Category Archives: music

CD Review: Ac/Dc “Black Ice”…

Just finished listening to Ac/Dc’s “Black Ice” the entire album from the link below the post here. My thoughts.

I really enjoyed it. It’s quite a good album. Nothing amazing or nothing mind blowing, but exceptionally good. It’s just typical Ac/Dc. Same sound, same style. The usual great guitar playing by Angus and Malcolm. “Black Ice” is no return to “Back In Black” or “The Razor’s Edge”, “Black Ice” is more aiming toward the Bon Scott era. “Black Ice” has the classic Ac/Dc sound back. I would like to give vocal credit to Brian Johnson.

During the bands long 8 year hiatus, Brian Johnson must be working hard on his vocals. He has improved. He is not just a screamer on this new album, he actually “sings”. There are songs where Brian sings in a deep voice, to regular singing, to high pitch screaming. The earlier Ac/Dc albums, you hear Brian screaming pretty much throughout the entire song, but not with this album. He actually “sings” which is good.

I wish the album could be a little better but other than that, I’m happy to see the band back after all these years!

My favorite tracks: “Rock N’ Roll Train”, “Big Jack”, “Stormy May Day”, “Decibel”, “Money Made” and the title track “Black Ice”.

Score for Ac/Dc’s “Black Ice” = *** (3 stars as in good)

Kev

The Listening Room: Listen to Ac/Dc’s new album “Black Ice” in it’s entirety now!!!

Ac/Dc’s new album “Black Ice” hits Wal Mart stores only on Oct. 20th which is next week. Don’t want to wait that long to listen to the new album? Not too worries.

You can listen to the whole thing right here:

http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/acdc/2342912/album.jhtml?popThis=playIt()

I’m listening to it right now as I’m typing this. I will review my thoughts after.

Enjoy Ac/Dc lovers!!!

Kev

Confirmed: Green Day in studio working on new album with Butch Vig (Nirvana’s “Nevermind” producer)…

Shirley Manson the former Garbage singer was the first to bring up the news that Green Day is in the studio working on a new album with Nirvana producer, Butch Vig.

Turns out that the news is true, after Green Day posted a video in their official youtube account with the band recording in the studio with Butch Vig in the studio with the band.

The band is in the studio recording their follow up from 2004’s “American Idiot” which an excellent album by the way, their best record they’ve ever done in my opinion.

Billboard reports:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003873705

Kev

Report: Ringo Starr ditches his own fans, no longer wants to hear from them…

Ringo Starr one of the only two surviving members of the Beatles, posted a videoblog on his official website, saying that starting on Oct. 20th he will no longer accept fan mail whether fans write to him by e-mail or regular air mail. When Oct. 20th comes, he will toss all fan mail in the garbage. He will continue to answer fan mail before Oct. 20th but when that day comes fan mail will be over. He will also no longer be signing autographs as well.

He claims he has too much to do. Pretty ironic, since he has a contest on the front page of his website, where he will give a away an autographed drumhead when the deadline to that contest is Oct. 30th. What’s wrong with that picture? Don’t use going on tour as an excuse to ditch fans.

See the video at this website here:

http://www.ringostarr.com/home.php

He’s probably getting sick of fans writing him about the Beatles so much, when he probably wishes they would write him about his solo music.

Kev

Thought: What is wrong with Janet Jackson?

So Janet Jackson is cancelling a bunch of shows because she is feeling ill for whatever is wrong with her. My thoughts?

Who cares. Let her rot.

She is an untalented worthless piece of trash. She is also one of the biggest egos in the music industry.

Why does this have to be news? Everybody gets sick. It happens to everybody.

Her boob controversy at the Superbowl that year with Justin Timberlake is what made her turn into a bitch, she said it was an accidental wardrobe malfunction when I don’t buy it at all. I think it was done on purposely just so people can care about her again. She also blamed the label of her failed new album which is also a turn off and offensive.

Who cares. She deserves to suffer after all the shit she treated the music industry. Why feel sorry about this stupid woman. She’s taking the high road like her brother Michael. She’s an ugly skank who is not hot looking at all.

She should just end her career and quit. Let her suffer. I’m sick of her.

Kev

Report: Richard Donner speaks out on “Superman” and the “Lethal Weapon” series!!!!

Interview with film maker Richard Donner, the man responsible for bringing us the original “Superman: The Movie”, the Lethal Weapon series, the Goonies, etc.

Although rumours are swirling the nets that screenwriter Shane Black is writing a script for “Lethal Weapon 5”, Donner here said he is not doing the 5th one and he also confirmed Mel Gibson pulled out in returning.

He also speaks more on Superman, the movie that he brought to the big screen himself. He comented on Bryan Singer’s “Superman: Returns” saying how much he loved that film, saying that he nailed it. Isn’t it amazing to hear Richard Donner give “Superman: Returns” positive feedback after all this time?

He also finally gets his own star for the Hollywood walk of fame, which is deserving and long overdue. Congrats Richard!

More on it here:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/10/richard-donner.html

Richard Donner is an amazing director. Ya know, I love the Superman movies and I would love it if Donner returned to direct a new Superman movie, that be great.

I’m glad there’s going to be no Lethal Weapon 5 though. I hated Lethal Weapon 4. I only liked the first two Lethal Weapon films. 3 and 4 were pretty bad.

