Words and Music...

Playing the songwriting game is dirty work. It can be painstaking. It leads to ego and the dreaded "musical differences" which drives good musicians away from one another.

I quit a really good Metal band once because I couldn't get any ideas in the mix. It was stifling creatively for me. I felt like a hired gun who couldn't shoot. "Creative differences" forced my departure. I was unwilling to conform to the collective direction set forth by other members.

I'd show up with completed songs (not the approach these guys were used too). My stuff got shot down right away. They had a certain way to write. Lyrically and musically the guitar player was not willing to step outside of his box. There wasn't room for me. 

The band went on to have some regional success under another moniker. I enjoyed them as a fan. Musically, they had a demonic theme which was not to be strayed far from. They were very good at what they did.

Some lyric writers work in rhymes. Others are more concerned with cadence. Both approaches work. The content of the words excel the music into palatable songs. A great song is equal parts words and music flowing in harmony. 

In the past, some lyric writers considered themselves the main architect of the song, and have the publishing rights to prove it. This approach is true if a song is structured around a melody thought up by the lyricist. For me, formatting is equally important. Conceptually, it takes more than just a few words to write a song.

Another way (which fascinates me) involves a musician coming up with a riff, writing words on paper and telling a singer to make it work. This is a reverse problem, and takes a master in melody to make the words palatable over an arrangement.

In my next band, Domicile, we took a few approaches. Originally, songs were written in the basic form I was comfortable with, then formatted for the betterment of the band afterward. Later on, we took a different direction. "Jamming it out," became the norm. Our singer, who was cadence orientated, had most of the lyrics written before he heard any music at all. The magic happened when the core band members joined it all together. It was a humbling experience for me.

Rush is a great example of lyric writing outside of the music. Neal Peart (drummer) writes all of the lyrics. The band works out the songs together, and melody is approached from either a "how do we make these words flow?" standpoint, or a "write words to replace my scratch track" format. This approach works well for Rush.

I used to feel like the best songs wrote themselves. I know the feeling of a "song writing itself in 10 minutes." When it happens, it is magic. I still embrace that philosophy on occasion, but it rarely happens. More often it takes a village to craft a song. 

Lyrics and melody matter equally. I've found myself singing along to psycho-babble nonsense just as easily as straight forward ballads. I am a sucker for a good hook mixed with a vocal harmony.

The content has to matter from a relatable standpoint on some level. If you're hurting, you can feel the pain from a great song. If you want more from life, find inspiration from an artist's plight. If you want to feel good, you have only to turn on your radio... And so on.

For me, true art comes from true artists, not some "hit factory." If it's plainly made to feed the masses full of disposable rubbish, then it's disposable rubbish. However, we all have our favorite disposable rubbish moments. It's normal. Besides, with the amount of garbage pumped out each year, something has to strike a nerve with someone.

Do you watch a lot of TV? It's relatable. For every "Walking Dead," there are 17 shitty cop shows. I personally like "Longmire." There is no good reason. I caught a few episodes and got invested.

Because we are all very pop-culture oriented, music matters. A great song can change the world. Getting a song heard today is challenging, but if someone writes a song that is undeniably good, it will be heard. Even if only by a few souls.

So the wheel in the sky keeps on turning.

Getting back to the first band I quit. There was magic in our practice space. My unwillingness to conform to someone else's ideas of songwriting caused my departure. For the betterment of me as an artist, it was inevitable. Hindsight tells me  It could have gone differently had I checked my ego. I have no regrets. The band I started afterward was more rewarding in every way possible. I learned a lot from the experience though. Some of the tricks I picked up on I still use to this day. 

You hopefully absorb some of the lessons. Ultimately, it is your story to write however you choose. Putting experiences on paper and sharing it with the world, even if the world doesn't listen, is a very unselfish act. Embrace it, regardless of how you do it. There is a reward spiritually if nothing else.

Most of all. Keep creating.

Nago

"Clash of the Titans" 25th Anniversary Tour?

It has been 25 Years since the "Clash of the Titans" tour featuring Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer unleashed itself onto North America. Sheds and Arenas packed full of thrash fans were treated to 3 of the "Big 4" in a celebration of the music that pushed a stale genre into more extreme territory.

