Jan 30, 2009
Darryl Hunt is Free.
I just finished watching this documentary.
As you all know, I usually love to write about the films I love with detail.
I cannot write or find words to describe what I just saw.
This movie has left me in tears, and I just need to tell people about it because I know that some out there will end up like I am right now: humbled.
Please, if you have Netflix, rent it right now.
Watch it with your whole family, loan it to your friends, talk about it at work... if it evokes half of what it did to me.
If you ever lose hope in any way in your life, then this might show you a lesson.
With much respect to Darryl, Me.
Jan 29, 2009
Tell me something... honestly.
Have you ever gone to a doctor's appointment a bit late and demand that you be put in line first, no matter if there were people waiting in line since 7am? When you finish doing your grocery shopping, do you walk up to the line and say, I'm first? Have you ever gone to a restaurant and ask the waiter to remove a couple from their table so you can sit down for a nice meal?
No. In real life, you have to wait your turn. You don't give shit to anyone because you know it's not your turn. So tell me, honestly... why the fuck do some clients out there want something asap, right now, this fucking second, when they know you have other stuff to take care of before it's "their" turn?
This week, I have thought of this wonderful theory a whopping 8-10 times. Clients have given me attitude because, gasp, I could not answer a phone call because I was doing something else. In fact, I have picked up the phone and told them gently that I'm in the middle of something but I will get back to them as soon as possible.
Hey. I would gladly accept if I was scratching my imaginary testicles and did nothing for a day or two. If I was too busy watching some idiot You Tube video and didn't pick up the call or move the fucking logo to the right in that specific moment, then I'm the one to blame. But you see, God has given me the gift of having more than one client. And it's extremely difficult for some to grasp that they are not the only human beings on the planet that need to have a brochure done, pronto.
The thing that bugs me the most about this damn theory is this: I have gotten call after call from clients giving me shit that they are waiting for a stupid change. So I hustle and even stop what I'm doing for another client just so that they can have a register mark put on a line. There, asshole, there is your print ad, go change the shit out of it again. Know what? They take DAYS to read, see, look more carefully, revise... So what's the rush, buttmuncher? I thought you needed it for today! Did the word Rush suddenly got changed to Fuck it, I will take my time?
You know what RUSH is? If I suddenly decide to stab myself with a Number Two pencil right in my jugular, then I need an ambulance, asap. If someone I know turns out to have lung cancer, they need treatment, rush. Everything else, dear client of ours, it's just an urgent need so you can look good for your boss. That's it.
And, please, if you must have the damn thing for today, and you asked for it twenty minutes ago, be advised that, while I will try my best to deliver what you want as soon as I can, I can't do miracles. If you have to wait in your precious little office after 6pm, don't call me every damn second. It's going to be delivered when it's going to be delivered. If you had any sense of organization skills you would learn that by sending stuff with time, then maybe, just maybe, you won't have to wait another hour or more.
Shit. Now I'm pissed. Know why? I can bet my sweet ass that not one agency client will ever read this post.
Fuck.
No. In real life, you have to wait your turn. You don't give shit to anyone because you know it's not your turn. So tell me, honestly... why the fuck do some clients out there want something asap, right now, this fucking second, when they know you have other stuff to take care of before it's "their" turn?
This week, I have thought of this wonderful theory a whopping 8-10 times. Clients have given me attitude because, gasp, I could not answer a phone call because I was doing something else. In fact, I have picked up the phone and told them gently that I'm in the middle of something but I will get back to them as soon as possible.
Hey. I would gladly accept if I was scratching my imaginary testicles and did nothing for a day or two. If I was too busy watching some idiot You Tube video and didn't pick up the call or move the fucking logo to the right in that specific moment, then I'm the one to blame. But you see, God has given me the gift of having more than one client. And it's extremely difficult for some to grasp that they are not the only human beings on the planet that need to have a brochure done, pronto.
The thing that bugs me the most about this damn theory is this: I have gotten call after call from clients giving me shit that they are waiting for a stupid change. So I hustle and even stop what I'm doing for another client just so that they can have a register mark put on a line. There, asshole, there is your print ad, go change the shit out of it again. Know what? They take DAYS to read, see, look more carefully, revise... So what's the rush, buttmuncher? I thought you needed it for today! Did the word Rush suddenly got changed to Fuck it, I will take my time?
You know what RUSH is? If I suddenly decide to stab myself with a Number Two pencil right in my jugular, then I need an ambulance, asap. If someone I know turns out to have lung cancer, they need treatment, rush. Everything else, dear client of ours, it's just an urgent need so you can look good for your boss. That's it.
And, please, if you must have the damn thing for today, and you asked for it twenty minutes ago, be advised that, while I will try my best to deliver what you want as soon as I can, I can't do miracles. If you have to wait in your precious little office after 6pm, don't call me every damn second. It's going to be delivered when it's going to be delivered. If you had any sense of organization skills you would learn that by sending stuff with time, then maybe, just maybe, you won't have to wait another hour or more.
Shit. Now I'm pissed. Know why? I can bet my sweet ass that not one agency client will ever read this post.
Fuck.
Sorry I'm late: 7 Things about Me.
Totally random, here I go.
1) I really hate voicemails. I only like the ones that say: Hey I'm (person), call me back. Talk for more than 10 seconds and I click delete.
2) I would eat sushi forever. Best food ever.
3) I recently started sewing to avoid watching too much tv.
4) I have one secret that no one knows and I will never tell.
5) I wear a coral bracelet for protection that I never take off. Even if I wear a ball gown. Might be superstition but it works constantly.
6) I still get goosebumps every time my boyfriend kisses me on the back of my neck, and we've been dating for years...
7) Even though I can't shine like my grandma (look it up), I can see and feel when people are bad or wish bad stuff to you. It's like they are surrounded by something dusty. Sometimes I can feel the bad energy coming from them. It's something that has taken years to understand and accept. Those people I never give even a chance to get closer and my gift has never proven me wrong.
There. Sorry if I'm late... I was just trying to think of 7 things that I haven't already written about. And that itself was soooo difficult... Hehehe.
1) I really hate voicemails. I only like the ones that say: Hey I'm (person), call me back. Talk for more than 10 seconds and I click delete.
2) I would eat sushi forever. Best food ever.
3) I recently started sewing to avoid watching too much tv.
4) I have one secret that no one knows and I will never tell.
5) I wear a coral bracelet for protection that I never take off. Even if I wear a ball gown. Might be superstition but it works constantly.
6) I still get goosebumps every time my boyfriend kisses me on the back of my neck, and we've been dating for years...
7) Even though I can't shine like my grandma (look it up), I can see and feel when people are bad or wish bad stuff to you. It's like they are surrounded by something dusty. Sometimes I can feel the bad energy coming from them. It's something that has taken years to understand and accept. Those people I never give even a chance to get closer and my gift has never proven me wrong.
There. Sorry if I'm late... I was just trying to think of 7 things that I haven't already written about. And that itself was soooo difficult... Hehehe.
Oh yes. Obama is a Mac Daddy.
Reason #450 to love him even a bit more. My heart is also full of rainbows...
Jan 28, 2009
Hoof in hand disease
So a couple of hours ago I felt all moralized and decided to give my two cents on what happened in a high school basketball game. Turns out what I read plus some chance meetings with some hypocritical bastards prompted the reactionary post but it also resulted in something else: someone commenting and offering a differnt side.
Keven has his own blog and today happened to pass by that last post I blasted off for no reason and he had some very interesting things to add to clear up the situation about the teams, the game, the outcome and how the game was played. Here's what he had to add to my rant:
"I can see your point, but there's something more to this story.
Covenant is a State Championship contender high school with 402 students. Dallas Academy has 20 students (total) and is winless in EIGHT YEARS.
Now the problem here is that these two teams have no business playing each other, and if they do have to play each other then wouldn't that be the Covenant's coach's chance to play some of the players he wouldn't usually use?
But no, this was all about the teaching the kids that excellence is all that counts. The Covenant coach talks about not running up the score, but what the hell was that if it's not running up the score. There's winning, and there's this."
So thanks to the clarification, now I not only am more on the side of what was commented by the administration, but wholly focused on how much I was led on by the news, though let us not forget the other event that prompted the reply. Oh well, just goes to show that sometimes jumping to a conclusion can often land you in a pile of poo. My thanks to Kev for the additional insight though.
Cheers
Keven has his own blog and today happened to pass by that last post I blasted off for no reason and he had some very interesting things to add to clear up the situation about the teams, the game, the outcome and how the game was played. Here's what he had to add to my rant:
"I can see your point, but there's something more to this story.
Covenant is a State Championship contender high school with 402 students. Dallas Academy has 20 students (total) and is winless in EIGHT YEARS.
Now the problem here is that these two teams have no business playing each other, and if they do have to play each other then wouldn't that be the Covenant's coach's chance to play some of the players he wouldn't usually use?
But no, this was all about the teaching the kids that excellence is all that counts. The Covenant coach talks about not running up the score, but what the hell was that if it's not running up the score. There's winning, and there's this."
So thanks to the clarification, now I not only am more on the side of what was commented by the administration, but wholly focused on how much I was led on by the news, though let us not forget the other event that prompted the reply. Oh well, just goes to show that sometimes jumping to a conclusion can often land you in a pile of poo. My thanks to Kev for the additional insight though.
Cheers
Jan 27, 2009
Winners are losers?
By now most people who read yahoo, msn or any other type of online news has caught wind of a shellacking of Dallas Academy High School at the hands of Covenant, a Christian high school. Here are the facts. Covenant pretty much wiped the floor with Dallas for a 100-0 victory. Something unheard of in most sports at a high school, college or professional level, unless you’re a team from Bratislava playing the Harlem Globetrotters, that’s just how the game goes.
OK, so what should be an interesting side note in national press is quickly becoming a juicy wtf story because of Covenant’s administration. Here’s what happened: Covenant’s administration posted a comment on its website, regretting the victory they attained and the manner in which it was obtained. To use a direct quote: "It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened. This clearly does not reflect a Christlike and honorable approach to competition."
