The Real American Idiots: Uninformed in an informed world
It would seem that in today’s world, America is a well-advanced nation with state of the art technology and well-educated citizens, but the truth is that compared to the rest of the world, Americans are lazy and ignorant, and I’m as guilty as the next man. A bag of rocks probably has a higher IQ than the nation as a whole. Seriously, look at the rest of the world – they may not all be as advanced technologically as us, but they have a much better idea of who they are and what is going on in the world around them – therefore I have to side with the sentiments of N. Abramovitz and Guilio A. De Leo from the Taking Sides reading. America is increasingly becoming a nation undereducated, and in the end only we will pay the price for it. As the world around us grows more technologically advanced and up-to-date, our remaining ignorant to something as simple as the underlying principles in our Constitution will only pose problems. So no, I do not believe that people are better informed in the information society.
Wade Roush gives the argument of a newer and better internet called “PlanetLab” as leading the way to a new age of information. I fail to see how this applies to people being better informed in the information society, as it is merely streamlining the process even more and making it even more effortless. This automatic virus-destroying technology and easy formatting may seem like a blessing, but it does nothing to help the average American become on-par with global standards of up-to-datedness. The fact that many of my countrymen probably don’t know James K. Polk was once the leader of their country is a little disturbing, considering we’ve only been around for 200 years and there’s not even 50 Presidents to remember. It’s sad, but we’re spooned so much pop culture that we barely even know who we are as a nation – how can we be considered “informed?”
Chinese Democracy: A Lesson in Outsourcing
Guns N Roses fans have waited patiently for over a decade now for the release of new Guns N Roses’ material, in the form of the mythical Chinese Democracy album. In the time since their last release, The Spaghetti Incident? Axl Rose has managed to take one of the greatest bands in the history of rock and roll and slowly but surely wrench it apart. With rumors of the new album stringing all the way back to 1999, it seems that the Chinese Democracy will never become a reality.
However, as sad as this might be, it also provides an excellent lesson in outsourcing. Yes indeed, if silly Axl had taken an economics class or two, maybe he’d know that sending your production elsewhere is a bad thing. Instead of keeping things as they were circa Appetite for Destruction, Axl decided he had to have his way, and damn all his band-mates and anything they might think. Instead of sticking to the hard, gritty sound that won over so many fans (myself included) off their debut album, Axl wanted to appeal to a broader public audience, and so the byproduct was a softer sound on the Use Your Illusion albums. This was not bad – “November Rain,” I’m ashamed to say, is a great song, and “Don’t Cry” (the original version) and “Patience” are two of my favorite GNR songs. But in his quest for public appeal, and ultimately, more money, backfired in that he failed to realize that his band-mates weren’t on-par with his way of thinking, and in the end, Guns N Roses was made into much less than it once was. Such is the case with so many good American businesses, and so I find GNR’s naming this new album Chinese Democracy just a tad ironic. Think about it – how many corporations started off small, enjoyed success, and then screwed over their workers to move to China. It makes me mad that Axl Rose, who is still a great musician in spite of all of this, treated his band in such a way. In the same sense, it makes me mad that corporate CEO’s screw over their workers just so they can buy a gold toilet and gold-plated toilet paper to wipe their asses with. Below, I’ve given this a more simple representation:
Outsourcing
1.) Small company – focuses on quality.
2.) As company gets bigger, looks for cost-cutting techniques to increase profit.
3.) In effort to make more profit, work is shipped overseas for cheaper labor of lesser quality.
Axlsourcing
1.) Appetite for Destruction = amazing
2.) Rise to Fame – Axl gets an ego, looks for new appeal to broader audience and money.
3.) Axl continues to search for new public appeal and money. Quality declines as he ships away all former members of the band who disagree with him.
