The drummer from Meese started a new blog. Meese is a Colorado band gaining momentum in the pop rock music scene. Here's his blog:
Ben Haley's Blog
To hear music from Meese, check out there myspace page at:
Meese Myspace page
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Vote for Jet Black Stare's I'm Breathing-Top 20
Click the picture to vote for Jet Black Stare's I'm Breathing on Alternative Addictions' Top 20 singles of the week.
Since JBS was just added it won't show a rank until next week. Just select the radio button to the right of the song and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your e-mail address and submit your vote! Let's get JBS to #1!
Since JBS was just added it won't show a rank until next week. Just select the radio button to the right of the song and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your e-mail address and submit your vote! Let's get JBS to #1!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Best of Alternative Addiction 2008
Vote here: Best of Alternative Addiction 2008.
Jet Black Stare: Song of the Year, Album of the year
Adelitas Way: Unsigned band of the year
Jet Black Stare is up for song of the year (Ready to Roll) and album of the year (In This Life). About the band:
"A good song is a good song man, simple as that!"
That's the mercurial and confident, but oh so endearing songwriter and vocalist Rod Black. Black knows his way around a well-written tune. He's recently finished co-writing a slew of them for his brand new band, JET BLACK STARE, and their Island Records debut album, In This Life.
Back in early 2007, after becoming frustrated with his past band's creative differences, Rod found the perfect song-writing companion in fellow Vancouver, Canada resident, songwriter/producer Jeff Johnson. "Give us 15 minutes and we can hammer out a song. We have that rare, special chemistry" says Black gloating on Jeff. "We hardly ever bump heads, we're always on the same page." This harmonious partnership not only set the groundwork for what eventually - along with Shane Hayes (bass), Flip (guitar) and Dave Muselman (guitar), and Dan Swinimer (drums) - became Jet Black Stare, but also created the perfect vessel for Rod's storytelling. "I just want to be as a true as I can be to the song, and for me every song has to tell a story."
At the end of the day, for Black, it's about making people feel connected: Whether it's the epic "The River" ("I'm sick of nine to five/I'm sick of living day to day") or the bluesy ballad "Fly" ("When this temptation turns into my only friend/Lookin' for someone to help me start over again"). It's all about finding the common thread in everyday life struggles. For example, "Fly" was born out of Rod befriending and trying to help some young street kids he used to pass every day on the way to his old office day job. Or take the album-closer "Next To Me," about making personal and familial sacrifices for the greater good and being forced to be away from loved ones: Ambiguously, this soulful Heartland-ready number could be about a traveling salesman, an athlete, a soldier away at war, a rock star on the road?any and all of these, it's reach is universal.
But lest we not forget, JET BLACK STARE are rockers! So while they may get everyone's solar plexus wedged wide-open, they certainly don't mind ramming a steel-toed boot in for good measure. Take for example the record's first single "Ready To Roll," a pedal-to-the-metal anthem that will bring you charging down the drag strip. Fittingly, this track, as well as "It's Over" (the catchiest tune ever written about a cheating ex), are both to be featured in the upcoming EA video game NASCAR 2009.
It's a rather ironic turn that JET BLACK STARE's first single, like a few other legendary classics ("Highway Star," "Radar Love," "Born To Be Wild") is a sexually-charged opus to a muscle car: It was just a few year's ago, during a near-fatal car crash, that Rod wound up in the emergency room. But that's nothing considering that his miraculous survival from that accident was just a few days after the day he died. "I died when I was 19. I heard the doctors say it; they pronounced me dead" says Rod still in amazement years later. "I was what is called a 'flat-line patient.' But the next day I woke up! The doctors and nurses were astonished. 4 hours later I walked out of the hospital and went to work!"
He talks about it in "I"m Breathing": "And now I'm lookin' for the reasons why I'm alive/And now I've finally come to realize." And what he realized he says he has essentially known since he was 6 growing up in a musical family and wishing to be a performer. "My purpose is to do music" says Rod assuredly "and to reach as many people as I can, and hopefully, bring a positive message."
