Category Archives: Rants
AC/DC aren’t American Idol fans
Ever since Steven Tyler’s joined American Idol, everyone in the rock music business feels the need to comment on the show. News flash, folks, the show’s been around for a while. I understand that this may be, in part, the interviewer’s fault for asking the question, but it’s just a bit pathetic how everyone is coming out of the woodwork to weigh in on the show’s format. Where were you 10 years ago?
I’m not the biggest Aerosmith fan but give Tyler a break. He was offered a chance to join the biggest TV show in history, he’s like 105 years old, what’s he gonna do, pass on it? AC/DC may be huge enough to say no to these things but other musicians would sell their organs for a similar break.
Anyway, apparently Brian thinks ‘making it’ via this show is not right:
“There’s only one way to do it. You get on the stage, you learn your trade and you get out and play in front of people. You serve your apprenticeship just like anybody else.“
I do kinda understand where he’s coming from, but I’ll play the devil’s asshole advocate for a while. Why is winning this show such a sin? It’s true that in half a year they go from being nobody to being a potential recording artist, but aren’t they working hard for it too? Can you imagine the pressure of singing live, as an amateur, and every mistake of yours to be dissected on the spot by four people? (out of which one is Jennifer Lopez, Jesus.)
I’d understand the point if this show was about musicians winning record deals in a lottery, but they work for it too. Is it as hard as playing live decades and decades (like Anvil) and not making it big until you’re 50? No, but we all make our own luck. It’s like saying Edward Norton shouldn’t have been nominated for an Oscar for his role in Primal Fear cause it was his first role and he didn’t put as much work into acting as others.
Bullshit. Talent is talent, a lucky break is a lucky break. You can’t expect everyone to follow the same path to success in the exact same way.
“The shortcut way leads to tears at the end of the day. It’s all hype. And it’s not fair on the kids to make them famous one week and then nobodies the next. It’s just not right.“
Read full article here.
Why isn’t it right? No one forced those kids to be there. They chose to be involved. Everyone on that show must know that only one or two may get a career and the rest will fade away. All they’re looking for is to be noticed. They get it. It’s up to them to turn it into success, like others have. Right?
Besides, how many bands work as hard as the big bands but never get picked up by a major record label and resort to touring Walmart parking lots? Life isn’t fair and the music business certainly isn’t fair. At least with American Idol, the public has some sort of control, as opposed to the way major labels used to shove ‘artists’ down our throats via MTV. And they kept bribing paying and paying and paying for airtime until they sold enough records. Why don’t we comment on that before commenting on the show?
I’m just saying…
Of course, I’m not defending American Idol, I’m just against the way people talk about it like it’s ‘what’s wrong with music’ when in fact, this is what’s been wrong with music since the music industry’s inception. American Idol is just another big company using musicians as pawns. Nothing new whatsoever.
Melodic pieces by not so melodic bands
Isn’t it great when you’re listening to an ultra-brutal Death Metal band and suddenly a catchy melody kicks in? Personally, I’m a sucker for these melodic parts and many Death Metal bands did just that and incorporated parts like that into really heavy songs.
There’s just something about the contrasting sounds of really heavy riffs and catchy, melodic guitar playing that gets to me. Hell, Melodic Death Metal is based on that very concept but that’s not really what I’m talking about.
I’m talking about bands who are really heavy, classic Death Metal and the melodic parts I’m talking about are really rare within this band’s catalogue. It’s just great when a melody catches you off-guard because you simply didn’t expect something like that.
Now, make the jump for 5 examples of what I’m talking about.
17 years ago seems so far away
17 years ago, Pantera’s Far Beyond Driven went to #1 on the US Billboard 200 charts. Currently on #1 on said charts is Adele and I have absolutely no idea who that is but I think it’s safe to say, they (or she?) aren’t metal (it’s worth noticing that the Foo Fighters are on #2 and I absolutely view that as a great thing).
17 years ago, even Kurt Cobain was blown away by the sheer amount of quality metal albums that were released that year. In the year of 1994, many great (and now legendary) albums were released. Make the jump to see the highlights of 1994.
Back when they were still good: Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage; I envy you guys. You’ve been writing the same shit over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again, it’s gotten worse, and yet you’ve been making a living from it. I write the same shit over and over again, and I’m lucky if I get so much as a blowjob, let alone a pay check (and that’s not got anything to do with this site or my writing, I just don’t get a whole lot of action).
The band were once good, then they found a formula and stuck with it until people like me could take no more. In addition, Adam D you’re neither funny nor original, you’re just lame. So Killswitch Engage, please either get good again and tell Adam to shut the hell up (and lose the cape), or just give it up already. Kthnxbye! xoxo
P.S. I actually wanted to find a live video of this song with Jesse, but unfortunately I failed.