Kev

Thought: Guns N’ Roses, why are they so big in the news?

So the legendary Guns N’ Roses haven’t done much in their career. They’ve been around since the 80’s and they only made 5 albums. “Apetite For Destruction” and “Use Your Illusion I and II” were the band’s three biggest albums in their career while their last album “The Spaghetti Incident” was a major flop.

The band continues to go on world tours over the years and they were still making “Chinese Democracy” while at it, so I wouldn’t really call this a hiatus. Gn’R maybe on a hiatus of releasing new studio albums  but they’ve been still playing music after all these years.

Since the band haven’t done much, why does Axl and Guns N’Roses constantly makes the news all the time? You may think you’re getting sick of Gn’R news and think that “no one cares” about Guns N’ Roses anymore but I disagree.

Why do they continue to make the news in the media and everyone is hating on the band? I’ll tell you why. It’s because the public is afraid to admit that they do “still care” about Guns N’ Roses. Everyone knows they are dying to hear what Axl has in store for the “Chinese Democracy” album. Everyone think the album is going to suck and some people think the album is going to be great. Talking negative on a band is what spreads controversy and it’s something that the media loves.

Metallica and Guns N’ Roses both have one thing in common, both bands gets a lot haters with music fans, lol. The same goes with Metallica. Before “Death Magnetic” was released, while the band was making that album, even though a lot of people hated Metallica, they were afraid to admit that they still cared about the band and they were afraid to listen to “Death Magnetic” because of “St. Anger”. When “Death Magnetic” finally came out, everybody was blown away by the album, and fans gave Metallica a positive direction this time around.

Will the same happen to Guns N’ Roses when “Chinese Democracy” actually comes out this year in Nov? Who knows. That’s how you let the music speak on it’s own. Put the music out there and let the fans do the judging whether they hate your music or love your music. “Chinese Democracy” could be a major flop or a big success.

And just because the original members of Gn’R is no longer with the band like Slash, Duff McKagan, etc. does not mean “Chinese Democracy” will suck, it still has a possibility of being an incredible album. Many people online already heard the songs before it’s released and they say the new album sucks, but you can’t judge this early, maybe those Gn’R songs you heard was just “demos”, not the actual album recording. You have to wait for the album to come out and then do the judging.

I like Guns N’ Roses. I personally think their best albums were “Use Your Illusion I and II”. I do enjoy “Destruction” but it’s kind of overrated. “Gn’R Lies” is also a great record too.

So, Guns N’ Roses have all new members. So what? Big deal. Bands changes members all the time. Even the biggest bands in rock n’ roll history change band members also including the Rolling Stones, Van Halen, Aerosmith, The Smashing Pumpkins and many more to name. People are not going to stay in the same band forever, it’s just the way life and the music world is.

I’m looking forward to hearing “Chinese Democracy” if it’ll actually arrive on the shelves Nov. 23rd. I’m sure it’ll be a good album. Axl Rose is a talented songwriter and unique.

Kev

Report: Lars Ulrich is selling a Basquiat painting and it costs $12 million, you rich enough to afford it?

When Lars is not around music and not playing with Metallica, Lars’s 2nd passion in life is art and painting. He is a painter himself and he collects artwork by other artists as a hobby of his.

Lars is selling a painting by artist Jean-Michael Basquiat. Basquiat is a graffitti artist who died of a drug overdose in 1988 when he was 27. The name of the painting that Lars is selling is titled “Untitled (Boxer)” which the painting is a black heavyweight boxer with his arms in the air.

The Associated Press reports:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gw29QnJMwRe9S279j5QpJQCR6jLQD93NPF1O0

Why would Lars want to sell that for $12 million when I’m sure he made much more than that from the “Death Magnetic” record which made no. 1 on the Billboard for 3 weeks in a row?

I can see why Lars is always selling his own paintings and paintings by other artists because it is impossible to keep all paintings in a house.

Kev

Report: Hip hop hooorraayyy HOOoooo Heeeeyyy Hoooooo….Naughty By Nature confirms reunion….

Get ready to raise both of your arms to the sky and wave them back and forth as you sing along to “Hip Hop Hooray”. Yes, that’s right, the iconic rap group who made it big in the 80’s are set to making a return with it’s original members. The group plans to go back into the studio to record a new album titled “Anthem Inc.”. They have plans on being more “mature” in their music for their next album since they are not kids anymore. They want their new music to be different than their earlier days.

Billboard reports:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003872638

I’ll admit I used to like this rap group when I was young. If anybody still cares abou them, it would surprise me.

I’m not afraid to say that I have seen them live in concert once long ago. I don’t like them anymore like I once did though.

Kev

Confirmed: Guns N’ Roses “Chinese Democracy” to be released Nov. 23rd…

Turns out that the long rumoured release date for Gn’R “Chinese Democracy” for Nov. 23rd is true!

Billboard reports:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003872663

Like I said once before, I’m not believe this if this is actually on the shelves Nov. 23rd. If Axl pushes the release date back again for the 100th time, I give up on Guns N’ Roses.

On Nov. 23rd I will go to Best Buy to see if the album is on the shelves for myself. If it is, I’ll definitely pick it up.

Lets hope 14 years is worth the wait.

Kev