Hit or Miss
December 22, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Rock music can be a thinking man’s game, or a foolish warble of the uneducated.
While the manipulative media tries to sell us the manufactured droning they create for their personal gain, those with a sense of taste and passion for music can see through the illusion weaved around these pieces of audible rubbish.
The record companies, radio stations and other such media implement devious tactics to subliminally persuade and lure unknowing victims into their money-making machines - and if that isn’t bad enough, these factions work in tandem with each other to secure more profits through album sales.
We, the music fans, have the upper hand. We have the choice to listen to what we want to, without being told to do so. We can see the folly of manufactured music.
Sadly, though, it’s these manufactured bands and artistes that rake in the money and fame - thanks to the unseen hands of the elements mentioned above - and the result of this oligopoly of popular bands that cast a blinding shadow over their talented peers.
Let me pit some authentic rock bands against their manufactured counterparts, just so we can see the difference in creativity and talent present in their respective lyrics on paper.
Fly To The Rainbow by Scorpions
Spoken Word:
Somewhere in the blue distance
Are those long forgotten trees of yore
A broken violin floating alone in December
Darkness everywhere, and nothing more
Symbol, strange symbol, melancholy
Painting torrid colors on a sky of green
Candle breathing one night only
Far away, in chillness, bleak, unseen
Drifting galley, ghostlike shadow
Sails rigged to catch and kill the time
Echoes wandering down an endless meadow
I feel … sublime
Taken from their album of the same title, Fly To The Rainbow stands out as the band’s most progressive and enigmatic song in their illustrious career - largely due to guitar virtuoso Uli Jon Roth still playing in the band at the time. These spoken words towards the end of the song help create a lush, mystical landscape for a supernatural escape of the mind from the material world.
It truly is rare to see such breathtaking lyrics in popular music today.
This Godless Endeavor by Nevermore
Third Verse:
Our organic equation has shown its flaw
Can we agree to disagree on the concept of God?
As I lifted up my brother he said to me,
“Abandon naive realism, surrender thought in cold precision”
Fourth Verse:
We contemplate oblivion as we resonate our dissonance
In godless random interpretation
The universe still expands, mankind still can’t understand
Taken from the title track of their 2005 masterpiece by the titans of progressive thrash metal, Nevermore’s vocal wizard Warrel Dane derives much of his inspiration from subjects such as artificial intelligence, and political and theological issues as well.
The words for This Godless Endeavor capture the inability of the human race to transcend the limitations of our very own existence, thus echoing the endless questions that hound every man who seeks the key of life.
This is an absolutely brilliant example of thought-provoking lyrics.
I’m Not OK by My Chemical Romance
First Verse:
Well if you wanted honesty, that’s all you had to say
I never want to let you down or have you go, its better off this way
For all the dirty looks, the photographs your boyfriend took
Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor?
Chorus:
I’m not okay
I’m not okay
I’m not okay
You wear me out
Terrible…this is just terrible.
The only thing worse than the lyrics to this song is the actual song itself - I wonder how this bunch of bratty emo clowns who resemble a bunch of schoolgirls made it so far.
Shut Up! by Simple Plan
Chorus:
So shut up shut up shut up
Don’t wanna hear it
Get out get out get out
Get out of my way
Step up step up step up
You’ll never stop me
Nothing you say today
Is gonna bring me down
These words belong in the diary of a 13-year old, not on the liner notes of a CD. I guess their simple plan was to come up with lyrics even a mentally-retarded person would write so they can appeal to prepubescent girls around the world.
Please, do get out of my way.
For Those About To Rock
December 22, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Rock music was, at one point in recent history, a global revolution on the world map. It brought millions around the world together to help stand up and fight against common causes, such as war and famine. Rock festivals, like the legendary Woodstock ’69, were massive celebrations of the human spirit but are now distant memories.
We are only left with faint images of the glorious past of rock ‘n roll and we carry on the lessons of unity and harmony it has taught us. The illustrious and carefree days of rock ‘n roll are gone forever.
Has rock music lost its purpose in music today? Or is it going through a temporary dip in popularity?
One of the reasons that hastened the demise of rock ‘n roll was political stability, ironically rock ‘n roll thrived during the chaotic years of the 60s and the 70s - the times when the signs of another world war were looming in the minds of people all over the globe. Rock ‘n roll served as a platform to speak out against foolish government policies and to stand up to oppression, in whichever form it appeared in.
