Guilty Pleasure Thursdays: 2/28/08

Since I wanted to make it up to everyone for missing last week's GPT I figured this week I'd traverse through a genre that I'm pretty embarrassed I ever listened to.

I feel like everyone has a moment in their lives where they don't really know too much about music so they just absorb what's going on in the atmosphere around them...for me this was my pop punk era. I had just moved to Phoenix and started high school there. I played on the football team and the popular kids on the team listened to this shit, and I felt like for me to get accepted and infiltrate the popular crowd of kids I needed to befriend the "cool guys" on the team.

My gateway into the realm of pop punk came through punk covers which sounds so lame right now, but whatever. A New Found Glory (pictured above) put out a whole album of punk covers and I listened to that for a while, I found myself wanting more. So I hop on my computer and log into KaZaa (represent!) and type in punk covers and for the moment found myself in heaven. About 10 days later I had downloaded about 20 songs (thanks dial-up!). I had the best of what I thought were "great" bands at the time with punk covers from Pennywise, MXPX, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, and of course MORE NEW FOUND GLORY!!!

Once I got my fill of covers I progressed into original work, which I guess was a better move? I really went deep with it and started searching out bands for myself and soon enough due to my apparent gene for music nerdery I was probably the most knowledgeable person I knew about pop punk music(really nothing to brag about...).

The only real saving grace that I had was that I never started dressing like the douchebags who listened to this stuff, which had it happened, would've been the darkest cloud in my past...

The good news was I ended up being a fairly popular dude who was both revered by dudes, and loved by the ladies (I said that like Conan says it). And all in all, I'm not that ashamed by it, like it's totally lame and bad music for the most part but it reminds me of dumb shit from high school, which was mostly a good experience...I've also righted my wrongs and feel like I've moved onto much better music listening habits...Who knows though? Maybe in 6 years I'll look back on today and think Soft Rock was the lamest shit ever...even though it's totally amazing.

Anyway, here's some shit that I felt were bangers back then...

A New Found Glory - Boy Crazy

This was one of the first songs I really really liked like ALOT. I listened to it ALL the time. I felt like NFG was writing the song for me because girls totally sucked and were always sucking the life out of me...

One Man Army - Victoria

This song I found one day while looking through cd's at Zia Records and thought it was cool cause I knew a girl named Victoria and she was kinda hot so I figured "why not bring this up in convo and get things poppin'?".

It didn't quite work out that way...

No Use for a Name - International You Day

I put this on a mixtape for a girl one time. I was so full of angst and wanted her to know I really liked her but didn't want to say it in real life so I figured I'd use the gift of song to get her to fall in love with me, cause these lyrics are totes panty droppers.

Also, did not work out...

Millencolin - Fox

This was a fun song I used to listen to after school when I was driving around with my friend Stacie and we would talk about how much the opposite sex was fucking us over that day/week/month/year/for life.

as you can tell unrequited love/teen angst was a heavy influence on basically anything I've listened to from age 0 till umm...now...

I'm gonna cap it off there, but this post would've had about 80 more songs if I still had my old computer. I got rid of alot of gems from this era on my Mac switchover...

Also, I never listened to Good Charlotte because they are a total shitfest and utterly retarded.

LULZ

Soft Rock Sunday: 2/25/08 (SORRRRY!)

My blog lately has made me feel like Daniel Plainview on some "I've abandoned my chiiiiild!" steez, but I'm back, but my blog is now deaf...(god im nerdy...shouts to the last Mohican Daniel Day-Lewis for the Oscar win)

Alright so I'm sort of stretching the bounds of soft rock this week, but I feel like this song would definitely get some burn on a contemporary station (like best of 80's, 90's, and today! type thing). I've heard it on my cab ride home 3 times in the last week at like 4 in the AM so I figured I'd make it this weeks Soft Rock jam o' the week.

The Four Seasons - December '63

Guilty Pleasure Thursdays: 2/21/08 LATE PASS!