The stages were large. The crowds were rabid. All 3 bands were touring on their then current releases. Each band showing maturity as artists. For those reasons, the timing was perfect.

Megadeth: "Rust In Peace." Their best LP. Every fan knows this.
Slayer: "Seasons in the Abyss." A critically acclaimed, certified gold, fan favorite. Slower, menacing, evil and ominous.
Anthrax: "Persistance of Time" Their best? Not. However it showed the complexity of the band and was more developed than the LP prior.

3 thrash bands, all unique, at their peak. In many ways, this tour was the last stand of the first wave of thrash.  

Commercial success via slowed down music followed. Changing trends led to confused offerings from each. Line-up changes muddied the waters. Financial awareness and artistic integrity (ego) became the norm in some cases, but somehow the core of each band made it through to today.

There have been shows since featuring all 3 bands. In particular, the 2010 American Carnage tour reunited all three bands to play smaller venues. Of course the Big 4 shows (featuring the mighty Metallica) should be mentioned, but most of us didn't get to see either.

Is America ready for a proper "Clash of the Titans" reunion tour? Yes we are. The question is: Will it happen?

I don't know. But there is a great reason to try:

Each band has an album in the cycle just in time for a 2016 tour. Each album looks to be their best in years.

Slayer's "World Painted Blood" was released on Sept 11th, and is their highest charting LP to date in the US (#4 on the Billboard top 200). The first LP without Jeff Hanneman is today's Slayer, and it's damn good.

Megadeth fans are foaming at the mouth for the new album "Dystopia" set to release on Jan 22nd. It features with new members Chris Adler (Lamb of God) and Kiko Loureiro (Angra) taking the always rotatable positions of drums and guitar. It looks to be Megadeth's strongest LP since "Rust In Peace." Based in the teaser, it just may be:

Anthrax is dropping a new LP sometime in the first quarter of 2016, and just this morning I heard the new single "Evil Twin," I think it rips, and so far the metal world agrees. Anthrax is finally riding high after years of struggle and drama. This second release since the Joey reunion looks to be just as important to the band as "Worship Music" was. These guy are coming out swinging.

Based on the fanfare and hype, I believe that these bands can pull off large-ish tour together and the fans will support it. The timing is once again perfect. 

In todays market, it would be great to see the best of the genre pull it together for the betterment of the scene. The fact that all 3 bands are still relevant today speaks to the impact they still have. 

It should be mentioned that a young upcoming band from Seatlle opened the American dates in 1991. Their name? Alice in Chains. I doubt they would be available today to open this dream tour, but I guarantee that many a big name would find the time to do it. I vote for Overkill or Machine Head.

It's time to recapture the energy. My friends and I were 16 then. We all raised our families, and now we are 41. Our kids want this, we want this and we may even buy the kids tickets. 

Make it happen. 

Nago. 

Happy 20th!! (1995's version of KISS). Yes, another dumb KISS blog.

I really don't mean to constantly dip into "Kisstory." It seems like a lot of time this year has been dedicated to the topic. It's not intentional other than I do find KISS to be fascinating and somewhat bulletproof.

It was Tuesday, October 31st 1995. MTV scheduled a monumental "Unplugged" featuring KISS. It was set to air at 8:00 PM eastern that chilly Halloween night.

It was well publicized that KISS brought the original members of the band up on stage for a couple of songs earlier that year, and I was ecstatic to actually see the reunion unfold on television. The rumor mills were buzzing with anticipation. 

My then wife and I planned a party to celebrate the occasion. I'm sure this party equated to nails on a chalkboard for her as she didn't really like KISS, but she allowed me to fill up the fridge with Carling Black Label and invite a few friends over.

The spirit of Halloween had me in its sights that night. I tried to dress up my 1 year old son ('Sup Mocha!) for the festivities. That didn't fly well with Angi-management. He ended up being a pumpkin.

My friends came over. Beers were guzzled. A plate glass door got smashed. Good times were was had by all. I was only 20 at the time and even though that type of behavior was unacceptable with a young family in tow, it happened and we all survived.

