Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
by David Glisan
While heavy metal fans hoping for a top to bottom headbanging barrage like the title song of ‘Chinese Democracy’ may have been disappointed, the long awaited and forever delayed Guns ‘n’ Roses release may very well be the best album of the year.
After a rock band becomes a major success, they’re really in a ‘no win’ position. If they try to break new artistic ground, exploring different sounds or influences, they’ll invariably hear complaints that they were better the way they ‘used to be’. If they keep doing things the same way, a band risks losing any sort of artistic relevance and becoming a ‘nostalgia act’. KISS is a good example–a lot of purists hated it when they took off their makeup and became another 80’s ‘hair metal’ band, but they deserved respect for doing something different and trying to forge a new artistic path. On the other hand, there’s KISS now: Gene Simmons eventually made the calculated, slightly cynical decision that commerce trumped art. Hes now giving fans the best representation of KISS that their nostalgic desires long for”to the extent of dressing a new guitarist and drummer up like Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Not exactly a high water mark in artistic creativity, but a highly lucrative enterprise that reportedly nets Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley a cool half million bucks per concert.
Axl Rose could have taken the same route with Guns n Roses. All he needed to do was patch things up with former lead guitarist Slash and the two of them and whatever supporting players they recruited could have toured forever playing the old songs in the old way and make a ton of money along the way. To some extent, Slash has chosen this route with his band Velvet Revolver. They play similar blues based hard rock to vintage GnR, and brought in former Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland on vocals (who sounded almost just like Axl on a number of the early STP songs) Never mind the fact that everything Velvet Revolver has ever recorded sounds the same, or that the band members are all well in their 40s and a little old to be doing the rock n roll gypsy routine.
Axl refused to play the nostalgia game. He deserves credit for this, but he doesnt have much of a knack for self promotion or media spin. For that reason, there are plenty of people including media and critics that have predisposed to hating this album before it was released or even having heard any of it.
Many albums are fairly straightforward and are easy to figure out with a couple of listens. They fit a certain formula, with a power ballad, a hit single, a filler song, etc. Others evolve and change with repeated listening”different songs become your favorites, you notice new things about ones you thought you knew well and most significantly songs that you glossed over the first time around start to grow on you.
On Chinese Democracy thats definitely the case”the best example being the song Better. Axl claims that he doesnt try to write hit singles and thats probably the case, but in addition to being an impressive tour de force for Robin Finck on guitar it may be the catchiest pop song since The Killers first album.
One of the real triumphs of Chinese Democracy is the difficulty that a listener has in pigeonholing the songs. There’s definitely a lot of the piano based material first heard on the ‘Use Your Illusion’ releases but overall its evident that the band is breaking entirely new musical ground and even they don’t really know where they’ll end up. It’s very unpredictable and can be hard for a long time fan to wrap their head around, but once that happens its a very exciting sound.
Perhaps the worst thing about ‘Chinese Democracy’ is that a number of the songs have clearly been overproduced–not really surprising for an album that took so long to make. The best example of this may be ‘Madagascar’–the band has been playing this song live for almost a decade, but the finish product doesn’t have the same ‘edge’ or emotion that has been on display during live performances.
Still, that’s a very minor caveat about what is overall an amazing piece of work. Hopefully those who have bought in to all of the negative media hype can put their prejudices aside and give ‘Chinese Democracy’ about it. They’ll hear the powerful sound of a great band charting new musical frontiers which is what rock music is supposed to be about.
About the Author:
David Glisan is heavy metal editor for The Savage Science, a website covering both
MMA news and heavy metal music. He’s an avid fight sport enthusiast as well, and reports
UFC news for several mainstream sports broadcasts and websites. He’s studied judo since childhood and has earned the rank of black belt.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
by Davis Hawthorne
Frank Sinatra is rightful known today as an entertainment icon, but many forget that there was a time when he was just another washed up teen idol trying to reinvent himself artistically and revive his career. After his teen idol stardom ended, Sinatra went through a rough period that he described as ‘all Monday’s’ when his personal life was in shambles, his professional prospects non-existent and his financial status in ruin.
To make things even worse, his bosses at Columbia Records were mis-managing his talent in an ill-advised effort to make him a ‘novelty singer’. This included a short lived pairing with Mitch Miller–the very low point of which was a horrible record called ‘Mama Will Bark’. Here the greatest voice of the 20th Century recorded a duet with a busty actress named Dagmar and a dog impersonator barking and howling in the background. These records were poorly received by the public–not a surprise in retrospect–and in 1952 Columbia Records dumped Sinatra.
