Let's talk GAMES.

Well, hell has officially froze over. The Playstation 3 now has....and I can't believe I'm even typing this.....TWO great games in it's library. And these are exclusive games that are ONLY on the PS3. They are Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Folklore. I seriously doubt either title will save the system (seeing as how non-traditional gamers would check either one out), but they are really good titles.

And yeah, the Xbox is still kicking ass right now, but I'm gonna switch gears and talk about the PC for just a second. Yes, The Orange Box is sweet mana straight from heaven, but it's MUCH sweeter on a solid PC. If you don't know what The Orange Box is, you should be ashamed of yourself. It includes ALL of Half Life 2 so far. The original HL2, and both expansions (called episode 1 and 2). If you've never played Half Life 2, then you're missing out on the GREATEST SINGLE PLAYER FPS EVER MADE. I'm not even kidding. It completely destroys Halo 3 or anything else in that category for a story driven shooter. The single player experience is absolutely amazing. Some of the things that happen in the game will make you stop and wonder why you ever played anything else. And the old-school gamers already know that you cannot beat using a mouse in a 1st person shooter. It simply OWNS a game pad for precision and twitch accuracy.

The Orange Box also includes Portal (which is pretty awesome for a puzzle based game in 1st Perspective) and the outrageous Team Fortress 2. TF2 could be the most fun you've had on a PC in years. It's THAT GOOD. It's so easy to jump into and it never disappoints. If you get on a good team, you will loose hours of your life fragging away in happy bliss. Highly recommended. Anyone who reads this and has the Orange Box on the PC needs to send me an email so we can exchange Steam IDs. I'd be more than happy to hop online for some multiplayer chaos.

And while talking PC games.....it's really nice having a kick-ass computer again. Some of the greatest games ever made are here and it's wonderful getting back to my roots. The new Age of Empires 3 expansion was just released and I got it last night (The Asian Dynasties). Age of Empires 3 is easily the deepest, most complex real time strategy game ever made. Not to mention that it's beautiful with incredible graphics (plus the Havoc Engine's effects!). You really haven't had true RTS fun till you've pitted an army of colonial troops against a squad of ninjas and Samaria. Plus this is the second expansion....and for a game to get TWO expansions, you know it has to have real merit. How good is it? Let's put it this way.....it's made by Ensemble Studios. And they're making the RTS Halo game for the 360. Nuff Said.

Also, till Starcraft 2 comes out, you need to check out World in Conflict. It's REALLY good. If you're a RTS fan, you need it in your library. Outside of AoE3 and Command & Conquer 3, nothing can touch it.

Faith
-noun
1. Confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. Belief that is not based on proof.
3. Belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion.

I've learned a lot over the last couple of years.....especially this last one. I've learned a tremendous amount about other people and more importantly, I've started discovering quite a bit about myself. I realize faith is based on placing confidence within someone or something.....a feeling or gut instinct you have. And sometimes learning to trust your gut is one of the most valuable lessons you'll ever learn. If you pay enough attention to the details, you'll rarely be surprised.

This is one of the most important things I've learned and I'm gonna share it real quick. You may think it's hardly anything profound, but it is TRUE. What is it? It's how the majority of people perceive faith. They think that "having faith" is a means to get something you want. Sometimes it's twisted so you can KEEP something you want. But that's not what faith is really all about. You can't expect behaving in a selfish manner will work out to any good. What you have to have is a little faith in yourself. And you need to believe that whatever happens, you will be able to make the right decision.....and have faith to find the strength to see it through.

Faith isn't about getting what you want. It's about knowing in the end that things will work out for the best if you pay attention. It's about focusing on getting through something to better yourself.....even if that means losing something you thought was yours to keep. I don't pretend to know how things are going to work out. Faith hasn't got anything to do with seeing the future. It's more about believing that there IS a better future if you hang on. Just because it's not the way you thought it should be.....well, that may be the way it needed to be. And you'll get there eventually.

"Keeping the faith" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Right now, it means a lot to me. I've got a lot more to learn. And I've learned that starting over isn't really starting anything at all. It's just the next lesson you learn while you keep the faith.

Somebody asked me AGAIN the other day what I thought about "The Secret". I decided just in case anyone else was wondering who reads my blog....I'd make it crystal clear:

This video is not only completely preposterous, it defies all forms of logic known to man (or God for that matter). If you think you shape the universe to get what you want simply by maintaining a positive outlook, you COULD be stupid enough to join a cult. If you're passing your copy of "The Secret" around to your friends and family, you ARE in a cult. Get your head out of your ass and stop being selfish. If you think the universe owes you anything (outside of an asteroid hitting you in the head for being a retard), then you need to check yourself. If you think this piece o' crap can tie into any religion or faith (save scientology perhaps), then you're playing with fire.....at least in regards to your own faith.

I like people who think outside the box. I DETEST people who think they ARE the box.

So today I accidentally conducted a simple test in the retail market. When I got home I read this amazing article and realized what I did.

I'm gonna talk about Wal-Mart for a second. What?! Yeah, not something I would normally blog about, but I'm gonna say a few things and eventually bring it back full circle. 1st off, I hate Wal-Mart. Not because it's "destroyed local retailers" or any of the other economical reasons why it gets bashed on (although they ARE good reasons). Wal-Mart pisses me off because it feels like a damn EVENT to go there. It's this gigantic mini-mall that takes forever to wade through while navigating endless isles of shit I don't need and hundreds.....no, thousands (or so it feels like) of people in my way. By the time I DO find what I was looking for, get to the register (and ended up picking up 10 more things I DON'T NEED) I'm exhausted. No, I'm not out of shape.....I think it's more mental torture than physical that gets me to that point.

