List Of The Day
  • The coolest thing about punk rock used to be how it complained about EVERYTHING: Reaganomics, Censorship, Racism, Sexism, Corporate Oppression, Religion, School, Homework, Rich People, Poor People, Middle-Class People, People Who Weren't Punk Enough, People Who Thought They Were Punk But Weren't, Punks, Metalheads, Jocks....

    But then punk rock started singing more about emotions and love and how you broke my heart and that's not fair and "I'm a loser" and it became like every other stupid genre just with lousier music.  But the world's a mess these days! And we need to have our voices heard! And there's no better way to do it than to inspire the masses through the magic of song!

    If you can't afford to buy a Clash album to hear how it's done, just write down what you can about these edgy, enduring topics!

    War: Always a good one. Be sure to be anti-war. Slam-dancing violence and breaking someone's nose at a show is all in good fun, but the real stuff is always bad. Remember the enemy

    Read More »from Five Topics For Rockers to Rail Against!
  • Five Top Vocal Styles

    There are many ways to ruin a song. But singing them really sucky tops the list. So many singers use vocal styles that make listeners turn their radios off that you start to wonder if they're doing it on purpose. The age of auto-tuning has enabled many non-singers the chance to sing on key. But it doesn't help convey the all-important "emotion" that's supposed to go along with it. As you'll see below, there is a style where this is effective. However, the singer must first make sure the approach makes sense.

    There are hundreds of styles and countless sub-groupings. We (meaning me) could break this down for years - and who knows maybe we will? For now, let's start with the five most obvious approaches to modern song and then a few people who exemplify that effort.

    The Manly Approach: I will sweep your woman off their feet and take them home tonight.  Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Roger Daltrey, David Lee Roth, Vince Neil, Joan Jett.

    The Soothing Romantic Approach: I am

    Read More »from Five Top Vocal Styles
  • Peter Hook announced that New Order disbanded, since he left the group. The remaining guys didn't take kindly to this and maintain that New Order will continue with, well, a New Order! After all, Hook is only the bass player. Most people can't tell you who the bass player is anyhow. As a friend of mine always tells me, there are three rules you must follow if you want to make it in the business: Sing, sing and sing!

    Here are five defections in rock that forever altered the landscape (for them, if not us).

    Natalie Merchant leaves 10,000 Maniacs. This is why my buddy says SING, SING, SING. Would anybody care if the keyboard player left? Nope. Would anyone notice if the lead guitar player quit? Nope. If they kicked out the bass player? Nope. But when the singer leaves, suddenly the rest of the group go from playing in clubs and arenas to driving taxis and teaching school. And what does the singer do? She hires a back-up group to hire and fire at will. Is her new "sound" a radical

    Read More »from The Five Most Important Band Member Defections in Rock n’ Roll!
  • My own promotional ideas are limited. A little common sense goes a long way. I wouldn't promote a "Free Knife" Night at a sporting event, or a "Free Beer" Night at anything. Not even a wedding. Gotta keep costs down. (Also applying common sense, ladies drink free every night. Is there any other way to get them to be nice to me?)

    So when I heard Prince was promoting his new album by giving it away free to subscribers to a newspaper in England, I thought, "Man, this is an idea with legs." No one buys music anymore anyhow! No one likes music either! Not whole albums or whole songs. Just hit shuffle on your iPod and catch 30 seconds and it's like listening to mouthwash commercials all day long!

    But you still have to get rid of these CDs with all their stupid artwork and credits. So, crazy me, I'm giving away the tricks of the trade to boost sales for the entire industry. While Prince will be our inaugural "Trendsetter," it shouldn't be long before all labels begin foisting their junk on a

    Read More »from Five New Promotional Gimmicks for Prince to Sell His New Album!
  • Five Rock Beards

    Metallica's James Hetfield gets stopped at the airport for sporting a "Taliban" styled beard and immediately you think, well, the last bunch of Metallica albums haven't been very good, but that hardly seems reason to accuse him of joining Al Qaeda.  Besides, he isn't even one of the beard-wearing pros.

