What do you mean You Haven’t Heard of Metallica?

Posted on June 2, 2010 Written by ripitup

So did you hear about Metallica? If you are slightly in the rock, there is a chance you heard of them. But as it happens, they are not as popular as I thought.

Now, I love some Metallica songs, either covers they did or their original. I don’t go to their concerts but my mp3 player has quite a few of their tracks. I grew up in the late 80s and 90s and probably belong to one of the last generations that express themselves with music. When I grew up, it was a shame not to know who Pearl Jam were or when Kurt Cobain died. It was cool to despise Courtney love and it was even cooler to love Guns N’ Roses. They would literally laugh in your face if you didn’t associate a certain type of metal with Metallica. Years passed by and there came a time when they were considered so mainstream… What happened? They did not fall off the face off the earth or stop filling stadiums or selling records…

James Hetfield, Metallica concert image — Didn't front man James Hetfield's hair burn during a fire stunt a couple of years ago? That's why he had it cut, right? Oh, well no objections here if James wants to set us on fire. Well, metophorically. Image from: http://www.cianw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads

Maybe this friend of mine should hang with different crowds or hang with some older people. Because he plays the electric guitar and it is fun and cool and necessary to play Metallica. I have a classic guitar. Just like most my peers around my age, it was bought with the hopes that I could one day upgrade to electric and play electric guitar solos. Oh, the dream! I most wanted to play Paradise City by Guns n’ Roses. Ah, the dreams of the youth. Kidding, I am still young and I still dream. It’s just that I am tone-deaf and far too busy launching a writing career. But I had taken a course years ago and one of the first things I learned was to play the main melody of Nothing Else Matters by Metallica. Oh and Come As You Are by Nirvana. Good old times.

Well, thanks for reading this nostalgic rant of a rock a chick. So why not list your favorite songs by them? No, wait! Individual Metallica best ofs should be the subject for another article!

But for all the other rock addicts out there, below are links to my other posts on rock(nroll):

10 Awesome Metallica Songs- Favorites of a Rock Addict

Seven Cover Songs That Rock

25+ Rocknroll Songs That You Can Dance to

Top Three Cover Songs: Alient Ant Farm, Warrant and Ugly Kid Joe

Fun Rock Poll for Rock FansFive Songs You Adore From Musicians You Don’t Normally Care About

Rock N Roll Mischief: 10 Dirty Rock Songs

Bon Jovi Were Born to be Followed

Album Review: Alice Cooper, Thrash (1989)

Year of The Black Rainbow by Coheed and Cambria

2010: Terrible Year for Rock ‘N Roll

Posted on May 25, 2010 Written by ripitup

2009 was a tragic year for music. But it looks like 2010 is not that bright either. Scorpions are done, Steven Tyler fall off stage, Brett Michaels gets a brain hemorrhage and just we thought he recovered, it turns out he has a stroke and has a whole in his heart. Oh, and heavy metal/rock band DIO’s vocalist Ronnie James Dio died. He was recovering from stomach cancer.

Dio: Ronnie James Dio second from right. Image from http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/19412333/Dio+AppiceGPilson+90s.jpg

Poison frontman Bret Michaels. Image from:http://www3.whig.com/whig/blogs/thebreakdown/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/michaels2.jpg

It’s weird to see rock starts have all these health problems. Yeah, we are well aware that they are human, but they did get over a great deal of stuff in the past: death of best friends/band members (Steve Clark from Def Leppard, Cliff Burton from Metallica), loss of health, loss of crucial body parts (Rick Allen from Def Leppard) , drug addictions.(Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Aerosmith) , loss of their looks…But since they always seem to bounce back, it is just feels awful to have all the bad news in a row. After all, they symbolize energy. Their stage shows rock us and their songs celebrate life, parties, sex, friendship and love. We grow up with them. Hell, our parents grew up with Aerosmith.It also reminds us of mortality and fragility of all.

For more (mostly) uplifting facts and posts on Rock N’ Roll:

6 Fast Bon Jovi Songs That Feature The Word Love

7 Cover Songs That Rock

What Do You Mean You Haven’t Heard of Metallica?

7 Interesting Facts About Jon and Bon Jovi

FUN ROCK TRIVIA

Posted on May 13, 2010 Written by ripitup

Alright, fellow rockers! Want to read some fun facts on Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Poison, Nirvana, Def Leppard and Kiss? Then here’s the post for you. You might already know some of them, but hey I am sure you will have a good time remembering too.

*Eddie Van Halen played his guitar behind his back more often than not. Sure he looks cool, but the rumor is he was trying to hide his secrets to being a master guitar-player.

