about as funny as watching grass grow in the middle of winter in Minnesota. Seth Meyers and the guy from the "Hot Rod" movie, they've got to go. Amy Poehler should stay, though I hear she's ditching the show in November. Tina Fey is gone, Tracy Morgan is gone, Jimmy Fallon laughing through every skit he's in is gone, and Horatio Sanz is gone. These were the lone bright spots in the show, and now it's like the lights are out and they keep the show going and going and going.

I would have liked to include clips of each of these hosts in all of their horrible acting glory, but unfortunately, the NBC honchos have had every single clip from SNL removed from YouTube, even all the musical performances. I could get into that, but will save it for another time.

What I notice most about the list is not who is on it, but who is not on it. Mainly some modern greats who, personality-wise, seem like they would be suited for the show such as: Tiger Woods, John McEnroe, Venus and/or Serena Williams, Kobe Bryant, Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Tony Hawk, and Alex Rodriguez.

Athletes on SNL: OJ Simpson- 1978, John Madden- 1982, Mr. T. & Hulk Hogan- 1985, Billy Martin- 1986, Carl Weathers- 1988, Wayne Gretzky- 1989, George Steinbrenner- 1990, Michael Jordan- 1991, Charles Barkley- 1993, Nancy Kerrigan- 1994, George Foreman- 1994, Deion Sanders- 1995, The Rock- 2000 & 2002, Derek Jeter- 2001, Jeff Gordon- 2003, Andy Roddick-2003, Tom Brady- 2005, Peyton Manning- 2007, Lebron James- 2007

Johnny Be...Abiding. A Fitting Tribute to One of the Greatest Films of Our Generation

2008-08-28T09:22:00.010-04:00

Those who know me might say I'm not too quick to admit when I am wrong, but this is a rare instance where I will partially have to agree to insert my foot in mouth. It is safe to say I've recently done some justified bashing of Rolling Stone in my post from August 19th, though it was very justified which you can see by reading the post here: http://johnnybeblogging.blogspot.com/2008/08/on-cover-of-rolling-stonewhile-its.html

However, in their most recent issue, they have a retrospective article that is probably among the best and most complete I have ever seen them publish. They pay tribute to the 10th Anniversary of "The Big Lebowski," a modern classic of cult standing, which remains one of the most original, funny, and feel good films I have ever seen. The film combined a stellar cast of great actors (Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Elliott, John Turturro, and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) with a great script and direction (The Coen Brothers, who also made "Raising Arizona," "Fargo," "No Country For Old Men," and the upcoming Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich film, "Burn After Reading") to become a pop culture phenomenon over the course of a decade.
Rolling Stone's article finds their journalist roaming Jeff Bridges's house as they discover props and clothing from the film that he has continued to hold onto. With the several Academy Awards among the cast, they all still relinquish to the fact that it remains the film they are best remembered for. The film enjoyed more success on video and DVD than it did in its original release, and has become so popular among fans that Lebowskifests are popping up all over the country now in a cooler Star Trek convention fashion. Bridges made the trip to the fest a couple years ago and stated of the experience: "I consider it my Beatle moment."

The retrospective also has links to several other articles such as a look back at the T-Bone Burnett produced soundtrack. Burnett has also recently produced the bluegrass soundtrack to another Coen Brothers film, "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?," as well as the great Robert Plant/Allison Krauss album, "Raising Sand," and the soundtrack for the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line," for which the actors handled all their own singing at Burnett's guidance.

Taking a look at the video clip of Jeff Bridges discussing the film makes me want to watch it 100 more times, and one of these days, mark my words, I will go to a Lebowskifest, and you can bet the Dude's rug on it I'll extensively report it here. The YouTube clip of "The Effin' Short Lebowski," on their "Lebowski On the Web" section, is as hilarious as it is priceless. The Dude has become immortal in cinema, like Bogart in "Casablanca," Brando in "The Godfather," and Nicholson in "The Shining." He has the freewheeling lifestyle and peace of mind we all wish we could have, that is of course, unless someone pees on his rug. If you haven't seen this movie, go to Blockbuster or get it on Netflix, because it is among the best and most clever comedies that has something for everyone. It is also one of the few comedies that has so many layers to it, that you can catch something new ever time. Trust me, the Dude abides.

Here is the link to Rolling Stone's story:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/22694342/the_decade_of_the_dude

Here is the link to their Lebowski on the web section, which includes a scene from the film re-enacted by Mii's from the Nintendo Wii, and the "Effin' Short Lebowski" video.:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/22717626/lebowski_on_the_web

Retro: On This Day in 1991...

2008-08-27T20:00:00.003-04:00

Pearl Jam released their debut album, "Ten." Coming out of the Seattle grunge scene that produced such classic 1990's acts as Soundgarden, Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Mudhoney, they remain the lone survivor of this musical movement. Forming when members of Mother Love Bone lost lead singer Andy Wood to a heroin overdose, they were originally called Mookie Blaylock, after the legendary Atlanta Hawks NBA star. When copyright issues forced the band to change their name before releasing their debut album, they went to things that they knew for an alternative. Lead singer Eddie Vedder's grandmother was named Pearl, and the band liked to get together and jam, hence Pearl Jam. One legend told a tale of Vedder's grandmother Pearl making hallucinogenic peyote-laced jam, which explained the name, but Vedder has since disproved the theory.

The album is a classic to say the least, and remains one of the best albums released in the 1990's. It had some of the most acclaimed songs of that time period on it, including "Jeremy," "Alive," and "Evenflow." The music video for "Jeremy," based on a school shooting of the time, was so controversial it had to be edited before airing on MTV. This would also turn out to be the last music video the band would appear in until 15 years later. Other great songs on the album include...well, pretty much every single song on the album is great in some way or another. They still play all of them in concert to this day, and it is one of the most complete rock albums you will find out there spanning from the mid 1970's to this day.
"Ten" would be the only album to include original band members Eddie Vedder (vocals), Mike McCready (guitar), Stone Gossard (guitar), Jeff Ament (bass), and Dave Krusen (drums). Krusen would be replaced before the recording of Pearl Jams second album, "Vs." which is also a classic record of the era. Besides Krusen, the other 4 original members still remain in the band to this day (Since 1998, with former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron). They will still put on one of the best concerts you will ever see, sprinkled with songs spanning their entire catalog from this first album to their latest, as well as some well thought covers in between.

