All posts by Kev Brock

I'm a musician, singer/songwriter, blogger, writer, poet, bodybuilder, movie lover, music lover, video gamer, history/political buff, conservative/republican, etc. I like to do a lot of things.

Report: Metallica, Springsteen, Eric Clapton, u2, Stevie Wonder and more to perform at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concert!!!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is putting on a huge 25th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City for two nights on October 29th/30th.

Metallica has been booked to share the stage with U2, Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin on Oct. 29th. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will hit the stage with Stevie Wonder, Simon and Garfunkel, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

More on it here:

http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=602461

Since Crosby, Stills and Nash has booked as “and friends”, they’re probably going to jam with other famous musicians, assuming Neil Young will be there to reunite with them. Crosby, Stills and Nash didn’t reunite with Neil Young at Glastonbury 2009, but maybe they will at this show.

Yep, you can betcha there probably will be a huge Michael Jackson tribute at the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Hall of Fame show, because simply put, Michael Jackson was a Hall of Fame inductee back in 2001. Maybe Metallica will cover “Beat It” again like they did at that one Grammy awards show but they’ll play the whole song next time.

James Hetfield singing “Beat It”? It may sound silly, but I think he can nail it perfectly with no problem.

I’m sure all the Hall of Famers would gather around on stage together to jam on some kind of Michael Jackson song together, lets hope they don’t sing, “We are the World/Heal the World”. I think “Beat It” would be the best choice for the Hall of Famers to jam on tributing MJ, we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Kev

BREAKING NEWS: Sam Raimi will direct “World of Warcraft” movie based on the video game…

Legendary Pictures and Blizzard, the video game company has a “World of Warcraft”, live action movie in the works. They have asked the “Spiderman/Evil Dead” director, Sam Raimi, to direct the film and Sam says, yes, he will do it. Sam plans to direct “World of Warcraft”, after he completes, “Spiderman 4”.

Variety Reports:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006299.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

I never played the “World of Warcraft” games before.

I expect Bruce Campbell to get some type of role in, “World of Warcraft” movie…maybe a cameo or a co-starring role?

Kev

Thought: The never ending MJ news coverage…reality check time again…

Whenever I discuss Michael Jackson with other people, whether it’s online or to someone in person, the first thing I hear from them is, “I’m sick of the MJ coverage, there are more important things to worry about”. I get that a lot. If you really think that you’re sick of MJ and if you think there are better things to worry about out there, that just shows that you know nothing about music that you all think. Sorry, but it’s true.

Let me explain again on how MJ makes the news like crazy everytime something controversial happens to his life. I will also explain how famous musicians become icons and legends, and to explain how they attract the media… the truth may hurt, but it needs to be explained. You ready for this?

Lets start by saying that, when a musician becomes famous…gets signed a record deal…sells millions of records…going platinum, being all over the billboard, winning a handful of awards at award shows, being tabloid friendly…that’s how a musician becomes a well known icon. A musician is considered a legend if you’ve been into the music business for like over 20 years or longer. It could happen to any musician not just MJ.

Michael Jackson has been in the music business for the major label industry ever since he was 10 years old. He pretty much lived his entire life on fame and fortune. So that means he was pretty much born into the world of fame.

You see, it doesn’t really matter if you like or hate that certain legendary musician…love ’em or hate ’em…it could be anybody like Prince, Madonna, Neil Young, Springsteen, Elton John, etc. who ever it is. As long as you are paying attention to what they are doing in their careers, it is you that made them the most powerful person on this planet.  

Since they are well known people, the news media writes about them everywhere to help attract more TV ratings and more website views. Even if you’re not a fan of that legendary musician and not buying their records, you still helped them become big in some way. Talking trash and being negative about a legendary musician is what helps make their news spread. Controversy helps make a musician get more popularity. Negativity toward a musician sells.

I’ve said it once before in a past blog that if Madonna, Ozzy, Elton John, Mick Jagger or Bono of U2 ever dies one day in the future, they will get non stop media coverage too just like MJ. Why? It’s because they are legendary icons.