In response to this post, the winning team’s coach replied with this:
"In response to the statement posted on The Covenant School Web site, I do not agree with the apology or the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel embarrassed or ashamed. We played the game as it was meant to be played. My values and my beliefs would not allow me to run up the score on any opponent, and it will not allow me to apologize for a wide-margin victory when my girls played with honor and integrity."
Ok, so here’s the part where some Christian people might consider flagging this site again (wait for the post on this, trust me). I agree with the coach and to top it off, I think the administration of the high school owes him an apology if the only reason to fire him (yeah, he got fired) was his reaction to the website’s post. If a team sucks, that’s just the way it is. If the winning team did ridicule, mock, make mean faces, call the other team nasty names or burned a bra to show they were more apt women than the others, then yeah, they might have deserved some type of reprimand. But if the only crime in this game was to be better, not miss shots, strive for excellence and such, then I can only scratch myself at the dick comment made by the high school and reiterate my stance that society has become too weak, too apologetic and too hypocritical for its own good. The statement on the website possibly reflects all the things that piss me off from holier than thou believers of God that genuinely miss the point when it comes to reading the bible. Yes mercy, kindness and other such values are virtues, but pity? I don’t think Jesus treated anyone differently because of pity.
Label this a judgment call if you will, but even as confused in faith as I am, I still think Jesus was a pretty cool cat, misinterpreted throughout the ages and used as an excuse to promote false values and shitty wars two millennia and going strong. Though I have my doubts in a higher power, I have actually read the Bible and do find some things interesting and some valuable lessons to be learned, much like any other good book. That my upbringing is Catholic only establishes that my reference points to give thanks, praise, and pray are Judeo-Christian by nature, and I cringe every time I read people saying that x or y attitude or behavior is Un-Christlike in nature. For those that need cliff notes, Jesus didn’t hang out with hookers and lepers because he pitied them, but because he valued them like any other human being, because it is their right to be treated as equals. The moments he showed “pity” or mercy, were times when people begged for their fallen loved ones and in different situations.
Look, I’m not about to proclaim myself a theologist since that was not my major, nor is it my interest, but I do find it troublesome and tiresome to hear a statement like that declared in reference to a wide margin victory. The girls from Covenant should have nothing to feel ashamed about if they stayed true to the nature of the game and just played and showed some skill, and hell if they trash talked, maybe that was part of the strategy though that could be considered Un-Christ like, if it happened. But what of the Dallas Academy team? Few people have mentioned them in ANYTHING except as the team that got their asses kicked.
Do you know how hard it has to be to keep trying or to stay on the floor even when you’re getting beat that bad? Do you know how hard it has to be to be losing, to be in pain, to have to endure humiliation of such magnitude? No? I didn’t think so. But guess who might have a good idea about how to relate? Don’t know? Then feel free to look at the cross you so boldly wear, remember the signs you point across your body and realize that maybe the lesson to learn doesn’t necessarily come from the winning side of life.
OK, so what should be an interesting side note in national press is quickly becoming a juicy wtf story because of Covenant’s administration. Here’s what happened: Covenant’s administration posted a comment on its website, regretting the victory they attained and the manner in which it was obtained. To use a direct quote: "It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened. This clearly does not reflect a Christlike and honorable approach to competition."
In response to this post, the winning team’s coach replied with this:
"In response to the statement posted on The Covenant School Web site, I do not agree with the apology or the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel embarrassed or ashamed. We played the game as it was meant to be played. My values and my beliefs would not allow me to run up the score on any opponent, and it will not allow me to apologize for a wide-margin victory when my girls played with honor and integrity."
Ok, so here’s the part where some Christian people might consider flagging this site again (wait for the post on this, trust me). I agree with the coach and to top it off, I think the administration of the high school owes him an apology if the only reason to fire him (yeah, he got fired) was his reaction to the website’s post. If a team sucks, that’s just the way it is. If the winning team did ridicule, mock, make mean faces, call the other team nasty names or burned a bra to show they were more apt women than the others, then yeah, they might have deserved some type of reprimand. But if the only crime in this game was to be better, not miss shots, strive for excellence and such, then I can only scratch myself at the dick comment made by the high school and reiterate my stance that society has become too weak, too apologetic and too hypocritical for its own good. The statement on the website possibly reflects all the things that piss me off from holier than thou believers of God that genuinely miss the point when it comes to reading the bible. Yes mercy, kindness and other such values are virtues, but pity? I don’t think Jesus treated anyone differently because of pity.
Label this a judgment call if you will, but even as confused in faith as I am, I still think Jesus was a pretty cool cat, misinterpreted throughout the ages and used as an excuse to promote false values and shitty wars two millennia and going strong. Though I have my doubts in a higher power, I have actually read the Bible and do find some things interesting and some valuable lessons to be learned, much like any other good book. That my upbringing is Catholic only establishes that my reference points to give thanks, praise, and pray are Judeo-Christian by nature, and I cringe every time I read people saying that x or y attitude or behavior is Un-Christlike in nature. For those that need cliff notes, Jesus didn’t hang out with hookers and lepers because he pitied them, but because he valued them like any other human being, because it is their right to be treated as equals. The moments he showed “pity” or mercy, were times when people begged for their fallen loved ones and in different situations.
Look, I’m not about to proclaim myself a theologist since that was not my major, nor is it my interest, but I do find it troublesome and tiresome to hear a statement like that declared in reference to a wide margin victory. The girls from Covenant should have nothing to feel ashamed about if they stayed true to the nature of the game and just played and showed some skill, and hell if they trash talked, maybe that was part of the strategy though that could be considered Un-Christ like, if it happened. But what of the Dallas Academy team? Few people have mentioned them in ANYTHING except as the team that got their asses kicked.
Do you know how hard it has to be to keep trying or to stay on the floor even when you’re getting beat that bad? Do you know how hard it has to be to be losing, to be in pain, to have to endure humiliation of such magnitude? No? I didn’t think so. But guess who might have a good idea about how to relate? Don’t know? Then feel free to look at the cross you so boldly wear, remember the signs you point across your body and realize that maybe the lesson to learn doesn’t necessarily come from the winning side of life.
Sometimes it’s good to be wrong: Shane Mosley Vs Antonio Margarito
OK, I will admit that I was going to write a pre-fight build up for this fight, but I didn’t get around to it though to be honest, if you needed any extra incentive to watch this fight, then you’re not that much of a boxing fan. Even on paper, it seemed like a great fight, and I’m so happy it didn’t disappoint one iota. So if you have HBO and are interested, you’re second chance to watch it is tonight. In case you need a couple of reasons to watch the fight, then just read on about my pre-fight and post fights impressions of this wonderful fight.
First off, if you were one of the ten people that read a post I wrote last year congratulating Antonio Margarito for having beaten Miguel Cotto, then you know I wasn’t too happy about the result though I had to give credit where credit was due. Antonio Margarito showed what a true Mexican Champion is all about. Take all the punishment your opponent can dish out, disregard the pain, gain momentum and ultimately destroy your opponent. True there are many Mexican boxers that are highly skilled pound for pound greats, but few people are as eager to take a punch to give you twenty in return than the Tijuana Tornado. To my memory, only Micky Ward (even if he wasn’t Mexican) was as eager to take a punch so he could give a punch.
Building up to the fight, I had thought three outcomes were possible.
Margarito by decision:
Conventional wisdom stated that Margarito would start slow, build up steam and pressure and force a close decision in his favor. This is what I thought would happen since Margarito is definitely not a one punch knock out guy and Shane Mosley can take a hell of a punch.
Mosley by decision:
I always thought Shane could pull a decision. He has the skills and the chin to stand toe to toe with Margarito and show why he was once the pound-for-pound king.
Margarito by KO late in the fight: A favorite among people still reeling from the Cotto loss. This public belief is what made Antonio Margarito the 4-1 betting favorite.
What happened was anything, but anyone’s guess since I don’t think anyone predicted Mosley winning via KO. As if accomplishing such a knock out weren’t impressive enough, the feat was all that more amazing since it came in under ten rounds. A decisive, clear cut, TKO thanks to one reason, the ref stopped it and the corner threw in the towel. Give him a round or so more of punishment and it would have been a KO victory.
So what happened?
I’ve watched a couple of Margarito fights and to be honest, Tony is either going to kill you, or have a close decision (I said have a close decision, not necesarrily a close decision win). People insisted that Shane Mosley watched the Cotto fight closely to see if he could find anything to beat Antonio. I do think he watched those tapes but guess what, he could also watch tapes of Margarito VS. Paul Williams or more importantly Joshua Clottey VS Margarito. So there you have three tapes of important fights Shane might have used to study his opponent. From the Cotto fight he could learn that footwork was key but that you can’t run all night, especially with Margarito, because you’re eventually going to slow down, and he’s never going to stop. From Williams he saw that combination volume punching could be used to outpunch Antonio Margarito, and from Joshua Clottey (a fight I seriously think Margarito at best eeked out, and quite possibly lost) the key element of a world class jab was enough to frustrate the Mexican from the get go. Oh, might I add that if Clottey hadn’t busted his right hand, he could have put Margarito in a world of hurt.
For those of you who have ever watched an HBO telecast, you’ve probably heard Harold Letterman say the criteria judges use in regards to fights.
Clean effective punching
Effective Aggression
Ring Generalship
Defense
Easier said than done, but guess what? Shane Mosley did all of these to gain a washout en route to a KO victory since I couldn’t find a round to give Margarito. Let me explain.
Clean effective punching: For nine rounds, Shane Mosley hit Antonio Margarito with every punch and not only that, it’d been a while since I saw a compact puncher commit so much to his punches. Think Evander Holyfield in his prime. He used his jab effectively, he punched to the body and he showed that you have to punch hard every time but not leave yourself too open.
