The UFC's Super Bowl!

Wrestling has Wrestlemania, the NFL has the Super Bowl, roller derby has... um, well they have something I'm sure. But this year the UFC has UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields. And it's tonight. Oh my holy hell what a card from top to bottom, and it's all going to be shown! Yep, every single match is available. This is gonna be great. The biggest crowd ever too, live from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Let's do this!

My picks? Well, I think Shields will give GSP a good fight but no way I'm going against GSP in front of his crowd. I like Aldo and Matyushenko too, and sorry Randy (easily one of my favorite fighters ever) but I think Machida will get back on his winning ways tonight after back-to-back losses to Shogun and Rampage. Fight of the night though? Bocek vs Henderson. I'll take Henderson. And that's just all on the main card!

Main Card (PPV)

* Champ Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields (for welterweight title)
* Champ Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick (for featherweight title)
* Jason Brilz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
* Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida
* Mark Bocek vs. Ben Henderson

Prelims on Spike TV

* Nate Diaz vs. Rory MacDonald
* Jake Ellenberger vs. Sean Pierson

Prelims on Facebook

* Claude Patrick vs. Daniel Roberts
* Ivan Menjivar vs. Charlie Valencia
* Jason MacDonald vs. Ryan Jensen
* John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson
* Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin

MMA Fighting's Link Parade

MMA Link Parade: "While you wait ever so patiently for UFC 129, whet your appetite with these stories and videos from our friends around the internet.

- Versus has become NBC Sports, and here's its new MMA page. (NBC Sports)

- A new and improved Lyoto Machida? (Sports Illustrated)

- Cesar Gracie is a little upset with his cousin Renzo. (Cage Potato)

- Martin Kampmann says you should bet on GSP. (Low Kick)

- Cris 'Cyborg' Santos eyeing August fight. (Five Ounces of Pain)

- Convention operator files injunction against UFC. (MMA Convert)

- If Kenny Florian beats Diego Nunes, title shot next? (Middle Easy)

- A viewer's guide to UFC 129. (Sports Illustrated)

- Will UFC 129 crack top 13 pay-per-views? (Bleacher Report)

- GSP punches harder than Cain Velasquez? (SB Nation)

- UFC Primetime: Episode 3. (MMA Scraps)

- Dana White says money caused Machida's decline. (5th Round)

- Gilbert Melendez is the new #1. (Fight Magazine)

- UFC 129: Under the radar. (Heavy)"

Eye Empire Prays

Here's the official music video for Eye Empire's song "I Pray" from the debut album Moment Of Impact. I'm loving the CD from former Dark New Day members Corey Lowery, B.C. Kochmit, Will Hunt, and Donald Carpenter, formerly of Submersed.



Copyright © 2011 Eye Empire

"With this record you will hear a variety of sounds and influences that contrast the talented members of this band. Prepare to open your mind and look deep into every track; there is something for everyone to discover." —Eye Empire on their new album.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2011 on SI.COM

I realize it has nothing to do with sports... but I still love the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Sue me.

The world's most beautiful models in the world's most exotic locations. See exclusive videos, photos and lots more only on http://si.com/swimsuit

Song: You Say Love
Artist: ZELAZOWA

The 5-Year-Old Screenwriter Of "Fast Five"

Jim and Tracy welcome Chris Morgan, the kindergartener who wrote the latest action-packed "Fast And The Furious" sequel.


Today Now! Interviews The 5-Year-Old Screenwriter Of "Fast Five"

Movie Review: Roadkill

Synopsis: Six young friends on a road trip in Ireland run afoul of gypsies who curse them for accidentally running down an old woman. The curse takes the form of a terrifying flying beast that tries killing them all.

I like bad horror films. No seriously, I do. Something about them just entertains me I guess. I prove this often by some of the movies I watch all the way through, especially on Saturday nights on the SyFy network. Their "made-for-TV" movies are the holy grail of crap, and this one is a perfect example.

How so? Well they just come up with a giant monster (in this case, a big ole prehistoric looking bird) that can be cheaply (and poorly) added with CGI after the fact and then have a bunch of actors and actresses go through the motions, pretending it's after them. All you have to come up with is the where and why really, and this time it's the dreaded "gypsy curse" as they travel through Ireland. The why? Well they piss off the Gypsy woman when they smack into her with their RV and of course do what any young adults in their right minds would do, leave her to die. "But she was alive when we left!"