    Beards, however, do signify deep meaningful changes within the person wearing one. Besides hiding the double chin, they express a philosophy of life that is very different from our shaven friends.

    Jim Morrison: Without it, he looked like a Greek God and woman went nuts. Who would want to live under such scrutiny? Who wouldn't wake up one day and say, "Nuts, I'm growing a beard and I'm going to get FAT!"? We all need goals in our life. Achieving them makes us strong. Unless we die young, like Jim. Then reverse that axiom about "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger" and change it to "What kills us, well, kills us." Bummer, dude.

    ZZ Top: They could've learned a fourth chord. But rather

    Read More »from Five Rock Beards
  • Nothing is more important in this world than human understanding. We must strive to make sure that each of us better comprehends what we are saying to one another. Communication should be at the forefront of any new society. There is no better way to reach "young people" than with popular song. Classic rock radio has made sure that we as a collective mass of humanity have all heard the same 500 songs ten million times. It's time to think closer about what these songs mean and what they are really saying to us.

    Kiss, "Rock n' Roll All Night": I wanna rock n' roll all night and party everyday but the toll such carousing takes is impossible to maintain for long since the body requires rest and while vitamins and energy drinks can help me endure beyond my expected endurance level, it does not allow me to do this for nights on end, no matter how much of a party animal I may see myself as.

    The Beatles, "All You Need is Love": All you need is love, a good education, some money in the bank,

    Read More »from Five More Classic Songs Expanded For Better Understanding
  • Great songs offer a cleansing truth by oversimplifying difficult situations. Love and hate are powerful emotions. But most of us spend our time in that netherworld of indifference. And it's not just the medication. We're complex human beings with many needs and desires. Imagine if songwriters confronted that wall of doubt. Imagine when they scream that big chorus that has everyone standing on their chairs and raising their cellphones in communal glee, they suddenly go into a long, ponderous explanation of what they really meant. It could mean curtains for their careers - or turn them into Neil Peart -- but it would bring a new level of understanding to us, the great unwashed masses.

    In what I hope can be a recurring theme here, I offer you the first five songs that if I were a college professor, I would implore my students to expand on their answer. Think of it as being a bit like all those classic reissues that suddenly come Remastered and Expanded with bonus cuts and extra noodlings

    Read More »from Five Important Songs – The Expanded Edition…

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News for You

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    NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — A woman says she and her 5-year-old developmentally disabled daughter were thrown out of a theater during a "Beauty and the Beast" performance because the girl was making giggling and humming noises she makes when she's happy.

  • 'The Voice' Winner: Who Did the Experts Choose?

    By Jethro Nededog LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - NBC's "The Voice" will crown another winner on Tuesday night's finale. Season 4's three finalists - Daniellle Bradbury, Michelle Shamuel and The Swon Brothers - battled it out for the title on Monday's performance finale episode. Before the performances, coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Shakira and Usher performed The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends." The Top 16 then got together for the second group performance of the night on Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros' "Home. ...

  • Family tweets indicate Kim Kardashian gives birth

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — It looks to be a baby girl for Kim Kardashian and her rapper boyfriend Kanye West. Or does it?

  • Jenner: Kim Kardashian 'thrilled for the new baby'

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kris Jenner says her daughter Kim Kardashian is thrilled to have a new baby girl.

  • Miss Utah latest beauty queen to botch answer

    LAS VEGAS (AP) — Miss Utah Marissa Powell is the latest beauty queen to trip on national television, not over her gown, but during the interview segment.

  • Teen country singer Bradbery captures 'The Voice' season crown

    By Eric Kelsey LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pitch-perfect teen country singer Danielle Bradbery won TV singing contest "The Voice" on Tuesday, scoring a contract with Universal Music Group and a $100,000 cash prize. Bradbery, who was coached by fellow country singer Blake Shelton, covered her mouth and began to cry when named the winner, hugging runner-up Michelle Chamuel. "I'm so thankful," the 16-year-old Texan said. "I'm sorry, I'm speechless. ...

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