The Winners of the CASH REWARD CONTEST are:

Hey Guys, Thanks for your votes for the Research Turtles in our Cash Reward Contest, and owing to the great response we got, They have WON the RECORD of the YEAR 2010 at RadioSix.com !

So, to extend their gratitude to all of you, We're now also giving out 10 copies of their official debut album to another 10 Winners now!

So, this time, 12 Lucky Winners are gonna receive some PRESENTS from us this New Year!

Following are the names of those 12 Lucky folks :

Sudipta Basak, who has won a COOL 25$ CASH REWARD !

Santosh Kumar Tiwari, who has also won the 25$ Cash Reward!

And the 10 winners who'd be getting the Research Turtles' self titled debut album are:

KHAN ZEENAT
Mohit Mehta
Aravind Telkar
Rachita Aggarwal
Pratibha
Prachi Mukherjee
Steven S. George
Joseph Alukka
kamar jahan
Adhyayan Sethi


We Congratulate all the above 12 Winners of the Contest. Thanks for all your participation in this contest. We regret if you couldn't win a prize this time around, but as always, We'd be Back for more as well !

The Winners will be contacted shortly.

We recommend that you SUBSCRIBE to us for STAY UPDATED with us for more such Contests, and Reviews!
Click here: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=bearockr&amp%3Bloc=en_US


Have a great New Year!
BeaRockr.in

Contest Update: Just Vote and Win a Cool 50$ Cash Reward now!

Guys, It's AWESOME News now! We've decided to DOUBLE the Price Money of the Voting Contest to 50$(INR 2,280) from the previous 25$, in view of the response we've garnered from all of you!

Now this should Double your FUN this New Year! Keep Shopping, Party Hard!

So, here are the full contest details again. Please be sure to read the RULES at the bottom too:


What's it about:
Research Turtles, a Popular American Rock Band, got nominated for Record of The Year 2010 at RadioSix.com, and they need your votes to clinch the title!

How to Take Part:
So, then, to take part in this contest, all you have to do is just send a tiny email, as follows, to: votes@radiosix.com .

1)Put: asbookmark@gmail.com in the BCC section of the mail.

2) Put "VOTE- RESEARCH TURTLES" in the Subject Line, and your Name and a brief Address in the Body.

3)And just send it to : votes@radiosix.com !

That's all!

RULES:

*To be eligible to WIN the full 50$, we must receive an exceptional number of Votes sent on your behalf(via your friends etc.). We expect atleast 5 Votes from your behalf, to be ELIGIBLE for the full 50$ CASH REWARD. Else, We'll be awarding 25$ each to TWO WINNERS in this contest.

So, the MORE VOTES COMING ON YOUR BEHALF, MORE WILL BE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING THE FULL 50$ CASH REWARD!

* Only 1 Vote is allowed per Email ID/per person. But, you can also ask your friends to send an Email on your behalf.

*Incase your friends send emails on your behalf, You'd have to mail us a list of their Email ID's/Names, for verification of your claim. Our Email ID is: asbookmark@gmail.com.

*The Research Turtles are currently at FIRST PLACE, and MUST WIN the contest, in order for you to get the increased amount too of 25$ in this contest.

*Incase we receive a lot of entries into this contest, We might decide to break up and award 50$ to multiple winners too.

*Contest ends on 22nd December at 3PM GMT. So, VOTE NOW!


Wishing you a Merry Christmas !
BeaRockr.in

Just Vote and Win a Cool 25$ Cash Reward this New Year!

Hey Guys!

Just in time for Christmas, We're back as promised with another Contest, where you just have to VOTE and have a chance of WINNING yourselves a 25$ (INR 1,130) CASH REWARD!

There's so much you can do with this amount, like have a great Dinner with your loved ones, buy your favorite Music Albums, or even Talk Endlessly with a Cool Mobile Recharge, right ?

What's it about:
Research Turtles, a Popular American Rock Band, got nominated for Record of The Year 2010 at RadioSix.com, and they need your votes to clinch the title!

How to Take Part:
So, then, to take part in this contest, all you have to do is just send a tiny email, as follows, to: votes@radiosix.com .

1)Put: asbookmark@gmail.com in the BCC section of the mail.

2) Put "VOTE- RESEARCH TURTLES" in the Subject Line, and your Name and a brief Address in the Body.

3)And just send it to : votes@radiosix.com !

That's all!

Please Note:
*This Contest will end on 21st December Midnight. So, Hurry Up!

* Only 1 Vote is allowed per Email ID/per person. But, you can also ask your friends to send an Email on your behalf.

*The More Votes sent on your behalf, More will be your chances of Winning!

*Incase your friends send emails on your behalf, You'd have to mail us a list of their Email ID's/Names, for verification of your claim. Our Email ID is: asbookmark@gmail.com.

*As of now, We'll be choosing one winner in this contest who'd get the FULL 25$ Cash Reward, if the Research Turtles, who are currently at First Place, win Record of The Year 2010! But, we might as well divide the price, and choose multiple Winners too, incase we receive a lot of entries into the contest.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas !
BeaRockr.in

What? Here come The Sho-stoppers!

WOW! This time it's a band all the way from Dubai, who call themselves, "Sho?", meaning "What?" . Well, the name sounds quite unusual, but, I have to admit, these guys are AMAZING!

Sho? has Rizal as the lead guitarist and Zara on the vocals, and well, from Punk to Rock to Metal and even Reggae, Sho? does it all !

Sho? made a mark on the Rock Music circuit when they won the Diesel U Music Road to Sound City competition, and became known all over Dubai. Recently, they released their first EP entitled "I Don't Wanna Go", which we got to listen to, and all I can say is, "I really Don't Wanna Go away from this album!"

The album began with a self titled track called "Sho?", having a strong Rhythm, excellent beats, impressive, meaningful lyrics, and unique, original vocals. The vocals were quite at par with many eminent female rock vocalists too!

The next track called "Crash" reminded me of the 80s Metal era. Having heard this track, I can surely say that this band is highly skillful. I'd give full credit to the Guitarist, Rizal, for giving this song the perfect feel. A special mention to the drummer, as he maintained the same emotions throughout the song, which was commendable!

"Pride" was a bit not as good as I was expecting it to be. Though they tried their best to make it sound different, but somehow, the music wasn't matching the lyrical point of view. The Vocals could have been better too.

The track "Winter", having a great distortion, coupled with a nice metal progression, was awesome. Zara showcased a great Vocal style in this one yet again.

Summing up, Overall, the band is TIGHT, and energetic. Coordination amongst the members is too good. Their lyrics especially, are noteworthy, apart from their creatively origingal compositions.

So, folks, Sho? is definitely a band you'd wanna get hooked to! Seems we might be writing "Sho?" instead of "What?" in the near future !

To know more about the band and their upcoming gigs, click here to visit their website.

Little & Ashley Release Holiday Winter Night EP !

