List Break - Wussy Bands

I'm going to discuss three bands that I've seen get the same label from other online nerds. These are known as the wussy bands. I'm going to dissect whether or not they deserve the label, and if they do, are they a bad group?

The first of those three bands is Weezer. Now, I don't keep a secret that I grew up on Weezer, but that was probably due to my nerdiness and insecurity as a teenager. So, I've already declared the group is good. Are Rivers Cuomo and company wussies though? Not exactly. I think that they bill themselves as wussies, but not in a sappy way. In more of a nerdy-teenager way. Pinkerton largely focuses on insecurity in relationships (and yes, that is kind of emo), which is something that a teenager is always thinking about. I think Pitchfork put it perfectly when they said "We get older, Rivers Cuomo stays 13."

The second group is Coldplay. I decided to finally listen to Coldplay when I started the best of 00's list. I decided that due to its critical and commercial success and strength as a song, there was no reason to keep "Yellow" from the status so many people seem to put it at, which was the No. 4 spot. But, I was still unsure whether or not they were right. I listened to two Coldplay records while reading the reviews of the two records. The positive reviews stated that it was confessional, deep, and well structured. They were right. The negative reviews said they were earnest, repetitive, and left little impression. They were also right. I guess Coldplay wussy status depends whether or not you look at them in a positive and negative way. While I found the music to very wussified, I didn't find it unbearable. Overall, I'm not uncomfortable with putting them on the list, but I felt it was overrated. As for personal opinions. I really don't get the appeal of the group, but I don't dislike it.

The last of those three were Goo Goo Dolls. Well this is easy. Weezer were not wussies and good. Coldplay were on-again-off-again wussies and debatable. Goo Goo Dolls are the definition of wussies, And they suck! I mean c'mon, there's overly sentimental and then there's this. I once heard that the estrogen levels in a male body would rise every time he heard the song "Iris." Well, if you are unfortunate enough to listen to an entire record of these guys, I think something will fall off. It's hard to believe that these guys were influenced by The Replacements, one of my favorite rock groups, with a great college rock edge to them. Goo Goo Dolls seem to hammer out any edge they can find in their trite, cheesy, and commercially friendly musical approach. If you don't believe me, try listening to one of their songs. But, after you do, watch a boxing match, play Halo, learn Chuck Norris facts, and listen to Samuel L. Jackson's speech from the end of Pulp Fiction.

My Favorite Records

These are my personal favorite records. They aren't really in order, but I favor albums closer to the top over albums at the bottom.

* This appears next to albums that I probably shouldn't like, but I discovered them when I was a pissed off teenager, so that makes it okay.

Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

London Calling by The Clash

The Untitled Album by Led Zeppelin

Quadrophenia by The Who

Let It Be by The Replacements

Closer by Joy Division

Speaking In Tongues by Talking Heads

Nevermind by Nirvana

Moving Pictures by Rush

This Year's Model by Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Ride the Lightning by Metallica

Powerslave by Iron Maiden

Disintegration by The Cure

Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy

Zen Arcade by Husker Du

Marquee Moon by Television

Surfer Rosa by The Pixies

Hunky Dory by David Bowie

Damaged by Black Flag

White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables by Dead Kennedys

Rubber Soul by The Beatles

Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Automatic for the People by R.E.M.

Licensed to Ill by The Beastie Boys

Goo by Sonic Youth

Stankonia by Outkast

Peace Sells... But Who's Buying by Megadeth

In The Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel

The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths

Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Van Halen by Van Halen

Purple Rain by Prince & The Revolution

Turn on the Bright Lights by Interpol

Slanted & Enchanted by Pavement

The Blue Album by Weezer*

Funeral by The Arcade Fire

Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins

Smash by The Offspring

Dookie by Green Day*

British Steel by Judas Priest

The Cars by The Cars

BadMotorFinger by Soundgarden

Let There Be Rock by AC/DC

Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age

List Break - Diva/Rap Songs

So, people told me that one great song I left out of the decades list. The song was Umbrella by Rihanna and Jay Z. I remember that it was a big hit, I remember being impressed by the video, but I forgot the song. It was a pretty good song, but there was one thing that I didn't get. Why is Jay Z in it? I love Jay Z but his placement seemed to be a bit random. He's just rapping like normal and then the song just goes into a Rihanna song completely out of nowhere. It was like the song decided that it didn't want Jay Z so the mic just ditched him in the recording studio. Why are there so many songs like this? There's always the song that becomes a huge hit that has some famous rapper with a popular female singer. It's a good idea but the two just don't go together very well. Besides this trend of rapper/diva songs also launched the way overdone Whitney Houston/Bobby Brown relationship. I think that by the time she divorced him we were sick of hearing about it already. Just thought I'd mention that.

