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Weather Report Heavy Weather Jazz Music CD Review
Jan 17th
The exceptionally talented Jazz group Weather Report have released their CD entitled Heavy Weather. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Weather Report fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Heavy Weather their artistic excellence is on full display as they have once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be their best work to date.
I wish it weren’t the case but, it’s not everyday that I get a CD for review that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can’t force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Heavy Weather. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.
Heavy Weather is a nicely varied, mix of 8 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly superb musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.
Listen to this CD and I believe you’ll find there’s not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and this is clearly the work of a group of musicians in top form. So much so that if you’re even mildly into Jazz music you’ll enjoy this CD.
While the entire CD is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 2 – A Remark You Made, track 5 – Rumba Mama, and track 8 – Havona.
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – Birdland. This is a great track!
Heavy Weather Release Notes:
Weather Report originally released Heavy Weather on September 23, 1997 on the Legacy Recordings label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. Birdland 2. A Remark You Made 3. Teen Town 4. Harlequin 5. Rumba Mama 6. Palladium 7. Juggler, The 8. Havona
Weather Report: Joe Zawinul (vocals, piano, synthesizer, melodica); Jaco Pastorius (vocals, fretless bass, mando-cello, drums, steel drums); Manolo Bandrena (vocals, percussion); Wayne Shorter (soprano & tenor saxophones); Alex Acuna (drums, percussion).
Recorded at Devonshire Sound Studios, North Hollywood, California. Includes liner notes by John Ephland.
By: Clyde Lee Dennis
About the Author:
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Playing Acoustic Guitar – 4 Tips for Learning to Play Acoustic Guitar
Jan 15th
When musicians play on stage it moves people. There are many in the crowd who wish that they could do the same thing with music. The truth of the matter is, not everybody is talented in playing a musical instrument and many people will never be because they lack the motivation and the resources to learn. It takes a lot of talent, skill and patience to learn how to play an acoustic guitar.
Here are some of the best tips for learning how to play the acoustic guitar.
1. The first step is to purchase the guitar. There are many are specialty music stores that sell brand new guitars while there are also those that sell used guitars. It’s recommended that you purchase a pre-owned guitar before buying a new one. This allows you to get the feel for playing it and you can buy a new one at a later time.
2. The next step is to learn how to read notes. Before going any further this step is essential. New guitar players will soon learn that when you put your finger on one string, it will sound different than when you put it on another string.
This is very similar to touch typing on your computer keyboard. Students should be able to know which string matches the ones they see in the music book. Learning to play the acoustic guitar is all about learning where your fingers are and knowing which string will make which sound.
3. Playing the guitar is a lot of work on your fingers. Finger exercises should be done so that your fingers can handle the strenuous work that playing the guitar entails. Some musicians are able to play fast while others play the same rhythm all throughout the song. In order to play any song, guitar students need to be fast and flexible.
4. It was one thing to listen to a CD of a favorite musician. It’s going to be different when you go to play it though. Analyzing and studying changes in pitch can be very difficult. Getting your lessons in audio and video formats will enhance your observation of how the fingers move.
Nobody became an amazing guitarist overnight. Those of you who wish to be the best should learn the basics of playing acoustic guitar before playing more difficult songs. This can only be achieved by understanding rhythm, strumming and finger patterns so that one could possibly become an icon in the music industry.
The only way to become a master at playing acoustic guitar is to practice often and have access to good learning resources.
By: Lenny Gaiter
About the Author:
To learn more tips on guitar playing, please visit my website
John Bonham – The World’s First Heavy Metal Drummer
Jan 14th
John Bonham was one of the world’s most influential drummers, especially in the genre of hard rock and heavy metal. He was born in England in 1948, and from an early age he began banging on pots and pans, boxes, anything with a flat surface that would let him imitate the jazz and big band drummers who inspired him. He spent his teenage years working construction with his father and searching for bands to play with. This was how he ran into Robert Plant for the first time, and although the two only performed together in the same group for a brief time, they kept in touch throughout the years.
Bonham got his big break at the age of 20, when that same Robert Plant called him up to ask him if he was interested in joining a band that noted guitarist Jimmy Page was putting together. Bonham, or ‘Bonzo’ to his friends answered in the affirmative and history was made. With the addition of John Paul Jones, the lineup for Led Zeppelin was set.
