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April 29 - Girls, Girls, Girls? April 27 - Why I continue to do this...
Tony Sarno was a discovery I made when I had a record store in Tallahassee, FL. I was (and remain) on a blues guitar kick, and Tony's cd was one of many sent to my store for promotion. I heard it, loved it, and promptly bought several for the store (and one for myself). Many years later, to see an email from Tony himself... Well, that's exactly why I spend day after day talking about music on this silly lil' excuse for a website. Make sure you all go check out Tony Sarno's website. There are links to check out samples of his music, so there's really no excuse not to give the guy a chance. If you like rootsy, soulful blues and loud rock n roll, you'll probably like Tony. |April 26 - Another FJ Radio Overhaul In keeping with the spirit of Sacramento rock, I've added a track from the sorely-missed (and criminally underrated) Sedona. Digging even further into the vault, I uncovered a demo recording by another great Sacramento band that disappeared well before their time, Walking Tall. Imagine Mark Slaughter singing for Bon Scott-era AC/DC, if they'd been a Southern rock band and you'll get the general idea. Anatomic also makes a welcome return to my playlist, as they've been popping up in my home cd player with increasing regularity. For classic's sake, I also added a track by Montrose, who are probably best known for introducing Sammy Hagar to the world. For fun, I added a duet between George Lynch and Vince Neil. They cover Black Sabbath's "Paranoid". And to round things out a bit, I added songs from Hair of the Dog, Stephen Pearcy, Heavy Bones (which featured Frankie Banali from Quiet Riot and Gary Hoey), Samantha 7, and the DLR Band. Turn it up. |April 24 - Mother Nature is PMSing.. Honestly, why do people live in the upper midwest, the northeast, or the plains? Aside from getting Cubs tickets or having the opportunity to see Prince grocery shopping, what's the appeal? Is the pizza really that good in New York City? Do the 8 months of miserable weather make the other 4 worthwhile? Hell, I got tired of the cold in Sacramento, and that really only lasted about 6 months (and compared to a lot of other places, it wasn't *that* cold). I should probably shut up and stop encouraging people to move to warmer climates... It's crowded enough on my little island as it is, and I'd really like to see all future development stopped. That way, you could only move here if you move into an already-existing house. But since I'm feeling generous today, I'll expand the criteria for admission to include hot chicks up to age 40, cool dudes who'll share waves and offer a drink from the cooler, and anyone who can get Van Halen to play at my next birthday party. There. That little bit of sexist obnoxious arrogance should discourage some folks from aspiring to be my neighbor... |April 23 - Which one needs a Parental Advisory sticker more? You know, W.A.S.P. caught an awful lot of grief for a song that only had the word "fuck" appear twice. I remember when they were considered "dangerous". My, how times have changed... Either way, like, go support free speech or something. Motherfucker. In other news, Jani Lane, in an effort to reach a new personal low, is scheduled to appear on next season's Celebrity Fit Club. (Click on "meet the cast") Whether or not Jani still qualifies as a "celebrity" is still pending. But let's be honest here - the guy isn't 25 anymore. He's put on a little weight. Still, his problem isn't just diet and exercise - it's alcohol and chemical. Without solving those problems first, all of the drill sergeants, gay comedians, and d-list "celebrities" in the world surrounding him on this "show" won't amount to anything. Furthermore, when I saw Jani last year, he didn't look that bad. He didn't look like he did in the 80s, but for a 40+year old who's abused his body as much as he has, he looked alright. He's also a very cool guy and I sincerely hope he can get his act together - just not on a stupid "reality" show solely designed for the least common denominator of VH1's increasingly ADD-prone viewership. It's also interesting to note that they referred to him as "Warrant frontman Jani Lane". Maybe I'm the only who cares about these things, but Jani hasn't worked with Warrant for a long time now. Warrant has been touring with Black N Blue frontman Jaime St James as lead vocalist. Maybe VH1 just inadvertently spilled some beans... Another Warrant reunion? You heard it here (this time anyways...) first! |April 22 - Happy Hour Chef Appreciation Post April 18 - Earth to Ted Nugent... Come in Ted... From the article - "I want child molesters dead. I want the bad guys dead. No court case. No parole. No early release. I want 'em dead. " That only sounds marginally dysfunctional, and almost acceptable. Until, of course, you take into account... Moment #80. Pot, meet kettle. Kettle, pot. Maybe one day Ted can tour with Steven