vendredi 30 septembre 2011

Ain't No Halos

Here's the new video for "No Halos" from Black Water Rising, the New York-based band featuring former members of Boiler Room and Dust To Dust.

The clip, which features Jose Hernandez Jr. (HBO's "Oz") in the starring role, was helmed by acclaimed director Noah Shulman (Soil, Hellyeah) and depicts religion as cult and uses media as a brainwashing tool. The viewer follows the preacher as he descends into madness caused by society's ills.

I freakin' love this song and almost every song on the Black Water Rising CD. Go get it if you don't have it, then thank me later. I'll be here.

And So It Begins... Halloween Month

I don't have to tell anyone who follows this blog what my favorite month is do I? Expect a month of the same in 2011... Halloween themed comics, tales, movies, books and etc.

The theaters won't be exactly overflowing with horror movies this year what with Saw no longer dominating the holiday. The Paranormal Activity franchise sort of took their place in the yearly sequel category I guesss, and as much as I love all the Saw films it had definitely run it's course. Here's how the theaters are shaping up:

* Sept 30th - Dream House

* Sept 30th - Tucker and Dale vs Evil (limited release)

* Oct 7th - The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (limited release)

* Oct 14th - The Thing

* Oct 21st - Paranormal Activity 3

* Oct 21st - Red State

And that's it. Not a whole lot to pick from really when you conisder 2 of the films are going to be pretty limited release and I bet that Kevin Smith's Red State won't be on many screens. I am looking forward to The Thing, Paranormal Activity 3 and Dream House though.

But this year I've watched a lot more films at my house than in the theater anyway. It's not just that I really like my home set-up it's also people talking and texting and such in theaters has really begun to annoy my old ass ("You kids get out of my yard!!" *shakes fist*). You can buy a disc now with a blu-ray, regular and digital copy of a film for less than 2 people can go to the theater anyway, so I'm just patient and wait for the films to hit home. Here's what's stabbing it's way onto your home video shelves for October:

* Oct 4th - Scream 4

* Oct 4th - Friday The 13th: The Ultimate Collection

* Oct 4th - Elvira's Haunted Hills

* Oct 4th - Elvira's Movie Macabre: Lady Frankenstein / Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter

* Oct 11th - The Bad Seed (Blu-ray)

* Oct 11th - Maniac Cop (Blu-ray)

* Oct 18th - Hellraiser: Revelations

* Oct 25th - The House By The Cemetery (Blu-ray)

* Oct 25th - Zombie: 2-Disc Ultimate Edition (Blu-ray)

* Oct 25th - Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings

There's some good stuff in there, but it's not an incredible selection or anything. Might keep me pretty busy. Add onto these 2 lists that the excellent looking series American Horror Story is debuting on FX and Dexter is back on Showtime for another bloody season and I should make it through the holiday satisfied.

If you just can't wait for some of these releases, here's a few reviews for horror movies that I've done this past year of recent releases that you can find on shelves right now, with my overall rating:

* A Horrible Way To Die (5/10)

* Bereavement (7/10)

* The Ward (6/10)

* Grave Encounters (7/10)

* Stake Land (8/10)

* Seconds Apart (7.5/10)

* Fragile (7/10)

* The Rite (6/10)

* Wake Wood (6/10)

* Pig Hunt (6.5/10)

* I Saw The Devil (7.5/10)

* Let Me In (8/10)

* The Troll Hunter (8/10)

* Insidious (7.5/10)

And there are plenty more! I've not listed some of the ones that I wasn't too crazy about, but who knows you may love them. Click the "movie review" tab and browse around if you want, don't cost nuttin'.

Happy Halloween month!

Movie Review: A Horrible Way To Die

Synopsis: An escaped murderer (A.J. Bowen) is in pursuit of his ex-girlfriend (Amy Seimetz), a recovering addict who has fled to start a new life in a small town.

This movie is done through 2 simultaneous story lines and flashbacks, until finally they intersect towards the end of the film. It actually works and is never very confusing as it's clear what's going on as things unfold and are revealed. I thought the plot felt real and was interesting, if not a bit slow and boring at times. Don't expect some big loud movie of thrills and chills, this plods a bit and just has a subtle feel of doom and despair over it. To many, it'll be too slow. I bordered on that myself, but I do like a good story told.

My major point of contention is the direction. I realize a lot of films now use the shaky cam effect for several reason, and usually during a big action sequence to make it feel all chaotic. Sometimes they use it to make it feel more like you're right there in the film. But here, it's just used for no reason sometimes and also they play with focus a lot. It's like 2 people are sitting and talking and the camera suddenly gets all shaky like the operator is Michael J. Fox or something, then it might focus on something in the background of the shot. It got annoying and is definitely distracting.

Overall, it's slow but this film has good characterizations, enough suspense, doom, an excellent twist with enough brutality to make it a horror film. I just wish it were directed differently as that really distracted me and ruined a lot of it. Too bad.

5/10

jeudi 29 septembre 2011

Allele Let's It Go

This is the first single and music video off the sophomore album from Allele, Next To Parallel. Filmed about two brothers and the consequence that follows when one brother tries to step up like his big brother, but in the wrong situation. The moment that defines one's life at times, listen to the voice in the back of your head or ignore it... Let It Go....