Effective Aggression: Combination punches were part of the strategy but so was mixing it up. Though many people can make a case that Shane committed to his right hand the most, something I won’t totally debate, no one can say he didn’t through left hooks, hard jabs or punches to the body.
Ring Generalship: Honestly, Sugar Shane should be changed to General Mosley if you ask me. He spun Margarito onto the ropes, clinched effectively (not abusively), punched him when he wanted and with what he wanted to, showed great footwork and never for one second did he allow Antonio to dictate anything in that fight. At the end of the fight he bowed for a reason, it was a damn masterpiece.
Defense: Did Shane get hit? Yes. That’s just the type of fighter he is. He makes for compelling fights and doesn’t bother to play things safe. He’s in there to win by KO and trust me, he looked anything but 37 going into this fight.
Shane did everything right from a boxer’s point of view and a boxing fan’s point of view. He showed the true mettle of a champion and when faced by what should have been a Tijuana Tornado, he simply smiled and beat it down. To be honest, I haven’t enjoyed a knockout that much in a while. Maybe The first Raahman Vs Lewis fight or Zab Judah getting blitzed by one Kostya Tsuy right hand. But this was endlessly more special because no one gave Shane the time of day even after giving Cotto what was until then, his greatest challenge. I’ve tried to rally behind Shane’s opponents but you only need to see him fight and hear an interview to question if you’re able to hold a grudge since he is, as Larry Merchant put it, such an honest fighter. He’s never ducked a fight, he’s always gone for the KO and even though he lost twice against Forrest and twice against Wright, you can’t say he didn’t try.
So though I could offer an apology to Shane Mosley for not fathoming that he could win against Margarito via KO, I’ll just smile as I eat my words and just sit complacently knowing what a pound for pound great really does for a living. Right Floyd?
chirp… chirp…. chirp…
I thought so.
Cheers Shane. You ain’t da man for only one reason...
You been da man for a very long time. We just forgot. Our apologies.
It's 2009. Time to bring the Seagal Back!
It's just... there are no words. This is FUNNY AS HELL. Wait for the Credit Card Scene. Now THAT's priceless.
Jan 26, 2009
Five Brands that Define Me.
We got to keep the momentum going, folks. Now it's time for Five Brands that Define Me. Seems adequate, since this blog is, in some way, about clients, brands and the shit that glues it all together. Maybe you think that brands do not define you, I strongly disagree. Brands, some brands out there, strike a cord with us in our lifetimes. Our generation, at least mine, was bombarded with advertising and pop culture. So, again, the same rules apply. They might not be your favorite brands, they just define you in some way. Here are mine, in no particular order:
1) Apple.
Life should be easy and fun. Even though the first computer I ever touched was a Commodore - yeah you go do the math on my age if you want - my first passion was Apple. First computer I had at work, first computer I owned. I studied my first Mac like a doctor would do a autopsy. I had to figure out every single detail to death. Later in life, I had done so much research on those wonderful machines, my boss made me the honorary IT at the agency. A Mac had problems, there I was trying to fix them. I only called the IT dudes - pat on the back coming soon - when I could not figure shit out. For me, they represent being different, cool and just not conforming to normalcy (PC). I honestly cannot fathom someone using anything but a Mac, honestly. For me it's like suffering for free. Pricy? Yeah. Worth every penny.
2) Coca Cola
I have written about this before. I was, a couple of years ago, sad to report, a Pepsi drinker. One day I went to the supermarket and found none of it, so I had to buy Diet Coke. I have not, and I swear to God, bought any Pepsi again unless I am dying of thirst and water is not an option. Coke has it going on. It means tradition, a great flavor, being a kid at heart, sweet, strong... And besides, red is the perfect color. Oh, did I mention that one of my favorite artists did the logo? Lord have mercy on us and protect us from the sin of changing the logo, Pepsi style. I would die.
3) TiVo
Almost four or five years ago, my mother called me up and told me I could have any gift that I wanted for my birthday. Ok, no red Porshe but anything else was viable. (Hey, I had to ask) I didn't flinch. I yelled: TiVo! Best gift ever, period. It made my life easier. Now I could go out to party while Jack Bauer was showing. Now I could catch as much Seinfeld as I wanted without buying those pesky DVD's. If TiVo were a bible, I would not lie when my hand touched it. For me, it reminds me about innovation, simplicity and loads of fun. From all the DVR's out there that I have seen, this is by far the best. Just the cool noise it makes everytime I click on something in the menu makes me smile.
4) Google
A couple of months ago, my iGoogle didn't work. I almost went ballistic. I got anxious. What the fuck was going on, I thought. I proceeded to examine my Mac to death. Nothing wrong. I checked my IP, to see if the connection was bad and the data was not loading correctly. Nothing wrong there. I DELETED MY MAC AND STARTED OVER. Nothing, same problem. After a few hours of research, I discovered that iGoogle had some problems with Safari. I changed browsers and had my trusty iGoogle back. Google is the best thing ever since sliced bread. It gives me everything I need and more, with a cool website and an incredible service. All the research that I do comes from there, period. Google is God, and I am glad to be a follower.
5) Revision 3
If those guys ever go bankrupt and have to close up the brand, I really would need some sort of medication. Honestly. All my favorite shows are from R3 and I am a religious Digg reader. Any day of the week you will find in my TiVo receiving shows like Diggnation, Totally Rad Show, Epic Fu, Digg Reel... the list goes on and on. The mix is perfect: great people listening to their audience, talking directly at them without much filters. If you ever need to be up to date in anything that is technology or current pop culture, that should be your place to click or download. Most of the cool stuff that I post here comes from Digg, it is like a never ending source of useless and useful information, bundled up with a vision that everybody counts, that without our feedback, content is nothing. Those boys have a great product and I would be very happy when the company goes public, because I'm sooooooo buying shares on that company... Whoa.
So there you go, my five brands. Hope, as always, that you join in the fun. Oh and please, if you have any ideas on future Five Things, by all means write them down. With love and blood sausages galore, Me.
1) Apple.
Life should be easy and fun. Even though the first computer I ever touched was a Commodore - yeah you go do the math on my age if you want - my first passion was Apple. First computer I had at work, first computer I owned. I studied my first Mac like a doctor would do a autopsy. I had to figure out every single detail to death. Later in life, I had done so much research on those wonderful machines, my boss made me the honorary IT at the agency. A Mac had problems, there I was trying to fix them. I only called the IT dudes - pat on the back coming soon - when I could not figure shit out. For me, they represent being different, cool and just not conforming to normalcy (PC). I honestly cannot fathom someone using anything but a Mac, honestly. For me it's like suffering for free. Pricy? Yeah. Worth every penny.
2) Coca Cola
I have written about this before. I was, a couple of years ago, sad to report, a Pepsi drinker. One day I went to the supermarket and found none of it, so I had to buy Diet Coke. I have not, and I swear to God, bought any Pepsi again unless I am dying of thirst and water is not an option. Coke has it going on. It means tradition, a great flavor, being a kid at heart, sweet, strong... And besides, red is the perfect color. Oh, did I mention that one of my favorite artists did the logo? Lord have mercy on us and protect us from the sin of changing the logo, Pepsi style. I would die.
3) TiVo
Almost four or five years ago, my mother called me up and told me I could have any gift that I wanted for my birthday. Ok, no red Porshe but anything else was viable. (Hey, I had to ask) I didn't flinch. I yelled: TiVo! Best gift ever, period. It made my life easier. Now I could go out to party while Jack Bauer was showing. Now I could catch as much Seinfeld as I wanted without buying those pesky DVD's. If TiVo were a bible, I would not lie when my hand touched it. For me, it reminds me about innovation, simplicity and loads of fun. From all the DVR's out there that I have seen, this is by far the best. Just the cool noise it makes everytime I click on something in the menu makes me smile.
4) Google
A couple of months ago, my iGoogle didn't work. I almost went ballistic. I got anxious. What the fuck was going on, I thought. I proceeded to examine my Mac to death. Nothing wrong. I checked my IP, to see if the connection was bad and the data was not loading correctly. Nothing wrong there. I DELETED MY MAC AND STARTED OVER. Nothing, same problem. After a few hours of research, I discovered that iGoogle had some problems with Safari. I changed browsers and had my trusty iGoogle back. Google is the best thing ever since sliced bread. It gives me everything I need and more, with a cool website and an incredible service. All the research that I do comes from there, period. Google is God, and I am glad to be a follower.
5) Revision 3
If those guys ever go bankrupt and have to close up the brand, I really would need some sort of medication. Honestly. All my favorite shows are from R3 and I am a religious Digg reader. Any day of the week you will find in my TiVo receiving shows like Diggnation, Totally Rad Show, Epic Fu, Digg Reel... the list goes on and on. The mix is perfect: great people listening to their audience, talking directly at them without much filters. If you ever need to be up to date in anything that is technology or current pop culture, that should be your place to click or download. Most of the cool stuff that I post here comes from Digg, it is like a never ending source of useless and useful information, bundled up with a vision that everybody counts, that without our feedback, content is nothing. Those boys have a great product and I would be very happy when the company goes public, because I'm sooooooo buying shares on that company... Whoa.
So there you go, my five brands. Hope, as always, that you join in the fun. Oh and please, if you have any ideas on future Five Things, by all means write them down. With love and blood sausages galore, Me.
An Ode to Coming to America.
Yesterday night, snuggled in my sofa, I stumbled on what I think is the best comedy of all times, period. It is a masterpiece. Well, if you define the word masterpiece, you get, according to Wikipedia: "a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship." Um, yeah, if the shoe fits...
In my life, there are few movies that I know almost verbatim, and this is one of them. Think about it. This movie was made in 1988, but if you watch it today, it still makes you howl of laughter. Let me break this down because, dammit, this movie deserves it.
