Friday Floyd - 2/13/15

Happy Friday everyone and this week's reminder that it's the weekend comes in the form of the great PF song "On the Turning Away". This song is off the album "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" which was the first Pink Floyd album to not feature Roger Waters. His departure from the band meant losing the creative force behind the band's soaring success at the time. With guitar master David Gilmour at the helm for AMLOR, more of the other member's creativity was able to shine.

The lyrics deal with the topic of looking away from those in adverse situations and not concerning yourself with other's struggles regardless of what they may be. The ending of the song is a strong statement declaring that "it's not enough just to stand and stare" challenging those listening to help everyone around them.

The below video is from PF's Live in Venice concert video from 1989. The concert setting was one of the most unique in music history as the band performed on a floating stage and the majority of the crowd were in tethered boats floating in front of the stage.

Happy 45th Birthday Heavy Metal!

Heavy metal, as in the genre, turns 45 years old today. It's no secret that Black Sabbath were the fathers of heavy metal and their debut album, titled "Black Sabbath" was released on this day in 1970 making it 45 years old today. Countless numbers of bands that realized that down tuned guitars sounded good and everyone put their own spin on it from there. They didn't even know what they were creating when they created it, but now there are thousands of bands that consider themselves heavy metal all over the world. Heavy metal has grown into countless numbers of sub-genres and cultures and just think it all started because Tony Iommi chopped off his fingertips on his fret hand. If you don't know the finger story, watch this.

Fun fact about the album Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath is that it was recorded on one day in a single 12 hour recording session. The next day when it was being finished and finalized, they played a gig in Switzerland.

Without further adieu, the song that started it all, Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath off Black Sabbath.

TT5 - Best Frontmen

The frontman fulfills such an important role; they have to sing, handle the eyes and attnetion of the crowd at all times, sometimes play an instrument, and most importantly keep the fans engaged during the entirety of a performance. There are plenty of examples of frontmen (and women) doing a few of these things well, but it's rare to find someone who does all of these things well. The hardest thing for most to do is grabbing the attention of the fans and keeping it until the end of the show. The difference of having a great frontman is the difference between selling out a headlining tour and being an opener on someone else's tour. Just like in football where having a good quarterback is key to success, having a great face of the band is crucial to taking a band to their highest potential.

5) James Hetfield
The Metallica front man has a "disadvantage" to the rest of the people on this list, he plays rhythm guitar. James is consistently high energy and a master at putting sing-a-longs and shout-backs into his songs to keep the crowd involved in every show.



4) Rob Halford
Riding a motorcycle on stage. Creating the "look" of heavy metal (black leather and studs). Singing better than most anyone else on the planet. Handling plenty of controversy over the years. Helping put heavy metal in the forefront of pop culture. These are just some of the many accomplishments of Rob Halford of Judas Priest. Oh and he's 63 and still sounds amazing.



3) David Lee Roth
Besides being an incredible talented singer, Diamond Dave is more known for is stage acrobatics and antics. He performed as if he had more energy than anyone else in the arena and was always moving and singing his heart out. There is never a dull moment at a concert that David Lee Roth is on stage. He was the leader of one of the biggest bands of the 80s (and all time) and putting David Lee Roth on this list is in no way a knock on any of his successors in Van Halen.



2) Ozzy Osbourne
As the first heavy metal singer, Ozzy didn't have any example to base his style on. He helped usher in a new genre that was heavier and deeper than any of the rock music at the time. He is controversial, entertaining, talented, and most of all trail-blazing. After his departure from Black Sabbath, he maintained his popularity by launching a highly successful solo career. Oh and yes he did bite the head off a bat while on stage. How's that for entertaining and controversial?



1) Bruce Dickinson
Bruce was brought into Iron Maiden in order to help propel them to new heights and that he did. He understood that in order to take Maiden from a club band to an arena band he as the frontman needed to be more than just a singer, he needed to entertain and keep your eyes on the stage at all time. In the times before huge video screens, he would exaggerate his movements and literally run all over the stage, making sure that even those in the last rows could see him. Don't forget, he did all this while belting out some of the best vocals in all of heavy metal.

The Grammys Rant

This is not a retrospective jab at the history of bad decisions by The Grammys, this is simply an opinion that I'm sure is shared by many of the 2014/2015 Grammy awards.