If you do read that article I linked to at the start of this post, you'll see what got me excited about it. It's the Internet. The Internet is cited as having the most impact of slowing down Wal-Mart. Online shopping completely OWNS Wal-Mart for selection. They used to pride themselves in being the one-stop-shop for everything. But the Internet really is just that. Outside of food, I can buy anything I want online (and usually much cheaper) and just have it shipped to my house. I used to avoid doing that with certain products by fooling myself with the "if something is wrong I can't just take it back" mentality. But have you ever tried to return something to Wal-Mart? Hell, you might be in for quite a battle....JUST to reach the front of the service line.

The truth is, the internet and online commerce is changing everything. It's finally maturing to the point where the average person buys items online. The fear of credit card numbers being stolen is finally eroding away for the masses. The ability to find ANYTHING you want and have it delivered to your door (or workplace) is just a few clicks away.

So what was my experiment? Well, I needed two things today. "The Orange Box" for the PC (which is a kick-ass game) and a 500 megabyte removable hard drive. We designers need a LOT of storage. Especially if you're hoarding thousands of textures, software tutorials in video format and print resolution size images (and if you have a massive MP3 collection, that certainly hurts as well). So at Wal-Mart I fight my way to the piss-poor electronics section (which is undulated by $5 DVD sale racks and iPod rip-offs) and start searching. No hard drives that size. I saw them at Best Buy for under $150, so why doesn't Wal-Mart have them? So I give up and go to buy my game. Nada. They didn't have it. So I ask a sales guy (after hunting one down for 10 mins). He could barely speak English. It just wasn't worth it.

So I go to Best Buy. They got the drive (for $120!!) and of course they have the game. I even ask a sales rep about the speed of the drive and he helps me find exactly what I was looking for (a 7200rpm USB 2.0 drive). He not only spoke English....he also spoke TECH. Which is what I needed.

I think Wal-Mart is gonna find something out the hard way over the next few years. Catering to the lowest common denominator is a bad move. If I want a movie, I'll go to Best Buy (since Wal-Mart doesn't even carry HD media). If I want some groceries I'll go to Krogers because it's less than 2 miles from my home. If I want a TV, I'll go to Circuit City because I don't want a piece of shit. If I want a guitar, I'll go to Guitar Center. If I want my protein supplement, I'll go to GNC. I got NO PROBLEM driving to different places to get EXACTLY what I want where I can talk to people who know what they are selling.

And you can bet your ass I'm not letting somebody cut my hair at a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Two more new releases get the bolts thrown at 'em:

REVIEW: Foo Fighters- Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace

YESSSSSSsssss.......it's finally here. And for some odd reason it doesn't feel like it's been that long of a wait. I suppose I got held over by some acoustic "Skin and Bones" but make no mistake about it.....they are "re-plugged" for this one.

Those who know me already realize that I love the Foo. They are my favorite "still recording" band on the planet right now. So does this album reach the heights that "There is Nothing Left to Lose" did? ALMOST.....and that is saying a LOT.

We have some masterful rocking going on here. No doubt about it. This thing starts hitting you in the face with a sledgehammer. "The Pretender" is one of their greatest songs ever. It personifies everything that makes the Foo fantastic. Then they follow it up with "Let It Die", which is probably one of the greatest "build-up" rock songs ever made. It just builds and gets angrier till Dave ends up screaming for answers. It should be the next single....and it should make people who don't know how awesome this band is pay some attention. You WILL throw the horns at 2:40 into the song. If you don't, then you're past due for a rock-and-roll oil change. Quit listening to old Styx albums and get your rock on sucka!

The initial rock-fest doesn't stop there. "Erase Replace" keeps things rolling with another classic Foo chorus hook with awesome lyrics. Then (my personal favorite) "Long Road to Ruin" slows things down just a little, but reminds you how well these guys can make solid music. "Come Alive" was a little redundant for my taste but it's not bad. "Stranger Things Have Happened" slows things WAY down but shows just how diversified this band (well, Dave and an acoustic guitar) can be. I totally dig the metronome tick during the whole song in the background. :)

Speaking of guitar.....something happened. Dave has been practicing. A LOT. His chops have gone through the roof with this release with full-blown guitar solos that sound fantastic. His riffs and hooks are SOLID and as a guitar player myself, I can easily tell his skills have improved dramatically.

"Cheer Up Boys, Your Makeup is Running" is another great potential radio single. Very catchy song. "Summer's End" had a great hook in the chorus that keeps you singing along. "The Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners" is simply a track with Dave playing with a cool little guitar riff and having fun with where it goes. For us Foo fans, it's a blast. "Statues" keeps the slow groove going, but flexes some sweet piano (and that's certainly new!). "But Honestly" is fantastic. Maybe THIS is my favorite song on here. Hell, I can't decide. It builds and builds as well and climaxes with a great guitar solo. And check out these lyrics:

And tonight I thank the stars
As I count my lucky scars
For everything you've given me
And all the wants I gave to you
Something borrowed, something blue
If you want them back
I'll give it to you

Gahhh!! That is good shit people. Dave closes it out with "Home" by himself on the Piano. I liked it, but it's probably a little drab for most folks. I should note that this song is where the album gets it's name. He certainly SOUNDS great though. Even his vocals have improved with this album. If you have the release with the demo track, the album actually ends with "Once And For All" which is a great song as well.....and why it's not considered as part of the album is just silly. It could easily end up on the radio as well.

I started to 4 star this thing. Then I realized something. I love the whole thing. And it's not because I'm such a fan either. It's just rock-solid and the whole album is very listenable (and enjoyable!). Great music with thoughtful lyrics and very diverse sounds. There's just nothing really to complain about here at all. You guys have done me so proud. *sheds small tear*

REVIEW: Fuel - Angels & Devils

Man, these guy have been gone a LONG time. I always liked Fuel. They never released an album that completely rocked my brains out, but they were always solid. And solid means a lot these days in the rock scene. This ain't exactly the same Fuel as before. Brett Scallions isn't singing anymore. Plus the drummer has been replaced. They almost snagged Chris Daughtry for their new frontman, but that deal fell through. Now the band is being fronted by Toryn Green and the guy sounds hauntingly close to remembered vocals from past albums.

