Blog

Before I begin, this is for my own fun and because I'm extremely bored with nothing to do. I'm sick. Even if I say I don't like a certain band or say negative things about a certain band, I have mad respect for anyone that listens to them. Everyone's music taste is their own, and no one has the right to tell you that your taste in music is bad. If anyone does, make them go away.

1. Muse - I, for one, don't like Muse. I feel like they have become the new Radiohead. I really enjoy a select few songs, particularly Assassin. This song is just great and full of some really intense energy. Also, Plug-In Baby is really great. I find everything else... rather bland. I really dislike their new album and have heard from other people that it was disappointing. Also, I find Knights of Cydonia really annoying. Don't ask me why. Most of you probably think it's like the best song ever made, so props to you. Just not for me.

2. The Beatles - I don't want to go ranting about them, and I know people will just absolutely hate me because I don't like their music. However, John Lennon is a big influence on me and I did a pretty damn big project on him in 8th grade. I also think they have really shaped music and pretty much paved the road for music. I'm just not into THEIR music. I know, I'm bad.

3. Radiohead - I think this is the one band on here that I really hate. I have respect for you if you listen to them, that's cool, but this is just definitely not my thing. I think it's more backround music, to be honest, as a friend of mine once said. It could be good for long car rides or something, or maybe falling asleep to. I've only discovered one song I really have enjoyed by them, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi.

4. Coldplay - I like their music, but I personally think they are annoying. Their music is pretty good and catchy, I like their energy as well. I really enjoyed Shiver when I first heard it, and their newest album isn't bad at all. I just find the band as a whole kind of annoying, I'm not sure why.

5. Lady GaGa - No surprise this lady is that high up on the list. Teens are going crazy over her. A lot of people think she's just downright freaky for her obscure and bizzare fashion sense. Some of her music is very catchy and danceable, however, this is NOT my style of music. As a person, I do have respect for her as an individual. She definitely is not afraid to go out there and be the person she is, even if it's just... weird. I'll admit, whenever one of her songs come on the radio, me and my friends are definitely singing and dancing along. But once again, not my style.

6. The Killers - I don't like them and I especially don't like Brandon Flowers. Their style of music kind of freaks me out. Also, I met them because my friend was in one of their music videos, and they are douche bags. Maybe that's why I feel so negatively about them. I mean, Mr. Brightside was pretty decent and all, but I think it's the way they represent themselves and what they represent are the things that bug me.

7. Red Hot Chili Peppers - These guys obviously rock. I get all pumped up and excited whenever I hear By the Way or Can't Stop come on the radio. I don't listen to them that much at home at all, but my view of them is pretty positive. I like pretty much all of their work with the exception of their newest album, which was decent at best. I respect them for sticking it through this long and still releasing good quality albums.

8. Metallica - I'm all about metal. I love metal. I just hate thrash metal. These guys are one of the pioneers of thrash metal, or so I'm told, and I really just don't like the genre that much as a whole. I heard their new album was kind of absolute shit, which left me kind of disappointed. They have some seriously epic songs obviously, and I do respect them. It's just not my preferred subgenre of metal. I also find their singer a little weird and annoying.

9. Michael Jackson - I don't listen to him, first off. And I think it's kind of sad that his song count went absolutely sky rocketing since his recent death (R.I.P.), I really wish he was here to see everyone adore him as they do now. It would have made him happy. I believe he was a genuinely good person, and just horribly misunderstood. It's not really my style of music, but he's just such a huge part of music, and I have deep deep respect for what he's done.

10. Kings of Leon - I definitely don't like these guys. I read their interview in the Rolling Stone and they seem kind of off. They most definitely sold out with Sex On Fire, and then somehow sold out once again with Use Somebody. I actually did like some of their songs at first listen when they were on the radio 24/7, but they just got so overhyped, it ruined them for me. They are okay though.

11. Nirvana - I love Nirvana. I absolutely love them. I love Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl a disgusting amount. I really like their music. I'm really sad that Kurt is gone now (R.I.P.). I totally think Courtney Love did it, somehow. I don't really have anything else to say but positive things about these pioneers of grudge, so I'll leave it at that.

12. Linkin Park - I used to love, love, love Linkin Park in middle school. They were my obsession. They went to the same high school as I did, and I had teachers who had Mike Shinoda that talked very highly of him. Hybrid Theory and Meteora were so good. They made up my middle school and 9th grade career. I think I know every word to every song on both of those albums. But when they released Minutes To Midnight, I was SO disappointed. I feel like they took a whole new different direction. That album blows.

13. Green Day - Well, I have mixed opinions about them. Obviously, as most people will agree, their old stuff was the shit. It was amazing. I feel like they didn't really care what people thought of them back then and went all out in a punk-ish sort of way, which I love. But once American Idiot hit, I feel like their popularity or something went straight to their heads. They are definitely not like they used to. I still have some deep respect for them, they are still a good band releasing albums that most people still seem to like, although I didn't enjoy their newest album too much.

14. Pink Floyd - I'm not sure I can really talk about these guys because I don't know much about them. Everyone loves them though, and the songs that I have heard are groundbreaking. They made some good music, at least from what I have heard so far. I'm pretty sure they had a role in shaping rock just as The Beatles did. However, I won't go on because I just don't know anymore.

15. Arctic Monkeys - I'm a little surprised to see these guys so high up on the list. I had no idea they were this popular. I really, really liked I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor, but once again, really not my style of music altogether. I've heard some other stuff, and it was just pretty average to me. I'm not sure I really dig what they represent either. They are okay, though.

16. Foo Fighters - I love Foo Fighters. I have so much respect for Dave Grohl, I really do. He is a great musician, absolutely fantastic. I love their drummer too, but I forgot his name. I wasn't the biggest fan of their latest release, but The Pretender was awesome. They released probably one of my favorite albums of all time, The shape and the colour. I think that album is flawless, or pretty close to it. I love their energy, especially Dave's at live shows. I love a band who can stick through it and can keep releasing good albums.

