Read any review of Radiohead in concert and/or their music ability or simply infectious, creative and incomparable sound and bloggers, critics and music lovers all reach the same conclusion - Radiohead is the real deal.
The band has had every album since 1997's "OK Computer" been nominated for "Album of the Year" or "Best Alternative Album" - now that's recognition and an amazing feat.
"O.K. Computer (1997)" was first nominated for "Album of the Year" followed by another nomination for "Album of the Year" for "Kid A (1998)" and in 2009 they were again nominated for "Album of the Year" for "In Rainbows".
O.K. Computer is one of my favorite albums of all time - it's beautifully dark and melancholy as Thom Yorke's haunting and soft, sweet vocals provides the perfect front for music about isolation, aliens and retribution.
"Paranoid Android" is such an intricate song - moving from the fuzz guitar sounds at the beginning to the slow-core dreamy drift to the end - there is so much variation of music in one song.
I voted "Jonny Greene" as the 10th best guitarists of the Modern Rock era, and Rolling Stone even names the Radiohead duo of guitarists (Jonny Greene and Ed O'Brien) as the 59th and 60th top guitarists of all time - now that's another amazing feat for a modern band to claim.
I can also give creedence to this fact - having seen Radiohead live and hearing the guitar works of Jonny and Ed live, it takes on a different dimension. On stage the concert sounds like a "hard rock" concert with electronic interfades - they are so awesome live.
On the most broing of songs on any Radiohead album - live in concert, Thom has the crowd cheering to hip-hop beats and adding life and punch to their music.
On SNL's 25th Anniversary in 1999, Elvis Costello busted on the SNL stage whilst The Beastie Boys were performing their classic hit "Sabotage".
The story behind it, was that in 1977 Elvis Costello was invited to perform on SNL as an alternative to The Sex Pistols (whose visas were denied because of their criminal records). Costello wanted to perform "Radio Radio" - a protest song about the collusion formed between radio stations and record companies to regulate what can and would be played on radio. However, his record label did not want him to perform this song for this reason.
Costello started to perfom "Less than Zero" to please his recording label - but being the punk rocker that he is, they switched to "Radio Radio" and Costello was banned from performing on SNL.
However, SNL lifted the ban on Costello and he was "invited" to perform his classic hit to the surprise of everyone.
Today is Father's Day and also the day of my nephew's wedding. When my brother informed me about it around Christmas last year I was all excited to go. Of course time passed and then it was just one of those things that became blown away by the wind.
But having chatted with my sister last night and with family flying in for the wedding I felt a bit sad for not being there. Especially since I used to babysit my nephew Sean, and his four siblings.
There was a live band there....and for my niece there were belly dancers. Wow - if I had a few too many drinks I'll show them how to bellydance :)
Anyway, since today's a wedding and Father's Day and I mentioned belly dancers, here's some music to share. Hope you enjoy.
"Inside me I scream but no one pays attention...If I had arms I can kill myself, If I had legs I can run away, If I had a voice I can be some kind of company to myself"
The title of this blog is inspired by the 1971 anti-war cult movie called "Johnny Got His Gun".
The book was released in 1939, on the eve of WWII, and maybe the timing was right but author Dalton Trumbo was inspired to write this novel based on the Prince of Wales' visit to a veteran hospital in Canada, where he came across a soldier who had lost his arms and legs in the war.
Let's back track a bit as to how I heard about the movie...Back in 1988 "Metallica" had released a super album called "And Justice for All", which launched the band into pop mainstream thanks to a metal ballad called "One".
The song was aired on MTV back in 1989 on Headbanger's Ball, where I first saw it on the world premiere. I was so touched by this video, that was based on the 1971 cult movie, that the dialogue remained in my memory for over 20 years, having just seen the video once.
I recently purchased the video for "One" on iTunes and having seen it again, it made me cry, and darkly depressed...so powerful was this video with the dialogue from the movie and the images from it, that I was inspired to write this.
The movie is about an 18 year old American soldier who marches off to WWI leaving behind his father and the girl he loves. On the last day of the war, he is ordered to assist a soldier in the field, and an artiley shell blows up next to him, and he loses his arms, legs and face...and he survives it.
Despite having no sense of sight, smell, hearing...he still can feel, his brain is alive and he has to listen to the battle over his life ensue with no-one being able to help him or hear him.
The doctors find his case fascinating and he can hear them say "This young man will be as unthinking, unfeeling as the dead until the day he joins them".
The young soldier drifts into and out of the real world and fantasy and he thinks to himself; "How can you tell when your alive or dead when you can't even tell when you're awake or asleep". In his mind he thinks "It's like a piece of meat that keeps on living!"
The army and the medical profession argue over what should be done...morals set in, but the army says "He's a product of your profession, not mine".
The thoughts of this young soldier and the writing of Dalton Trumbo really bring the isolation, desperation and sheer death that this individual longs for....the young soldier thinks to himself "Inside me I scream but no one pays attention...If I had arms I can kill myself, If I had legs I can run away, If I had a voice I can be some kind of company to myself".
Without arms and legs or any senses he can move his head, and he remembers his father telling him that when he is in trouble to use Morse code...which he does and the army officers decipher it.....over and over he says...."SOS; SOS; SOS; Kill Me".
It really moved me to the point of tears....please take a look at the video.
I'd like to thank all those blog sites who are honoring pride month....otherwise I would have been completely clueless...so thank you!
I heard from BosGuy, that it is pride in Boston this weekend - I wish I could be there, after all, Boston is one of my favorite places - a place where I can see family, and just relax and roam about the city. They also have quite a good music scene there as well...