And there's certainly nothing wrong with that. After all, look at AC/DC. It happens. And it IS fixable. And apparently they ARE fixed. This is a really good album. It opens up with Gone (very nice track) and kind of bounces around in the quality department. "Forever" is pretty weak, but things get back on track with "Leave the Memories Alone" and "Not This Time" (which absolutely rocks). "Scars In The Making" is pretty catchy as well, but the real killer on this album is "Hangin' Around". They need to get that track released as a single ASAP. I can see it doing very well on American rock charts. They wrap things up with "Again", which is another solid semi-balad....but at this point you start really wanting some more pure rocking tracks. Same thing for "Halos Of The Sun". And we really didn't need another "Wasted Time" remix to end the whole thing.

But this is sounding very negative, which isn't where I want t go. This is a decent album....I would even go so far as to call it one of Fuel's best albums. They also sound REALLY tight. The craftsmanship has definitely jumped up several notches.

And come on...it's the coolest looking album cover released this year to boot! If they had just rocked a tiny little harder, I would have dropped 4 bolts on 'em. It's sooooo close.

So many of the iPhone users are in an uproar about the new update. Well, the people that are REALLY in an uproar are those NOT using AT&T, hacked the phone to work on a different carrier, then got their phone bricked because of the update. That kind of cracks me up. If you're using a hacked piece of software (on your computer OR your phone), why would you install an "official" update? I would hope to God that these people hacking up the iPhone would know a little about pirating software, right?

Anyhow, I own one, I hacked it, then "unhacked" it and got the new update. Big deal. If I want to go back and install the previous firmware I can, but I hardly see the point for some weak games and new icons. The ringtones however......that's another thing. Why in the hell would Apple not allow you to use your own ringtones? They can't make me use iTunes no matter how hard they try. As SOON as somebody (like these guys) make something to update music without iTunes, I'm all over it. I own two other iPods and can honestly say I've NEVER used iTunes to manage my music till I bought this phone. Now that I think about it, why do I even LIKE iPods? Seriously. It's not like you can even plug them into Windows and drag n' drop. Yeah, they LOOK nice, but come on.

Just how bad is iTunes? Let's put it this way: I wanted to switch out some albums on my phone the other day and installed iTunes on my new laptop to do so. Guess what? iTunes pops up and tells me it can't run on a 64-bit version of Windows. WTF?!? You mean to tell me that they can't take the time to write a version (or make it compatible) with the fastest version of Vista?! I do like having the podcasts on my phone, but now I have to use a completely separate computer (my old laptop) just to get my podcasts sync 'ed to it. UnbeStevable. I just remembered why I'm a Windows user.

And that also reminds me.....people have this misconception that Apple machines are the standard for video/music/graphics development. Um, no. Stop it. Quit buying the hype. While I can't speak from experience on the audio/music front, I can attest for the graphics and video department. That glowing fruit icon is HIGHLY overrated (and overpriced).

They can't even claim 10% of the computer market. They made a fortune from MP3 players that are hog-tied to iTunes (and therefore the record industry). Now their "think different" mentality is being completely re-writen by AT&T and the guys who bust college kids for pirating music. Once again, greed has reared it's ugly head. I think it's funny when somebody is encouraging you to "think different" yet won't allow you to use your hardware the way you want to.

WN: What are some of the minuses of the digital age?
AB: When any industry gets started, everybody jumps in and most people don't even have any technology background. The computer industry is in that phase today.

WN: Explain a bit more, please.
AB: Sadly, there's a heck of a lot of emphasis on people developing gadgets to get to market quickly, which have incredible troubles interconnecting to other gadgets. You are in the stage that hi-fi audio was in the 1950s, with so many systems that the consumer is confounded by the complexity and doesn't care to know. They care to use the thing, not to know how in the heck to connect it to this and that. However, I do believe that will pass, as it did with hi-fi.

WN: You talked about compression and today people are downloading their music. Do you find it disturbing that MP3 is not a high-quality audio format?
AB: No. It will evolve. MP3 has already evolved. That will be the way.

WN: What about the battle for control of the home entertainment systems? Do you think it will be the PC or TV?
AB: If I were to guess, and I'm not sure my guess is any better then anyone else's, the TV will be in control of most of what we are looking at. I don't see the computer controlling it.

What?!?! Well, he certainly had the first part right. Sorta. I think it's funny how I was sitting in my living room the other day looking at my TV and Audio Receiver and something dawned on me: The receiver is pushing 10 years old. Sure, I need more optical audio inputs in the blasted thing, but the Dolby 5.1 surround standard has lasted longer than just about any other tech spec ever developed. The video game systems rotate in and out and the television technology is completely different, but outside of some funky options (such as DTS and 7.1 surround), it's pretty much still the same.

And low and behold, we've never had to worry about it very much. It doesn't sound like anything worth commenting on, but IT IS. The tech community embraced it.....as a WHOLE. So you've got 20 bazillion companies out there making games, music, DVDs, HD media, movies and everything else using that standard. It just makes sense. When 99.9% of software companies make programs to run on Windows, then things MOVE FORWARD. Hell, it's been over a decade now and we STILL don't have a universal standard for what media to store our digital photos on INSIDE the camera. Thanks Sony *flips Japan a bird*

I suppose that's why I get so bent out of shape when people compete over standards. You got iTunes vs. Zune Marketplace. You got BluRay vs. HD-DVD. I own an iPhone and can browse the whole web on it.....yet, I can't receive a picture taken from a Verizon cell phone. What the hell?! It's like we can't get people to sit down at a table and say "ok, THIS is the best way to do it.....let's adopt a standard and then we can ALL make money. Nope....everybody wants to get paid. In case you haven't realized it, the only reason we're not moving forward in technology isn't due to "lack of technology"....it's because everyone is GREEDY. Well, at least Netscape died. That sure made my job a lot easier.