First of all, Perfect One Liners: "Your royal penis is clean, your highness." "Yes, yes, Fuck you Too!" "Girl, you look so good, someone ought to put you on a plate and sop you up with a biscuit." Oh, and don't get me started on the whole bit about Sexual Chocolate... Best scene in a movie, ever. Sexual Chocolate!
Second: Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall at their best. Jesus H. Christ. If Eddie or Arsenio ever get to read this post... Whoa, dudes. How can it be that two human beings delivered character after character so amazingly? This was the first and only makeup driven movie that has shined strong during all these years. Fuck Mrs. Doubtfire, those two guys almost didn't need the makeup at all. The guys at the barber shop for me are the most believable characters of the bunch.
Third and most important: Nostalgia. I mean... come on. I miss Eddie Murphy. I truly do. He insists on doing stuff like Meet Dave and The Haunted Mansion when we just need another stand up like Delirious or a great movie like Beverly Hills Cop. I would pay an obscene amount of money just to see him do standup again. What happened? Where did we go wrong? Doesn't Eddie know that we miss him talking about homemade McDonald's? Shit. Those were the days.
It is a true sin if you haven't seen this movie. I mean. Honestly. You deserve a kick in the junk if you, for some reason that isn't holy have not seen this movie at least 20 times in your life. Movies like this one don't come anymore. Now it's all about Scary Movie and Meet the Spartans. Back in the day, you went to the theater and laughed until you cried. I miss those days.
So, let's raise our glasses and toast to the greatest and funniest movie of all time, Coming to America. May God give us a decent movie from Eddie, sometime soon.
And now, enjoy Soul Glo. Best movie ad with a jingle, ever.
Jan 25, 2009
Photoshop Disasters
I "stumbled upon" this early today and just had to share.
The worst Photoshop disaster. Funny stuff.
Here are some samples.
For more, click at the name of the post.
Jan 23, 2009
Jan 22, 2009
If you see Murphy, say hi from Me.
If you know your words of wisdom, you know about Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. You cannot begin to understand how bad a day I've had. And all I thought today while I solved my dilemma was: I got to write about this, so that younger people out there can learn from my mistake.
As you all may know, I am deeply loyal. Not only to my friends, but also in my job, I am extremely loyal to my suppliers. When someone delivers greatness, for me it's like a marriage. I will gladly join you, for better or worse, for as long as we both shall live. In all my years of doing this advertising thing, I've always counted on the same people, eyes closed. I trust the fact that if you don't let me down, I will work with you forever.
Today I learned that even the most trusted suppliers can fuck something so hard, I have to say goodbye.
I will not go into the gory details because, again, too close for comfort. I have to protect innocent and guilty bystanders. But still, my story is so damn interesting, hence my post. You see, there are many problems that popped up today, in the worst way. And it all starts with me.
First of all, I have a "condition". It is called "looking more younger than I actually am". Even though it's a blessing and even sometimes funny - I sometimes get asked for ID at a bar, people always think I am 24-25 years old and gasp when I tell them my true age - there are some other times that people just think I'm a rookie or just don't know what I'm talking about. While looking young has been something that my mother gave me which I would not trade for a million years, I sometimes find myself being fucked over because I look like a kid.
Case in point. Today a supplier of mine, which I trusted completely, tried to bullshit me into the greatest lie known to any advertising man or woman. As I stood there, I could feel and smell the true shit coming out of my account executive. I was astonished. Here was a company that had all the backing from me, lying to my face and, if I would have been the rookie they thought, they would have tarnished my reputation and my client's respect.
Suddenly, I made the strongest and most scariest decision of my career. I took the project away from them and found another supplier on the spot. I actually took the project not having a single supplier to back me and took an incredible gamble.
I write about this because I know that we have younger readers out there who follow us and hopefully learn from our mistakes. Dudes out there: there will be a time when you have to know enough bullshit is enough. Having any friendly feelings do not help whatsoever. If someone lets you down, it's game over. Second opportunities are a gift and you cannot give them to any person or company, just because. Your name, your company, your reputation, the quality of your work is more important than anything out there and you have to protect it with all your might. Heed this advice, because this sort of day doesn't happen that often to me anymore.
Murphy's law is on the spot, but in time you learn to deal with the bullshit that will come. Today, it all started with a really bad gut feeling. Things are not looking promising and something tells me, I thought, this is not going to work out. Minute by minute I felt the horrible pain inside my gut. I knew it was going to be nasty and really uncomfortable, but I had to become the bitch I hate to portray just so that my client got what I promised: excellence. For me, my client suffering and having a deadline destroyed was not negotiable. Period. If you fucked it up, I will give you one last time to make good. If you look me in the eyes and flinch, I will see it. And God help me, it happened today. Someone flinched. Game over.
A couple of years ago... maybe a decade, who knows, I had a very strict boss. One day some shit hit the fan and I walked over to his office and told him what was happening. Instead of listening blame the guilty parties, he looked at me and said only this: don't bring me problems, bring me solutions. I stand here today respecting this man more than ever. He was absolutely right. Today, as I sat there and watched the circus around me, I thought... fuck this shit, figure out a way to solve this problem, and now. It took all the sheer force I had left to figure out a way to restore all the bad shit that my supplier gave me and my client in record time.
At the end, when all was solved (which was like an hour and a half ago), I sat down in my office and told myself: dammit, you grew up. You made it. You might not have a huge agency, but today you were the boss. I finally felt that I had the exact same pair of balls that he has. This post is an honor to him, because he taught me everything I know and I will be forever grateful.
We sometimes live in a "creative bubble", where all our bosses are crazy, we think, and they just ask of us so much that we don't truly understand. Not so, my friends. There are some bosses out there who are giving us the greatest lesson there is: your name and what you stand for are not negotiable. Be smart, be strong... and you will do good.
This is for you, boss. I think I made you proud tonight.
As you all may know, I am deeply loyal. Not only to my friends, but also in my job, I am extremely loyal to my suppliers. When someone delivers greatness, for me it's like a marriage. I will gladly join you, for better or worse, for as long as we both shall live. In all my years of doing this advertising thing, I've always counted on the same people, eyes closed. I trust the fact that if you don't let me down, I will work with you forever.
Today I learned that even the most trusted suppliers can fuck something so hard, I have to say goodbye.
I will not go into the gory details because, again, too close for comfort. I have to protect innocent and guilty bystanders. But still, my story is so damn interesting, hence my post. You see, there are many problems that popped up today, in the worst way. And it all starts with me.
First of all, I have a "condition". It is called "looking more younger than I actually am". Even though it's a blessing and even sometimes funny - I sometimes get asked for ID at a bar, people always think I am 24-25 years old and gasp when I tell them my true age - there are some other times that people just think I'm a rookie or just don't know what I'm talking about. While looking young has been something that my mother gave me which I would not trade for a million years, I sometimes find myself being fucked over because I look like a kid.
Case in point. Today a supplier of mine, which I trusted completely, tried to bullshit me into the greatest lie known to any advertising man or woman. As I stood there, I could feel and smell the true shit coming out of my account executive. I was astonished. Here was a company that had all the backing from me, lying to my face and, if I would have been the rookie they thought, they would have tarnished my reputation and my client's respect.
Suddenly, I made the strongest and most scariest decision of my career. I took the project away from them and found another supplier on the spot. I actually took the project not having a single supplier to back me and took an incredible gamble.
I write about this because I know that we have younger readers out there who follow us and hopefully learn from our mistakes. Dudes out there: there will be a time when you have to know enough bullshit is enough. Having any friendly feelings do not help whatsoever. If someone lets you down, it's game over. Second opportunities are a gift and you cannot give them to any person or company, just because. Your name, your company, your reputation, the quality of your work is more important than anything out there and you have to protect it with all your might. Heed this advice, because this sort of day doesn't happen that often to me anymore.
Murphy's law is on the spot, but in time you learn to deal with the bullshit that will come. Today, it all started with a really bad gut feeling. Things are not looking promising and something tells me, I thought, this is not going to work out. Minute by minute I felt the horrible pain inside my gut. I knew it was going to be nasty and really uncomfortable, but I had to become the bitch I hate to portray just so that my client got what I promised: excellence. For me, my client suffering and having a deadline destroyed was not negotiable. Period. If you fucked it up, I will give you one last time to make good. If you look me in the eyes and flinch, I will see it. And God help me, it happened today. Someone flinched. Game over.
A couple of years ago... maybe a decade, who knows, I had a very strict boss. One day some shit hit the fan and I walked over to his office and told him what was happening. Instead of listening blame the guilty parties, he looked at me and said only this: don't bring me problems, bring me solutions. I stand here today respecting this man more than ever. He was absolutely right. Today, as I sat there and watched the circus around me, I thought... fuck this shit, figure out a way to solve this problem, and now. It took all the sheer force I had left to figure out a way to restore all the bad shit that my supplier gave me and my client in record time.
At the end, when all was solved (which was like an hour and a half ago), I sat down in my office and told myself: dammit, you grew up. You made it. You might not have a huge agency, but today you were the boss. I finally felt that I had the exact same pair of balls that he has. This post is an honor to him, because he taught me everything I know and I will be forever grateful.
We sometimes live in a "creative bubble", where all our bosses are crazy, we think, and they just ask of us so much that we don't truly understand. Not so, my friends. There are some bosses out there who are giving us the greatest lesson there is: your name and what you stand for are not negotiable. Be smart, be strong... and you will do good.
This is for you, boss. I think I made you proud tonight.
Jan 21, 2009
Jan 20, 2009
The Business of Death
A wise man once said that the only absolute truths in life are death and taxes. And it’s no coincidence that both have to do with money.
I mean no disrespect to the dearly departed, but death is a very lucrative business, especially for the ad agencies where I live. Aside from the major dough being stuffed into the Grim Reaper’s pockets thanks to the funeral parlor and cemetery business (and the pharmaceutical and health insurance companies’ true business interests), ad agencies and newspapers also have a high stake in death. Case in point: The Obituaries.
