Foo Fighters Carpool Karaoke

Axis of Awesome - 4 Four Chord Song (with song titles)

You've probably seen this a thousand times, but it is always worth reliving one more time.

Chester Bennington - Another Senseless Suicide

I have never been the biggest fan of Linkin Park. In fact, if you asked me to name any song or any album after this one, I doubt that I could do it.
But Hybrid Theory was huge when it was released, and it even cracked the radio mainstream market, so exposure to the singles at least was always going to happen. Still, there is a lot to like about parts of this album even today, such that people who enjoy an array of different genres can probably find something to take from it.

I've been giving it a spin again today in memory of Chester Bennington, who decided too hang himself in his California home this morning Australian time. It is yet another senseless waste of a life, and I feel for his wife and children, as well as his bandmates who have not only lost a friend but an important part of their make up. Suicide is never the answer, it can't be. there has to be a better way of dealing with whatever is going on in your life or your head. It is such a disappointment.

Vale: Chris Cornell

Follow me into the desert
As thirsty as you are
Crack a smile and cut your mouth
And drown in alcohol
'Cause down below the truth is lying
Beneath the riverbed
So quench yourself and drink the water
That flows below her head

Oh no there she goes
Out in the sunshine the sun is mine

I shot my love today would you cry for me
I lost my head again would you lie for me
I left her in the sand just a burden in my hand
I lost my head again would you cry for me

Close your eyes and bow your head
I need a little sympathy
'Cause fear is strong and love's for everyone
Who isn't me
So kill your health and kill yourself
And kill everything you love
And if you live you can fall to pieces
And suffer with my ghost
Just a burden in my hand
Just an anchor on my heart
Just a tumor in my head
And I'm in the dark

So follow me into the desert
As desperate as you are
Where the moon is glued to a picture of heaven
And all the little pigs have God

"Burden in My Hand" by Soundgarden. Written by Chris Cornell.

Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management US, LLC

Do you remember where you were when you first heard Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger album? I do. It was the day it was released, my 22nd birthday. A mate had bought it and insisted we listen to it. I will never forget the first time I heard the introduction to "Rusty Cage" and the scream of "Jesus Christ Pose". Holy crap, here was Seattle and it was bloody heavy as f@&k! Lighting up the senses!

From there came Superunknown and then Down on the Upside, which has my favourite Soundgarden song of all time, "Burden in My Hand" where Chris' vocals soar. And then into Audioslave, which was another assault. 

Chris Cornell's passing is a tragedy at the ridiculous age of 52. He had achieved so much but had so much time to do more. I'll never forget my 22nd birthday because of him, and now May 18 will always pass with the strains of "Burden in My Hand" being played in his memory.
Thanks for everything Chris. Rest in peace.

All of Your Essential "Ronnie James Dio Day" Tools Are Right Here

Today marks seven years since the untimely death of one of the greats, and my favourite vocalist of all time, Ronnie James Dio. It was a sad day. And on every May 16th since I have celebrated 'Ronnie James Dio Day', where I play his material all day as a tribute to his work.

So that you too can join in and enjoy the day, I've taken the hard work out for you, and put a selection of his greatest songs in one place for you all to savour.

Love Is All


Man on the Silver Mountain


Sixteenth Century Greensleeves


Tarot Woman


Stargazer


Still I'm Sad


Long Live Rock and Roll


Gates of Babylon


Kill the King


Rainbow Eyes


Neon Knights


Children of the Sea


Heaven and Hell


Wishing Well


Die Young


Turn Up the Night


Sign of the Southern Cross


The Mob Rules


Falling Off the Edge of the World


Stand Up and Shout


Holy Diver


Gypsy


Caught in the Middle


Don't Talk to Strangers


Invisible


Rainbow in the Dark


We Rock


The Last in Line


Breathless


I Speed at Night


One Night in the City


Evil Eyes


Mystery


Eat Your Heart Out


Stars


King of Rock 'n Roll


Sacred Heart


Rock 'n' Roll Children


Hungry For Heaven


Just Another Day


Night People


Dream Evil


Sunset Superman


All the Fools Sailed Away


Faces in the Window


Born on the Sun


My Eyes


Computer God


Time Machine


I


Buried Alive


Firehead


Evilution


This is Your Life
Welcome to my Nightmare
Dream On
Lord of the Last Day
Fever Dreams
Feed My Head
Eriel
As Long As It's Not About Love
Losing My Insanity
Killing the Dragon
Push
One More For the Road
Master of the Moon
Tonight
The Chase
Ear in the Wall
Bible Black
Eating the Cannibals