So in the past I've been fairly vocal about my distaste for U2. I find them to be one of the most repulsive and douche-y bands in the history of douching...

BUT

As it turns out I sort of like one of their songs...before anyone that knows me starts to berate me for going back on my word let me explain.

This dude Dj Eli makes some of the best remixes out there right now. Basically everything he has remixed over the past year or two has been a certified heater. He just so happens to have done an edit of U2's song "New Year's Day", and it's absolute fire. IMO it totally improves upon the original track and actually makes me like a U2 song which I previously found to be impossible...

I feel like I just outed myself at an AA meeting for also doing heroin or something...But it's also a giant weight lifted off my back, just don't expect me to be screaming "I Love Bono" at the top of my lungs any time soon...

Dj Eli - I Will Be With You Again


bad quality mpfree because you need to pay for it...

Buy Eli's Money Lotion EP at TTL

FUUUUUUCK

sorry, I'm the worst blogger ever this week...I will fix it tomorrow.

Soft Rock Sundays: 2/17/08

When I was a freshman in high school I took a class that was centered around Vietnam war history. One of the lesson plans in the class was solely based on the music at the time, which was interesting because we got to listen to alot of stuff that I had never heard before and got to watch some movies to drive the point home. After that lesson ended I still kept a decent interest with the anti-war music of the time and would always be really excited to hear something new.

I became obsessed with the time period for a while and used to watch Full Metal Jacket, Hamburger Hill, Good Morning Vietnam and the Woodstock documentary on repeat for a few months.

One of the songs that always stuck with me as one of my favorites loosely falls into the soft rock category so I figured I'd post it today.

Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth

Big L Rest In Peace...

May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999

I wanted to post this yesterday, but my internet connection was sucking so you get it today.

When I was 16 years old there were two rappers that I thought were going to take over the world, Big L and Canibus. I was wrong about both, but for different reasons. Big L died before he had the chance.

He was set to sign with Jay-Z's Roc-a-fella records, but was shot a week before he was to do so. His album "The Big Picture" was finished after he died and bittersweetly ended up going platinum which goes to show that he definitely had a special quality about his music.

This was the first record I bought that I really thought I dropped alot of cash on. I bought it on ebay for 45 bucks. I may have gotten ripped off but when I heard this song it was just one of those things I had to have. I was so happy to have it in my hands when it finally came in.

Big L - MVP



After "The Big Picture" was released I was listening to the radio and heard "Flamboyant" and it had instant classic status in my mind. I knew the city dj's went to a certain record store in town to unload their promo vinyl. I found out Flamboyant was promo only so I figured thats where I'd find it. It was there with about 50 other Rawkus promos which was an amazing moment in my life as Rawkus was kind of ruling the game at the time IMO...

Big L - Flamboyant


And then there was the storied Wake Up Show freestyle session he had with Jay-Z.

Big L/Jay-Z Freestyle


and just for good measure.

Gang Starr - Full Clip

Guilty Pleasure Thursdays: 2/14/08

note: my internet isn't working so im posting video instead of the songs, but ill post up the music when I get a chance...

Alright, so the reason that I thought up Guilty Pleasure Thursdays was because of the post I wanted to make today. I knew that I could tear down the house with this story...

Let me begin with some back story...

There was a girl that I had a huge crush on from 5th grade until I was a freshman in high school, because I was a fucking schlub I never really told her even though she obviously had to find out from someone because who has trustworthy friends at that age? Not I...So fast forward from 5th grade to 7th grade I joined the junior high wrestling team and our first tournament was coming up. The girl whom I was smitten over told me that she would be coming to our match, so I'm like "holy shit! a chance to impress her".

The day of the tournament finally comes and I'm psyched and nervous for my first match. I get out there and basically get my ass handed to me by a dude that's a foot taller than me and probably outweighs me by 20 lbs. Embarrassed, I look around and realized the girl isn't there, so while I'm disappointed, that kind of stopped the bleeding...