First, some context: I live in a country where your family name still carries weight in certain social sectors. It’s a habit inherited from our 14th century European colonists and one that still makes or breaks your standing in both the private and public sectors. If you don’t have the right family name, or pedigree, you’re shit out of luck. You might as well go and shrivel up in a Haitian gutter somewhere.
Because of this, the obituary section in our principle newspaper has become the ultimate social crier. It is here where the true measure of a man’s worth is determined. You see, when an “important” person (i.e. someone with the right family name) dies in my country, the paper swells with obituaries. The size and number of obituaries honoring the deceased play a major role in certifying said person as an “outstanding citizen.” As such, agencies go out of their way to place the biggest obituary; they compete to see who places theirs first; they fight to see who creates the most “original” obituary, if there is such a thing.
What’s even more sickening is that the agencies charge the client a shitload of money for this, and the paper makes even more because, more often than not, deaths are unexpected and therefore, a rush fee must be charged. This is going to sound horrible, but every time an important client dies, it’s payday! Readership of the obituary section in my local paper is through the roof – on any given day people read it with the same passion and interest as they would read the sports pages or the headlines. And as we all know, readership is gold for the ad biz. It’s that morbid curiosity, that desire to know who’s who.
Death is not easy, but is sure is easy money.
I mean no disrespect to the dearly departed, but death is a very lucrative business, especially for the ad agencies where I live. Aside from the major dough being stuffed into the Grim Reaper’s pockets thanks to the funeral parlor and cemetery business (and the pharmaceutical and health insurance companies’ true business interests), ad agencies and newspapers also have a high stake in death. Case in point: The Obituaries.
First, some context: I live in a country where your family name still carries weight in certain social sectors. It’s a habit inherited from our 14th century European colonists and one that still makes or breaks your standing in both the private and public sectors. If you don’t have the right family name, or pedigree, you’re shit out of luck. You might as well go and shrivel up in a Haitian gutter somewhere.
Because of this, the obituary section in our principle newspaper has become the ultimate social crier. It is here where the true measure of a man’s worth is determined. You see, when an “important” person (i.e. someone with the right family name) dies in my country, the paper swells with obituaries. The size and number of obituaries honoring the deceased play a major role in certifying said person as an “outstanding citizen.” As such, agencies go out of their way to place the biggest obituary; they compete to see who places theirs first; they fight to see who creates the most “original” obituary, if there is such a thing.
What’s even more sickening is that the agencies charge the client a shitload of money for this, and the paper makes even more because, more often than not, deaths are unexpected and therefore, a rush fee must be charged. This is going to sound horrible, but every time an important client dies, it’s payday! Readership of the obituary section in my local paper is through the roof – on any given day people read it with the same passion and interest as they would read the sports pages or the headlines. And as we all know, readership is gold for the ad biz. It’s that morbid curiosity, that desire to know who’s who.
Death is not easy, but is sure is easy money.
Jan 19, 2009
A new Hope.
You should be very proud, America. All the rest of us celebrate your victory today and come Tuesday, we all shall be one. A very historic moment, indeed.
Jan 16, 2009
Five Works of Art that Define: RestrictionsApply
Ok, the last time I had an assignment this challenging was when I was asked to come up with a headline for a company Christmas card, on the spot, in the presence of six Senior VPs.
I won’t go so far as to say that these works define me, but I’d like to think that each choice speaks volumes about my character. Aside from the two exceptions you’ll see below, I made it a point to not include works from the 20th century or anything commercial; it would’ve been too easy.
Ok, so here I go…
Nefertiti (c. 1370 BC - c. 1330 BC) –
Ancient Egypt is full of mystery. Even Dr. Indy Jones got his action on there. And nothing says Ancient Egypt like this bust of Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. You look at this, and it looks at you right back, challenging you.
I won’t go so far as to say that these works define me, but I’d like to think that each choice speaks volumes about my character. Aside from the two exceptions you’ll see below, I made it a point to not include works from the 20th century or anything commercial; it would’ve been too easy.
Ok, so here I go…
“Nike, or Winged Victory of Samothrace” –
My love for art was sparked by this statue. I was a child (maybe 10 or 11), and my dad, a frustrated painter, showed me this from one of his many Art History books. The fact that it has no head freaked me out in a curiosity-killed-the-cat way, but what caught my attention was that this was made of stone, yet the cloth looked so real. How was this possible? How can you take marble and make it look like (and visually feel) like a drape? How crazy! And to think this was created thousands of years ago. According to Wikipedia, the statue was eight feet tall and was created by a Rhodian sculptor sometime around 200 BC. The Nike statue was discovered on the Aegean island of Samothrace in 1863.
“Tan Tan Bo Puking” by Takashi Murakami –
People, this is the future of modern art. This Japanese dude takes Warhol one step further and challenges the snobby art world with the eternal What is Art? vs. What is Commerical? quagmire. Plus, he’s one of the few dudes who dares to use digital means to create “real” art that cost a shitload of money. His style is so 25th century. In case you’re wondering, he did the cover for Kanye West’s third album, “Graduation”. According to Wikipedia, Murakami is a prolific contemporary Japanese artist who blurs the boundaries between high and low art. He appropriates popular themes from mass media and pop culture, then turns them into thirty-foot sculptures, "Superflat" paintings, or marketable commercial goods such as figurines or phone caddies.
“Saturn Devouring His Son (1819)” by Francisco de Goya
Isn’t this freaky? I bet you can’t look away. I came across this work in college during a film history class, of all places. It was once owned by Orson Welles (my hero and inspiration) and it immediately clicked with me. I see this work and I feel pain, terror, in danger. It takes me to another world where I am not safe. According to Wikipedia, the work depicts the Greek myth of Cronus, who, fearing that his children would supplant him, ate each one upon their birth.
“Pieta” by Michelangelo
For better or worse, religion has always been a big part of art. Case in point; this marvelous sculpture by one of the Italian masters. Of course, nothing compares to seeing it in person, which I did once upon a time. This is the one and only work of art that has brought tears to my eyes, I kid you not. You can actually feel the pain and heartache in Mary’s eyes, the suffering of Jesus (actually, he’s dead at this point), the inevitable doom. This work causes a true sense of saudade, a Brazilian term for lament, longing, the joy of heartache. According to Wikipedia, The Pietà (1499) is a masterpiece in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It is an important work as it balances the Renaissance ideals of classical beauty with naturalism. The statue is one of the most highly finished works by Michelangelo.
Nefertiti (c. 1370 BC - c. 1330 BC) –Ancient Egypt is full of mystery. Even Dr. Indy Jones got his action on there. And nothing says Ancient Egypt like this bust of Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. You look at this, and it looks at you right back, challenging you.
Jan 15, 2009
Well, hi there, stranger...
If you clicked on a Facebook ad and landed here... welcome my friend. The door is open. Walk in and enjoy the anger. Granted, the rants have diminished a bit, maybe we all started drinking the cool aid, maybe not. We write about anything we want to, adorned by a lot of swearing. Why? We like it. We love words like cocksucker, douchebag, fucking fuck and shit.
I will bet my ass you will laugh at some point during the week. Maybe we'll get you thinking about stuff as well, sometimes we are too analytical of whatever comes to mind. We also cover movies (lots of them), music, viral videos and scratching your balls at work.
Let me give you the basics of the wonderful writers that work their asses off to make you do all the things I've mentioned before...
Joker = Just stand back. This man has a grudge and he will make everyone pay. His hatred for the business is in top shape. For me, he's the Lenny Bruce of the bunch. In a world of drawing inside the lines, he colors on the fridge, the walls and your face. He is the reason that cock fingering is king in this blog. Why? He tells is like it is and doesn't avoid one single bad word. I find myself reading just to see how creative he gets with the dictionary. Recently he abandoned advertising for good, and if you track back, you'll see why. He might be the youngest of all of us, but we all agree that he has lived way more what the holy fuck moments in advertising than the rest of us. So beware when he's angry. He will rip you a new one.
RestrictionsApply - The guru, the master. He's the calmest, strategic and deep thinker, we might call him as our guide. If you need to get a clue about how fucking weird this business is, ask no one but him. He has been working at this shit for more years than the rest of us, hence his calm stance about stupid things that make us go nuts. Just remember never to write anything about Brand Engaging or Witty. When the rest of us are angry about one client who made us move the logo to the right .05 inches, he's there to remind us that this is all bullshit, we are not curing cancer and that we should just move the logo and go home.
Me = Um... shit I've never had to write about myself. Well, if someone gets offended reading anything here, I'm the one to blame first and foremost. I started this as a way to write one Saturday Night if I can remember correctly, and days later I thought... maybe some of my friends would like to join in the fun. I write about whatever comes to mind, mostly personal stuff (some I've had to delete because it gets too close for comfort)... I stopped being angry a couple of years ago, but still I find some idiotic thing that makes me go Hulk. I receive one or two emails a year from WAS readers at adssuck@gmail.com, so if you would like to write by all means start writing.
The rules of WAS are: no names or real places, no advertising agencies will ever be revealed and some stories are changed to protect innocent bystanders. We never rat ourselves out to anyone and we ask if you catch us writing a post, please for the love of Satan, don't go telling your coworker that we are the ones shitting all over the internet. But and a big but, we would love to receive the dirty laundry that you might have to offer, and another thing is: we never tell who wrote the two or three emails that we have received. If you write to us and want your name in there you have to tell us because the norm is that we protect you as well.
So have fun, read until your eyes pop but one thing: if you loved any of the posts, please send the link to one of your friends. As you might see, this blog is not only about advertising, we cover all the shit under the sun, so maybe one friend isn't enough. Try to come in daily if you can, because we try our best to write every single day.
Again, welcome. Oh, and Advertising Still Sucks. Big time. Huge smooch, Me.
Five TV Shows that Define: Me
Can a TV show possibly define a person? Well, maybe. Who cares, in my world, yes they do so fuck it, here we go. The rules are simple. Find 5 great tv shows over ALL your life that you have loved more than any other. It really doesn't matter if it's running or not, ok? Just remember to participate if you can... getting lonely here at WAS...