\m/ SLAYER \m/

Preparing ourselves for Jeff Hanneman Day with a bit of Slayer's Decade of Aggression #HellAwaits #Slayer #RIPJeffHanneman 2/5/13

A post shared by Bill Peters (@westkiama) on May 1, 2017 at 12:21am PDT

Iron Maiden - The Book of Souls Tour - Wacken 2016 - Full Show HD

It's almost a year ago that Josh and I went to see Maiden on their Australian tour. This pro-shot from Wacken is the same set list and same quality. Awesome stuff.

Throwback Thursday: Dio's "Dream Evil"

Throwback Thursday.

In September of 1987 Dio released their long-awaited fourth album, and the first not to feature original guitarist Vivian Campbell.
It is another of those albums that heavily reminds me of my school days, in this case the finale of Year 12 and the Higher School Certificate.
It also reminds me of the school holidays that came before that, and my 18th birthday. I was on a family holiday in Coffs Harbour with my family and the families of my Dad’s two brothers, a week long sojourn that highlighted by almost everyone coming down with a 24 hour stomach bug which included vomiting and other such fun stuff. Dad was about the only survivor of this, with his technique of keeping his bodily fluids up throughout (ie a constant beer drinking regime) in order to stop the bug attacking him. Well played Dad. As I had bought the album the week before we went, I listened to it incessantly on this trip, and it always reminds me of that time (as does anytime I watch 'Three Amigos').

Moreso it brings back those fun days at the end of our school time in Year 12, and the HSC as well. I still remember vividly on the anointed ‘muck up’ night, where we gained entry into the school hall an spent the evening… playing up. At one stage during that evening, a group of us, which included Kearo, Dale, Bono, Joel, Brett Doney and Lewis Norman stood around singing (probably badly, but who was to know) this whole album out loud as it played through someone’s tape deck. This was followed by Kevin Pepper’s marvellous speech about the Australia Card, and the screaming of the cleaners when they arrived to witness the carnage at some stage early that morning. Great memories.

Dream Evil is a much maligned entry in the Dio catalogue. It may have dated somewhat since its release, but to me it still carries a punch with songs like “Dream Evil”, “Sunset Superman”, “All the Fools Sailed Away” and “Faces in the Window”. The great man’s vocals certainly don’t disappoint.

Throwback Thursday: Iron Maiden's 'Somewhere in Time'

When we come to this time of year, I almost always delve back into my CD collection, and drag out this album. Why? Well, because it reminds me of the late spring and early summer of 1986, when it was released. I was coming to the end of Year 11, and this album was the soundtrack of that era for me. It reminds me of the group of friends I had back then, a group that for the most part still survives today. We used to listen to this album incessantly – at our hangout at the back of the Year 12 common room, walking to and from double Games at the Sporting Complex, between classes, in classes, on the bus to and from school…

It was an album that captured that time of my life, and it never ceases to bring it all back to me when I listen to it, especially on muggy November days, which is how I remember those days back in 1986. The HSC had sort-of started for us, but it was still the end-of-year excitement and joy that I remember with this album. Back in the day when our youth allowed us not to care about anything in particular, except our own passions. The laughter of the antics at our hangout at school, and in subjects such as Ancient History with Russell Parkin. My obsession with cricket, playing at school, practicing after school, and playing all weekend. The love of discovering new music and sharing that around.

16, 17 and 18 were some fun years. A long time in the past now, but they still flood back when I put this album on. It’s funny how the subject matter of many of the songs, dealing with such elements as time, actually corresponds so heavily with my memories of this era, and that it has become timeless for me in so many ways. The memories that the whole album wouldn’t fit perfectly on one side of a 90 minute cassette, and either having to put it on a 60 minute cassette and add something to the end (which is what I did, putting the B-side tracks from the “Wasted Years” single on them, Adrian Smith’s “Reach Out” and the humorous “Sheriff of Huddersfield”) or cutting out a song. And the wonderful memory of walking to double games one day, and the question being floated as to which song on the album would you consider the one to leave off in such a predicament. When my answer of “Sea of Madness” came forth, I was ridiculed, and the answer that became folklore amongst us was that I “hated” “Sea of Madness” and that I had said it was the most reviled song of all time. Yeah, great. Thanks Kearo, Bono and Anthony, you can all get stuffed.

