November 29th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Classic rock – the definition defies most, and yet, everyone knows a classic rock song when they hear one. What makes it classic exactly? Well, for starters, it should be an older song. Nineties rock tunes do not qualify. Generally, 70’s, maybe a few 80’s and 60’s can qualify for the esteemed title of “classic rock.”
Generally, classic rock history begins with artists that still occupy radio time today, most of whom still generate huge crowds and pack large venues. The Who, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane – all of these artists are included in the classic rock genre. But does every song ever recorded by them qualify? No. Just the ones we remember, in our heads and in our hearts.
Classic Rock History – Come on Baby Light My Fire
The Doors with Jim Morrison leading the pack came onto the scene in the late 60’s, featuring dark themes (Riders on the Storm for one) along with cryptic song lyrics. Cementing them into the roots of rock and roll history was Jim Morrison’s untimely death.
Revolver, the Beatles’ thirteenth album released in America. A turning point for The Beatles because it represented styles from their original, earlier works as well as experimental stylings for their latter works. Revolver is often hailed as one of the best albums in classic rock history.
The Rolling Stones, with Mick Jagger still in the mix today, has given the world a bevy of classic rock songs. The album, Sticky Fingers, in particular, was released at a time when the band was experimenting and still struggling to sculpt its identity.
Who Are You?
It’s hard to turn on the television set these days without hearing one or two classic rock songs. Whether they are starting a television series or used for a commercial, advertisers know that nostalgia sells, especially for the middle-aged demographic. The Who has released a number of (now) classic rock songs and one of them starts the program CSI, making it even more popular than ever.
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd, those crazy Englishmen, have sold millions of albums world-wide. But what puts them at the top of the heap of classic rock history? Longevity. That’s what all of these bands and their songs that have stuck with us to modern day have in common. These songs are timeless. The album Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd may not have been their most popular album, but it does delve into some sticky mental issues that founding member Syd Barrett was having at the time.
Led Zeppelin – Enough Said
Led Zeppelin produced perhaps, the most agreed upon classic rock song ever: Stairway to Heaven. This song is comprised of several different and distinct “sections” that give a living, breathing feel to the music. This song is probably the single most requested song on American airwaves today. Composed by Jimmy Page with vocals executed by Robert Plant, this song is the anchor of all classic rock songs.
Classic rock is a genre well known and loved by people in their teens all the way into their later years. In it, we find comfort and excitement, a nostalgia that is timeless and one we firmly believe will never be duplicated.
Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about classic rock history, please visit Oldies Music Site for current articles and discussions.
November 27th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Last night I was sitting on a patio, having a conversation that I find myself having over and over again these days. This conversation is about eventually, one of the major movie studios is going to make a movie about hip hop that is going to be every bit as epic and high-concept as Ray or was, or any major biopic that got it right. Hip Hop is the most dominant force in pop culture since The Beatles. With so many people who have been so influential all packed into a relatively small area (the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn) at one time (the 80s and early 90s), it is inevitable that someone is going to make a movie about that place at that time. The question becomes which rapper is this movie going to be about?
It has just come to my attention that Fox Searchlight Pictures is, right now, making a Notorious B.I.G. movie. It is set for a 2009 release. It’s called Notorious and it is being directed by George Tillman Jr. I’ve watched a couple of the production’s video blogs and the people involved seem really determined to get it right. I’m excited, but trepidatious.
When Walk The Line came out, one of the failings of that movie, according to Johnny Cash fans I know, was the whole thing about Johnny Cash was his voice. Joaquin Phoenix doing Johnny’s voice just didn’t play with the true fans. It’s the same thing with Christopher Wallace. A big part of his appeal was his voice, especially in his manner of speaking. Can Jamal Woolard pull off B.I.G.’s distinctive timbre? I’m not even talking about the rapping, I just mean conversational speech.
As for the rest of the casting, it looks like they’ve got a bunch of people who can at least pull off the physical demands of their portrayals. I am especially intrigued with Antonique Smith as Faith Evans (and even just intrigued with the woman generally after seeing her in a Beatles t-shirt. Zowie!) Getting Angela Bassett for Biggie’s mom was a nice boon. Speaking of Ms. Bassett, whatever happened to the talk of Shakespeare’s Macbeth starring her and Laurence Fishburne?