It's seems odd that the reunion (and the party at my rented flat) happened 20 years ago. I am now the age that members of the band were when the Unplugged event aired on MTV.

KISS Unplugged led to a full on reunion that still goes on to this day (well, sorta). KISS had an album ready to go and ditched it for a nostalgic trip based on the demands of the fans.

But let's get really real here. KISS was playing acoustic shows at conventions at the time. That's a far cry from the stadiums of the '70's and even a step down from the hockey arenas of the 80's.

Nostalgia was pretty popular in 1995. The Eagles were touring on their Hell Freezes Over Tour and charging top dollar for tickets ($80 to $120 in 1994). Elton John + Billy Joel were doing the same. I'm sure Gene and Paul noticed. I can hear Paul saying "Now listen, I hear you 70's nostalgia people like paying big money for tickets?"

Seriously, this was a no brainier.

The album that was shelved, "Carnival of Souls," sounded like KISS meets Soundgarden. It was eventually released (with very little fanfare) and it's not bad. I can't imagine that KISS fans would have not seen through the blatant attempt of cashing in on a grunge sound. That crap worked for KISS in the 80's with hair metal and even a little bit with "Revenge." To completely take a left turn in 1995 would have been so bloody obvious that no one would have taken it seriously.

The better bet for the future of the band was to go backwards and cash in on what got them there in the first place. The bet payed off. 20 years later, KISS still tours with face paint and focused on '70's material. That's how fans like their KISS.

I like '80's KISS. There, I said it. 

Happy 20th Anniversary KISS Reunion! I'm not throwing another party and definitely not pushing another friend into a window. Those days are looooong gone.

Nago.

Here is photographic proof at my attempt to dress up Mocha:

Metal Geekism Comic Style

Exactly how much crossover exists between Metal and Comics?

I am aware of some of the influences. Judge Dredd and Anthrax come to mind. There is definitely a fan base cross-over, with many fans equally passionate about both styles of moden day storytelling.

I was watching The Dark Knight Returns on YouTube this morning. Seeing the dark imagery, I was reminded how much the two genres have in common. Much like the Batman feature films of late, the cartoon movie was gloomy and featured mass amounts of death mixed with "against all odds" heroism. Both ideas are rampid in the metal genre as well. The phrase "Rise," being a staple in Metal due to its use being related to the idea of "rise up" or "persevere."

That's what superheroes do also. They persevere and never give up. 

I am not a comic book geek. My education consists or Marvel, DC, and authors like Gaiman and Miller. I know a little more than just X-Men and Superman however. I have read Sandman, Watchmen, the Killing Joke and Lucifer, but being a layman I find the massive amount of material available a bit overwhelming.

When I was a boy in the early 80's, I flirted with comics as a form of escapism. I had the Secret Wars collection, an Iron Fist comic, a few Cloak and Dagger books, mixed with the standards of the day like X-Men, Transformers and GI Joe.  It was normal to obsess over these books, re-reading each page looking for something missed the first time.

Metal came a few years later, and comics were immediately replaced by the imagery and power of the music of my obsession. The result was pattern behavior, pining over every song and looking for something I missed. A large part of that OCD behavior was studying album art and liner notes.

What I came to realize is that even in Metal, comic book characters had a role. Eddie, Vic Rattlehead, Allister Fiend and others graced posters and album covers. Kiss was an obvious nod to comic book art. Manowar portrayed themselves as graphic novel barbarians and comic-like mascots became pretty normal for a few years. 

Into the 90's, the comic characters became more menacing. The heroes of that day adjusted as well. Death was no longer taboo. Darker times led to darker story lines. Torture porn and slasher movies expanded our pallets and our collective stomachs became a little stronger.

Music followed suite. It can be said that shock rock took the ideas of graphic novels, movies and art to a new level. In extreme cases, bands led the charge and books took the backseat.

Slipknot is an example of a band that could easily be featured in graphic novel form, just like Mushroomhead before them. Playing hero may not necessarily be the correct way to treat bands of this stature, but as villains they could easily ruin many a good day.

Black metal characters are very "comic book" as well. It's a little more campy, but it's ready made for the villain role in short story format.