List Break - Pop Music

Many people have been saying that my blog is focused too much on rock music, and occasionally diverging into rap music, with no mainstream pop music. First of all, rock and rap music are the only two successful genres other than straight forward pop. There are other genres, but they are a bit too underground for people to know about, and thus, have not left the same impression on music. As for less rap than rock, that's simple: Rap music is a much younger genre. But why is it that never give any nod to pop music. I was very cruel to pop artists in my first essay. Let me explain.

Pop music is referred to any genre of music that fits in with popular selling music. Usually, this music is created by record companies to suit modern demands, and ask their recording artists to fill certain demographics. This was constant until the 60's, when The Beatles came around. The Beatles are one of those groups that younger people look back on and go, "What's so special?" but if you try to put yourself in the time zone, you get it. Even though The Beatles are the best selling recording artists of all time, their success was viewed as horrible for record companies. Why? They were the first group to obtain worldwide success while writing all their own songs, and playing all their own instruments, with practically no influence from the record companies. With this new idea of being artsy and popular, the record companies invented a slicker sense of pop music, that was aimed towards teenagers, which came to be known as bubblegum. Throughout the years, rock music (and eventually rap music) have battled pop music for dominant control of the market. The artists vs. the hitmakers.

Now that you understand the history, I'll put it like I believe. My website is designed to find the best music out there. The term "best music" is used lightly, because preference of music is mere opinion. I started this saying that I'm not going to just state my favorite songs and opinions. But, music critiquing is subjective. So here's my system. I'm going to use my opinions to critically decided the stronger music by my own parameters of what defines good music. Yes it is my opinion, but I argue it very well.

As for the disdain for pop music, there is none. True I have ripped on pop music in the past, but that doesn't mean I thought any band in that category sucked. Michael Jackson nearly topped the greatest of the 80's list after all. But, that isn't really a good example. Let's look at music the same way we look at movies. When you here critics like Roger Ebert or the late Gene Siskel talk about movies, they will often use the term "pop movies" to describe blockbuster movies. Pop movies are like pop music, because they are made with heavy influence from studios to make sure the movie (album) makes a profit. These movies are not aimed to be good, as much as they are to provide a good time. You don't listen to pop music because you want to analyze it to death. I enjoy "good" movies, more than I enjoy pop movies, but I still like to go to the theater to enjoy a good time seeing some poorly made Independence Day-esque movie. Independence day was not a "good" movie, but it was an enjoyable time, that left me feeling great. When I watch a movie like The Godfather, I just love watching Marlon Brando's performance and Al Pacino's icy glare, because it provides a chilling, well made experience. I do this same thing in music. I enjoy Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" because I think it is an incredible display of art and performance, but I also like to turn on the occasional Beyonce single, or the overproduced pop metal of Def Leppard's "Hysteria. But, would you see a Beyonce or Def Leppard record on list of greatest records ever? Of course not! It's enjoyable, but it isn't a fantastic piece of art. Every now and than there comes a pop musician that actually makes intelligent and artsy music, like Tom Petty. Full Moon Fever is the Dark Knight of music. A great, intelligent, well made piece of enjoyable pop.

So yeah, there's my motto. You don't have to feel guilty about the pop music you listen to. The artist made it so that you could enjoy it. So do that! But remember, it isn't going to be remembered 20 years later as much as it's political rap side partner.

Top 45 Songs of the 00's

This is the list to remember. This is my first decade list that is not affected by any other list, and draws no inspiration from critics over the years. It's all here and know. This will also be the last decade list I make for the next 10 years. The first decade of this millennium will end in a matter of weeks, and I'm closing it with the greatest songs of this past decade, and so far, of the millennium. Hope you enjoy.