Now with Jet Black Stare's chrome-plated guitars and fist-pumpin' grooves, Rod has found the perfect medium for his stories and contagious vocal hooks?and he's going to need an arena-sized room to show them off.
Jet Black Stare is:
Rod Black ~ vocals
Flip ~ guitar
Dave ~ guitar
Dan ~ drums
Adelitas Way is up for unsigned band of the year. Hailing from Las Vegas, this trio was just recently signed by Virgin Records. They have a new album expected out March 2009. Their influences: FOO FIGHTERS, GUNS N ROSES, NICKELBACK, THREE DAYS GRACE, BREAKING BENJAMIN, DEF LEPPARD, MOTLEY CRUE, BUSH, THE KILLERS, 3 DOORS DOWN, AUDIOSLAVE, SOUNDGARDEN, BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH.
Band members include:
Rick - Vocal
Chris Iorio - Lead Guitar
Tre - Drums
Jet Black Stare: Song of the Year, Album of the year
Adelitas Way: Unsigned band of the year
Jet Black Stare is up for song of the year (Ready to Roll) and album of the year (In This Life). About the band:
"A good song is a good song man, simple as that!"
That's the mercurial and confident, but oh so endearing songwriter and vocalist Rod Black. Black knows his way around a well-written tune. He's recently finished co-writing a slew of them for his brand new band, JET BLACK STARE, and their Island Records debut album, In This Life.
Back in early 2007, after becoming frustrated with his past band's creative differences, Rod found the perfect song-writing companion in fellow Vancouver, Canada resident, songwriter/producer Jeff Johnson. "Give us 15 minutes and we can hammer out a song. We have that rare, special chemistry" says Black gloating on Jeff. "We hardly ever bump heads, we're always on the same page." This harmonious partnership not only set the groundwork for what eventually - along with Shane Hayes (bass), Flip (guitar) and Dave Muselman (guitar), and Dan Swinimer (drums) - became Jet Black Stare, but also created the perfect vessel for Rod's storytelling. "I just want to be as a true as I can be to the song, and for me every song has to tell a story."
At the end of the day, for Black, it's about making people feel connected: Whether it's the epic "The River" ("I'm sick of nine to five/I'm sick of living day to day") or the bluesy ballad "Fly" ("When this temptation turns into my only friend/Lookin' for someone to help me start over again"). It's all about finding the common thread in everyday life struggles. For example, "Fly" was born out of Rod befriending and trying to help some young street kids he used to pass every day on the way to his old office day job. Or take the album-closer "Next To Me," about making personal and familial sacrifices for the greater good and being forced to be away from loved ones: Ambiguously, this soulful Heartland-ready number could be about a traveling salesman, an athlete, a soldier away at war, a rock star on the road?any and all of these, it's reach is universal.
But lest we not forget, JET BLACK STARE are rockers! So while they may get everyone's solar plexus wedged wide-open, they certainly don't mind ramming a steel-toed boot in for good measure. Take for example the record's first single "Ready To Roll," a pedal-to-the-metal anthem that will bring you charging down the drag strip. Fittingly, this track, as well as "It's Over" (the catchiest tune ever written about a cheating ex), are both to be featured in the upcoming EA video game NASCAR 2009.
It's a rather ironic turn that JET BLACK STARE's first single, like a few other legendary classics ("Highway Star," "Radar Love," "Born To Be Wild") is a sexually-charged opus to a muscle car: It was just a few year's ago, during a near-fatal car crash, that Rod wound up in the emergency room. But that's nothing considering that his miraculous survival from that accident was just a few days after the day he died. "I died when I was 19. I heard the doctors say it; they pronounced me dead" says Rod still in amazement years later. "I was what is called a 'flat-line patient.' But the next day I woke up! The doctors and nurses were astonished. 4 hours later I walked out of the hospital and went to work!"