I believe the biggest difference between Pearl Jam and their fellow grunge pioneers is the way they have embraced their musical sound as an evolving one, and keep their audience engaged over time. Bands like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains saw their time come and go because there is not much difference from their first records to their last. They stuck with what worked, and soon enough the public forgot about or grew tired of them. Even Nirvana would have most likely grown tired had they continued on.

Pearl Jam took on corporate giants like Ticketmaster in the process, deliberately made their music sound less commercial for a number of years, and fell off the radar. Now, their fans can see both halves of their career come together brilliantly in their live show, as it blends a perfectly eclectic mix of their ever changing sounds. Their latest self titled album from 2006, is probably their best album since "Vitalogy" in 1994, and shows a band in the second phase of their career now that they have moved out of their 20's and into their 40's.

They are still cool enough to do an impromptu show for a couple hundred people packed into a small local record store in Seattle, they're still cool enough to play better and fresher than every single band that was a part of VH1 Rock Honors The Who (they were even better than honorees The Who), they're still cool enough to open for U2 in Hawaii (I'd have given major organs to have seen that show) and they're still cool enough to tour every summer and play nearly 3 hours every night at every single stop on the map. They're also still cool enough to keep playing the songs they wrote when they were kids back in 1991, even if they may not have the same meaning or significance as they once did. But, they continue to anyway because they know the roof is blown off wherever they play any night of the week when those opening licks of "Jeremy" or "Alive" ring through.

Here are some Pearl Jam highlights you'll find interesting:

Eddie Vedder playing "Betterman" with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqSLnlGU4EQ&feature=related

"Release" from the "Ten" album, performed during their one week tour of Italy in 2006. The last song on their first album, and still remains one of the best they've ever written.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zUKPpEYsAI

Eddie telling the crowd at a concert what he thinks of Rolling Stone magazine shortly after he was on the cover. (warning: explicit language)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IcZ2yBcvFQ

Performing "Jeremy" on MTV Unplugged in 1992.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nrlPtNu5N0

Their cover of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me." The video is made up of clips from their "Immagine in Cornice" (translates to: Picture in a Frame) Live in Italy DVD. One of the best covers I've ever heard, Eddie Vedder is one of the only singers out there who could do Roger Daltrey justice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpgvQRTXWco&feature=related

Another day in musical history to put into perspective...One year before "Ten" was released, on August 27th, 1990, guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash.

"Killer New Album Title From The Killers"

2008-08-26T10:59:00.009-04:00

For fans of Las Vegas's best rock n' roll band, The Killers, their new album will be titled "Day and Age," and will be released in November. Following their album of B-sides and obscure tunes, "Sawdust," and their last album "Sam's Town," the group is recording the album now and has played some of the tunes in concert recently. One of these songs, "Spaceman," lead singer Brandon Flowers said they have been playing between "Read My Mind" and "Mr. Brightside" on their setlists to the fans approval; so that can give you a general idea of how the song will sound when split between those two singles.

Flowers spoke briefly about this at the Leeds Music Festival in England this past weekend where the band was a headliner along with Metallica who also have a new Rick Rubin produced album, "Death Magnetic" coming out next month. He went on to divulge several track names on the new album being: "Goodnight Travel Well," "Joyride," "Neon Tiger," "I Can't Stay," and "Losing Touch." He then said "Losing Touch" was a favorite of his.

I can't wait to hear what the group has to offer on their third disc. If it is a combination of everything they've done so far, it should be brilliant. My first experience listening to the group was hearing their album "Sam's Town," which many critics and die hard Killers fans put down when it was released. Many said it was not up to par with their first album, "Hot Fuss," but I thought "Sam's Town" was great (a concept album on the same, non-connected way as "Sgt. Peppers"). I think my blind listening to it formed a more honest opinion that differed from fans and critics that expected similar sounds heard on their debut (another great album).
Flowers openly touted the "Sam's Town" album as one of the greatest records ever made when it was released, which I'm sure didn't help as well, and eventually caused them to give something back to the fans with the "Sawdust," disc. Years from now though, I believe "Sam's Town" will stand the test of time, and be hailed as a great CD, much like my similar belief to The Strokes second album, "Room On Fire," which received similar initial backlash.

To see Flowers's full interview click on the link below:

http://www.nme.com/news/the-killers/39270

Whole Lotta Holy Crap!!! Led Zeppelin Working on New Material???

2008-08-26T09:58:00.000-04:00

While Jason Bonham (who replaced his deceased father John as Led Zeppelin's drummer for their reunion show last December) spoke to a radio station in Detroit 94.7 WCSX, he revealed that he has been working on new material with guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones. Bonham also revealed that the material could be the makings of what would ultimately be a new Led Zeppelin album (which hopefully means more touring!).

Music website NME.com broke the story and quoted Bonham on the radio show as stating, "I've been working with Jimmy and John Paul and trying [out] some new material. I don't know what it will be, but it will be something." He continued, "[The] possibility of doing something [like an album] is on the cards. I really felt it was on the cards from the moment we walked offstage at the O2." (Arena where the reunion took place in December)

It was also revealed that lead singer Robert Plant has been absent from these sessions so far, but one can assume this is due to his current tour with Allison Krauss in support of their recent album, "Raising Sand." (Which made my obscure list of duets)

I am a bit torn about this as this is a direction I didn't think the surviving members of Led Zeppelin would take. Don't get me wrong, if it takes a new album to get them out on tour, I'm all for it. However, part of their mystique and legendary status is due to the fact that they had roughly a ten year run and that was it. Recording a new album without their original drummer would make them no different than the cash cow incarnations of the recent Rolling Stones and The Who lineups who tour for millions of dollars but remain shells of their former selves. I would have expected them to just do a worldwide stadium tour like the recently reunited Police and leave it at that.

On the other hand, Jimmy Page hasn't recorded anything in some years and his production skills in the studio is part of what made the Zeppelin records so great. Plant's voice is different than what it once was, understandably, so it could make for an interesting album, maybe with more of the bluesy nostalgia that was on their first few records. Bonham is as worthy and justifiable of a replacement as they will find for his father, so this could be the makings of one of 2008's biggest stories in music.
Here is a link to NME's original article that broke the story:
http://www.nme.com/news/led-zeppelin/39271

The newest incarnation of the band with Jason Bonham backstage in December:

L to R: John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, Jason Bonham, Jimmy Page.

Editor's Note: This is the second time in as many weeks that I've beaten Rolling Stone magazine to the punch with a huge breaking music story (but who's keeping count?)

