Trans-Siberian Orchestra

	TSO 12.28.11	For the fifth time on December 28th, I saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It was honestly the only time this winter season that I felt in the "holiday spirit." There is nothing like a Heavy Metal Xmas. It was honestly the best show I have seen them do. Once again Jeff Scott Soto singing the song "Ornament" was the highlight of the night! Thanks again to my padre for the ticket and going with me!

New Velvet Revolver Singer?

Story from Classic Rock Magazine:

Is Velvet Revolver’s search for a new Singer finally over? Drummer Matt Sorum says Ours frontman Jimmy Gnecco could be the man to step into Scott Weiland’s pointy shoes.

A precedent, of sorts, has already been set.

At the Road Recovery concert in New York City back in September, Gnecco sang lead vocals on three songs ("Slither" by Velvet Revolver, "It's So Easy" by Guns N’ Roses, "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix) with Slash, Duff McKagan, Gilby Clarke and Matt Sorum, plus Dave Kushner.

“So we’ll see how that goes,” Sorum spoke of the auditioning of Gnecco. “Then we’ve got a couple of other ideas. It looks like Slash is going to make another album, but I’m not sure about his touring and stuff yet. But we’re all open to it and interested in trying to do something together.”

Thought from Metal-Missionary:

Oh pleeeeeeease let this be true! I love that dude's voice! He doesn't sound too good on the "It's So Easy" link above, but try this one from his band Ours. Don't worry I'll wait for you to watch (around 2:20 in the video he screams. Now imagine that with Slash's playing... I know right?!)... "Promises" by Ours

So... whaddidya think? I really enjoy his singing, I first heard of them when they opened for Marilyn Manson in 2008. The audience was pretty rude to them the whole tour apparently, but I became a fan.

Random Music Thought Of The Day 12.20.11

First thought: Scorpions albums.

"Unbreakable" (2004) was outrageously amazing!
"Humanity: Hour 1" (2007) Scorpions' heaviest masterpiece!
"Sting In The Tail" (2010, farewell album) Huge step backwards musically for them, big let down after being lifted so high by the last two albums.

Second thought: adding "The" to band names.

Bands like Scorpions and Eagles do not have the word "The" before their names. It is not, "You know that song by The Eagles?" It is, "You know that song by Eagles?" Only bands that have the word "The" printed on their albums and merchandise should be said with that word. Like The Who or The Black Dahlia Murder. Big pet peeve.

Best and Worst* Bands (To Me)

Just so you know where I stand with my musical opinions, I know when I read other people's reviews I'd like to know their personal faves to gauge where they are coming from. 

*Worst in this post means bands that I'd turn the radio off before listening to them. I am sure they are talented groups, but not in my ear's opinion.*

5 Worst Bands

1. The Beatles (I do not see the appeal... AT ALL)
2. Led Zepplin (Robert Plant's voice is like nails on a chalk board to me. Please don't start on the comparisons of other singers trying to sound like him, like Kingdom Come or Zebra or Whitesnake. I don't see a similarity, I just can't stand Plant's singing and I don't know why. The rest of the band play great, but Plant...)
3. The Rolling Stones (Again, I do not see the appeal... just die already, you've been writing the same song for 5 decades)
4. Nirvana (I don't know if I have to justify my dislike here)
5. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Emo band, besides the terrible music they play some of you know my personal reasons for hating this band)

Best Bands (To Me)

1. Iron Maiden
2. Ronnie James Dio (Solo, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Elf)
3. Deep Purple
4. Bon Jovi
5. Bruce Dickinson (Solo)
6. Tesla
7. Helloween
8. Megadeth
9. Venom
10. Def Leppard
11. Alice Cooper
12. Edguy
13. Dream Theater
14. Overkill
15. Type O Negative

Now I realize that these bands are very mainstream, so you may think I don't have any taste in "real" Metal and Hard Rock. But there's a reason that bands get mainstream... because they are so good! These are just bands that I could listen to over and over again, all day, everyday. I listen to so many bands and although I have no job as a music columnist, I have such a passion for this music that I hope to be able to do something with this passion.

Guns N' Roses

On December 13th GNR (and we all know that is just an Axl Rose solo band, but who cares?! It's f-ing Axl Rose!) finally came to Utah. I was a bit apprehensive about the concert, I mean will Axl even show up? If he does show will he act enthusiastic? Most importantly will he sound great? Axl Rose needs to sound great, that is the only acceptable setting for him. Even a good Axl isn't good if that makes any sense... Same with Sebastian Bach, Sebastian and Axl did a duet cover of Aerosmith's "Back In the Saddle" and it was terrible! They both only sounded good, and it made the song sound bad. But Sebastian Bach was a major backing vocalist on GNR's "Chinese Democracy" album and they both sounded great which made the album AMAZING! I will probably get shit for saying this but "Chinese Democracy" is hands down the best Guns N' Roses album, in my opinion ( Guns N' Roses' "Better" ).