New York Magazine has posted a review of the Notorious script and they are not hopeful. They think that the scope of the movie is too big. With Biggie’s managers and mother all involved, it might be a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. Christopher Wallace means something very profound but different to each of them, and there’s no way to please everyone. I remember reading Spike Lee’s production journal for Malcolm X, and the trouble he had with all of the various interested parties who each had their own interest in how Malcolm was portrayed. But at the end of the day, Spike had to take all of their opinions under advisement but then go off and do his own thing. There is the potential for Notorious to play like Man In the Moon where it wasn’t a story so much as a re-enactment of a series of moments from the man’s life.
But I hope New York Magazine is wrong. I am a huge Biggie fan. I mean, HUGE. This is just about as exciting for me as it would be if they were making a Beatles movie. So now we wait, and we watch. We watch the production video blogs, we watch the press, and we watch to see if this movie lives up to B.I.G.’s legacy.
The Sean Ward Show – new video every week, with news and opinion on the weekend.
http://www.seanward.net
November 27th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
There are hundreds of different kinds of musical instruments in the world. Some of the basic instruments can be made at home while others have to be made professionally. In some cases, homemade musical instruments can be an excellent business venture if the knowledge and expertise has been passed down from ancestors. For some it may be for solely recreational purposes while others may indulge in it for artistic reasons. Children may also get involved in making musical instruments at an early age. This is usually introduced in craft classes at schools or at holiday camps through vocational training.
Learning how to make musical instruments is a process that requires a lot of practice unless it is just for fun. By using materials that are easily available at home or in the market, musical instruments can be made. Old pots and pans can be used as drums and old wooden spoons as drumsticks. A coconut cut in two, with the coconut meat removed, can be used as musical clappers. Old plastic drink bottles and containers filled with dried beans, dried corn, or rice can be used as bottle shakers. Glass bottle xylophones can be made at home by filling old glasses or bottles with different amount of colored water and using spoons or lead pencils to tap the containers to create a new musical tune. Old pieces of dowling cut into shorter sticks and painted can be used as rhythm or lumi sticks. Simply using an empty coffee can or oatmeal box painted or covered with contact paper can be used as drums. Stringing three to four bells onto a large pipe cleaner can make wrist bells. This pipe cleaner can be twisted around the wrist.
These homemade musical instruments can be left plain or decorated. Musical instruments can be decorated with a combination of buttons and glitter or sequins and yarn. Materials such as ribbons, beads, sand, cellophane, crayons, markers, paint, nail polish, construction paper etc are other decorative items. Hence, making musical instruments at home is a fairly simple and enjoyable activity but requires some amount of creativity.
Musical Instruments provides detailed information on Musical Instrument, Musical Instrument Stores, Musical Instrument Dealers, Pictures Of Musical Instruments and more. Musical Instruments is affiliated with Rock Music Code.
November 25th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Last night I was sitting on a patio, having a conversation that I find myself having over and over again these days. This conversation is about eventually, one of the major movie studios is going to make a movie about hip hop that is going to be every bit as epic and high-concept as Ray or was, or any major biopic that got it right. Hip Hop is the most dominant force in pop culture since The Beatles. With so many people who have been so influential all packed into a relatively small area (the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn) at one time (the 80s and early 90s), it is inevitable that someone is going to make a movie about that place at that time. The question becomes which rapper is this movie going to be about?
It has just come to my attention that Fox Searchlight Pictures is, right now, making a Notorious B.I.G. movie. It is set for a 2009 release. It’s called Notorious and it is being directed by George Tillman Jr. I’ve watched a couple of the production’s video blogs and the people involved seem really determined to get it right. I’m excited, but trepidatious.
When Walk The Line came out, one of the failings of that movie, according to Johnny Cash fans I know, was the whole thing about Johnny Cash was his voice. Joaquin Phoenix doing Johnny’s voice just didn’t play with the true fans. It’s the same thing with Christopher Wallace. A big part of his appeal was his voice, especially in his manner of speaking. Can Jamal Woolard pull off B.I.G.’s distinctive timbre? I’m not even talking about the rapping, I just mean conversational speech.
As for the rest of the casting, it looks like they’ve got a bunch of people who can at least pull off the physical demands of their portrayals. I am especially intrigued with Antonique Smith as Faith Evans (and even just intrigued with the woman generally after seeing her in a Beatles t-shirt. Zowie!) Getting Angela Bassett for Biggie’s mom was a nice boon. Speaking of Ms. Bassett, whatever happened to the talk of Shakespeare’s Macbeth starring her and Laurence Fishburne?