Many musicologists and modern drummers agree that John Bonham was an absolute master of his instrument. He hit the drum skins very hard, and used extremely thick drum sticks. These sticks could be used to batter out the most brutal rhythm, or become incredibly agile to tap out a gentle sound no louder than that of the falling rain. He was famous for creating a groove where the drum sound seemed to occur just behind the beat, instead of hitting it exactly in the middle as was the tradition for rock drummers in his day. This playing style match very well the both Jones and Page, and Bonham was able to incorporate many complex drum patterns and fills into songs that most drummers wouldn’t even attempt during a solo.
As was the case with so many rock stars in the 1970’s, John Bonham was plagued by the demons of substance abuse, particularly alcohol. A great fan of automobiles, he also had rotten luck with them due to his drinking, and his hard partying had gotten completely out of control. On a typical morning for him in September of 1980, Bonham began his day with an extremely large amount of alcohol before being driven to and from tour rehearsals. He was left at home to ’sleep it off’, and when Jones and the band’s tour manager found him the next morning, he had choked to death in his sleep, a victim of the day’s excessive drinking.
Bonham’s tombstone to this day covered with respectfully stacked drum sticks left by those who have come to pay their respect. He is survived by a son and daughter, and his son Jason has become an excellent drummer in his own right.
By: Virgil Vince
About the Author:
Classic-Rock-Music.com is the mystical rehearsal studio for rockers DEMON TWEAK. Listen as they prepare for battle with the evil trickster Loki by playing home brewed classic rock direct from Ragnarok. Also read articles on your favorite classic rock band written by resident historian VIRGIL THE STORYTELLER.
Rambo by Brian Tyler
Jan 9th
Its finally here and I’ve taken a good listen to it and I’ll tell you what I think in a second. What an exciting day this has been, and what a privilege it is to review this long awaited soundtrack. Brian Tyler has not been messing around either and packed the Rambo soundtrack to the brim with 20 songs for a total play time of 1:15:42! I really love it when composers fill the whole CD with songs as it is becoming more and more rare these days.
Just taking a look at this make me excited, not only is it a huge list, but there are three themes here, Rambo Theme, Rambo Main Title and Rambo End Title. The question everyone wants to know the answer to: How is the Rambo Theme!? Brian Tyler takes the John Ottman route and makes his own little revamped version of Jerry Goldsmith’s main theme from First Blood, however the album is more similar to Rambo III, but has of course a very modern and updated sound.
It is a heavy soundtrack, filled with Rambo-esque references and while listening to it, you can really feel the action going on around you. Sometimes you hear references from Brian Tyler’s Children of Dune (No Rules of Engagement) and War (No Rules of Engagement, Hunting Mercenaries), but make no mistake, this is Rambo, and it is unique enough to stand out on its own. Brian Tyler has also tried to insert his own theme in there and it’s very nice, but not memorable enough to really make an impact. That being said, the song Battle Adagio is really beautiful and is probably my favorite track (apart from the 3 Rambo themes) on the Rambo soundtrack even though it’s not exactly “Rambo”.
In my opinion, Brian Tyler has done a fine job updating Rambo to 2008 and if this is a taste of things to come, then this will be a great year for him. I know I might offend some Jerry Goldsmith fans here, but I think even the great Jerry Goldsmith would struggle to make a soundtrack better than this. The only thing missing is a version of the Main Theme on First Blood Part II. I really wish that Brian Tyler had made a version of that, and who knows? Maybe he did and it will be released on Rambo The Complete Score (wishful thinking).
By: Jack Sawyer
About the Author:
Want to read more about music from film, television or games? Some good soundtracks are sometimes all you need. Visit soundtrack geek for more wonderful movie music.
Heavy Metal – Its Growing Mainstream Appeal
Jan 7th
The music known as heavy metal has for years been misunderstood and much maligned by the general public each and every time they see someone in heavy metal clothing. This is very much due to the associations the genre has with negative social concerns including that of religion and the many cases of fans running afoul with the law. These same fans attend heavy metal concerts drinking large amounts of alcohol and end up drunk, leading to problems and accidents normally associated with the condition, including drunken fights and car accidents. Heavy metal bands and artistes generally do not help much to improve the image of the genre, as they are often portrayed as drunken rebels who indulge in material excesses such as the above-mentioned alcohol binges and drug use.