Let's start at an obvious point, the award for the Best Metal Performance. And the nominees are:

• "The Last in Line" - Tenacious D. Really? Nothing against Tenacious D, they brought Dio to a whole fanbase and generation that would've never have even heard of him. They have a special place in the heart of all rock and metal fans, but the fact of the matter is they are a comedy act. Forgetting all that, the song is a cover song. 
• "Neon Knights" - Anthrax. Anthrax is most definitely deserving of a Grammy nom, but not for a 35 year old Black Sabbath song. Why didn't the Grammys care when they released one of the most critically acclaimed metal albums of 2011 or any of the other tremendous and pioneering metal work they have produced over the years? 
• "High Road" - Mastodon. I agree with this one. It's not the best song off the album, but hey beggers can't be choosers. At least they gave Mastodon (one of the most important heavy metal bands of the 2000s) some credit.
• "Heartbreaker" - Motorhead. I don't have a problem at all with the song or the band getting the nomination. My problem here lies with the fact that this song was released in 2013, therefore making it a song that should have been nominated at LAST YEARS Grammys. Clearly the committee that picks these was grasping at straws here and couldn't find any other act to give a nomination to this year (see below). 
• "The Negative One" - Slipknot. They're back and on a tear. They're killing it live and the album kicks ass. The Knot deserves the nomination. I fear though that the people that pick these simply picked the first song released from this album just because it's Slipknot and didn't actually care to listen to it and judge it for themselves. 

And the Grammy goes to......Tenacious D. Congrats to them. There are just more deserving metal acts. You guys are great though. 

Here are some tremendous albums that were all released in 2014 that should've gotten some credit from "the biggest names in music":

"Clearing the Path to Ascend" Yob

"Bloodstone & Diamonds" Machine Head

"Blood In, Blood Out" Exodus

"Foundations of Burden" Pallbearer

"Redeemer of Souls" Judas Priest

"Pale Communion" Opeth

Just to name a few.........

Moving on now to the Rock category. I actually completely agree with the nominations and winners for Best Rock Performance (Congrats Jack White). Somehow though "Lazaretto" didn't win Best Rock Song as he was beaten out by a Paramore song. I don't understand the logic. Best Rock Album is a touchy subject for me this year. Beck's "Morning Phase" won. I'm starting to think that he only won because they were giving him Album of the Year so therefore it had to win every other category it was nominated for. The problem is that it's not a Rock album. If that's rock, then we need to redefine what Rock music actually is. Unfortunately the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and MTV (combining rock and pop into the same category) have already done that for us and it isn't pretty. Side note, how does Jack White get nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance, but Lazaretto (the album) not get the Best Rock Album nom? Did they even listen to it? It was incredible and a whole hell of a lot better than that U2 album that they gave away for free. 

On the positive side, huge congrats to Beck for winning Album of the Year for "Morning Phase". He's a real artist who writes every single lyric and plays most every instrument on his records. This credit and validation is long overdue for an artist with the incredible history of Beck. 

That's enough ranting for one night. I'm sure if I was able to dive into the other categories, I could find plenty more glaring mistakes by the almighty Grammy committee. 

Friday Floyd - 2/6/15

I usually try to expand your PF horizons with my Friday Floyd, but this week, I'm going with a classic. This week's Friday Floyd is the very popular song "Hey You". This is the first song of disc / album 2 of The Wall. Many casual Pink Floyd and even classic rock in general fans know this song very well.

The song fits well as the halfway point of the album due to it's content. The Wall is about closing off from society and reality by putting up a wall (see the connection?), but "Hey You" is sung from the standpoint of an individual who is desperately trying for human interaction.

When The Wall is performed live, a literal wall is being constructed during the first half of the show that is completed on the last note of "Goodbye Cruel World". The next song is "Hey You" and is performed by the band as they are completely hidden behind the wall.

Enjoy "Hey You", but don't forget to always Pink Floyd responsibly and listen to the entire album at some point as well.

TT5 - Top Hard Rock / Metal Albums of 1980

There was a time when all music was considered new and even some of the albums that we now consider game changers and classics were at one point brand spanking new and hadn't even yet stood the test of time. Now that we have had 35 years to digest this music, below is the definitive list of the best hard rock and heavy metal releases of the year 1980.

5) Animal Magnetism - Scorpions
Known nowadays more for it's controversial cover than it's musical content, Animal Magnetism was the seventh studio album for German band Scorpions and released just as they were picking up steam. "Make it Real" and "The Zoo" are the classics off this album. The mid to late 80s are when Scorpions really hit the big time and were easily one of the biggest bands in the world.