New York Magazine has posted a review of the Notorious script and they are not hopeful. They think that the scope of the movie is too big. With Biggie’s managers and mother all involved, it might be a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. Christopher Wallace means something very profound but different to each of them, and there’s no way to please everyone. I remember reading Spike Lee’s production journal for Malcolm X, and the trouble he had with all of the various interested parties who each had their own interest in how Malcolm was portrayed. But at the end of the day, Spike had to take all of their opinions under advisement but then go off and do his own thing. There is the potential for Notorious to play like Man In the Moon where it wasn’t a story so much as a re-enactment of a series of moments from the man’s life.
But I hope New York Magazine is wrong. I am a huge Biggie fan. I mean, HUGE. This is just about as exciting for me as it would be if they were making a Beatles movie. So now we wait, and we watch. We watch the production video blogs, we watch the press, and we watch to see if this movie lives up to B.I.G.’s legacy.
The Sean Ward Show – new video every week, with news and opinion on the weekend.
http://www.seanward.net
November 25th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Certainly one of the best ways of learning how to play the guitar is by using some simple guitar songs that makes it much easier for you to comprehend guitar tablatures. Certainly there are certain benefits to be had from using easy songs to learn on guitar in order that you can play the instrument properly and these are as follows: -
1. By using an easy song a beginner is able to learn the proper pace and rhythm of a song, which makes it much easier for them to learn how to play the guitar. Often just by listening to a song a beginner will be able to make use of some of the strings and so try to associate them with the tempo and pattern of the notes being played.
2. Using such songs will provide the person with a chance to create an ear for music. Often once a person learns how to listen attentively to the music they will be able to distinguish the right note from the right tab against those that are wrong.
Certainly for any beginner the use of easy songs to learn on guitar will make a major difference to their lessons.
There are many places where you can now find information on songs, which are easy to learn on the guitar, and one great source is the Internet. Also there are a large number of books that have been written on the subject with are readily available through your local music store, bookshop or through one of the many sites providing musical information online. You could even try places like Amazon online to see what they have available.
One book that is certainly good for this purpose is “Beatles Complete”. The first reason being is that it The Beatles and the second and probably the most important is that many of their songs were composed with relatively few but very easy to play chords such as those that appear in “I saw her standing there” which only has three. Also they do have songs that contain many unorthodox chords as well such as “Michelle”. This is certainly a great way for any one to learn new chords incrementally.
So why not surf the web today and see what other “easy songs to learn on guitar” you can find and I am sure that you will be amazed with what results are returned.
For more information on finding easy songs to play on the guitar try visiting http://www.your-guitar.com where you will find tips, advice and resources about topics such as how to strum the guitar.
November 24th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Buying used musical instruments has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, a good quality instrument can be found at a lower price than when compared with buying a new one. On the other hand, there is always an element of risk involved when buying a used musical instrument. Another difficulty is that there are no warranties associated with used instruments, unless the instrument is fairly new. When purchasing a used musical instrument, it is advisable to keep some of these things in mind.
A good way to determine a used instrument’s condition is to know who owned it in the past. If buying the instrument from a garage sale, it may be possible to meet the owner and ask him how long he used it and why it is being sold. If buying it online, make sure that the online shop has a good customer satisfaction rating, or better still, a return policy. There are several Web sites that have attractive and colorful pictures of musical instruments that they are selling. They also feature exhaustive information about the products. Having these pictures helps the buyer to make a better choice when ordering the instrument. Pictures are especially useful for locating a particular kind or rare kinds of musical instruments. If buying it from a music store, ask the salesperson if it is possible to know the name of its previous owner, how long it has been in the store, and other such details.
When buying a used instrument, it is advisable to be accompanied by someone who has a good knowledge of musical instruments. They can help decide whether the instrument is in a good condition by playing it and listening to how it sounds and how it feels while playing it. These things will help decide if the instrument is worth purchasing or not. Research all aspects of the instrument before purchasing it. Find out how much a brand new one costs by going to different music stores. Then compare the prices and the condition of the instruments and decide whether it is a good deal. When the final purchase decision is made, make sure that the money being paid for it is worth it.
Musical Instruments provides detailed information on Musical Instrument, Musical Instrument Stores, Musical Instrument Dealers, Pictures Of Musical Instruments and more. Musical Instruments is affiliated with Rock Music Code.
