I finally decided to start watching this show, and I just finished the "miniseries" DVD last night.
A couple things annoy me, right off the bat.
The constant use of low voices and whispering is about as annoying as Zack Snyder's copious use of slow motion. Am I gonna have to put up with that throughout the series?
Apparently even in such a technologically advanced society, people still get terminal breast cancer? C'mon, man. They can fucking jump through hyperspace in giant space battle fortresses, but the world of medicine hasn't advanced at all?
Probably the most annoying to me is that they are NOT from Earth, yet their language, terminology, fashion, behavior and culture are CLEARLY FROM EARTH! WTFFFFFFFFFF!
UGH. Why they couldn't have just ditched the whole "they're from another planet and are seeking the legendary Earth for refuge" bit is beyond me. If they're gonna go through and change shit, that would be just as good of a change. It was stupid in the awful TV show from the '70s, and it's stupid now, too. :P
I am probably the only person that is annoyed by these things.
Other than that, I guess it's pretty good, so far. I totally have the hots for the gal who plays Starbuck. Awww yeah!
Currently
listening
:
Ratt & Roll 8191
By
Ratt
Release date: 1991-09-03
Wow, I just now found out about this while looking up some movie info online.
Certainly a very important part of the movie industry throughout the '80s and '90s. I'm sure we've all seen the fruits of his creativity and imagination over the years. From The Thing, Aliens, Terminator, Predator, Ed Scissorhands, Batman, Jurrasic Park... I mean, talk about some big-time movies.
Before I got into art and design and comics, I'd see these movies and see what his effects studio would create, and I'd wish that I could be part of that process. Trying to make fantastic larger-than-life things a reality. In this era of computer-rendered non-stop cuts-every-second in-your-face A.D.D. movie making, I hope people realize that not too long ago things were different, and guys like Stan Winston were blazing the trail.
Transgendered in the world of Metal.
Category: Music
I occasionally read Decibel Magazine, and I saw something in the most recent issue that blew me away.
Dan Martinez, the vocalist/guitarist for the death metal band Cretin, is now a woman.
Can you imagine this? In a scene which is full of homophobia and flat-out hatred? I mean, it's one thing to see Rob Halford of Judas Priest, one of the godfathers of metal, come out as being gay (which is really not surprising given the latent homoeroticism in metal - and don't tell me that all those leather dudes, and sweaty dudes moshing each other, aren't kinda homoerotic). But this is courage and will to another level.
And to read a feature in a metal mag, several pages long, telling the story of Dan becoming Marissa Martinez in such a positive and supportive light. It just seems unheard of.
For once, my lack of faith in humanity has wavered just a little bit.
Rory passed away yesterday. He was an amazingly friendly and generous person. He loved people and he loved comic books. He owned the best bookstore I've ever been to, Comic Relief in Berkeley.
If you've been there, you may have seen him sitting outside, greeting passersby and people coming in and out of the store. He loved talking to people about books, and he always had the perfect recommendation for you.
I once volunteered for the dubious honor of driving a 26-foot 13-ton Penske truck (which I had never driven before) 18 hours to San Diego Comic Con for him. There are very few people I would've done that for. ;)
There aren't enough people like him, and there aren't enough retailers like him, either. He was one of the best. This is a huge loss to those of us who knew him, and to the comics world in general. We'll miss him.
If you're in the area, stop by his shop. If you have any nice stories about Rory to tell, or if you just want to send your condolences, everyone at Comic Relief would be appreciative.
I love Yoko Kanno, and I think she's brilliant. I started off my morning today listening to her amazing music from Macross Plus and Cowboy Bebop (one of the greatest TV shows ever -- and if songs like "Voices", "Tank!", "What Planet Is This?" or "Rise" don't do anything for you, I don't know what will)...
...and suddenly I found myself listening to Mari Iijima (who sings the songs and is the voice of Minmay in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? - awesome movie, great soundtrack!), Ayumi Hamasaki, Akino Arai, Yui and Nana Kitade, which made me want to listen to L'arc~en~ciel (great stuff, by the way the video for Blurry Eyes is hilarious and awesome), not to mention going through the Katamari Damacy soundtracks... and... it's just become a full-blown theme for today. I'm out of control, man.