4) The Game - Queen
It's hard to believe that a band as huge, influential, and well liked as Queen has only had one #1 album in the US, but it's true and 1980's The Game is that album. "Play the Game", "Another One Bites the Dust", and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" are some of the most loved songs by one of history's most loved bands. Queen is still touring with Adam Lambert filling in for the late, great Freddie Mercury and putting on an amazing show (just ask my mom!).



3) Strong Arm of the Law & Wheels of Steel - Saxon
Saxon had such a good year in 1980 that they get two albums ranked. How can you choose between the two? These were their second and third studio albums and they were released within 4 months of each other. Some bands worry about the sophomore slump, but clearly this is not a problem that Saxon had. The classics from these albums just keep on going: "Motorcycle Man", "747 Strangers in the Night", "Wheels of Steel", "Heavy Metal Thunder", "20,000 Ft", "Dallas 1PM". Most of you probably have not listened to these albums in their entirety. Change that........soon.

 

2) Ace of Spades - Motorhead
What can you say about the album that cemented Motorhead's place in heavy metal history? Even if the album was just one song and that song was "Ace of Spades", it'd still be on this list. Motorhead's legacy is probably one of the best in metal as they (really Lemmy) found their (his) style early on and stuck with it for 40 years. Besides the title track, songs like "Love Me Like a Reptile", "(We Are) The Road Crew", and "The Chase is Better Than the Catch" are still played live by the band today.



1) Back in Black - AC/DC
The story of Back in Black has hit legendary status at this point. How in the world could a band not only retain their style and image after losing someone as iconic as Bon Scott? Brian Johnson is how. This was his first album singing for the band as they came back with a huge right hook after losing the singer that had been a humongous part of their success to that point. The entire album is classic and frankly I shouldn't have to name any of the hit songs that came from it. Just listen to the whole thing.

Friday Floyd - 1/30/15

Happy Friday. Today's Friday Floyd is a deep cut as it appears on the soundtrack album Obscured by Clouds. I have mentioned this album before in the past telling you that you have to listen to it cover to cover. If you haven't done so yet, this is is your not so friendly reminder.

The Gold It's In The... is an extremely unique song for Floyd for 3 reasons. The first reason is the tempo of the song. The song is very upbeat which is rare to find in the Floyd catalog as most of their compositions are long, drawn out, complex arrangements. This one though seems as if maybe, juuuust maybe, David Gilmour has a smile on his face and a bounce in his step when he's singing. The second reason that this song is unique is the lyrical content. Most PF songs deal with very heavy topics such as life and death, greed, and coming of age. TGIIT... is a story about a man who just loves adventure and doesn't care about what he finds. He wants to explore and come upon treasures, but has no interest in keeping them. The video below includes the lyrics so you'll be able to see for yourself. The final reason that this song is a rarity for Pink Floyd is the fact that Rick Wright (probably to the delight of Roger) is not featured on this song. There are no keyboards or piano anywhere in this song as it is entirely composed of guitar, bass, and drums.

Enjoy The Gold It's In The..... and listen to Obscured by Clouds already!!

TT5 - Super Bowl Halftime Wish List

With this being Super Bowl week, most of America and a decent chunk of the planet will be tuning in on Sunday to watch the biggest sporting event in the world. I, on the other hand, will not be. As a Packers fan, it'll be too much to watch the Super Bowl this year knowing how close we were and how much we deserved to be there. It's just like watching your ex-girlfriend win Miss America; you just can't bear to watch it. Anyway, the halftime show this year will be Katy Perry, who I'm sure will put on one heck of a performance as I am a fan of hers and think she's one of the bright sides of pop music today. One day, I wish that the halftime talent is someone on the heavier side. I think the heaviest band to play a halftime show so far was Aerosmith (who's guests included Britney Spears, 'N Sync, Mary J Blige, and Nelly). So in a perfect world, here would be a great place to start when picking an act with a little more edge.

5) Jay Z / Kanye West
I know you're thinking I'm crazy for classifying Hov and Ye as "heavy", but you should listen to Watch the Throne, Yeezus, and Magna Carta Holy Grail. All of those albums are very much hip hop to the core, but all of which are very heavy and I know that with these two performers on stage, the volume would be up, the light show would be intense, and the crowd would be on their feet.