I'm waiting around about an hour later and she comes to tell me shes there...I immediately am flooded with nervousness because I have another match coming up. I was thankful she didn't as any other questions as explaining why I'm in the loser's bracket would be awful...

Second match comes up. I get destroyed again...This time at the end of the match I look up at my crush and she's laughing with her friends and my life all came crashing down...I rushed off the mat and hurried to the locker room and immediately start crying and punching shit like lockers and doors...About 20 min later I regain composure and get dressed and go home. Once I get home, I go in my room and flip on the cd player and start listening to two songs on repeat...

The first is the guilty pleasure. This song I listened to allllll the time because it reminded me of the girl I liked and I felt that the more I listened to it the higher the likelihood of her dating me would be. I really liked the song back then, and would still listen to it now even though it's totally fucking LAAAAAME.



I sat in my room listening to that just crying for what seemed like hours upon hours because I thought my shot at dating this girl were just crushed by my inability to win a single match during the day she came to see me.

It wasn't THAT bad when I listened to Jewel's masterpiece, but when the second song came on, I fully lost it and the waterworks really started to flow...I felt like the lyrics were written specifically for me in that situation...



That may have been one of the saddest days in my life. I got minor vilification after I graduated college and curiosity got the best of me when I decided to look up her myspace only to find out she was fucking UGLY. I don't know what I was thinking...


Happy V-day.

Cuteness Overload

Cute girls having a ton of fun dancing on the streets of France...A+

Snow Day...

(click to enlarge)

So today was the first snow day since I moved to the city. I found it so awesome that I decided to take a pic of my street when I got home. I realized that anyone who saw me take the pic was probably thinking how ridiculous I was for taking a snapshot of a less than momentous occasion...Well let's see what I do when I see you taking pictures in front of a cactus...

Anyway, on my walk home I was mostly entertained by how I was going to tie in the snow with vday week as far as songs went. I played this last week while I was totally wasted singing along with it and pumping my fist in the air in the DJ Booth, one of my nerdier moments in the last few weeks...

Modern English - I'll Stop the World and Melt With You

Really Feeling It

I was going to title this thread "get your sexy up" then I realized that would be the lamest thing I could possibly do. The title I thought up after isn't that great either, but I'd rather be lackluster, than lame...

Anyway, I woke up today with this song in my head and I spent most of my work day playing DO2(18 MILLION WHAT!!) and listening to this on a youtube clip. It made me think about how awesome it is to kind of put a song in the back of your head and have it resurrected one day out of the blue. I was mouthing the words and thought about doing hand motions exclaiming the emotions it evokes, but I got scared someone would see me and my nerdiness would be exposed. Rest assured, my cool guy persona is still in tact.

Listen to this and try not to sing along. That chorus...so awesome.

Luther Vandross - Never Too Much

Soft Rock Sunday: 2/10/08

So since V-day is this week I feel like getting a little cheesy. You may be subjected to some pretty ridiculous shit, but it'll probably be songs that can get you laid or like make your gf that is mad at you, not mad at you anymore.

So when I was researching the song for today's SRS(abbreviations-ville wooo!) I found out that members of the band that made this song were actually members of the band Split Enz, which I talked about in an earlier post. It was very much so on some "you learn something new every day" type thing.

The first time I remember hearing this song was in Stephen King's "The Stand", the movie...not the book. It was like a miniseries event on CBS back in the day and Gary Sinise aka Lieutenant Dan and the dude from Coach that always kind of seemed a little on the retarded side were in it. Real decent watch from what I remember, but this song played a big part in the movie because it had real high impact lyrics, like "keep on believing you will save the human race, NEVER GIVE UP!!!" type shit.

This song is a relationship saver. Use it on your next mixtape when you think you're almost going to break up like, "baby, this isnt over, with love we can overcome all!!!" CHEEEEEEEEEESE

Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over


BONUS!

I think this song is an obvious copy of Don't Dream It's Over, you be the judge...