Little & Ashley have released the Winter Night EP featuring two new songs and a playful cover of “Baby It’s Cold Outside” on November 15th. In addition to the holiday EP being available digitally on Amazon, the title track “Winter Night” is currently offered as a free MP3 download in Amazon’s “25 Days Of Free”.

Annie Little (Mad Men, Scrubs) and Marcus Ashley (Bones, CSI: NY) are the LA-based songwriting duo behind the catchy Amazon Kindle commercials so it is no surprise that their newly released original song, “Winter Night,” is featured in the latest UK Amazon Kindle commercial which also stars Annie Little. In addition, the new song “By My Side” is featured in an online Banana Republic commercial campaign.

Be sure to make theWinter Night EP the soundtrack to your holiday celebration!

Darwin Deez Sets out on a North American Tour!

Guys, You might have heard already about Darwin Deez’ self-titled debut getting a U.S. release on February 22nd, but now we have some more great news to share on the Darwin front !

After spending much of the past year selling out shows worldwide, he has now announced a full North American tour in support of the U.S. release of Darwin Deez, where he'll joined on the road by Fol Chen and Friends! After catching his sold-out homecoming show at Mercury Lounge on this week, we can testify that this is a tour that you don’t want to miss!

Darwin Deez is everything a pop star should be and so rarely is.

Embrace him now, before everyone else does!

Check out this awesome video for "Constellations" right HERE!

Below are his Upcoming North American Tour Dates:

12/04 - Worcester, MA @ The Grind (Clark University)

1/13 - Allston, MA @ Great Scott

1/14 - Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar

1/15 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern

1/16 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas (w/ S. Carey, Sea of Bees)

1/17 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry (w/ Fol Chen)

1/19 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge (w/ Fol Chen, Friends)

1/21 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court (w/ Fol Chen, Friends)

1/22 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux (w/ Fol Chen, Friends)

1/24 - Vancouver, BC @ The Media Club (w/ Fol Chen, Friends)

1/25 - Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project (w/ Fol Chen, Friends)

1/26 - Portland, OR @ Holocene (w/ Fol Chen, Friends)

1/28 - San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern (w/ Fol Chen, Friends)

1/29 – Los Angeles, CA – Venue TBA

1/31 - San Diego, CA @ The Loft (UCSD) (w/ Friends)

2/1 - Tucson, AZ @ Solar Culture (w/ Friends)

2/3 - Austin, TX @ Emo's Alternative Lounge (w/ Friends)

2/4 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's Downstairs (w/ Friends)

2/5 - Denton, TX @ Hailey (w/ Friends)

2/7 - Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone Cafe (w/ Friends)

2/8 – Nashville, TN – Venue TBA

2/9 – Birmingham, AL – Venue TBA

2/10 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder (w/ Friends)

2/11 - Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn (w/ Friends)

2/12 - Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor (w/ Friends)

2/14 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 (w/ Friends)

2/15 – Charlottesville, VA – Venue TBA

2/17 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat Backstage (w/ Friends)

2/18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie (w/ Friends)

2/19 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (w/ Friends)

Simply 'Say Yes' !

Founder and lead singer of The Rock by Funk Tribe, Iyeoka is at the forefront of a new artistic genre that gracefully interweaves spoken word poetry with jazz, blues, gospel and electronic soul. The buzz surrounding her poem-songs has garnered her national attention and led to performances at the TBS Trumpet Awards, the Sullivan Honors Awards at the Kennedy Center, the CBS hip hop show The Source All Access, and Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam. In 2009, she won second place in the Individual World Poetry Jam.

A first-generation Nigerian-American, Iyeoka was a practicing pharmacist before launching her career as a poet, singer, activist and educator. In her native Esan language, Iyeoka means “I want to be respected.” By channeling her culture and ancestral influences, she delivers an authentic and inspiring message of healing through the power of the moment.

In 2009, Iyeoka decided to transform her sound and songwriting approach and began working with producer David Franz to breathe new melodic and musical life into her poetry. Iyeoka released two EPs that year called “This Time Around” and “Run Into the Rain.” The new music infused more pop, R&B, dance, and hip hop into the mix, creating an “electronic soul” sound.

Iyeoka’s latest single, “The Yellow Brick Road Song” received national placement in an episode of the new hit HBO series “How To Make It In America,” gaining many positive reviews for both lyrical content and musical composition.

Her newest album SAY YES (released this week) evokes her revelatory spirit. The creative vision for SAY YES is more expansive than one medium, so for this project Iyeoka will release SAY YES as an Evolving Album. Available as of November 9, the evolving version of SAY YES will be sold exclusively from Iyeoka’s website, and every week new content (whether that be in the form of a song, video or poem) will be added to the album. Fans are able to join the SAY YES journey whenever they like. No matter the part of the ever-evolving journey at which fans decide to join and purchase SAY YES, they will be sent the additional content as the project continues to evolve.

Iyeoka will be touring in support of the release, including several performances at TED conferences. TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a non profit organization dedicated to the spread of ideas, of which Iyeoka is a global fellow. Past tours have included support slots for artists such as Femi Kuti, Zap Mama, Soulive and performances at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. As Iyeoka continues on her artistic and spiritual journey, her warm spirit, stirring lyrics and passionate performances leave audiences not only entertained but also transformed with empowerment.

Following are the tour dates for your reference. Make sure to watch this amazing artist folks!

11/11 – TEDxEast (Times Center) New York, NY
11/12 - St. Johns University (D’Angelo Center) Queens, NY
11/21 - Lizard Lounge Boston, MA
12/01 – TEDxAlcatraz (Temple Night Club) San Francisco, CA
12./07 – TED WOMEN Washington, DC
12/08 – TEDWOMEN Washington, DC

For further details, look up her website

The SAW 3D Soundtrack: Bang ON !

The world is divided into 2 kinds of people-Saw lovers and Saw haters. It is impossible to ignore this franchise. People who are unfortunate enough to have missed out on it have at least heard of the blood and gore associated with it. Among all this people tend to miss the awesomeness of the plot and that’s rather unfortunate. I recommend anyone and everyone who watches it to do so without any preconceptions of any kind and then judge based purely on what you experience. October ended this year with the 7th movie in the series, Saw 3D, releasing. Imagine all the fear with an added dimension! Anyways, 3 days before the movie released, the soundtrack of the movie was released. A movie like Saw has its fans expecting adrenaline pumping music which is in tune with the on screen action and I daresay, we have a winner!