However, there are heavy metal artistes and bands who are wholly professional about their art, and are known as hardworking musicians who dedicate hours upon hours to their craft and music. Bands such as Dream Theater and surprisingly, Metallica, are serious musicians despite the latter’s famous partying ways often reported in the media. Music magazines that concentrate on specific musical instruments have invited various band members to provide musical and performance advice, and these individuals are very much lauded in the professional music industry for their effort and abilities. In fact, heavy metal bands can often boast of members who number amongst the top musicians in their specific musical instruments. Dream Theater’s John Petrucci has, for years, been considered one of the most gifted guitarists in modern times, and has been voted in numerous awards.
So it is solely the result of the merits derived from the work of these heavy metal musicians that the genre itself has over the years, been taken more seriously in both the music and entertainment industries. While heavy metal music has its foundations in basic power chords, chugging rhythms and fast paced songs, the many sub genres that has spawned from a free spirited creativity in the community has resulted in it being one of the most versatile musical genre in history. There are many camps within heavy metal that swear by its more specialized forms, but these purists also encourage diversity and exploration from their own work. It is not uncommon to find heavy metal bands to have a wide repertoire throughout their discography. The more mainstream bands such as Metallica have one time or another in their career, explored different musical forms such as classical, rock and even pop.
Perhaps to emphasize the influence heavy metal has had on both the industry and the public has been the increasing number of heavy metal acts that have populated the popular music charts, as well as the growing visibility of the genre in commercial marketing and advertising avenues. Heavy metal merchandise continues to be one of the top selling products in various forms, from heavy metal shirts and CD sales, to other apparel and even tattoos. Many heavy metal bands, no matter how underground they consider themselves to be, are also keen to include merchandise sales in their efforts to promote themselves and the music. Even the hardest forms within the genre such as black and death metal have been able to break into the consciousness of the public in major European countries, making constant appearances in their musical charts.
By: Neil Hornby
About the Author:
Neil Hornby is a music journalist who delights in heavy metal merchandise. He has amassed a huge collection of heavy metal clothing such as heavy metal shirts.
Running an Underground Death Metal Music Record Label
Jan 4th
My first injection of Extreme Metal Music was back in 1985, i was 13 and a Metallica – “Ride The Lighning” cassette crossed my paths (Yes back then that was considered Extreme). I remember being at home alone with my crappy old “Ghetto Blaster” (that ‘ate tapes’) and fascinated at the cool “Electric Chair” cover art, it was at that moment within the first 30 seconds of “Fight Fire with fire” that my life would no doubt be set down a new path and Extreme Death Metal Music would be my fate. I remember being blown-away and scared shitless at the same time. The shear aggression and speed of the music was unlike anything i had ever heard (remember this was 1984 and i was 13 and Def Leppard was about the heaviest i had ever heard) and it was that very song that forever changed my life (thanx James) and led me to investigate this style of music even more. Bands like Slayer, Venom, Possessed and Death became the metal music that “Got me thru the day”
Well, the year is now 2008 and even though Metallica’s “Ride The Lighning” is still one of my top 20 favorite albums of all time, Extreme Metal Music is like drugs, one is too many and a thousand is not enough.
The need for faster, heavier, more brutal and intense music dosages becomes the addiction. In today’s world of Extreme Metal Music – Metallica would probably be considered choir boys.
I guess it’s time to talk about what this article is actually about… running an underground Death Metal Record Label. First off, running an underground death metal label like this usually meansrunning it from your parents basement, or if your a grown man who just can’t seem to grow up, your running it from your own basement and are constantly having to remind your wife,”would you rather me be here at home with you wasting all our money, or at the strip clubs wasting all our money). Truth be told probably 90% of Death Metal Record Labels that exist do it for the pure love of the music and do it on top of working 40 – 50 hours a week doing something that actually makes money, and to those who continue to do it while investing their own money and risking their marriages and relationships i raise my Corona and “Cheers You!”… But that’s just what Extreme Metal does to people, there is a devotion to it, there is just this undeniable force that encapsulates you… it’s like being in a gang… a really large gang!