I just felt like writing this today, on a warm November morning as I listened to this album, reminding me so much of those late days of 1986 when that kinship with fellow classmates was possibly at its strongest, which grew through the next 12 months before we all parted on our life journeys, rarely to be seen together again. Melancholy and happiness rolled into one.

Hansen & Friends "Born Free" Official Music Video

You know, I don't really know why he felt he had to do this. Kai Hansen has been one of my music heroes for the said three decades of the song, but he's already been in Iron Savior as his side project for their first three albums, and he's also done two Unisonic albums with Michael Kiske. Is there a reason he feels as though he needs another side project from Gamma Ray? Is he not getting enough from that? And how do his bandmates feel about it?

Anyway, I will buy the album, because why wouldn't I? I do hope the rest of the material is not quite as cliched as this sounds - given I have only listened to this one time at the time of posting this.

Front Page on RYM - For Lemmy

Nice to have my review for Motörhead's latest - and now last - album Black Magic put on the front page of the Rate Your Music website in honour of Lemmy's passing last week. Cheers guys.

Top 10 Heavy Metal Guitar Riffs

DEHAAN - Full secret show of METALLICA - Orion festival - 8 June 2013 - HD

Gamma Ray - Live In Saint-Petersburg 2014 (Full Concert)

Gary Moore Day

Feeling even worse than yesterday today. This cold has gripped me a little tighter, and the coughing and spluttering is worse. Got told by at least four people to go home, but... well... Helen had called at 8.00am, saying Jess was crook and wasn't going to school. Which meant that she would have to stay off work again. So I couldn't do anything constructive at home, but at least at work I could do something.
Of course, Helen called again after midday to say Jess had tonsil stones and wouldn't be able to go to school again tomorrow. Which means I will be at home with her tomorrow. Which, in reality, is not a bad outcome for me with the way I feel today.

It is three years today since Gary Moore was found dead in his hotel room, an untimely death of one of my favourite guitarists and artists. So once again it was time to trot out all the best of his albums for listening again, to remember his great stuff. Memories of the great man. I even granted to listen to some of his blues material.

Monday's Music Selection for Pre-Retention of the Ashes

The Ashes are so close to being ours once again, and to fill in the time before the radio telecast starts at 1.30pm, it was time for some more excellent selections from the 160GB iPod.

Gamma Ray - Skeletons in the Closet (2003)

So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)

Anthrax - Spreading the Disease (1985)

This was the first album, since I started listening to all of my albums on my iPod at work, that I have listened to twice. I did it back to back, so much did I love listening to this album again. Such great riffs, and some brilliant bass work especially from Frankie Bello - the start of "Lone Justice" is just awesome, and Joey's vocals are awesome. Great stuff.

Helloween - The Time of the Oath (1996)

Gamma Ray - To the Metal (2010)

Therapy? - Troublegum (1994)

R.I.P. Jeff Hanneman. Slayer's Heart of Songwriting.

Sad news today - actually, shocking would be more precise - when it was announced that Jeff Hanneman had passed away.

Jeff Hanneman on Wikipedia

It was announced that he had died of liver failure, though it is initially unknown as to whether this is as a result of the disease he has been fighting for the past three years. In 2011 it was revealed that he had contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh eating virus that he apparently caught from a spider bite in a friend's hottub. The resulting damage to his arm meant he was basically unable to play the guitar at all, and has meant he has rarely played live since that time.
(Note here that a week later, on May 9, it was revealed that he had died of alcohol-related cirrhosis, the severity of which neither he nor his family were aware of almost right up until his death).

It is another tragic loss to the metal music world. Hanneman was the primary songwriter for Slayer, being sole or co-writer in up to 75% of their music since he and fellow guitarist Kerry King formed the band back in 1981. The majority of their best known and greatest songs have Hanneman's fingerprints all over them. Songs such as "Raining Blood", "War Ensemble", "South of Heaven", "Seasons in the Abyss" and "Angel of Death" have his mark on them, and they are metal anthems for the ages.

Slayer will continue, and hopefully with Gary Holt on guitar, who has filled Jeff's boots on tour for the past two years. How the band goes now that the songwriting will shift to almost totally into Kerry King's hands will be interesting to see.

Vale Jeff Hanneman. One of the great guitarists and songwriters, not just in heavy metal, but in all of the music world.

Helloween to Reform "Keepers" Lineup?