"Michael Strahan Coming Out of Retirement??? Byaaaaaa!!!"

2008-08-25T23:01:00.011-04:00

On Saturday night, Osi Umenyiora, the Giants lone Pro-Bowl selection and star defensive end from their Super Bowl Championship team went down with a season ending injury in their annual preseason game against the Jets. Today, they have started to go to a drawing board similar to that of their neighbors the New York Jets; find a recently retired first ballot Hall of Famer and woo him back into playing. The way the Jets traded for Brett Favre, who decided he wasn't ready for retirement, was as great for publicity as it was for the team. However, if the Giants cajole Michael Strahan out of retirement, it will be a completely different story, though on the surface it appears similar.

The main difference between the two situations is in the motivation. Brett Favre has come back because he has a bonafide desire to keep playing the game he has been a legend at for over 10 years. Money is not an option, since what the Jets are paying him is less than half of the $25 million the Packers offered him as "Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not play football" money. Not only that, if it was really about anything other than a desire to play, he would never in a million years come to the Jets. Even a Jets fan can admit they never in their wildest dreams ever imagined that Favre would play for the Jets before just staying retired. He hasn't had that a Steve Young or Troy Aikman helping of concussions throughout his career, so it is also safe to say he's not a couple beers short of a six pack. He moved his family across the country, to the biggest frying pan of media scrutiny, and turned away $25 million from the Packers to continue being a quarterback in the NFL with a desire to win. Plain and simple.

Michael Strahan, on the other hand, is a different story. Not soon enough after announcing his retirement, Strahan signed a broadcasting deal with Fox Sports to work the games on Sunday starting this season. As of right now, he's got a storybook ending in place; after winning the Super Bowl at the tail end of a 15 year Hall of Fame career, he goes out on top, like Elway. Strahan is also much more likable not only in the Giants spectrum, but among the rest of the league when compared to his former teammate Tiki Barber, who came as close to seeing someone eat their own foot throughout the course of a season as anyone last year. After retiring, prematurely and without a championship, Barber signed a lucrative broadcasting deal, then proceeded to bash his former team (mainly eventual Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning) who went on to win it all. He has alienated any chance of coming back in any role with the Giants, and burned more bridges in the course of a year than Julius Caesar. Needless to say that's a completely different rant, so back to Strahan.

Though he would be welcomed by the fans and his teammates with open arms, Michael Strahan should put the comeback rumors to rest before any more fuel is added to the fire. With his asking price for a return being anywhere between $8-$12 million, his return would strictly be about the money, unlike Broadway Brett's. I think the Giants front office dropped the ball on this one by letting it get out into the media so quickly (though media speculation may have fueled the rumors before the Giants even had time to think about it), and any football person should know they won't be any better or worse with or without Strahan this year.

If the Giants truly believe that the absence of Osi Umenyiora or the addition of Michael Strahan will make or break the defense of their championship, then they have bigger problems on their hands. Finally letting go of one of the faces of their franchise rather than trying to mercilessly buy him back when his heart is not 100% in it, will allow them to move on and focus on the season on hand. Bringing Strahan back will shift the media frenzy from the Jets and the Favre story back over to Eli and the Giants, who have had less pressure on them in the past month or so due to Brett's arrival. Less media scrutiny, and less pressure from overzealous selfish players like Barber and Shockey is what brought the Giants together for their eventual Championship run. Bringing Strahan back into the picture will take the pressure off Brett and the Jets (so you won't hear me complain) but ultimately, will do more harm than good with less than two weeks left before the start of the season by giving Eli more to think about.

Tom Coughlin got his Super Bowl and got his contract extension and ultimately, it's the front office's call, but I think the Giants are smarter than risking the next several years for a crap shoot with a guy who hung it up much more wholeheartedly than Favre did in March.

"My Super Obscure List of: Great, Yet Often Unnoticed or Overlooked Duets"

2008-08-25T13:04:00.001-04:00

I've promised another super obscure list, and here it is:
Here is my list of the best duets that often go unnoticed or overlooked. Granted, half of them are cover songs, but the ones that are, were not duets in their original versions. Again, like my last list of notable beards on film, these are in no particular order, as they all bring something to the table, and make the list more complete. Each entry also includes a link to hear the song, while some are music videos, live videos, or just those weird YouTube videos that have pictures on them so you can just listen to the song. Either way, it gets the job done.

Tupac Shakur and Elton John- Ghetto Gospel: Don't adjust your monitor, you are reading this correctly; a collaboration between Elton John and Tupac Shakur does exist. Where is the connection between these two prolific artists from two very different genres, you ask? Slim Shady himself, Eminem. One of Tupac's many posthumous albums released using the hordes of unreleased material he left behind was produced entirely by Eminem. The album, "Loyal to the Game," is in my opinion one of his best posthumous records; "Makaveli," probably being the best (also, the first one to come out immediately after his murder). Eminem, a couple years after his legendary performance of "Stan" at the Grammys with Elton John, took a sample from the song "Indian Sunset," off John's fourth studio album from 1971, "Madman Across the Water." It is one of the few hip hop tunes out there that can give me the music chills when I hear it, and is a perfect blending of two artists among the best at their respective genres. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxR4AweLeXE The official music video for the song starring that guy from "The Wire" and "Oz."

Cream- Sunshine of Your Love: Labeled the first supergroup, made up of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker, Bruce and Clapton shared vocals on this classic rock masterpiece. With one of the most distinctive guitar/bass riffs in rock n' roll history, this song has remained a staple in Clapton's set lists for 40 years. It's probably the most popular or widely known song on the list, but definitely one that's also not traditionally considered a duet; that's why it made the cut. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zga4_09nWzY -this is some random YouTube video I'm copying here for the sole purpose of listening to the song, I don't know of what meth lab this makeshift video was produced in.

The Beatles- Two of Us: For anyone who said McCartney and Lennon hated eachother toward the end of the Beatles' run, songs like this are a testament to what they were still able to create musically, even if their friendship was declining. This is a great song, and still one of my favorite Beatles tunes, and shows that they were still the best of friends when they got into the studio and created some of the greatest music ever heard. This song could be about friendship, it could be about love, it could be about two old friends running into each other at a bar, having a few drinks, reminiscing about old times, and sharing a cab home. Either way, it's a great piece of music that two legends make complete. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ztr8j_-gD4 I don't know where this video came from or who made it, but it's spectacular and is probably one of the best unofficial Beatles music videos out there.