I work for a small record label CDN Records, a basement run 2 person operation managing over 2000 Extreme titles in the genres of Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Grindcore, Goregrind, Black Metal, Thrash Metal and more. The other person involved again and actually the one who started the label, a grown man like myself in his late 30’s obsessed with metal music in it’s most extreme form and probably the biggest “Death” (the band) fan you will ever meet. He started the label over 15 years ago, originally called “Civilian Death Network”, but after 9-11 it was apparent that we needed to change the name, hence (CDN Records). The label started out mostly as a “Tape Trading” network trading various Death metal bands demos with other Death Metal music fans around the world, and back then without the internet and low-cost’s of producing cd’s the cost involved could bankrupt most people. Most of us doing this tape trading stuff usually spent every last extra penny we had, we begged borrowed and stole just so we could pay for postage.But with the advent of the internet and the ability to manufacture “CD’s” cheap the label was able to evolve into a full-blown record label, signing and releasing
bands.
Currently we have over 15 of our own titles, and what we do is trade our titles with other Extreme Labels around the world which increases our distro catalogue. It’s a great system, and its probably the only form a music in the world (that i know of) that operates like this… again reminding me of the bond and devotion to Extreme Music us “Metalheads” have. It’s like there is no competition between all Underground metal labels, we work together to create an even larger network. Its and even better deal for alot of the bands in the Death Metal, Extreme Music genre. We have taken bands who would never have been able to get their music on a cd let alone shipped out and into the hands of metalheads around the world… and that’s a great feeling and what fuels us to keep going.
Although, we first do this for the love of Death Metal music, we definitely work very hard at trying to get “Death Metal Music” to pay the bills. How much better could it get? promoting the music you love and making a living do it…
Tips for staring your own Death Metal Record label:
1. Find a band that you really like and has already recorded their own full-length cd (This saves you money)
2. Sign the band to a simple distribution deal, you press 1000 copies and give the band a few hundred copies (most death metal bands will jump at the chance for this)
3. Get yourself a simple web site and the ability to sell your product online.
4. Spend countless hours surfing the internet looking for other small Extreme Death Metal labels… create a long list
5. Contact all the labels you found online and ask if they do “Trades”, usually trades are based on a point system you’ll figure that out quick.
6. Most labels will trade 3-5 copies to start, trade with 100 labels you now have 300-500 titles to add to your web sites online catalogue
7. Don not take more than 10 copies of any one title… 3-5 at most
8. Promote online, Promote Online, Promote online… forums, blogs, myspace etc etc.
9. Repeat steps 1 thru 7 once you have no more of the original 1000 cd’s you pressed, of the cd traded well press the same release, if you struggled
to get other labels to take it on trade, search for a new band and try again.
10. You will be very lucky to sell more than a few thousand copies of any 1 Extreme Death metal cd, Grindcore cd or Black Metal CD (unless you happy to get lucky enough to sign the next Cannibal Corpse or Cradle of Filth) release so don’t get frustrated, the key is to
build your online catalogue with 1000’s of titles to chose from and enjoy the fact that you are now promoting and selling 100’s of Extreme Metal bands.
For all you Death Metal, Brutal Death metal, Melodic Death metal, Grindcore, Goregrind, Black Metal and Thrash Metal needs, stop on by www.cdnrecords.com
By: Cory Chauvin
About the Author:
CDN Records is an underground indie record label specialzing in heavy metal sub-genres including Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal Music, Melodic Death Metal, Black Metal, Grindcore and more.
Korn Planting New Metal Underground Roots and Growing a Rock & Roll Empire
Jan 2nd
When their band L.A.P.D. dissolved, band members Reginald Arvizu, James Shaffer, and David Silveria decided to keep going. They recruited guitarist Brian Welch and a singer named Corey to help them start a new band called Creep. Later, in 1993, the band saw vocalist Jonathan Davis performing with his band, Sexart. The musicians met and Creep attempted to get Davis to join them. Davis wasn’t initially interested though. Rumor has it that he consulted a psychic before he was convinced the move was a good one. Shortly after Davis joined Creep, the band name was changed their name to Korn. They set to work on their first demo CD which they titled ‘Neidermeyer’s Mind’. It was 1994 and Korn set out to get themselves a record deal. The music scene at the time was primarily centered around the Grunge genre and Korn wasn’t fitting the bill. Finally, Immortal Records signed the band and they got to work on their first album.