It is not always that movies come out with great Soundtracks. I mean, it is usually not given much thought or it’s just a crappy compilation. But when composers like Chester Bennington(Linkin Park), Chad Kroeger(Nickelback),Hinder and Saving Abel contribute towards a album, you expect music of a certain quality. Add Kopek, Saliva and Karnivool to the mix and we get one among the best film soundtracks in recent times. The music is not too dark or esoteric-it’s just rock music that blows your head off. And that my friend is Hard Rock at its best. The album kicks off with Saving Abel’s “Never” followed by Chester’s side project Dead by Sunrise throwing “Condemned at you”. Hinder start their single “Waking Up the Devil” with an aptly placed evil laugh which gets you in the groove. This song reminded me a lot of Lacuna Coil’s “Heaven’s a Lie”.

One of the best songs of the album is “The World belongs to me”. Kroeger joins forces with fellow Canadian band My Darkest Days to belt out a beauty. There are songs by bands which you might not have heard of before but they do a brilliant job of keeping up the tempo of the album with numbers which keep you head banging for hours. Notable among these are “What Goes Around Comes Around”(Boom Boom Satellites) , “Scream”(Adelitas Way) and “Hoodoo Woman”(Krokus). We wrap things up with Japanese band Dir en gray’s composition “Hageshisa to”. This song along with it’s predecessor “Ram the Crush” leave every rock fan in a trance.

So the verdict? This is easily a rock lover’s paradise. And if you want to judge it on basis of how it relates with the movie, then rest assured-they are in total sync. Each song enriches the movie experience and does perfect justice to it. It seems we finally have a perfect soundtrack complimenting an awesome movie.

The Winners of the SAW 3D CONTEST are :

Hey guys,

Finally, the SAW 3D contest that began on 16th October is now over! Thanks to all those who entered the contest, as we got a great response from a lot of fans of the SAW film series!

Though only 3 people can win this contest, out of a far more number of entries registered, we sincerely regret if you couldn't make it to the Top 3 ! But, we'll be back with more such contests to make sure you do not go empty-handed !

The winners have been chosen in a lucky draw via Randomizer.org, a website which generates random unbiased numbers.

So, here are the TOP 3 Lucky Winners:-


The first runner up of the contest, who won a copy of the SAW 3D soundtrack album, is :-

Shrutant Chadha (http://www.facebook.com/shrutant)


The second runner up, who also won a copy of the SAW 3D soundtrack album, is :-

Anthony Elvy(via Email)


Finally, The Winner, who gets it all, The full SAW 3D prize bundle, is :-

Suzi Hares (http://www.facebook.com/SuziHares)

CONGRATULATIONS to all the above prize winners ! We'll be back with more such contests, and even more prizes guys! Do not be dis-heartened if you lost !

The Winners will be contacted shortly via Email. If we do not get any response from the above winners within a week, We'll be forced to cancel the prize and confer it to someone else !

Thanks for all your participation ! And guys, if you didn't win this time, it just might not have been your Lucky day ! We'll be back with something for everyone yet again!

Cheers!

Win Exclusive SAW 3D Soundtrack and Merchandise, Just answer a Simple Question!

This Contest is OVER!

BeaRockr, in association with Creates Trust, co-sponsored by Sideways Media, is giving you a great opportunity to Win Copies of the Most Popular Horror Film Series, SAW 3D's Original Soundtrack Album, featuring Chester Bennington(of Linkin Park), Official Fan T-Shirts and Bracelets !

Just follow the 2 Quick Steps given below, and you could have a chance to WIN all of the above mentioned SAW 3D merchandise, delivered right at your Doorstep !

Step 1:

Just fill up the form below:

Name*
Date of Birth*	MM / DD / YYYY
Nationality*
Email*
Contact Number (Optional)	### - ### - ####
Saw 3D has been directed by*	Kevin Greutert Guy Ritchie Danny Boyle
How many parts of the SAW film series have been released BEFORE Saw 3D ?*	4 5 6
Image Verification Please enter the text from the image: [Refresh Image][What's This?]

Step 2:

Now Enter the same email address into the field below to Stay Updated with us.

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Here are some details regarding the Prizes and some guidelines :

** One Lucky Winner will get the full SAW merchandise bundle, comprising the Official film soundtrack, Tshirt, and bracelets !

** Two Runner Up's will be also awarded an Official copy of the film's soundtrack each !

** This Contest is open to all countries.

** Contest closes on 31st October 2010.

** Only 1 entry is allowed per individual. Completion of both the above mentioned steps is COMPULSORY to take part in this contest.

** Winners will be announced on this blog, on our Fan Page on Facebook, and will also be notified via Email.

For any further queries, Mail us at asbookmark@gmail.com

Fur State by The Boxing Lesson: A Perfect Instrumental Composition!

I just got to listen to a Duo band, called "The Boxing Lesson"(they don't give Boxing Lessons ! ), who have released an instrumental album, "Fur State", and trust me guys, These guys were AWESOME !

The Boxing Lesson has :

Paul Waclawsky - acoustic guitar, synthesizers, drum loops
Jaylinn Davidson - synthesizers, field recordings

All the instrumentals in the album are so well composed,versatile and very interesting indeed !

The album began with a song titled "One", and though I won't say that it was a unique sound, but definitely, there is something that attracts the audience till the end. I was actually searching for a particular point where I could stop playing the track. But I felt like their music was dealing with a story,which made made me connect with your song and hear it till the end!

The next track , Two, had a beautiful beginning ! Generally speaking, I prefer short instrumentals and this was a perfect piece. It was simple and short. Many musicians have a psych of including a hell lot of creativities in a short track. But here I felt something different!

"Three" made me dance right up ! Great intro ! Good arrangement of the synths. Really nice stuff! Creativity is present in each song of this album. Not too long and not too short !

"Four" was a decent track, not that attractive as compared to other tracks of this album. Still, it was a nice,soft piece of music.

The next track, "Five" was different from the other tracks, but still it felt as if all songs of this album are interconnected ! A storyline was maintained. It was like: If a single track is excluded from this album, then it would seem incomplete ! The Continuity will be lost !

Moving on, "Six" was TOO GOOD ! This sound can give you a sensational feeling! The blend of the acoustic guitar and the synth had brought a real charm into it, which is though, really hard to describe but quite easy to be felt and connect with!

I found "Seven" to be a bit boring, though I was eager to listen to a long instrumental from this band. It could have been a bit more interesting ! The album ended well with "Eight", their last track.

Overall, This Duo is Great ! No criticism at all guys ! The album is definitely worth a buy ! Though It would have been much better if they could have given some names to their tracks, as I felt like all the tracks were interconnected, so some prominent names could have made this album a perfect storyline !

To know more about the band, Click Here!

SAW 3D Soundtrack Featuring Chester Bennington, Hinder, Karnivool and More!

Big News for all Fans of the SAW Horror series !

Back for the seventh installment of the Saw horror series this Halloween moviegoers will once again cringe in their seats as blood, guts and body parts are up for grabs in Saw 3D. As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw's brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gather to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror. What started out as a "little" indie horror movie back in 2004 has turned into a juggernaut go-for-the-throat franchise and fittingly enough, the movie soundtracks have always been amicable counterparts assaulting the senses in a manner that would make Jigsaw proud.