Def Leppard members. Rick Savage, Rick Allen, Joe Elliot, Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen — Def Leppard members. Singer Joe Elliot is in the middle. Image from: http://abovethevile.files.wordpress.com

* During one Def Leppard interview, frontman Joe Elliot was asked what was the most ridiculous thing they had read about themselves. Joe answered “I read that I was dead”. Now we know sometimes reporters can get too creative with their news but this is too much. Don’t you think?

* I am sure you are familiar with the Bon Jovi hit “You give love a bad name”. Supposedly, Jon wrote this song for his ex Diane Lane. Yep, they dated for a short while in the 80s. While they made a very pretty couple, I am guessing it didn’t go all that welli then?

Poison, Bret Michaels — One of Poison's more recent pictures. Lead singer Bret is wearing a cool hat. Again. Image from: http://www.yorkblog.com

*When I heard Poison’s hit “Ever rose has its thorn” for the first time, I had thought it was a very romantic song about how every one has their flaws and we accept our lovers as they are- until I read the story in the best of album. Brett Michaels’ girlfriend left him for another guy with more money. But then of course Poison made it big and his career took off. So the girl is the thorn and the rose is his career. Bret Michaels’ own words. Strangely, this makes the song more fun for me.

*KISS are best known for their make-up and their stage outfits that match. For years, they didn’t take the make-up at their concerts or backstage. So without the make-up, no one recognized them in the streets. Way to be annoynomous. Then they made an appearance on Jay Leno and came out with their identities. It is weird, but they had too many groupies even with the make up. Gene Simmons admitted that girls found it hot. I am a girl and I love Kiss’ music but putting KISS and hot in the same sentences? Nope. Not for me. Especially if they have the make-up on.

Jon Bon Jovi hosts Saturday Night Live. It is one of the funniest SNL episodes ever. Sure one stint wasn't that funny. But the rest was hilarious. Image from: http://benaxelrad.files.wordpress.com

* Jon Bon Jovi hosted an episode of SNL in 2007. The opening stint had him in the 80s, visiting SNL cast member Amy Koehler when she was a teen and Jon was in his Slippery when wet days. The episoe involved many jokes about the band, Jon himself and the songs. Bon Jovi performed two songs and Foo Fighters also sang a song as they were the official musical guests.

More on ROCK

Def Leppard: Oh, Yeah!

Rock’nRoll Mischief: 10 Dirty Rock Songs

White Lion: It’s ok if your date loves Mike Tramp more than you…

Fun Rock Poll for Rock Fans

Guns N’ Roses

Top Three Cover Songs: Alient Ant Farm, Warrant and Ugly Kid Joe

BON JOVI-ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH

25+ Rocknroll Songs That You Can Dance to

Album Review: Alice Cooper, Thrash (1989)

Good Morning, Mr. Tyler. Going Down?: On everything Aerosmith

Year of The Black Rainbow by Coheed and Cambria

Posted on May 6, 2010 Written by ripitup

Year of The Black Rainbow by Coheed and Cambria. A modern progressive rock/metal album. Image from: http://www.israbox.com

Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock/metal band that recently released its 5^th album; Year of the Black Rainbow. It is not uncommon for progressive bands to have an album revolving around one big “theme”/story (Dream Theater, anyone? ) and Coheed and Cambria have made no exceptions here. Frontman Claudio Sanchez has been writing comic books series called The Amory Wars and the albums have always been related to the comics. This last album serves as prequel to the story.

Coheed and Cambria band members. Image from http://images.fanpop.com/

Don’t worry, even if you are not a loyal Coheed and Cambria fan or you’re not into the comic series, you can still enjoy the songs. The album consists of 12 solid songs -15 in the album’s deluxe edition. The first track one is a non-lyrical simple intro and is followed by the energetic The Broken. Labeling the album or the band as simply progressive will be over-simplifying things. Listening to the tracks, you will find elements from progressive rock/metal, hard rock and heavy metal. Some extra electronic touches are especially felt in the song Guns of Summer. Just like any decent metal album, you are offered a few slower tracks to let you catch your breath from all the head-banging, singing along and air-drumming you’re bound to do.

The slower songs are by no means entirely slow. Nor are they boring. These two are called Far and The Black Rainbow. And how slow can a metal song really get? Exactly. You’ll be finding outbursts and fine electric-guitar solos in these two as well.

Far is the 5^th track and after that the comic book theme is felt more heavily. While the lyrics make sense even if you don’t know the entire history and the comics, you will no doubt identify more if you have an idea about Sanchez’ The Amory Wars. The deluxe edition comes with the novel so you can catch up.

Fans of the progressive genre will probably appreciate the whole album. If you are more inclined towards hard rock or heavy metal, you might find the first half of the album more engaging and satisfactory. There are no brutal vocals and singer Sanchez knows how to adjust his voice according to the soul of the lyrics. It is overall a fine concept album.

It is also worth noting that the band’s official site has made a good job of engaging the fans with available concert tickets and polls about favorite songs.