Times have changed, and the world is a more peaceful place to be in. There seems to be relatively little to complain about these days, and our steadier political and economical environments have taken away a lot of the angst and anger from rock musicians.
Another factor would be the emergence of other styles of music that are just as popular as rock music today. Back then, it was all about rock ‘n roll. From Elvis Presley to the Beatles to KISS, rock music was the sound of a generation, and was adored by millions all over the world. Today, we hear just as much about rap or hip hop as we hear about modern rock - which is undoubtedly the most recent incarnation of rock ‘n roll - and this results in these other styles of music attaining massive amounts of popularity as well. Rock music no longer rules the roost; it is merely an equal partner in music today.
The music business has also seen the boom of rap music - and of course it’s financial potential as well - during the 1990s. Rap has continued to flourish, and has been around for too long to be overlooked as a fad - and continues to sell even more than it did during the monumental years of the 90s. It has even transcended the barriers once holding it back; rap music is no longer an African-American affair - and the emergence of a new generation of trendy - and very sellable - rap stars has secured the genres popularity for several years at the very least.
Rock music has also undergone some serious watering-down in recent years, with such sub-genres like emo and post-punk doing much to make rock music appeal to the younger MTV generation.
This has led to the formation of some of the worst pseudo-rock bands to ever see the light of day, like My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte and Simple Plan. With their absurd fashion sense and makeup - and even worse songs - they tend to appeal mainly to prepubescent schoolgirls who don’t know any better. It’s even sadder when you consider the fact that these appalling posers will be sometime soon be better remembered than, say, Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughan. Modern rock bands like Nickleback and Hoobastank don’t help much either - there should’ve been an edict of some sort to ban them and the millions of other bands who sound just like them, from ever using the term “rock” to describe their music.
This is the end of an era.
Flamboyant Frontmen Part I
December 20, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
One of the greatest yet most realistic clichés of the proverbial rock band would be the colourful and extroverted singer. Often the livewire of the band, the frontman screams and shouts, swinging his microphone as the struts on stage as the other members of the band stand motionless in the shadows behind him.
The band, the stage, the arena, the crowd - they all obey the frontman; this is his kingdom, and he calls the shots as he sees fit.
Frontmen also help establish the stage presence and overall aura of a band; and it would be disastrous for a band to have a talented vocalist who lacks the people skills required to lead the band into a rock show night in and night out. It’s their duty to not only carry out a shining vocal performance for the band’s songs, but to also be the middleman between the crowd and the band, bridging the gap between mortal men and rock superstars.
Let’s take a look at some of the greatest livewire singers rock music has ever seen.
Robert Plant
Fabulously fashionable with equally fabulous looks and vocal proficiency, Plant was probably rock’s greatest frontman. He made his fame and fortune with British rock legends Led Zeppelin, and played a vital role in helping the band sell their 300 million albums worldwide.
Robert Plant, alongside guitarist Jimmy Page, were the dynamic duo of the band; and with their flare jeans and chest-baring shirts they captured the hearts and minds of millions over the world. Their chemistry on stage, coupled with the raw energy from the rhythm section of John Paul Jones and John Bonham, cemented Led Zeppelin’s place in the annals of rock history.
Plant’s admirable vocal prowess allowed him to add another dimension of mystique and charm to the band’s emotionally-charged tunes, and his trademark stage presence and energy was unparalleled at the time. He can be heard doing what he does best on such Led Zeppelin hits like Stairway To Heaven, Whole Lotta Love and Black Dog.
The tragic death of their drummer John Bonham marked the heartbreaking end of their touring years but Plant will always be remembered as the voice and face of Led Zeppelin.
Axl Rose
With Axl Rose, it’s a love or hate affair. He was the original vocalist of Guns ‘N Roses and only remaining original member left in the new lineup touring today.
Rose shot to fame (pun intended) during the illustrious years of the band in the early 90s - especially after the release of their landmark album Appetite For Destruction - and helped bring immense commercial success to the band with his soulful and energetic singing in songs like Welcome To The Jungle, Paradise City and Sweet Child O’Mine.
It was not all fine and dandy for Rose, though. His temperamental attitude got him and the rest of the band in hot soup in trouble several times, and was probably the reason why all the other members of the band started quitting Guns ‘N Roses one by one.