Tyler, Jimmy Page, and Michael Jackson... |April 14 - With this noose... I have had many friends over the years who, finding themselves unhappy with the pressure of having a "real" job, have asked me for advice about entering into my line of work. I've found a career in retail to be very similar to playing the old classic arcade game "Asteroids". At first, you think that it's the greatest concept ever. You hardly notice the hours passing by, as you gleefully plunk down (earn) quarter after quarter. You quickly learn that there are few absolutes, and only a handful of "rules" which are easily learned very quickly. But soon after the initial thrill of playing (working) wears off, you realize that there isn't much else. Much like retail, the only challenge lies in the rocks flying by your head faster and faster as the years go by. As your other spacecraft (coworkers) fall to the pressure of faster rocks, you find yourself more and more shorthanded while the rocks never slow down. Then your last ship (brain) explodes, and the game's over. And your family and friends call you a loser for wasting your life. The only difference - in retail, you will often have someone a step above you with major control issues, who'll impose arbitrary sanction if for no other reason than to assert him/herself. Because it's generally not an intellectually challenging career (hence my need for pressure-free intellectual stimulation elsewhere), I've found that the higher up one rises, the more insecure they become. Surely the corporate honchos at most retail headquarters realize that well-trained monkeys can perform most of their job functions. In most stores in which I've shopped, the monkeys need not even be well trained - they need only arrive on time. So, if you're considering a career in retail, please be advised that life doesn't give you an extra ship every 10,000 points. |April 9 - Always low standards. Always. Strange news story plus idiot at home equals - the best conversation-opening pieces that you might hear whilst browsing at Wal Mart on Singles Night... Top 10 Wal Mart Pickup Lines April 8 - Everything I need to know I learned from Paul Stanley. April 7 - Fight the good fight, but choose your battles wisely.
BREAK TIME - LOOK AWAY FROM THE MONITOR FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE Now, my reaction might surprise a lot of people. After all, I'm the King of 80s Metal, and I dare say there are few people who'd like to see my favorite artists receive more credibility and public accolade for their work more than me. But if this is the army that's defending my kingdom, I think pacifism might be the better option. I've enabled the email links and the petition link above just in case any of you feel the need to "do something". But honestly, don't waste your time. I've seen countless petitions, "great metal takeovers", and campaigns to harass the execs to put up an all-80s metal channel. If you really wanna email executives at the MTV networks, be my guest. All you'll get is an automated form letter, if anything. They've proven time and time again that music isn't really what drives them. Dokken will never again have a new video on MTV. Firehouse will never again be guest VJs. Tesla will never again get on camera and say "I Want My MTV". Riki Rachtman will never again interview Cinderella or any members of Guns N Roses in between commercials for Clearasil. There will never be "American Idol - Sunset Strip" with members of London serving as judges. But that's ok. We don't need any of that crap. Rather than constantly bitch about the state of MTV, let's take pride that our favorite artists are still recording, touring, and working. MTV be damned, Tesla released a cd last year that sold over 100,000 copies, generated two songs that made it into rotation on rock stations, and headlined a tour. Van Halen, Motley Crue, and Def Leppard all headlined (and in many cases, sold out) arenas. Dokken released a very strong album. Hell, even KROKUS put out a pretty good cd. Though it's not available everywhere, VH1 Classic (another Viacom channel, the same company that owns MTV Networks) has a show called Metal Mania, where many of the old Headbanger's Ball videos air once again. 80s metal owns the internet. There are a TON of 80s metal-news sites, and most of the bands we grew up enjoying maintain their own sites where news, touring information, and even music samples are readily available 24/7. You can listen to any of a million 80s metal-oriented internet radio stations. There are online record stores that specialize in the kind of music we all enjoy. There are forums for discussing every aspect of the industry. Folks, MTV didn't kill 80s metal - MTV died. Stop blaming them for the problem and take matters into your own hands. We DO NOT need validation from MTV or from anyone else to enjoy our music, and the fact that much of it even exists proves that point. When I got tired of my favorite bands being treated like pariahs by the holier-than-thou