There's also some bad guys as some of the mean old Irish rednecks chase them as well and there's some folklore about the big bird and a protective amulet or something. The characters are all the stereotypical college kids... from "the jock" to "the annoying guy" to "the brain" to "the token black guy" and they all behave pretty stupidly. One guy goes out to change a tire and instead of any of the others going with him to watch the sky for the monster bird, they stay in the RV with the blinds pulled. Ridiculous stuff like that happens a lot. Don't worry, they also worked in the crooked law officer and of course THERE'S NO CELL PHONE SIGNAL! NO!!! Well, until it's too late.

But hey, you know what it is and where it's going when you start it. Don't expect anything more from this SyFy offering and you might have a few laughs and some fun.

3/10

Turisas Channel The Road Warrior

Finnish symphonic/folk metallers Turisas have posted their new video for the song "Stand Up And Fight" off their CD of the same name, which came out this past February. The video seems to channel a bit of the whole post-apocalyptic Mad Max/The Road Warrior scene, which I grew up loving. I would expect nothing less from a band who is named after an ancient Finnish God of war.




(c) Century Media 2011

Movie Review: Skyline

Synopsis: Strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth as a group of friends try to escape from the alien invaders.

You ever see a member of the opposite sex who is just so sexy and a sight to behold that you just know it's somebody you want to hang with? Then you get to know them and there's just nothing there, total vacancy? Yeah, that's like this movie.

The effects are fantastic and it's big and loud and filled with action. The storyline? Ouch. No substance, cardboard characters and complete uninspired foolishness. And then it's almost like they ran out of money so they just ended it. Sure, it's open-ended and up to the viewer I guess to figure out what's going on, it's just that when you put any thought in it at all, it falls to pieces.

But you can watch it for the cool giant spaceships and plenty of alien monsters, who are indestructible apparently unless you have a cinder block handy. And I did like that it sort of pulls no punches... you don't know who's going to get it or when and the end is especially bleak and against the grain of a lot of the happy endings from Hollywood.

It reminded me in many parts of Cloverfield (love it), War of the Worlds (OK), Independence Day (OK, but nearly as dumb) or maybe even Signs (like it) but doesn't really add much except the desire for some human brains. Mash those 4 movies up maybe with a slice of Battle: Los Angeles and give the characters some bad dialogue and you've pretty much got it.

Passable entertainment but missed opportunity for what could have been a really fun film I think. Too bad.

5/10

New Journey CD Almost Here

I've been a fan of Journey since their Infinity album (yes, album) came out way back in 1978. I was a wee lad of 12-years-old that Summer when I discovered them via now classic songs like "Lights", "Wheel In The Sky" and "Feeling That Way". Through the years (decades) I've seen them live 6 times, bought every release and stayed a big fan of theirs even as my tastes swung towards a lot heavier metal and they changed personel or even disappeared for a bit. I loved their latest release with Arnel Pineda on vocals, Revelations, that came out in 2008 and have been patiently waiting on more new music... and here it is.

Below is a six-minute EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for their new album, "Eclipse", which will be released in the U.S. on May 24 exclusively at Walmart.

The 12 tracks were written over the past 18 months by the core team of guitarist Neal Schon and keyboard player Jonathan Cain, with collaboration from singer Arnel Pineda.

"Eclipse" track listing:

01. City Of Hope
02. Edge Of The Moment
03. Chain Of Love
04. Tantra
05. Anything Is Possible
06. Resonate
07. She's A Mystery
08. Human Feel
09. Ritual
10. To Whom It May Concern
11. Someone
12. Venus

Alter Bridge on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Here's Alter Bridge doing "Isolation" on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night. Excellent tune, excellent band.

Movie Review: Unstoppable

Synopsis: With an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train barreling toward a city, a veteran engineer (Denzel Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine) race against the clock to prevent a catastrophe.

This film is a pretty good representation and exactly what I'd expect of a "popcorn film" with a lot of loud, fast, stylized action and a simple storyline. And I mean that in a good way. There's a lot of high tension and plenty of cliches along the way, but it gets from point A (uh oh, train loose!) to point B (somebody stop it!) in a really fun and entertaining fashion.