Rose has landed the band in hot soup numerous times, but one infamous incident involving a fan who was videotaping a Guns show allowed the world to see Rose rear his ugliest head yet. He was also criticized by gay rights activists, who accused Rose of being disseminating anti-gay propaganda.
Fans of the band will never forgive Rose for not allowing the name of their beloved band to rest in peace after having “created” a preposterous Guns ‘N Roses alternate with a forgettable lineup. Not only that, Rose is entirely responsible for the band’s most expensive album never released, entitled Chinese Democracy - which has swallowed over $13 million in production costs over the course of several years, and with no release date in sight. To make matters worse, Rose has said many times previously that the album will be out soon - but with most of the fairly-forgettable material readily available on the internet it’s no surprise that the album will not revive the bands seemingly futile existence.
Even though Rose allowed his personal turbulences get the better of him, he will be remembered as one of the most unique rock ‘n roll voices of the 90s.
Flamboyant Frontmen Part II
December 20, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Freddie Mercury
Mercury was born in Zanzibar to Indian immigrant parents and later grew up in Bombay, and was the world’s first rock star of Indian descent - but largely kept his heritage under the media spotlight because he felt that it would not go to well with his rock star image.
This flashy frontman of Queen had an exceptional vocal range that surpassed 4 octaves, and delivered some technical vocal duties with relative ease and composure. Not only did he front the band, he also wrote most of their songs - ranging from the complex Bohemian Rhapsody (a piece that has over 60 chords) to the band’s simpler and catchier tunes like Under Pressure. Mercury’s talent in music and singing was undeniable, as he could hardly read music and never underwent formal vocal training in his life.
Having graduated with a background in arts, Mercury personally designed the Queen crest himself, and injected Queen with an unmistakable stage presence. Mercury would also spice up the band’s live performances with his piano and guitar playing as well.
Mercury had a troubled personal life, and succumbed to AIDS-related complications the day after he publicly announced his affliction to the world. Mercury’s death created saddening shockwaves around the world, and brought significant attention to the disease - the illness that took the life of one of music’s most talented sons.
Freddie Mercury will never be forgotten as the voice of Queen’s eternally memorable tunes such as We Are The Champions - known to be one of the best known songs in the world - and as an inspiration to thousands upon thousands of musicians and rock ‘n roll fans around the globe.
Ozzy Osbourne
Born John Michael Osbourne, Ozzy - as he was to be known later in life - went through an agonizing childhood. He was frequently bullied in school as a kid for his slow learning abilities, as he was born with dyslexia, and sought refuge in music from an early age.
He sang in various bands but the breakthrough moment for him was when he and guitarist Tony Iommi formed Earth - a band playing a heavier version of blues than their contemporaries. Iommi later changed the name of the band to Black Sabbath (after seeing a poster of the movie with the same title) and they formed what was to be the first heavy metal band.
Ozzy didn’t last long in Black Sabbath, however, as he was procedurally fired by the band’s manager for his lingering drug abuse. Legendary vocalist Ronny James Dio of the band Rainbow replaced him in Black Sabbath, and this alternate lineup produced 3 groundbreaking albums for the band - including the masterpiece Heaven & Hell.
It didn’t take long before he relocated to the United States and carved a rather successful solo career for himself, having sold around 27 million albums to date in the United States alone.
Eccentric and extroverted, yet extremely down to earth to those around him - Ozzy’s success was marred by depression and mood swings brought on as a result of his drug and alcohol abuse - he once infamously bit off the head of a bat on stage after mistaking it for a rubber one. Ozzy was also once found under a piano with a shotgun in his hand by wife Sharon - only after he used the weapon to kill the family’s 17 cats - and was also known to have physically abused her on several occasions.
Ozzy drastically toned down in the latter years of his life - owing much of this to his drug and alcohol-free lifestyle - and has had several television and movie appearances, most notably on his family’s own reality TV show on MTV and the blockbuster Little Nicky where he appears as himself.
Ozzy turned 58 this year, coincidentally alongside some of the greatest rock vocalists in history: Robert Plant, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper and Steven Tyler.
YouTube & Music
December 20, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
YouTube, the video sharing website, erupted in popularity worldwide earlier this year. This, among other factors, prompted a multi-million dollar takeover by Google who predicted the potential benefit of acquiring its resources, and more so, the name that has since become a household one for millions over the world.