I don't believe for a second this will happen, but it makes a nice story for the day. :)

HELLOWEEN To Reform Keeper Of The Seven Keys Line-Up?; Current Band Working On Next Album

May 22nd, 2012

by EvilG

Classic Helloween

According to Metaltalk.net, HELLOWEEN are in talks about reforming the band’s classic Keeper Of The Seven Keys-era line-up of Michael Kiske on vocals, Kai Hansen on guitar along with long-time band members guitarist Michael Weikath and bassist Marcus Grosskopf. Drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg took his own life in 1995 so current Helloween drummer Daniel Löble will likely retain his position in the band. The possible reunion is not planned to take place until 2015 and the current line-up of Helloween are in the studio recording an as yet untitled new album.
In a recent update Michael Weikath stated: “Right now we are busy with finalizing the songwriting process and are getting ready to take the accumulated ideas into a final selection for the new record. Everybody in the band is excited and eager to take what we have worked on so far to the next level.”
According to a press release, “The new production will again be helmed by long-time producer Charlie Bauerfeind and will of course contain all the trademarks. Already in this early stage the new effort promises to be much more than a fine follow-up to the highly acclaimed Gambling With The Devil and 7 Sinners albums. Bombastic epic pieces have been worked on as well as ultrafast heavy songs and mid-tempo anthems.”

Current iPod Playlist

Night Ranger - Midnight Madness. 80's hard rock in all it's glory. Still some great tracks on here, led by "Touch of Madness".

Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier. Still "new" so still getting a fair hammering. "The Talisman" remains my favourite off the album.

Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force - Marching Out. Still right up there with the best albums released. Not a weak song on here, and Yngwie's guitaring is probably at it's best, helped along by Jeff Scott Soto's wonderful vocals. "I Am A Viking" and possibly "On The Run Again" are my current two faves.

Scorpions - World Wide Live. Showcasing the band's very best material, and live at that. Still one of the best live releases ever.

The Misfits - Earth A.D / Wolf's Blood. Insane punk alternative speed thrash topped off by Glenn Danzig's vocals. As much as I love Danzig the band, I still sometimes dream of it having more of a faster edge like this stuff does.

Gamma Ray - Land of the Free II. Funny how this took so long to grow on me, and yet now resides at the top echelon of Gamma Ray albums. With most of the rest of them.

Gamma Ray - Majestic. See above.

Motorhead - Ace of Spades. A bit similar to above. It took me a long time to get into this album (apart from the title track of course), given its iconic stature in the metal industry. I like it a lot more now than I did initially, but I think there are better Motorhead album's out there too.

Jorn - Dio. Jorn Lande's tribute to RJD is a brilliant update on some magnificent Dio songs. All stay true to the original, but sound superb in their re-recording.

Dio - Dream Evil. Always reminds me of the end of Year 12 high school, and with a mate's eldest son finishing his Year Twelve days this month, I thought this was a good choice to bring back some good memories.

Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force - Odyssey. With Marching Out proving such a hit at the moment, I thought I'd put Odyssey on here too. I haven't regretted it.

Michael Schenker Group - Unforgiven World Tour. Double live album, featuring all the hits from Schenker's career with his own groups and UFO and Scorpions. Good overview of all his best songs.

Megadeth - Rust in Peace Live. Recent recording of entire Rust in Peace album, along with some other favourites. Have to say that those songs that you don't hear so often live, like "Lucretia", "Take No Prisoners" and "Five Magics" are awesome.

Bloody Live Earth

Just to relive the crap that was Live Earth.

So you spend the whole weekend, waiting for bands to come up on Live Earth, hoping for something special from all of them, and hoping they do it all justice.

Error.

Bon Jovi was the best of them, but they have always been good at these kind of events. "Livin' On A Prayer" is still a great anthem.
Metallica played the same three songs they always play at these kind of things - the same three they played at Wembley at the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert. They were OK, but with the catalogue they have surely they could have extended themselves.
Spinal Tap were disappointing. OK, getting everyone up for Big Bottom, and pronouncing they had "every bass player in history" with them was a tad amusing, but they really could have done something special, and in the long run it was flat.
And The Police were rubbish! Why did they feel as though they had to play their songs, and extend them with meaningless artsy-fartsy instrumental breaks, with Sting meowing over the top? Did they think that was what everyone wanted to hear?!? And then those two other losers came on, and let's rap through "Message In A Bottle"? WHY?!?! 28 hours I waited for The Police, and I got a Sting Benefit Band.

So that was the weekend gone.