Korn self-titled the new album, which was a wild combination of hip-hop, funk, punk rock and heavy metal. After the album’s release, Korn hit the road for an intense bout of concert dates. Korn packed venue after venue and their fan base exploded. By 1995, Korn was in the position to open for rock legend, Ozzy Osbourne. This single event threw Korn into the public eye and ensured their place in mainstream rock. Korn’s second album ‘Life Is Peachy’, debuted in 1996. In the first week alone, the album sold more than 100,000 copies and soared up the charts to the number 3 spot. In support of the new album, Korn went on tour with Metallica. They continued to make rock fans want more when they performed with Tool in 1997 at the Lalapalooza Music Festival. Then, in 1997, Korn formed their own successful record label called, Elementree Records. Korn released their third album, ‘Follow The Leader’ in the fall of 1998. It was a resounding success, shooting up the charts, straight to number one. Two singles, “Got The Life” and “Freak On A Leash” were wildly popular in the mainstream music world. Both song videos were heavily requested on MTV and ‘Freak On A Leash’ even won the band a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form.
The video also won the band nine different MTV video awards the same year. In support of their new album, Korn started the ‘Family Values Tour’. Korn was the headline act for the tour, which turned out to be highly successful. Incubus, Orgy, Limp Bizkit, Ice Cube, and Rammstein toured with Korn. The following year, the tour resumed, but Korn only made surprise appearances, instead leaving the headline to Limp Bizkit. For the band’s fourth album, they let fans submit artwork through MTV. The winner’s artwork was featured on the ‘Issues’ album when it was released in 1999. Korn became one of the only all-white groups to play at the Apollo in support of the new album. To a full house, Korn played the entire album, end to end with the help of some NYPD musicians and house back-up singers. It wasn’t until 2002 that Korn released another album.
Although ‘Untouchables’ debuted at number 3 on the charts, it wasn’t nearly as successful as the previous albums were. Overall, the album did well though and the single ‘Here To Stay’ even won Korn a Grammy for Best Rock Performance. Korn’s ‘Greatest Hits Vol 1′ debuted in 2004. It hit the charts solidly at #4 and sold like mad. A compilation of covers and Korn’s hits over the previous 10 years. One of the singles was actually a medley of the three parts of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall”. A remix of their hit single “Freak on a Leash” also made it onto the album as a bonus track. By 2005 Korn’s musical enterprise was growing and they entered into a very unique contract with Virgin Records. Virgin paid the band a reported $25 million dollars up front with a 30% future royalty agreement tacked on. Virgin would then get a portion of all Korn’s merchandising and ticket sales. It was a deal that neither side could refuse.
Korn’s first album for Virgin, ‘See You on the Other Side’, was released in late 2005. The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200. The first single from the album, “Twisted Transistor” peaked at #3 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks. The second single, “Coming Undone”, was accompanied by a wild video with special effects never seen before.
Korn set out on the ‘See You On The Other Side’ tour in support of the album. The tour kicked off in the bands hometown of Bakersfield, where the mayor declared it ‘Korn Day’ which is Feb. 26 for those who wish to celebrate. The tour was eventually canceled though when Davis fell ill. Korn’s untitled eighth album was released on July 31, 2007, and once again topped the charts, debuting at number 2. The singles “Evolution”, “Hold On” and “Kiss” have all been quite successful releases. “Hold On” and “Kiss” both managed to get into the top 10 on the charts, keeping Korn in the mainstream. Rumor has it that Korn will be recording a new album later this year. The yet-to-be titled 9th studio album from the band should be released sometime in fall of 2009. It’s also rumored that Korn will once again hit the touring circuit with the ‘Family Values Tour’ on behalf of the album.
By: Vin Hayes
About the Author:
For More On Korn And More About Your Favorite Rock Bands And Music, Visit http://AudioFlip.Com
AudioFlip.Com is dedicated to rock and roll music and rock culture. The site offers the latest music news, rock band reviews, music videos, free music downloads, indie music, concert ticket information, rock radio, pics of rock stars, rock fashion, tattoos and piercings and everything else rock music fans need. Musicians can also learn about the music industry, get guitar lessons, learn how to play the drums, get independent record label information, learn about concert promotions and much more.