YouTube has been the prime destination on the internet for anyone looking for specific video files, or for anyone intending to watch some of the more entertaining ones on a slow day at work. This sort of reputation is worth millions to some, as the amount of visitors flocking the site could spell serious money for those who possess the knowledge and capability of turning hits to gold.
The site has also been at the center of recent internet events, most notably the Mentos and Coke experiments - for those still in the dark, a couple of guys found a way of creating instant geysers by dropping a few Mentos mints into bottles of Coke, and posted videos of their experiments on YouTube for the world to see - thus propelling YouTube’s reputation skyward at an even faster rate.
Besides such lighthearted shenanigans, YouTube has been an outlet for amateur musicians and bands to showcase their talents to the world, without the absurd costs of producing a professionally-shot music video. Anyone with a decent amount of talent and a webcam can post a video on YouTube, and this eliminates the money-minded middlemen from the equation - thus making independent music easily available to anyone on the internet. This creative exchange works both ways, as unsigned bands and amateur musicians now have a virtual stage for them to perform on, whenever they want to, and the recognition and popularity achieved by YouTube thus far can help these struggling musicians gain the exposure they need.
YouTube also stores, within the safe confines of its databases, thousands upon thousands of music-related videos produced for established musicians and bands. Key in the name of an artiste or band in the search section of the site and it will produce useful results - of course, the amount of results returned from your search depends on an artiste’s popularity. For example, there would be hundreds, if not thousands, of Michael Jackson videos as opposed to maybe just a few MC Hammer videos.
This treasure chest of sorts can contain music-related documentaries, interviews, live clips and fan-made videos that can be of much interest to music aficionados around the world. Once again, YouTube lessens the dependence of fans on other more expensive forms of media - such as DVD releases - and gives them the option of streaming videos for no cost at all. This can be a welcome change to cash-strapped college students or unemployed music fans who can’t afford to purchase pricey CDs and DVDs all the time.
Having said that, YouTube can be viewed as a video version of Napster, the once-hugely popular free music sharing service that brought upon itself mixed reviews from internet users and musicians.
So, what is YouTube’s greatest potential when it comes to music?
YouTube can act as a whole new outlet for music, and can be just as important as our local radio stations and other forms of media, when it comes to bringing music from the studios to the homes of fans. YouTube can also easily defy the constraints of mainstream music, such as censorship and the money-grabbing tactics of record companies, by bringing unadulterated music - that is not watered-down in any way - direct to the ears of listeners. We might even see videos exclusive only to YouTube in the near future - it’s all possible.
Boybands: The Bastard Sons of Music
December 19, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Oh boy…where do I start?
Boybands have been a regular part of mainstream music, especially here in Malaysia. It seems that all boybands, no matter how awful they are, achieve quite a generous amount of album sales in the country even though they tend to fail miserably elsewhere.
We have seen the appearance, and soon their inevitable disappearance, of many boybands. Code Red, 911, Five…they all come and go, leaving almost no musical impact after their desertion. Then why do the prepubescent girls (and some sexually-confused guys) here always fall for the same pretty faces? Is the overall standard for music in Malaysia so low that the industry has to rely on these one-hit-wonders to generate profits for the record companies? Or do Malaysians, in general, have such an appalling musical taste that every bubblegum-pop tune is swallowed down mindlessly, time and time again?
Malaysia, we are being laughed at here. We are listed as the only country to allow the pint-sized freaks 911 (remember them?) to have a No.1 hit, for a total of 18 weeks. 18 weeks, people.
This has to be the saddest article I’ve written in all my years of writing.
911
Apparently two of them, Jimmy and Spike, were dancers on a late night show called The Hitman and Her. Then, they had a brilliant idea - of forming their own group when they were getting better responses (probably from gay men) than the acts they were supporting. Their final member, Lee, only got into the group after his sister persuaded Jimmy and Spike to let him in. You sure showed ‘em what a man’s made of, Lee.
What dancing has to do with singing in a midget boy band is anyone’s guess, but after a long career of 5 years - hey, that’s long when you think about how many of them disappear after a couple of weeks - they decided to call it quits. Good riddance, I say.
As the norm for almost any boy band, they did have their share of hit singles - with ridiculous titles such as Love Sensation (that’s an orgasm, you idiots), How Do You Want Me To Love You? (how about “no”?), and A Little Bit More (of what?)
For a boy and labeled as the “next Take That” - they sure fell short (pun intended) of the mark.