Bose also mentioned that the TV will be in control of what we're looking at. Bad call. He's partially right. If he was really a visionary he should know that the PC and TV WILL MERGE eventually. Everyone will have a TV with a personal PC built in at some point. No, not Web TV....it's called High Definition. It unlocked the ability to actually display the web on a television (and be able to READ it) . So now we just have to get HD televisions in everyone's living room. Of course that means getting all the channels to comply to a new standard. And that also means getting the movie studios to comply to the HD format standard just to store their product on.

That also means getting everyone to quit being greedy. I suppose after coming to that conclusion I shouldn't hold my breath. Regardless, I think it's really quite hysterical that ALL this chaos really boils down to pixels. That's right. Resolution. The number of pixels on a cell phone or television and what format displays those pixels. And I've been fighting the pixel resolution battle for a decade now making websites. Websites keep getting wider and wider as newer monitors come out with higher native resolutions. Now widescreen is everywhere and the web will continue to get wider. I suppose that's why I think way too much about all this: The pixel is trying to change the world much like the MP3 changed audio. I just wish we could all decide how to use them the same way.

The whole world is sitting on the sidelines waiting on the HD disc standard. Check this out.

So Blockbuster goes straight Blu-Ray, then Dreamworks and Paramount both go HD-DVD. Universal is already nothing but HD-DVD. I think all this really means is the war is going to go on for at least another year (or more). Which really sucks. I was talking to some friends this last weekend about how I can't stand to even watch a regular DVD anymore and they laughed at me. And I understand...because I thought it was silly a few months ago myself. Then I actually got a HD television and TRIED to switch from a Blu-Ray movie back to DVD and thought I would pass out.

Once you've tasted real HD, you can't go back. It's that simple. So season one of Heroes is out on HD-DVD and I've been dying to watch it all (as I've yet to see any of the series). Looks like I might have to purchase the HD-DVD player for the Xbox now.

Of course the iPhone got knocked down a HUGE $200 yesterday. Too many options for us tech geeks.

You can't stop me. You can only hope to maintain me.

I'm back peeps. I got some huge updates to put on here. The dust has settled, I'm working at my new gig (which has be pretty pumped), and settled back home from some nice road trips. And I got lots of new pics.

During my dead-blog spell there a LOT has happened. I even heard some previous employers were printing off my blog and having "meetings" about it. Awww.....ain't the 1st ammendment a bitch?

Now let's see....if, I remember how Google works correctly, if I link this site AND this site on the same page.....hrrrmm, I wonder what happens? This Internet stuff is AMAZING!

Last blog entry for a while.

I'll be back when there's something worth writing about. Peace out.

Things have settled down here at work finally. We had to watch some absolutely BELOVED people leave yesterday to move on to other things and it was heart-breaking. Drew and Sheryl, I just wanted to say a few words:

Drew,
I owe you and your wife a debt that can never be repaid. After the move to Nashville followed by my divorce, you guys WERE my family here. No other boss has ever took care of his people like you did here at TMG. You won't just be missed....you will be remembered as one of the most respected individuals anyone had the pleasure of working for. I love ya bro.

Sheryl,
There are no words to do this justice. You're one of my best friends and it was a blessing getting to spend time here at work with you. It certainly won't be the same without you picking on me all the time. I KNOW you're gonna end up doing something great. I love ya girl. Always will. ;)

I'm sure I'll be seeing you both in the near future.

We need some new music on here. Fo real!

You guys need to check those tunes on my music player. My favorite track from the Smashing Pumpkins' new album is there.....and so is White Stripes' last track from Icky Thump. Freakin' awesome. I stuck some OLD SCHOOL Pearl Jam up there as well from their MTV Unplugged concert (which is not on any studio album). I broke that out the other day and forgot how awesome that acoustic show was. That song is pushing 15 years old and it still rocks as hard as it did the 1st time I heard it.

And yes....that's Tesla on there. And yes their new album is out featuring nothing but some of the best covers I've EVER heard. It's getting fantastic reviews and you would do good to move your little mouse over and click on "Thank You" and listen. That's what I'm talkin' about.

Slackin' on the blog here.
Got a visit in with Rob and Rich to see their band play at Boone lake.....which kicked ass. Was SO awesome getting to hang with some of my best friends that I haven't seen in nearly a year. You guys sounded great! Thanks for a kick-ass night!

Last Thursday was spent watching Jack's band at the Flying Saucer. He sounded great as always. He even got him a brand new Les Paul (which I had the honor of naming). Sweet brotha! You even got a picture on PixelShock of it.

Speaking of old friends.....I hung out with my buddy Gwen tonight and we did some serious catching up. Sometimes you just can't beat a good sit-down with somebody and have a full-blown vent session. Thanks Gwen (aka Dr. Hale) for a well needed peaceful Saturday night downtown! W00t! (and OMG she gets 30% off at her gig at the mall) lol

As for all the other drama in my life right now? Well, there's not much I won't talk about on here but unfortunately this shit is so deep I'll just have to keep my mouth shut. Let's just say things are getting WAY too interesting in Brentwood right now. If you guys pray, send one up for Steve right now as life might change quite a bit in the days to come.

Oh, and a quick shout-out to my girl Sharie for hosting a little gathering at her and Drew's pad Friday night. Love goes out to all my peeps who was there. And yes, I will kick your ASS at Loaded Questions. I will come from behind and totally own a room full of people (that kinda sounded bad). I even have the championship belt to prove it.

HUGE update to the Friends & Family section. Check it.

Two more new releases get the bolts thrown at 'em:

REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist

I do love me some pumpkins. Back in college when Siamese Dream hit, I absolutely wore it out. Billy Corgan and the rest of the band have one of the most unique rock sounds that's surfaced over the last decade....well, much longer than that. The fact these guys are FINALLY back together and writing new material is awesome.

And usually when a band splits up and tries to get back together (except to play old songs like the Police just did) the music generally suffers for it. Well, I'm happy to report that there is NO suffering on this album. It's hella-strong and you would have never even guessed these guys took any break apart whatsoever. So as ridiculous as it sounds, if you're an old-school fan and expect more of the same....well, that's exactly what you're gonna get! And that's a good thing.