Saw 3D-Music Inspired by the film to street on October 26. Artists' Addiction Soundtracks' Jonathan Platt says of the Saw 3D, “The artist line-up and music for the SAW 3D soundtrack is mind-blowing and after producing 6 SAW Soundtracks this is the one that clearly defines the mood and passion of the unbelievable SAW franchise”.

Prepare for the exclusive Saw 3D soundtrack Itunes application to launch free of charge on October 26.

The Movie's Soundtrack features Exclusive and Unreleased Music From: Saving Abel, Saliva & Dir En Grey With tracks from: Krokus, Hinder, My Darkest Day, Karnivool & Chester Bennington’s Dead By Sunrise "The Traps Come Alive".

For More info, Look up their Website!

A Musical Journey Into Jack Jeffery's Passage to Agadir!

The Guy's a Musical Genius ! With Pretty enchanting vocals and exquisite guitar parts, I could very well say that ! He's not David Gilmour though !

I'm talking about an independent artist, Jack Jeffery, who indeed has influences from Pink Floyd, The Beatles and a few others.


I could get a pinch of Pink Floyd in every moment of his album ! That's what made me so much engrossed till the end !

The album began with a song titled "Whiskey Burns", which had a nice intro and amazing vocals. Though I found the bass drum a bit too loud !

"You've Lost Tomorrow" had an awesome backing bass line, while "Passage to Agadir" was a soothing instrumental composition. A guitar solo would have made it quite interesting !

The next track, "Misty Morning" had a welcome plucking intro. Just the song you would really wanna listen to in a Misty Morning! Beautiful Chorus ! My Favorite song in terms of vocals from the album !

"Where's the Ambient Jam? " had A Foot Tapping intro and was really a peppy number. Wonderful composition on the Piano. I was left amazed when I heard Jack's guitar solo that I had to rewind the song and hear it again and again ! My Favorite Composition from the album!

"Being Myself" had a nice plucking intro and very enchanting vocals. The ending was well composed!

Reaching over to the next track called "Acoustic Mojo", I was like: "Gosh ! Jack's great on the acoustic guitar as well" ! Commendable work !

"Auf Weidersehen !" was another foot tapping track ! Much like the "Moby" types !

The next track, "I will be there for you", might confuse you for Bryan Adams, but folks, This is Jack Jeffery, a very original musical genius playing another beautiful soulful track of the same name !

"Interstellar Echoes on the Dark Side", as the name suggests, The song begins with Echoes followed by a cool riff along with great licks in between !

Parsonian Seque was a rock-psychedelic-trance track. Now that's 3 genres in just 1 track!

The last track, "Overture for Galaxies and Stars" had a Commendable intro, perfect beats and was yet another wonderful composition !

Well, Summing up, I'd like to add that truly, Jack Jeffery's album "Passage To Agadir" has been like a soulful, enchanting journey that makes you so engrossed right till the end ! Jack Jeffery is a very original, fabulous musician and definitely, this album is worth a listen, especially for all the Pink Floyd fans out there ! I bet you'd surely wanna rewind each track once more !

Click here to visit Jack's page.

An Interview With Greg Hampton of Science Faxtion and The New Czars!

GREG HAMPTON is a Renowned multi-talented singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He has worked with countless acts as varied as: Alice Cooper(featuring Slash) , Science Faxtion(along with BucketHead) , Lita Ford, Bootsy Collins, Tommy Bolin Whips and Roses I & II, Ron Wood; Rick Derringer, Bogert & Appice and lots more as well !


He has now released his album titled "Doomsday Revolution", done with the Trio Band called "The New Czars", featuring Greg Hampton himself along with Bassist Paul III and Drummer David "Chilli" Moreno, who have worked with Bruce Dickinson, Puddle of Mud, Courtney Love and many other artists too !



We got Greg Hampton himself to talk about his Latest Release, the Idea behind it, and share his past experiences as well as a Guitarist, Producer and a Song Writer !

Here's the full interview :
"

BeaRockr: How did "Science Faxtion" come up and how was the experience of working with Buckethead altogether ?

Greg Hampton: It was originally going to be an old school Bootsy solo funk record that I was going to produce & co-write, and Bootsy Came up with the idea to make it a band with me and those guys!

Buckethead is a very talented cat. We didn’t work very closely together, but we do share a few copyrights though!


BeaRockr: Did you talk to Buckethead about his "Guns n Roses" days ? What were his reactions on it ?

Greg Hampton: No not really, I don’t think he likes to talk about it. However, Slash and I talked about it ! Its Like talking about ex-wives, certainly not a very good topic of conversation ! Like asking a guy how his ex-wife was in bed. Not really a good campfire small talk!


BeaRockr: Slash played a solo for Alice Cooper's album "Along Came A Spider”(co-produced by you). We've seen Slash perform live innumerable times. How would you describe Slash in the Studio ?

Greg Hampton: Slash is the ultimate professional, He’s prepared, is a great guy to communicate with, and a lot of fun! He's just a great guy on a personal level too. And his new solo band is bad-ass! We have lots and lots of mutual friends. So its always kinda like a family reunion!


BeaRockr: So, how and when did the idea of forming "The New Czars" come up ?

Greg Hampton: I started writing tons of ideas that didn’t really fit into Science Faxtion or Alice Cooper or Lita Ford. And started stockpiling lots of ideas, musically that seemed to be turning into ‘their own thing’ !

It really started out as a solo record, because I had 80% of the basic riffs and song structure’s for the Record written long before I played it for anyone, at all!


BeaRockr: How would you describe Paul Ill and David Moreno as musicians and co-members of the band ?

Greg Hampton: They are amazing players! Some of the bass parts on the record are my original bass parts , and I wanted to keep it with my original feel that I had when I composed the song , and a few things. My assistant and I actually programmed the drums, but Chilli smoked some GREAT PERFORMANCES with the Kieth Moon, Neil Peart, Bonham & Pocaro influences !


BeaRockr: What’s your pick : “Science faxtion” or “The New Czars” and Why?

Greg Hampton: The New Czars sounds like a musically more complete sort of record/statement , It seems to have more depth, and musically has more integrity. And, it was all mine as far as the creative control is concerned ! Didn’t have to answer to anyone, nor compromising my original vision of how I heard the music in my head !


BeaRockr: Any Future plans in mind for "The New Czars" ?

Greg Hampton: Hope to do some shows behind this record, depending on who I have 'friend wise' going out on tour. And I'm always writing and recording, some of the upcoming songs will be Released Digitally( A new E.P. that will follow the European release on OCTOBER 18TH ), but the line up will continue to change some, so it stays fresh for me.

Frank Zappa & Prince are a perfect example of what I aspire to be, always evolve musically with different types of players interacting. So it stays sounding fresh and keeps my interest going!