In 1953, June Hutton and Jo Stafford brought him to the attention of Capitol Records A&R man Dave Dexter, Jr. This led to a deal with the label, which began an era that many ‘Sinatra-philes’ consider his best work. Frank worked with Axel Stordahl (June Hutton’s husband, with whom he had worked at Columbia) and these sessions produced some decent recordings, including “I’m Walking Behind You” and “Lean Baby”, but nothing incredibly significant. Dexter wanted Frank to try something different, and with Stordahl leaving to accept a job with Eddie Fisher in New York, he agreed reluctantly to a pairing with Nelson Riddle.
To say that the first Sinatra/Riddle session was a success is an understatement, and “I’ve Got The World On The String” is somewhat of a ’shot heard round the world’ for Sinatra’s career and popular music in general. The Ted Kohler/Harold Arlen song is given new vibrancy with Riddle’s buoyant arrangement and Sinatra’s new found vocal maturity. The song was a modest commercial success at the time, reaching #14 on the single charts, but became a classic. It was also a favorite of Sinatra himself, and he continued to perform the song live, frequently as a show opener, for the rest of his life.
When examined in a modern context, Sinatra’s career ‘reinvention’ is almost mind boggling. It’s difficult to envision a star of today popular with the teenage set–like The Jonas Brothers for example–becoming accepted as a serious vocalist for adults. Sinatra not only became a critical and popular sensation, but would go down in history as arguably the most important entertainer ever in American popular culture. None of this would have happened were it not for the magical pairing of Sinatra with Nelson Riddle.
About the Author:
David Glisan is a freelance writer covering MMA and boxing. He is also the heavy metal editor for The Savage Science, a website covering both MMA and music, and is a published expert on both heavy metal and jazz. He contributes to many
MMA news websites and provides
UFC news for the broadcast and online sports media. He’s also a published expert on boxing, pro wrestling and judo.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
by David Glisan
One of the frequently heard criticisms of Frank Sinatras work is that he was essentially a one trick pony. He is often accused of not being a technically adept vocalist, and simply reworking a formula over and over again. While Sinatra certainly knew what worked for him, and what kind of songs and arrangements he liked this assertion is patently unfair and displays a profound ignorance of the entire body of his work. If you dig deeper in the Sinatra oeuvre, youll find some amazing examples of vocal prowess. Perhaps his best work in this regard came from his collaboration with legendary Brazilian guitarist Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Jobim is often credited with popularizing Bossa Nova music outside of Brazil. He worked with Sinatra on an album of samba tinged standards entitled Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim. The work was a critical and commercial success, and Sinatra would hold Jobim in very high regard for the rest of his life”both as a musician and as a friend. After Jobim entered a semi-retirement in the 1970s and 1980s where he did little collaboration with other artists, Sinatra would often introduce his performances of Jobim songs live by remembering his Brazilian colleague in very fond terms or expressing the hope that the two men could work together in the future.
“Wave”, written by Jobim and arranged by Eumir Deodato, is arguably the best of all of the Sinatra/Jobim collaborations. It features some great singing by Sinatra, including perhaps the lowest notes ever recorded by “The Voice”. Years later, during his periods of ‘retirement’ it is said that Sinatra would listen to “Wave” just to hear how good he sounds hitting the bass notes.
This song was to have been a featured track on a second collection of Sinatra/Jobim collaborations, but for some inexplicable reason it was never released as such. The story that has circulated over the years is that the Sinatra/Jobim album was all set to be released, and for some reason it was put on the back burner so that Reprise could release the concept album “Watertown” instead. As an artistic decision, it’s tough to fathom the rationale if this is the case. “Watertown” sold fewer copies than any other Sinatra release on Reprise, and to call it an “acquired taste” is being charitable. Another story is that Sinatra himself nixed the release because he didn’t like the cover art. The braintrust that came up with the idea of photographing the Chairman of the Board wearing a windbreaker and standing in front of a Greyhound bus could have been responsible for depriving the world of a second sublime collection of Sinatra with a bossa nova twist.
“Wave”, along with the majority of the songs intended for the “Sinatra/Jobim” album finally surfaced on “Sinatra and Company” in 1970. The “b” side is some of Sinatra’s ill-fated attempts to cover popular songs of the day (“Close To You”, It’s Not Easy Being Green”, “Leaving On A Jet Plane”). These are recordings that even the most devoted Sinatra-philes collect for the sake of completing a collection only, and a stark contrast to the masterful work with Jobim on the album’s “A” side. “Wave” also appeared on the Reprise box set and of course of the “Complete Reprise Recordings” suitcase collection.