Queen and David Bowie- Under Pressure: Known as the riff Vanilla Ice stole so many years later to create the abomination to hip hop that is "Ice Ice Baby," this is a great song spearheaded by two legendary frontmen, Freddie Mercury and David Bowie. That part in the middle of the song where Mercury belts out "Why don't we give love, give love, give love," still gives me chills every time. Everyone knows "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You," and "We Are the Champions," but "Under Pressure," was ahead of its time, and is unlike anything else you've ever heard, or will ever hear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPoE7hVDJY4&feature=related -There's no video here, just a high quality version of the song, take a listen if you've never heard it.

Dave Matthews Band and Warren Haynes- Cortez the Killer: When the Dave Matthews Band took the stage in Central Park for a sold out crowd of 100,000 people a few years back, Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule and the Allman Brothers Band came out to lay his guitar down and share vocals on this old Neil Young tune. I was at the concert that night, and it was the first time I heard the song in general; a few years later, it's still the only version I'll listen to. Haynes's vocals are chilling and his guitar solos were highlights of the night for me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCiLCo-LoUg A live video of the performance from the show. They sell the concert in stores on CD or DVD, I have both, definitely one of the best live DMB concerts out there.

The Strokes feat. Eddie Vedder- Mercy Mercy Me: What happens when one of the most talented rock n' roll bands of the past decade gets together with one of the best frontmen of the past 20 years to record a cover of a classic Marvin Gaye tune? Some ridiculously insane funkdified rock infused musicality is what happens! They turn the soulful Motown staple into a funky guitar blazing tune that is all its own. Also, listen closely for Josh Homme's drumming along with the Strokes' Fab Moretti; in the second verse the beats start to overlap and it's a magical music moment, presto. It's hard to find this song on CD, I think it's on iTunes though, as it was originally released as the B-Side to the Strokes single of "You Only Live Once," from their last album, "First Impressions of Earth." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyZ0E8c2c-A&feature=related - the recorded version of the song, supplemented by a "Captain Planet" episode; very fitting for the subject matter.

Outkast feat. Norah Jones- Take Off Your Cool: Included on Andre 3000's disc of the Outkast album, "Speakerboxx/Love Below," this is just a damn sexy tune that sounds like Barry White could have written it with Jack Johnson. It's one of the shortest songs on the album, but still one of my favorites from it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUQHFqO6HvY The recorded song, over a photo collage video of Andre 3000 and Norah Jones.

The Raconteurs- Rich Kid Blues: I'm a huge fan of the White Stripes, but I must admit, some of Jack White's best work has been with his recently formed other band, The Raconteurs. Adding another singer/songwriter/guitarist in Brendan Benson, and an extended rhythm section serves White's musical talent well and adds another dynamic to his craft. The band's second album, "Consolers of the Lonely," is one of, if not the best album I've heard in 2008. This Terry Reid cover has Benson's soft melodic voice perfectly shared with White's hard rock howl that introduces the world to rock n' roll's newest powerhouse in fitting fashion. The song combines the organ, thundering drums, and a high squeeling guitar that makes me wish the album had 14 more songs on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjT6DGlWyBs This is straight up audio of the song, with just a picture of the band displayed. Listen, but be warned, this will blow you away.

The Corrs feat. Bono- When the Stars Go Blue: U2 is U2, plain and simple; so anything Bono involves himself in, people will pay attention to. However, when he joined the Corrs onstage in his hometown of Dublin a few years back, very few remembered this great live version of this Ryan Adams original. I've heard Adams and Tim McGraw sing it, but this remains the definitive version, a song about despair, loneliness, and sadness, the song is sung by the perfect pair, and even if it's a girly song, I admit defeat; it's legit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdSpDrczo7w Live performance from VH-1.

Robert Plant and Allison Krauss- Killing the Blues: A bluegrass crooner with the voice of an angel and the screaming maniac lead singer of Led Zepplin get together to record an album of country/bluegrass/blues standards...Still waiting for the punchline? Well, there isn't one; this album is great, and the two very different voices blend unnaturally to make a perfect pairing. This song has been seen on commercials lately (for JC Penny's Home section, I believe), but it's still got a great sound, with two legendary vocalists from 2 very different genres showing the world that they still have it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHPrLifRhX4 This is a video of a live performance, I'm not sure where it's from though. They capture the same magic live that they do on the album.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova- Falling Slowly: This one is from the film "Once," about two musicians who meet in Dublin and forge a friendship through music over a week. The film was really moving and authentic, as it was filmed with a documentary look, and the two stars are actually musicians, not actors. The soundtrack is a great pairing of the two and their alternate vocal styles invokes the same effect as the Robert Plant-Allison Krauss pairing. They went on to win an Oscar for "Best Original Song" this past year for it; rightfully so, since "Enchanted" got nominated for 3 songs in that category http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPbC2YrUUsI This is a clip of them performing the song on David Letterman.

Roger Waters feat. Van Morrison- Comfortably Numb: This performance was part of Roger Waters 1990 concert in Berlin, Germany, where he performed Pink Floyd's "The Wall," in its entirety shortly after the Berlin Wall came down. Members of the Band and the legendary Van Morrison joined him for this tune, but the most prevalent voices are Waters and Morrison, which contrast each other nicely. Morrison hasn't aged so gracefully, but he's still got the vocal chops to bring the house down, and as blasphemous as it sounds, I prefer this version to Pink Floyd's original. I was reintroduced to this song last year when it was featured in "The Departed," which like every Martin Scorsese film, has a phenomenal soundtrack to accompany it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLx3uSwv6VM - This is a video of the live performance from Berlin.

Temple of the Dog- Hunger Strike: When eventual members of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden got together to record an album as a tribute to their friend Andy Wood who died of a heroin overdose in 1990, a modern rock masterpiece was made. Forming the group Temple of the Dog, Chris Cornell, Matt Cameron, Eddie Vedder, Matt McCready, Stone Gossard, and Jeff Ament, recorded one of the best non-traditional duets I have ever heard. After Soundgarden broke up in 1998, Cameron would join Pearl Jam permanently (as they've gone through a revolving door of drummers their whole career until Cameron came along), and Temple of the Dog had their only unofficial reunion in 2003, when Cornell joined Pearl Jam on stage for "Hunger Strike" and another Temple of the Dog number, "Reach Down." This is one of those songs that is as close to perfect as a song can get, so you tend to take notice when something like it comes along. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lln5i1N3J8g The official music video for the song with all the band members. Take notice of the vintage MTV music video tag in the bottom left corner of the screen at the beginning and end the clip, from the days when Music Television actually played music, who'd have thought?