Also this song was the theme to an ill-fated FOX wanna-be 90210 tv show...they should've gotten Brian Austin Green to rap on the remix (BACK ON FOX THIS WEEK WITH SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES!!! SO ILL!!!). For those who don't remember B.A.G. was like the Snow (yes informer-o) of teen angst television. Who wants to fuck with me on some 90210/Saved By The Bell knowledge? I'm seriously unfuckwittable. I had teen angst before I was a teen. KILLING IT!

The Heights - How Do You Talk To An Angel

Unexpected Fun

Last night I had to play this party, which I was actually kind of dreading for a couple reasons, but it ended up being really fun. The owner of the place seemed to be in a good mood and kept hooking it up with drinks, car bombs, and Jameson shots, which led to me being STUPID drunk by 1:30. The other guy I was playing with played for like 35 minutes and then told me he had to leave because he had a job interview the next day or something. Normally that would've really pissed me off, but for a few reasons it was awesome. The main reason was because I was totally feeling myself last night and loving what I was playing.

these were the last two songs I played. Being drunk and having everyone sing along was like the funnest shit ever.

Wreckless Eric - The Whole Wide World


Queen - Somebody To Love


I got done at like 3:30 so I went over to see Cousin Cole at Savalas and when I walked in Cole played this.

Jimmy Eat World - The Middle


Being that I was totally wasted at this point I got this wave of nostalgia over me and despite the cheesiness that permeated through the room I kind of lost it and started punching this wooden column to show approval of the song. Totally lame move, but whatever, I had an awesome time.

Guilty Pleasure Thursdays: 2/7/08

This one isn't even really a guilty pleasure, like I'll totally rep that I like this song, but I feel like some people might think I'm weird for liking it, so at the same time it kind of works as a guilty pleasure because I may refrain from saying anything about it simply to avoid shit talking.

I've been riding for this song since I first heard it last year. I'm genuinely surprised that it isn't a ginormous club banger right now because its pop power is at dangerous levels. Like I think if I was super drunk in a real club with a dope sound system and awesome lights I'd totally lose my mind grapes to this...

Honestly though, I feel like girls should LOVE this song, like it should be the song that girls all collectively listen to at slumber parties, request on the radio on Saturday nights when they're grounded, and beg for at their high school prom right after "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Material Girl" or some shit.

Who knows, maybe I'm totally wrong cause I sort of don't really know much about girls anyway...(this is a blatant and filthy lie, but a great teaser for next week's epic V-DAY guilty pleasure Thursdays story...I'm really laying it all out this time.)

Rihanna - Please Don't Stop the Music

My New Favorite Song...

This is my favorite shit right now. It makes me go HOOOOOOLY FUUUUUCK!!!!!! Like I'm pissed right now that the volume doesn't go higher. OOOOMG!!!!! Let's take this shit to 11!!!!!


also: this is totally old and Im way behind, but whatever. Shit is awesome. SPRING IS COOOOOMING!!!!!!!

Guilty Pleasure thursdays coming tonight.

Pats and Mardi Gras/Super Tuesday!!!

(click to enlarge)

Alright, so the Pats lost...I'm going to mourn for the next week or so then direct my attention to the 2008-2009 season.

I haven't been that upset since 2001 when we got robbed in the state playoffs and lost in triple overtime...I cried that day. I didn't cry yesterday, but its the most bummed out I've been since that night. There's always next year though...we'll see what happens.

To the future...

Tomorrow night is Mardi Gras as well as Super Tuesday so in honor of that, Cousin Cole, Rezound, and I are throwing a bash at Supreme Trading in WillyB. It should be fun and since its fashion week I'm showing up in Catherine Malandrino gown and Jimmy Choo shoes. Come down and watch me spin in my size 8 pumps. It's going to be epic.

Come down and celebrate Fat Tuesday and support your favorite candidates. It's going to be a fun time. Ill give you a free PBR if you do a write in on your official ballot voting for me for Pres.