Goddamn, I'm a fucking dork.
If you have any suggestions on something to listen to, old or new, throw 'em my way!
I thought I'd break out some music I hadn't listened to in a while, and enjoy with my lovely headphones at work. I'm listening to the Macross Plus OST (well one of several, as anime OSTs go), and I have to marvel at Yoko Kanno.
When I first saw this in the mid-'90s, I can't say I'd heard an anime soundtrack quite like it. Since then, she's done some very notable work (Cowboy Bebop, Lodoss War, Escaflowne, Ghost In The Shell:SAC). She is an amazing composer/musician, and I love how her music fits Macross Plus so well, though sometimes I wonder how she'd approach it if she were to have done it later in her career instead of at the beginning (as this was one of her first anime scores).
Silly as it seems, "Voices" and "Myung's theme" get me weepy every single damned time.
I think I may have to watch the anime this weekend. I really like the original Macross, and I think Macross Plus is quite good (the "movie version" preferably).
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, well... hmmm. Check out the movie Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? and then watch Macross Plus (which is a sequel that is indirectly related, and takes place probably 50 years after).
If you wanna get hardcore, watch the Super Dimension Fortress Macross series (which was butchered into a silly Americanized soap opera called Robotech, which I loved as a kid).
Now collected in trade paperback, and you should go buy it. Should be in stores May 7th!
Jamie's a nice young lad from the UK, and he's only getting better. I see him doing some great things in the years to come. Wouldn't you like to be able to say that you were there from the very beginning? ;)
"Life's tough when you're a teenager - homework, boy trouble and meddling parents. So when Astrid Johnson has to deal with imaginary friends turned real, monster attacks and faerie magic as well - that's just not fair, is it?"
---
Heck, while you're at it, pick up Phonogram, especially if you are a fan of the whole Britpop movement of the '90s, which is jam-packed with Jamie's lovely artwork:
"Phonogram really, really works. It analyzes the music and the movement with a passion only available to those who really loved it. It also takes the whole thing apart with the venom of those who've come out the other side. It's a cheap shot perhaps, but it is true that Ocean Colour Scene were shit and Kulashaker should never have been allowed a single note in music's history. But that is something we learn in time. The whole point of Phonogram is to celebrate the insanity of music, of the way it can make you feel and the glorious magic it can bring into your life. It envelops you, takes you deeper than any lover could and blinds you to its faults." -- Richard Bruton, Forbidden Planet.
I recently went on a music-purchasing binge and came away with several gems. I mean, I knew they were going to be, but still. :p Anyway, these first few here have something in common, in that their track lists flow and weave together an atmosphere/theme/mood that's consistent from front to back.
The Black Keys - Attack & Release
If you're already a fan of this awesome band, you'll notice right away that this album is different than their last few (which is probably the influence of their producer, Danger Mouse). I personally think it'd be hard to match their previous work, and this album kind of goes in a different direction for them. Mellower, a little spacier, driven more by setting a mood than just hitting you in the face with their bluesy indie rock. I think their previous albums were more riveting, but this is definitely worth your hard-earned cash, and I think it's a fine introduction for new listeners. If you've never heard them before--CHECK THEM OUT!
Side note-- When I was at the record store, they had this on vinyl for $16 and it also comes with a version on CD... How cool is that? I wish everyone did that!
Notable tracks: "All You Ever Wanted", "Strange Times", "I Got Mine", "Remember When"
Call me a dork, but I have a crush on Amber Valentine. She can rock like few others can -- and on this new album she does it all. Right away you may notice the title is a reference to Marie Antoinette. You'd be correct, and the album notes will reveal various reflections on her days as queen up to her beheading by guillotine. That's right, this is a glorious 21-track metal concept album about Marie Antoinette. How cool is that? It's at once an interesting, complex, heavy, poppy and kinda scary album. Somewhat unpredictable, they switch gears a lot on this record, and somehow it all makes sense. It's more like a soundtrack to the aforementioned concept.