4) Led Zeppelin
I did say that this list took place in a perfect world, didn't I? You and I both know that if LZ were to reunite and play again, the Super Bowl would be the least of their priorities. But hey, a guy can dream right? A 5 song medley of Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, In My Time of Dying, and Communication Breakdown would be such a killer halftime show that the crowd would cheer for an encore and boo when the players come back on the field.



3) Iron Maiden
I don't need to explain the credentials of Mighty Maiden. This band would laugh at the fact that the Super Bowl crowd would only be about 80,000 people. These Brits play to crowds of that size every week it seems like. Bruce would never let the energy die down for the entirety of their 15 minute slot because he wouldn't stop running and waving his hands high above his head. The only downside is that 15 minutes of Iron Maiden is only enough time for about 3 or 4 songs but hot damn, they'd be tremendous.



2) Metallica
The reigning kings of metal! Metallica needs no introduction as their music is used in stadiums throughout the world to pump up players and fans alike. The only thing better than playing Enter Sandman at a sporting event is having Metallica play it for you. The biggest problem with Metallica playing the halftime show is that their fans all over the world would tirelessly debate about what songs to play and no matter what they choose, some of those fans will cry for the heavens because their favorite 'tallica song wasn't played.



1) AC/DC
Power chords were meant for AC/DC and AC/DC was meant for power chords. Power chords have mass appeal and instantly create a simple groove that everyone can dig. AC/DC's worst is better than most bands best and everyone loves their music and knows all the words to most of their songs. They're a shoo-in for this gig and anyone in their right mind wishes to Shook All Night Long by AC/DC.

Friday Floyd - 1/23/15

With a band as huge and as popular as Pink Floyd, it's very hard to call any song of their's a "hidden gem". I mean for crying out loud, only 6 artists in history have sold more records. There is a lot of love for (and deservedly so) for the big 4 Floyd albums so any sort of "hidden gem" would have to be found elsewhere. My favorite deep track of the Floyd is the song Fearless from Meddle. This song starts off slow but features one of the best riffs that PF ever performed. At the very end of the song, a recording of Liverpool FC faithful can be heard singing their anthem You'll Never Walk Alone which as a LFC fan, I very much enjoy.

A surprising fact about this song is that Roger Waters (bassist) plays the acoustic guitar parts, rather than David Gilmour, the band's usual guitarist.

The meaning of the lyrics is uncertain, but some debate that they might tell a portion of the story of Jesus's life. See for yourself.....

TT5 - 5 Most Anticipated New Bonnaroo Acts

For anyone who's talked to me in the last few months knows that for the first time in my life, I'm experiencing Bonnaroo this summer. Bonnaroo is over my birthday every year and I've always wanted to go. My friend and I just decided this past summer that 2015 was going to be our year and bought tickets on the Black Friday presale. So in the spirit of Bonnarro, today's Tuesday Top 5 ranks the top 5 bands that I'm most excited to see for the first time at Bonnaroo 2015. There are plenty of acts that I have seen already and am STOKED for (Slayer, Benjamin Booker, Kendrick Lamar, etc.), but this list is only for bands that I haven't seen before.

5) Unlocking the Truth
This band of teenagers (they are all approximately 14) is a heavy metal band that is actually worth all of the hype about them. Yes that was my stab at Babymetal. Unlocking the Truth was recently signed to Sony Records so their first full official release is still to come, but I can speak for the entire heavy metal community in saying that it is highly anticipated.

4) Pallbearer
I recently started getting into doom metal (like in the last 9 months) and Pallbearer are one of the newest and freshest bands in the genre. When Pallbearer was announced for Roo, it was a dream come true. I hope they're playing at night or else rocking out to doom metal with the sun still up will just feel down right strange.

3) Sturgill Simpson
Despite being a huge metal head, I still love great old school country music. Sturgill is by far the most refreshing artist in the entire genre. He's a truly great songwriter and has such an old school delivery that is just not found in too many other country artists today. I'm very much looking forward to seeing Sturgill Simpson for the fist time at the farm this year.

2) Royal Blood
I have heard about Royal Blood for some time now, just never really gave them the time of day until they were announced for Roo 2015. I listened to their debut album "Out of the Black" and was blown away. This heavy blues rock duo is comprised only of a bassist and a drummer. The amount of music and heaviness that comes out of just two men is amazing. Like Pallbearer, it would feel strange if Royal Blood have a set scheduled for the daytime.