Here's a sweet politically charged jam for you to get in the mood.

Gene Marshall - Jimmy Carter Says Yes


and heres a song I played last Thursday that really made the night pop off.
Kylie Minogue - Come Into My World

Soft Rock Sunday: 2/3/08

Today I figured I should choose some inspirational song since it's Super Bowl Sunday and the Pats are playing so I am definitely amped for today's game.

I had some reservations about using this song because the lyrics are definitely (pause)-worthy...but whatever, let's strap a big no bro-mo on this post and get going with the awesomeness.

Chicago - You're the Inspiration


GO PATS!!!!

Last Night...

Last night alot of random, barely noteworthy stuff happened, but since you read this blog no matter what I figured I'd subject you to it.

I got off of work and went to this Alife party which was only awesome because they had free hors d'eouvres and open bar (OPEN BAR DUUUDE!). As we're walking around we catch a glimpse of John Brown from the White Rapper Show, he was wearing a Ghetto Revival bedazzled hoodie, it was kind of legendary. Busy P was djing, which is not as awesome as you'd think. Before he got on they had an ipod or cd playing and I got totally amped when this song came on.

Joubert Singers - Stand On the Word (Larry Levan Mix)


probably one of the best songs ever...

We left there to go to The Rub and while we were on our way the cabby, who could barely speak english was listening to some real soft jams in the car. I started laughing hysterically when Linda Ronstadt's "Desperado" came on. I leaned over to check the radio station for future reference only to find out that he was listening to a CD! I was so psyched that someone put "Desperado" on a cd. I wish I had the mp3 to share, but I don't so if anyone wants to hook it up get at me.

The Rub was fun and I was totally shocked that Ayres played Roctaguetta.

This post is kind of boring but I mostly wanted to point out that a cabby was listening to "Desperado" thats still really funny to me right now.

In Other News...

(yes that is a Gorilla high-fiving a shark SO ILL!!!)

My first review went up on TTL yesterday. The 17 year-old me is nerding out super hard right now.

My Dreams...

So last night I had the most insane dream...First a preface...Like 3 years ago I got way too worried about why the Mayan calendar ends at 2012 so I did a bunch of research because I'm a nerd so from time to time I have dreams about it, but they're usually stupid and involve me flying or something.

On with the dream...

I was watching the Super Bowl somewhere. It was definitely the future and we were somewhere that I've never been before like maybe some part of Europe or something. So the game was over (the Pats won YES!) and we're walking out from wherever we were watching the game and I say to my friend "dude, I figured it out, It doesn't mean the world is ending, it means planetary re-organization" (NERD ALERT!!!) Just as I finish saying that the sky starts to go light and dark really quickly and then all the planets in the solar system start flying past the Earth...Jupiter, Mars, Saturn all of them fly within viewing distance and I of course am thinking how are we not dead, I feel like we'd get sucked into those planets due to their gravitational force, not too mention that the Earth is not moving, so I think "wow am I so stupid to think that the Earth is the center of the universe???"(NERD ALERT PT. 2!!!). Its like the scariest fucking shit ever cause they all come WAAAY close to the Earth, so close in fact that Neptune gets brought into the Earth's gravitational pull and becomes our moon. This part of the dream was cool because I got a space view and could actually see Neptune orbiting the Earth. 20 or so minutes later its all over and the sky has obviously

Of course my first worry is to check the weather (NERD ALERT PT.3!!!). I check it and then I start thinking "how the fuck do they know what the weather is if they don't even know how far away we are from the Sun!!!?" So I'm looking in the sky and Neptune has got some crazy shit going on like it's becoming Earthlike and getting water and grass growing/building on it. At this point I woke up and was still freaking out at what I just saw. It was seriously the most incredible thing that I've seen since I did shrooms last year...

It immediately reminded me of this.



If anyone knows where I can get DMT let me know.

Cloud One - Spaced Out


A Flock of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song

E-P-I-C

I wish she was F-ing me...

In due time... In due time...