Soilwork – Chainheart Machine – Heavy Metal Music CD Review
Dec 30th
Chainheart Machine is the latest Heavy Metal CD put out by the highly group Soilwork and they have once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I’m confident Soilwork fans, and Heavy Metal fans alike will be pleased with this one.
It’s a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I’m more than happy to announce that’s exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn’t a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it’s own.
Chainheart Machine is a nicely varied, mix of 9 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly talented musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.
Listen to this CD and I believe you’ll find there’s not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and this is clearly the work of a group of musicians in top form. So much so that if you’re even mildly into Heavy Metal music you’ll enjoy this album.
While this entire album is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 4 – Generation Speedkill, track 7 – Spirits Of The Future Sun, and track 9 – Room No. 99.
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – Chainheart Machine. It’s a great track!
Chainheart Machine Release Notes:
Soilwork originally released Chainheart Machine on February 8, 2000 on the Century Media Records label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. Chainheart Machine, The
2. Bulletbeast
3. Millionflame
4. Generation Speedkill (Nice Day For A Public Suicide)
5. Neon Rebels
6. Possessing The Angels
7. Spirits Of The Future Sun
8. Machine Gun Majesty
9. Room No. 99
Soilwork: Bjorn “Speed” Strid (vocals); Peter Wichers, Ola Frenning (guitar); Carlos Del Olmo Holmberg (keyboards); Ola Flink (bass); Henry Ranta (drums).
Additional personnel: Ullik Johansson, Fanny Petersson, Julia Petersson, Amanda Ingvaldsson (violin); Katalin Tibell (viola); Alva Ingvaldsson (violincello).
By: Clyde Lee Dennis
About the Author:
Detroit Concerts – Upcoming concerts, tickets, musicians, news, and events!
Rock Music and Its Genres
Dec 29th
Rock music comes in a range of forms so the chances are good that everyone on this planet will be able to appreciate at least a few songs. Having said that, rock music is not a style that appeals to everyone. It can be a bit hard and loud for those who prefer their music light and airy. The lyrics can also be on the dark side and depending on the genre, a little depressing. Those who love rock have their particular genres and tend not to stray too much. Those who love soft rock for instance, won’t spend much time or money on the punk rock or metal scene. Likewise, metalheads wouldn’t be caught dead cruising the pop rock aisle. Alternative rock is a genre that encompasses many others, some of which are included below.
Punk rock is one of those fiercely anti-establishment music genres that your parents hate. It developed between 1974 and 1977, mainly in the US, UK and Australia. Punk rock moved away from mainstream 70s rock by stripping down the instrumentation, playing faster and harder and writing more political or nihilistic lyrics. Writing also confronts sex and relationships in a manner that was scandalous at the time for its anti-sentimentality. It struck a chord with rebellious youths of the time who adopted a particular style of dress and developed their anti-authoritarian philosophies. It was a scornful answer to the political idealism of the time and strongly rejected the flower-power hippie movement. Punk resulted in a total cultural revolution, which gradually led to the development of the alternative rock movement.
Alternative rock serves as an umbrella term for all underground music that has come about since the mid 80s. Its characterised by its rejection of mainstream culture and materialism. Those who feel cast aside by society or who feel like they don’t fit in anywhere else often embrace it. It has no set musical style and ranges from grunge to gothic rock. Lyrics are often concerned with social issues like drug use and depression.
Pop punk combines punk rock and pop music and is thus known as a fusion genre. Pop influenced punk has been around since the 70s. It has a faster rhythm than hardcore punk, from which it mainly originated. Their approach is more positive and sarcastic than other punk genres and this is their distinguishing characteristic. Their brattiness also provided many punk fans with relief from the moodiness and nihilistic lyrics of the grunge and hardcore punk bands.
Heavy metal, or simply metal developed in the 60s and early 70s. Vocals vary widely from a multi-octave theatrical approach (Bruce Dickenson from Iron Maiden), to a gruff style (James Hetfield of Metallica), to screaming and growling and a phlegm-clogged, possessed style. Lyrics most commonly revolve around sex, violence, death and the occult. They also feature fantasy inspired themes.
Thrash metal emerged in the early 80s, with a sound that was faster and more aggressive than traditional metal bands. Lyrics dealt with social or political issues or were nihilistic in content.