Babyface feat. Eric Clapton- Change the World: Now, I know what you may be thinking, this was Eric Clapton’s song from that John Travolta movie, not Babyface’s. Babyface produced the track, appeared in the music video, and sang backup vocals on the album version of this tune, but the definitive version of this song has seldom been heard. While Babyface taped his MTV Unplugged special back in 1997, he opened the show with this number, and surprise guest Clapton joined him onstage for a blistering performance. The altered, acoustic blues guitar heavy live version was reminiscent of Clapton’s own Unplugged show which netted him several Grammy Awards several years earlier. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmsLQFqdiQE- The live clip from the MTV Unplugged special. Even sitting down, Clapton tears the guitar to shreds.

The Rolling Stones and Dave Matthews- Wild Horses: This performance came together in 1998 I believe, when Dave Matthews Band was opening for the Stones on their tour. Dave Matthews joined the Stones on stage for a duet of the classic song that got some new life into it. Dave's high pitched crooning is a stark contrast to Mick Jagger's historic howl, but the song is seen in a different light, and still as great as it ever was. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kAl5cUtxAc This is a video clip of the performance from the concert, wherever it was. A couple funny things to notice: Dave Matthews looking about 20 years old, also looking like he might nervously crap himself as he realizes he's on stage with the Rolling Stones, and Dave not knowing what to do with his hands without a guitar in them (he looks similar to Ricky Bobby in "Talladega Nights").

"This Isn't Your Grandmother's Catwoman...Or Is It?"

2008-08-25T08:50:00.009-04:00

I don't know how true this rumor is, and for the franchise's sake, but I hope that it's about as real as those Phillip Seymour Hoffman playing the Penguin rumors that circled when "The Dark Knight" was in development. An article from British newspaper, The Telegraph is claiming that Christopher Nolan's first choice to play Catwoman in the next "Batman" film is, are you ready for this: Cher. Yes, that Cher, the one who is 62 years old, sang "I Got You Babe," was married to Greg Allman for about 3 days, and who was last seen playing herself in the 2003 Farrelly Brothers Matt Damon-Greg Kinear tent pole, "Stuck On You."

I'll admit Cher has got decent acting chops, especially in the early 1980's Eric Stoltz drama, "Mask," (she received an Oscar nomination for it), and later "Moonstruck," (which she won an Oscar for while wearing her ridiculous outfit shown above) but I'm not sure about this. The other villain rumored to be in this film is the Riddler, to be played by Johnny Depp; so if that happens, then maybe I can forgive the Cher casting.

A so-called studio executive said that director Christopher Nolan wants the character to be portrayed as a "Vamp in her twilight years," which I guess would make Cher a decent choice since she's pushing senior citizen discount age now. After films like "Memento," "Batman Begins," "The Prestige," and "The Dark Knight," Nolan could make a Teletubbies movie and I'd probably pay to see it. This should make for an interesting film, though I'm not sure anything will top "The Dark Knight" anytime soon, but hopefully it will at least be a worthy sequel next to the first two.

This third installment is said to be called "The Caped Crusader," and The Telegraph's source also claims filming will start in Vancouver early next year, so there's more good news.

Here is the link to the original article from The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2612613/Cher-to-play-Catwoman-in-next-Batman-film.html

Some Good News and Some Bad News for "Terminator: Salvation"

2008-08-22T10:54:00.008-04:00

When I heard they were making another "Terminator" film, I was a bit skeptical. Then, I heard McG (Director of "Charlie's Angels" who thinks he can take a one word name like he's Sting or Prince when his movies are garbage) was directing it, and I became very skeptical, and nearly outraged completely. Then, along came the news that Christian Bale would be playing the adult John Connor in the new film, so out with some of my skepticism, even more of which disappeared when I saw the first preview for the film. More recently, I heard writer Jonathan Nolan (Co-writer of "The Dark Knight" and "The Prestige," and brother of director Christopher Nolan) was brought on to do some tweaking of the script; remaining skepticism- gone. Now for the bad news: Arnold Schwarzenegger won't be appearing in the film as a Terminator; but the good news is that it doesn't mean he will be completely absent from the film altogether.
With Terminator: Salvation (AKA T:4) done filming officially today and heading into post-production, people are still clinging to the hope of seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger make a cameo. With his current political duties in California ongoing, hope was slim for him reprising the role that made him famous and contributed to his entire "Governator" campaign.

Well, a glimmer of hope remains as the film's producer, Moritz Borman (who also produced the first 3 films) hinted at the possibility recently. "He will not be, as a person, in the film," Borman told multimedia website Wired.com. When asked if that meant he may appear in the form of a voice over, Borman continued, "It's really up to what fits in the film or not. Maybe his voice, or maybe not. It's really not settled."

That's much more optimistic than what I expected. I held hope out they would get Arnold in there somewhere, but realizing all the stuff a governor has on their plate, I thought chances were slim. The fact that Borman let that much information out, really surprises me and it would be great to have one of the most recognizable voices in the history of cinema grace us with his presence again. I'm tired of him calling political opponents "girlie men," he needs to go back to blowing stuff up and hitting us with those funny one liners from classic 80's/90's films like: "Predator" ('Get to Da Choppa!'), "Commando" ('I eat Green Berets for breakfast and right now I am very hungry!'), "Twins" ('You forgot dee first rule in dee crisis sitooation.'), "Kindergarten Cop" ('Who is your daddy and what does he dooo?'), and "Total Recall" ("Get your ass to Mars/Consider dat a divorce") to name a few.

Hearing his voice invokes memories of my childhood and years past just like pogs, Lazer Tag, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and that Saturday morning cartoon, "Pro Stars," with Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and Bo Jackson. Hopefully, the Governator can come through for all the little girls and boys out there who enjoyed watching him punch a camel in the face after it spat on him in "Conan."

Either way, I think this new "Terminator" is really going to be something, and I'm confident it will make up for "Terminator 3," which wasn't up to par with the first two films. I liked the slight twist in the end of the film, but other than that, it was OK. With Christian Bale playing John Connor in this one, and the already circulating rumors that Linda Hamilton is going to return as Sarah Connor in flashbacks, I'm sure it won't disappoint. After "The Dark Knight," I'll watch Christian Bale in anything for the rest of his career. Even before the movie was finished filming, they managed to get a trailer out for it, which you can check out here to verify its goodness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRw3AkbtJhQ

To read the story from Wired.com click on this link: http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/08/arnolds-voice-i.html

Hopefully, McG's film delivers on the shoulders of Bale, Nolan, and a Governator cameo of some sort. If not, then he should go back to directing Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray music videos and leave the directing to the people who still have enough of a soul to not beat another franchise of my childhood to death.