As you can see, Axl Rose has completely outsourced, or as I like to call it, “Axlsourced,” his band. When the rest of Guns N Roses began to dislike Rose and his inflated personality, he simply sent them away. He sent Slash and his top hat packing faster than they sent production of Hershey chocolate to Mexico. And we can see the results: GNR members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum went on to form the band Velvet Revolver with Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland on lead vocals. Velvet Revolver has produced two albums to good critical praise, and toured with a reformed Alice in Chains this summer. Guns N Roses has produced no new albums to no critical praise, and toured with Axl Rose sporting cornrows and baggy football jerseys, sniffing oxygen every twenty minutes, because he smoked enough cigarettes in the 90’s to literally be the chemical equivalent of the Marlboro Man. In addition, let’s take a moment to look at Slash’s replacement – the current guitarist, Bumblefoot. Like Slash he does have an alias, but it is immensely inferior. Bumblefoot – what, did he step on a bee? Actually, I looked this up, and it’s really an infection on the foot of a bird of prey, but who gives a flying fudge! Nobody’s going to mess with a guy named Slash. Secondly, Bumblefoot uses a Gibson Les Paul, but only because SLASH did first! He was actually required to switch to the Les Paul to be allowed to play in the band. Third, and most importantly, Slash has a top hat, and Bumblefoot does not, which automatically makes Slash about ten times more amazing.
So what’s the moral of this story? Don’t send work to China because outsourcing is bad!
And don’t mess with Slash, or his top-hat.
Do Stereotypes Still Exist in Television?
For this week’s class material blog, I’ll be discussing minority portrayal in television. Some would give the argument that in today’s times, minority groups are still incorrectly portrayed in television in a variety of stereotypical fashions. In the sense that they are portrayed stereotypically, I definitely agree. Stereotypes are present everywhere – shows like “Sanford and Son,” “Martin” and others portray African Americans in a stereotypical fashion.
In the reading in Taking Sides, Donald Bogle views the portrayal of African Americans in an almost purely negative light. He basically pigeonholes all African Americans into one of several stereotypical categories. He is especially critical of “Martin,” claiming that each character has its own little identity in the world of sterotypes. Sheneneh wears dramatically overdone hair extensions and skimpy clothing, according to Bogle. Mama Payne is a classic example of the “mammy” character in Bogle’s analysis of African American portrayal in television.
On the contrary, I tend to side more with John McWhorter in viewing the supposed stereotypes less seriously. This is meant to be entertainment, not to degrade African American culture or any minority culture. I think that the stereotypes are portrayed in these television shows such that it is intended as humor. America has reached a point now where we realize that these stereotypes are meant to poke fun and do no harm. Inevitably there will always be some sticks in the mud, but I think that overall the television industry has done a good job of portraying all stereotypes across the board. “My Name is Earl” and the work of comedians like Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engval, and Jeff Foxworthy portray the typical “redneck” image in a satirical form. This is meant to be funny. I think there’s a certain desire to laugh at our own little quirks and faults, and these “stereotypical” comedies provide an outlet. There is, obviously, a line – when the stereotypes reach a derogatory level, obviously there is a problem. The Don Imus incident, for example is a good recent example. When we can laugh at our own faults, though, and learn to accept that stereotypes are just a part of who we all are, I think that everyone will be a little more accepting as a result.
Jake’s Top 10 Songs to Trim Christmas Trees to
I felt it my civic duty once again to follow up last week’s album review with a list of my top 10 favorite songs to trim Christmas trees to, for any tree farmers out there who like to spruce up their trimming day with a little music.
I’ll begin with a little background for those of you who are unfamiliar with the art of Christmas tree trimming; to get the nice, shapely, beautiful tree you buy every year around the holiday season, somebody needs to trim it up (the best jobs are done by hand with a pair of shears - it gives the tree a more personal job, as opposed to the mass-produced sickle-bar trimmer jobs which save time.) That’s where I come in. I go out with a ladder and a pair of shears to trim up what has now probably reached nearly a thouand trees over the course of the years I’ve been doing this. And then you, the consumer, come by with a bow saw and tears the life out of it for about three weeks’ time before throwing it out for the garbage.
Anyway, it’s about as boring a job as you can imagine, and I like to keep occupied with some music. To keep from going insane, you need a certain type of music to keep the mind sharp – so here’s a list of some of my favorite tree trimming tunes.