1) Seinfeld.
Really, come on. Greatest show ever. For me, the simple things in life are the best. They say that it was the show about nothing, and I could not agree more. Four great friends, talking about the mundane things that happened to them. Talk about great writing and acting, dammit. For me it connected because I too find myself yapping over beers about stupid stuff, but more importantly... there are some people that you can't live without. No matter what happens or who tries to come in our way, we all huddle together. And that's more special than... any plate at Monk's.
2) Late Night with David Letterman.
(Very important: I am not talking about the Late Show. Not the same, by any category, sorry) When I was little, my mom gave me a tiny black and white tv. It was the best gift ever. She always told me to go to bed early 'cause of school, but what she didn't know was that I turned it on at 11pm and giggled all the way to 12. Dave was (still is in a way), my hero. Intelligent. Witty (shit, I used the word again). Funny as hell. This was my late night secret, just Dave and me.
3) The Carol Burnett Show.
This just reminds me of huge laughs with mom. I used to watch it with her, lying at the floor of her "single-life" apartment. My mom has been married for almost 20 years now, but I sometimes remember the time when she was single and we did a bunch of stuff together, no one else in sight. We had a great time, and this show always reminds me of those moments. Besides, my mom has the best laughter you will ever hear... and I have always loved Carol for making her giggle with me.
4) The Muppet Show.
Greatest kid show, ever. Screw Sesame Street, this program was for me. There was always a hidden sarcasm and extreme what the fuck moments that got programmed in me for some reason. This was not a stupid show for kids, they - like in Spinal Tap - took it to eleven. The two best characters that I still love and adore were the older dudes, Statler & Waldorf. What can you not love about two people that think everything is stupid and they are always right about anything?
5) The Addams Family.
I have always thought that my dark side must have come from somewhere. I mean, come on. I collect Living Dead Dolls, Zombie looking ragdolls - anything dead looking, I buy. I love anything gory, I have always loved Black sleek hair, I usually hate people in general... Yeah. If you tell me that I have to switch families right now, I would gladly marry Gomez in a heart beat. Morticia will always be my role model. And if God gives me a chance to have children, what would I not give to push out Pugsley and Wednesday...
So. What about you?
PS: We are advertising at Facebook for a week. As any other client, I need to know my results, so please, if you see the ad, please write and tell me... Thanks!
1) Seinfeld.
Really, come on. Greatest show ever. For me, the simple things in life are the best. They say that it was the show about nothing, and I could not agree more. Four great friends, talking about the mundane things that happened to them. Talk about great writing and acting, dammit. For me it connected because I too find myself yapping over beers about stupid stuff, but more importantly... there are some people that you can't live without. No matter what happens or who tries to come in our way, we all huddle together. And that's more special than... any plate at Monk's.
2) Late Night with David Letterman.
(Very important: I am not talking about the Late Show. Not the same, by any category, sorry) When I was little, my mom gave me a tiny black and white tv. It was the best gift ever. She always told me to go to bed early 'cause of school, but what she didn't know was that I turned it on at 11pm and giggled all the way to 12. Dave was (still is in a way), my hero. Intelligent. Witty (shit, I used the word again). Funny as hell. This was my late night secret, just Dave and me.
3) The Carol Burnett Show.
This just reminds me of huge laughs with mom. I used to watch it with her, lying at the floor of her "single-life" apartment. My mom has been married for almost 20 years now, but I sometimes remember the time when she was single and we did a bunch of stuff together, no one else in sight. We had a great time, and this show always reminds me of those moments. Besides, my mom has the best laughter you will ever hear... and I have always loved Carol for making her giggle with me.
4) The Muppet Show.
Greatest kid show, ever. Screw Sesame Street, this program was for me. There was always a hidden sarcasm and extreme what the fuck moments that got programmed in me for some reason. This was not a stupid show for kids, they - like in Spinal Tap - took it to eleven. The two best characters that I still love and adore were the older dudes, Statler & Waldorf. What can you not love about two people that think everything is stupid and they are always right about anything?
5) The Addams Family.
I have always thought that my dark side must have come from somewhere. I mean, come on. I collect Living Dead Dolls, Zombie looking ragdolls - anything dead looking, I buy. I love anything gory, I have always loved Black sleek hair, I usually hate people in general... Yeah. If you tell me that I have to switch families right now, I would gladly marry Gomez in a heart beat. Morticia will always be my role model. And if God gives me a chance to have children, what would I not give to push out Pugsley and Wednesday...
So. What about you?
PS: We are advertising at Facebook for a week. As any other client, I need to know my results, so please, if you see the ad, please write and tell me... Thanks!
Jan 14, 2009
We all Khan go to heaven.
A moment of Trekker silence, for this wonderful man. I loved you in Fantasy Island, but for me, my friend, you ruled as the greatest villain in the galaxy: Khan Noonien Singh. Darth Vader was a wimp compared to you... Bravo, Ricardo Montalban, may you rest in peace.
One last time, scream it for him: KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
Growing up Star Nerds.
I recently was reading Wil Wheaton's blog (which is fucking amazing, by the way) and he started writing about a group of Flickr that I know that some of you out there will like: Growing up Star Wars.
It has cool pictures of kids and other stuff, all related to that amazing money making machine. Here are a few of the pics, go to the name of the post to see the rest of them...
And for Wil's Blog, go to: http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/
It has cool pictures of kids and other stuff, all related to that amazing money making machine. Here are a few of the pics, go to the name of the post to see the rest of them...
And for Wil's Blog, go to: http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/
2008 in music
Some people insist that 2008 was a low year regarding music. For my part, I can only look at the music I bought and ask myself how some people could actually think that. It's not to say that 2008 was the BEST year in music ever. But weak it wasn't and here are some of my recommendations with commentary and grade. In no particular order:
The Mars Volta – Bedlam in Goliath
A+
Mars Volta's brand of psycho latin jazz rock finds its finest expression on their fourth album. True, their best album continues to be Deloused in the Commatorium (if you ask me), but if you want an album that borders on Miles Davis avant garde tenacity and ambition, Bedlam pushes new ground that shall forever defy cover bands stupid enough to think they can tackle this material.
Jack Johnson – Sleep through the static
A
Seems ole Jacky Boy pulled a Dylan on us and unsheathed the electric guitar for this warm, deliciously fun album. I really don't think Jack Johnson can viably pull off a shitty album and his seventh album (counting the two surf flick soundtracks as well as the one for Curious George) is filled to the brink with great tracks that invite you to sip wine, beer, tea or your beverage of choice with good friends for good times.
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
A-
How much of a cliché is it to call Ghosts a haunting album? But truly, I think it's the best way to describe this compilation of instrumental tracks by workaholic Trent Reznor. If you need great music to write something dark, morose, scary and ... well haunting, look no further than this to put on your stereo.
The Black Crowes – Warpaint
A-
Is this the best Ctowes album? No. Period. But it's a Crowes album and it's solid throughout so if you're low on your southern blues rock, this is the shot you need. Don't believe me? Listen to 'Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution' and tell me you're not toe tapping. Hip swaying, ass banging rock. How can you say no to that? Be sure to check out the slow burn of 'Walk Believer Walk', the warm summer tinge of 'Oh Josephine', the bourbon splash of 'Movin down the line' or just the road trip worthy 'Whoah Mule'. Solid is too little a word, but for now, it shall have to do.
Counting Crows – Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings
A
This Desert Life put a lot of people off the other Crows (you know, the band without the e in their name). Hard Candy did little to pull back the masses although I honestly believe it is a terrific album. Enter Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings. This is the type of album that can turn you onto a band. Solid through and through, variety, hooks, memorable songs, fast songs, slow songs, quirky songs. Everything you might want from a Counting Crows album is here so if you're a fan, what the hell are you waiting for. And if you're not a fan, give this one a shot. You should be quite pleased.
Blind Melon – For my friends
B
Blind Melon was one of my favorite bands ever, not just of the 90's, but ever. I am one of the people who wept Shannon Hoon much more than Kurt Cobain because though I did love Nirvana, I identified much more with Blind Melon. So after a decade without an album and a couple of side projects (By all means check out Unified theory and Abandon Jalopy), a new singer is chosen and a new album arrives. A lot of people were outraged that the band actually still used the name Blind Melon and I can't help but think that a bit unfair to say the least. Then again, less than a year passed before Blind Melon found themselves short another singer. But I stray from the point. This album is undeniably solid. A lot of people say that it's different from previous Blind Melon albums and I'm not even sure what the hell they expected. What I heard was a straight out rock album that showed continued promise from a band that is extremely talented. People will focus on Travis Warren not sounding like Shannon Hoon, or not being as good a writer as Shannon, or not as good a frontman as Mr. Hoon (Hmmm, I wonder why the hell he left). But for my part, I heard a solid album I was actually eager to hear live. Unfortunately, something happened and Travis left Blind Melon and now I, along with the people who believed in the reincarnation of Blind Melon, are left to wonder if there'll ever be any way of having a steady supply of the brand of music only Blind Melon could pull off. Who knows? What I do know is that this is an album you should definitely check out.
Nine Inch Nails – The Slip
A+
So Trent Reznor wants to show how productive he can actually be after tumultous years where releases were far between. Fine. Actually; more than fine. Excellent. BLOODY excellent. Fucking Awesome. Ok so enough praise. How's the album? Well if you ever asked yourself whether Nine Inch Nails could have an album that included elements of ALL their previous albums, that's precisely what you'll find upon hearing The Slip. At times hard, at times dark, at times fast, at times gothic fuck music. This is the most complete NIN album you can find if you want a taste for all the directions that Maestro Reznor has ever taken. Play loud and repeat as necessary.