1) Robert Plant
I have never come anywhere close to seeing a member of Led Zeppelin, so I'm blown away that Robert Plant will be at the farm this summer. I know that Robert Plant's true love is worldly new age style music, but it's Robert freaking Plant of Led freaking Zeppelin. Even if only a third of the set list is reimagined LZ classics, I'll be a happy man.

El Monstero at The Pageant 12/26/14

I've heard Kevin consider El Monstero to be the monster truck version of Pink Floyd. That is by far the most accurate description anyone could ever give El Monstero. For those that don't know, El Monstero is a group of local (to St. Louis) musicians that pay tribute to Pink Floyd a few times a year in an all out spectacle that has continued to evolve and be a very hot ticket. Their most memorable shows are their Christmas run of shows (2014 featured 6 of them) due to the amount of firepower crammed into the intimate setting of the Pageant. The musicianship is top notch and the complex arrangements of Pink Floyd are perfectly recreated by an all star cast.

The 12/26/14 show was my 7th consecutive year of December El Monstero concerts, so I had an idea of what to expect, but I always know that somehow the show is going to be drastically different than the year before. In the Flesh is such a perfect way to start off a concert and El Monstero seems to know this and they then continue playing The Wall song for song. The first guest of the night comes out to play the role of the teacher at the end of Another Brick in the Wall and snaps his yardstick over his knee after yelling at everyone the famous line "If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!" The next guests are the pole dancers (partially clothed) who perform throughout the entirety of the rocker Young Lust. One of the dancers stays behind to deliver the opening monologue of One of My Turns. One of the things that make an El Monstero show special is that special guests do more than sing or play an instrument. The performers that showcase the most talent and dedication are the ballerina that dances during Vera and the aerialists that perform above our heads for Shine on You Crazy Diamond. This year, there were three aerialists that performed on silks during Shine On and hoops during Echos. With my perspective being in the front row right up against the railing, I was straining to look straight up for so long and pay attention to all three at the same time.

Set 2 started off with Fearless, a song that used to be considered as "one for the heads". With El Monstero making it a staple of it's show, I'm sure that many average PF fans have discovered this gem that comes from outside of the "big 4 albums". After an abbreviated version of Dogs, we were treated with Keep Talking off The Divison Bell. This song was the fan-poll winner that El Monstero put out just a few months before the winter run of shows. There is always a guest singer that comes out for Have a Cigar and on 12/26, we were honored to be joined by the great Steve Ewing of The Urge who delivered the song with the perfect amount of swagger. One of the best parts of any El Monstero show is getting a complete performance of Dark Side of the Moon. After a guest showing by Thom Donavon to add extra guitar firepower during Money and a hair raising vocal performance by the three ladies of El Monstero during Great Gig in the Sky, Dark Side of the Moon was brought to a triumphant close with an added flair that only El Monstero can provide. Following band and cast introductions by the mighty Favazz, the encore started off with When the Tigers Broke Free and The Show Must Go On. Anyone who's seen El Mon knows that The Pageant shows are closed out with the perfect sing-a-long in Wish You Were Here and the beautifully epic Comfortably Numb.

This years stage set up feature 2 "Mr. Screens" that also included video screens that made for a seamless array of video boards that went all the way from stage left to stage right. Both the keyboardists were brought to the extreme front and extreme left and right of the stage creating a deep stage allowing plenty of room for all musicians to wander around freely. A highlight of the stage shows and props was Mark getting up close and personal with a camera while singing a few songs. This, along with doing an entire song from the balcony, added an extra element that makes going year after year a brand new experience. Even though this was not my favorite set list that I've ever seen from El Monstero, this was by far my favorite stage show that I've seen out of the El Mon crew.

Below are a few shots taken by my father and I during the 12/26/14 El Monstero show at The Pageant.

Setlist

Friday Floyd - 1/16/15

My full review to come soon of the El Monstero Christmas 2014 show, but in the meantime, the first Friday Floyd of 2015 features one of the songs "for the heads". Interstellar Overdrive came off the first official Pink Floyd album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, released in 1967. This was one of the first songs that started to explore the realms of progressive and instrumental extended length tracks that went on to do more for their career than some of the pop driven singles that they recorded at the time as well. So take 15 minutes and explore the depths of an almost 50 year old song.