“Evil Woman” – Electric Light Orchestra. This song wins because unlike the rest of the songs on this list, it actually makes me want to be out in the field with a pair of shears, trimming. I love a song with a nice, “dancy” feel to it for trimming, and there’s something about the tune that just puts me in a trimming mood. I’ll admit I’ve even broken out a few disco moves while working on the firs. I actually trim to the beat.
“No Way Back” – Foo Fighters. Another good, upbeat song with a catchy tune. This is one of my favorite Foo Fighters songs, though it’s either hit or miss if played at the beginning of the day. Sometimes, it can be inspiring and give the drive needed to propel yourself through the rest of a boring day trimming trees, and sometimes, it just makes you depressed that you have eight more hours of this.
“Come As You Are” – Nirvana. Well first off, this is about as “dancy” as Nirvana gets, and this is pretty much my favorite song of all time. I love the deep, watery bass part. The whole song is just really well done; if they had played this at my high school Homecoming or Prom, I would’ve danced to it. It gets me into that tree-trimming “groove,” if you will, especially during the guitar solo. Great for trees that need a little extra precision.
Do Ya – Electric Light Orchestra. Like “Evil Woman,” “Do Ya” just has something in the beat that makes it a good work song. I even think some credit card company used it in a commercial for small businesses. “Do ya Do ya want my shears?”
“Beast and the Harlot” – Avenged Sevenfold. This is a great song overall – kinda’ somewhere between Guns N Roses and metal. It’s catchy, and great for any tight trimming jobs. I get a lot done on this one.
“Bullet with Butterfly Wings” – Smashing Pumpkins. The chorus is where you really get going on this song – when he starts screaming “Despite all my rage / I am still just a rat in a cage.” The song isn’t particularly good for productivity, but it’s fun for trimming nonetheless. For just a general trimming, a good tune.
“Vinum Sabbathi” – Electric Wizard. This song is really heavy. It has this slow, pondering beat and massive distortion that just throbs in your head if you crank it up. That, combined with the low, barely audible growling of their vocals, and you have a song that’s perfect for medium-heavy trimming, or if you want to saw the whole tree down.
“Sex Type Thing” – Stone Temple Pilots. STP is amazing for starters, but this is one of their best, if not their best song. I love the massive, hard hitting riffs – it just sounds like it’s spiraling downward as the song goes on. The drum beat is simple but nicely done, too. A good song to start the day moving fast.
“Blitzkrieg Bop” – The Ramones. It’s quick, fast paced, and full of that punk-rock energy, and it’s just plain catchy. A good tune for trimming stuff down about medium length, or if you want a close trim.
“Fall to Pieces” – Velvet Revolver. This one surprises me as a good tree-trimming tune, but the guitar solo really is great – it sends shivers down my spine every time. I like to crank the volume the whole way up – you really get a lot done in the chorus. Plus Scott Weiland’s vocals are really great – I like the song a lot to begin with. Best for a light to medium trimming.
The New Wave of Music: The Devolution of the Band
I recently had to partake in an activity in my English 140 Class in which we simulated the promotion of several different bands, and experimented with different advertising techniques to defend why our band was the most commercially marketable. Afterwards a thought came to mind, and so I decided to run with it this week and see where it goes. You see, music has seemingly taken a downward spiral in quality over the last few years. I really see, from an amateur’s eyes, two distinct trends that define today’s music – crappiness and sex. Look at your favorite bands from roughly a decade ago – how many of them are still around? Not many. Hansen and the Backstreet Boys aren’t too much of a loss in my personal opinion, but even the bigger rock groups like Stone Temple Pilots have fallen to pieces. Guns N Roses is one of the few still around, and it’s not really GNR so much as Axl Rose and some hired lackeys. Most of them had a ten-year run (if that) and deflated immediately after. Why is this? The reason is that record labels just don’t plan for longevity in bands anymore; they need a breakthrough album right off the bat, and so won’t let a band with a lot of potential develop its sound thoroughly. The albums that do get through sound like crap, based around one or two hits and about eight tracks of fluff. I honestly can think of only three bands I would label as “good” that have formed in the past few years. They are Wolfmother, Velvet Revolver, and Jet. I would also like to point out that Velvet Revolver is the only American band of the three, and it is composed of the former members of Guns N Roses’ original lineup with Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland on lead vocals. A perfect example of this new wave of crappiness is Hinder’s Extreme Behavior – it sounds like crap. I think just about every song on there involves some depressing, heartbreaking love ballad with cheesy lyrics and mass-produced instrumentation. At least “Lips of an Angel” was a hit. Yes, I admit it, I like “Lips of an Angel” – oh wait, I’m sorry – I liked it until they played it about 70 million times on the radio. That’s the other thing; these companies find a hit to promote the album with, and then they completely kill it with continuous radio play. But the record companies these days are focusing all their energy on making a bunch of little bombs that burn out fast before they get a chance to grow; it’s all about making money. The days of decade-spanning career bands are virtually over; the Aerosmiths and Led Zeppelins are gone. I guarantee Hinder will be done in ten years; probably in five.