And gives me the musical freedom to continue to grow. I don’t like boundaries, It’s a good ‘Day Job’ for producing. But can sometimes be a bit boring on a personal musical experience.

I Have hundreds of new Song ideas right now, that will find a home on my records, or whomsoever I will be working with, producing and writing with in the future. God Willing, I'm very very fortunate!
"

We'll soon be posting a Review of The New Czars' Album "Doomsday Revolution" too ! Stay tuned Guys!

100 Free Resources to Learn Guitar Online !

Have you always wanted to learn guitar the way your Idols play ? Then, you gotta check out this article entitled "Novice to Slash: 100 Free Resources for Teaching Yourself Guitar" !




Whether you’re picking up a guitar for the first time or revisiting a teenage hobby, these links provide free resources for teaching yourself how to play the guitar, as well as improving your technique and learning to read music.

Just click on this link and get started with your first course right away!

Keep rocking folks ! VTSRUFRJQ36Z

LUMINE CRIPTICA: Fading into Darkness Review!

Folks, I got hold of an album "Fading into Darkness" by Argentina's Metal act called "Lumine Criptica", and thought of reviewing it here on my blog for all readers and fans to check it out !

The band seemed to have influences from "Nightwish", "Evanescence","Lacuna Coil" and the likes.

The album began on a slower note in the song "You will never Rest", but the intro was so well done by guitarist Martin Principe and Andres Bustamante, as was the riff too ! Commendable arrangement of the instruments, well supported by a pretty nice touch of vocals but, though I didn't really find anything unique in Vocalist Sabrina's voice. The song was too long, and hence, I gradually lost interest in it a bit too !


"The Trace of my Beloved" had an awesome intro, well done on the bass and drums ! This might well be one of their best works !

The next track was no doubt, my favorite in the whole album ! "The Cold outside" had great lyrics, and the musical knowledge and expertise of the band was evident in the whole song!

The next track,"Insomnia", had a pretty soothing intro, and very nice arrangement of the instruments as well ! It was an overall well balanced track in terms of recording and mixing too !

The album ended very well with "Me", with great bass and beats, riffs and vocals. It was much like a stress-buster to me !

Overall, I felt that the drums are the best part of the band! Though the vocalist has a very commercial voice, but I suggest she could work out more on her vocals. The guitarist might have used some different tones of distortion in some of the tracks to make them more distinguishable and versatile from the rest !

Well done guys ! I'd look forward to more of your music too !

You guys can check out the band right here : http://www.luminecriptica.com/

Australia's KARNIVOOL Back in the States !

Guys, It's great news for all Karnivool fans in the United States!




Australia's KARNIVOOL are back in the States on the "New Day Tour" promoting their full-length "Sound Awake" !


Critical praise of Sound Awake has been global with Rolling Stone Australia awarding the album 4 STARS and calling it "A sprawling work of melody, mood, tempo and musicianship... Intricacy, pedantry and perfection."

Dan Slessor of Kerrang! says, "Their sound is a fine one indeed - exploratory and spacious, heavy, truly epic, and gorgeously melodic" and Elliott Politte of Guitar Edge confirms, "If you're looking to get your socks rocked off, you don't have to look much further than Sound Awake."

Slash also called out the band as one of his favorite new artists when the legendary ax-man was recently interviewed by MTV

"A major act in its native Australia, Karnivool is a hard-hitting prog-rock band that performs its carefully crafted songs with an appealing confidence embodied by singer Ian Kenny. Their 2010 release, Sound Awake, is evidence that they deserve, and will likely attain, a much larger audience in the States." - Wall Street Journal

Trust me folks, You'd not want to miss them out !

For tour dates and other information, Check up : http://www.karnivool.com.au/tours.php

A Worthy Metal Act: One Step Beyond !

Well, I just came across a Heavy metal act, called "One step Beyond", who released their album called "OUT WITH THE OLD ", and well, this band is definitely ONE STEP BEYOND !





One Step Beyond's Lineup has :

JUSTIN: Vocals
MAD MATT: Bass/Vocals/Beat programming
PAHL: Guitar
ZOTTI: Session drums

The album has amazing Drum beats, Tight,speedy guitars, and Mind boggling basslines ! The bassist definitely stands out amongst the group !

The album started with a headbanging act, called "Very Bad Man", with amazing riffs and beats, followed by a bit peaceful riff in "This life", which was arguably, the best one by Guitarist Pahl. The plucking in between was too good.

Moving on to the next track titled "Verb", I was stunned ! AMAZING is the word I could use over and over again for Bassist Mad Matt who even reminded me of Butler! This guy's a pure talent, unlike most other bass players who choose to play just some root notes here and there, and even If I could call them good bassists, then maybe I wouldn't be able to describe people like Geddy lee or Stu Hamm who are GODS on the bass !

'Ordinary Citizen' had a good dominating riff, perfect tempo, and impressive vocals. The drums were just perfect !

'Psychosexual' began well on the guitar and drums together, followed by Justin's vocals. It was Zotti on the the drums who got my attention all over ! Well done !


The next one, 'Dancing Fool', had a bit weird beginning, but that's what made it my FAVORITE TRACK of the whole album ! Perfect balancing between the bass and the overall sound. I would even regard this as the guitarist's best work in the album, his solos and riffs in this one were Superb ! It was well done on the vocals too !

Finally, the last track of the album, 'In with the new', sounded more like the beginning of a new album ! It got my adrenaline rushing up with the intro! Again, I could get a pinch of the amazing talent of the bassist in between, supported very well by the vocals !

Overall, One step beyond is a real talent musically ! The band is original, for Sure ! The bassist,Matt, did it an excellent work in the album, truly very original. I would regard him as the best amongst the four !

Coming over to the drummer , I think he has delivered his best. All the songs are musically balanced. It did not sound like the drums were dominating the tracks, but that is an achievement ! He has great potential !

I think it would be best to describe the Guitarist in one word, He is VERSATILE. His riffs were attractive, though I wanted some more solos, but being the only guitarist in the band, what he has done is Unbelievable !

Though the vocals didn't quite much impress me frankly, but summing up, the Band is really TIGHT !

Worth a listen guys ! You would want more !


You could check these guys out right here : http://www.myspace.com/onesteprockstar

Van Halen Re-Unite For Their New Album with David Lee Roth!

Guys, this certainly couldn't get better !

American Rock band,Van Halen, is all set to Reunite for a new studio album, along with David Lee Roth ! Twenty-six years after they last recorded together, the hard-rock band have reuinted with their original singer, with an album planned for next year.

Roth was Van Halen's original vocalist, performing on early hits such as Eruption and Dance the Night Away, through to the 1984 album, er, 1984. They parted ways in 1985. Diamond Dave was replaced with Sammy Hagar and later Gary Cherone, but Roth rejoined the band for concert dates beginning in 2007.

Van Halen's last album was 1998's Van Halen III, and now, I'm much too eager to hear out these Hard rock legends once again with their new album!