The album starts off rock solid with the 1st single titled "Doomsday Clock". This tune is featured on the Transformers soundtrack and plays during an intense battle scene and yes....it rocks hard enough to be there. It's THE song on the album to show a triumphant return for the band. A few tracks down we get "Bleeding The Orchid" which is....well, just beautiful. I totally dig Corgan's lyrics (even though half the time they don't make a lick of sense) and he just keeps rolling off great stuff here track after track. Next is "The's The Way (My Love Is)" and they REALLY need to use this as a single. It would perform amazingly well on the radio and reminds me of some old-school "Today is the Greatest" sounds.

They just keep breaking out the jams with "Tarantula" and "Starz" and have some wicked cool guitar grooves in them (and holy crap....was that a guitar solo in Tarantula?!!?). Then you think the best tracks have been heard as things start to slow down....but then my favorite track hits: "Bring The Light". Absolutely......kick......ass. This song ALONE is worth getting the album for. It needs to be the next single so this CD can blow up and put the Pumpkins back in the limelight. The guitar is top notch and when he hits the solo, you'll swear it's an old Brain May riff straight from an old Queen album. My ears were bleeding honey and nectar. W000T!!

Honestly the only track on the album that I just don't like at all is "Pomp and Circumstances" to finish the whole album off. Outside of that, it's all very listenable. And more importantly, the majority of that is SOLID. Welcome back Pumpkins. This old fan welcomes you with open arms.

REVIEW: Velvet Revolver - Libertad

Well, when you put Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) and Slash (Guns N' Roses) in the same band, SOMTHING good is going to happen. That should go without saying. Velvet Revolver's first album was kinda hit and miss for me. I loved most of it, but I felt like they hadn't found their stride. I suppose what I'm trying to say is.....they didn't know which band was influencing them more and some of the music sounded like they were exploring a little to figure it out.

Well, it's settled now beyond a shadow of a doubt. I was a HARDCORE STP and Gn'R fan. And trust me on this one....this is the new Stone Temple Pilots. Make no mistake about it. It's STP with better craftsmanship. Especially in the guitar department. I shouldn't even have to say this, but I will anyhow: Slash is the last and only living "Guitar God" still recording music with a band. And if you think he's dulled his skills any, you need to check yourself sucka. He's STILL the greatest guitar player to ever touch the instrument in my humble opinion. And if you don't agree with my humble opinion, then you're wrong. MUAH!

Anyhow....let's talk about THIS album before I go on a 3 page lecture on Slash. This is STP reborn. It opens up a little weak with "Let it Roll" and "She Mine" but you can already tell that Weiland has a firm grip on the sound. When "Get Out The Door" hits, you KNOW it's STP and that classic groove is back and you'll start tapping your foot accordingly. Then "She Builds Quick Machines" goes off and you'll understand why it's the first single to be released. Awesome. Go Slash GO. Then it gets better. "The Last Fight" slows it down but could end up being an easy hit for the band. I can't even explain how awesome it is to hear Slash filling in those riffs in the background while the Chorus is playing. Did I mention I love Slash?

Then.....gravy moses.....they drop "Pills, Demons & Etc" on you. And it's my favorite track on the album. When the 2nd chorus run hits, it just solidifies these guys in stone. You will throw the horns and crack a smile.....or you just need to quit listening to rock n' roll altogether. I'll have to stick this one on my playlist here on the site so you can get a little sample of the awesome-ness.

It just keeps rolling with "American Man" (which for some reason reminds me of STP's "Vaseline") and then "Mary Mary" (which reminds me of STP's "Days of the Week"). Ok, honestly everything going on here reminds me of old STP. And THAT is a very good thing people. Go Scott! Did I mention I love Weiland?

"Just Sixteen" let's Slash really start playing around (and you can barely even hear the frontman) but it's all good. "For A Brother" is so STP classic sounding that it's frightening. And it's awesome. I love how Weiland writes this music that calls back on the Seattle grunge sound for those disjointed versus and build up to this pop-sounding chorus....and still makes it rock. Good stuff.

"Spray" is another solid tune and the whole thing wraps up with "Gravedigger".....another solid ballad that I actually enjoy more than "Fall To Pieces" from their first album. But wait....they throw a hidden acoustic track in at the very end and play with a little county tune called "Don't Drop That Dime" that makes me want to hear Slash play Lies all over again. God, listening to that guy solo on an acoustic is heavenly.

Well, obviously I love these guys. What's not to love? No, there's no "Plush" here. And no, you won't be getting the next "Welcome to the Jungle". But you will get a kick-ass album from some guys that's been rocking my brains out for 15 years now. And that's pretty amazing when you stop and think about it.

It's pretty safe to assume that THIS will be the GREATEST picture ever snapped on my new digital camera. Click here or on the thumbnail for the large version. If you don't get it, well......stop reading my blog. This image should be published in every graphic design workshop book in every college in America. It is the greatest example of piss-poor logo design ever conceived.

So Mike Johnson came into Nashville for the weekend and we had a blast. Piece of advice.....when checking out a car full of girls, pay attention NOT to walk into a truck's tow bar at full stride. If you do have to lay down in pain from doing so, I highly recommend crawling to a safe spot where the girls can't see you so you can cry. Don't scream.....that only draws attention to yourself.

I finally got to see The Transformers over the weekend. Holy shit.....I'll save it for the review coming very soon. Let's just say that a movie that COULD have everything go so very wrong somehow pulled it off correctly.

Small update to the Friends & Family pics. Go check it out.

What a week....non stop. Some contract work on the side and lots of hanging out with work buddies. Several of us ended up at Bailey's last night for a good time playing some pool. I'll have some new photos in the Family & Friends section later today. Check 'em out.

