Greg Giraldo, Comedy Lost a Talent and Gained a Legend

I’m not going to say much, I’m just going to let the videos do the talking. All I’m going to say is that comedy has lost a great talent and gained a legend.

photo

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/RQBT4cDSTTI/Comedy+Central+Roast+Larry+Cable+Guy+Arrivals/By1ykFBLr8E/Greg+Giraldo

*Insert Fangs Here*

Written by John M. Ellison IV

Readers, have you ever just come across a news story and just stare in disbelief at the stupidity that you’ve just read about?

American teens are sinking their teeth into each other’s necks, literally.

“If you think about it, there is such glamorization in those teen vampire movies, they make it seem so sexy and appealing and intriguing,” Avitzur says. “It’s all mixed up with passion.”

After reading this, a few thoughts came to my mind…

1. Wow, at first parents were terrified of their daughter was sucking something else.

2. I can imagine a guy thinking “I was hoping she’d swallow another bodily fluid from me.”

3. I can imagine him also thinking “She said she’d suck the life out of me…this is not what I had in mind!”

4. If she thinks she’s a vampire, I just know that I’m getting my ass out by morning!

5. If a girl’s boyfriend is really into bloodletting and drinking blood then well…all he has to do is wait a few weeks every month.

“Ugh, that’s so vile of you! How can you make jokes about teenagers having sex?” Simple, it’s because they do have sex. Anyway, they’re a few themes in this story that are kind of old hat, first theme is scaring the parents of kids with “alternative” tastes and the parents are too narrow minded or stiff to understand the basis of it and who are ignorant of the subculture and judging it based off of their kid’s experiences
I remember when I was in school and other kids (mostly boys) would cut each other and try to become “blood brothers.” For those who don’t know what becoming “blood brothers” means, it’s basically what it sounds like. In this case, it’s when two kids try to become closer by attempting to get their blood into their friend’s system and “stay best friends” by sharing the same blood…Yeah, all you can do is the blank stare on that one.

To emphasize, I’m not taking up for this “Twilight” glam vampire stuff or even trying to defend it. I urge for people to instead of stereotyping an entire subculture/fad, we have to look at the individuals apart of it and understand that even though they can be a part of a culture, it doesn’t mean they are ambassadors for it. It’s eventual you will have some narcissistic “attention whore” who will use a subculture as a vehicle to act like a how I can eloquently put this…a douche bag without knowing or genuinely caring about the subculture they claim to represent.

Bottom line, I just hope that this is just an exaggerated hoax fueled by the loss of irony and sarcasm through message boards and just the internet in general.

Original story

Here

Carlos Santana feat. Nas-Back in Black

Written by John M. Ellison IV

I’ve always had a strong admiration for Carlos Santana’s guitar playing, AC/DC’s Back in Black is one of my favorite songs and they’re times that I prefer Nas over Jay-Z…yeah, I do, deal with it. So, you would think Nas and Carlos Santana doing Back in Black by AC/DC would sound great! Well, after checking out the performance on Lopez Tonight. With the utmost respect, All I can ask is, HOW CAN NAS FUCK UP “BACK IN BLACK?!” I mean, don’t forget, Nas did do a track with Korn on their “Take a Look in the Mirror” album which I enjoyed and felt both artists brought something out of each other.

To emphasize, I’m not that “rappers and rockers should stay separate” guy at all, but, from a musical standpoint, the vocal pattern displayed in Back in Black with vocals by Brian Johnson are quite similar to rap. Actually, they’re a ton of rock songs that display what would be considered “melodic rapping.” For example, on “Back in Black” I noticed a kind of syncopation-driven singing rather than actual melodic singing. So, in that case, you would expect a rapper adapting to a song like “Back in Black” easily. Seriously, the performance on Lopez Tonight sounded like Nas rapping out of key. As soon as I get a video of the Lopez Tonight performance, I’ll post it.

To be fair, the studio version does sound a little more tolerable sound wise. But, to some more seasoned Nas and Santana fans, it would be a disappointment. But, to the new crop who are still new to Nas and Santana might be more open towards this collaboration they will probably enjoy it. Hopefully the rest of Carlos Santana’s album “Guitar Heaven: Santana Performs the Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time” sounds better and is more promising than this collaboration.