Hanson
No other established all-male musical ensemble has ever appeared and sounded more feminine than this bunch of fags. When they first appeared on the radio, I remember having lengthy arguments with friends who kept telling me they were girls - and the only reason I was convinced that they were, in fact, effeminate teenagers were their names.
Hanson is made up of brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac - but their names won’t help tell them apart since they all look the same anyway.
They will never be forgiven - in this lifetime or the next - for releasing the terrible and irritating single MMMBop in 1997. We will never know what the title of the song stands for but here are the lyrics for the chorus of the song - see if you can make anything out of it:
MMMBop, ba dubi dop ba do bop,
Ba dubi dop ba do bop,
Ba dubi dop ba do. Oh yeah,
MMMBop ba dubi dop ba do bop,
Ba dubi dop ba do bop,
Ba dubi dop ba do
I have nothing else to say…
No Mercy
Ooh, a bunch of tough guys…
No Mercy was formed by one Frank Farian, Marty Cintron III and brothers Ariel and Gabriel Hernandez - and focused on incorporating dance tunes into their music thus making their gay music even gayer.
Known for their terrible song titles and lyrics, No Mercy has released singles such as Where Do You Go - one of their Hot 100 Top 40 hits in 1996, the other one being Please Don’t Go. Looks like these boys don’t like traveling (and English) that much.
No Mercy can be credited for other dreadfully-titled singles such as Hello How Are You and Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood. Wow, there’s just no stopping these guys!
Thankfully, though, their language murdering days were over in 2003 when their producer decided to rework the songs for their third album for solo artiste Daniel Lopes’ debut album entitled Shine On.
I guess the producer knew that you can’t polish shit.
Rock Legends Part I
December 19, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Rock bands have helped create and define the music of an era; singing praises to the glory and rebellion of youth while making a stand with their words and music. No other form of music captures the trials and tribulations of the human spirit in times of desperation and moments of triumph, and nothing describes our innermost desires to break free from the monotonous chains of life better than rock music does.
It was the battle cry of revolutionary times and has freed millions of oppressed minds, and has affected more people worldwide than any one religion ever will - it was rock ‘n roll, and it was bigger than any war or other event the world had ever seen.
Let’s take a look at some of the legends of rock ‘n roll.
Beatles
This record-breaking quartet from England was more than just a bunch of trendy musicians: they were the voice of freedom and were a global movement. The Beatles spoke out against war and violence, and their charming personalities melted the hearts of millions worldwide thus generating phenomenal level of euphoria the world over.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were household names overnight, and with 545 million Beatles albums sold worldwide by October 1972 alone, it’s hardly a surprise. The band, with hit singles like I Want to Hold Your Hand, Hey Jude, A Hard Day’s Night and Can’t Buy Me Love, has 20 No. 1 singles in the Billboard Hot 100 charts. They have even marked up a remarkable 5 No.1 hits in Malaysia!
Sadly, though, the tragic assassination of John Lennon rubbed off a significant amount of shine from the band’s illustrious career, and is known as the first rock ‘n roll related assassination.
The Beatles were the symbols of fashion and freedom, and their huge success paved the way for successful solo music careers by each of the members. For all of the success they have brought on to themselves, there might never be a rock band quite as successful as the Beatles in music history.
Led Zeppelin
Another shining example of England’s domination of classic rock, Led Zeppelin was a hugely successful musical outfit who were the darlings of the fans and critics of music as well. Their sublime fusion of many different styles of music into their brand of harder rock ‘n roll made them one of the most unique bands in music history.
Led Zeppelin has sold over 300 million albums worldwide, with nearly 100 million album sales in the United States alone. They were also ranked No. 1 on VH1’s list of the 100 greatest artists of hard rock. Stairway To Heaven stands out as the band’s biggest hit, with the song being played over 4 million times on radio stations worldwide.
The band had it all - a personifying guitarist in the form of a talented Jimmy Page, a hard-hitting rhythm section consisting of drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones, and a flamboyant and equally talented singer Robert Plant in tow as well. Led Zeppelin wrote some of the biggest rock tunes in history - among them Stairway To Heaven, Immigrant Song, Black Dog and Kashmir - but sadly, the untimely death of Bonham due to alcohol asphyxiation marked the end of the band’s prolific career.
The band issued a statement after the tragic death stating that they can’t go on without their beloved friend and band mate with them, and it silenced rumors of the band carrying on with a replacement drummer.