TT5 - Desert Island Albums

Following the 2 week Christmas / New Years hiatus, the first Tuesday Top 5 of 2015 is my ranking of the top 5 desert island albums. What is a desert island album? It's an album that if you were stranded on a desert island that somehow has electricity, you're going to be glad you have these particular albums. I picked my 5 so that they would address all different situations and moods. Following are my top 5 desert island albums.

5) Ray Charles - Live
This is the perfect summation of Ray Charles' career put onto a double live album. This album features the raw energy and soul of one of the greatest singers ever.

4) Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
This is the masterpiece of the greatest guitar player of all time. Not only did this album put Jimi at legend status as soon as it was released, it's featured some of the best guitar work that has yet to be copied.

3) Led Zeppelin - 4
The Zep is widely considered (by me included) as the greatest band of all time. Every single song on this album is a classic and has stood the test of time. This album completely shows what LZ is capable off with hard and heavy rockers all the way down to folk ballads.

2) AC/DC - Back in Black
One of the most popular albums of all time, it should come as no surprise that this album made the cut. From the start of Hells Bells to the finale of Rock n Roll Ain't Noise Pollution, there are no dull points in this album. A true classic that will forever be revered.

1) Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Anyone who knows me knows that this is my top album of all time. A true masterpiece from cover to cover is the perfect album for any scenario.

Concert Recap 2014

I know I skipped TT5, but that's just for this week. Instead you get treated to the list of concerts that I saw in the year 2014.

Disclaimer- I only include openers if it was an artist that I knew about and was excited about seeing before going to the show.

The following list is in no particular order.

Jay-Z
The Wailers
Zac Brown Band
Pusha T
2 Chainz
The Band Perry
Corey Smith
The Head and the Heart
Dream Theater
Yelawolf x 2
Rebelution
Zucchero
Schoolboy Q
Ghost
Black Label Society x 2
Anvil
Queens of the Stone Age
Reignwolf
Exodus
Suicidal Tendencies
Slayer x 2
Queen + Adam Lambert
B.O.B.
Gary Clark Jr.
Outkast
1/2 of Umphrey's McGee (Summerfest)
Megadeth
Rob Zombie
Skid Row
Machine Head
Jack White
Here Come the Mummies
Def Leppard
KISS
Red Hot Chili Pipers
Secret Sisters
The Black Keys
Eric Church
Chuck Berry
Big KRIT
Gojira
Mastodon
Slipknot
The Urge
El Monstero

That's 48 total. I'd say it was a good year.

Friday Floyd - 12/26/14

Today is the day! It's El Monstero day. Tonight I see the band for the 8th time and, as is tradition, you can find my dad and I (6'2" and 6'5") standing in the front row as soon as the doors open. I will post my review of the show in a later edition of Friday Floyd, but for now, you get to hear our response to the question "What does El Monstero mean to you?"




Yes I know my head is crooked.

Merry Christmas from TUTR!

Merry Christmas! Here are some beautiful, peaceful, relaxing Christmas to get you in the holiday spirit.







Yes, that Christopher Lee. As in Lord of the Rings. As in James Bond. And of course as in Count Dooku from Star Wars.

TT5 - Top 5 Pink Floyd Albums

In the spirit of El Monstero week and December unofficially being Pink Floyd Month, the Christmas week edition of the Tuesday Top 5 ranks the top 5 Pink Floyd Albums. Please keep in mind that just because an album may not be the top ranked album it's not a great album. These 5 albums are some of my favorite albums of any genre of all time.

5) Obscured by Clouds
This is a very obscure pick to even make the rankings, but this album came from the period of time after Syd and before Dark Side that they created soundtracks for various different movies. The music from this album is very easy to listen to and prominently features David Gilmour as he is embracing his role as co-leader of the band. Unless you're a "head", you probably have never listened to this album. I challenge you to change that, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Key Songs: When You're In, Wot's...Uh the Deal?