KoRn and Skrillex Get Up

Here's Korn's latest video for "Get Up" featuring dubstep/electro house artist Skrillex. This is slated to appear on the new CD, The Path of Totality. The album, which will be released on December 6, 2011, features contributions from Skrillex, 12th Planet, Excision, Datsik, Downlink, Kill the Noise, Noisia, and Feed Me.

mercredi 28 septembre 2011

Finally... KISS Beer

When KISS puts out a product that really has nothing to do with music, I don't ask why I usually ask what took so long? I mean they have KISS caskets for the love of Gene! They have pretty much merchandised everything and I always hear some of their fans grumbling about it but I've just looked at it like they don't make me buy anything, it's my choice. So market the hell out of everything I say and I'll just pick what I like. Well I like beer. And I want this. Oh yes, I want this...


Their official description: KISS Destroyer Beer is an easy-to-drink beer in the best German tradition! A careful brewing process creates its great head of foam, nice flavor, and a balanced bitterness, like an original "Pils." The cool brew is available in both bottles and cans.

Brewed: Sweden
Alcohol content: 4.7%
Bottle: approx. 11.2 oz
Can: approx. 16.9 oz

And I realize that a canned pils from Sweden is probably going to taste like Gene Simmon's sack, but with the God of Thunder as my witness I shall have this and get plastered on it while watching KISS Meets The Phantom on my flat screen! In my KISS Army jacket. So shout that outloud.

3 Pill Morning Take Control

3 Pill Morning hails from Minneapolis, MN and has a new CD out called "Take Control".... this video is for the track "Loser".

Director: John Fucile

mardi 27 septembre 2011

Movie Review: Thirst

Synopsis: While on a photo shoot, two couples wreck their truck in the desert 50 miles away from anywhere.

Well, it does have Lacey Chabert (Black Christmas) in it, so I thought that if it sucked at least I could oggle her sexiness for 90 minutes. In the end it just wasn't worth it though. The biggest problem is that the film is just dull. Basically the whole movie is just that their stupid behavior gets them stuck in the desert without much water and instead of walking out the way they came in they try to cut across an unknown area. They walk, stumble, bitch, moan, argue, fight and drink their pee-pee. For 90 minutes basically.

The acting is OK, but no character is particularly interesting or likeable. There are flashbacks of Lacey and the also hot Mercedes McNab (Hatchet) in bikinis, which is a plus, but neither gets naked or anything.

And the movie becomes about survival so Bear Grylls kinda ruined this for me even more. If they'd have watched his show I could picture them setting a trap for a wolf, digging for water, eating a snake they killed... etc. At least they drank their own urine. He'd be proud.

Not a lot of blood and guts or gore, just suspense and angst. There an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness which is nicely conveyed. It's got a great setting and looks really good, but as a survival movie it's just sort of bland. But hey, Lacey and Mercedes look good. And have plenty of water handy when you watch this, it made me quite thirsty.

4/10

Gimme Back My BBQ

According to Roadrunner Records, Lynyrd Skynyrd has licensed its name to a barbecue joint that will open within the Excalibur casino in Las Vegas, Nevada this December. This is the first time the band has allowed its name to be used in this way.

Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer is reportedly modeled after "Hell House," a tin shack in which the bandmembers lived and practiced in their earliest days. The restaurant will feature Texas-style barbecue for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and feature music and live entertainment at night. Band memorabilia will be on display, and members have promised to play occasional shows along with cover bands. Dancing bartenders will perform nightly and host customers in sing-alongs.

Now that's something I'll have a second helping of and I can't wait to check this joint out. If there's 3 things we know in the south, it's BBQ, beer and southern rock. And all 3 of those things are in the name of the restaurant! I mean that's like a redneck heaven. I can't wait to steal a menu from there on my next Vegas visit, tentatively scheduled for next Spring unless I win a free trip before then. It could happen!

Honestly though, as big of a following as these guys have in the south I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the place get franchised. There are BBQ joints all over around here anyway, why not just change the name and a bit of the decor and presto... instant added sales. You're crazy if you don't think this would work in high tourists districts in places like Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, Skynyrd's home state of Florida and of course Sweet Home Alabama.

RnR Hall of Shame Fails Again

Nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2012 are in, with artists that released their their first single or album in 1986 or earlier eligible for this year's ballot. Once again, as I do every single year, I shake my head and marvel at the stupidity of the nominating and voting process. It's just such an embarrassment that I feel obligated every year to do my part. I know it really shouldn't bother me as it's proven to be so meaningless but still for some reason I like to see my favorite bands, or at least deserving bands, make it.

This year, Guns N’ Roses, the Cure, Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Eric B. and Rakim, the Spinners, the Small Faces/Faces, Freddy King and Rufus with Chaka Khan are all hitting the ballot for the first time, while previous nominees Beastie Boys, Laura Nyro, War, Donovan and Red Hot Chili Peppers also made the cut.

The top vote-getters will be inducted on April 14th, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

My votes from that list? I'll take Guns N' Roses, the Cure, Heart, Joan Jett, Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers. That's actually a pretty strong list to be honest as I love of lot of music those 6 artists have created over the years.

So what's the bitch this year? There are STILL a plethora of bands more deserving than any of those 6 that can't even get nominated. Don't believe me? Check out this list:

* KISS
* Cheap Trick
* Rush
* Deep Purple
* The Cars
* Stevie Ray Vaughan
* Bon Jovi
* Pantera
* Journey
* Foreigner
* Def Leppard

That would make a pretty cool HOF right there... but those are artists that haven't even gotten nominated yet. Seriously. It's mind blowing. Who is this hall for again? The fans? Or the critics? Laura Nyro got nominated before Journey? I just don't get it.