Editorial: "It's One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Johnny Be."

2008-08-21T22:26:00.008-04:00

Yesterday, the first significant accomplishment was made with my blog since it started a couple weeks back. In fact, you could go as far as saying history has been made. Earlier today, at around 9:45AM Eastern Time, I broke a story about a new album by Coldplay that is due to be released sometime in 2009. The source of my story was British music magazine NME's website. This sounds pretty ordinary, save for the fact that America's version of NME, Rolling Stone Magazine, reported it on their website nearly 4 HOURS after I did at 1:50PM Eastern Time. Measly 24 year old Johnny Be Blogging broke the news of this big story before the genuine article did.

I don't know what is to be said of that, but I view it as an accomplishment for a no-name, up and coming one man show run on a shoestring (zero) budget. I'm glad if you are reading this, that this is a moment I could share with you, my loyal readers. I continue to bring it day after day knowing one or two, or who knows how many people are reading my random thoughts/news, and moments like this help me strive to keep bringing it, and achieve more.

To show my excitement and gratitude, below is a picture of me jumping up and down on a bed in my hotel suite at the Hilton in Las Vegas from this past December. To put that moment in historical context and perspective, it was one day before my 24th birthday, and also one day before Roger Clemens was exposed in the Mitchell Report. It was also one day before I was able to see the most ridiculously amazing show on the planet, the Beatles Cirque Du Soleil show "Love" at the Mirage; one of the best birthday gifts I've ever gotten thanks to my wonderful girlfriend Nicole, who is one of my few or many loyal readers .

"I get up, 'cause nothing gets me down. You got it tough, I seen the toughest around."
-David Lee Roth, "Jump"

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend.

"A Stroke of Musical Genius"- new music for your ears.

2008-08-21T14:52:00.008-04:00

To keep the musical vibe going on this second to last Thursday of the month, I've got a feel good song for you. If you don't know who Albert Hammond, Jr. is, you should. I briefly mentioned him in my last article about Coldplay; Albert is best known in his role as guitarist for New York rock band The Strokes. Since going on hiatus in 2005, Albert used the group's downtime to his advantage by recording his first two solo albums. His first album "Yours to Keep," is a slight departure from the sound of the Strokes and invokes the influence of the Beatles and Beach Boys while sticking close to his indie rock roots.

His second album was released last month and has a sound similar to some of his Strokes material, with some further innovation and exploration. Clicking on the link below will direct you to his Myspace Music page so you can hear one of these great new songs, called "Lisa" (Not sure why he titled it this, since the name is never mentioned, my guess is he wrote it about a girl named Lisa). Either way, it's a great song, and if you dig it, you will definitely like his other sonic offerings, both off the first album, and this new one titled "Como Te Llama?" (the album is in English) His musical offerings should be interesting once the Stokes do get back into the studio to record their fourth album next year. He also puts on a great live show, I saw him open for Incubus in Washington, D.C. in 2007 and saw him play a solo show in Asbury Park at the Stone Pony later that summer. It's a cheap ticket to buy and well, well worth it, probably better than most arena/ampitheater acts you'll see touring through the summer. Enjoy and let me know what you think of the sound:

www.myspace.com/alberthammondjr

You may have to click on the song title "Lisa" in the player, but the other songs on there are others off his new album. Great stuff all around.

You can find both his albums at most music spots like Best Buy, and I can definitely vouch for the first one as being a good investment. If you are into a new/vintage (does that make sense?) sound different than what's on the radio, you'll enjoy it.

Viva La Coldplay!!! More New Music in 2009???

2008-08-21T09:45:00.017-04:00

For those of you who are fans of Coldplay here is some interestingly exciting news that I saw on NME's website. Reports are circulating that Coldplay will release another album in 2009 even though they just released "Viva La Vida or Death and All of His Friends" in June of this year. NME's story cites British newspaper The Sun as the source of this information.

When the band recorded "Viva La Vida" their sessions with legendary producer Brian Eno (who's produced albums for U2, David Bowie, The Talking Heads, and Devo of "Whip It" fame) were apparently so productive that they ended up with much more material than what could fit on one album. A source at their record label EMI stated, "The 'Viva La Vida...' sessions were incredibly fruitful. They gelled brilliantly with Brian and recorded much more music than they could fit on one album." The source continued, "The majority of the follow-up is already in the can, though they will have to go back into the studio at some point to add a few more songs."Though many big acts have left EMI recently since a corporate takeover, most notably Paul McCartney, Radiohead, and the Rolling Stones, Coldplay has a long term deal in place with the legendary label to continue putting out more of their music.

With the Raconteurs' sophomore album "Consolers of the Lonely," Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" is definitely right up there with the albums I've played out ridiculously due to great musicality. The album is a departure from the group's sound from their first two albums, and also much different than their altered sound on the ill received "X&Y," their last album before "Viva." Though the album has gotten mixed reviews, I believe in the years to come it will be looked at as their "Rubber Soul," or "Sgt. Peppers" album, the one where they changed direction and discovered more musically. Ultimately, a defining moment that will shape what they play in the future and what direction they will go in. This is similar to critical thought on "The Joshua Tree," which has been getting compared to this album mostly due to the fact that Brian Eno also produced that as well.

When "Viva La Vida" was coming out a couple months back I remember hearing that the band had recorded so much new material; and one complaint I had with the album is that it is rather brief with only 10 tracks (though a few are doubled up, extensive tracks, so it's more like 12 or 13 tracks). Learning that they may be rushing out a follow up with all that extra material is great to hear since I, along with many other people are eager to see what else they were able to put together. The bootlegged unreleased/b-sides Coldplay album "Castles," would hold up as its own album and I often wonder why some of those songs were left off their albums while others I wasn't too keen on made the cut. The same holds true for the recent Killers b-sides album "Sawdust." With some of this extra material being readied for mass release, it will be great seeing what they have left in the "Viva La Vida" tank.