Da Dope D.J. RENEGADE SEED OF S.O.U.L! #2

Check out my bro Christopher Irving’s skills Da Dope DJ Renegade Seed of S.O.U.L.! Renegade Seed fuses the screwed and chopped technique of fellow Houston DJ, DJ Screw and the trip-hop atmosphere of Massive Attack. Enjoy!

Check out his other work at…
Zardozz

Tech N9ne’s Absolute Power, Nirvana’s Nevermind and I All Have a Common Thread

by John M. Ellison IV

What does Absolute Power, Nevermind and I all have in common? We were all released on September 24th! Seriously, aside from the sentimental reasons, both Nevermind and Absolute Power both are critically acclaimed albums. On the top 20 albums and artists that I say influenced my style and musical tastes, these are definitely in the top 15 of that list. So, in this case I thought I would feature both albums in the same article.

To kick off this feature…I’m going to start with Nirvana’s Nevermind and then Tech N9ne’s Absolute Power.

In an era where you could find more weaves and hair spray on the pop charts than a Compton salon, the mutated mix of glam rock and heavy metal known as hair metal and synth pop reigned supreme until the early 90’s, specifically 1991. In this case, on September 24th 1991, two things happened, I turned seven years old and Nirvana released “Nevermind.”

Seriously, nobody expected a band from the Pacific Northwest who was inspired by a mixture of Iced Earth, The Pixies, The Beatles, The Ramones, Iggy and the Stooges, Bad Brains, Killing Joke and R.E.M. to actually a year later knock over Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album as the number one album on the billboard charts? Originally, the label expected Nervermind to barely get to Gold. But, Nevermind has gone Diamond, meaning it’s sold over 10 million copies.

With Nevermind, every song is a classic but, they’re three that stand out to me.

“Smells like Teen Spirit”

Just know that somewhere right now there’s some 12 year old that got their first guitar. More than likely, one of the songs they’re learning is probably “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It’s a simple twangy 4 chord power chord intro (that progression being F5–B?5–A?5–D?5) that goes into a dynamic shift that’s reminiscent of The Pixies. In fact, in a January 1994 Rolling Stone interview, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain revealed that “Smells like Teen Spirit” was an attempt to write a song in the style of the Pixies, a band he greatly admired. Here’s the quote:

“I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily that I should have been in that band— or at least a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.”

“Territorial Pissings”

The intro sticks with me badly singing the Youngbloods “Get Together” as a jab to the optimism of the flower child era of the 60’s and 70’s that blasts into something that sounds like the bridge between Iggy and the Stooges “Search and Destroy” and just breaks down into pure adrenaline.

“Breed”

When I first heard this, I thought it sounded like the bridge between Iggy Pop and The Beatles. Like Territorial Pissings, this is a hard driving, yet more melodic tune that captures this earnest and sensitive side in the vocal delivery.

Absolute Power by Tech N9ne

I’m not kidding you, I discovered this album in ‘03, as corny and cliché as it might sound. It sounds like it was made for me. Ugh, that’s so arrogant to say. When it comes to it, rap and I have always had this awkward understanding. More or less, “it is what it is.” I have interests in a few artists but whatever. But, if anything, the kind of rap I had a preference for and still do prefer is the more melodic, rock based, speed flow, less bravado to more introspective, lyrically esoteric and progressive elements. Examples would include guys like Esham, DMX, MF Doom, Kool Keith, Twiztid and others like that more or less spoke to me. So, eventually I run across Tech N9ne.

Tech N9ne reminded me of a more rocked out Busta Rhymes and had this darker psychedelic quality like Esham. Interesting enough, my mom walked in and noticed I was watching the DVD that was on Absolute Power and said “you guys have the same hair!” Only difference was my hair was blue. My mom digs his music too.

I’ve said many times but I’ve actually tried to emulate his speed flow on guitar. So, oddly enough aside including guys like Steve Vai, Randy Rhodes and Buckethead, Tech N9ne is somebody that inspired me to play faster.

Imma Tell

Seriously, how many rappers can you say that they sampled “Mambo Italiano” and added little elements of opera it say it worked? Exactly, that’s why it sticks out to me.

Absolute Power

Aside from The Industry is Punks track, this is the returning F.T.I. theme with great electronic production from German producer RonnzfromBerlin. This song also hits on a personal note, I’m not kidding you; I have a cousin name Jay Farris and his name are pronounced the same as label founder of the former record label JCor, Jay Faires. Hilarious! To understand the reference, listen to the song.