And speaking of music and pride, here's a list of my favorite "gay anthems". Like mentioned, it's a "list according to SteveA", so I hope it is at least pleasing to all. So here goes with one of the toughest lists I've had to do:
10. It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls
The name of the song is a utopia in a gay club!
9. Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
I've blogged about FGTH several times on this blog, and the amazing video for "Relax", which I believe is a video ahead of it's time. After all - in the 80's who else can make a main stream video with a gay leather bay, and a gay club scene. The video was of course banned in the U.K. and the U.S. and in it's place was a live video which was more acceptable to the masses.
8. Y.M.C.A. - Village People
When this song came out in 1978/79, I had no idea what the message was behind it nor the nature of the band. I was quite young then, and I took the song and the look of the band as just a stage. But this song is heard at any 70's party and is still played on radio - a true classic.
7. We Are Family - The Sisters Sledge
We are truly family. I love this song, and it reminds me of myself an my sis having a hamburger at a fastfood joint called "Wimpy's".
I just realised that I don't have this song on my iTunes....how did this happen?
6. Vogue - Madonna
OK - this song is on the list mainly because we queens like to vogue at a gay club, and it's Madonna.
5. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
This song holds many special meanings to different people....it can be an anthem for those who have been through a tough time in love and life; and it's also a song which is motivating for the name of the song alone. But in the conext on this post, it is an anthem for any drag queen competition....c'mon - you must have seen it and sang along to it (we're all guilty of that!).
4. Don't Leave Me this Way - Thelma Houston (original)/The Communards (re-make, and an awesome version)
I have always loved this song from the original (which in my opinion is one of the Top Songs from the 1970's disco scene) and the remake by the Communards. Jimmy Sommerville has put a nice gay touch to it.
3. Small Town Boy - Bronski Beat
Jimmy Sommerville was "out" before the word became a "a sign of independence" for us. He was unapologetic about what he and Bronski Beat were, and the video for Small Town Boy is just classic. The theme of the video is about "coming out" and the "hate" that many gays have to face.
I put this song way up on the list because of it balls that this band has to be openly gay from the outset and more of course - it's a great song, especially when remixed for a gay club cha-cha-cha!
See The Age of Consent which talks about the "Age of Consent" of homosexuality - the classic album from "Bronski Beat".
2. Dancing Queen - ABBA
OK - some of the songs are classic pop songs, but they have been embraced by the gay community for one reason or the other - take "Dancing Queen" for instance. ABBA's all about classic pop, but the band and their music has been embraced by the gay community - I guess we gays can just recognise good music when we hear it.
1. You Make Me Feel - Sylvester
It's a tough list, but I chose Sylvester because I remember this video when I was really young and liking the song. I also thought that the singer (Sylvester) looked - well - not like a man should look. Of course, back then, I had no concept of "gayism", but I think this song holds alot of meaning for me, because it shows that Sylvester could be whom he wanted and really did not make an excuse to anyone about himslef and who he was.
And of course - it's am awesome track that any gay can move their feet too - young, and old, twink, daddy, bear, lesbian, straight men and women.
Anyways peeps - hope you enjoy and be safe at your pride festivals.
My Fridays are like ground hog days - and I love it.....I love familiarity, routine and predictability...well, at least most of the times.....
Fridays after work starts with a Vinyasa Yoga class..
Then I shower, get dressed and head to Bamboo for a martini or two and sushi....
I usually have my iPod - I know it's a bit anti-social - but hey sometimes I am like that.....today I was looking at a video for George Michael's "I Want Your Sex"....ah yes - George is hot and he looked so sexy in this video (even though he says he's into monogamy....but whatever!)
Then Steven (my partner) joined - nice chat - great friends around...I am even predicatable on the food and drinks - and the waitress (she is so fine....from the Ukraine, but living in Canada) knows exactly what I want without me even mentioning a thing...
Anyways folks - I hope you have a great weekend.....
We should all be familiar or vaguely so with two classic rock tracks - "Gloria" (the Van Morrison classic) and "Because the Night" (not on Horses and co-written by Bruce Springsteen). I've long known these songs, but only started to listen to her repertoire on "Horses" a few months ago when I was house-sitting for my partner.
I asked him - "I did not know you were into Patti Smith?"
He said - "I think it was at a good price".
Whatever the reason for him getting "Horses" - if he is into that kinda music - then it's a miracle (although he told me once he had "Candy-O" by "The Cars".
Upon my listen to this album I was quickly amazed by the woman herself. I recently bought a book on Patti Smith - well it's a "memoir of photographs" - it's artistic, and shows Patti in her raw form - I mean underarm hairs and unshaved legs. OK - tell me how many female rockers would show this side of them.
This is the book I bought - great pics inside.
I guess for Patti Smith - she's part artist/rocker and anarchist in her own way!
The above clip from YouTube is a documentary into the philosophies of rocker/poet and artist - Patti Smith.
Anyways - I hope you can take a listen to her classic album. After all the opening line on Gloria starts by saying "Jesus died for somebody's sin, but not mine".
Well the last week has been pretty good. In my post "Damn Jam" I mentioned that I was to go to Strawberry Hills for a wedding, but that got canx.
So my friends had to arrange a wedding in 3 days. So who says you can't plan a wedding on short notice - they managed to arrange a mass, ceremony and a great reception at the Westin....ok - it's not Strawberry Hills - but it was still great....
Sherise's brother who was also the MC is also happily partnered with a hubby and two dogs - all good.
Here's a few pics and yeah the last one is of me having sushi!
The limo outside the Church. Awesome sunny day as well!
Who's next? Sherise throws to the lucky gal
My friends Becky and Rachel - dancing to 90's C&C Music Factory. Yeah - they got the moves.