17. Black Eyed Peas - Not a big fan of Fergie or Will.I.Am. Definitely not. I think I know every single word to Fergalicious, though, just because it was on the radio so much back in the day. They obviously have some catchy music, and I also know all the words to Boom Boom Pow because of how much it was on the radio. Some of their songs are good and catchy, and like I said before, I'm not afraid to admit that me and my friends dance and sing when some of their stuff comes on in the car. I don't have a big general liking for them though, and I most definitely don't keep up with them. Not my style.

18. Death Cab for Cutie - YES! I absolutely love this band. So much. Probably my favorite indie band of all time. I really don't listen to indie, but when I do, it's usually these guys. I like how pretty much every single album they released has been epic and great, not a single bad album. Photobooth is my most played song on iTunes, and probably one of my favorite songs of all time. I only listen to a few other indie bands, like Tegan and Sara, Broken Social Scene, Bloc Party, and maybe some others. But these guys are my favorites.

19. Placebo - Also surprised to see this band so high up on the list. I had no idea they were this popular. However, I literally know diddly squat about them and have heard absolutely any of their music. If you guys want to suggest me some songs to listen to, go for it and I'll check them out.

20. Paramore - Say what you want, I really like them and I respect them. Even the song they did for the dreaded Twilight movie was pretty good (Decode). I like Hayley Williams, she's definitely a cutie. I think I have a ton of plays of this band. I really like them and their music. Sadly, I still haven't checked out their newest album, so if anyone wants to tell me their review on it, you totally should. While this isn't completely my style of music, I like it quite a bit. I also screamed like a little schoolgirl when I heard Hayley randomly come in on the Set Your Goals song The Few That Remain on their album (which I suggest all you pop-punk/hardcore fans go check out right now!)

21. Queen - I have always thought they were kind of overrated, but people absolutely love them. I know they have released a few groundbreaking epic songs, but I don't really like their music at all. I definitely respect them and what they have done for music. Unfortunately, I don't know anymore about these guys so I can't go on.

22. U2 - This is one of the few bands that I will actually say I hate. I don't hate their fans at all or anything like that, I just selectively hate Bono and his band. I hate what they represent. I also hate how Bono dresses. But this has nothing to do with their music, which I also have never been a fan of. I really just hate all of their songs and I think this band is just kind of icky. They rub me the wrong way, if you get my drift.

23. Led Zeppelin - Absolutely love Led Zeppelin. I only have their greatest hits albums because I'm not that much into classic rock, but every song on their is just so fucking awesome. They pretty much shaped rock-n-roll, or at least most of it. I don't know a lot about them, but the songs I have heard are amazing. I don't listen to them near enough, though.

24. System of a Down - Yes, yes, yes, yes. Used to be one of my favorite bands ever, and they still kind of are. I don't listen to them as much as I used to, but I can say with confidence that I have liked every album they released. I'm pretty upset that I didn't get to see them live before they broke up, and I just oh so desperately want to get them back together. I really don't like Scars on Broadway or Serj Tankian doing it solo. I actually don't find that music at all. They need to get back together, who's with me?!

25. Oasis - I always see this band getting so much hate. I actually like them, not all of their stuff but definitely a few songs are really, really great. I still find myself listening to Champagne Supernove, Wonderwall, and Don't Go Away sometimes. I definitely don't like all of their stuff or their newest stuff, but a few songs have some great memories attached to them, and I'm always thankful for songs like that.

26. David Bowie - I hope I don't get flamed, but I really know absolutely nothing about him. I heard he's made some pretty epic and groundbreaking stuff, so if anyone here wants to suggest me some songs, I'll go and listen to them. Unfortunately, I can't review him anymore because I simply don't know anymore.

27. MGMT - Meh, meh, meh. It's the perfect word to describe this band, in my opinion. Not too great, not too bad. I really like Electric Feel (which I heard at a party and started dancing to) and Time to Pretend, but not really anything else. Keep in mind, this isn't really my style of music, but I imagine people who like this weird electronic kind of indie stuff like them a lot. I also read an interview about them in the Rolling Stone and they didn't sound like great people. But they are okay, I respect them.

28. The Rolling Stones - Once again, I really don't know much about them to give a review on them. I know that Gimme Shelter is an amazing song, but I haven't heard really anything else. I know that they're in the Hall of Fame and they shaped rock-n-roll somewhat, so mad props for that.

29. The Cure - I never got into The Cure, I just never could. Some of their music is decent, in my opinion, but it's just really not my thing. I have respect for them though and I know people absolutely love them. As the list keeps going down, I know less and less about bands, so bear with me!

30. Bob Dylan - I think Tangled Up in Blue is such an annoying song. I don't know why, I just do. I know I'd probably get super mega flamed if I insulted Bob Dylan anymore than I just did, so I'll refrain. I guess he's cool though, and he definitely has some good songs. But I don't know anything about him or his music, so I'll stop here.

31. Rammstein - Hm, German metal? Sounds alright to me. I obviously, like most of you guys, enjoyed Du Hast quite a bit. The guitar work in that song is so awesome and catchy. I believe it led me to get their discography, and I was definitely impressed with some of their work, but nothing matches up to Du Hast. I'm not a huge fan because I don't understand German, and I usually like to understand what they're saying.

32. Daft Punk - I got some serious respect for Daft Punk and I was really happy to see them in DJ Hero. I have quite a few songs by them, including One More Time, Aerodynamic, Around the World, and several others, and I have to say, I still listen to the songs I have by them often. I definitely enjoy them, but at the same time, I'm not in on the whole techno or whatever scene. It's not my thing. But these guys are an exception, and they create some great beats and catchy music.