Filter – Anthems for the Damned
B-
Ah, how I love people that insist they are audiophiles. You see, there's a recent trend of people demanding (and rightfully so) more quality in the music they pay money to hear. Seriously, if you pay for something, the least that can be done is to have the best possible music mix for your dollar. Well, of course you can imagine there are people that truly are audiophiles in their musical taste and can tell a good recording from a great one... oh but there are also a wide variety of people who are full of shit and insist that an album is mixed poorly or has shitty drums mainly because someone else said so and they felt the need to agree. Enter Anthems for the Damned. I had to listen to this album 4 times before realizing how I felt about it. Rather than go in depth in my reaction, lets focus on what I just said. I listened to an album four times straight just to see if it was good...... Ummm yeah. I think it's pretty safe to say that it isn't a bad album. Is it better than Short Bus or Title of Record? How about no? But does that mean it sucks? Well how about listening to it four times so you can decide for yourself?
Fleet Foxes – S/T
A+
New band. New album. Old souls. If you've ever liked any Crosy Stills Nash and Young song, you need this album. If I had to describe this album, I'd say it is the musical equivalent of dawn on an orange grove. I'm serious, this is such a damn good album that it is among my top 3 picks for the year. It's mellow, beautiful, and damn near perfect. I could go on, but I'd waste your time rather than letting you buy and listen to this great piece of music.
My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
A+
Is there such a thing as a plateu for My Morning Jacket? I think not. This grammy nominated album serves as evidence that a modern live act you HAVE to see to believe can pull out an album that sounds like 1974 bliss without breaking a sweat. I used to ask myself how they could make an album that could follow Z, or an album that could follow any of their previous recordings, and it just dawned on me that these guys are just going to get better. If they're coming to town, DON'T MISS THEM. And if you see their album, DON'T LEAVE IT AT THE STORE.
Coldplay – Viva la Vida
A
Ok so Coldplay ripped a song riff from Joe Satriani and don't want to admit it, that's fine because this is still a hell of an album. True, I think the video for Viva la Vida has a little too much self love for my taste, but the album is great and a worthy return to form after a solid, albeit unprogressing album in X & Y. Chris Martin continues to show his scraggly voice is gold and upon hearing the title track to this sweet album, I couldn't help but predict another platinum album for this Chick Flick version of Radiohead. Am I taking away from these guys and their musicianship? Hell no. I'm just a Satriani fan and I felt the need to at least offer one verbal slap on the wrist for the coincidence of 19+ continuous notes from that other song that had NOTHING to do with Viva la Vida.
Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
A+
Few bands can take me closer to crying than Sigur Ros. So imagine my reaction when I heard an album from them that had so many songs that could make me smile. I'm a fan of good music, good lyrics, good artwork, you name it. And if anything is clear from Sigur Ros is that they always capture the essence of each album with their artwork. The last one has an artwork of a sunny day and four naked people running through a field. I don't think there's any better way to describe this album than with that phrase. Oh, and please don't think there aren't some introspective tracks though. Lets put it this way, as day has dusk, so does this album and it's as beautiful as ever.
Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
A+
How many solid southern rock bands does it take to make a good year in music? Well I don't know but this is the third southern rock album that is on this list and by no means is it the worst or the least worthy of praise. Some people say that 'Sex on Fire' is a misleading track because there aren't many like that on the album. My only reaction is to scratch my head and wonder if these same people didn't hear the rest of this great album. Turn the volume to max, roll down the windows and make sure your destination is at least this album's length away.
Oasis – Dig out your soul
A
It's funny for me to hear people say that Dig Out Your Soul is a return to form for these Manchester rockstars. The closest to a shitty album Oasis ever pulled was Standing on the Shoulders of Giants and even that album has more than just a handful of solid tracks. But Dig Out Your Soul is a hell of an album to say the least. What I like the most is that it sounds so different yet so familiar for Oasis. Trust me, they do break new ground on this album and the result is another solid rocker that begs to be played more than once on your radio. So what if they sometimes act like a pair of tits? Shit, I live for the sheer entertainment of either Gallagher's disdain during an interview. So by all means, call them what you will, but dig into the tunes and dig out your soul.
Ray Lamontagne – Gossip in the Grain
A+
Another album with warm southern US music. How Ray Lamontagne is not black escapes me, because he has such a warm soul and smoky voice. If anything I can say about Ray, it's that he knows how to craft songs you want to slow dance with your soul mate to. Another of my top picks from last year. Light some candles, open a bottle of wine and show someone you love them. Is this a modern day Van Morrison? I'm not sure anyone deserves such an accolade, but if anyone does, Ray is making amazing progress to achieve just that.
AC/DC – Black Ice
B+
How can I make a best of 2008 list without mentioning AC/DC? I can't, that's how. Millions of people know this by now, but in case you haven't heard, this is one of 6 AC/DC albums you need to own, so do yourself a favor and make the right choice. Have a stiff drink with some black ice to go with it, and release your inner Angus.
Snow Patrol – A hundred million suns
A+
Though Snow Patrol is a pretty good band, not spectacular, they seemed to have it in their system to want to prove me wrong with their last album and guess what? They did. This is by far Snow Patrol's best album and it's the first one that has me interested from start to finish with no filler to complain about. So without further ado, my congrats boys for doing something very dangerous.... possibly creating the best album of your careers that borders on almost impossible to follow up.
Scott Weiland – Happy in Galoshes
B-
I am a child of the 90's. That said, it's pretty obvious that I'm a fan of Stone Temple Pilots regardless of Scott Weiland's inconsistent nature and the reckless dumbass nature of his drug habits. In case you're wondering though, I did buy Scott's first solo album and I think my reaction to the new one is similar. It's an interesting album to own with some genuinely awesome tracks and others you can't help but wonder if they weren't would be B-Sides that made it to the album for lack of better material. It's not to say that the album doesn't have merit or that Scott can't write a good tune or that he would stray from the path as far as Chris Cornell (thank the heavens only one rock god has turned to sucking as a new career choice). It's not even that the album sounds jumbled together, which it actually doesn't. It's just that I know that no matter how much I enjoy some tracks, Scott's best musical expressions shall forever come forth through his work with his STP brethren. Lets see what happens in '09.
Elbow - The Seldom Seen kid
A+
How the hell can a band be this good and not get support from their sales. Seriously, Elbow is one of my top 20 bands with 4 of my favorite albums ever with more beautiful tracks than you can shake forty sticks at? I don't know. What I do know is that these bastards have done it again and put forth an album that is so good that you can't help but click repeat, repeat, repeat and repeat. Seriously, with all the would be Colplay and Radiohead ripoff artists going around, making something good and fresh sounding, yet revolutionary, beautiful, inspirational and downright magical should be impossible, but these fuckers pull it off every time. Spare some change and buy this album please, if not in the name of the band, then in the name of meaningful music.
TV on the Radio - Dear Science
A
Though I hadn't heard of TV on the Radio before, I can say I've heard a lot of them the last couple of months thanks to their last album and the few times I played it. Fresh, different, new, awesome. Pick your word and it applies to this interesting collecion of solid tracks.
Portishead - Third
A-
It's been a long time coming but finally Portishead decided to release another album. So how does it measure up? Ok here's the sumup. It's not as easily accesible as Portishead's other work, granted. But if you give this album a chance and three listens, you'll see that the third times a charm.
Meshuggah – Obzen
B
Dropkick your womb or nutsack (or both, we do not discriminate against hermaphrodites here at WAS). That's the sonic equivalent of Meshuggah's latest batch of ear shattering metal, just try to imagine that those intense physical traumas were pleasant in some way. Like comparing the excising of a tumor to catharsis. Raw, hard, crunching, dark. What else could you possibly need for a cheery day of daydreaming about crashing your car into a gas tanker? While Slipknot shot themselves full of estrogen on the last album and Metallica continues to exist (the album isn't bad but Unforgiven 3? Seriously, THAT is unforgivable), Meshuggah screams harder, bangs more ferociously and does what all good metal has to do for me: make me want to surf and fuck shit up. :D
Cheers
The Mars Volta – Bedlam in Goliath
A+
Mars Volta's brand of psycho latin jazz rock finds its finest expression on their fourth album. True, their best album continues to be Deloused in the Commatorium (if you ask me), but if you want an album that borders on Miles Davis avant garde tenacity and ambition, Bedlam pushes new ground that shall forever defy cover bands stupid enough to think they can tackle this material.
Jack Johnson – Sleep through the static
A
Seems ole Jacky Boy pulled a Dylan on us and unsheathed the electric guitar for this warm, deliciously fun album. I really don't think Jack Johnson can viably pull off a shitty album and his seventh album (counting the two surf flick soundtracks as well as the one for Curious George) is filled to the brink with great tracks that invite you to sip wine, beer, tea or your beverage of choice with good friends for good times.
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
A-
How much of a cliché is it to call Ghosts a haunting album? But truly, I think it's the best way to describe this compilation of instrumental tracks by workaholic Trent Reznor. If you need great music to write something dark, morose, scary and ... well haunting, look no further than this to put on your stereo.
The Black Crowes – Warpaint
A-
Is this the best Ctowes album? No. Period. But it's a Crowes album and it's solid throughout so if you're low on your southern blues rock, this is the shot you need. Don't believe me? Listen to 'Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution' and tell me you're not toe tapping. Hip swaying, ass banging rock. How can you say no to that? Be sure to check out the slow burn of 'Walk Believer Walk', the warm summer tinge of 'Oh Josephine', the bourbon splash of 'Movin down the line' or just the road trip worthy 'Whoah Mule'. Solid is too little a word, but for now, it shall have to do.
Counting Crows – Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings
A
This Desert Life put a lot of people off the other Crows (you know, the band without the e in their name). Hard Candy did little to pull back the masses although I honestly believe it is a terrific album. Enter Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings. This is the type of album that can turn you onto a band. Solid through and through, variety, hooks, memorable songs, fast songs, slow songs, quirky songs. Everything you might want from a Counting Crows album is here so if you're a fan, what the hell are you waiting for. And if you're not a fan, give this one a shot. You should be quite pleased.