critical elite, I did something about it on my own - I started a website and a radio station, and spent several years working for music retailers. I started the 80s Metal Preservation Society. I bought a shitload of cds and went to a lot of concerts. The result? I dare say that I've seen more 80s metal in the past 5 years than I did in the 80s. If an idiot like me can do it, surely the rest of you can participate as well. This is not an invitation-only party. Nearly every city has a retro station, or a rock station. Folks in Northern California are lucky to have Chicks Who Rock, and Staci Anderson's new Revival show which focuses on the current efforts of our favorite bands. I also know that Staci LOVES getting feedback and listener requests. I'm sure that there are stations in your town who would be receptive to the idea of a rock show - just ask them. But even if they aren't, you can still listen to Chicks Who Rock online. There is no conspiracy by the MTV executives, only greed and cluelessness. Sadly, those conditions are not curable. Mourn the loss, but move forward. To put things in perspective, we already own everything that we need, and have all of the tools to create anything else that we want. Symbolically, we're the affluent, educated, responsible suburban heads of family. Let's avoid the stereotypical midlife crisis of going to Indonesia on vacation and chasing after the 16-year old hooker who'll do anything for one more hit of money. THAT'S how I see MTV these days. Bling bling, yo. April 18 is "Jamming Day"? My friends, around here, EVERY day is jamming day. |April 5 - It's my niece's birthday today. Anyhow, happy birthday Bailey!  Think I should get her a drumset? Or a big, screechy, messy parrot? |April 4 - Does this make me a nerd? In other news, FJ Radio is back to it's regularly scheduled programming. For now, it's pretty much all mainstream metal. It's probably best to ease back to the more obscure stuff, and stick to the basics for the time being. I will tell you all one thing - I don't think I'll ever change the entire playlist again unless it's for good. That is a most time-consuming task. AS for future site developments, I'm currently exploring the possibility of hosting some songs and/or videos on the site and setting up a live chat to discuss them. That idea's been kicked around on the forums for the past few days... Might be kind of fun to do. |April 3 - Must've been the light. So when the evening came around, I decided to treat myself and buy a nice dinner at my favorite local restaurant/watering hole. In yet another out-of-character move, I had a drink before dinner. There was no occasion, there was no company - I just went out and had dinner and a drink at a popular spot by myself. AND I ACTUALLY GOT CARDED. C'mon now... I haven't been carded for years. I do NOT look like a college kid, drinkin' on a fake ID. Hell, when I buy liquor (where the signs read "We Card Anyone Who Appears To Be Under 35") I never get carded. The server wasn't some cute chick trying to flatter me for a big tip. It wasn't some new guy following the rules to the letter. I actually got carded when buying a cocktail by a waiter who'd served me the last time I went in for dinner. And he didn't card me that night, either! Strange... |April 2 - DOUBLE April Fools - a lesson in commerce Anyhow, as some of you know, I also switched the playlist for FJ Radio and turned it into FJ Rebel Radio. I listened long enough to make sure it worked (and it took a long time to load that playlist). Normally, I generally only get a handful of folks tuning in daily, and maybe one or two preset-adds a week. I got more than 5 during my tenure as a country station, and launched many more streams than normal. At first, I figured that it would be regular readers checking up on me, and counted on each station launch lasting maybe 5 minutes - just enough time to listen to a song or two before thinking, "Hey, maybe this isn't a joke - I'm out of here!" The average listener tuned in for almost an hour. So now I'm thinking... Maybe I should launch a side project with a country theme. While there's an audience for 80s metal, there really isn't much money to be made. Wouldn't it be funny if I could pull off a money-making country venture and use the proceeds to fund this site? It'd almost be like robbing Peter Prince to pay Paul Stanley. Of course, there will be many pissed off rednecks who added me as a preset during my brief period as the King of New Country, who tune in tomorrow and hear Faster Pussycat instead of Rhett Akins. Goodbye apple pie, hello "Cherry Pie", I suppose... I'll be sure to watch my email carefully - although I didn't fool very many of you, I might have managed to inadvertently pull off a bait and switch on the Nascar crowd... Bret Michaels might be on to something. | |
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"Don't wanna wait for an invitation, you've gotta live like you're on vacation" - Paul Stanley, "Lick It Up", 1983