33. blink-182 - Finally. My music taste has long since expanded since these guys were at the peak, and I'm not totally into this genre that much anymore, but they have remained my favorite band of all time ever since I was a child. I have so many songs by them that have memories attached to them, and I am thankful for that. I love Mark, Tom, and Travis with the fire of a thousand suns. I literally cried when they broke up, cried when they got back together, and started screaming insanity when I heard about Travis Barker's plane crash, and cried some more when I heard DJ AM died. Anyways, I love What's My Age Again? more than most people. I also saw them live twice, the first and last shows of their tour. Greatness!

34. Depeche Mode - I know like diddly squat by these guys. I'm not sure what type of music they play. Someone should enlighten me and throw some songs my way so I can expand my musical horizons!

35. Beyonce - I find her so annoying. I'm sorry, I just do. I know that everything she represents is so good and positive, but I just find her to be a really annoying human being. No disrespect to her fans, but her music is definitely not my thing either. Once again, I'm not afraid to admit that I dance and sing along to Single Ladies and Halo whenever it comes on in the car. Yes, I know the words.

36. Franz Ferdinand - I really don't know much except Take Me Out friggin' ruled. I've heard some of their other stuff and it doesn't really compare. I have mixed opinions on them, but once again, the respect is definitely there. Unfortunately, I don't know anymore about them, so let's move on.

37. The White Stripes - I really only like the song Icky Thump. I think that song is just so epic, so epic. I love it. I actually ended up getting that whole album (whatever it's called, I forgot), and I've listened through it a couple of times. I really don't like any of their other songs by Icky Thump. But I definitely think they are a talented group of fellows, and lady (if I recall, their drummer is a chick-a-dee).

38. Bloc Party - YES! I love Bloc Party, so much. Silent Alarm is one of my favorite albums of all time. I love this album so much and have so much respect for this band, it's insane. It's probably one of the few indie bands I listened to, as mentioned before. Some of my favorite songs of all time belong to them, such as Banquet and Like Eating Glass. I really didn't like their new album, Intimacy, all that much. They kind of took a different direction and I didn't like it, but One Month Off is great.

39. Eminem - I have respect for him since I know some details about his personal life, as I'm sure some of you do. It seems like he's battled some really hard times and had the courage and strength to write about his difficulties and show them to the world through music. I really didn't like his new album, Relapse, but some people really enjoyed it, and that's good. I am definitely a fan of his older stuff when he was a goof ball and didn't give a fuck.

40. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - I think this is one of the indie bands that kind of annoys me, but I still respect them and Karen O. at the same time. (What is her last name?) Of course, I gotta have respect for them since Maps was the first song I ever learned on drums, but this kind of indie isn't really my style. I guess they're okay, but definitely not my thing.

41. Britney Spears - No, no, no. I really don't like her. Yeah, I know all of the words to Toxic, but who doesn't? Her new album(s) have kind of blown, but I do have respect for her. She shaved her and went through a bad downward spiral, but it seems she came out on top. So congratulations on that. Now let's all go kill K-Fed. Who's down?

42. Guns N' Roses - My mom used to dream about having the sexy times with Axl Rose. (I don't know how to spell his name, my apologies). I don't really like all of their music that much, but I know they recently released Chinese Democracy. I've been hearing mixed reviews about it. I remember there was one song on there that I really really liked, but I can't remember. Some of their old stuff like Paradise City was obviously just great and epic.

43. Weezer - I like them a lot. Not a lot a lot, but just a lot. They recently released a new song that's been gaining mad popularity that I've really enjoyed, but I forgot the name. I bought the album Make Believe sometime ago and I still listen to it from time to time. I'm not a big enough fan to go get some of their more better albums, but they have some absolutely great songs that I love.

44. Kanye West - I'm a huge fan of rap or the hip-hop genre as a whole. However, Kanye had a lot of respect from me and I really enjoyed pretty much all of his older stuff. You could tell on Graduation he started going downhill as he started getting depressed, and then when 808s & Heartbreaks came out, he hit rock bottom. I think he should have just stuck with his not auto-tuned good rapping like All Falls Down and some other stuff. I liked him back then. And then that whole Taylor Swift thing? Yeah, respect lost, Kanye!

45. AC/DC - I think I have a lot of plays by them. I used to listen to them a lot, and I definitely like some of their songs. They fucking rock out. I don't know that much about them and I don't even know what albums I have by them, I know that they're pretty good though. I don't listen to them anymore, though, and I definitely don't plan on it.

46. Jay-Z - I think he's okay (with the exception of looking like a monkey). I think he's a really great rapper, but as I have said earlier, I'm definitely not down with hip-hop or rap, so I can't really judge. I actually have been really recently enjoying Empire State of Mind, though. That song is really great. If all of his other stuff sounds like that, then I'm down.

47. The Strokes - Once again, I don't know diddly squat by this band, but I absolutely love the song Reptilia. I know every word to that song and I eventually learned the drums to it, it's great stuff. I think somewhere down the line, I liked that song so much I decided to check out some of their other stuff and I think I remember being really disappointed.

48. The Prodigy - I'm not sure I've even heard of these guys, anyone care to enlighten me?

49. Pearl Jam - I find these guys SO annoying! Some of their songs are okay, but I get them confused with other bands a lot, and I don't know, I just really don't like them. I don't remember ever liking them. I know they were huge in the 90's, though. I actually hear The Fixer sometimes on the radio, and I really like it, so maybe I'll go buy that one song. But everything else is just so meh.

50. The Offspring - I love The Offspring, absolutely love them. These old guys keep rocking out and releasing good quality stuff, that's just fine by me. Hammerhead is such an awesome song, and I think The Kids Aren't Alright is probably one of my favorite songs ever made. I got some mad respect and I hope they keep releasing some groovy stuff.