45. Soul Meets Body by Death Cab for Cutie

44. Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon

43. Use It by The New Pornographers

42. Kids by MGMT

41. Banquet by Bloc Party

40. Drive by Incubus

39. 1901 by Phoenix

38. A-Punk by Vampire Weekend

37. Fireworks by Animal Collective

36. Down With the Sickness by Disturbed

35. Are You Gonna Be My Girl by JET

34. Brianstorm by The Arctic Monkeys

33. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

32. Futures by Jimmy Eat World

31. Panic Switch by Silversun Pickups

30. Gasoline by Audioslave

29. Hate To Say I Told You So by The Hives

28. E-Pro by Beck

27. Blood & Thunder by Mastodon

26. Schism by Tool

25. Can't Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers

24. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) by The Arcade Fire

23. Mr. Brightside by The Killers

22. In The End by Linkin Park

21. Jesus Walks by Kanye West

20. Idioteque by Radiohead

19. Crazy In Love by Beyonce

18. Little Sister by Queens of the Stone Age

17. Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio

16. 99 Problems by Jay-Z

15. I Miss You by Blink 182

14. Beautiful Day by U2

13. Float On by Modest Mouse

12. Paper Planes by M.I.A.

11. Hysteria by Muse

10. Hurt by Johnny Cash

9. Evil by Interpol

8. Chop Suey by System of a Down

7. Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day

6. Last Nite by The Strokes

5. Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4. Yellow by Coldplay

3. Lose Yourself by Eminem

2. Icky Thump by The White Stripes

1. B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad) by Outkast

Top 25 Worst Cover Songs

What's more painful than listening to the worst songs ever? How about listening to you favorite songs get sonically raped by other artists. These are the worst cover songs ever. They are rated by how tough it is to listen to the original after hearing them. The original artist is in on the side.

25. Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows (Joni Mitchell)

24. Anarchy In The UK by Motley Crue (The Sex Pistols)

23. Our Lips Are Sealed by Hilary & Haley Duff (The Go-Go's)

22. Sweet Child O' Mine by Sheryl Crow (Guns N' Roses)

21. Another Brick In The Wall by Korn (Pink Floyd)

20. Feel Like Making Love by Kid Rock (Bad Company)

19. Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Guns N' Roses (Bob Dylan)

18. American Pie by Madonna (Don McLean)

17. Purple Haze by Winger (Jimi Hendrix)

16. Take On Me by The Jonas Brothers (Aha)

15. Comfortably Numb by Scissor Sisters (Pink Floyd)

14. 911 Is A Joke by Duran Duran (Public Enemy)

13. Back In Black by Shakira (AC/DC)

12. Sad But True by Snoop Dogg (Metallica)

11. Faith by Limp Bizkit (George Michael)

10. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay by Michael Bolton (Otis Redding)

9. My Generation by Hilary Duff (The Who)

8. Crazy Train by Pat Boone (Ozzy Osbourne)

7. Behind Blue Eyes by Limp Bizkit (The Who)

6. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by Britney Spears (The Rolling Stones)

5. You Shook Me All Night Long by Celine Dion (AC/DC)

4. Enter Sandman by Pat Boone (Metallica)

3. Fight the Power by Vanilla Ice (Public Enemy)

2. Chopy Suey by Avril Lavigne (System of a Down)

1. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by William Shatner (The Beatles)

Real Names

This is list of famous musicians with stage names (or in the case of the last few, what people assume to be stage names). I'm going to post what their real names are next to them. Some of them are quite hilrious.

Adam Ant - Stuart Leslie Goddard

Pat Benatar - Patricia Mae Andrejewski

Jello Biafra - Eric Reed Boucher

Bono - Paul David Hewson

David Bowie - David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones

Cher - Cherilyn Sarkisian La Piere

Alice Cooper - Vincent Damon Furnier

Elvis Costello - Declan Patrick McManus

The Edge - David Howell Evans

Elton John - Reginald Kenneth Dwight

Eminem - Marshall Bruce Mathers III

Head - Brian Welch

Iggy Pop - James Newell Osterburg II

Vanilla Ice - Robert Van Winkle (HAHA)

Geddy Lee - Gary Lee Weinrib

Alex Lifeson - Alexander Zivojinovich

Meat Loaf - Marvin Lee Aday

Freddie Mercury - Farrokh Bulsara

George Michael - Yorgos Panayiotou

Joni Mitchell - Roberta Joan Anderson

Hannah Montana - Destiny Hope "Miley" Cyrus

Notorious B.I.G. - Christopher Wallace

Noodles - Kevin Wasserman

Ozzy Osbourne - John Michael Osbourne

Slash - Saul Hudson

Sting - Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner

Joe Strummer - John Graham Mellor

Sid Vicious - John Simon Ritchie

Muddy Waters - McKinley Morganfield

Jack White - John Anthony Gillis

Stevie Wonder - Steveland Hardaway Judkins

Names That People Think Are Stage Names But Are Not

Beck - Bek David Campbell

Bjork - Bjork Gudmunstsdottir

Jon Bon Jovi - John Francis Bongiovi II

Madonna - Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone

Prince - Prince Rogers Nelson

Rivers Cuomo - Rivers Cuomo

Stone Gossard - Stone Gossard

2Pac - Tupac Shakur

Misunderstandings

Here is another random list, but this one is centered around things in music that people always seem to misunderstand. This a response to Spin magazines similar list, which I felt they screwed up completely on.