Ever wonder why things never turn out like you thought they would? Yeah....I'm reminded recently that we don't have a lot of control over all the twists and turns that tend to smack you around, but you do have choice. And choosing how to handle things the right way is pretty damn important. I tend to beat myself up over choices I made in the past.....and wonder how things could have, or SHOULD have played out. It's fairly pointless to keep beating those dead-horses though. Nothing is for sure and it's best to just keep both eyes open for the next chance to make a good decision. Sometimes those decisions are the absolute last thing you want to do. But you take that path because it's the only way to keep moving forward. And once you're commited, it doesn't necessarily mean it gets any easier.

I've learned a lot about how selfish I am over the last few years. And it's something I struggle with and continue to work on daily. Most people would think I was *not* selfish at all, but in my heart I know I am. I want things that I know would only benefit myself and complicate things for others. Learning how to let go of those feelings is quite a challange. I know a friend who is fighting that same battle right now. I hope he makes the right decision. I hope I continue to do the same.

Ahhh....a lazy Sunday. Well, not so lazy actually. I'm working on a logo for Drew's houseboat (also knows as "The Jolly Monkey") which I'll stick a pic on here when I'm finished. Also cranking out a little contract web job which will result in the payment of an iPhone placed in my hands. Awwww yeah!

I totally forgot to mention anything about my good friend and frequent office visitor Mike Manuel's new website. Mike is tearing it up on the country Christian charts with his new album and wanted a website redesign. It also just so happens that his brother owns the company I work for, so when he said "Do it....and do it NOW" the following three days were a blur of pixel shocking. Me and Roger threw this together very quickly but I think it turned out quite nice! I know most of the peeps that visit this site aren't country fans, but you should still check out Mike's stuff. He does a pretty good job of owning his competition in that genre of music and he's a very talented guy. I wish him all the luck in the world with more success with this (very well crafted) album. Hey, I did the CD packaging too, so I REALLY hope it blows up. ;)

Click here to visit Mike's site!

Small update to the Friends & Family pictures. I went to Three Crows Friday night and met up with Rachel, her brother Matt, Sheryl and Emily for a great time. We also learned a VERY important lesson thanks to the couple behind us. DO NOT POUR BEER INTO YOUR LAPTOP. It is very very very bad. But is was a Mac. So no great loss there.

Two more new releases get the bolts thrown at 'em:

REVIEW: The White Stripes: Icky Thump

Yes.Those are five bolts down there. I know. Calm down.....I wouldn't do that for no reason you know. Hold on. Here we go:

OK, before you plop this in and start soaking it up (which could require multiple "soakings") let's go over a few things 1st. Right off the bat, forget everything you think you know about rock n' roll. That's right. Toss it out the window. If you can't listen to this with an open mind without expecting it to sound like something else you like, then forget it (unless you're already a hard-core White Stripes fan). Next....think OUTSIDE the box. Don't expect "Verse/Chorus/Verse/Bridge/Chorus" like everything else you hear on the radio. This is a musical adventure brought on like a god-damn freight-train by only TWO musicians. Jack's on the guitar (or bass) and Meg is on the drums. He's singing....and that's IT. And they ain't scared to try anything.

I would also like to say that I do NOT like noise. Tool's last album pissed me off by trying to pass noise off as music. But the Stripes make you THINK you're about to get assaulted by some noise.....but it somehow turns into something very very very cool.

It opens with Icky Thump (which you may have heard on the radio). Yes, it's weird. I didn't like it the 1st time I heard it. But I did catch myself thinking "Gawd....that is a fucking awesome guitar riff". Then it got me. I listened to the whole album. I was confused. I didn't know what to think. The last track "Effect And Cause" kicked my ass the 1st time (absolutely AWESOME lyrics)....so it ended on a high note for me. So I cued it up again and listened. And again. And again. And again.

OK, it's been a week now and this son of a bitch is still in my car's CD player. Jack has me by the throat and he won't let go. "You Don't Know What Love Is" is awesome. Powerful lyrics and a great groove. Then "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues" hits you and you swear you're listening to some obscure Led Zeppelin (my GOD he sounds JUST like Robert Plant in half these songs). And it just keeps kicking your ass. "Rag and Bone" is totally weird but the guitar is god-like. The last part of the album is like some jacked-up blues record on meth. With some anthrax sprinkled in. "A Martyr For My Love For You" just flat out OWNS. Then "Catch Hell Blues" will finish you off with what should be this stupid/simple sounding crap but has so many hooks in it, you won't know what even happened to your ears.

Just do it. Get it. Listen to it. And Listen as many times as it takes for it to "click". I cannot WAIT to see these guys live. Jack's house is about 2 miles from me here in Nashville. Hell, I pass it everyday getting to the interstate. I should drop by and give him a big hug for making this. If the snipers don't get me.

REVIEW: The Used: Lies for the Liars

Hrrrrmmm. Well, my buddy Mike said to give this a spin and I gotta say that it was worth it. I'm not even sure what zone to even drop these guys in. I suppose it's a little angry rock mixed with some some punk and a spice of experimental sound thrown in. These guys do rock. I'll give them full props for that. And it's excellent work-out music.

If you're checking them out for the 1st time, just flip to track 8 "Wake the Dead". That's the best song to summarize their sound. They rock out, throw in all kinds of craziness in the background, then slow it down, then jack it back up again. That will give you the idea.

I do dig all the vocal effects they use....and they switch it up all over the album. It opens up with "The Ripper" and "Pretty Handsome Awkward"....which are fairly generic current rock sounds. But then things get .....interesting. "The Bird and the Worm" is awesome. It sounds very "My Chemical Romance" (and that's a good thing) and is as spooky as this kind of music can get. Very very cool. "Hospital" is pretty dark as well and follows the same suit. Check the lyrics on that one.....good stuff. "Wake the Dead" turns the creepy notch up again and I gotta admit, I'm digging it. I must be getting morbid in my old age. By the way, what does "mostly dead" mean anyhow? Didn't I hear that phrase in The Princess' Bride? "Liar Liar" is just one of those kick-ass tunes that makes you wanna punch somebody in the face. Good stuff.