Anyways, there it is. I'm not even sure why I just did that, but I had the time, so I did it. I think I started at about 12:43 AM and I ended just now at 2:04, so that was a good hour of my time.

There's no need to flame here, guys. I respect your taste in music, so please respect mine. If you disagree with something, right on, bro. I expect that most of you will disagree, which is 100% good. Opinions are important. Comment, flame, +1 to your post count, pee yourselves, or all of the above.

This is a full blown assault!

In Svezia nei primi anni 70 bands e artisti nascevano come funghi dopo la pioggia in agosto ed ogni cantina o garage aveva la sua versione di Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin o Rolling Stones. Nel sobborgo di Stoccolma, Bromma, i compagni di classe Björn Aggemyr (chitarra) e Björn "Nysse" (guitar) Nyström cominciarono a strimpellare i loro strumenti quando erano appena dodicenni. Il tastierista Christer Sjöborg si unì e Kurt Persson suonò la batteria con loro per un breve periodo. Fu presto sostituito da Peter Sandberg e decisero di chiamarsi Goda Vänner & Musik (Buoni Amici & Musica). Questi quattro ragazzi provavano in una piccola stanza di 3,5 X 3,5 metri nello scantinato del padre di Nysse, e principalmente facevano pezzi delle band britanniche di hard rock del periodo come Deep Purple o Uriah Heep. Björn e Nysse riuscirono a persuadere il loro insegnante alla scuola Riksbyskolan di Bromma a permettergli di mostrare il loro talento agli altri scolari. La proposta fu accettata, ma avrebbero dovuto portare la propria strumentazione, problema che fu risolto invitando il fratello di Björn, Jan Aggemyr, nella band. Jan aveva la patente ed un'auto, una chitarra elettrica e la capacità di usarla, il che era proprio ciò che serviva. Poco prima del loro debutto i ragazzi avevano trovato un pacchetto di pane raffermo nella sala prove. La marca era Wasa Bröd e l'etichetta "ger råg I ryggen" (dà forza e coraggio) catturò subito la loro attenzione, e fu così che nacque il nome Råg I Ryggen.
A quel tempo, nel 1974, i ragazzi nella band avevano tra i 15 ed i 20 anni, ma avevano già equipaggiamento musicale e attrezzature da non sfigurare di fronte a band ricche e famose, come Yes o King Crimson. I chitarristi Jan e Nysse suonavano chitarre Gibson o fatte da loro, Björn aveva un basso Rickenbacker, e Peter suonava un drum kit Rogers completo. Il tastierista Christer aveva una dozzina di tastiere, tra cui uno dei primi Mini Moogs svedesi e un Hammond A-100 con 2 speaker Leslie da 150 watt! Il suo materiale da solo avrebbe riempito per metà il pullman dei Råg I Ryggen, senza contare il problema di averlo sempre stipato nella cantina del padre di Nysse mentre provavano.
Nel 1974 la band suonava regolarmente a Stoccolma e nei sobborghi nelle vicinanze, e parteciparono anche ad un concorso che serviva per scoprire nuovi talenti musicali. In quel periodo era Nysse il cantante della band, anche se circa metà del loro repertorio era strumentale. Nederlaget è il nome di un'altra band che si esibì quella notte e il loro vocalist, Jonas Warnerbring, fu notato dai Råg I Ryggen. E' il figlio del famoso cantante Östen Warnerbring che ha rappresentato la Svezia all'Eurovision Song Contest negli anni 60, tuttavia i loro stili vocali non sono né simili né comparabili. Jonas fu avvicinato da Nysse e Björn quella sera e fu presto convinto a lasciare i Nederlaget in favore dei Råg I Ryggen. Con il nuovo vocalist, la band si poteva concentrare maggiormente sul proprio materiale e riprese a suonare nella piccola cantina, a dispetto del fatto che i Råg I Ryggen adesso erano in 6 e più orientati verso sonorità progressive, pur non tradendo le loro radici che affondavano nell' hard rock. I genitori di Nysse non si lamentarono mai della musica pesante che veniva da sotto, nemmeno quando una finestra si ruppe a causa del volume esagerato.
Una sera quell'autunno Peter era uscito a bere con alcuni amici, e mentre aspettava il treno per tornare a casa fece amicizia con Kjell Gradin, un anziano gentleman che guarda caso gestiva un'etichetta discografica! Nel loro stato di alterazione alcolica si accordarono subito per un test recording e solo poche settimane più tardi la band aveva ordinato tutto il suo equipaggiamento in un piccolo studio di Sundbyberg. Råg I Ryggen aveva suonato Spångaforsens Brus ed una canzone ormai sconosciuta, ma né Kjell Gradin né il suo piccolo studio erano preparati per l'assalto musicale e questa registrazione fu rovinata dal suono pesantemente distorto. L'etichetta Rondo aveva precedentemente registrato solo Göingeflickorna ed altre band vocali molto soft, ma questo non scoraggiò Kjel che fece un altro tentativo di registrare i suoi nuovi apprendisti appena scoperti. Prenotò l'EMI-studio di Skärmarbrink - che era uno dei più moderni studios a 16 canali della Svezia a quei tempi - per due giorni interi per registrare un album con la band. Le date erano il 22 ed il 23 di febbraio e presto si presentò un altro problema. I testi di alcune canzoni erano di solito improvvisati sul palco, ma la band pensò che non avrebbe funzionato in studio. Il testo per Naked Man fu scritto il giorno prima della registrazione e il tocco finale per Queen Of Darkness fu dato nelle ore precedenti l'arrivo allo studio alle 09.00 AM. L'album fu registrato in 16 ore. Tutti gli strumenti, tranne il sintetizzatore, furono registrati live il primo giorno, mentre tutte le parti vocali e il mixaggio furono fatti il secondo giorno. Fu scoperto qualche piccolo errore, ma non c'era tempo per il redub, e tuttavia ascoltando l' album oggi queste piccole cose danno autenticità al groove ed alla musica.
L'album eponimo uscì nell'aprile 1975 e qualcuna delle canzoni in lingua svedese fu trasmessa in radio. Rondo sembrava credere nella musica dei Råg I Ryggen così distribuì tra le 8000 e le 10000 copie dell'album e prenotò la partecipazione al Gröna Lund per il 3 luglio. L'album fu distribuito da EMI in Svezia ma non all'estero. Nel periodo in cui l'album fu preparato la band aveva almeno 2 esibizioni dal vivo alla settimana e provava 2 o 3 volte alla settimana mentre ognuno lavorava anche a tempo pieno (quattro di loro lavoravano in negozi di musica!). I fan dei Råg I Ryggen a Stoccolma crescevano sempre più e a volte loro regalavano dischi alle persone del pubblico che avevano il coraggio di salire sul palco e cantare con loro e questo accadeva abbastanza frequentemente. La band aveva il proprio tecnico del suono ed un amico che si occupava delle luci allo stesso modo di un rigido codice morale: non era permesso l'uso di alcol prima e durante l'esibizione, anche se il pubblico ne faceva uso per essere "carico". Le esibizioni di solito consistevano di 2 sessioni di 45 minuti, e di solito loro erano l'unica band della serata, anche se una volta ebbero un concerto assieme alla blues rock band Nature.
Quando arrivò il giorno del concerto al Gröna Lund, l'arrangiatore disse che sarebbe stato loro permesso di suonare per mezz'ora al massimo, e dovettero pianificare una lista di canzoni adatta. Il volume fu regolato dalla stessa band e la loro performance fu la seconda più rumorosa mai registrata al Gröna Lund (solo i Wishbone Ash erano stati più rumorosi). Tutto fu molto bello con una grande connessione col pubblico, ma quando mancava solo il coro finale di Sanningsserum qualcuno tagliò la corrente! Questo era già accaduto a Jimi Hendrix circa sette anni prima, e quell'evento fa ormai parte del folklore del Gröna Lund, ma questo lasciò sia i Råg I Ryggen che il pubblico sbalorditi. Gli elettricisti del Gröna Lund inizialmente dichiararono che un fusibile era saltato, ma in seguito ammisero che avevano effettivamente tagliato la corrente per evitare che i Råg I Ryggen suonassero anche solo un secondo in più del consentito.
La band suonava anche fuori Stoccolma, in posti come Norrtälje, Orsa e Gävle. La distanza non era mai esagerata e la band tornava a casa dei genitori di Nysse dopo ogni concerto, dove la attendevano dei panini o una tarda cena.
Il contratto tra i Råg I Ryggen e Rondo diceva che sarebbero dovute essere registrate più canzoni, ma essere week end rockstar e allo stesso tempo avere lavori a tempo pieno - combinato con la crescita di differenze musicali - alla fine ebbe un effetto negativo sulla band. All'inizio del 1976 il cantante Jonas Warnerbring ed il batterista Peter Sandberg lasciarono il gruppo e furono sostituiti rispettivamente da Bo Lantz e Jonas Edgren. Questo portò nuove influenze e una nuova direzione musicale. Le canzoni divennero più complesse e i testi ciarlieri vennero eliminati per lasciare il posto a discorsi più seri. Tristemente questo non funzionò molto bene e la band fece solo pochi concerti prima di sciogliersi circa sei mesi dopo. Non esiste materiale scritto dall' ultima line- up della band in studio, e c è solo un live di qualità mediocre. Questo è triste, anche perchè l' LP originale si può trovare ad un prezzo oscillante tra i 100 ed i 150 dollari, e l'album è considerato un classico tra i conoscitori del progressive e dell hard rock svedese.