He talks about it in "I"m Breathing": "And now I'm lookin' for the reasons why I'm alive/And now I've finally come to realize." And what he realized he says he has essentially known since he was 6 growing up in a musical family and wishing to be a performer. "My purpose is to do music" says Rod assuredly "and to reach as many people as I can, and hopefully, bring a positive message."
Now with Jet Black Stare's chrome-plated guitars and fist-pumpin' grooves, Rod has found the perfect medium for his stories and contagious vocal hooks?and he's going to need an arena-sized room to show them off.
Jet Black Stare is:
Rod Black ~ vocals
Flip ~ guitar
Dave ~ guitar
Dan ~ drums
Adelitas Way is up for unsigned band of the year. Hailing from Las Vegas, this trio was just recently signed by Virgin Records. They have a new album expected out March 2009. Their influences: FOO FIGHTERS, GUNS N ROSES, NICKELBACK, THREE DAYS GRACE, BREAKING BENJAMIN, DEF LEPPARD, MOTLEY CRUE, BUSH, THE KILLERS, 3 DOORS DOWN, AUDIOSLAVE, SOUNDGARDEN, BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH.
Band members include:
Rick - Vocal
Chris Iorio - Lead Guitar
Tre - Drums
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Society Red nominated for best unsigned band for 2008-Rock On Request Magazine
Congratulations to Society Red! Help them get the award by voting as often as possible. Voting starts December 5th. Here's the link for more information: 2008 Top in Rock Awards
About the band:
"The members of Society Red are taking no prisoners as they tear through the rubble that is left of the Music Industry. Comprised of former members of Puddle of Mudd, Shinedown, and Burn Season allowed this band to skip many of the long and tedious steps that most new bands spend years facing.
In just a few short months, they have received much media exposure and are already creating a buzz with many industry execs. The music has been described as straight forward commercial ready rock, as if Guns and Roses and Foo Fighters got together and had a bastard son.
Made up of former Burn Season front man Damien Starkey, former Puddle of Mudd guitarist Paul Phillips, former Shinedown bassist Brad Stewart, Dizzi Devereux on guitar, and Brad Moxey on drums makes this band the total package. With a formula of Platinum proven songwriting, over all experience, and an explosive live show this band is surely going to the top.
"The response has been undeniable" says Damien, "Our fans have already proven themselves to be very dedicated, and that to me is what makes bands successful." So look out for more songs and tours coming from Society Red as they take over the internet and develop into rocks next Super Group."
About the band:
"The members of Society Red are taking no prisoners as they tear through the rubble that is left of the Music Industry. Comprised of former members of Puddle of Mudd, Shinedown, and Burn Season allowed this band to skip many of the long and tedious steps that most new bands spend years facing.
In just a few short months, they have received much media exposure and are already creating a buzz with many industry execs. The music has been described as straight forward commercial ready rock, as if Guns and Roses and Foo Fighters got together and had a bastard son.
Made up of former Burn Season front man Damien Starkey, former Puddle of Mudd guitarist Paul Phillips, former Shinedown bassist Brad Stewart, Dizzi Devereux on guitar, and Brad Moxey on drums makes this band the total package. With a formula of Platinum proven songwriting, over all experience, and an explosive live show this band is surely going to the top.
"The response has been undeniable" says Damien, "Our fans have already proven themselves to be very dedicated, and that to me is what makes bands successful." So look out for more songs and tours coming from Society Red as they take over the internet and develop into rocks next Super Group."
Monday, December 1, 2008
Slacker Radio
I listen to online radio while at work. I used to listen to Pandora, but the variety wasn't what I was really looking for. I discovered a new to me online station through one of my brick and mortar radio stations. It is called Slacker radio.
What is unique about Slacker radio is the variety on its stations. If you choose say alternative, you can either go with the general sense of the word or drill down to a specific style of alternative. Or you can type in a band name and it will create a station with bands that are similar to that band. (Just like Pandora in this sense.) But how it differs from Pandora is the songs are both old and new. Some I've heard of some I haven't. Which is cool. I can discover new music this way. Slacker can either be enjoyed as a basic free service with advertisements or a premium service without ads and unlimited skips/stations.