November 22nd, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Buying used musical instruments has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, a good quality instrument can be found at a lower price than when compared with buying a new one. On the other hand, there is always an element of risk involved when buying a used musical instrument. Another difficulty is that there are no warranties associated with used instruments, unless the instrument is fairly new. When purchasing a used musical instrument, it is advisable to keep some of these things in mind.
A good way to determine a used instrument’s condition is to know who owned it in the past. If buying the instrument from a garage sale, it may be possible to meet the owner and ask him how long he used it and why it is being sold. If buying it online, make sure that the online shop has a good customer satisfaction rating, or better still, a return policy. There are several Web sites that have attractive and colorful pictures of musical instruments that they are selling. They also feature exhaustive information about the products. Having these pictures helps the buyer to make a better choice when ordering the instrument. Pictures are especially useful for locating a particular kind or rare kinds of musical instruments. If buying it from a music store, ask the salesperson if it is possible to know the name of its previous owner, how long it has been in the store, and other such details.
When buying a used instrument, it is advisable to be accompanied by someone who has a good knowledge of musical instruments. They can help decide whether the instrument is in a good condition by playing it and listening to how it sounds and how it feels while playing it. These things will help decide if the instrument is worth purchasing or not. Research all aspects of the instrument before purchasing it. Find out how much a brand new one costs by going to different music stores. Then compare the prices and the condition of the instruments and decide whether it is a good deal. When the final purchase decision is made, make sure that the money being paid for it is worth it.
Musical Instruments provides detailed information on Musical Instrument, Musical Instrument Stores, Musical Instrument Dealers, Pictures Of Musical Instruments and more. Musical Instruments is affiliated with Rock Music Code.
November 19th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
As an Everton FC fan I sometimes have to balance pride in my club with the realities of a game like soccer, where each week brings different news. Recently we have had plenty to cheer about, but it isn’t always like that. And the mark of a true fan is the willingness to stand up and be counted when things are going badly, as well as the other times. So I was delighted to find a place where I could ‘make my mark’ as a loyal fan.
The site is called EvertonMap. It provides me – and other Blues fans – with a place to show off our loyalty to the world’s greatest team. (Yes, I know I’m going to get lots of negative ratings here from Reds! And I don’t much care!)
The idea is fairly simple. I have a photo and some text up on a map of the UK. Anybody hovering over the map can see my details. I suppose in time, as the map fills up, I will be able to use it as a means of locating friends and neighbours with a similar passion / disability (delete as appropriate).
I normally write about motivation, my work as a confidence coach and the various places where hypnotherapy and coaching have taken me. Today I just wanted to share this lovely little site with any other Evertonians out there. I know how many people read and distribute these articles on EzineArticles.com, and this is – for once – a blatant plug for what I think is a truly useful website. The beauty of the Web is its capacity for bringing people together, enabling communication which virtually destroys geographical barriers.
So – if you are a loyal Evertonian, and you feel the need to stand up and tell people about it, this one’s for you. Or perhaps you will do as I have done, and use it to put up a link to your business. Maybe you run a pub or cafe frequented by the world’s most loyal fans.
For those of you with a love of the Blues, the link is : http://www.evertonmap.com
For those of you who don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, then perhaps this one isn’t for you.
Jim Sullivan is a hypnotherapist and confidence coach who usually writes about more serious topics.
November 18th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Every woman, no matter what age, will reach a point where we get tired of our everyday routine hairstyle and are looking for some change to spruce up our current look. The first idea that comes to mind usually is changing lengths, either from shorter to longer or longer to shorter hair lengths. This can be risky but rewarding if the proper hairstyle can be found to match. The second idea that most women take is different coloring, say like from brunette to blonde or vice versa. This change is more permanent and the result may not be as pleasing as we thought. This is where layered hairstyles can play a huge part by providing totally different yet gorgeous looks with some minor alterations in hair length and even some streaks.
Layered hairstyles have become more and more popular because they provide a classy, beautiful look with minimal change. Well we shouldn’t say minimal because layered hairstyles do require a cut and possible some color highlights to enhance other features. With layering, there is not a major change in hair length and there are so many ways to layer the hair with highlights or adding curls, waves, or ringlets. Because the amount and length of layering can be changed; there are a number of hot looks available for different face shapes.
Another feature that makes layered hairstyles so versatile is the addition of highlights that enhance the whole hairstyle. For blond and light hair colors, adding darker complimentary colors can make the hairstyle even more prominent while adding lighter complimentary colors to darker shades of hair will have the same performance as well. A key guide to highlighting layered hairstyles can be found in the many looks of Jennifer Anniston. By looking at her layered hairstyles, the different colors of highlights and how to streak them to match perfectly can be clearly seen. Adding highlights can enhance any hairstyle but can also have the opposite effect if not done with the right colors or with too much highlighting in the wrong sections.