Oh well, hopefully I'll get to at least enjoy this year's induction ceremony with some of the bands nominated and continue to complain about all the bands not in. Some day, when KISS actually gets in, I'll make the road trip to Cleveland to check out the place first hand.

lundi 26 septembre 2011

Black Tide Live At Comic Con

Black Tide recently performed live at Comic Con 2011 and here's a video to prove it.... performing "That Fire" off their latest CD, Post Mortem.



(C) 2011 Interscope Records

Full Metallica/Lou Reed Song Available

So here is an entire song off the upcoming collaboration CD between Metallica (hooray!) and Lou Reed (meh). I have to say when I first heard of this pairing I was sort of like "huh?", but then I started to get excited about it. Now that I've heard some samples and this entire new track, "The View", I must say... this sucks ass. Complete ass. I won't buy it. The background music is cool but the spoken word bit and lyrics just make me wish I'd have lost my hearing in some sort of industrial accident or something.

Please guys, get in the studio and start working on a real, proper, Metallica CD. I beg you.

Ugh, here's "The View"... see what you think:



From the album LULU due out October 31, 2011 (Worldwide) & November 1, 2011 (North America)

dimanche 25 septembre 2011

Movie Review: Rio

Synopsis: When Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, is discovered to be the last male of his kind, he and his owner take off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro to hook up with the bird of his dreams, the fiercely independent Jewel (Anne Hathaway).

I'll try to make this short and sweet. There are seemingly hundreds of this same type of animated features hitting the theater every year now. How is this one any different? Well, it's not much, but it's still good. It isn't very original, the generic story feels very "been there done that", but it does push itself to the better pile with some gorgeous and colorful visuals and animation, very catchy music and great, funny vocal performances.

Eisenberg is perfect as the lead voice and is quite funny as are several other good characters. The script, while a generic story, is pretty witty and doesn't overdo the pop culture references yet stays fresh.

All-in-all, it lacks a bit in originality but it makes up for it in the presentation. Well worth a watch, and hopefully a sequel.

7.5/10

Best Fails Of September Week 4

More great fails from FailPlanet! Please don't try these at home, but if you do, film and upload it.

I particularly love the bike dude going airborn and eating it at :30... classic.

Sunday Funnies





























samedi 24 septembre 2011

Test time for Hogs, Tide (ESPN.com)

Test time for Hogs, Tide: TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – It’s a picture-perfect day at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The sun’s out. There’s a little breeze in the air, and here in a little bit we find out a lot about Alabama and Arkansas’ football teams.

If Arkansas is going to win this game, the Hogs will almost certainly have to hit some big plays in the passing game. Alabama’s defense is too good to expect a lot of long scoring drives. The Crimson Tide lead the country with 21 three-and-outs.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said this week that Arkansas’ top four receivers were the best set of receivers on any one team in college football.

You talk to a lot of people around the league, and there's a growing feeling that Arkansas’ Joe Adams is perhaps the SEC's best playmaker in the open field since Florida’s Percy Harvin.

The Hogs will certainly make every effort to get the ball to Adams in space today, and he’s also returned two punts for touchdowns this season.

The jury is still out on how far back Greg Childs is after missing the last part of last season with a torn patellar tendon. He missed last week’s game because of the death of his grandmother and was pretty quiet in the first two games.

Childs is a stretch-the-field guy, and the Hogs could also use a big game from him to help soften up that Alabama defense.

This is also a prove-it-to-me game for Alabama’s secondary, which was a liability at times last season because of inexperience, but has been one of the most improved units on the team so far this season.

Teams are completing just 38.5 percent of their passes against Alabama’s defense, which leads the country.

Alabama junior cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, whose improved consistency has mirrored that of the entire secondary, knows what’s coming Saturday.

“This is one of those games where as a kid you dreamed of having the ball thrown your way,” Kirkpatrick said. “I know they’re going to try me, and they have great receivers. But I’m going to be ready for whatever they throw at me.”

Bones vs Rampage

Please tell me that you already knew tonight was UFC 135 with Jon "Bones" Jones and Rampage Jackson finally getting at each other? Sure you did. What, you've been hidden under a rock or too busy watching X Factor or Dancing With The Stars? OK, start with this Countdown To UFC 135 video I guess:



Is Jones the "next big thing"? He has pretty much destroyed everybody put in front of him, most recently Mauricio Rua, Vladimir Matyushenko, Ryan Bader and Brandon Vera after getting DQ'd for illegal elbows (a ridiculous call) again Matt Hamill as he was murdering him.

Rampage is more in the twilight of his career with consecutive decisions over Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill. But this is mixed-martial-arts. Anything can happen. Rampage looks good and seems very motivated, something which has been question in some recent fights.

Should be fun.

In fact the card has quite a few solid fights of interest on it. Here's the whole rundown:

Main Card (Pay-per-view)

* Champ Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (for light-heavyweight title)
* Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
* Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne
* Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
* Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell

Prelims (Spike TV)

* Aaron Riley vs. Tony Ferguson
* Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring

Prelims (Facebook)

* Ricardo Romero vs. James Te Huna
* Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki
* Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin

vendredi 23 septembre 2011

The Exorcist - The Version You Have Never Read! (Dread Central)

The Exorcist - The Version You Have Never Read!:

It's hard to believe that it's been forty years since author William Peter Blatty wrote one of the single most terrifying novels the world has ever seen in The Exorcist, but alas, time flies! To celebrate this auspicious anniversary, Blatty has retooled his book a bit, thus creating The Exorcist: 40th Anniversary Edition.