You can also purchase a player (Slacker G2) from Best Buy or at the site itself that downloads your top 25 stations and you can play them away from your computer. It has 4 GB of storage. The player can be used just like on your computer. So if you want to skip a song you can. You can also rate which songs you like and which you don't. Then I suppose it gets adjusted next time you login to your computer and update the player. Awesome. Here's the website: Slacker Radio
What is unique about Slacker radio is the variety on its stations. If you choose say alternative, you can either go with the general sense of the word or drill down to a specific style of alternative. Or you can type in a band name and it will create a station with bands that are similar to that band. (Just like Pandora in this sense.) But how it differs from Pandora is the songs are both old and new. Some I've heard of some I haven't. Which is cool. I can discover new music this way. Slacker can either be enjoyed as a basic free service with advertisements or a premium service without ads and unlimited skips/stations.
You can also purchase a player (Slacker G2) from Best Buy or at the site itself that downloads your top 25 stations and you can play them away from your computer. It has 4 GB of storage. The player can be used just like on your computer. So if you want to skip a song you can. You can also rate which songs you like and which you don't. Then I suppose it gets adjusted next time you login to your computer and update the player. Awesome. Here's the website: Slacker Radio
Monday, November 24, 2008
Linkin Park takes home an award from the AMAs
Congratulations to Linkin Park for winning the award for the favorite alternative rock band...check it:
Linkin Park wins AMA
Linkin Park wins AMA
Drowning Pool Concert-Nov 23-Denver
I confess. I originally bought tickets to this show because I thought Jet Black Stare was going to play. But, I found out later that the radio station and promoters had misposted the bands attending. Of course, the tickets were non-refundable so I talked my sister into going. :)
The concert started out with a local band from Englewood, CO called Broken Image. They are a screamo band who actually did quite well. They knew how to engage the concert goers and get things jumping. The slam dancers were happy. They were very happy to opening for Drowning Pool and did a great job of promoting the two bands before them. They rocked!
The next band to come on stage was another local band from Colorado Springs, CO called Elesion. They are an alternative rock/experimental band. The music was very different compared to Broken Image and Drowning Pool. It was a definite mismatch for the crowd. When the lead singer said there were 2 more songs they were going to play, someone in the crowd yelled "Make it fast!" The indians were growing restless. The band was ok, but the lead singer wasn't the best.
Drowning Pool finally came on stage about 10:15p. They started out with the song Soldier which has an awesome bomb siren in the beginning. Nice intro. The new lead singer is quite good. He truly knows how to pull the crowd in. He looked like he was really enjoying himself. I'm not a huge Drowning Pool fan. In fact the only song of theirs I know is Bodies. How can I not know it when it always gets played at almost every hockey game I attend? But, I kept an open mind. They played old school DP and songs from their latest album. My favorite off the new album is 37 Stitches. Awesome song. The lead singer said it was his favorite off the new album as well. We stayed for about 4-5 DP songs then left. I wished I could have stayed longer but was unable to. They are a great band to hear live. They really rocked the house. I highly recommend a DP concert if you are into the heavier rock.
Pictures from the Drowning Pool Concert:
Friday, November 21, 2008
Nickelback's Dark Horse Album
I downloaded the album off of Amazon a couple days ago. The album was co-produced by legendary producer Mutt Lang. You can tell Mutt's influences on the album. It has alot of that Def Leppard large sound. Kind of takes me back to the 80's in some ways. But, why not? Seems to be the "in" thing to do lately. Metallica, Motley Crue, AC/DC, and even Guns and Roses are back.
The first song of the album gets off to a rockin' start. Something in Your Mouth lyrically is a copy cat of Theory of a Deadman's Bad Girlfriend. Another copycat song that comes to mind is Hinder's Use Me. But it is fun and it works. But not for Great Britain, I'm afraid. Radio stations across the pond find the song too racy. One radio station views it differently and is trying to get it played in the UK.