Blind Melon – For my friends
B
Blind Melon was one of my favorite bands ever, not just of the 90's, but ever. I am one of the people who wept Shannon Hoon much more than Kurt Cobain because though I did love Nirvana, I identified much more with Blind Melon. So after a decade without an album and a couple of side projects (By all means check out Unified theory and Abandon Jalopy), a new singer is chosen and a new album arrives. A lot of people were outraged that the band actually still used the name Blind Melon and I can't help but think that a bit unfair to say the least. Then again, less than a year passed before Blind Melon found themselves short another singer. But I stray from the point. This album is undeniably solid. A lot of people say that it's different from previous Blind Melon albums and I'm not even sure what the hell they expected. What I heard was a straight out rock album that showed continued promise from a band that is extremely talented. People will focus on Travis Warren not sounding like Shannon Hoon, or not being as good a writer as Shannon, or not as good a frontman as Mr. Hoon (Hmmm, I wonder why the hell he left). But for my part, I heard a solid album I was actually eager to hear live. Unfortunately, something happened and Travis left Blind Melon and now I, along with the people who believed in the reincarnation of Blind Melon, are left to wonder if there'll ever be any way of having a steady supply of the brand of music only Blind Melon could pull off. Who knows? What I do know is that this is an album you should definitely check out.
Nine Inch Nails – The Slip
A+
So Trent Reznor wants to show how productive he can actually be after tumultous years where releases were far between. Fine. Actually; more than fine. Excellent. BLOODY excellent. Fucking Awesome. Ok so enough praise. How's the album? Well if you ever asked yourself whether Nine Inch Nails could have an album that included elements of ALL their previous albums, that's precisely what you'll find upon hearing The Slip. At times hard, at times dark, at times fast, at times gothic fuck music. This is the most complete NIN album you can find if you want a taste for all the directions that Maestro Reznor has ever taken. Play loud and repeat as necessary.
Filter – Anthems for the Damned
B-
Ah, how I love people that insist they are audiophiles. You see, there's a recent trend of people demanding (and rightfully so) more quality in the music they pay money to hear. Seriously, if you pay for something, the least that can be done is to have the best possible music mix for your dollar. Well, of course you can imagine there are people that truly are audiophiles in their musical taste and can tell a good recording from a great one... oh but there are also a wide variety of people who are full of shit and insist that an album is mixed poorly or has shitty drums mainly because someone else said so and they felt the need to agree. Enter Anthems for the Damned. I had to listen to this album 4 times before realizing how I felt about it. Rather than go in depth in my reaction, lets focus on what I just said. I listened to an album four times straight just to see if it was good...... Ummm yeah. I think it's pretty safe to say that it isn't a bad album. Is it better than Short Bus or Title of Record? How about no? But does that mean it sucks? Well how about listening to it four times so you can decide for yourself?
Fleet Foxes – S/T
A+
New band. New album. Old souls. If you've ever liked any Crosy Stills Nash and Young song, you need this album. If I had to describe this album, I'd say it is the musical equivalent of dawn on an orange grove. I'm serious, this is such a damn good album that it is among my top 3 picks for the year. It's mellow, beautiful, and damn near perfect. I could go on, but I'd waste your time rather than letting you buy and listen to this great piece of music.
My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
A+
Is there such a thing as a plateu for My Morning Jacket? I think not. This grammy nominated album serves as evidence that a modern live act you HAVE to see to believe can pull out an album that sounds like 1974 bliss without breaking a sweat. I used to ask myself how they could make an album that could follow Z, or an album that could follow any of their previous recordings, and it just dawned on me that these guys are just going to get better. If they're coming to town, DON'T MISS THEM. And if you see their album, DON'T LEAVE IT AT THE STORE.
Coldplay – Viva la Vida
A
Ok so Coldplay ripped a song riff from Joe Satriani and don't want to admit it, that's fine because this is still a hell of an album. True, I think the video for Viva la Vida has a little too much self love for my taste, but the album is great and a worthy return to form after a solid, albeit unprogressing album in X & Y. Chris Martin continues to show his scraggly voice is gold and upon hearing the title track to this sweet album, I couldn't help but predict another platinum album for this Chick Flick version of Radiohead. Am I taking away from these guys and their musicianship? Hell no. I'm just a Satriani fan and I felt the need to at least offer one verbal slap on the wrist for the coincidence of 19+ continuous notes from that other song that had NOTHING to do with Viva la Vida.
Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
A+
Few bands can take me closer to crying than Sigur Ros. So imagine my reaction when I heard an album from them that had so many songs that could make me smile. I'm a fan of good music, good lyrics, good artwork, you name it. And if anything is clear from Sigur Ros is that they always capture the essence of each album with their artwork. The last one has an artwork of a sunny day and four naked people running through a field. I don't think there's any better way to describe this album than with that phrase. Oh, and please don't think there aren't some introspective tracks though. Lets put it this way, as day has dusk, so does this album and it's as beautiful as ever.
Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
A+
How many solid southern rock bands does it take to make a good year in music? Well I don't know but this is the third southern rock album that is on this list and by no means is it the worst or the least worthy of praise. Some people say that 'Sex on Fire' is a misleading track because there aren't many like that on the album. My only reaction is to scratch my head and wonder if these same people didn't hear the rest of this great album. Turn the volume to max, roll down the windows and make sure your destination is at least this album's length away.
Oasis – Dig out your soul
A
It's funny for me to hear people say that Dig Out Your Soul is a return to form for these Manchester rockstars. The closest to a shitty album Oasis ever pulled was Standing on the Shoulders of Giants and even that album has more than just a handful of solid tracks. But Dig Out Your Soul is a hell of an album to say the least. What I like the most is that it sounds so different yet so familiar for Oasis. Trust me, they do break new ground on this album and the result is another solid rocker that begs to be played more than once on your radio. So what if they sometimes act like a pair of tits? Shit, I live for the sheer entertainment of either Gallagher's disdain during an interview. So by all means, call them what you will, but dig into the tunes and dig out your soul.
Ray Lamontagne – Gossip in the Grain
A+
Another album with warm southern US music. How Ray Lamontagne is not black escapes me, because he has such a warm soul and smoky voice. If anything I can say about Ray, it's that he knows how to craft songs you want to slow dance with your soul mate to. Another of my top picks from last year. Light some candles, open a bottle of wine and show someone you love them. Is this a modern day Van Morrison? I'm not sure anyone deserves such an accolade, but if anyone does, Ray is making amazing progress to achieve just that.
AC/DC – Black Ice
B+
How can I make a best of 2008 list without mentioning AC/DC? I can't, that's how. Millions of people know this by now, but in case you haven't heard, this is one of 6 AC/DC albums you need to own, so do yourself a favor and make the right choice. Have a stiff drink with some black ice to go with it, and release your inner Angus.
Snow Patrol – A hundred million suns
A+
Though Snow Patrol is a pretty good band, not spectacular, they seemed to have it in their system to want to prove me wrong with their last album and guess what? They did. This is by far Snow Patrol's best album and it's the first one that has me interested from start to finish with no filler to complain about. So without further ado, my congrats boys for doing something very dangerous.... possibly creating the best album of your careers that borders on almost impossible to follow up.
Scott Weiland – Happy in Galoshes
B-
I am a child of the 90's. That said, it's pretty obvious that I'm a fan of Stone Temple Pilots regardless of Scott Weiland's inconsistent nature and the reckless dumbass nature of his drug habits. In case you're wondering though, I did buy Scott's first solo album and I think my reaction to the new one is similar. It's an interesting album to own with some genuinely awesome tracks and others you can't help but wonder if they weren't would be B-Sides that made it to the album for lack of better material. It's not to say that the album doesn't have merit or that Scott can't write a good tune or that he would stray from the path as far as Chris Cornell (thank the heavens only one rock god has turned to sucking as a new career choice). It's not even that the album sounds jumbled together, which it actually doesn't. It's just that I know that no matter how much I enjoy some tracks, Scott's best musical expressions shall forever come forth through his work with his STP brethren. Lets see what happens in '09.
Elbow - The Seldom Seen kid
A+
How the hell can a band be this good and not get support from their sales. Seriously, Elbow is one of my top 20 bands with 4 of my favorite albums ever with more beautiful tracks than you can shake forty sticks at? I don't know. What I do know is that these bastards have done it again and put forth an album that is so good that you can't help but click repeat, repeat, repeat and repeat. Seriously, with all the would be Colplay and Radiohead ripoff artists going around, making something good and fresh sounding, yet revolutionary, beautiful, inspirational and downright magical should be impossible, but these fuckers pull it off every time. Spare some change and buy this album please, if not in the name of the band, then in the name of meaningful music.
TV on the Radio - Dear Science
A
Though I hadn't heard of TV on the Radio before, I can say I've heard a lot of them the last couple of months thanks to their last album and the few times I played it. Fresh, different, new, awesome. Pick your word and it applies to this interesting collecion of solid tracks.
Portishead - Third
A-
It's been a long time coming but finally Portishead decided to release another album. So how does it measure up? Ok here's the sumup. It's not as easily accesible as Portishead's other work, granted. But if you give this album a chance and three listens, you'll see that the third times a charm.
Meshuggah – Obzen
B
Dropkick your womb or nutsack (or both, we do not discriminate against hermaphrodites here at WAS). That's the sonic equivalent of Meshuggah's latest batch of ear shattering metal, just try to imagine that those intense physical traumas were pleasant in some way. Like comparing the excising of a tumor to catharsis. Raw, hard, crunching, dark. What else could you possibly need for a cheery day of daydreaming about crashing your car into a gas tanker? While Slipknot shot themselves full of estrogen on the last album and Metallica continues to exist (the album isn't bad but Unforgiven 3? Seriously, THAT is unforgivable), Meshuggah screams harder, bangs more ferociously and does what all good metal has to do for me: make me want to surf and fuck shit up. :D
Cheers
Labels:
bands,
best albums of 2008,
Best of 2008,
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