This album ain't gonna change the course of rock music, but does have a cool groove to it (although could be a wee bit dark for some). Give it a spin. I'm digging it more with each listen.

Bottom of rabbit hole reached. Not a damn thing down here.....climbing back up.....

HUGE UPDATE to the friends & family photos. Go check 'em out! W00T!!

I'm always amazed from time to time when I get an email or a call from someone who suddenly reads my blog and gets upset about something on here. I've had this happen several times and the people in question usually are fairly close to me (or once were). I don't pull punches on here guys. And it's always here. This stuff ain't hidden in a diary somewhere.

So I've been crazy busy lately. Drew and Sherie invited me out to a lake near Knoxville to party on their new boathouse (which was amazing). I had my 1st jet-ski experience. Wow. I have REALLY gotta start knocking more stuff off my list before I get old. ;) Anyhow...it was unbelievable. I can't thank them enough. By the time I got home, I was just too worn out to even think of going out for fireworks on the 4th. Hrrmm...maybe I am getting old.

Then miss Lauri flew into Nashville this past weekend and we drove to her parent's lake house in Alabama Saturday. Once again I had a blast and I can't thank her parents (and immediate family) enough for all the amazing hospitality/food/fun. And speaking of Miss Lauri...what a weekend. Easily our best to date. Thank you hun for a great time that was badly needed.

And the rabbit hole just keeps getting deeper.....

Well, it's been a week since I updated but I made up for it. I added a bunch of new pics in the "Family & Friends" section.

Last weekend was a very strange trip back to the tri-cities. I think from now on I'm just gonna make everything up as I go. The better you plan that stuff out, the more it gets screwed up. I did get to sit on Mike's porch and listen to Sheri Gobal talk for like 4 hours about all her drama. Wow. Girl, you should move. And get a gun. We did get to do some late night Perkins runs.....and that's good stuff. Lori.....I promise to hang out more next time!! And I want some of your glowing ice cubes.

More album reviews coming. Grabbed the new Velvet Revolver tonight. Running it through it's paces along with the new White Stripes.

Oh, and I've got one of those blasted summer colds. Those things really really suck. I'm quite pitiful. I need petting. I'll ask Sheryl to rub my feet tomorrow since she moved back into our office. It's really up in the air whether she will flip me off or actually punch me. Good times.

Ok, time to quit slacking....let's start talking new music:

REVIEW: Chris Cornell: Carry On

Ok, well if you don't know who Chris Cornell is, then you need to crawl back into your music hole. This guy changed my life over a decade ago. He's the former frontman for Soundgarden and Audioslave (and wrote most of the music for both bands). Between Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Alice In Chains.....well, Soundgarden also had a HUGE influence on my musical tastes and changed my ideas about what rock and roll was supposed to be. While I never loved Nirvana like I was "supposed" to, this guy was one of the most influential cats to walk out of the Seattle sound scene.

His 1st solo album was amazing. I still pop it in and give it a spin every now and then. I'll be honest here....he kinda let me down a little. Don't expect to fire this up and have your balls rocked off. It won't happen. But he's got a unique sound and despite being all over the damn place, he manages to put his unique style all over this album as well. This ain't no Mother Love Bone folks. He does the steady groove thing right out of the gate. "No Such Thing" is solid but the album starts drifting into some weird tracks that make NO lyrical sense pretty quick. What the hell is "Poison Eye" or "She'll Never Be Your Man"? "Ghosts" is awesome for one of Chris' patented slow tunes. The M. Jackson cover of "Billie Jean" is just plain WEIRD. By the time you get to the end of it all, he wraps things up with "You Know My Name" (which is also the theme song for the last Bond movie) and I have to admit....that's a kick ass song. I recognized Chris' voice when the movie opened and actually forgot all about it. And speaking of voices.....Chris Cornell still has one of the most powerful voices in rock today.

So what's next? Audioslave is no more. Rage Against the Machine is back together. And we have no Soundgarden. Well, Carry On Chris.....but do something a little more kick ass next round, please

REVIEW: Linkin Park: Minutes to Midnight

POW. They brought it....and brought it hard. LP's last album was damn awesome. I know the whole rap and industrial sound that these guys sprinkle into their music turns a lot of people off, but I still think they are one of the best bands making new music right now.

Chester's voice is simply kick ass....and it's nice to get some angry music with lyrics you can actually understand. The only thing is.....he's not nearly as angry this time around. Now don't get me wrong, we get started with "Given Up" and it's the hardest thing LP has ever wrote. Period. When he started dropping F-bombs, I was like "whoa!".....because LP actually never used explicit lyrics until this point. And it is dark.....but then things totally change. We get some really SOLID slow stuff like "Leave Out All The Rest" and "Shadow of the Day". I keep coming back and listening to the whole album and I'm loving it all. The lyrics aren't overly complex and have some real merit to them."What I've Done" is the 1st single and it is one of the best things LP has ever released. They do the political statement on the war with "Hands Held High" and it's all rap....but it's VERY well done. This is not some babbling about anti-war or anti-bush.....it's a solid statement about our country's current situation and even if you DON'T agree with them, you have to give the guys props for what they say. It's a very tight argument.

By the end of the album, you realize they are moving in a totally different direction with this release. "Valentine's Day" really hit me where it counts.....especially after the last year I've had. Then "In Pieces" just finishes you off with awesome-ness.

No, this is NOT a totally rocked-out LP album that you will listen to while lifting weights or running a couple of miles. But if you give it 2 or 3 good listens all the way through, you WILL find yourself coming back over and over. And that's what makes Linkin Park awesome. They have staying power. So to all the suckas who just decided 8 years ago that they were the next Limp Bizkit (or however you spell that lame-ass band name), you were very VERY wrong.

So sometimes you gotta completely close a chapter in your life before you can ever hope to move to the next. I did that this weekend and it was tough. The aftershocks are still going off. I can't remember who told me this, but it's a kick-ass quote: "If you ever do have to part ways with a woman, make sure you leave her in a better place than when you found her".