You could view the full news article right here : The Guardian

Iron Maiden: The Final Frontier Coming Soon !

BIG NEWS FOR ALL MAIDEN FANS (including me ofcourse!)

With a career spanning 30 years, 80 million album sales, close to 2000 live performances, countless satisfied customers and studio albums of unerring quality and power, Iron Maiden have more than earned their status as undisputed heavy metal champions of the world.

The Final Frontier, will be released August 17th. The director's cut for the video of the title track can be viewed on IronMaiden.com and on the band's Vevo channel. It was produced by the award-winning production company Darkside Animation Films, whose creative team includes animators that have created effects for feature films such as “Lost in Space,” “Gladiator” and “Black Hawk Down.” As well as working round the clock, the Darkside team developed entirely new technology to bring to life Iron Maiden’s mascot, EDDIE, in his new alien incarnation.

The album features 10 tracks (including the acclaimed single "El Dorado") and runs over 76 minutes. It will be released on August 17 in a unique Collector’s “Mission Edition” CD case with bonus content, including the Director’s Cut of this new video, “Mission Debrief” band-interview footage, wallpapers, photos and the exclusive game “Mission II: Rescue & Revenge.” And for the first time, Maiden is making the album available as an iTunes LP with bonus content. There will also be a Limited Edition Double Picture Disc on vinyl.

TRACK LISTING

1. Satellite 15.....The Final Frontier 8:40

2. El Dorado 6:49

3. Mother Of Mercy 5:20

4. Coming Home 5:52

5. The Alchemist 4:29

6. Isle Of Avalon 9:06

7. Starblind 7:48

8. The Talisman 9:03

9. The Man Who Would Be King 8:28

10. When The Wild Wind Blows 10:59

Here's a video :


The Final Frontier - Director's Cut

Iron Maiden | MySpace Music Videos

Research Turtles: The Next BIG Thing !

I just received a mail from a not-so-known band, who call themselves, the "Research Turtles"(The name sounds quite different, doesn't it ! ), who wanted me to listen to their music, and even gave me their whole album too for the same, and My First Reaction on hearing their first track was : "WOW ! How could I never have heard these guys before ! "

The band's line-up includes :

• Jud Norman: Bass & Vocals
• Joe Norman: Guitar & Vocals
• Logan Fontenot: Guitar & Vocals
• Blake Thibodeaux: Drum

Their music is just Perfect, believe me, and I'm not saying this just for the sake of it, or to be nice to the band, but, I honestly felt that way. No criticism is much possible for this wonderful band, whose love for Rock music is much evident in each and every moment of their album.

The album began with a beautiful Drum roll, and that was pretty enough for me to want more ! The song titled, "Lets get carried away", was fully true to its name, and It does really get you "Carried away" with the pretty appreciable vocals, and I would like to give a special mention to the Guitar parts too. The guitar effects were so much suited to the overall base of the song, and the riff was too good !

Next was a punk sounding track called "Damn", and Damn ! The opening lead and the riff were so appealing ! I loved Jud Norman's vocals in this one ! My compliments to Joe Norman too for his excellent rhythm in this one, He definitely pulled this up !

I was banging my head as I reached the next track called "Mission" , where they eventually increased the tempo, and this one had an awesome solo by Logan Fontenot , and it was Blake Thibodeaux's excellent rolls and beats on the drum that got me up on my toes !

Kiss Her Goodbye's a power Rock ballad, and this one was done wonderfully by all members, as I could feel some magic in this one, I was completely drawn into the song ! Great backing by Joe Norman in the chorus !

One thing I would mention, is that each song in this album is Different, the beats change, the tempo changes, the feelings change, and so, that's something they've done beautifully !

"Cement Floor" began wonderfully, and the drums and rhythm in this one were awesome ! I was also stunned by Jud Norman's bass playing in this one, Way to go !


Then I went over to the track called "The Riff Song". It's name is pretty appealing, isn't it !
It was at this moment that I became a fan of the guitar players ,Logan Fontenot and Joe Norman, for the excellent ORIGINAL HARD ROCK riff that they've put up in this track. Though, the solo was quite well done too, but the Riffs were just enough to blow me away !

"Tomorrow" was an excellent change, a very peppy number, excellent vocals, beautifully supported by the leads in between . Joe Norman did an excellent job in this one. The drums at the end were so much impressive to me, and I liked the solo too by Logan.

The effects they chose on their Guitars were so much PERFECT ! No criticism possible about that anywhere !

"A Feeling" and "Into A Hole" were good compositions too, and then came a powerful "925" which started with a bang, on the drums ! The way they juggled with the tempo and beats on this one was commendable.

The album received a perfect ending with "Break my Fall", a well done composition overall, especially the bass was great in this one . The guitar plucking was nice too in the beginning. Just when the song was about to end( so it seemed to me ), they surprised me yet again ! The bass and drums together, with Logan's sweep solo backed by Joe Norman's riff, were too much to keep me hooked up to the end !

Overall, Just one thing that disappointed me was : "WHY THE HELL ARE THESE GUYS NOT SIGNED UP BY A RECORD LABEL! "

This band is a real talent. Just what the contemporary world is looking for ! Each song in this album is perfect ! I really appreciate their music sense. All the members are commendable. Their music can connect much easily to the people, and I'm quite sure that Research Turtles are gonna go a Long way ahead and rule the charts in the near future !

Rock on !

Click Here to Download the Whole Album for FREE!

Heavy Glow: The Filth & The Fury Final Review

Recently,I came to know of this Rock/Alternative/Blues, San Diego based band, who call themselves "Heavy Glow" , and thought of mentioning them here on my blog for all my readers to have a listen to this awesome ROCK TRIO, whose music I found to be really amazing, given the fact that its just 3 guys who were playing the whole song so wonderfully!






Heavy Glow's lineup is:

Jared Mullins: Vocals,Guitar

Joe Brooks: Bass

Dan Kurtz: Drums


The album titled "The Filth & The Fury Final" began with a heavy, powerful riff in "I almost Prayed", much reminding me of former Guns n Roses guitar legend Slash, particularly of their Hit Number, "Welcome to the Jungle" !

Then was another track, titled "Love Ghost", where I could get the best from Jared Mullins, and Joe Brooks, the riff and solos were all amazing in this one.

Then, moving over to the next track, I was a bit disappointed, as I was expecting the next one to have some other variations in it, but It was pretty much on the same lines of the previous two. The guitar playing was becoming a bit monotonous, because of the same kind of distortion and much the same type of heavy riffs. The song ended quite beautifully, and I could definitely see that Mullins has been the most innovative member of the band, though I suggest that a change in the distortion or the overall feel of the song could be much appreciated.