From the Press Release

Forty years ago William Peter Blatty published a novel that changed the literary and cinematic landscape. A masterful and often shocking blend of horror, mystery, and religion, THE EXORCIST spent fifty-seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, including seventeen consecutively at number one, and was turned into an iconic film that received ten Academy Award nominations, with Blatty winning the Oscar for best screenplay. The novel and film spawned countless imitations, but Blatty’s unabashedly profane, terrifying, yet faith-centered original remains the sine qua non of the genre.

For the special 40th Anniversary Edition of THE EXORCIST (Harper; October 4, 2011; $25.99), William Peter Blatty has returned to the manuscript, reworking portions of the book that never satisfied him. Due to financial constraints and a pressing workload at the time, he was forced to forego a desired revision. “For most of these past forty years I have rued not having done a thorough second draft and careful polish of the dialogue and prose,” Blatty says. “But now, like an answer to a prayer, this fortieth anniversary edition has given me not only the opportunity to do that second draft, but to do it at a time in my life—I am 83—when it might not be totally unreasonable to hope that my abilities, such as they are, have at least somewhat improved, and for all of this I say, Deo gratias!” Among the changes, Blatty has added a chilling scene introducing the unsettling minor character of a Jesuit psychiatrist.

Or is he?

THE EXORCIST begins in northern Iraq, where an archeological dig led by Jesuit priest Father Lankester Merrin yields a demonic artifact, a harbinger of things to come. In Washington, D.C., young Regan MacNeil—daughter of famed film actress Chris MacNeil—begins exhibiting disturbing behaviors. Odd, haunting occurrences also begin to take place in the MacNeil’s rented Georgetown townhouse. Chris seeks medical and psychiatric help for her daughter, but Regan continues to descend into a state of apparent demonic possession. Desperate, Chris turns to a local priest, Father Damien Karras, who at the last decides that the life of the girl can only be saved by an exorcism. Because Karras is undergoing a crisis of faith, the higher powers of the Church turn to an experienced exorcist, with Karras to assist, and the priests are tested both spiritually and physically by the grueling sacred rite of exorcism. Facing their fears through the power of faith, they pay the ultimate price for saving the life of young Regan MacNeil.

With the storytelling gifts of a true master, Blatty crafts a riveting narrative that still retains the power to both terrify and edify its readers, including those who have come of age since its monumental debut.

A Note From the Author

In January 1968, I rented a cabin in Lake Tahoe to start writing a novel about demonic possession that I’d been thinking about for many years. I‘d been driven to it, actually: I was a writer of comic novels and farcical screenplays such as A Shot in the Dark with almost all of my income derived from films; but because the season for “funny” had abruptly turned dry and no studio would hire me for anything non-comedic, I had reached James Thurber’s stage of desperation when, as he wrote in a "Preface to His Life," comedy writers sometimes take to “calling their home from their office, or their office from their home, asking for themselves, and then hanging up in hard-breathing relief upon being told they “weren’t in.’” My breaking point came, I suppose, when at the Van Nuys, California, unemployment office I spotted my movie agent in a line three down from mine. And so the cabin in Tahoe where I was destined to become the caretaker in Stephen King’s terrifying The Shining, typing my version of “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” hour after hour, day after day, for over six weeks as I kept changing the date in my opening paragraph from “April 1” to April something else, because each time I would read the page aloud, the rhythm of the lines seemed to change, a maddening cycle of emptiness and insecurity –- magnified, I suppose, by the fact that I had no clear plot for the novel in mind -- that continued until I at last gave up the cabin and hoped for better luck back “home,” a clapboard raccoon-surrounded guest house in the hills of Encino owned by a former Hungarian opera star who had purchased the property from the luminous film actress, Angela Lansbury, and where I finally overcame the block by realizing that I was starting the novel in the wrong place, namely the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C., as opposed to northern Iraq. Almost a year later I completed a first draft of the novel. At the request of my editors at Harper and Row, I did make two quick changes: cleaning up Chris MacNeil’s potty mouth, and making the ending “less obvious.” But because of a dire financial circumstance, I had not another day to devote to the manuscript, so that when I received a life-saving offer to adapt Calder Willingham’s novel Providence Island for the screen for Paul Newman’s film company, I instantly accepted and left my novel to find its fate. For most of these past forty years I have rued not having done a thorough second draft and careful polish of the dialogue and prose. But now, like an answer to a prayer, this fortieth anniversary of the novel has given me not only the opportunity to do another draft, but to do it at a time in my life—I will be 84 this coming January—when it might not be totally unreasonable to hope that my abilities, such as they are, have at least somewhat improved, and for all of this I say, Deo gratias!

-- William Peter Blatty

The Exorcist - The Version You Have Never Read!


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Nicole Scherzinger Gets Wet

I'll let you in on a little secret... I hate this song. Really. No offense, it's just not my kind of music. But I must say this is definitely my kind of video. Check out the former lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls Nicole Scherzinger's latest for the song "Wet" with the sound muted or on, your choice. Perhaps you'll figure out why she was #9 on FHM Magazine's 100 Sexiest Women poll in 2011. Wet indeed. Giggity!