4) The Wall
The Wall is the closest thing Pink Floyd ever did to a hard rock album. Sure there are the usual sonic experiments that are a staple of any Floyd album, but with songs like In the Flesh, Run Like Hell, Comfortably Numb, and Young Lust, this album really begs to be played loud and let loose. This is the album that basically did the band in. After this, Roger Waters wrote the last PF album to bear his stamp (The Final Cut) and he was out of the band for good. The live shows were so over the top that they could never actually tour to perform the album. The Wall is the best double album of all time and deserves to be played loud and in it's entirety.
Key Songs: In the Flesh, One of My Turns

3) Wish You Were Here
Wish You Were Here is less of a cohesive album and more of a collection of some really great songs. The album only has 5 songs and 2 of them make up a 25 minute love story to the great "diamond" that was Syd Barrett. The entire album is about the band moving on after essentially losing their founder and driving force. Wish You Were Here the song has turned into one of the most popular PF songs of all time, deservedly so. Have a Cigar has always been a favorite of mine because of the funky hard rock edge to the song as well as the tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Oh and who among us doesn't love to drive in their Jaguar? To top it off, the album cover is on of my favorites.
Key Songs: Have a Cigar, Shine on You Crazy Diamond

2) Animals
Most casual fans have never actually listened to Animals, probably due to the fact that most of the songs are 10+ minutes long and the thought of committing that much energy scares most away. If you're one of those who is willing to commit to listening to an entire album cover to cover regardless of song length, then you know how amazing this album is. It's book-ended by two very short acoustic songs, but is comprised of three very long songs that tell the story of farm animals taking control of their lives from some very mean dogs. The music of these three songs show the band actually working together (something they didn't excel in) as they flawlessly layer their instruments to create very beautiful pieces of music. All of the songs have the same sound and compliment each other so well that taken out of context they would just feel like they are missing something.
Key Songs: Pigs, Dogs

1) Dark Side of the Moon
What can you say about perfection? This is without a doubt the most perfect album of all time. It takes you on a 43 minute journey that starts and ends with the sounds of wind as if it were all a dream. Time and Money have stood the test of time as singles and are the driving force of the album, but the real gold is in Us and Them. This is the best 8 minutes that the band has. If you want to know what Pink Floyd is all about, don't look much farther than Us and Them as it perfectly summarizes the entire musical landscape of the album. The thing about Dark Side is that it's balance is what makes it so perfect. Just as you get comfortable with the vibe and tempo of the music picking up and getting faster, it slows down and provides just enough music in empty spaces to keep you wanting more. If you are one of the few people who does not own this album or has never listened to it cover to cover, you need to change that ASAP. Make it a New Years resolution.
Key Songs: Time, Us and Them

Yelawolf at Turner Hall Ballroom 12/5/14

For the second time in the past year, I saw Yelawolf in concert. This time, it was at Tuner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee.

There were two artists on the bill before Yela. The first was Big Henry, a fellow Alabama rapper, whose style was distinctly southern. His 20 minute set was high energy despite being (from the looks of it) unknown to most everyone in attendance. He proved a worthy opener for what lied ahead.

The next artist already had a big following in the crowd based on the t-shirts being worn, and the reaction when the house lights went out. Rittz was pure energy from a man who at first glance doesn't look like he has the energy to give. But looks are deceiving and he had the crowd in the palm of his hand the whole night. Rittz was joined on stage by his DJ as well as some video projections which added another element to the show. Side note, the video was projected onto a black sheet, so the black and white and darker scenes being shown were pretty hard to make out. Rittz brought the fun for the entirety of his set while also showcasing his abilities. His set was great, but that wasn't the last time we would see him.

During a slow intro, two men walked out onto the stage. First went to the DJ booth (DJ Klever) and the other went over to the rack and picked up a guitar and started playing along (Bones Owens). This was a pleasant surprise as the last time I saw Yela, only DJ Klever joined him. As the intro slowed down, Yelawolf came on stage ready to rock the house. It was clear at the beginning that Yela was here to rock with his music being played a deafeningly loud volumes and him giving free reign to Bones who played his ass off. With a song like Growing Up in the Gutter being one of his firsts, he established a level of mayhem that was going to be expected for the night. I personally was hoping to hear something from Black Fall or even his recent classic rock freestyles, but that was the only disappointment of the night. The rest of the show featured all of the hits you'd expect to hear (Daddy's Lambo, many versions of Box Chevy, Throw it Up, Let's Roll). The show closed with a performance of Til it's Gone which is potentially a major sign of good things on Yela's horizon. This song has been featured in the very popular TV show Sons of Anarchy and has less of a hard edged hip hop vibe. It's foreseeable that Yelawolf could become a household name (whether or not that's what he wants for himself).

Yelawolf is one of the best performers in hip hop and it helps that his DJ and guitarist are actually working their asses off. It's always an amazing concert whenever Yelawolf is involved. With Eminem on his side, an amazing live show, and a hoard of dedicated fans (Slumericans), keep an eye out for Yelawolf.