For those of you who have listened to the album, and aren't a big fan of their new direction, or for those of you who aren't too big on Coldplay to begin with, I urge you to listen again. Dare I say "Lovers in Japan" is as anthemic as "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" or "City of Blinding Lights," well there, I said it. And "Strawberry Swing," is one of the best and unique love songs of the last decade. If Willy Wonka wrote a love song, it would sound like "Strawberry Swing," plain and simple. The last minute and a half is a melody that could have been written by Lennon and McCartney.

Here's a link to the story from NME's website: http://www.nme.com/news/coldplay/39117

If this story holds true, it will be interesting to see if they unveil any of this hidden material on their current world tour. I'll let you know during my concert review when I see the band perform at the Meadowlands in October.

Editor's (My) Note: What is it with British bands recording 10 songs and releasing it as a full album. I'm sorry, but even if the last 2 or 3 tracks are horrendous, at least give fans their money's worth. 10 tracks is not an album to me; it's two E.P.'s on one CD, that's all. I believe Radiohead did the same thing with "In Rainbows," though at least they let fans pay what they wanted for it. I will give Coldplay the benefit of the doubt though, as they at least had 3 songs that were split in 2, in which the tail ends were really completely different songs, so technically

the album had 13 tracks.

I really do think it's a Britain/Europe 10 track thing, because when Albert Hammond, Jr. of the Strokes released his solo album, "Yours to Keep," in Europe, it had 10 tracks. The album was amazing regardless, as every song was great; but when it finally was released in the US, 2 "bonus tracks" were included. There's a guy who knows how to please the stateside fans!

If musicians want to release 10 song albums going forward, they should market them to fans as "An extended E.P." I am fairly confident, these 10 song albums will be much better received by the paying customers; who cares what critics think? They get free copies of the albums they review, and don't have to pay their hard earned money for concert tickets.

From the Vault...My First Published Concert Review from Feb. '08

2008-08-20T21:16:00.010-04:00

Back in February, I had a chance to see one of only 3 concerts Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood played together at Madison Square Garden. For those of you not too familiar with how monumental this pairing was, you would need to be familiar with their band Blind Faith. The group came together after Clapton and Cream broke up, only to record one monumental album in 1969. The group disbanded shortly after, and now 40 years later, Clapton and Winwood came together for the closest thing to a Blind Faith reunion we might ever see. I saw the band on their second of 3 shows, and it was one of the most extraordinary concert experiences I have ever seen. A day after the show, I submitted a review of the show to the Eric Clapton Fan Club magazine, Where's Eric. The website posted my review among others that were submitted and you can check it out on this link if you scroll down towards the bottom of the page. I've copied my review as seen on the website below, as well as the set list and list of band members which is also on the site.
http://www.whereseric.com/tour/special-gigs/26-February-2008_steve-winwood-eric-clapton-madison-square-garden-new-york-ny.html

"Review by John DeSantis- Bergenfield, NJ
I was one of the few lucky fans able to see one of these historic 3 Winwood/Clapton shows at MSG. Having been born nearly 15 years after Blind Faith's only album came out (1983 to be exact) this was my first tangible experience with probably the closest thing to a reunion I'll ever see. It also was my first chance to see Clapton or Winwood perform live in general, which made the experience even more significant to me as a fan of both.

I have to admit I felt a bit out of place being a 24 year old amongst a sea of nearly 20,000 baby boomers, but I have to say one moment allowed me to hold my head high following the show. A 40-something man with a hairpiece that looked about as out of place as Britney Spears at a successful parenting seminar, drunkenly and saracastically yelled out, 'Hey, did you like Layla?' He was obviously misinformed at the significance and substance of these shows that someone much younger than him who was not even conceived at the height of Clapton and Winwood's fame was able to realize and appreciate. For anyone who came to these shows expecting to see him play 'Layla,' 'Sunshine of Your Love,' 'Tears In Heaven,' or 'Wonderful Tonight,' they were probably about as misinformed as bad hairpiece guy, and don't have the depth of musicical appreciation to even know who Steven Winwood is or Blind Faith was. These people should have stayed home and waited until Clapton goes on the road solo again; I know plenty of people who would have appreciated this show much more than these fans whose knowledge is limited to what they listen to on Q104.3 on their way to work. (And that's not a knock on Q104, it's a great station, but limiting your Eric Clapton listening to a classic rock station is similar to watching reruns of the Sopranos on A&E, it's just not the same.)

The Blind Faith songs sounded amazing, especially 'Had to Cry Today,' 'Can't Find My Way Home,' and the way they transoformed 'Presence of the Lord' into a duet. Previously I wasn't a big fan of Clapton's 'Forever Man' until I heard him rip through it with a thunderous guitar stampede last night. This removed all memory of the dated studio version of this song I've been limited to my whole life. It seemed like the roof was going to cave in when they played 'After Midnight' and the back to back helping of Hendrix they played with 'Little Wing' (played more to the arrangment Derek and the Dominoes performed on the 'Layla' album) and 'Voodoo Chile' practically made my night right there. I also have to note that the New York Times had the absent-mindedness to say that they made 'Little Wing' sound like it could have been a song by the Band, until Clapton's solo, totally disregarding the fact that they played it to the same tune as Clapton and Duane Allman did on the 'Layla' album. Sorry, just something else I had to nitpick at in order to show I can hold my own with rock fans my parents' age and that a younger generation can appreciate an event like this just the same.

I'd have to say I'm more of a fan of Clapton than Winwood since my earliest memories of both differ very significantly. The first I heard of Winwood were his 1980's hits 'Higher Love' and 'Roll With It' while my first memory of Clapton was hearing the back end of 'Layla' play as the overture to the murder montage in Martin Scorsese's 'Goodfellas' (what kid wouldn't remember that?). Clapton has been undeniably the more popular of the two, but Winwood stated his case to me last night as his voice still unbelievably sounds as distinct and melodic as it did on record over 30 years ago. He made 'Georgia on My Mind' sound like it was his own, which was one of the best numbers of the night even though it was just him on stage, and convinced me to try to seek him out solo this summer when he opens for Tom Petty.

From what I read of the first show Monday night, it sounds as though Winwood did less guitar work and more on the organ last night, but it just added another layer to their great performance, and he took full advantage of the moments when he wielded the guitar. The way they traded riffs back and forth towards the end of the closing number 'Dear Mr. Fantasy' was one of the single most mysifying moments I've ever seen in concert (right up there with Springsteen joining U2 onstage in Philladelphia for a cover of 'People Get Ready' when I saw them in '05).