Kerrang! Campaign
The next song Burn It To The Ground will be the rock anthem for all sporting events. It has those rockin' guitars throughout the song, nice solos. Too bad Daniel doesn't have some kick ass drum solo in there somewhere.
Gotta Be Somebody, the first song released as a single off the album, starts out with ethereal backup vocals that merge into Chad singing. This song is typical Nickelback, a little over synthesized though and has a very country feel to me. When I first heard it I thought of Shania Twain. But, very popular radio wise. Also the chorus is catchy. Very romantic/inspiring lyrics. Belongs in a hallmark commercial. LOL
I'd Come For You: Ballad. I predict this one to be popular radiowise as well. I can see it being played at weddings.
Next Go Round: If the Brits are having a problem with Something in your mouth, then they may as well just forget this one. Great song though. Reminiscent of Animals. Fast driving music and beats. I love when the music alternates between left and right speaker too.
Just to Get High: Sad lyrics about a junkie. Not a favorite. Music is dramatic sounding. Love the beats in it though. Nice guitar solo.
Never Gonna Be Alone: Another ballad. Another wedding song.
Shakin' Hands: Not a fan of this song. It is ok. The backup "Hey!" seems to be popular throughout the album. Quite a few of the songs have it except the ballads of course. Filler song.
S.E.X: Need I say more. Not gonna be played in the UK. No way. Kind of funny for a country that brought us Benny Hill and Monty Python. I thought the US was bad. Whoa! Great song though. Reminds me of something Prince would sing. hahahahaha
If Today Was Your Last Day: Inspirational song. Makes you think. Music is ok. I can never get through it for some reason. I'm always fast forwarding through this song.
This Afternoon: Fun, humorous song. I can see it played as the ending credits of some friends drama/comedy movie.
Overall, I really like the album. Kudos to Nickelback for trying something different.
Welcome to the Music is Life Blog
I've decided to create a blog dedicated to various genres of music that I've discovered and like. Feel free to add anything you've discovered and would like to share. I love discovering new music! I'm currently on 3 street teams. One is for Theory of a Deadman. I lead a street team for Jet Black Stare (Colorado Team) and I just signed up for the Monolith Street Team (held annually at Red Rocks in Colorado). But, I do support smaller signed and unsigned bands as well. I guess I'm addicted to music. LOL There could be worse vices.
My renewed addiction to music started out with the Linkin Park Projekt Revolution concert at Fiddler's Green in August. September saw me at Red Rocks enjoying American Bang, Finger Eleven, Hinder and 3 Doors Down. October blew Chris Cornell in to town at the Ogden with Timbaland performing his new album Scream (due out Feb 3). And for November, I'm going to the Drowning Pool concert at the Marquis Theater this Sunday. Who knows what is up for December! Perhaps a Colorado band such as Meese and the Fray at Vail or the Flobots at the end of the month (probably sold out already).
Some of my favorite bands are: Theory of a Deadman (surprise), Nickelback, NIN, Linkin Park, Flobots, Chris Cornell, Silvergun, Society Red, Worldstatic, The Used, Atreyu, Adelitas Way, etc.
My renewed addiction to music started out with the Linkin Park Projekt Revolution concert at Fiddler's Green in August. September saw me at Red Rocks enjoying American Bang, Finger Eleven, Hinder and 3 Doors Down. October blew Chris Cornell in to town at the Ogden with Timbaland performing his new album Scream (due out Feb 3). And for November, I'm going to the Drowning Pool concert at the Marquis Theater this Sunday. Who knows what is up for December! Perhaps a Colorado band such as Meese and the Fray at Vail or the Flobots at the end of the month (probably sold out already).
Some of my favorite bands are: Theory of a Deadman (surprise), Nickelback, NIN, Linkin Park, Flobots, Chris Cornell, Silvergun, Society Red, Worldstatic, The Used, Atreyu, Adelitas Way, etc.
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