Then came a track titled "Bourgeois Baby" , and hearing the opening riff and the drum roll in this one was a retreat ! It seemed as if Dan Kurtz came to life in this one ! Jared Mullins' rhythm playing was also great in this one too, though I still found the same guitar effects in the whole song, though his experiments with his guitar are evident in all songs !


Then, finally came their last track, titled "Red July" and it seemed all my wishes came true ! Mullins' gave it a beautiful start on his guitar,followed by the the bass and the drums together, and this time It seemed like a combined effort, with equal contributions by all the band members, and was my favorite track from the whole album ! Well done guys ! You pulled this one the best !

Summing it all over,

The band tried to do a lot of innovations with the guitar, which I highly appreciate, but try doing that in a limited manner. Don't try to include much effects on a single track.
Make your solo's more expressive and unique .Maybe changing the guitar effects or a bit of guitar modulation could change the overall feel of your song completely and it may sound a bit better too !

The vocals were pretty fine for me, and The bass was perfect, Joe Brooks' bass lines were great, and he's definitely my favorite from the trio !

The drums could have been a lot better in just some parts of some tracks, but overall they were fine !

Guys, Heavy Glow is Definitely a Band worth listening to, and I would even look forward to their Next album !

You could check these guys out here : HEAVY GLOW

Good To be Back Again !

Warm Greetings to all my Readers, and Fellow bloggers, who have been consistently reading this blog, and to whom I've not been a good blogger lately.

Well, I would like to add that now, Finally, my exams for college are OVER, and Its just the results that I'm waiting for. So, I'll now resume blogging once again, and will quickly follow up with a post for all Rock fans, and I promise it would be a nice read for all of you, as it used to be earlier, perhaps.

I'll also be coming over to all your blogs to see what you all have been writing about in my absence, and all the latest news that I may have missed in these past months.

Thanks for all your Support and good wishes !

-BeaRockr

Rock and Rap Journeys: A Blogger to Check out !

Well, Hi there again guys, And I know it's been quite long since my last post here, and that's much because I have my exams starting from the 3rd of March, and have been really busy for the same, and would remain so in the days to come too !

But, Finally, I managed to find some time to write something, but this time, Its a Post from a very much Experienced Music Professor who is a Rock and rap music researcher, a Performer, an Opera singer and Lots More ! She's like a Musical genius to me, and I would humbly ask you all to do go over her blog once, and I bet you wouldn't want to come back, until you finished all of her posts there ! She has only recently started blogging, and is a Prolific writer indeed ! Here's a link to her profile.

Here's her first post over there , Titled :

Rock Stars? Rock Gods?

"
Until Ludwig von Beethoven, musicians were in the servant class. They were hired by royalty and nobility. Some worked within the Roman Catholic church, Antonio Vivaldi (of The Four Seasons fame--the music most frequently heard at upscale bistros and cafes during Sunday brunch) being one of the latter. J.S. Bach was a church musician (organist & choirmaster) for the Lutheran Church although he was also commissioned by various nobility to compose music for specific events and observances for them. The main point is: composers were almost unknown outside of their immediate circle of employers, patrons, and other musicians with whom they worked. The few individuals who DID develop a wider reputation were the exception and we can only surmise how extraordinary those individuals were if, in an age of anonymity among musicians, they managed to rise to fame and reputation. Performers were in worse case. Only a few castrati opera singers became famous in several countries and moved among opera companies singing premieres of new roles, being feted and petted by the ladies, and generally living a life that parallels rock stars of today.

Starting with Beethoven, European classical musicians that rose to international fame were, almost without exception, composers. There were a few performers, mostly opera stars, who gained international reputations. But all the way through the 19th century and into the 20th, European classical musicians that were famous and feted and petted were the composers. But with the Industrial Revolution, the middle class began to patronize the arts. With that cultural shift, musical tastes began to broaden. British music halls became extremely popular and there needed to be music for those singers & players to perform. In America, vaudeville developed and became all the rage. The music for these venues consisted of songs: strophic songs, with memorable melodies, catchy rhythms, often slightly risque lyrics or at least suggestive ones; songs with verses and refrains in which audiences could join in singing. Star performers began to emerge whose reputations were fairly wide, although, in the age before mass media, they were mostly known by people who saw them perform live.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, two things in the world of music happened that would change popular music completely and irrevocably. One was the invention of the phonograph recording machine. Two was the development of jazz. Popular music suddenly took off in a new direction. Instead of singers accompanied by instrumentalists, the instruments became the focus of the music and singers were fit into an overall texture of music. Improvisation became essential and performers who were skilled and inventive improvisers quickly became famous, well-known. Singers sometimes were skilled improvisers and they too became famous. Bands with permanent memberships began to be formed, rather than groups of musicians who got together for specific performances or events; and these bands took on musical identities. Usually their identity was formed by a bandleader who was also the main composer (eg. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Paul Whiteman, The Dorsey Brothers)

Early jazz composers, most of them African-American, had limited opportunity to learn music through formal study, so they learned music notation and compositional techniques through listening to, and then imitating, great composers, great music. Now that jazz has entered the "academy", now that jazz is taught in schools of music throughout the country, most jazz musicians are trained in music composition, notation, and performance practices of classical music as well as their own.

With improvements in recording technology and especially, the development of the radio, popular music began to dominate cultural life. Classical, or concert hall music slowly slipped back further and further in the public's consciousness, although classical music continued to be the primary emphasis in terms of repertoire of schools of music and conservatories--still the case today. With World War II and the prosperity of the years after that, television came into being--the beginning of "mass media" although it was still not international, as it is today, in the age of satellite communications. The middle class, divided into multiple layers, rose to dominance in the 20th century. Wealth became concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. This has had implications for the entertainment industry because classical music, opera, symphony, musical forms still tend to be mainly patronized by the wealthy, upper class of the population whose money also sustains these not-for-profit organizations.

In the mid-1950's, young white musicians took the 12-bar blues and song-writing techniques from swing tunes of the late 40's with influences from country music and gospel, added a strong back beat played on a jazz drum set with some modifications, backup singing harmony, electric guitars (courtesy of Les Paul) and created music they called Rock and Roll. The term "rock and roll" had a somewhat shady history, being a euphemism for the act of sexual intercourse within the black community. The result was that the more "decent, God-fearing citizens" were naturally reluctant to use the term for a long time.

Gradually, within the new genre of music, "star" performers began to emerge. The phenomenon of Elvis Presley changed everything permanently. Elvis was a rather sweet, shy, very handsome young man with a golden voice and a performance style that remains a model for rock band frontmen today: fluid and continuous body movements that suggest sexual energy; flashy costumes (less today than formerly--one sees jeans and t-shirts mostly these days); gripping the microphone and singing to it as one does to a lover; reaching out hands and eyes to the audience; crooning ballads but using a forceful, muscular singing approach for most of the time. Elvis set the tone and his appeal was so universal and so intense that the concept of the rock star was really due to him. His appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, one of the world's most popular TV variety shows of the 1950's, cemented his fame. Elvis set a trend in other ways. Basically a religious, small-town boy, with a prodigious musical sense, a truly beautiful voice, a strong core of moral values, and a deep sense of compassion, Elvis was taken by the Hollywood recording establishment and turned into a superstar. Like many such young stars, Elvis succumbed to many temptations and eventually died at a young age as a result of burning his candle at both ends. This too, unfortunately, was the harbinger of a model of rock superstardom that has first delighted and then plagued the genre. Many of rock music's brightest and best have had their lives snuffed out at a young age due to drugs, alcohol, prescription medications, and suicide.