Why did the media ignore Farrah Fawcett’s death when MJ died the same day? Hmmmm…while Farrah is a legend, not everybody knows who she is, that is probably why. How come Billy Mays didn’t get that much coverage? Probably because MJ is bigger.

When Ozzy dies someday, do you think the Prince of Darkness will get massive media coverage way worse than Michael Jackson? You can betcha that will happen for sure.

The reason people get sick of Michael Jackson death news is I believe, we aren’t used to seeing a world icon dying, when we haven’t had a huge musical legend die in a long time. I believe the last big music legend that died that everybody knows, was either James Brown or Bo Didley. We had a lot of famous musicians died, yes, but they weren’t big legendary icons.

As long as a musician is a huge legend, they will get non stop media coverage, doesn’t matter if you’re a fan or a hater. The more you pay attention to them, the bigger they will get. TMZ will never stop posting about MJ ’cause it drives traffic to their site.

The news media is never going to stop writing about these legendary musicians, it’s not only they attract TV ratings and more website views…it’s just that these news reporters are too obsessed with writing about fame. These news reporters are loving the attention they are writing about someone that is a well known figure all over this world.

If you were a true music lover, then you would understand why icons and legends gets media coverage. It’s how they market their careers and promote their music.

Kev

Report: Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs replace Beastie Boys for Lollapalooza…

Due to Beastie Boys leading man, Adam Yauch’s shocking announcement that he has been diagnosed with cancer, it has forced the Beastie Boys to cancel their Lollapalooza show and postpone some tour dates, so Adam can recover.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, has been booked for a last minute replacement for Perry Farrell’s legendary music festival.

Rollingstone reports:

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/07/21/yeah-yeah-yeahs-join-lollapalooza-as-festivals-race-to-replace-beastie-boys/

As much as I hate most of today’s music, I still say the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is the best rock band out right now. Most new rock suck ass, but I fucking LOVE the, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

I picked up their newest album, “It’s Blitz”. Haven’t gotten a chance to hear the whole album yet, but I listened to like half of it. Very good stuff. I think the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of the best female fronted rock bands in a long time.

Kev

Report: Nicolas Cage and Cameron Diaz in talks to star in “The Green Hornet”…

Cameron Diaz and Nicolas Cage are both in negotiations to star in, “The Green Hornet” which stars Seth Rogen in the leading role as the superhero crime fighter. Cameron Diaz will be playing a news reporter who is also a love interest of the Green Hornet. Nic Cage will be playing a gangster villain.

Cage has just finished filming, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and “Bad Lieutenant”.

Chinese martial arts actor, Stephen Chow, was originally going to direct and star in, now he has dropped out of the movie completely.

Variety Reports:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006269.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

I don’t think Nic Cage ever played a villain in a movie before. If he already did, point me out. Nic playing a villain will be interesting.

Kev

Film Review: Public Enemies

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Billy Crudup

Directed by: Michael Mann

On this lovely afternoon of the “40th Anniversary Moon Landing Day”, I decided to go to the mall to catch a movie, and do a little shopping. Today, I caught the movie “Public Enemies”, here is my review:

Plot/synopsis: Based on the real life story and real events in the history books, this film is set in the 1930’s, during the Great Depression. John Dillinger (Depp) is an American mobster who robbed banks to make a living and to get rich off of. He was a very dangerous man, short tempered and violent. Dillinger falls in love with a woman named, Billie Frechette (Cotillard), which she doesn’t mind him being the gangster criminal that Dillinger is. FBI’s, J. Edgar Hoover (Crudup), sends out, Melvin Purvis (Bale), an FBI agent to hunt down Dillinger and kill him. Dillinger was a dangerous madman who got away with most bank robberies and escaped from prison twice, lived his long life committing crimes.

Read more information on the real John Dillinger story here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dillinger

As usual, Michael Mann’s movies never dissapoints. If you don’t know who Michael Mann is, he has made such movies like: “The Last of the Mohicans”, “Heat”, “The Insider”, “Ali”, and “Collateral”. They’re all great movies.