(C) 2011 Interscope Records

Zakk Wylde... Author?

Once again, I am going to see Zakk Wylde's band Black Label Society (10 times? or 11... not sure) next month in Memphis. I try to see them any time they get close but it's been a couple of years since I caught them so I'm getting excited. I'm also always on the lookout for new stuff pertaining to my favorite guitar player, so obviously I have all the CDs and DVDs, but I can't wait to get my hands on his upcoming release... a book.

Yes, a book. It's apparently been given the catchy title "Bringing Metal to the Children: The Complete Berzerker's Guide to World Tour Domination" and all I really know is what I've seen on Amazon.com and other book sellers. So I shall share it with you, my friends.

It says it's written by Zakk and Eric Hendrikx. I looked Eric up and this is the bio I found on him:

Writer, photographer, and fellow Berzerker Eric Hendrikx is a notable contributor to more than a dozen books including Forrest Griffin's New York Times bestsellers Got Fight? and Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down. A lifelong musician, Hendrikx played guitar in the rock band Snake River Conspiracy. He currently lives in Southern California with his son Stone.



Here's a couple of quotes on the book's Amazon page from fellow rockers, but they really don't have much to do with the book I guess. But hey, it's Kerry King and Rob Zombie, so pay attention.

"When Zakk plays, it’s like Guitarmageddon!! An audio assault coming from his fret board, the true meaning of a guitar hero. One of probably 2 or 3 people that I will actually have a shot with before a show! Most people don’t know this, but he never swears!!" ~~ Kerry King, Slayer

“If Zakk Wylde did not exist we would have to build him like Frankenstein’s monster. The hands of Randy Rhoads sewn onto the body of Conan the Barbarian implanted with the brain of Larry David.” ~~ Rob Zombie

And here's the only product description I've turned up:

Bringing Metal to the Children is a handbook to all things Heavy Metal, brought to you by insane prankster and guitar god Zakk Wylde, of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society fame. This “Complete Berzerker's Guide to World Tour Domination” provides tips and tests for the True Rocker—as wild man Wylde invites all who dare onto the tour bus for brain-bursting tales of glory, debauchery, and general mayhem in the dangerous metal universe.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (March 20, 2012)

Let's recap. On the cover Zakk is wearing nails on his wrist (ala Kerry King). NAILS PEOPLE! It doesn't get more metal than that. And in the description for some reason they capitalized "True Rocker". Not sure what that's about, but it struck me as odd. But hey all-in-all this sounds pretty damn cool. Sadly, March 20th in a long ways off, but I've got a stack of books in my "to read next" pile anyway, so I think I'll make it.

Bleed Black Label!!

For additional updates on the book release follow Eric Hendrikx on twitter @EricHendrikx

jeudi 22 septembre 2011

Another New Daughtry Track

Daughtry's new CD doesn't drop until November 21st but they've posted one of the new songs on their YouTube site. This isn't the new single, as that's "Crawling Back to You", this is another track off the CD. Maybe the 2nd single? I've also read they've got a track on the upcoming Batman: Arkham City soundtrack called "Drown In You" that will not be featured on their upcoming album and is exclusive to the soundtrack. Got all that? No? Well at least check out the audio for "Renegade" below and see what you think:

Black Stone Cherry Blames It On The Boom Boom

The latest video from Black Stone Cherry is for "Blame It on the Boom Boom" from the album Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, which came out back around Memorial Day. It's their 3rd studio album and they've dropped 2 singles from it now....

1."White Trash Millionaire"
Released: April 1, 2011

2."Blame It on the Boom Boom"
Released: July, 2011

Not sure what the "boom boom" is, but when I was growing up we blamed it on the dog usually. Not as catchy a chorus with that though, so BOOM BOOM it is!

Movie Review: The Green Hornet

Synopsis: Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of LA's most prominent and respected media magnate and perfectly happy to maintain a directionless existence on the party scene - until his father (Tom Wilkinson) mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire. Striking an unlikely friendship with one of his father's more industrious and inventive employees, Kato (Jay Chou), they see their chance to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime.

Really more of a parody of super hero movies than an actual super hero movie, it's sort of a campy, spoofy, origin story that is occasionally entertaining and fun with a few laughs, but nothing really special. It does have a very nice visual style to it and some decent action though.

At times it goes a direction that is a totally different take on the genre and has a bit of inventivness to it, but overall is sort of uneven. I do really like Kato as he delivers some nice ass-kickings with dry wit and worked very well as a sidekick to the overbearing Rogen character. I would probably see a sequel to this if they made one (they won't) just for Kato. Seth Rogen is OK I guess, but most of his one-liners are a bit flat and I only got a few laughs from his obnoxious character. Cameron Diaz is here but she doesn't do a whole lot frankly.

I also think it runs a bit too long and could have done with about 15 or 20 minutes chopped off.

Overall it's a decent, ocassionally funny action/bromance that has some nice flashy lights, whistles and bells to keep your interest but is probably pretty forgetable soon after.