Black Label Society opened for Guns N' Roses, they were the only openers and they didn't start until 9pm. I just barely saw BLS on November 4th when they opened for Judas Priest. Now don't get me wrong, I love BLS and Zakk Wylde. But I found out that the love is only on CD. I was still upset from the Judas Priest show when I found out that Zakk had a stack of lyrics next to him. And then to make matters worse he played the EXACT SAME SET as when I saw him last month... COME ON ZAKK!!! Why do you hurt me so bad? I saw him last year and went more for Children Of Bodom that opened for him, I also found the band 2cents that show (2cents - "Get What?"). I thought maybe how boring his show was may have been a fluke, because when I saw him play for Ozzy in 2007 it was amazing. Meanwhile when it got time for his guitar solo intermission I turned to my dad who was with me and said "His solo gets really annoying around minute 10." I don't think he thought I was serious until minute 7 or 8 of his outrageously repetitive and simple solo. I will not make an effort to go see Black Label Society again if they come headlining.

The time is now 11pm and GNR finally comes out on stage. DJ Ashba starts out the intro to the song "Chinese Democracy" and the crowd is going insane! The intro gets closer to the end and OMG there he is! Its Axl! I can't believe I am actually seeing Axl Rose perform in Utah. And OMG he sounds amazing! Oh it is going to be a good show! The only thing I can complain about the show was that the band was so loud that they drowned out Axl's voice for probably the first half of the concert until they tweaked the sound enough. So it did get even better than before! And they played for 3 hours non-stop, just hit after hit after hit! People started leaving around 1am, I couldn't believe it. I was so tired but who knows when Axl will come to Utah again, if he ever tours again. I would have stayed another 3 hours to watch that Metal God perform. It was an amazing night. Thanks to my father for the concert ticket!

Concerts!

I started saving my concert ticket stubs in 2004 and I display them in my room.

Pre-2004 concerts: 

1. REO Speedwagon (My very first concert!)
2. Styx / REO Speedwagon / Eddie Money
3. Journey / Styx / REO Speedwagon

2004:

1. Tesla
2. Scorpions / Tesla

2005:

1. Mötley Crüe
2. Slaughter / Steven Pearcy (Ratt) / L.A. Guns
3. FireHouse / Y&T / Eric Martin (Mr. Big)
4. ZZ Top
5. Judas Priest / Anthrax

2006:

1. Tesla / Eric Martin (Mr. Big)
2. Poison / Cinderella
3. Alice Cooper
4. Vince Neil
5. Kansas
6. Megadeth
7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra

2007:

1. Dream Theater
2. Ozzy Osbourne / Rob Zombie
3. Trans-Siberian Orchestra  

2008:

1. OneRepublic (it was a date...)
2. Marilyn Manson / Ours
3. Vans Warped Tour (got a free ticket)
4. Molly Hatchet
5. Journey / Cheap Trick / Heart
6. Foghat
7. Unearth / Whitechapel (I went with a friend who like Unearth, and I discovered Whitechapel)
8. Trans-Siberian Orchestra

2009:

1. Combichrist
2. Skid Row (w/o Sebastian Bach) / L.A. Guns
3. Warrant (w/o Jani Lane RIP) / April Wine
4. Trivium / Whitechapel (I went for Whitechapel)
5. Scott Weiland
6. REO Speedwagon / Styx / 38 Special
7. Blue Öyster Cult
8. Mayhem Festival 2009: Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder, Killswitch Engage, Job For A Cowboy
9. Mötley Crüe
10. Def Leppard / Poison / Cheap Trick
11. Marilyn Manson
12. 38 Special
13. Foreigner / Styx / Kansas
14. Trivium / Whitechapel (Again, I went for Whitechapel)
15. Dethklok (yes the cartoon band from Metalocalypse)
16. Satyricon / Chthonic
17. The Black Dahlia Murder
18. Combichrist
19. Rob Zombie
20. Trans-Siberian Orchestra

2010:

1. Tesla
2. Cinderella
3. Ratt
4. Job For A  Cowboy / Whitechapel
5. L.A. Guns
6. Iron Maiden / Dream Theater
7. Kings Of Leon
8. Bret Michaels (Poison)
9. Rush
10. Scorpions / Tesla / Jackyl
11. Asia
12. Creedence Clearwater Revisited 
13. KISS
14. Slaughter / Frank Hannon (Tesla)
15. The Cult
16. Rob Zombie / Alice Cooper
17. Slayer / Megadeth / Anthrax
18. Watain / Goatwhore
19. Marduk
20. Sacrificial Slaughter / The Pagan Dead 
21. Black Label Society / Children Of Bodom
22. Bret Michaels
23. Mushroomhead 

2011:

1. Queensrÿche
2. Blue Öyster Cult / Foghat
3. Eluveitie / 3 Inches Of Blood
4. Linkin Park
5. Whitechapel
6. Bon Jovi (in Las Vegas)
7. Bon Jovi (in SLC)
8. Frank Hannon (Tesla)
9. Bulletboys
10. Tesla
11. Death Angel
12. Danzig
13. Accept
14. Bang Tango
15. Faster Pussycat
16. Black Country Communion 
17. Mötley Crüe / Poison / New York Dolls
18. Lizzy Borden
19. Def Leppard / Heart
20. Kamelot
21. Dream Theater
22. Evergrey / Sabaton
23. Judas Priest / Black Label Society / Thin Lizzy
24. Mayhem / Keep Of Kalessin
25. Guns N' Roses / Black Label Society 
26. Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Total Concert Amount At End Of 2011: 97