To cite Hinder’s debut album for my next case as well, the front cover displays a scantily clad woman in a very seductive pose…I wonder how many teenage boys bought the album for that reason alone. The lyrics in the album often entail sex and drug abuse as well – in the case of “Get Stoned,” it entails both! The simple fact is that in today’s world, sex sells. Not necessarily a good or bad thing, but with so much of our music focusing on such…pleasurable…activities, what kind of affect is it having on the people listening to it. Consider also the Pussycat Dolls and Fergie. I guess some people find artists like this attractive – to me they just look like sluts, but you know, whatever sells albums, I guess. I’m politically liberal, so I guess to the conservative definition, I’m supposed to think all this is OK. I personally don’t have a huge problem with any of this content; I just think it’s an interesting point how over time, an artist’s success has become less about talent, and more about money and sex appeal. It’s really pretty sad.
Jake’s Top 5 Greatest Albums of all Time/5 Reasons Why I Hate Styx and Why You Should Too
I felt it my civic duty to announce my top five favorite albums of all time to anyone out there with a taste in rock and roll, so here it is, along with an explanation of why I hate Styx, and why you should too.
1.) In Utero-Nirvana. What? No Nevermind? It was hard for me to not give the top spot to Nevermind because that one album killed 80’s Glam Metal as we know it, and that is why I’m sure Kurt Cobain is in heaven right now. I love every album Nirvana ever made, and they all display incredible musical genius because, well…it’s NIRVANA and they’re just the BEST BAND EVER! The reason I place this as their best album, and the best album of all time, is because of its overall meaning. After the Nirvana craze of the early 90’s, Kurt Cobain grew uneasy with his fanbase, thinking they weren’t really understanding what his songs really meant…in came In Utero. Songs like “Rape Me” and “Heart-Shaped Box” unapologetically touched on issues that no artist would dare touch, much less touch in such a way. The lyrics can be sick and disturbing, and they’re meant to be that way; this is Nirvana’s heart and soul. Kurt’s lyrics are embracing; they make the listener live in the song. To the critical eye, In Utero is to social issues what Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle was to the meatpacking industry. Not to mention that it delivers classic Nirvana genius – the lyrical sarcasm in “All Apologies” is so thick it makes you want to laugh. Top Tracks: “All Apologies,” “Heart Shaped Box,” “Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle.”
2.) Sixteen Stone-Bush. Bush’s first album was without a doubt their most genius. In a time when the grunge scene was being dominated by American bands, Britain finally produced one of its own, and Sixteen Stone proved to be a fantastic breakthrough. Obviously hits like “Comedown,” and “Glycerine” helped propel Bush into the heart of mainstream American rock, but the beauty of the album is that it never tires. From “Everything Zen” to “X-Girlfriend,” the album keeps you listening to the album, a rarity in today’s crap. Too many groups simply have a 12-track album with one or two tracks as pillars. Sixteen Stone is consistent – massive guitars, distortion everywhere, and above all, raw talent. Top Tracks: “Comedown,” “Glycerine,” “Little Things”
3.) Dopethrone-Electric Wizard. I never even knew this group existed until college when one of my classmates opened my eyes to the world of Doom Metal. This album is so heavy it should be illegal – if Lucifer has an iPod, I’m sure he’s got Electric Wizard on there, and probably some Michael Jackson, too. The album is just genius – a slow, pondering, doom opus. Not to mention the fact that the vocals are so low in the album that it sounds more like an unintelligible, rabid growl than singing. Top Tracks: “Vinum Sabbathi,” “Dopethrone,” “Funeralopolis.”