In this day we see a new movie based on  a graphic novel or classic comic book every week. Some of which the masses don't even realize are story lines from a graphic novel, while others are pretty blatant. Marvel, and it's classic characters rule today's cinema, which took so long to happen because technology needed to be advanced enough to make this shit somewhat believable. Other films like 300, From Hell, Road to Perdition, and Red don't always come across as great comic book writing before they became great movies. If you didn't research, you didn't necessarily know their background in graphic novels.

Metal is underground, but it pulses. A select few of the biggest bands in the world are of the Metal ilk and the remaining Metal bands keep chugging away. We metal heads like our music underground though. Just like in the comics, we root for the underdog and sometimes the bad guys. 

I am sure there are many examples of crossover way beyond anything mentioned here. There has to be thousands of examples. The idea of swords and blood are no stranger to either taste, and evil has no boundaries.

Nago

Old Guy Drama P2 - Like Kissin' Your Sister.

Is there any reason to care about Paul Stanley and Dee Snyder having a war of words in the press?

For anyone not paying attention, Paul called Dee a poser and his band, Twisted Sister, "buffoons" a month or so ago on Chris Jericho's podcast. This was in response to Dee bitching about scabs playing the characters of Peter and Ace in Kiss.

Dee responded with a strange challenge. He wants to have a no frills "Rock-Off" on a stage with Paul. He said to Paul "I will bury you son!"

Paul is not responding and Dee is never silent. He continually talks about the verbal attack from Paul Stanley. The latest was actually kinda respectful, saying that he is a Kiss fan, and bought their albums early on because Kiss were New Yorkers like Dee. Honestly, Paul should be used to criticism about his scab players anyway. Maybe he had a moment of weakness or was tired of the question?

It's good press for both of them. As a metal fan, I like that these guys can occupy time in my social media stream. I absolutely love them both, and to think that 40 years after both bands started they can get any press is interesting.

Here's the thing: Dee knows how good this is for him and Twisted Sister. It's a backhanded endorsement for him in a way. Dee loves to be heard, and this type of press keeps him talking. 

Dee stirs up a lot of beehives. He got a ton of press after he attacked Doug Aldridge earlier in the year, which got people listening to his podcast waiting to see what he would say next.

The common denominator in all of this is the podcast medium. For me, it great to see this form of talk radio soar to new heights. It's still a bit underground, yet fans of anything can find something relevant to listen to when all other forms of media become stale. Best of all, it's still free content. 

Back to this feud. Paul Stanley will probably not spend another second talking about this. Kisstorically, Paul has no issue ignoring controversy. He's not going to roll around in the mud with Dee. He said what he said, he meant it, and his stance will not change on it.

It's not surprising that Paul doesn't like Twisted Sister. Fans of that band, like me, have invested more time into the raw, non-commercial material that made them great. We don't buy Christmas albums, we typically don't like the "hits" or campy videos, and can separate that garbage from the good stuff. Paul Stanley probably thinks of TS as a ripoff band, and maybe even an old competitor that was left in the dust.

Paul may need to get a little bit humble about Kiss and his legacy. I mean, we all suffered through buffoonish moments from Kiss and we still love them anyway. 

Both bands entertain by dressing up like comic book heroes and bringing nostalgic Rock to the masses. It's not exactly rushing into burning buildings on a daily basis. They matter because they distract people from their daily grind, and they entertain. They are cheerleaders. With respect to Neal Peart, a concert hall echoes with the sounds of salesmen. We make the salesmen successful because we care enough to buy their product.

There really is no core difference between "I Wanna Rock" and "Crazy Nights." Neither is timeless art, and both are examples of throw-away, pop culture anthems that are fun to sing. Dee Snyder absolutely gets that. He has no delusions about his place in music history.

Dee will continue to milk this for all its worth, and Paul will continue to do whatever he wants. They both have earned the right to do so. If it makes them happy, I support it.

In conclusion: no, it doesn't matter one bit, but it's amusing and entertaining and that's what we pay them for.

Nago

Anti-Procrastination Anniversiary

S.O.D.'s "Speak English or Die" is turning 30, and it still makes me laugh like a stupid kid every time I hear it.