Remaining members Page, Plant and Jones have had their share of musical success with their respective solo projects after the demise of Bonham, with Page and Plant even performing together on some occasions.
Rock Legends Part II
December 19, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
KISS
Arguably the biggest rock band to ever emerge from the United States, this energetic monsters-of-men have gone through tumultuous times in their over 30 years in the industry only to bounce back stronger than ever in the latter stages of their careers.
KISS is comprised of original members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss and with several other musicians helping them along the way - most notably drummers Eric Carr and Eric Singer, and guitarists Tommy Thayer, Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick. Some of these musicians had to even appear on stage - with the required make up and props - to represent the alter egos of the original members Frehley and Criss who exited the band due to creative differences.
The band spawned a craze in the United States for decades - resulting in the production of KISS comic books, movies, a video game and collectibles, including a coffin for die-hard fans named the KISS Kasket.
KISS have caused widespread euphoria and panic in the US with their outlandish stage make up and stunts, and even resulted in hate campaigns against them launched by distraught parents. Some even went to the extent of branding the band Satanic, when in fact their songs are mostly radio-friendly love songs!
The band is known for their sing-along arena rock anthems like Rock And Roll All Nite, Black Diamond, Strutter and Rock Bottom - and is also fondly remembered for their heart-wrenching ballad Beth as well. KISS is also loved by their fans for representing their superhero alter egos on stage - each unique to a band member.
Until today, KISS has sold an estimate of 80 million albums worldwide and with nearly a quarter of the sales coming from sales in the United States alone it’s clear that they have their largest fan base locally. They have slowed down their performance duties quite considerably in the past several years, but continue to perform at certain events.
Scorpions
Easily Germany’s greatest musical export of all time, Scorpions has had its share of success and fame worldwide. The first incarnation of the band was formed in 1965 by rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker, and after several lineup changes the band struck gold with their hard rock hits and sentimental tunes.
The band has had some extremely talented musicians on board in their 30-plus year career, including guitar extraordinaire Uli Jon Roth and Rudolf’s equally talented guitarist brother Michael who made a name for himself with a solo career. But it was prominent vocalist Klaus Meine who was the star attraction of the band throughout their years - the undersized vocalist had an outstanding vocal range and belted out the band’s emotionally-charged tunes with unbridled energy and conviction. Rudolf played an equally important part as well; he has written almost all of the band’s songs single-handedly.
Having sold over 60 million albums in total worldwide, the band has achieved 30 platinum and 78 gold record certifications worldwide. Scorpions also boast some rather eccentric achievements as well - by being the first band to play in the former Soviet Union, and to perform during the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The band will always be remembered for their hard rocking hits like In Trance, Pictured Life and Don’t Stop At The Top, and their slower peace-loving anthems such as Wind Of Change and Under The Same Sun.
No other rock ‘n roll band has quite captured the adoration of so many fans worldwide like Scorpions have, and as a testament to this the band still releases albums and tours on a regular basis, albeit with some younger replacements on board.
Weapons of Choice
December 18, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
There have been many variables throughout rock music’s effervescent history - it can be said that almost nothing stays the same, and no one escapes from the madness that paves the road to rock stardom.
And through all those emotional rollercoaster rides of dreams coming true and of devastating shortcomings, every rock hero relies on their music, their equipment and their persona to make it through the day - just to battle it out on stage, tooth and nail, again and again.
Let’s take a look at some electric guitars, or more precisely, the most important electric guitars in rock ‘n roll history.
Fender Stratocaster
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The Stratocaster, or Strat as it is commonly known by guitarists, is probably the greatest electric guitar to ever see the light of day. Leo Fender’s ingenious design made the Strat an easy to use instrument with all the trappings one would need on an electric guitar. The Strat became a popular choice for musicians from the start, and has been seen in the hands of such rock legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Yngwie Malmsteen, Matthias Jabs of the Scorpions and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.
The Strat is an extremely versatile instrument as well, as it has served blues and rock guitarists as much as it has been utilized by heavy metal.
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson’s signature model was created through the ideas of the musician it was named after. The Les Paul boasts an unmistakable sound that suits rock and blues very well, and is popular with guitarists from other styles of music as well. Its rich, warm tone is the total opposite of the sharper, tinny sound produced by the Fender Strat.
The Les Paul is one of the company’s earliest and most efficient designs, thus making it a design very much sought after by other guitar makers. The result: hundreds of Les Paul-inspired guitars have made their way into the market, with the ESP Eclipse and the PRS Singlecut among the better known ones.
