Favourite Song Of The Week: Rebel Grrrl - Bikini Kill.
Listening to this punk rock, riot grrrl anthem takes me right back to the days when I spend my time sewing Bikini Kill patches onto all my clothes hoping I would grow up to be just like Kathleen Hanna without a care in the world.
Those were the days eh?
Favourite Album Of The Week: Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses.
To my utter horror, despair, and dismay I seem to have lost an enormous bag of all my favourite cds - to cut a long and boring story short, I basically pulled a load of cds out of my car and haven't got a freaking clue where I left them, and considering my house ain't much bigger than a cardboard box I'm both pissed off and puzzled at the whole situation, so anyway I just thought fuck it and I went and bought three of my favourite albums in the world: Appetite, Pinkerton, and Iowa. I've been dining out on Appetite all week, and I fucking love it. I wrote a bit about it HERE which sums up why it's so perfect, and vital. Get involved.
Favourite Video Of The Week: These Colours Don't Run - Architects.
The Brighton boys released their first single, and video from upcoming fifth studio album 'Daybreaker' and as you can tell it's set to be a right little cracker. They seem to be following the trend (and, this is one trend everyone should be getting behind) of tackling important social, and political issues with their lyrics, and going back to their heavy roots. Love it.
Favourite Lyrics Of The Week:
"You could slit my throat, and with my one last gasping breath I'd apologise for bleeding on your shirt"
If you recognised that little beauty from 'You're So Last Summer' by Taking Back Sunday then you're right and we're soulmates. Gah.
Favourite Photo Of The Week:
When I saw this on tumblr I gasped, and I want it on my bedroom wall now. I love Courtney Love. She's insanely beautiful, and the colour in this is insane and looks exactly like what's going on in my head 98% of the time! Duh.
A good song opening should be enthralling, inviting, and exciting - it should make you wanna listen to the song. Duh.
A great song opening should be one of the following: mind-blowing (your mind will be blown, so from there on out everything is a little warped on account of your mind having be blown from your skull. Cool.), spine-tingling (this is not a metaphor - your spine will actually tingle, like a friendly pins and needles. If this is not happening, then it might just be a 'good' opening), and jaw-dropping (this is a biggie - your jaw will, of its own accord, drop to the floor, and you have to literally scoop it back up with your hands and hold it shut for approximately 30 seconds. It ain't pretty!).
So now that we've covered the basics, let's get to it - and be warned there could be some messy walls (minds blown), itchy backs (spine tingled), and fucked up faces (jaws dropped) upon listening to the following ten kick-ass, face-melting, bone-crushing (forgot to mention those) openings. Let's do this!
10. Layla - Derek, and The Dominoes.
This needs no introduction, but I'm gonna give it one anyway - woah there, that opening riff should come with a warning; something like, Don't freaking drive whilst listening to this here song because you will likely crash on account of you frantically air-guitaring to the illest riff you're likely to hear in about five or ten! Trust me, take that warning kids! You'll thank me later.
On a more serious note, I think we can all agree that Eric Clapton is one slick guy with some ridonkulous guitar skills that we're all a little bit jealous of!
9. Enter Sandman - Metallica.
It's dark, it's brooding, it's omnious, it's cool as hell, and by the time our lion-haired friend James Hetfield comes in we've melted into a pile of goo. Fuck Yeah. Sleep with one eye open, indeed!
8. Your Betrayal - Bullet For My Valentine.
If this militaristic drumming isn't enough to tick your boxes, then I don't know what is. It starts off nice, and simple and just builds and builds until you're mind has blown (mess all over the walls), and those thundering chords are better than BBQ sauce.
It's back-to-basics metal, so get your horns at the ready - and because it's that good, I'm including the video for us all (to perve on Matt some more!)
7. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana.
If there is one song in the world that gives me chills with a single note, it's this little beauty! It's grown into one of the most iconic songs of all time, but at its heart and soul it's a classic grunge anthem - THE grunge anthem - with a bunch of high-school kids thrashing around in a dusky old gym.
Anyone who doesn't recognise this song (but can name all of the kardashkians) within the opening five seconds needs an intervention BIG time.
6. Hell's Bells - AC/DC.
Can't work out what this would be better for - walking down the aisle, or arriving at my own funeral? Either way, it would rock da house.
5. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen.
Why? Because this song is fuckin' weird, and fuckin' fantastic and the opening makes you think you're in for one thing, and it turns out you're in for a whole 'nother. Geddit? Whatever, turn it up.
Plus it just gets straight on with it - and who'da thought that those 4 voices would come together and sound like THAT? Choir boys around the world, take note - this is how you turn up the heat with a high pitched squeak.
4. Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Three words spring to mind: Party on, Garth!
This is just a killer opening in every aspect - it's trippy, catchy, slick, and classic Hendrix.
3. Thunderstruck - AC/DC.
This is the kind of song that was destined to be chanted by thousands upon thousands of adoring fans in stadiums all around the world. The opening riff is so simple, but so killer! Rock on. (Fun fact: This is my 7th favourite song in all time and space.)
Repeat after me: Thun-DER!!! Thun-DER!!!
2. Welcome To The Jungle - Guns N' Roses.
From the moment this little gem kicks in all you wanna do is throw on a pair of pleather pants and jump on the nearest bar, and strut your stuff up and down it like you own the joint - don't you?!
I'm quite sure that this is everyone's gateway song into the world of Rock'n'Roll, and the opening is as instantly recognisable as it is infectious. (Plus, if we're being totally honest, it makes us think of Axl shakin' his thang in those tight little leathers like there's no tomorrow, and that's always a good thing - yeah, I took it there.)