[Dal booklet del CD Råg I Ryggen scritto da Tobias Petterson]

My collection CD's (Original and Burned)

Black Sabbath

1970 - Paranoid (Original) [CD]


1986 - Seventh Star (Burned) [CD]


Deep Purple

1969 - Deep Purple (Burned) [CD]


1975 - Come Taste The Band (Burned) [CD]


1986 - House Of Blue Light (Original) [CD]


1996 - Purpendicular (Original) [CD]


1998 - Abandon (Burned) [CD]


2005 - Rapture of The Deep (Original) [CD]


2009 - History, Hits & Highlights '68 - '76 (Original) [DVD]


Foo Fighters

2002 - Foo Fighters (Collection - Not Offcial) (Original) [CD]

Heaven & Hell

2009 - The Devil You Know (Burned) [CD]


Iron Maiden

2005 - The Legacy of the Beast (Original) [DVD]


Jon Lord

1976 - Sarabande (Burned) [CD]


Led Zeppelin

1969 - Led Zeppelin (Original) [CD]


1976 - Presence (Burned) [CD]


Linkin Park

2000 - Hybrid Theory (Original) [CD]


Nirvana

2002 - Nirvana (Original) [CD]


Queen

1984 - The Works (Original) [CD]


2005 - Magic Moments (Original) [DVD]


Rainbow

2006 - Live In Munich 1977 (Original) [CD]


Red Hot Chili Peppers

1989 - Mother's Milk (Original) [CD]


1995 - One Hot Minute (Original) [CD]


1999 - Californication (Original) [CD]


2002 - By The Way (Original) [CD]


2002 - What Hits !? (Original) [DVD]


Rush

1976 - 2112 (Burned) [CD]


Whitesnake

1978 - Snakebite (Burned) [CD]


1979 - Lovehunter (Original) [CD]


1984 - Slide It In (UK) (Original) [CD]

My top 20 songs:

