This shop makes a false assumption. I can confirm to you that I’m not that fussed about cake and neither are my kids! Not everyone loves cake!
I’m probably being a bit picky here!
Lovely View
Such a wonderfully classic view that makes me feel proud to be British! [that takes quite a bit]
Brilliant Victorians and their wonder at everything new!
Crunch – Impellitteri
In about 1990 I was given a music cassette with “Stand In Line” by Impellitteri. I was stunned. It’s a brilliant album with some seriously cracking songs and heavy riffs. Fast forward 15 years and I noticed that there was a double album deal on Amazon for some Impellitteri stuff. I bought it.
This is very much speed metal in the vain of Yngwie or Gamma Ray. My concerns were raised after playing the album through a few times. Let me show you the titles:
- Beware of the Devil
- Slay the Dragon
- Fear No Evil
- Speed Demon
My curiosity was piqued and I did a little Wikipedia-ing. This is what they say there:
Chris and I and Ken Mary are all Christians, but James and Ed and Glen, our touring drummer, don’t necessarily proclaim themselves as Christians, so it’s not a Christian band.
The themes of the songs are religious. I would say they are a Christian band.
Does this affect what I think of the music? Yes.
Should it? Probably not, but then I think that religion is immoral and particularly offensive and serves no place in the modern world.
Do I still listen now and then? Yes, I quite like the style, it’s worth a play now and then.
I still think that “Stand In Line” is stunning.
Cross Road – Bon Jovi
I bought/downloaded/borrowed this originally because I wanted some Bon Jovi on my phone but didn’t want to buy the original albums. I sometimes go for “Best Of” albums because you are meant to get the best of that artist. I don’t think it always works out like that though. It appears that there are restrictions on the songs put on these “Best Of” albums. Also, some albums work as albums and you should listen through the whole thing.
So, I have since bought the albums I like and so only have a few songs left in this. The six songs left are:
- Someday I’ll be Saturday night
- Blaze of Glory
- Prayer ’94
- In and Out of Love
- Runaway
- I’ll Be There For You (version 2)
I’m not sure why I still have the last song there. I find both versions really tedious. When I saw the Jovi at Twickenham I just wanted “I’ll Be There For You” to stop. I also hate key changes. Look, get the original albums. There’s a reason the Jovi are as big as they are, it’s good stuff.
Senser – Camden Underworld
Along with Andy, my sister and niece, I went to the Underworld in Camden to see some bands. This was an important gig as I was taking my niece to see some proper music for the first time [she confessed that she has seen Olly Murs but didn’t say it loud enough to cause threats of physical damage to us].
The line-up was:
- Ingested
- Senser
- DJ Starscream
We got the train into St Pancras and then walked the twenty minutes to Camden High Street. After some food and a drink in the World’s End pub we entered the venue and I showed my guests around the delights of the basement. Ingested were on first. They had shouty vocals. They weren’t the worst example of this type of music I had seen but they weren’t that good either.
The main reason I had wanted to come along this evening was that Senser were playing. I have liked their stuff since I was, ok, let’s just say since about 1994 and I saw them once before in Southsea! I like the music and the sound that they have. I thought they were really good. They played two new songs, I think, and the rest I knew. Very good, very energetic. I’m glad my niece saw these as her first proper band. All good stuff.
DJ Starscream was on next. He is the DJ from Slipknot. We tried it. But it’s not our stuff. We left and went for coffee. That’s not down to his ability to play, I’m sure he’s very skilful at what he does, but it left me cold.
Crazy World – Scorpions
Old dog, old tricks.
I bought this album on music cassette in the late 80s, I’m ashamed to say it but it was probably not long after “Winds of Change” was in the charts. A good ballad is always an indication of a good band as long you then forget the ballad (they annoy me).
This album is a stunner. It’s exactly the sort of music I like. There’re songs with gang vocals, guitar slides, cheeky riffs, excellent bass work, it’s as though the Scorpions know exactly what sort of music works well in an arena. Given how long the “boys” have been around it’s no surprise that this album is well-crafted and wonderful.
I like all the songs. It’s precisely the sort of album that, when in the correct mood, you can play in its entirety.
Highlights:
- Tease Me Please Me
- Don’t Believe Her
- Restless Nights
Crank – Almighty
I downloaded this album after a friend recommended it. I was after more British rock. I’ve seen The Almighty a few times and really enjoyed their shows.
This album is good. It’s playing right now on my Sonos system. It is an Almighty album. It does what it says on the tin. I think this is the first album that friend got by the Almighty and therefore he thinks it’s the best, whereas I already have a couple of albums and therefore I think Powertrippin’ is better. When you get introduced to a band you hold the albums you hear first on a pedestal, it takes a lot to remove the new sound and excitement from top place.
Look, it’s worth buying but it doesn’t stand out. Also, see Old Dog, New Tricks.
Current iPhone Background
My current iPhone background is this stunning picture of the Earth and Moon system taken by the Cassini spacecraft from orbit around Saturn. We are so small and insignificant! God must have been having a serious joke when he placed us on this land, there’s so much out there, and we’ll never get to it (do the physics/maths).
Countdown to Extinction – Megadeth
I’ve been listening to this album while I’ve been trying to get the Windows Store to work on my tablet PC [doesn’t work within a domain].
There isn’t a bad song on this album. The problem is that none of the songs are stunning either. If you want some slow, melody driven rock then this is the album for you. I don’t think I’d even describe it as thrash.
The best bit about this album is that the opening few seconds of “Symphony of Destruction” sound like the PS3 starting up. If only Sony had used a bit more of the song and then the PS3 would be truly awesome.
There must be something about music and drugs. This album was written while the members were clean.
Holy Cow
Holy Cow, Batman.
I’ve just passed 500 communications on this website. I have to admit most of them are shockingly boring but then it’s not about you it’s about me. This is my thing. I don’t really care what you think.
This gives me something to do, although I am amazingly aware that it is public and so won’t let out all my thoughts here. I have considered writing another website and really going for it but, you know, that’s just not cricket. I do have some ideas for a new domain but the content of the website is not enshrined yet. It was going to be a site of my album reviews but that didn’t seem worth it. I’ve put them on here. Perhaps I should make it a photolog website? Yes, I do know that there are sites that let you do that for free but, once again, I don’t care. This is for me.
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