I am one of the lucky people that absolutely get the joke. I can only imagine how much fun it was to write, record and actually play the goofy songs that make up this unlikely masterpiece. I mean that, I absolutely love this album. I am not alone, droves of minions across the globe love it to.

It started, existed and ended mostly as a goof, but the 4 meatheads that made up S.O.D. had no clue how much impact this little side project would actually have. When they took it too seriously, it lost the piss that made it perfect.

The Stormtroopers of Death started as a dumb sketch, a few leftover riffs and a pile of bad lyrics meant to offend the easily offended. It was Scott Ian's way of cutting loose, and he recruited his goofball friends to round out his troupe during the downtime after recording Anthrax's second studio LP "Spreading the Disease."

Scott Ian: the Midget of Metal. Always goofy, and always working, Scott sketched out Sargent D, and wrote an album around this character. 

Billy Milano: a former Anthrax rodie and a NYHC kid who was the perfect voice for the offensive material that made up the project.

Danny Lilker: a true heavy metal underground legend who was a founding member of Anthrax (he was let go by original singer Neil Turbin), Nuclear Assault, and Brutal Truth.

Charlie Benante: Charlie beat, the beats, the beats you beat. He is the originator of the blast beat, and horribly underrated as a Metal drummer. He is also a very good guitar player and a monster songwriter.

These four blasphemous bastards cut Speak English or Die in 3 days, and it has haunted them ever since. This band was one of the first accidental side projects of Metal, and the first crossover Thrash band to make serious waves in the Punk and Metal worlds. 

The riffs are what make this pallet of offensive ramblings a legendary album in the metal world. It's just damn good mosh material. The album that was conceptually a joke just won't die. It eventually sold platinum. In a lot of ways, it's a happy accident in its popularity and impact.

I would love to compare this records sales to anything in the Anthrax catalog, but Anthrax has never released their sales numbers to the public. There are plenty of estimates out there, anywhere from 2 Million to 10 Million (combined sales of all albums). With that in mind, it is easy to say that Speak English or Die probably outsold much of the Anthrax catalog. Not bad for an afterthought side project.

Fact: there is an overdue remaster/rerelease coming in December. The material holds up, but the production does not. I really look forward to hearing this album with today's mastering levels blaring it out.

Rumor: A reunion tour. I believe this would be pretty easy to do if it wasn't for Billy Milano's big fat mouth. He works at a bar, and he is really bitter. To me, he is the luckiest SOB on the planet to have been tapped on the shoulder to front this monster, but it would t be as great without him, would it?

I'm not sure what he is mad about, the guy is a legend in certain circles. Maybe he is mad about the fortune side of the equation (and his lack of it?). Who the hell knows. His attitude problem is always part of the fun. Even during the reunion talks, he is already bashing his former band mates. I'm sure Scott Ian doesn't give any actual shits about Billy's "issues" with him or Charlie Benante. 

No one has to reunite, but a tour would be pretty cool to see. It will absolutely be the last time anyone will see this wonderful mistake of a band. Put me on the list!

Nago

Blasphemy and the Rolling Stones

I would like to start this rant with a bit of a disclaimer: I like the Rolling Stones. I always have, for literally as long as I can remember.

The Rolling Stones made Rock and Roll dangerous starting way back in the early 60's. They had great material, made controversial headlines and are legends for good reason. Some of their music is actually pretty tasty. Their versatile nature allowed them to jump around musically. They inspired every legendary Rock band that came after them, and set the bar pretty high for what a Rock band could achieve.

The first 15 years of their career is what we typically idolize. After that, they stayed relevant, but eventually stopped setting trends and started following them. No amount of production value or sheen could make the Stones sound like Bon Jovi by the time 1989's Steel Wheels got rolling, and the amount of new material began to wain. 

The following shows the number of Albums this band has produced by decade.

10 in the 1960's

6 in the '70's

5 in the '80's

2 In the '90's

1 in 2005

It's all good, their live set list basically dosent include anything after 1980 anyway. These guys don't have to work like that anymore. It is not necessary to write a new batch of material they won't play live. They will sell out every show regardless of that. That's game folks.