20. New York City Cops - The Strokes [2001]
19. Phantom Part II - Justice [2007]
18. Reckoner - Radiohead [2007]
17. All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem [2007]
16. Atlas - Battles [2007]
15. Black Math - The White Stripes [2003]
14. Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio [2006]
13. Hard to Explain - The Strokes [2001]
12. Nude - Radiohead [2007]
11. Intervention - Arcade Fire [2007]
10. Time to Pretend - MGMT [2008]
9. Like Spinning Plates - Radiohead [2001]
8. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes [2003]
7. New Jack - Justice [2007]
6. Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]
5. The Modern Leper - Frightened Rabbit [2008]
4. Mr. Brightside - The Killers [2004]
3. Pyramid Song - Radiohead [2001]
2. Citizen Erased - Muse [2001]
1. Ball & Biscuit - The White Stripes [2003]


My top 20 albums:

20. Untrue - Burial [2007]
19. The Midnight Organ Fight - Frightened Rabbit [2008]
18. Absolution - Muse [2003]
17. Icky Thump - The White Stripes [2007]
16. In Rainbows - Radiohead [2007]
15. Songs For The Deaf - Queens of the Stone Age [2002]
14. The Warning - Hot Chip [2006]
13. Funeral - Arcade Fire [2004]
12. Youth and Young Manhood - Kings of Leon [2003]
11. Puzzle - Biffy Clyro [2007]
10. Kid A - Radiohead [2000]
9. How The West Was Won - Led Zeppelin [2003]*
8. Origin Of Symmetry - Muse [2001]
7. Rated R - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]
6. White Blood Cells - The White Stripes [2001]
5. † - Justice [2007]
4. Elephant - The White Stripes [2003]
3. Discovery - Daft Punk [2001]
2. De Stijl - The White Stripes [2000]
1. Is This It - The Strokes [2001]

All amazing music i'm sure you'll agree ;)


*I know the live performances from this album are from 1972(i think) but it wasn't released until 2003, so i just had to include it. :P ...probably my all time favourite live album.

Here is a list with all albums I own, I’ll update it every time I buy a CD.

Aerosmith

Aerosmith
Classic Aerosmith: The Universal Masters Collection

Alice Cooper

The Beast of Alice Cooper

Amy Winehouse

Back To Black

Avantasia

The Scarecrow

Black Sabbath

Vol. 4

Bon Jovi

Slippery When Wet

Bruce Dickinson

The Best Of Bruce Dickinson

Cinderella

Once Upon A...

Cream

Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple

Fireball
30 : Very Best Of.

Def Leppard

Pyromania

Depeche Mode

Violator

Edguy

Rocket Ride

Extreme

Extreme II: Pornograffitti

Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand

Godsmack

Faceless

Green Day

American Idiot

Guns n’ Roses

Appetite for destruction
Use your Illusion II
Greatest Hits
The Spaghetti Incident?
Use Your Illusion I

Hamlet

Insomnio

Iron Maiden

The Number of the Beast
Somewhere in Time
Brave New World
The X Factor
A Matter of Life and Death
Powerslave

Jimi Hendrix

Electric Ladyland

Led Zeppelin

Mothership
Led Zeppelin IV

Maroon 5

Songs About Jane

Metallica

Ride the Lightning

Mötley Crüe

Generation Swine
The Best Of Mötley Crüe 20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection

Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge

Mudhoney

Superfuzz Bigmuff plus Early Singles

Muse

Black Holes & Revelations

Nirvana

Nevermind
Nirvana
MTV Unplugged In New Yourk

Opeth

Watershed

Ozzy Osbourne

Blizzard of Ozz

Radiohead

OK Computer

Rainbow

The Very Best of Rainbow

Ramones

Ramones

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Californication
By the Way
Stadium Arcadium
One Hot Minute
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Greatest Hits
Mother’s Milk
Freaky Styley
What Hits!?
Out In L.A.

Scorpions

Gold Ballads

Skid Row

Skid Row

The Black Crowes

Shake Your Money Maker
By Your Side
The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion

The Darkness

Permission to Land

The Doors

The Doors

The Trivials

The Trivials

Van Halen

Best of Van Halen, Volume 1

Well it's the end of 2009 and with it, time for a bunch of album of the year reviews. Mine is no exception. This review will be based solely on my likes, dislikes and opinions. I will present some facts and use them accordingly. I encourage anyone to chime in and let me know what they think, if I missed anything or even their top lists. Only albums that came out during the calendar year 2009 will be here. Without further hesitation, here are my top ten releases followed by the total track scrobbles per album. These are in no order.

1. Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg - 17
2. Stone Axe - Stone Axe - 247
3. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures - 98
4. The Company Band - The Company Band - 42
5. Pearl Jam - Backspacer - 57
6. Clutch - Strange Cousins From The West - 173
7. Weird Owl - Ever The Silver Cord Be Loosed - 43
8. Truckfighters - Mania - 26
9. Throttlerod - Pig Charmer - 26
10. Sun Gods In Exile - Black Light, White Lines - 47

Honorable mentions go out to Stone Axe (for the Extended Play EP), Mother's Green, Naam, Mustasch, Nightstalker, Megedeth, Mastodon, Mammoth Mammoth, The Machine, Lo-Pan, Kamchatka, House Of Broken Promises, Fu Manchu, The Freezing Fog, Priestess, Freedom Hawk, Dogs of Winter, Devil To Pay, Dali's Llama, Cherry Choke, Chapstik, Black Water Rising, Black River, Black Pyramid, Baroness, Baby Woodrose, Alice in Chains and Admiral of Black for putting out very good albums this year. There were a lot of other bands who also put out albums this year that I listened to but didn't quite grab me like the others.

If I were to go strictly by the scrobbles then Stone Axe would walk away with the title hands down. The self titled album was released in March of this year. I've had plenty of time to play it and play it I did. I also turned a few people onto the band in the process. My initial reaction was this sounds a little like a southern Soundgarden. In some songs where Drew is singing, he does remind me of Chris Cornell. It's not a bad thing. I didn't care for Chris Cornell's solo release this year. If I were Chris I would try to tell people that Stone Axe was my other band. Of course we all know better.