I thought, “Public Enemies” was a perfect film overall. Good writing, great acting by the cast, excellent camera work, good musical scoring, etc. Johnny Depp and Christian Bale were both great as usual…but the performance that grabbed me the most was Marion Cotillard’s. Marion was known to put on some intense performances in her films over the years and I think her performance in this was pretty powerful.

I think Marion will get an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for this movie. This movie “Public Enemies” is not worthy of other awards, but the only award worth giving to is Marion’s performance. Of course, you may think the movie will show her naked according to the trailers, but you don’t see her naked in this movie at all. So, don’t let the trailers fool you. She dresses up sexy and you see her legs sticking out of the bathtub, that’s about it.

The violence in the movie is what got me the most. The film had some pretty bonechilling tommy gun shooting toward the end of the film. In mobster movies like this in the 30’s, you never see violence that intense, but Michael Mann made the violence in this movie, it made you wanting more and more.

The movie runs about 2 and a half hours long, but I loved the movie a lot. Forget your usual summer popcorn flicks, and check out this one. “Public Enemies” didn’t do well in the box office even though it had Johnny Depp in it, the only time Johnny Depp is successful in a movie is when he does a sexy role that the girls would drool over or if he does a Disney or a Tim Burton flick…well this flick is none of those. This role is a different character for Johnny Depp.

Score for “Public Enemies” = **** (4 stars as in “Excellent”)

Kev

NASA visiting Mars would indeed make world history but…

NASA wanting the first human being to step on Mars is not a bad idea, but really, they should give up their fantasies, stop exploiting that planet, and leave it at peace.

NASA wanting to step on Mars is all ego and just astronauts trying to get more attention.

It will be extremely hard to find the right technology to protect humans when they step on Mars without being killed. I’m sure the first human being on Mars will happen one day but not for a long time.

It will indeed mark world history and be in the history books forever, it would be amazing if NASA can visit Mars and survive when leaving the planet…but you never know how safe or dangerous Mars could be.

If the first man to step on Mars someday, it wouldn’t surprise me if the first man dies and never leaves the planet back to Earth alive.

Why don’t they try stepping foot on other planets? Saturn looks like a cool planet to visit and Pluto looks like a cool little planet to try out too. Just leave Mars alone.

Kev

Report: Warner Bros. team up with Leo Dicaprio to bring on a second “Twilight Zone” movie!!!

“Twilight Zone: The Movie” was brought to us by Warner Bros. in 1983, the film that originally starred Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow in certain storyline segments.

Warner Bros. has greenlighted, “The Twilight Zone” to return for another film so the film can be based on different stories from the TV series. Leo Dicaprio’s film company, Appian Way, has teamed up with Warner Bros to make the film. They already hired a screenwriter by the name of, Rand Ravich, who previously written, “The Astronaut’s Wife”.

Variety Reports:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006171.html?categoryid=10&cs=1

Great news! I loved the first “Twilight Zone” movie, hope they do a good job with the second one.

I wonder if they’ll bring back Dan Aykroyd to continue the story of the Passenger where he is a werewolf. That would be totally cool if they brought the Aykroyd story back to the “TZ: The Movie” sequel.

Do you want to see something really scary? Ha ha! It would be great to hear Dan Aykroyd say that catchphrase again for the next movie if he gets signed for it! Come on Leo, get him!

Kev

Report: Morgan Freeman in talks to star in DC Comics, “Red” with Bruce Willis…

Morgan Freeman, is in talks with Summit Entertainment to star in “Red” which is adapted from the DC Comics graphic novel. Bruce Willis is already set to star the leading role, Morgan Freeman will co-star.

Morgan is just wrapping up filming a Nelson Mandella biopic directed by Clint Eastwood.

Variety Reports:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006174.html?categoryid=2554&cs=1

It’s good to see him get more work since “The Dark Knight”, I’ve seen that Morgan have been having a busy life lately outside of film, with being involved in a car accident that involved alcohol and lots of other things in his life. Glad to see he’s getting his film career back on track.

Kev