I hope I did that. That's actually a pretty tall order when you stop and think about it. It's certainly not a challenge for the selfish. Good luck girl. Perhaps we can talk again later down the road.

Scratch my previous post I had on here earlier. This weekend ended up kicking a WHOLE lotta ass. Somtimes you just gotta wait till the end of it for everything to start clicking!

So yesterday, I got to have a root canal. It seriously took over an hour and a half and it sucked. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING that I have experienced is worse than the pain of an abscessed tooth. And to have instant relief from that is well worth it. I did however scream like a little girl at one point when they hit a nerve before having to use more Novocain. Good times.

Today after work I FINALLY went to Greg's church. Greg is a pastor and one of the owners of The Momentum Group. He's been on my back for over a year now to get me to visit and as good as those guys have been to me.....well, that's the least I can do. I can't believe I'm even admitting this, but it's the 1st time I've walked into church in over 3 years. And that's a shame. After growing up in such an environment I am ashamed of my track record. I had a good time and plan on going back soon.

Today I ended up having an eye exam at hunch time. It has been at LEAST three years since I did so, and it was way over due. In fact....I don't even want to know when the last time I had my contacts refilled. I think I've been wearing the last set for over 5 months. Well, I WAS wearing those till they just sorta fell apart. So I've been in glasses for the last couple of months quite a bit. So here's the kicker: My vision IMPROVED. WTF?!? How does that happen???

And that's exactly what I asked the doctor. He said it's pretty unusual but yes, your vision can actually improve. He said it was because I switched back to glasses and my eyes got the oxygen they needed which contacts restrict and this could explain it. But I don't know about all that.....because it improved in BOTH eyes. Maybe I'm getting powers or something. it's about damn time. I don't have to have anything amazing in the powers department. I'll settle for something simple like moving things with my mind. Something obscure like "the power to flush your toilet from 45 feet away with your mind". No, it wouldn't be the best power, but that would impress chicks for sure.

So mom bought a laptop. And she even sent me an email earlier. Her FIRST email. I almost fogged up when I saw it. My poor momma typing away with her missing thumb. God love her. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before she finds my website and starts fussing at me for cussing on here.

So this weekend taught me something. Something really important. It's called self-worth.....and what exactly is THAT worth in itself? It's worth a lot.

I've got one hand on a paintbrush and the other on my guitar neck. It's way past time for me to embrace the things that define who I am and get back to my roots. New artwork up here soon.

Ok, she went back to jail. Much better. And I gotta try to find a poster of that pic with her crying in the car. That is awesome.

Like most bloggers, sometimes we just wait till something really juicy hits the news so we can throw in our two cents. Finally something came along to piss me off.

Where do I start? I'll begin with this: The most pissed off I've been at our country until today (well, in 2007) is all the media coverage of Anna Nicole Smith. I was in awe that a complete drug-abusing, alcohol-chugging, B-grade porn actress could gather that much attention from our (obviously) very bored media.

Then this. I should state up front that I hate Paris Hilton. She is a waste of flesh and oxygen. The fact that any girl in the country looks up to this woman or supports her financially (by buying anything that she generates revenue from) is completely beyond me. Let me put it in a better perspective for everyone: Right now, there's a cop somewhere getting shot in the face trying to help someone. He won't be famous, but he will be on the news briefly one evening. But Paris Hilton IS famous. And why? Cause her daddy is rich and she fucked her boyfriend on video. I digress.....

So she doesn't serve her sentence. She's back at home with an ankle bracelet on. Why? Because of some "medical condition"? I came to work many a day after 2 back surgeries.....suck it up bitch. As of right now I have no faith in our judicial system. If you don't think this is a big deal, then try getting arrested for driving with a suspended licence (that you didn't even know was suspended over a parking ticket). So I have to walk into a courtroom in July to plead my case so I can (hopefully) avoid paying outrageous fines. I would LIKE TO THINK that the courtroom I walk into is built upon the same principles and rules that all others are. I would LIKE TO THINK that justice really was blind and swings her scales indiscriminately to uphold laws and principles that our nation was built on. In my dream world, even if they DID throw the book at me, it's ok. Why? Because if the next person in line was filthy rich or famous and did the same thing I did, they would face the same consequences.

But justice ain't blind. That's not a news flash. But after O.J. you would think we might have learned a few things. No, Paris didn't carve anyone into pork chops, but she BROKE THE LAW. You ever knew anyone that's been killed by a drunk driver? I did. This SHOULD make the public raging angry, but no.....we think she's silly, so it's ok. We act as though we NEED her to behave like a moron so we will have something to point our fingers at for a laugh.

But Hilton is the only one laughing guys. All the way to the bank. And this is all we will hear about for weeks from our outrageously warped media coverage. Right now, the VAST majority of our country cares more about what's going on with this celebrity than how many of our sons and daughters died in Iraq today. What the fuck is wrong with us?

*climbs off soapbox*

Ever get that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you just fucked up? Like you REALLY just did something totally stupid that you had no business messing with? Yeah....I hate that feeling. Good times. Good times.

So all is quiet in Nashville the last couple of days. I plan on going to The Flying Saucer tonight to see Drew and Sharie's band play. Should be a good time. Providing of course I don't get into an argument with Sheryl. muah! *waves at Shizzle* Good times. Good times.

Good 'ole Mike Johnson got him a woman. Props brotha. It's about time my boy got him some happy. Lord knows he needed it worse than just about anyone I can think of. *hugs Mike* He's calling me the last couple of days all estatic and bouncing off the walls. At 1st you just want to puke but Mike is such a nice guy, you can't help but smile.

I installed Command & Conquer 3 finally (hell, I bought it 7 days ago) and I gotta say: One of the best real-time-strategy games I've ever swung a mouse at. And it looks amazing. This one just set the bar for the whole RTS community to catch up to. Of course, these guys plan on fixing that.

I also just got Chris Cornell's new album. Going through it right now and plan on dropping a review of it shortly. Hang in there guys....Friday is closing fast.