6/10

Week 4 in the SEC (ESPN.com)

Week 4 in the SEC: Here's a quick primer as we enter Week 4 (All times ET):

SATURDAY

Georgia (1-2) at Ole Miss (1-2), 12:30 p.m., SEC Network: Georgia finally got its first win of the season and the Bulldogs looked good doing it. Granted, it was against Coastal Carolina, but Georgia got the kind of win it needed to jump-start a team that started 0-2. As for Ole Miss, the offense has struggled to move the ball, and after five turnovers, the Rebels left Nashville, Tenn., with a 30-7 loss to Vanderbilt. This feels like a must-win for both teams.

No. 14 Arkansas (3-0) at No. 3 Alabama (3-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS: This is arguably the most anticipated SEC matchup of the year so far. Arkansas brings its high-powered offense to Tuscaloosa to face one of the nation's best defenses. If Arkansas wants to really put itself into the same conversation as Alabama and LSU, it needs to win this game.

No. 15 Florida (3-0) at Kentucky (2-1), 7 p.m., ESPN: Florida is coming off a big win against rival Tennessee, and its defense looks like one of the most aggressive around. Outside of Chris Rainey, the offense is still pedestrian, but the Gators always play their best on offense against Kentucky, averaging 486.9 yards a game in the past seven matchups.

Vanderbilt (3-0) at No. 12 South Carolina (3-0), 7 p.m., ESPN 2: A Vanderbilt win would shakeup the entire SEC East. The Commodores are on fire after a blowout win against Ole Miss, while South Carolina struggled to defeat Navy in a game that saw the Gamecocks allow 274 rushing yards. South Carolina can't get away with being sloppy against Vandy on Saturday.

Florida Atlantic (0-2) at Auburn (2-1), 7 p.m., Fox Sports Network: Auburn's defense needs some major work and this is the first step to that. FAU is a very overmatched team, but if the Tigers struggle against the Owls, it could be a long season on the Plains. Those young players need to speed up the growth process.

Louisiana Tech (3-0) at Mississippi State (1-2), 7 p.m., ESPNU: Mississippi State entered the season with a load of hype surrounding it, but has lost two straight. The receiving game has struggled and running the ball against Mississippi State has looked almost easy this season. This is another confidence-boosting game for an SEC team.

No. 2 LSU (3-0) at No. 16 West Virginia (3-0), 8 p.m., ABC: LSU's defense has looked almost unbeatable this year, but the Tigers have yet another tough test early in the season. The Mountaineers are averaging 434.7 yards and 42 points per game, but they haven't faced anything like LSU's defense. It should be a fun one in Morgantown.

mercredi 21 septembre 2011

Evolution of Gaming?

Apparently this video is about Playboy‘s awesome Jo Garcia showing us all that gamers aren't pasty-faced recluses who live in their mom’s basement as she seductively takes you through the Evolution of Gaming. Actually, it's a pretty cool video minus the hot girl, but of course I definitely prefer her in it. Giggity!

See more of the sexy Gamer Girl here - http://www.playboy.com/tag/gamer-next-door

Harold Knows Best

As we get older we sometimes begin to doubt our ability to "make a difference" in the world. It is at these times that our hopes are boosted by the remarkable achievements of other "seniors" who have found the courage to take on challenges that would make many of us wither.

Harold Schlumberg is such a person.



"I've often been asked, 'What do you old folks do now that you're retired'?

Well, I'm fortunate to have a chemical engineering background, and one of the things I enjoy most is turning beer, wine, and margaritas into urine."

Harold should be an inspiration to all of us.

Latest Dream Theater Video

This is the first track on the new Dream Theater CD, A Dramatic Turn of Events. It is the band's first recording to feature drummer Mike Mangini, following the departure of founding member Mike Portnoy in September 2010. The song is "On The Backs of Angels" and it's best with the volume turned up.



© 2011 WMG

mardi 20 septembre 2011

Movie Review: Thor

Synopsis: The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war in Asgard. He is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

I guess the reason that I skipped this during it's theatrical run is that growing up reading Marvel comics, I never was a big fan of Thor. I liked him in the Avengers but always thought his "solo" bits were sort of goofy with their mythological tales and such. Yes, I know, reading super hero comics and calling mythology goofy is the whole kettle/pot/black thing but I just didn't like them. So I wasn't that excited about this film and didn't think they could pull it off. Turns out I was wrong. They did pull it off and it's actually a very fun movie, moreso than the last couple of Spiderman films in my opinion.

First, Chris Hemsworth as Thor is just awesome. Not sure a lot of guys could have done this well as a cocky, yet likable, fish-out-water Norse god. He's charming and funny, yet a total badass. Another nice surprise was Tom Hiddleston as Loki, he's just fantastic I thought. There are plenty more fun characters who are well played by a few A-listers (Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman) and some who I have no idea are. A lot of good characters, well-played here.

And it realizes that it's supposed to be a big ole popcorn movie with giant effects sequences and enough action to keep you cheering and fist pumping. It's visually fantastic enough to keep the action junkies happy yet the story of Thor is intelligently done well enough to please all the fanboys. Well, as much as you can please the fickle fanboy crowd at least I would guess.

It's not all serious either, with an underlying plot of love (of course) and plenty of intentional humor. I do have a problem with this magnificient god choosing Natalie Portman above all the other mortal women he could obviously have, as I've never really found her attractive. He could pretty much walk into any bar on earth and take his pick of 50 hotter women, maybe he should have looked around a bit before deciding on the first women he sees. Talk about settling.