Friday Floyd 12/19/14

It's that time of year again! Sure it's Christmastime, but more importantly, it's EL MONSTERO season! Tonight is night 1 of The Pageant shows 2014. Our tickets are for next week Friday, but that doesn't mean I can't get excited about it! For anyone who doesn't know what El Monstero is all about, check out this video put together by the guys making the upcoming El Monstero The Movie.

TT5 - Top Milwaukee Concerts

Following this week's trend of Milwaukee music publications posting their top concerts of the year, I'm following it up with my top 5 concerts that I saw in Milwaukee this year. 2014 was a great year for concerts and all of the bands that made it on the Tuesday Top 5 are bands that I saw for the first time this year, so this is a very hard list to put together.

5) Anvil @ The Metal Grill 5/2/14
The thrash metal pioneers ventured through the US for the fist time in years and I caught them at the very small and brand new venue called The Metal Grill (they serve Trooper Beer!). The show started with Lips playing a solo while standing in the middle of the crowd. Then came about 2 hours of every Anvil song you could ever want to hear. Robb is one of the best drummers in metal (by far the best stick twirler) and Lips is young at heart and can still play and sing. Such a great show, just a shame that it wasn't at a bigger venue (meaning they are a bigger band).

4) Outkast @ Marcus Amphitheater (Summerfest) 6/29/14
In the past 2 years I've been to quite a few hip hop shows (thanks Ben) and Outkast was by far the best (Kanye was a close second). They were not promoting any new material, so it was simply a greatest hits show. You always seem to forget just how many hits Outkast had though because they are always under the shadow of "The Way You Move" and "Hey Ya". It was a huge dance party with everyone excited to see (for the last time) Outkast here in Milwaukee. The live band and video screens were added bonuses. It may have been the last time they come to Brew City, but at least they ended with this show.

Note: Ranking my top 3 is like picking a favorite child. This was a hard decision.

3) Jack White @ The Rave 7/21/14
I've been a huge Jack White fan since I first heard Fell in Love with a Girl however many years ago it was. Despite the fact that The Rave was close to triple digits with a sold out crowd and $3.50 12oz cups of water, the night was one of the greatest concert experiences of my life. Jack and his band (RIP Ikey Owens) played classics from all of Jack's projects including some of my favorites Icky Thump, Fell in Love with a Girl, and Steady as She Goes. I know what you're thinking, how is Jack freaking White only #3? If we got more than a few seconds of Ball and Biscuit and Freedom at 21, then it would've been a perfect night. Only getting a short snippet of Ball and Biscuit left a sour taste in my mouth. BUT being there when Jack plays Seven Nation Army live is worth any price of admission.

2) Slayer @ The Rave 5/16/14
Well really this night was about Exodus, Suicidal Tendencies, and Slayer. This was my first time seeing Slayer and boy was it a good one. I know I missed out on seeing Slayer in the classic lineup, but Gary pulled double duty with Exodus and Slayer in the same night which was pretty amazing. Slayer went on a week long run before ending the week in Columbus at the Rock on the Range festival. The show we got was about an hour and half of all of the classics; so much so that all of the songs played were off their first 5 albums. Sure there are some great songs that have come later in their career, but nothing stands up to their first 5 albums. The concert was nothing but sheer power, force, and thrash metal gold. This was just after the 1 year anniversary of Jeff's passing, so it made the closer of Angel of Death seem that much more meaningful. I saw them this summer as well at Rock USA, but nothing will stand up to the Rave performance.

1) Queens of the Stone Age @ The Riverside Theater 5/7/14
Not only had I waited to see Queens of the Stone Age forever it seems like, but this was my first real opportunity to catch them live as well and there was no way that I was missing it. The show sold out within a few hours of going on sale (which proves there were more people than just myself excited to see them). Not only was it all of the QOTSA hits you would expect to hear, but we were also treated to the majority of their newest (and in my opinion best) album ...Like Clockwork. They came right out and played No One Knows as their second song which just meant, this was going to be a night to remember. The lasting image for me of the show was during a moment of reverb heavy tones in between songs, Josh had a cigarette in his mouth and just put his hands up throwing the horns high in the air with the only light on the stage was coming from behind the band; it was just such a badass image. I just hope that I don't have to wait another lifetime to see them again.

Side note, Reignwolf is a very close #6. I'm confident that the next time I see him, it'll be in a much bigger venue that the Rave's side bar.