If I had $100 bucks to spend, or if my tax return came a couple months early, I would do everything I could to see the finale on Thursday night. My only hope is that they put these shows out on DVD like they did with the Cream reunion at the Royal Albert Hall so I can blast it up on my surround sound to enjoy over and over again. Hopefully, this isnt' the last time these two take the stage together, judging by their chemistry it certainly won't be."
The Band:
Eric Clapton - guitar, vocals

Steve Winwood - hammond organ, guitar, vocals

Chris Stainton - keyboards

Willie Weeks - bass

Ian Thomas - drums

Setlist:
01. Had To Cry Today

02. Low Down

03. Forever Man

04. Them Changes

05. Sleeping In The Ground

06. Presence Of The Lord

07. Glad / Well Alright

08. Double Trouble

09. Pearly Queen

10. Tell The Truth

11. No Face

12. After Midnight

13. Split Decision

14. Ramblin On My Mind (Clapton solo acoustic)

15. Georgia On My Mind (Winwood solo hammond)

16. Little Wing

17. Voodoo Chile

18. Can't Find My Way Home

19. Cocaine
Encore:
20. Dear Mr Fantasy

What Ever Happened To...Hideki Irabu???

2008-08-20T14:30:00.008-04:00

It's been a week or 2 since my piece on the Pigeon Lady from "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York," (Check the archives on the blog if you haven't read it yet) so I figured it's about time I bring to the public's attention another once popular New Yorker who may be relinquished to the back of our minds. He played for the New York Yankees, was a native of Japan, and was named Hideki. No, I'm not talking about Hideki "With the Humongous Earlobes" Matsui A.K.A. Godzilla, I'm talking about our once hailed pitcher Hideki Irabu.

Irabu pitched for the New York Yankees from 1997-1999, netting 2 World Series rings with the Bronx Bombers in '98 and '99, though he didn't start a game in the '98 postseason and was shelled in his only '99 postseason appearance. Once dubbed the "Japanese Nolan Ryan," he was most notable for George Steinbrenner's public disdain for his laziness and weight in 1999. After failing to cover first base on a ground ball, Irabu made front sports page headlines when the Boss publicly called him a "fat toad." Irabu was traded to the Expos later that year then signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers in 2002. In 2003 he went back to Japan where he pitched professionally until his retirement in 2005.

He was 34-35 for his career in the majors with a 5.15 ERA; I am somewhat confidently accurate in saying he won't be in Cooperstown anytime soon. Irabu currently resides in California, likely still living comfortably on the money the Yankees paid him.

The reason for this sudden trip down nostalgia lane is because Hideki Irabu made headlines on Sports Illustrated's website this morning. Irabu was arrested today in Osaka, Japan for assaulting a bartender after his credit card was rejected. Irabu allegedly drank approximately 20 beers, then became enraged when his credit card was declined, and began pushing, pulling the hair of the bartender and smashing bottles on the ground. Irabu paid his delinquent bill with another credit card and later admitted the assault when he was arrested.
Here is link to the Sports Illustrated story: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/08/20/bc.bbo.irabu.arrested.ap/index.html
So, there you have it. That's what Hideki Irabu has been up to: drinking beer, assaulting bar tenders, and having bad credit. Sounds more like Pete Rose to me.
This is a picture taken during better days for Irabu, when he was introduced to New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani one day before his Major League debut when he struck out 9 batters for a win. Unfortunately, it was all downhill after that...

Leroi Moore 1961-2008.

2008-08-20T09:54:00.007-04:00

It is with a heavy heart that I talk about the passing of a great musician in one of the best performing musical groups in the world. On Tuesday, LeRoi Moore, saxophone player for the Dave Matthews Band, passed away due to complications stemming from injuries he sustained in an ATV accident in June. The band continued touring throughout LeRoi's recovery, with Jeff Coffin of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones filling in for Moore.

With the sadness of their friend's passing on their hearts and minds last night, the band still took the stage in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. They paid tribute to LeRoi by playing many songs that had his presence all over them, including: "Bartender," "Grey Street," "Everyday," "Ants Marching," and a cover of the sax-heavy Peter Gabriel classic, "Sledgehammer."

While his playing was often subtle, and beneath the surface, almost going unnoticed on the albums due to his ability to blend it with the band's several varying instruments, LeRoi was able to shine most during the band's countless live performances. With the free ability to extend their solos into other worldly jams, while attracting a cult-like following of millions of fans, Dave Matthews Band has become the Grateful Dead of the last 20 years. The main difference has been with the more extended crossover success the Band has garnered that the Dead only saw later in their career with their only commercial success, "Touch of Grey."

I feel lucky to have been able to see the band perform live on several occasions, and to also have been able to see them at one of the biggest shows of their career, when they played a free concert in Central Park in September of 2003. While Dave Matthews, drummer, Carter Beauford, and violinist Boyd Tinsley have always been the more animated and outspoken members of the band, bassist Stephan Lessard and LeRoi are the two who were off to the back, keeping the ship steady. His sax playing, along with Tinsley's violin, are what have given the band one of the most unique sounds in popular music today. What Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips do in the studio for the shape shifting and contortion of great music, these men have done live on stage since the early 1990's.

Without the unique combination of sound LeRoi helped the band create, Dave Matthews would be like the Eagles or Jackson Browne, with a ceiling to his potential. Being complimented by one of the most talented and unique rhythm sections in music today, Matthews has become a superstar. With musicians like LeRoi Moore out there with him putting on shows for the masses, the audience could always feel confident in knowing that they would see something musically unique and special on any given night. Rather than the same repeated guitar or piano solos, or the same 4 minute long songs over and over, he helped make concert going an experience again. With the vast number of live recordings and concert films the Dave Matthews Band has released since the mid 1990's, his legacy will forever live on, and will undoubtedly continue to influence the band in a future without one of their founding members.

I'm including here some links to great performances by LeRoi, "Bartender" being one of the songs he is best featured on.

Bartender (Boulder, Colorado 2001) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lS4EoTY1nQ

Too Much (Central Park, New York 2003) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGqwSAVm3Ls

Warehouse (Central Park) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-TtHCJm44s&feature=related

Here is the setlist from the band's show last night:
Bartender
Proudest Monkey
Satellite
So Damn Lucky
Eh Hee
Water Into Wine
Burning Down The House
Dancing Nancies
Loving Wings
The Maker
Sledgehammer
Grey Street
Dreaming Tree
Crash Into MeEveryday
Anyone Seen The Bridge
Too Much Intro
Ants Marching
Encore:
Sister
Corn Bread
Two Step