Will Friedwald, in his book on Sinatra’s music “Sinatra: The Song Is You” described the songs from the Sinatra/Jobim sessions as having “flexibility and delicacy, as if they could be blown about by a soft Brazilian breeze”. They remain among the most listenable and romantic work of Sinatra’s epic career, as well as representing perhaps his finest vocal effort.
About the Author:
David Glisan is a writer specializing in MMA and boxing as well as a published expert on music ranging from heavy metal to jazz. He contributes to many
MMA news websites and provides
UFC news for mainstream sports broadcast and print media. He serves as the music and entertainment editor for The Savage Science, a website covering fight sports and heavy metal music.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2009
by Susan Reynolds
Downloading free music from the internet has been a favorite past time of many computer users for several years. There are some internet users who are completely amazed at how easy and quick it is to download music files to their computers. Some still do not know where to go to find the downloadable music or how to get it for free.
You can find a variety of Peer-to-Peer programs that enable you to view and transfer files from one users computer to your own all for free.
There seems to be an endless supply of music as you search by song title, band, or artist name.
Lime Wire is one of the most popular P2P programs but there are far too many to name them all. Users on the P2P network share their own files with each other by allowing certain folders to be viewed and the contents downloaded.Any folder that is viewable will have downloadable contents inside that other users on the network can search and download.
You can change the settings on the program to not allow users to view your folders or the files within them. You should know that there are users that will terminate any transfers from those who are not sharing any files.
You should create a folder that is designated only for files you wish to have other users view or download.
You should get to know the common file sizes of music files. You want to ensure you do not download a virus by downloading an executable file instead of a music file. It is common for people to create a virus named as a popular song, just check the file size and extension and you should be fine.
To avoid infecting your system run the downloaded files through the antivirus software installed on your computer for a quick scan. Your systems registry can be destroyed with a virus so be careful when downloading.
You can use the saved music however you wish once you have downloaded it to your computer.You can easily transfer your music files to your iPod or cell phone or burn to a CD to listen in your stereo. The piracy laws should be read and understood before you begin downloading from P2P networks. Most programs will include a section that explains what you are and are not allowed to do.
Use the best judgment when you are downloading, it is after all from unknown members on the site. A good antivirus program is the only way to determine that a file is safe. There is no need to become infected when antivirus software will protect you. You can check files user ratings and also see how many times it has been downloaded. Files with higher numbers are generally safer.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2009
by Jack Thompson
With console gaming, one does not only want a superior system equipped with the best graphics or the best processor, or console to heighten their gaming experience. What is comes down to in the end is having an excellent selection of games available that the gamers can really enjoy.
If you are the owner of a PS3 gaming system, you are most likely thinking of what kinds of games to buy to have fun with your gaming unit and to experience the various advancements that the PS3 has to offer. They have powerful processors that are fitted with multiple core chips, enhanced motion sensitive console, and awesome graphics.
In order to find excellent games for your PS3 console, the best thing to do is to go back to the fundamentals of the gaming system, which will allow you to see its strengths and weaknesses and that will lead you to suitable games.
In regards to gaming, one of the strengths of the PS3 is the much-anticipated Reality Synthesizer Graphics Processing Unit. This new GPU has been created in joint effort with one of the biggest leaders of the graphic processing industry, Nvidia. This means that one gets images that seem like they come from the real world. Games that simulate reality such as the Getaway 3 will look spectacular in the PS3.
Other games that are well-suited to the PS3 are those that require sensitive gaming consoles. In keeping with the developments in the gaming world, Sony reformulated its console from the Dual Shock Controller to the Sixaxis controller. The shock that has irked many users has been removed and replaced instead with a controller that can detect six motion types. This means that you have greater control over your game.
Playing racing games with the Sixaxis controller is great because of the newly enriched capability to use your own movements as control for the game. You are simply able to move your controller to the left and in that way be able to move your virtual steering wheel in the same direction as well.
Knowing the basics of how to select the best PS3 game for yourself, you can now examine some of the most favored games of other gamers. Grand Theft Auto IV is one of the most popular games played on the PS3. One of the biggest improvements is the changed Liberty City, which looks better visually than in previous game versions.