Trapped in a Psycho’s Body

It’s this poetic, haunting track that interpolates the Ice-T classic of “Colors.” Every time I hear this song, it embodies that internal battle of good and evil that everybody has.

In closing, both of these albums have had a strong influence and direction of the music that I make and in a way helped develop my musical preferences. Really studying the albums, and learning about the respected artist’s influences, these albums inspired and influenced me to delve into realms of music that would puzzle the general public but gain the interest of true music lovers.

American Fangs “Le Kick”

I thought I would do a feature on Houston,TX’s own American Fangs. The single “Le Kick” can be describe as infectious sing-a-long rock! Seriously, I’ve had this song stuck in my head since I first heard it. Enjoy!

http://www.myspace.com/americanfangs

http://www.facebook.com/americanfangs

Bishop Eddie Long Gay Sex Scandal…Are You That Surprised?

by John M. Ellison IV

For those who don’t know, Bishop Eddie Long is a pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in the Atlanta,Ga suburb Lithonia. He’s also an author and has released a few gospel albums and was also featured on Ludacris’s album “Release Therapy.”

Now, it seems that a scandal is developing about two young men who alleged that Bishop Eddie Long showed them his “long fellow” when they were 17 and 18.

Okay, where do I start with this? Bishop Eddie Long has a sexual misconduct suit? You mean the muscle shirt wearing dude whose name sounds like a porn star? Okay, to be fair, we don’t know how true or accurate this story is. They’re calling this a “shakedown” but this looks and sounds more like a “shake weight situation.” But, if it is true…I wouldn’t be the surprised. I mean, for example this guy has shown anti-gay sentiments by marching against gay marriage and crusades against homosexual behavior.

“Well, he’s so anti-gay! How could he be gay?” You never heard of self-hate? For some reason, people feel the more adamant you are against something the less likely of a suspect of the cause you’re against. But, this is nothing new; I mean usually any politician that’s adamantly anti-gay usually ends up exposed for their questionable behavior? You would think people would learn…

Here’s an actual quote

“[Long] would use biblical stories to talk about how important it was to follow your leader and master and let them know that the acts they were engaging in did not mean they were homosexual,” Bernstein said.

Bernstein described the young men’s enrollment in the Longfellow Youth Academy where they ascended to the elite group of young men known as Bishop Long’s “Spiritual Sons”.

“[Long] would use biblical stories to talk about how important it was to follow your leader and master and let them know that the acts they were engaging in did not mean they were homosexual,” Bernstein said.
She added that Long told them he was simply “releasing his passion and his love.”

Okay, let’s break this down…you have a guy that has a school that sounds like a dick joke and wants to mentor a small group of young males with a ceremony that at the end has him releasing his “passion and his love” during this ceremony…can you say “pause?”

On a musical note…there’s only one song that fits the situation at hand.

source

http://www.famu.edu/headlines/UserFiles/Image/Eddielong.jpg

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/21/national/main6889038.shtml

http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/bishop-eddie-long-lawsuits-618573.html

http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=155072&catid=3

http://www.ajc.com/news/bishop-eddie-long-megachurch-618781.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hb5f3cNbT0eJnGa3kMFS34MCjTNwD9ID26EG2

Just had a Metallica-based Flashback…

by John M. Ellison IV

I haven’t really done a personal story in awhile. Luckily, I have these in the midst of while working on features. I enjoy sharing these anecdotes because hopefully this kind of gives you a clue of who I am. I’ve told this story a few times. But, I haven’t shared it online…well maybe on a forum or two. I forget, anyway…

When I was in my early teens, around the holiday season I was sitting in the car waiting for my mom to finish shopping and during this time frame, I was becoming more acquainted with local rock station DC 101 and 98 Rock. Anyway, these two older gentlemen were loudly playing their respected music. Nothing unparticular, it was just the usual old school soul of their era and the other guy was playing some gospel. This elevated into a playful battle of the sounds. Which was cool, but don’t forget that the car I’m parked in between these guys with hulking sound systems.

Don’t get me wrong, I dig everything musically and the music wasn’t bad and would’ve enjoyed it as well, but I just wasn’t in that kind of headspace at the moment.