4.) Appetite for Destruction-Guns N Roses. Remember the days when Axel Rose didn’t suck? I do! Without a doubt one of the greatest albums of all time, from one of the greatest bands of all time. It took hard rock and wrested it from the grip of Poison and their horrible 80’s Glam Metal lackeys. This album delivered hit after hit; the gritty, in-your-face guitars of Izzy Stradlin and Slash conjuring up images reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto. At the same time, however, songs like “Sweet Child of Mine” “Paradise City” and the two-part “Rocket Queen” showcase more roses and less guns, but it’s not enough to detract. This tone would show up more in later GNR hits like “November Rain,” and “Patience,” as the band was slowly ripped apart by Axl’s ego before reaching the tattered state of affairs the band is in today. I guess every rose really does have its thorn. In short, though, the album paints a beautiful picture of the low-life scum of America, and is from my experience also a great listen while trimming Christmas trees. Top Tracks: “Mr. Brownstone,” “Rocket Queen,” “Sweet Child of Mine.”
5.) Wolfmother-Wolfmother. In my opinion, this is one of only two groups formed since 2000 that don’t sound like crap. Not only do they not sound like crap, they sound great! Wolfmother’s debut self-titled album hearkens back to the days of psychedelic grooves and flower power. Add in Andrew Stockdale’s high flowing vocals, and you’ll think you’re being sung a ballad by a medieval minstrel…a medieval minstrel with an electric guitar. Come to think of it, he sounds a little like Claudio Sanchez of Coheed & Cambria, only…he doesn’t sound like crap. AND his hair is ten-times more amazing – afro beats curly mop any day of the week. But enough of last week’s ramblings – this album just plain kicks butt. Every song caught my attention; I actually heard each track play – they don’t simply run together like every other album made by every other new band in today’s musical realm. I also have to mention that the instrumentation is simply epic – “Woman” is a 3-minute bomb explosion…with an organ solo to boot. The album itself is also very heavy in sound – the riffs in the chorus of “White Unicorn” are so low you think you’re listening to Black Sabbath. All in all, some great creative vibes from some great new talent. I really hope their next album is just as good if not better. Top tracks: “Woman,” “White Unicorn,” and “Love Train.”
AND NOW, for your reading pleasure…
Five Reasons Why I Hate Styx and Why You Should Too
Not enough people in this world hate Styx, and so as a public service announcement, I’ve compiled a list of the Top 5 reasons to hate the most overrated group in the history of mankind, Styx…
5.) Tommy Shaw is overrated – enough said on that, let’s move on, shall we.
4.) Dennis DeYoung is a wimp – I would love to see a cage match between Claudio Sanchez and Dennis DeYoung – they both have annoying, high pitched voices and try sooo hard to make good music. They just can’t make the cut though. I hate to say it, but I think Claudio would win-the guy is “built like a lion” to quote my good friend Hydraduck.
3.) Kilroy Was Here following the trend of other concept albums I hate, Styx decided to make their album into a futuristic scenario where music has been outlawed, and the mythical “Kilroy” must escape the prisons of the MMM and their notorious leader, Dr. Righteous. Oh how I wish Kilroy wasn’t here. Like virtually every other concept album ever made, it is overbearing in its creativity to the point where the listener is suffocating on ridiculous content. The Wall is the only half-decent album in that genre I’ve ever heard – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – if you want to tell a story, write a book.
2.) They use Synthesizers. Any band who uses 80’s style synthesizers is pretty much crap, but Styx is a master of screwing up any semblance of music in a song. I almost cry when I hear the synth. break on “Come Sail Away” – it actually sounds kinda’ good until this point, and as soon as that feathery whining comes through, it drops faster than Rosie O’Donnell with a sack of lead.