Jucifer is sort of a metal version of Jack White and Meg White, and they've been doing this for longer, too. I will admit that their music may be an acquired taste, especially their LIVE music (which is FAR LESS poppy their studio recordings). They will melt your guts with sheer volume and intensity. They are loud doom metal in concert. Great stuff, give them a shot!
Noteable tracks: "Blackpowder", "L'Autrichienne", "To The End", "Behind Every Great Man", "Traitors"
Another heavy in-your-face album from this Oakland trio. If you're a fan already, this album will not let you down. Right off the bat, "Fury Whip" throws you to the floor, kicks you in the face, and from there the album never lets up.
Matt Pike, formerly of the pot-influenced super stoner doom metal band Sleep, really gives these songs focus, and the bridge pieces transition excellently between songs. It all feels like it has purpose, not just a collection of songs thrown together to release an album. And unlike Sleep's music, this album does not chug slowly along.
I saw them perform not too long ago, but they're scheduled to tour again (Gigantour) soon with a rejuvenated Megadeth (yay!) and Swedish metal masters In Flames. Catch them if you can.
Notable tracks: "Fury Whip", "Death Is this Communion", "Turk", "Rumors Of War"
Some of you may be familiar with this band due to the popularity of Guitar Hero 2. Their debut album Age Of Winters was actually very good.
However, this one somehow feels weaker than their first album, which was EPIC, but I couldn't help but think they missed the mark a little bit here. I think I held too high a hope of being blown away by the sheer awesomeness of their second album. Maybe it was unfair of me to have expected this one to be even better.
That said, it's definitely a lot more polished, and it's constructed well. Surely worth listening to if you're a fan of a Black Sabbath-ish style of doom/stoner rock/metal full of references to Norse mythology and all that great stuff. I certainly can't complain.
Notable tracks: "Fire Lances of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians", "The Frost-Giant's Daughter", "Maiden, Mother & Crone"
I've been a fan of these guys since their debut, when I was in high school... wow. That seems like forever ago. The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is one of my favorite albums ever. Anyway, I was thrilled to see that they were releasing a new album (I guess Chris Robinson had nothing else to do now that he and Kate Hudson are divorced), the first in... seven years? JEEZ, has it really been that long? It's full of their good ol' bluesy southern rock that you know and love -- only it feels more seasoned, WAY more laid back than their early stuff. There's still some of that old swagger there, but it's more focused and it just feels like they've aged well since they broke up years ago. I don't really think I can explain it any other way.
Notable tracks: "Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution", "Evergreen", "O Josephine",
Clutch sings the blues. Yep! A rowdy, hard rockin' bluesy album. This one took a while to grow on me, I have to say. I didn't like it that much at first, but it's actually quite good. A bit mellow and less heavy-hitting for Clutch standards. I expected a bit more OOMPH, but it does have its moments. It's a solid set of tunes. And dig that harmonica solo on "Electric Worry." Awww yeah!
They've done it all, from funk to stoner jam to metal. This band is ever-evolving, and I can only wonder what they'll be infusing into their music style next.
Sheesh! I swear, it's hard enough trying to find an awesome gal who's interested as it is, and you aren't helping by taking a bunch off the board all by yourself. :P
So, anyway, I was looking at some news article mentioning a polygamist in Canada, who has 20 wives and 100 children... and I couldn't help but wonder...
...about the logistics of creating your own minor league sports team through polygamy. It's a long-term investment, but just think of the dividends! You'd never have to sign your players to contracts! The really good players/teams could be farmed to major league teams. I think there are some interesting money-making opportunities here.
Like maybe starting up a construction company. I can already see the name. "Jensen & Sons & Daughters Construction Co." They're all learning the ropes from a young age, the smarter kids could maybe become architects, the older ones grow into management positions, and it starts off a cycle of a self-contained business from top to bottom! I'm sure you can see what I'm getting at.
I'm not that smart, but I can't help but wonder how all this manpower is going to waste. I'm sure someone else out there can figure out how to make this feasible, or come up with better ideas. Anyone? :D
A couple of great stories on Greg Maddux. The man's a genius and a living legend. I'm so glad he'll probably retire having last played for my hometown Padres. :)