I bring all of this up because Keith Richards has been running his mouth during his latest press tour. He has dissed Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Metallica and The Who in the press.

I have previously stated that Keith gets a pass because he's Keith, but he is basically admitting that he has been out of touch for over 40 years.  I imagine he heard a little Zep once, didn't invest in it, and moved on.

I suppose Keith likes his music sloppy and loose. I am not going out on a limb in saying that it is pretty normal for anyone under 70 to appreciate the musicianship and songwriting of great guys like Jimmy Page. Keith is allowed to be arrogant, but being disrespectful is sorta petty in his position.

Keith Richards, I'd like to say this to you: thank you for being a part of the band that gave the world amazing songs and legacy, now please go piss off. 

One more thing: your solo efforts are like bits of unimportant bullocks, aren't they? Good day, Mr. Richards, good day!

Nago

 

Bringer of War

I am guilty of actually checking out pics from Mars sent back to us by the NASA built Mars rover. It is very intriguing to me, even though the only time the world takes notice is when a sand shape of some sort resembles an earthly product or something familiar like a face or a spoon.

I'm fascinated by it all. NASA has been trying to reach this kind of data collection for many years now. Most times they crash a vessel in an exercise of expensive trial and error, but they have adjusted and finally made it work on a much larger scale than previous attempts.

Finding water on Mars is pretty amazing. Not since the Erie PA local band "Mars" released their legendary 1987 LP "Metaldrone" have I been this stoked about anything related to Mars.

OK, that's a lie, but I take every opportunity to rep my hometown. 'Sup Erie!

All this water talk about the planet Mars got me thinking about how the human race has looked up and dreamed about the red planet since we realized it was there. Finding water on the planet is a monumental deal beyond what us "modern folk" realize.

The first written record of Mars happened over 3000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. The History Database of the Global Environment (HYDE) estimates the world population to be around 30 to 40 Million people at the time of the recording (5% of what it is today). Egypt had astronomers, a fact that speaks volumes about their society and hierarchy. In a world that small, Egypt recognized the importance of learning and discovery beyond their own environment (a lesson we all should practice on smaller scales).

Egypt is not alone in observing the planet. Ancient Chinese astronomers also took note, as did the Greeks.

Given that Mars shines brighter than distant stars to the naked eye, it needed a specific name. Greeks called it "Ares," Chinese called it "The Fire Star" and the Egyptians called it "Her Desher" (the Red One). 

Romans named it after their God of War, Mars. The name stuck. Mars (the God) was a symbol of power, the namesake of March, and the Father of Rome's creators, Romulus and Remus. Why not name a bright light in the sky after him?

The planet and the god also inspired one of my favorite pieces of classical music. It's been running on repeat in my head for a few weeks now:

Mars, the Bringer of War was written by Gustav Holst during the WWI era (sometime between 1914 - 1918) as part of his Planets suite. For me it correctly captures the tone of the first modern war. One can easily picture the naivety of egocentric generals standing in large offices, the ruins of cities, the triumph and pride of fools, and the suffering and loss of families and loved ones.

The world in general tends to lend some romanticism to the World Wars of the 20th century. It's definitive bad guys, good versus evil storytelling and national pride all play out in black and white on our nostalgic history channels. In hindsight, War of that stature can be romanticized easily, and it eases the timeline of how WWI led to the devastation of WWII and so on. As each generation passes, it becomes less relevant on the surface to a large majority of our growing population, which is unfortunate. I only mention this because I am surprised at how little press the 100th anniversary of the first World War has received.

In popular culture, Mars, the Bringer of War has been the inspiration for many other works. As a Star Wars fan, drawing the line between Mars and the Imperial Death March is elementary, but as a Metalhead, hints of this work bleed into the best of the dark musical genre.

It can be argued that the examples above can also be directly traced to the Tritone, which is true. Tritone scales evoke a sense of evil, and have been utilized in blues just as much as metal. To be fair, most genres of music throughout history have hints of Tritone, but Metal is rooted in it 100%. Gustav is just as important to Metal as Wagner and Greig for that reason. If these guys were alive and composing today, I imagine them recording on black flying v's in the woods for an authentically evil sound.

That completes my ramble for today.

Nago