Elvis was the first rock superstar. His career marked a genuine cultural trend. And close on his heels came The Beatles quickly followed by The Rolling Stones. With The Beatles there came a huge cultural shift from the U.S. as the center of rock music, to Britain as the home of what would evolve into hard rock. The Beatles phenomenon took on new dimensions because while Elvis himself was the focal point of his fans' idolatry, The Beatles quickly became known as much for their music as their performances of it. And today, 40+ years later, the music remains while the idols themselves have moved gracefully into music careers and middle age, remaining famous, but not idolized, worshipped, as they were when they first appeared. Except of Lennon of course, who was martyred by being shot and killed by a lone sniper in 1980. Partly due to his martyrdom, many experts believe that Lennon's genius, while real and verifiable, was not as overwhelming as it has been claimed to be.

Mick Jagger was perhaps the first rock star to achieve greater stardom as an individual (frontman) than his band in toto. He continued the pattern for frontmen set by Elvis, with perhaps even more flamboyant movements and outrageous offstage behaviors. But while no one can deny the importance of the Rolling Stones on rock music history, they did not create a cultural shift as did The Beatles. People became interested in Eastern religions; psychedelic art and in mind-altering drugs; in the hippie culture; all partly due to the influence of the Beatles and their music, their lifestyles. Kurt Cobain and the group Nirvana began yet another mini-cultural shift: away from the frivolous and glitzy extravagances of the 1970's and dicso, back to music that reflected the inner lives, the inner sufferings and angst of a great many disenchanted young people in the early to mid-1980's. Stresses of a political system that began to break down, ignoring the sufferings of millions of people; the rise of terrorism; the decline and fall of the Soviet empire, good on one hand, ominous on the other hand; the rise of homelessness and urban decay. Cotton candy happy music of the 1970's and of disco seemed totally out of synch with the world to Cobain and others like him.

Cobain and Nirvana began to write music that reverted to earlier harmonic traditions; minor key songs became common; Cobain and Nirvana did acoustic music albums that were intimate, searingly emotional; dark; and not pretty, anthemic songs that made people want to join in and sing along. Nirvana began the trend that evolved into heavy metal, grunge, and especially, alternative and alternative/metal. Their influence on music for the next 2 decades can hardly be overestimated, even though their career was shortlived due to Cobain's untimely death. As in the case of John Lennon, Cobain has become martyred and while his influence on rock music after him is undeniable, his own musicianship has often been considered "overrated". One wonders if Cobain himself would agree with that. He seems, from what I've read, to have been an astute observer of things.

In our current day, we are too close to events to know which will be pivotal. But it's time for a new cultural shift. Some would say that the merging of hip hop/rap and alternative rock -- as evidenced in the music of Black Eyed Peas and other groups -- may be the next major musical cultural shift. That black and white musicians are increasingly making music together, feeding off one another's rich and varied musical histories; nourishing and respecting one another's musical understandings in order to give birth to new forms that marry the traditions. We see some of that in Black Eyed Peas's music and it was evident in the later music of Michael Jackson, a genre called New Jack Swing -- a melding of hip hop/rap and pop with overtones of jazz (swinging 8ths) and some disco/dance as well.

Then we have the band 30 Seconds to Mars and their 2009 album This is War. Music that is symphonic in scope and intent; music that embraces, mirrors a thorough understanding of alternative and progressive rock; that breaks into a new form altogether. Music with a social conscience and awareness but that also bursts with the energy of global voices filled with hope and understanding. Is 30 Seconds to Mars the next Nirvana phenomenon? Musically we hope and pray, not in the way Nirvana's sad story ended. On Twitter, one of the new social networking venues on the internet, the release of 30 Seconds to Mars's This is War album triggered days, weeks, of "trending topics" as people discovered this amazing music. Within 2 weeks of its release, the album's sales have already passed the 3 million mark -- and this is worldwide, not just in the U.S. So the next cultural shift will be a global one; not within one or a few countries. Maybe the name 30 Seconds to Mars itself is a clue to the phenomenon we may be witnessing, even as it unfolds.

We just hope that Jared, Shannon, and Tomo can remain grounded through all this. We don't want them to be rock star statistics. We want them around writing music, helping other musicians, long into their 9th or 10th decades of life. We want them to find true love, and inner peace, and maintain a sense of balance and perspective. But enough angst and struggle to keep their creative muses in need of feeding and care!
"


Truly, that was an interesting read, isn't it ?

Do leave a comment on her blog, called Rock and Rap Journeys , and You surely won't regret it, trust me !

Have a great day guys !

Metallica V/s Metallica!

V/S

Guys guys, This post, as the title says, is about the Thrash Metal band : Metallica, and actually, was in my mind since over a month now, and I finally decided to write it down !

Well, Before reading any further, I urge you to just take up any song of any album like "Master of Puppets" or "The Black Album", and listen to it carefully, for example Nothing else matters or Seek and Destroy or Fade to Black ! Now, take up any song from the "St. Anger" album or the "Death Magnetic" album and listen to it carefully too !

The thing is, that METALLICA HAS CHANGED ! And I feel they are becoming worse off and much much lower than their otherwise huge qualities and skills that they have showed in songs like Master of Puppets and the likes. St. Anger, though quite a good album for a thrash metal band, isn't actually the "Metallica type" ! Metallica is supposed to be musically pleasant, and skillfully original, but St. Anger is just like a bit slower version of bands like Slipknot or Slayer, and I feel that guitarist Kirk Hammett could have added some of his much wonderful solos in some of the songs, and could have included some symphony parts in some of the songs too, since this is what Metallica was all about, and that's why we loved them , isn't it ??

Then, in Death Magnetic, it seems Metallica tried to be themselves, but still, it wasn't right upto what I was personally expecting from them ! Songs like "Cyanide" or "Suicide Redemption" are really not what I was expecting from this band .

Well, one of the reasons for this change seems the coming over of bassist Robert Trujillo, who arguably is much better than their former bassist Jason Newsted in terms of skill, speed and agility, but doesn't actually seem to fit into the Metallica style quite much. Seeing Metallica perform live in 2005 on DVD was a joy for me since Robert's energy on stage was unbelievable, but I do wish that Metallica would come back to their original style of riffs and music pretty soon !

Dying to hear what you have to say to this ??