Another Call

To local (relative) bands that are looking for reviews. Feel free to contact me to increase your puiblicity. After all, even bad publicity is good publicity. (Don't worry, I'm not out to bash your band)

Liner Notes: Cliff 'Em All

Last Tuesday marked a sad anniversary in the lives of long-time metal fans.  Astonishingly, it's been 25 years since a tour bus accident claimed the life of Metallica's former bassist, Cliff Burton.  

Burton was asleep in the early morning hours of September 27th, 1986 when the band's bus skidded off the highway outside of Ljungby, Sweden.  The bass player was thrown from a window and subsequently crushed to death by the vehicle as it overturned.

He was only 24 years old.

Burton's legacy remains that of a groundbreaking metal bassist whose technique, playing style and use of non-traditional bass effects have influenced a generation of players and fans.  He was part of Metallica's rhythm section for the recording of three albums, Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning and the classic Master of Puppets.  His memorable contributions include the bass solo "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" and his chromatic intro to "For Whom The Bell Tolls".

Metallica's set at the Rock in Rio festival this past week featured a performance of "Orion", dedicated to their fallen friend and bandmate.  Revolver has also posted some great excerpts of their interview with Lars Ulrich regarding Cliff that are well worth a look.

I Could Be Wrong

I think that the advent of media has prevented many artists, including myself to be able to really aspire to their true form. I mean, technology and media is great, but is it really that great when it reshapes the way we look at the world in a way that isn't always the truth?


The news is great for doing this. They'll frame stories so that they look a certain way. They'll make this guy look bad or this guy look good depending on who is writing the paychecks.

The BoneDevil Short Live Review

I allowed myself to be removed for a while. Long enough to know it wasn't short, but not short enough to know how long. I didn't really care, though. I guess I just lost track. You know it's good when you lose track.

Anyhow, Stephen King was already in the bar by the time the show started. Musta been a few songs into the set and B.B. King slowly saunters through the doorway, and I'm surprised. It's somewhere where you don't expect the two to meet, but it's true that sometimes those who you don't think could ever get along become friends. Any way you slice the two first and last names up, you get something that fits together, either way. Wouldn't have pictured it before, but now that you've seen it, you can. .

Time passes. By somewhere in the middle, I could see the skin stretch. Like smiling but wider and much darker. Stretched tighter. Burst. Bled. Fresh wound. Fresh – fuckin' – nostalgic – wound. Porous membrane exposed, it wasn't long before it was shred.

But don't worry. The melody took a fine unwashed needle and a green thread and stitched, so everything could clot the way it did.

You fella's keep leavin' a mess like that, and someone's liable to notice.

Losers

There will always be someone better than you
Even if you're the best
So let's stop the competition now
Or we will both be losers

And I'm ashamed I ever tried to be higher than the rest
But brother I am not alone
We've all tried to be on top of the world somehow
'Cause we have all been losers

I don't wanna be laid down
No I don't wanna die knowing
That I spent so much time when I was young
Just trying to be the winner

So I wanna make it clear now
I wanna make it known
That I don't care about any of that shit no more

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
No, no more, no

There will always be someone worse than you
Sister don't let it get to your head
'Cause you won't be on top of the world so long
In constant competition

This ain't about no one in particular
But I could list a few
I'm removing myself from the queue

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser

No, no more
No more
No more
No more
No more
No more

The DGB: It Doesn't Stand For A Fuckin' Thing!

That was the answer I got when I asked Daniel what their band name stood for. For the clever those of you who know Daniel, you'll probably figure it out. For those that don't, or for those who the amount of glue you ate as a child has affected your critical thinking skills, they'll generously point to their logo on the bass drum and quote the same words Dan quoted to me. So it really could stand for anything. The “Damn Good Beer”. The “Dutch Girl's Bra” she left as a token. But it doesn't.

The DGB just released their sixth record “The Greatest Life Unknown” under the prolific Get Bent Records label, and I had the pleasure of listening to some of the tunes off of the new album.

The first being 'Lights Out', began with a diffident, endearing intro that indicated I might be in for a reggae experience - burst in the bold distortion of the chorus, and the whole song experience changed. These guys are a rock band. I truly enjoyed this song for the simple reason that they go from sweet, dreamy riffs to dirty, energetic heights and interlock them with some great character. Even a ten second hint of Johnny Cash crept in there when the harmonica came through.

Liner Notes: Everybody Hurts, Sometimes

Welcome to the first edition of Liner Notes, your weekly link dump for all things musical. Every Sunday, we’ll collect an array of links to some of the cooler blog posts, interesting stories, or entertaining videos that we’ve scraped up from around the web, and we’ll present them to you, lovingly, in one convenient, easy-to-read package. It’s like we’re doing the heavy lifting for you, people.

One of the bigger music stories over the past couple of weeks has been the sudden and surprising break-up of R.E.M. On September 21st, the band posted a letter to fans expressing gratitude for their three decades of support, and explaining that the split was amicable. If you're looking for more information, click through and you'll be able to read the post for yourself.

I’ll admit that I was never a huge fan of the band. I’ve always felt that “Losing My Religion” is an amazing song, and given that the track was literally everywhere during the summer of 1991, I associate with it as much as any 90's teen would. Still, I have a great deal of respect for the members of R.E.M. and everything they’ve accomplished over an absolutely staggering thirty-one year career. I wish the best to Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills in their future efforts.

GO! has posted a pretty thorough retrospective on R.E.M. by the Chicago Tribune’s Greg Kot.