1. When The Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin.
Come on, it was never going to be anything else was it? This opening is so atmospherical (is that a word?) that it literally transports you to some dusky, down-n-out old saloon in the days-gone-by where everyone's dressed in chaps, sluggin' back whisky just waitin for Clint Eastwood to show up with a stick o' wood in his mouth and unload on the shifty lookin' bunch over in the corner - and no, you don't feel lucky punk!
Oh shit my mind has just blown out my skull, my spine is tingling, and I've just picked my jaw from up off the floor - that seals the deal then, this is officially the GREATEST song opening of ALL time. (My dad has just confirmed that atmospherical is in fact not a word, but I like the way it sounds - I'm gonna make it a word!)
Now your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to go forth and listen to these ten tracks basquing in all their beautiful glory... You're welcome.
Gah, this week has been such a good week for music in my ears.
Favourite album of the week:
Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin.
Maybe the greatest album of ALL time? Maybe, just maybe. An album that fuses hard rock with folk rock, and shows their capacity to be subtle and restrained as well as stadium-filling loud.
Favourite video of the week:
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses.
Yes this has as much to do with those midriff-bearing, tight leather pants that our main man Axl is rockin' - ahem, 1:50 - 1:54 - as it has the fact that this has one of my favourite guitar solos of all time. Yew.
Favourite live performance of the week: Sssnakepit - Enter Shikari, Live @ Camdem Electric Ballroom.
I was there. They are my favourite things ever. Life should be one big Shikari gig. Thank you & good night.
Happy V day to all you lovesick pups out there.
If you're as cool as me, you'll no doubt be spending the day in the company of a furry, four legged friend drinking peppermint tea, and air-guitaring to your fave anthems. Party!
Just in case you ain't so sure of what to party to, I've compiled a little list of feel-good Valentine's (they've got nothing to do with Valentine's) day tunes... Party on Wayne, party on Garth.
All The Small Things - Blink-182.
Unfortunately my boyfriend Tom Delonge couldn't be with me on this special day, so I can only get my slice of delonge-pie by filling the air with that oh-so-sexy-if-not-a-little-whiny-all-american-boy voice of his. Watching the video, and pausing it on his naked body is totally acceptable too!
Basket Case - Green Day.
These are the most appropriate Valentines lyrics, like, ever. I went to a whore, who said my life's a bore... Romance is dead? I think not.
Dear Maria - All Time Low.
I'm not quite sure what it is but there is something about these four humans that makes me all warm n' fuzzy inside, plus this song's a total jam so any excuse really.
Want You Bad - The Offspring.
The anthem to my childhood, and an all round fan-fucking-tastic song. The only way to listen to this is full volume, in your pyjamas and hairbrush used as microphone in hand. Rock on fellow humans.
Used For Glue - Rival Schools.
My favourite band. Their best song. Most infectious base line in music history. Win win winning.
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses.
If Axl Rose strutting about the place in so-tight-they-look-sprayed-on leather pants isn't enough to put a smile on your face, then you may need to check for a pulse. Plus that guitar solo makes me feel happier than any Hallmark holiday ever could.
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen.
"Gentleman, I think this calls for a little Bohemian Rhapsody!" - nuff said.
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin.
Get the led out. End of.
You're So Last Summer - Taking Back Sunday.
There's something about Adam Lazarra that makes me happy, very happy indeed. Maybe it's that hair, maybe it's that voice, or maybe it's his knack for writing hopelessly, tragically romantic lyrics a la 'you could slit my throat, and with one last gasping breath I'd apologise for bleeding on your shirt', - that is true love baby!
Tears Don't Fall - Bullet For My Valentine.
No prizes for guessing why this little beauty made the list - if you guessed Matt Tuck being sexy, appropriate band name, and all-round kick ass band then you win no prizes for guessing correctly.
There are always going to be favourite albums - you know those ones we all hold dearest to our hearts, perhaps because they 'speak to us' or just tug on the old heart strings, or they simply make damn good driving partners. Whatever the reason, it doesn't always mean that these albums are necessarily all that great... But what about those albums that are so monumental, ground breaking and influential that they must be heard by as many pairs of ears on the planet as possible?
Well, I think I know a few - so let me start with the first....
Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses.
Released in 1987 under Geffen Records, no one (not even Guns N' Roses, their record label or their fans) saw this coming... It soon became one of the biggest selling albums in the history of Rock.
It was this raw, relentless, rip roaring assault of an album that turned this band into overnight superstars and ensuring they would remain a household name forever.
Somewhere between the explicit aggresion, and the extravagant tapestry of sex, violence, drugs and alcohol is the greatest hard rock album since Back In Black.
The opening track, Welcome To The Jungle, explodes into the air, hissing and spitting like a volatile firework with enough energy to power a city, setting the tone for what's to come.
However, what makes this album so successful is the clever decision to not attack the listener with screeching vocals, shredding guitars and monumental drumming from start to finish - they changed it up by throwing in beautifully written ballads that demonstrated the quintet's chemistry and emotional energy. Sweet Child O' Mine, perhaps the most iconic of all their songs, has an enticingly relaxed and endearing Southern Rock quality to it that proves frontman Axl Rose is not a one trick pony, but a Shire with an arsenal of talents and a an impressively equipped group of men standing beside him.
Timeless. It is simply is one of the greatest, most important and breathtaking albums of a generation. Favourite track? Welcome To The Jungle