An additional feature of Grand Theft Auto IV is that it comes with multi-player functions that allows up to sixteen different players to race through the city. With a better storyline, which now includes a well-written script, that is very humorous.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is another of the best games that can be played on your PS3. The game comes with a great shooting and stealth mechanics that allows players to really immerse themselves in the game. Also, the game comes equipped with one of the most compelling storytelling that a game has yet to present, and is equipped with excellent audio and visuals.
With these tips to choosing and recommended games, you can start truly enjoying your PS3 unit right after the period.
About the Author:
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download ps3 games? It is possible and you can be playing games in hours from now or tomorrow by being a member at a ps3 game download site. You can find out how to
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Thursday, July 9th, 2009
by Susan Reynolds
Downloading tunes on the web is not the latest thing. But saving it for free could be new information to many people.
There are tons of internet users who have asked, is it possible to download free music? The answer is absolutely, yes you can. You just need to know the right place to look. There are many sites that offer downloadable free music as well as those who charge a fee for to download their music. There are some things to think about when you are looking for music to download for free of charge. You have to be cautious that you are not breaking any piracy laws. There are huge selections of peer to peer programs that will let you to download music for free but are not following piracy laws.
If you are using a peer to peer program to download music then you might want to have a good antivirus software program installed on your computer. There are some people who upload a virus and name it a popular music title to trick you into downloading it to your computer. You should always get familiar with the size and the file extensions of the music you are trying to download. This will keep you from downloading an .exe file instead of the needed .mp3 file.
It is also recommended to make sure you fully understand how the P2P system operates. The system creates folders that are reachable to other people using the program to check out and download the contents of. You can go to the settings and change the information to reflect a folder of your choice or hide all possible files.
You should know that there are members who will stop any transfers if they notice you are not sharing your files. Use your best judgment here and just be safe.
The other notorious music websites that are available will often offer a preview of a new song that just came out or for becoming a paid member. These programs will let you to download a certain number of songs per paid membership month and also offer additional songs at a discounted price.
Once you have the tunes downloaded to your computer you can do with it as you wish. You can compile a CD that contains a selection of your favorite tunes as long as it is for personal use. You cannot distribute or profit from the music.
Many people move the music to their iPods or cell phones to be able to enjoy the music even when they are not at their computer. You can find some great quality songs to download without paying and they will be as clear as the original CD.
Try browsing the internet for free music to download and look into some of the popular programs that pop up. You will appreciate the ability to locate the most popular songs from your favorite singers in just a couple mouse clicks.
Remember to be careful while exploring and do not download anything from a site that you do not trust. If you end up with a virus on your system it will destroy your PC.
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Thursday, July 9th, 2009
by Susan Reynolds
Downloading tunes from the internet for free is not new to most people. Most users have been doing to for years already. The main thing that has became different is how and where it is able to be done. All the piracy laws and musicians that are against the free downloads of their music has made it tougher to locate. The free tunes are still around and can be located in many different locations on the net. You just have to know where to look for them.
The more popular ways people are locating free music on the internet is using P2P programs. These programs use a system that enables the users to log on to a network and share the files they have on their system with other members.
The amounts of audio music files you are able to find on this type of program will depend on how many people are logged who possess that file. The P2P networks range from small ones to larger ones. One of the most commonly used P2P networks is Limewire P2P. It offers a secure and safe way to share your music files with other people. You are able to download files to your computer system and save them in the manner you want.
You just enter a band name, song title, or artist name in the search area and choose music files under file type?s area. You will then be granted with a large list of songs to choose for download. The members name will be displayed as well as all ratings the file has gotten. In most situations you will see the amount of times the file has been downloaded by other users. The more downloads the more likely it is to be safe.
The user rating it given by others who have downloaded the file previously. The larger the number the better the chance of the file being good quality and safe for download. You can also go by the amount of times it has been downloaded by other members. A higher number normally indicates a good quality music file.
You might want to make sure you know the different file extensions associated with audio files as well as have a general idea of what size the file should be before downloading it. There are people who will rename an audio file to match a popular search just for the sake of tricking someone into downloading it.
It is recommended that you read through all the information about piracy laws located in the program. You need to ensure you are not participating anything illegal or wrong. The laws are complex and you may need more help understanding them. There are many websites online that have information in easy to understand text format.
In addition to the Peer-to-Peer programs there are several other communities such as Yahoo or iTunes that offer music downloads with membership sign ups. You are given new songs as they are released and with membership you get a certain amount of free downloads and will be given unlimited discounted downloads.
Always be cautious when downloading anything from the web. Make sure you have good antivirus software installed on your system and run a scan on any files that have been downloaded before opening it possibly exposing a virus to your machine.
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