Stone Temple Pilots are a Pearl Jam rip off -

When STP debuted in 1992 a year after Pearl Jam's Ten became a best seller, the reaction was that they were cashing in on their success by sounding exactly like them. When people told me that I was like "What is everyone smoking?" Stone Temple Pilots didn't sound like Pearl Jam at all. Their instrumentation was completely different for one thing. There music was written with more of a grungy alternative sense to it, influenced off of heavy metal, indie music, and maybe even a bit of glam rock. I never really thought Scott Weiland was a rip off of Eddie Vedder either. He always sounded a bit more like 80's era David Bowie. But, perhaps the most obvious fact, Stone Temple Pilots were first. They formed in 1986, 5 years before Pearl Jam. They just hadn't debuted sooner.

Born in the USA is a patriotic anthem -

I am sick of hearing rednecks constantly playing this song in their American cars wearing American flag shirts and talking about how great America is. This song is not a "GO USA!" song at all. The great misconception of music, the song is actually just the opposite. It's about a soldier returning from Vietnam, only to discover that the nation he fought for is still just as unforgiving and hard to live through as ever. It's about the people who had it tough in America, in the same way that Tom Petty's "American Girl" is actually about a girl killing herself under the pressures of American society. Want proof? Look no further than the video for "Born in the USA." It features a waving American Flag fading into a depressing, poor neighborhood.

Noel and Liam Gallagher are huge assholes -

This is half true. The Gallagher Brothers of Oasis would often speak highly of themselves in interviews and would diss other bands. In their most famous moment, Noel announced that he hoped members of rival band Blur would "Catch AIDS and die." They were not friendly, but to that degree was a bit pushed. After bands popularity started to grow after fighting between the brothers, they realized that in order to get publicity, they needed to act like huge assholes. They would take the mean feelings they had way out of proportion and it helped boost (What's the Story) Morning Glory? to become the third best selling album in UK history. They were assholes, but not to that degree.

Metallica are commercial sellouts -

This has always been a mystery to me. Why is it that so many people believed Metallica sold out? I always liked their stuff from the start and you can easily see a change over time. The first two records were pure thrash and speed. The next two were flirting with progressive metal. Then they released the Black Album, and their fans turned there backs on them. Why? I could understand selling out if they did like hair metal or something, but they were still hardcore, just not ridiculous hardcore metal. I can relate to that. If you listen to ...And Justice for All, you notice that they are beginning to sound a bit stiff in some areas, hell you can't even hear the bass guitar. Plus, their next album Load was a further experiment, with elements of blues. Metallica have certainly been greedy (look at Napster), but sellouts? No way.

Linkin Park are lousy rapcore posers -

Why is it that people seem to hate Linkin Park? What's so bad about them? I mean every band has people who hate them, but these guys seem to have this entire fan base of hatred. Let's look at everything people say is bad about them. First, their emo. Bullshit. You want emo, go listen to bands like Fall Out Boy and Paramore. Second, their music is overproduced and uses too many electronic samples. Yeah, that's completely true. But, just look at modern pop music. They're only about a thousand times more overproduced. Third, they whine. This is the only criticism that is pretty true. Linkin Park can seem a bit whiny at times. But, that doesn't kill a band. The music is what matters. And it is pretty damn well written.

David Lee Roth left Van Halen because of his giant ego -

This is still highly debated. Edward Van Halen will constantly insist that Dave "spat in his face." And Dave will always deny this. As much as I can get, here's what happened: Eddie had wanted to try using synthesizers for some time and finally got his way in "Jump." In anger, Dave directed the video, which had plenty of shots of him flirting with the camera. Eddie was already fed up with Dave's flamboyance and ego, and this pushed him over the edge. What followed was the typical "You're fired - You can't fire me I quit" situation.

Rage Against the Machine are an okay heavy metal band -

RATM can be considered a heavy metal group, but I personally feel that they belong in another category. They are an experimental rap group. I am dead serious. They qualify as it perfectly. They rap for one thing, they are ultra political in the same way Public Enemy are. The only difference is that they substitute a turntable for a scratch guitar. I mean I only recently found out that Tom Morello plays guitar, I thought he played a turntable.

The Smashing Pumpkins had perfect fusion as band -

I love the Pumpkins, but they were a band in the loosest sense of the word. Actually, they weren't a band in any sense of the word. Most fans know that singer Billy Corgan was the mastermind behind them, but he was to a ridiculous degree. He would write every part of every song, direct all the music videos, produce all the records (or co-produce in cases), tell all the other band members exactly what to where and how to act onstage, and he would even record the guitar and bass parts on every record to get them exactly how he wanted it. I mean just look at the band picture: You've got this skinny, tall guy in front, female bassist on his right, a Japanese guy on his left, and a metalhead looking drummer in the back. They don't look like a band as much as they do a variety snapshot.