As with the Fender Strat, the Gibson Les Paul has been the guitar of choice for some of the greatest figures in rock ‘n roll, such as Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Ace Frehley of Kiss, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Gary Moore.
Gibson Flying V
A radical yet useful design makes the Flying V a truly unique instrument. As the name suggests, the Flying V is shaped like the letter V, and has become a cliché of rock ‘n roll for decades.
Certain guitarists swear by their Flying Vs, and the guitars unconventional shape adds presence to any rock show. The Flying V has also been favorite second guitars to greats Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, who have taken their Flying Vs out for a spin on certain occasions.
The Scorpions guitarist Rudolf Schenker and his brother Michael have used their Flying Vs throughout their careers, and has been the preferred guitar of Metallica front man James Hetfield during the crucial years of the band. The Flying V has also inspired some other significant guitar models from makers such as Jackson and ESP.
Gibson SG
This devilish, double-horned beast of a guitar was simply named SG - short for “Solid Guitar” - and has never been renamed by Gibson since the model was introduced decades ago.
Made famous by groundbreaking guitarists Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and Angus Young of AC/DC, the SG’s menacing but oddly enchanting persona has captured the attention of guitarists from various styles of music.
As with the Les Paul, the SG garnered success for Gibson very early in its history, and has recently spawned a series of SG-inspired guitars. The most notable of these would be the ESP Viper, which has a slightly deformed body shape that is still very much similar to its Gibson counterpart.
Landmark Metal Albums of 2006: Part I
December 15, 2006 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
While I have chosen my personal favorite for the best Metal album of 2006, it was tough narrowing down 5 other albums to be given a notable mention as the landmark albums of the year.
Let’s start things off with a solo project.
Between Two Worlds by I
I is Immortal front man Abbath’s solo project - with help from a few other musicians, of course. Between Two Worlds was the end result of Abbath’s songwriting process, with some lyrical contributions from long-time collaborator and former Immortal band mate Demonaz.
When Abbath dissolved Immortal after their Sons Of Northern Darkness album some years back, he quickly got involved in a Motorhead tribute band named Bombers. Abbath was the vocalist for that band, and it seems that being in a tribute band isn’t the same as writing and performing for the band he single-handedly gave life to. Earlier this year, Abbath announced the reunification of Immortal with a new lineup, as ex-drummer Horgh is plying his trade with legendary Swedish Death Metal outfit Hypocrisy, and ex-bassist Iscariah has his hands tied with his own projects.
As word got around of the reunification, talks were rife about an Abbath solo project as well - and soon enough, some songs were posted on the internet.
Between Two Worlds was the final product and it blew the minds of fans and the media - and as it turned out to be, it was a tasteful blend of old school rock ‘n roll and Sons Of Northern Darkness era Immortal. Solid song structures and catchy hooks are plentiful in this release, making I a project that delivered more than its fair share of goods.
Christ Illusion by Slayer
The latest release by the Thrash Metal legends, Christ Illusion marked the return of original drummer Dave Lombardo from a decade-long hiatus from the band. As with any Slayer release, the hype for this album was unrivalled and its launch was met with intense anticipation from fans.
Everything about the album spelled “successful comeback” - right down to the cover artwork by artist Larry Carroll. The no-holds-barred cover, which depicts a drawing of a disfigured Jesus Christ, was gracefully accepted by fans as it resembled earlier Slayer covers from classic albums Reign In Blood, South Of Heaven and Seasons In The Abyss.
Artwork aside, the songs in Christ Illusion pack quite a punch - it’s great to see that the aging members of the band have actually produced an album which is even faster and heavier than the past few releases. Drummer Dave Lombardo performs the best drum work in the band’s twenty-plus year career, and has actually improved from his time away from Slayer.
Songs like the opening Flesh Storm and the controversial Jihad (which takes the listener into a journey deep into the mind of a terrorist) are pure Thrash Metal, while Eyes Of The Insane takes us back to the more groove-laden tracks like Stain Of Mind. The first single of the album, Cult, is a worthy listen but the best track is saved for last. Supremist is the last, and arguably the best track in the album - it’s probably the best showcase of Lombardo’s lightning-fast drumming. His concrete-smashing blast beats take up the entire chorus parts of the song, and is a great listening pleasure.
The best Thrash Metal album of the year.