Anyway, the music gets louder and I’m slowly getting kind of annoyed. Interesting enough, on my end the intro to “Enter Sandman” by Metallica is playing. Anyway, I slowly cranked it up until it was audible outside of the car. I EQ’d the setting so the treble and bass were balanced to get that perfect thump of of Lars’s heavy drumming and I’m thrashing about in a goofy manner playing up the head banger stereotype. Then, by the first chorus of Hetfield bellowing “EXIT LIGHT/ENTER NIGHT!”, they had this look of confusion and shock for some reason, anyway those dudes peeled out. The thumping “evil disco” drums must’ve done it.

Honestly, it makes me wonder what would’ve have happened if I was bumping “Hammer, Smash, Face” by Cannibal Corpse.

Jimi Hendrix feature

by John M. Ellison IV

What hasn’t been said about Jimi Hendrix that hasn’t been said before? I mean, from pioneer in heavy metal and hard rock, Bluesman on acid, possible pioneer in what we know as the sex tape, just all around trend setter and pioneer. Anyway, I could go on this meandering babble of how great Hendrix was and just spout the same things you already know. Actually, out of all the artist’s a person should ramble on about…Hendrix is definitely one of them. In fact, Voodoo Chile has been cited as the greatest riff of all time! In fact, if you haven’t heard “Voodoo Chile”, slap yourself.

Unfortunately, September 18th, 2010 marks the day that Hendrix left this planet 40 years ago. But, his influence is still felt in every genre of music. A recent example is how rapper/actor Aubrey Graham better known as Drake mentioned that he has the performance of Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock playing on DVD as an inspiration/motivation before he performs. Honestly, I can’t say that I’m the biggest fan of Drake or really that interested in his music, but just for the sake of him being inspired by the vets that paved the way for these young bloods out here he gains my respect a little bit and yeah I guess I liked “Degrassi: The Next Generation” a little.

Now to focus on the singles from the posthumous Jimi Hendrix “Valleys of Neptunes”

“Bleeding Heart” is this funky, hard rockin’ blues number that brings back rock to its more blues based origins. Whether you like to admit it or not, rock does partly come from the blues and honestly it’s the glue that keeps it stuck together. Sadly, a lot of people forget that. Listening now, they have totally forgotten that or are in denial.

“Valleys of Neptune” is an example of Jimi’s potential of him going into more a jazzier territory. In fact, in an interview Hendrix stated that he was interested in avant-garde jazz and jammed with Larry Coryell and was aware of Sonny Sharrock’s playing.

For more information on Jimi Hendrix, check out

http://www.jimihendrix.com/us/home

Photo courtesy of

http://www.pop-art.dk/downloads/JimiHendrix.jpg

Jesse Nobody feature by John M Ellison IV

The White Stripes, Local H, The Black Keys, and now another power duo to kick music’s ass, Jesse Nobody. Jesse Nobody is a punk rock duo out of Atlanta, GA whose drum and guitar fury is making waves and a name for the band touring wise. Jesse Nobody is the singer/guitarist for the duo who wears a kilt and Sam Adams is a drummer who plays complimentary poppy drum patterns. All around, there overall sound is as menacing as it is charming.

Gathering from their myspace page, it’s kind of hard to confirm what their musical influences are, in fact, under influences they listed anger, fear, sadness, joy, disgust ,surprise, curiosity and acceptance. But, Nobody’s vocals sound very British influenced. It kind of sounds like Mark Morrison meets The Buzzcocks or like a cross between Roland Gift of the Fine Young Cannibals and Jack White of The White Stripes and fused with the guitar playing of Johnny Ramone. I’m not sure he’s influenced by the bands I mentioned, but listen yourself.
Anyway, I heard all four songs on their music page and I enjoyed all of them.

Sex

Clocking in at 52 seconds long, you can’t really call either of them a minute man. I couldn’t resist the opportunity of a lame joke like that.

Love

A poppy Ramones-style punk song for some reason reminds me of the Misfits “Hybrid Moments”

Hate

The title kind of describes itself.

Friendship

As stated in the previous song, “Hate” it’s pretty self-explanatory.

In conclusion, I wouldn’t say there’s a need to overanalyze the music of Jesse Nobody. But, that’s not a bad thing. “Jesse Nobody” captures some of the main essence of punk rock. As in, creating and writing rock music that got to the point without the meandering metaphors to express themselves. Oddly enough, I’m kind of meandering and explaining his music while closing this feature.

Bottom line, for something unique, simplistic and has a charm, Jesse Nobody is a great band.

http://www.myspace.com/jessenobody

Photo source

http://media.photobucket.com/image/Jesse%20Nobody/JesseNobody/hydrateresizedbw.jpg