True Stories

Not the Talking Heads album, this is a list of songs with true stories behind their writing. Many of them are quite interesting.

Burning Down the House by Talking Heads

Like most Talking Heads songs, the songs lyrics have nothing to do with anything. But, there is one. David Byrne was thinking of what to put at the chorus. After some time of failed nonsense, he had a chat with drummer Chris Frantz. Frantz had recently gone to a Parliament-Funkadelic show, and everyone chanted "Burn Down the House!" David had a solution.

Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath

Spooky, huh? This song is inspired by an incident that happened to bassist Geezer Butler. He was big into witchcraft and satanism, so Ozzy Osbourne gave him a book about the subject. After reading the book one night, Butler woke up from a nightmare, seeing a hooded figure standing at the foot of his bead. It disappeared as soon as the lights turned on. When Butler went to read up on it in the book, it has disappeared. He never saw the book, or the figure again.

Whole Lotta Rosie by AC/DC

Time for some humor. Bon Scott wrote this song about a 300 pound woman from Australia. According to him, she was fantastic at doing it.

Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses

Another song written for a woman. Axl Rose decided to reveal his sensitive side(which would sadly lead to the positively painful "November Rain"). The song was written about his then girlfriend, Erin Everly. After a year of marriage, the two divorced after spousal abuse problems. Nice guy.

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division

Yet another song written for a woman. This one ain't upbeat though. Ian Curtis wrote this song about the straining relationship with his wife. They were going days without speaking to each other, and he could ever hear her crying in her sleep. That probably didn't help his already dangerous depression. This problem ended when his wife arrived at Curtis' parents house, to find him hanging from the kitchen ceiling by a noose.

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

This song is about Franz Ferdinand. No, not the band, the man. This was the archduke who's assassination launched World War I. The song is about said assassination, not dating.

Layla by Derek & The Dominoes

To anyone who ever heard that shitty "Jesse's Girl" song by that stupid soap opera star, listen to this song instead. Eric Clapton wrote this song for a very special girl, Patti Boyd. This would have been basic had it not been for one fact. Boyd happened to be married to Clapton's best friend, George Harrison of The Beatles. The song is written for her, but in order to not let his buddy in on it, he changed the name. Boyd left Harrison and married Clapton eventually. The odd thing is how Harrison handled that. He really took that whole "bros before hoes" thing literally. He wasn't upset at at all, and actually played at their wedding. Ya got to love him for that. "You want her? Take her!"

Jeremy by Pearl Jam

Eddie Vedder was reading the Times one day, and learned of something very unsettling. Their was 14 year old boy named Jeremy Wade Delle. And he didn't quite speak in class one day. He arrived late to class and his teacher told him to get a late pass from the office. He went to his locker instead and picked up something. When he returned he faced the class and told his teacher he "got what he really went for." He pulled out a revolver, stuck in his mouth, and pulled the trigger before anyone could react.

Going to California by Led Zeppelin

Like Layla, Jimmy Page wrote this song for a very special woman. She wasn't famous for being his best friend's girl. But most people know about her. And Jimmy was seriously into her. Say it with me geeks: Joni Mitchell. That's right. Jimmy met Joni during a music festival and wrote this song for her. The most obvious line is "To find a Queen without a King/They say she plays guitar and cries/And sings."

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by The Beatles

Contrary to popular belief, this song is not about an acid trip. In fact, it's the only song off Sgt. Pepper's that was written while sober. John Lennon's son Julian brought him a picture he drew in kindergarden that day. He drew a girl in his class named Lucy along a fantasy setting. The picture was called Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.

Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd

Both parts 1 and 2 are real life stories of bassist Roger Waters. The first story is of him as a young child learning that his father was killed in World War II. The second comes from the cruel teachers in his boarding school. In fact, the concept of The Wall comes from an incident in which a fan at a show was trying to climb over the wall separating the audience from the band. Waters spat on him, but later realized that being cut off from his fans was like living isolated.

Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton

If this were any other Clapton song, I would make the "Old Eric just can't stay off the list, can he?" joke. But, considering what this song is about, I'm not in a joking mood. Eric Clapton wrote this song for someone. His 4 year old son, who died after falling out of a 53rd story window. Clapton was apparently isolated himself in the following months. In 2004, Clapton stopped playing the song, stating that he had let his sadness out and he didn't want it to return.