Some key celebrity examples include Heather Locklear and her oval shaped face, which is goes well with most hairstyles, which have made every length of layered hairstyles look fantastic and the ever popular Jessica Simpson, who is a great mold for woman with medium or long hairstyles wanting some layering. There are an abundance of different layered hairstyles to copy from just from the many looks provided by the celebrities as every single one of them probably has worn a layered hairstyle. There is also an abundance more. The few listed below are just a small portion of the many looks possible with layered hairstyles.
The simple look layered hairstyle
This is look is great for everyday life as well as any party occasion as it is a very simple look. This layered hairstyle consist of long or medium layered hair that is cut more evenly across with slight layering. The bangs are combed straight down along with the layered sections of hair for a very simple, beautiful look. This layered hairstyle can be found in many of Hilary Duff’s or Lisa Kudrow’s images.
The short layered hairstyle
There are a selection of short layered hairstyle to choose form depending on just how short the hair length is. For hair length that goes a little past the chin, a layered hairstyle like Reese Witherspoon from ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ is perfect. For those who have not see her short layered hairstyle in the movie, the look is layered towards the back and the hair is parted in the middle. The look provides both a simple everyday look as well as a hot look for any gala.
Cindy Marcus is the editor of Latest-Hairstyles.com, a popular hairstyles resource site that provides tips and resources for new style ideas. For more ideas on layered hairstyles, visit Cindy’s web site today.
November 14th, 2008 -- Posted in Story |
Tod Haynes’ 2007 docu-drama “I’m Not There” is a poetic meditation on the life and career of Bob Dylan. In tone and structure, the film is a radical departure from traditional music biopics.
Haynes’ screenplay accepts as its basic premise, that Dylan’s story is too enigmatic to be summarized in conventional narrative terms. His solution is to cast six different actors to portray different aspects of Dylan’s personality, at various stages in his lengthy career. The characters are given alternate names (like Jude Quinn, or Billy the Kid) and their stories take liberties with Dylan’s life (one of them is an actor, not a musician) in order to convey the shifting nature of Dylan’s art. The actors include both an African American boy and a woman.
The woman is Cate Blanchett. Along with Heath Ledger, they deliver the two most solid Dylan incarnations in the film. Blanchett was nominated for an Oscar for her vivid portrayal of Dylan in the mid-sixties. She brilliantly conveys the alienation that comes with fame, and the pointlessness of celebrity.
Ledger, on the other hand, plays Dylan later in life– after he had turned his back on pop music. His scenes depict the breakup of Dylan’s marriage, and the inherent difficulty of balancing a public persona with a private life. Ledger’s performance is introspective and understated, like Dylan’s albums in the early seventies.
The other performances are good too, but none can overcome Haynes’ self-conscious, reference-stuffed script. He incorporates many allusions to the real-life Dylan which are disorganized and lacking context.
Using song titles as dialogue, for example, strikes a particularly hamfisted tone. In one scene, Cate Blanchett’s Jude Quinn is confronted by a crazed fan with a knife. When a groupie subdues the fan by smashing a bottle over his head, Quinn quips, “Just like a woman!” Winks and nods to real-life Dylan trivia needn’t be so cringe inducing as that!
It begs the question as to whether Haynes’ entire approach is even necessary. Surely a traditional biopic like “Walk The Line” feels genuine (in part) because Johnny Cash talks like a real person. If he cuddled up next to his wife June and whispered in her ear, “I walk the line… because you’re mine,” no one would take the film seriously.
Fortunately, for each such misstep, “I’m Not There” corrects course with a sure-footed step. (Richie Havens delights in a brief singing role, and David Cross steals a scene as poet Allen Ginsburg.) But by the end, writer/ director Haynes has meandered too much. “I’m Not There” offers only a vague semblance of a musician and his art. Maybe this is all one can expect when the subject of the piece is as enigmatic as Dylan.
Yet we are left to wonder: perhaps seeing six different sides of Bob Dylan is simply another side of Bob Dylan too many.
Grade: B
Written By Jacob Destree
Do you love the cinema too? Go to Jacob Destree’s Movie Blog and read all about the latest blockbusters and classic movies. Only at jacobdestree.wordpress.com!
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