So all-in-all I found this a pretty intelligent, comic-book, popcorn epic that's definitely a cut above most of the usual fare. It'll go along side of the first Iron Man on my Marvel favorites list and I look forward to seeing Thor in The Avengers now. Too bad I can't got back to my youth and not skip all those years of reading his comic.

8/10

35 Truisms?

Somebody sent me these and some are pretty funny, although some are old and maybe you've seen most of them (uncredited on people's Facebook statuses for the most part). But still... laugh damn you! Laugh like the wind! (or steal them for your Facebook status and act like you made them up... they still beat "TGIF!" and "I hate Mondays")

1. There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

2. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

3. Bad decisions make good stories.

4. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

5. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

6. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.

7. The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again

8. A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

9. Was learning cursive really necessary?

10. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

11. Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

12. Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

13. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

14. Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

15. What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

16. While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it... thanks Mario Kart.

17. MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

18. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

19. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

20. Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

21. If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

22. Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

23. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

24. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

25. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

26. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

27. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this, ever.

28. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

29. I like all of the music in my iPod, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs.

30. Why is a school zone 15 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

31. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

32. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

33. It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

34. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

35. I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college, when I could have enjoyed it.

Unusual Suspects Indeed

If you don't know who Leslie West is and you love guitar, then you need to learn. The dude is a legend. Ever hear of a monster track called "Mississippi Queen" from Mountain? Well he's still around and he's got a new CD out today called "Unusual Suspects" with a whole bunch of great guests... like Zakk Wylde, Slash, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather from Toto and Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top. I sampled the whole CD on iTunes and there are some great tracks. I ended up downloading a half dozen of them and you should too. Hell 2 of those 5 guests I mentioned are on my Mount Rushmore of favorite guitarists (Slash and Zakk).

Go check it out yourself, and as you listen read through this cool track-by-track description from Leslie himself that I found on MusicRadar.com:

Track By Track from MusicRadar.com

Here's what he says about the tracks with Zakk and Slash:

* Nothing's Changed (featuring Zakk Wylde)

“Joe Pizza wrote this one, too. I helped with some of the guitar chords, but it’s really his tune. It’s about being with the same girl for a while and how, well, nothing’s changed! [laughs] It sounds like something I might have written in my 20s or 30s.

“I knew Zakk should play on it, because when it came time for the solo, it needed something fast. I don’t play that way, so Zakk was the logical choice.

“I do play the first part of the solo, kind of setting it up, and then Zakk comes rip-roarin’ in and slams it down. At the end, we play together. I don’t think there’s any way of confusing our styles – I’ve got my thing, Zakk’s got his. We blend well.

“Zakk's quite a character. One of the funniest guys you could ever meet. [laughs] When I play, he looks at me with this big smile on his face. It’s beautiful. He even calls me ‘Dad.’ Isn’t that something? He always tells me what a big influence I’ve been on him. You can’t get tired of hearing that.”

* Mudflap Mama (featuring Slash)

“It has the same kind of heavy rock feel of Mississippi Queen. There’s a cowbell in it, too. We weren’t trying to copy it or anything, but the two songs do sound like they can go together.

“I wrote the riff with a slide, and immediately I could tell there was something to it. Then I looked at my wife, Jenni, and you know, she’s beautiful - she looks like a mudflap girl. There was the title. Actually, Jenni wrote the lyrics, which is good because I couldn’t get away with the words if I did them. ‘My vertical position serves my intuition’ – I couldn’t write that!

“I knew I wanted Slash to play on the song, so I sent him the track. He really liked it, but he said, ‘Why do you need me? Where would I fit?’ I already had my guitar recorded. I told him, ‘You’ll fit in fine, Slash. Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.’

“He came to the studio – no roadies, no handlers – and he played on these sections I picked out for him. Guy did a killer job. The only request he had was ‘Don’t Pro Tool me’ – he wanted his playing to sound honest.

“Man, he’s got some technique. I was watching him, trying to figure out how to steal his licks. He sounds like a harmonica or something. Incredible tone. When we were done, I gave him one of my Leslie West guitars as a gift.”

* The Party's Over (featuring Slash and Zakk Wylde)

“I used to do this song live sometimes after Mississippi Queen. It's a Willie Nelson song, one of his many, many great ones. I played it for Fabrizio one day, and he said, ‘That’s terrific. Let’s cut it.’ So we laid it down with an acoustic, and then Kenny put in a bass drum and handclaps and fingersnaps.

“When Zakk was in the studio, he did a solo for the track. It’s not country and western, it’s something I can’t even define – it’s Zakk! [laughs] He brings his own style to anything he does. The only thing I told him was not to use the wah-wah; I wanted what was coming out of his fingers.

“After that, we had Slash put a solo on it. It’s a real treat, having me, Zakk and Slash playing together. The order of it is Zakk plays the first solo, then there’s me, and Slash does the last one.

“The song smokes. It’s a nice blast for all the guitar fans out there.”



And lastly... check this video out. Guitar World and Fret 12 bring you a video featuring the meeting of Leslie West and Zakk Wylde! A conversation between two legends.

lundi 19 septembre 2011

BLS Meets Minecraft

Well, this is pretty cool I guess, possibly only if you're a video game geek though. It's a Machinima Music Video Series World Premiere with the exclusive debut of Machinima Minecraft music video for the track "Crazy Horse" by Black Label Society.

Directed by Machinima director Kootra.

New Edisun Video

Here's the latest video from Edisun for their song "Wide Awake" (Riot in This Town).