Sometime in the summer of 2009 I got into this big Queens of the Stone Age kick. I never really listened to an album thoroughly until this year. during that kick it was rumored then confirmed that Josh Homme was working with Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones. I'm a fan of Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin so I was pretty psyched. I couldn't see their first show due to a slow Ticketmaster website and then them selling out so quick. The end result was Them Crooked Vultures. They put out a self titled release and I tell you I'm hooked. I'm hooked more then I was with any Queens material and there's a lot more of it. the first two tracks are just mind blowing and the rest of the album is just as equally good. I ordered two copies of the album. The CD/tshirt combo from the band and the iTunes release with two live tracks. I can't put this album down even if I tried.

Pearl Jam's Backspacer album was highly anticipated by me. Pearl Jam has been consistently my favorite band for the last 16 years. I don't know why but it seems that every chapter in my life revolves around a Pearl Jam release. Anytime a new album comes out, something big in my life happens. Perhaps I was always finding solace in my life by listening to their music but they always got me through. Backspacer is a much slower mellower album then past albums. Maybe because their anti-Bush messages are no longer part of their music since W is no longer president. I think Eddie Vedder's solo album had a lot of influence on making this album because there are a lot of similarities in the two.

First they disbanded then they got back together with a somewhat different lineup. The end result was a good long rocking album. Wolfmother came back this year with a pretty powerful album. Of course it has its highs and lows but it's a pretty consistent album. The last album got my hooked for the first few tracks but then it faded off. I can't think of a time when I listened to the last album from start to finish without skipping songs or turning it off all together. Cosmic Egg was a good listen from start to finish.

Clutch are no strangers to making good solid hard rocking albums. Strange Cousins From The West is no exception. The album starts out hard from the get go and doesn't let go. I think they should've called the album 50,000 Unstoppable Watts, after the song of the same name because of the amount of energy in this album. Clutch easily became one of my favorite bands this year. Seeing them four times (once as The Bakerton Group) helped solidify that. Not to mention that because of Baroness dropping out of the tour in the summer, my favorite band, Low of the Low, got to open on the main stage for them when they played in Milwaukee. Being the photographer for Low of the Low I got all access to the venue and got to see the soundcheck and meet Neil Fallon. I got to talk music for a few minutes with Neil and got to talk to him about his side project which is....

The Company Band self titled. When I talked to Neil in August he had said the album was finished and was just waiting on the record company. He said about 8 weeks or so. It was more like 12 but who's counting? This album, as good as it is and as psyched as I was to hear it, was unfortunately over shadowed by the Them Crooked Vultures release. Not only did the album release on the same day, the albums were leaked on the same day as well. I came across The Company Band album first and I'm glad I did otherwise I probably wouldn't have given it a fair chance. It's a good solid album and doesn't sound to much like a Clutch album. Obviously the comparisons are going to be there due to Neil singing on both but it's the instrumentals that set the two apart. Clutch has more a southern spacey tune to the instruments whereas The Company Band doesn't have much distortion to it. The end result is a good rock album.

When I read the reviews on Weird Owl's album and read the comparisons to Neil Young and Crazy Horse I was intrigued. I couldn't have agreed more. It's good, it rocks and there is a little psychedelic to it which is probably why they are signed to Tee Pee Records. Any Neil Young fan would like this unless the only thing by the godfather of grunge you like is his acoustic material in which case you're in for a huge disappointment.

Truckfighters and Throttlerod I'm going to talk about here at the same time. I love both bands. I think very highly of both and they both put out solid albums. I wasn't overly thrilled with either and while good, it didn't exceed my expectations like other top albums did or their previous albums. Mania sounded a little to commercial compared to past albums and Pig Charmer wasn't to far off. Maybe it was the commercial radio sound that keeps me from giving it a fair chance. I don't know. Both albums are on my iPhone still and haven't been taken off yet. I haven't listened to either album start to finish in a while but tracks have come up numerous times when I hit shuffle.

The last album I want to discuss here is Sun Gods In Exile. Eye For an Eye is the opening track and it seems that is what the band is trying to do to make their mark in music. They don't disappoint. I heard the term somewhere that said the greatest southern rock not from the south. That may be true. I don't know about the greatest but great, yes, I'd agree with that. The album doesn't let up. Like Stone Axe, I've turned quite a few people onto this band.

Now that I've gone through all that onto my album of the year for 2009. Ready, the album of the year is....

going to revealed....

after these messages.

Ok, enough with the messing around. My 2009 album of the year goes to:



Enough said. Maybe it's because I'm listening to the album right now, maybe I can't put it down. I'm not sure. There were a lot of worthy candidates and a lot that I had difficulty trimming down to my top 10. It is what it is. It's a great album that will stick with my for quite sometime, perhaps well after the world ends in 2012. We shall see.

2010 promises to be another great year for music. There's a lot of good stuff in the works that will hopefully see daylight next year. Here's a list of bands working on albums that are due next year.

Venomin James
Brain Police
Five Horse Johnson
Sasquatch
Stone Axe (yes, another one, I can't wait)
Clutch (Live material)
Dexter Jone's Circus Orchestra
Dixie Witch
The Brought Low
Black Rainbows
Low of the Low
Orange Goblin

Speaking of Low of the Low, here's a video shot this past summer of a song that will be on their upcoming 2010 release.



What will my 2010 list look like? I'll see you in a year. Keep Rocking!

for an album to be good, it needs a few things. good songs are usually a must. some good musicianship always helps. maybe it tells a story. every story has an end and this top ten deals with the endings of the stories. without further bullshit, here are my ten favorite albums closers.