Death metal came about as thrash evolved into more extreme genres. It is characterised by lyrics that emphasise blasphemy, aggression, violence and Satanism. Vocals tend to include guttural “death grunts”, high-pitched screaming and various other hardcore techniques.
Emo is a sub-genre of hardcore punk. It began in the mid 90s and was used to refer to the indie scene. These days the term has expanded to include such a wide variety of bands that very few of them have anything in common. This expansion makes the term very difficult to qualify. It has become so broad, in fact, that many bands and fans of the bands have rejected the “emo” label as it does nothing to distinguish them from hundred of others. It merely lumps them into a single category because they may dress in a similar fashion to other bands, or some of their songs may be popular within the “emo” scene. However, those who identify strongly with the “emo” scene and label are severely offended when the term is applied loosely to so many bands that don’t fit the profile. Guy Picciotto of Fugazi and Rites of Spring was once asked how he felt about playing an instrumental role in creating the emo genre. This was his reply, ” I don’t recognise that attribution. I’ve never recognised “emo” as a genre of music. I always thought it was the most retarded term ever. … every band that gets labelled with that term hates it. They feel scandalised by it. But honestly, I just thought that all the bands I played in were punk rock bands. …”
Some other famous rock stars have their say.
“We weren’t too ambitious when we started out. We just wanted to be the biggest thing that ever walked the planet.” — Steven Tyler
“… I don’t want you to play me a riff that’s going to impress Joe Satriani; give me a riff that makes a kid want to go out and buy a guitar and learn to play- …” Ozzy Osbourne
“We never thought of ourselves as a ‘heavy metal band’ we’ve always regarded ourselves as a rock band. The big difference we’ve always thought we had a lot more feel for rock, we always went out for songs, not riffs or heavy, heavy sounds. But every now and again it does come on like a sledge hammer.” — Angus Young, guitarist with AC/DC
“Whenever society gets too stifling and the rules get too complex, there’s some sort of musical explosion” – Slash/Guns ‘n Roses
Recommended sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_rock
http://www.musicwithease.com/rock-quotes.html
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/quotes.html
By: Sandy Cosser
About the Author:
Sandra wrote this article for the online marketers Rock Music News rock music news [http://www.rock-music-news.info] one of the leading site indexes for rock music news.
Music T-shirt — a Style statement for Generations
Dec 28th
“There are so many different options that anyone anywhere can design a t-shirt that fits their own personal style perfectly but design a t-shirt with music is a great and unique idea to enhance the personality of the wearer.”
Music and t-shirt are both integral parts of our lives, one is necessary for our body and the other one is for our soul. And when both are combined, they not only maximize our personality but also satisfy our inner desire to fill music in every aspect of our lives. Since the beginning of the 20th century, t-shirts are a popular item to wear for both comforts and style; there was sometime in the late 1970’s, the music industry made its debut, taking fashion and marketing steps through t-shirts. Since then, music tees has become a popular choice for every music lover around the World.
With the increasing number of the music bands and stars, the demand for the music t-shirts has also increased. There are a lot of band tees available nowadays to help you show your personal taste and style.Rock band t-shirts are the most common music t-shirts. Different music bands like rock n roll, punk, gothic and heavy metal are picturised and printed on t-shirts. Rock band t-shirt not only helps music lovers to advertise the bands they are fond of, but also helps them to find some likeminded persons.
You can purchase your band tee on the net for a great deal and wide choice as there are many online clothing company devoted exclusively to music lovers. You can find there a large variety of music band t-shirts especially when it comes to the colors and prints on them. Usually most of the band t-shirts available online are quite inexpensive because they have a promotional purpose. After all, anyone with a band t-shirt promotes their product for free every time wearing it. There are many websites where you can place order for a custom made t-shirt. You can choose your very own graphics and lyrics to make your very own music t-shirt. Custom made music t-shirt can make a great gift for any music lover.
You can popularise your own personal choice by wearing your very own music t-shirt because the kinds of t-shirts you wear say a lot about you. These t-shirts are great to wear to concerts, shows, festivals, school, work, and for hanging out with your music friends. Lyrics Tees are also there to make a huge style statement. They can be a real conversation starter to help you make some good friends. For whatever reason you choose to wear music t-shirt, it’ll prove to be the best way to tell everyone who you really are.
By: Brad Zockoll
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For more information about music t-shirt,please visit: http://www.orphanlyrics.com/.