In association with Echo the World Records / EMI
Directed by Sean Babas

vendredi 16 septembre 2011

Chickenfoot III Podcast: #5 - Lighten Up

Another in the series of podcasts from Chickenfoot for their upcoming CD, III, which drops on September 27th!

Chickenfoot III Podcast: #4 - Up Next

Chickenfoot III Podcast: #3 - Different Devil

Chickenfoot III Podcast: #2 Alright Alright

Chickenfoot III Podcast: #1

Chickenfoot's Big Foot Video

Starz Pays Tribute to Andy Whitfield With 'Spartacus' Marathon

Starz Pays Tribute to Andy Whitfield With 'Spartacus' Marathon:

Filed under: , ,

Starz will pay tribute to the late Andy Whitfield by airing a 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand' marathon Oct. 2.

The actor passed away Sept. 11 after an 18-month battle with cancer. As Friday's Starz press release noted, the 39-year old actor's "fans, friends, and colleagues alike have compared Whitefield's own persona, to that of the noble, brave, honorable gladiator character he played on screen."

The episodes to be screened starting at 9PM ET Oct. 2 will include the premiere and season finale. The other three episodes were not specified, but they will be "fan favorites" that "showcase his most memorable performances," according to the network.

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Yes Virginia, There Is a Toe Suck Fairy


Arkansas town searching for toe-sucking assailant

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (Reuters) - There's nothing illegal about a foot fetish but police in Conway, Arkansas, are looking for a toe-sucking man they said has crossed the line into assault.

Police have received two complaints in the past week about a man who seems desperate to suck women's toes -- whether they want him to or not.

"We want him off the streets," said Conway police spokeswoman LaTresha Woodruff.

Last Saturday, Ruth Harris, 83, told police she was sitting in a chair in front of her apartment when a man approached and said he liked her feet. According to a police report, the man took off one of her shoes and began sucking on her toe.

"The man then asked if he could kiss her and she had told him no and told him he was crazy," the report stated.

The man left quickly after people walked into the apartment complex's courtyard.

On Tuesday, police received another call from a woman who said that on Saturday she was shopping when she noticed a man staring at her.

The man then told the woman that he had a foot fetish and that "her toes are so long and succulent" and he wanted to suck them. When the woman's cell phone rang, the man retreated.

She told police the man had "messed up toes."

It is not the first time that Conway has dealt with this sort of complaint. In the 1990s, a man who was known as the "Toe Suck Fairy" kept Arkansans captivated with his foot fondling antics in Conway and Little Rock.

That assailant, Michael Robert Wyatt, pretended to be a podiatrist in order to fondle and suck a Conway woman's toes at a clothing store. He received probation, a fine and court-ordered therapy but his probation was revoked after he was arrested in another town on similar charges.
In 1991, he was convicted of making threats for telling a convenience store clerk that he wanted to cut off her feet and suck her toes while she bled to death.

Wyatt was sentenced to four years in state prison. He served just more than one year in prison, according to Conway police.

Some two decades later, police have not ruled out the possibility that the current toe-sucker could be the same man.

(Edited by Karen Brooks, Greg McCune and Bill Trott)

The Making of Staind

If you're digging the new self-titled Staind CD as much as I am, then you might like this video they've posted called "The Making of Staind". It's an hour long but very well worth checking out as a raw, honest and uncut look into the recording process of the band's 7th studio album.



© 2011 WMG

mercredi 14 septembre 2011

Allure Olivia Wilde Cover Shoot

Sexy Olivia Wilde graces the pages of the aptly named Allure magazine and here's the behind-the-scenes video from me to you.






Staind Bring the Rock To Kimmel Live

I picked up Staind's new self-titled CD yesterday and have given it a couple of spins and I have to say it's a very solid, rockin' CD. These guys have always been a band I liked but at times their albums have been a bit too overloaded with whiney, mopey, lovey-dovey crap. Which I like in smaller doses, but it still frustrated me because it was obvious these guys can really blast and did so on early albums like Dysfunction and Tormented. Well this new CD definitely marks a big return to that heavier sound and I'm blown away by some of the tracks. This is a great CD so go get it. Or download it. Or whatever you kids do now.

They were on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night and played "Not Again", the first single from the new CD, and "Something To Remind You". Check 'em out below.



mardi 13 septembre 2011

Movie Review: Dylan Dog: Dead of Night

Synopsis: The adventures of supernatural private eye, Dylan Dog (Brandon Routh), who seeks out the monsters of the Louisiana bayou in his signature red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans. An Americanized version of the Italian horror graphic novel character.

I've never read the Italian horror comic but from what I've read this movie is pretty far removed from it, really more of just another generic monster hunter type movie with some humor and special effects. Sort of a Van Helsing meets Buffy The Vampire Slayer I guess.

I really found the main character pretty bland and his sidekick, a zombie funnyman, lame and unfunny (bordering on just flat out annoying). Think Jar Jar Binks. I'm a fan of Brandon Routh but thought overall the acting was pretty uninspired.

So, as horror it's not scary, as a comedy it's not very funny and as an adaption of a popular comic it sounds like it fails there too. So what it is? Well it's a little fun at times and as a stylized genre monster film, it's not horrible. I liked the special effects and a few of the monsters, including Taye Diggs as Vargas, look pretty cool.

But that can't save it. I had some fun, but all-in-all it's just pretty forgettable and bland.

5/10