10. Colorado - Grizzly Bear (album: Yellow House)

what better way to close the beautiful, ambient Yellow House than with the coup de grace of all tracks. Swooping, mysterious, full of vocal melody and intrigue. I have no idea the relevance of the track's lyrics but I feel as though I'm immersed nonetheless. All together now: Coooollloooooorraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadooooooooooooooooo.

9. Re: Stacks - Bon Iver (album: For Emma, Forever Ago)

this is not the sound of a new man or crispy realization/it's the sound of the unlocking and the lift away/your love will be/safe with me

bon iver closes for emma with words of determination, security, resignation, and acceptance, bringing ultimate closure to a cold, dark record often full of uncertainty and isolation. hearing vernon singing those last lines makes the listener feel as though their journey with him (one longing for recognition/understanding of the self and belonging) has been entirely worth it.

8. All You Need Is Love - The Beatles (album: Magical Mystery Tour)

whimsical, repetitive, but full of life and hands down one of the best messages in the history of music. lennon refined his thoughts started in previous tracks ('the word' most of all) into one line that defined a generation, and still continues to resonate to this day. the clusterfuck at the end of the song of background sounds and vocals accompanied by lennon's haphazard singing is still one of the best moments in song, period.

7. Two Headed Boy Pt. II - Neutral Milk Hotel (album: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea)

rife with lyrical imagery (albeit wacked), musical and instrumental mastery, and wonderful production, neutral milk hotel's opus 'in the aeroplane over the sea' set a new standard for 'indie' rock music in the 90s (alongside ok computer). two headed boy pt. II closes the disc by retaining various motifs and lyrics from previous songs, and ends with one of my personal favorite lines "but don't hate her/when she gets up to leave." I never want this album to end, but since it has to, this track is the only way to do it.

6. When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin (album: Led Zeppelin IV)

I feel as though Led Zeppelin crammed so many genres into their music that they transcend all genre and inhabit a plane of their own. IV was a perfect example of this, from the subdued folk vibes of the first half of 'stairway to heaven' to the progressive drone of 'battle of evermore' to the blues domination of the closer 'when the levee breaks.' the song is huge sounding, complete, and begging for attention. it's zeppelin at their most groovy: harmonica loops, perfect drumming, epic bass, and as usual wonderful vocals from plant.

5. In the Backseat - Arcade Fire (album: Funeral)

how the fuck do you end an album born from the loss of the people closest to you? I never would have imagined it possible to do it well until I heard the closer of funeral. sure it's a song about death, but it's also a song about life. passionately sung, wonderful instrumentation, a song that feels 'real' amongst the trite nonsense of the day. I defy anybody that understands this song/band to not have their emotions stirred when regine sings "my family tree's/losing all its leaves." simply one of the best, most gut-wrenching lines in a song I've had the pleasure of listening to.

4. Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles (album: Revolver)

I honestly boggle my own mind when I consider what tthe 60s audience must have thought when they heard this track. it's unlike most things around during that time, a precursor to the electronica genre and lennon writing some of his most surreal lyrics. if anything, this track is the embodiment of the growing power of the drugs (lsd) the beatles were immersing themselves into, but also a mind-bending, time-defying, genre-warping pleasure for the ears.

3. Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine (album: The Shepherd's Dog)

I like folk music, and here's why: when done right, it's beautiful, inspirational, poignant, and makes the listener feel utterly connected with the artist, as if we're painting the story hand in hand. the shepherd's dog was a triumph in all regards, and no track more so than the closer. unbelievable vocals and drop-dead melodies riddle this track, a track so beautiful that many (me included) cannot believe that it's NOT a love song but one about the corruption of the political spectrum in america. this is a song that makes me want to close my eyes and just listen, just fall into when it's on.

2. Videotape - Radiohead (album: In Rainbows)

'no matter what happens next/you shouldn't be afraid/because I know today has been/the most perfect day I've ever seen.' I feel as though words can only detract from the beauty of this song. at its core simple, videotape closes in rainbows by posing challenging questions about death, morality, the afterlife, and redemption IN ONLY A FEW LINES and also features some of the most haunting/enveloping/simply friggin controlling piano/instrumentation work I've ever heard. I can't help going through a myriad of emotions while listening to this track: sadness, fear, loss, nostalgia, happiness, and finally hope. the final minute when the vocals end and the piano continues on is simple bliss. that's all there is to it. I sometimes struggle with the fact that humans made this song, and that I was lucky enough to live to hear it.

1. A Day in the Life - The Beatles (album: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band)

the obvious choice amongst dozens of wonderful songs. no matter how much I love videotape, or any of the rest, none can ever hope to touch this one. it's the best song by the best band of all time, a mindfuck like no other. THIS WAS WRITTEN IN THE 60S. BANDS TODAY STILL AREN'T DOING HALF THE STUFF IN THIS SONG. the orchestration! the verses! the instrumentation! unbelievable in every note. every time I hear this song it gets harder and harder to believe that any band could ever write anything like this. it singlehandedly made sgt. peppers the best album ever. it singlehandedly defined music. it singlehandedly made having three pianos play the same massive note at the end of a song a good idea. there could be a book written on this song.


The End. I'd love to hear your thoughts about your own choices. thanks for reading. love you all.

Przyszła dziś rano. Dostojna, w krwistoczerwonej szacie. Mowa oczywiście o debiutanckiej płycie grupy Them Crooked Vultures. Nasza polska premiera zaplanowana została, tak jak kiedyś wspominałem, na 7 grudnia, ale... na jednej z aukcji na allegro można ją kupić już teraz. Bez większego zastanowienia skorzystałem, bo dłuższe oczekiwanie doprowadziłoby mnie do grobu...
Całość do przeczytania na:
http://warsawcalling.blogspot.com/2009/11/them-crooked-vultures-them-crooked_27.html

Them Crooked Vultures
NirvanaKyussQueens of the Stone AgeLed ZeppelinFoo Fighters