And the #1 reason I hate Styx and you should too:
MR. ROBOTO
If it were my decision, I would condemn Styx to hell for even thinking of writing this song. It is without a doubt the most obnoxious, aggravating piece I’ve ever heard. I’m not sure if they were under the effects of cannabis when they wrote this, but I’d believe it. It mixes two of my least favorite things, emo rock and synthesizers. Even though this was the 80’s DeYoung’s whiny voice and vocals lean more towards a Hawthorne Heights album than Styx. I mean, come on…“I’ve got a secret / I’ve been hiding / under my skin / My heart is human / my blood is boiling / my brain IBM.” If that doesn’t scream “emo” I don’t know what does – the guy thinks he’s a freakin’ robot! Ding ding ding, there goes my “emo metaphor” alert. Don’t even get me started on the video.
Censorship in Music
The music industry these days has a great deal of responsibility on its shoulders in the realm of censorship, and just how far it is willing to let First Amendment Rights dictate what goes on within the industry in terms of lyrical and graphic content. As the music industry has gotten even broader in terms of what is socially acceptable in music, graphic images and lyrics pose a greater problem.
Some would say that such things are merely symbolic – I remind you of Nazi Germany – this might be an extreme example, but propaganda from the Nazi party allowed one charismatic man to take a highly educated nation and turn it to his will. We’ve seen in the past how music can make some cultural changes. The British Invasion of the 1960’s and psychedelic rock helped usher in the days of flower power and a hippie heaven. Nirvana’s single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” almost single-handedly launched the grunge movement, and bred a new generation of Americans who were dissatisfied with society. In short, words have power, and they must be used wisely. There is, admittedly, no easy way to tackle the problem as a whole – controlling what an artist can produce is an infringement of their creativity, and controlling who can listen to what is reminiscent of the Soviet Union in many respects. The parental advisory system is also faulty – it essentially has the blocking ability of a sticker on an album. We need to do a better job of ensuring that young children are not exposed to this material. I believe the artist still has the right to produce the material – some of my favorite albums are labeled as having explicit content. It’s just a question of age that should be a concern in the industry.
Good Apollo, I’m Burning Coheed & Cambria, Volume I: They’re Really Bad
I’m not normally one to raise a fuss, but I feel it my civic duty to complain about a decline in quality of the rock genre, particularly in the form of Coheed & Cambria. Yes, fans of Coheed, stone me, because I’m about to tear into Claudio Sanchez (and his hair) with no remorse.
First of all, Claudio is the closest thing to a grown man singing Soprano that I’ve ever heard. Never mind the fact that he could probably smuggle several illegal immigrants across the border in his hair. Where I lose all respect for Coheed, though, is their 5-album saga detailing the fictitious Amory Wars, telling the fictitious story of their band. Basically, they’re trying to rip off The Wall and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars but the difference is that Pink Floyd and David Bowie actually have talent. If that weren’t enough, there is actually a comic book dedicated to telling the story of Coheed and the Amory Wars. I think Claudio needs to stop playing D&D and worrying about his hair and focus a little more on making music. Critics seem to hail these “storytelling albums” as revolutionary and breakthrough, but to be perfectly honest, I thought that even Pink Floyd’s The Wall was mediocre at best.
Musically speaking, all of Coheed’s songs sound more or less the same, and have much the same feel – they try to sound epic and modern at the same time, but fall horribly flat within seconds. It’s truly disappointing when I can flip through an album and not find a single song that holds my attention. Plus their album titles have huge, epic-sounding titles that take a day and a half to read. At first it wasn’t too bad, their first album, The Second Stage Turbine Blade wasn’t too bad. No, however, we have Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume I: From Fear through the Eyes of Madness. What’s next? I’m thinking something to the tune of: Dear Hippolyta, the Third Phase B-Thrust Inducer is Maintaining the Underlying Principles of the Quiet Planet, Volume XXIVCDE: We’re Stringing As Many Big Words Together As We Can to Sound Big and Important, but This Album is Actually Crap, so Don’t Buy it. Come on Coheed, you can (probably) do better than this; cut the crap and make some music instead of trying to put your Final Fantasy adventures into song. I think that if Coheed & Cambria truly is the experimental, progressive band they are hailed as, they should experiment around and find a better sound.