Denzel Washington and Chris Pine play real well with each other I thought. Denzel is his usual self but he brings out a nice job from Pine as well and they're both likable heroes to cheer for. There's a bit of character background stories going on, but it's really just to humanize the guys a bit and fill a little time between action sequences, and there are plenty of those with direction that puts you right on the runaway train with them.

This big choo-choo grabs your attention by the air brake and doesn't let go for a nice little 90 minute package of nail-biting, non-stop action and tension. Not a great film by any means, but does it's job and is well worth a watch.

7.5/10

New Trivium CD Coming Soon

A trailer for the upcoming album from Trivium can be viewed below. The CD was recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida and is the follow-up to 2008's "Shogun" (finally!!!). It's currently being mixed for a summer release via Roadrunner Records.

The Easter Bunny Hates You

Yes he's cool for his 1 big day every year, but the rest of the time? You better know it, the Easter Bunny is kicking all forms of ass.

Easter Sunday Funnies

Have a great Easter Sunday everybody!

Movie Review: Tangled

Synopsis: The magically powered, long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.

A very nice take on the story of Rapunzel from Disney. It's very well told here, with a some great villains and a very likable hero with some entertaining scene-stealers like Maximus the horse and Pascal the chameleon. The music is very theatrical and really adds a lot to the film. Visually the film is just stunning, as expected, with some very dazzling and colorful sequences. There are a lot of good laughs as well for both kids and adults, but there's nothing in it that's not appropriate for kids.

I think what I liked best about it is that it never falls into that whole "trying to be too cute with pop culture references" bit that's so overdone lately. It stays true to just good storytelling. It's witty, fast-moving and has a lot of heart.

This reminded more of some of the old-fashioned singing, dancing Disney adventures and is probably their best non-Pixar film in quite some time.

8/10

Walk The Dinosaur

I love the reaction of the kids in this video of a dude in a dinosaur costume and can you really blame them? This thing looks so real it's scary! Oh how I would LOVE to have this thing and wear it out on the town once in a while. Check it out:

Book Review: Red

Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock
by Sammy Hagar

Synopsis: For almost forty years, Sammy Hagar has been a fixture in rock music. From breaking into the industry with the band Montrose to his multi-platinum solo career to his ride as the front man of Van Halen, Sammy's powerful and unforgettable voice has set the tone for some of the greatest rock anthems ever written. Sammy tells the outrageous story of his tear through rock 'n' roll, detailing the backstage antics and nonstop touring that have made his voice instantly recognizable. Beginning with his musical coming-of-age in the blue-collar towns of California, Sammy traces his rough and determined rise to fame, working harder than anyone else out there and writing songs about the things he loved -fast cars, loud parties, and lots of good times.

Well there's no denying that Sammy Hagar is driven to succeed and worked his ass off to get there. I was amazed at how he tells of diving into the tequila business which eventually became $100 mil money maker and all his business ventures I wasn't aware of, some of which failed. I loved the tales of the Van Halen days and the tour he did with David Lee Roth plus all the great backstage stuff and stories about songs I've heard a million times from his entire career. It's all a really remarkable story of the American dream and a guy who went out and grabbed it by the sack.

He owns up to some faults, from infidelity to the failed business moves to failure on some parenting fronts and plenty of drugs and such, which all made it seem a bit more honest and open. But there's no way of knowing both sides of some of the stories without the other side chiming in, which never happens of course. There's nothing from Eddie or Alex or DLR anywhere here. It's all Sammy's side. Take some of it with a grain of salt perhaps? It all feels right and honest having following the stories for years, but still...

I also wish there was more on the formation and success of Chickenfoot and stories from the road with those great musicians and such, but he's squeezed that whole tale into just a few pages, which is a bit disappointing.

It's an easy and fun read, especially if for fans of the Red Rocker or Van Halen. It never gets incredibly in depth and some parts are written a bit too simple perhaps. I'd loved for it to have been another 100 pages with a bit more detail into some aspects. But it's still a solid rock doc that you can pretty much devour over a weekend.

7/10

Fire With Fire

I saw these Christian rockers, The Letter Black, open for Brian "Head" Welch last night and thought they were pretty good. Not normally my type of music but I enjoyed them. Here's there most recent video for the song "Fire With Fire" and trust me that this lead singer, Sarah Anthony, is even more sexy in person. This is from their most recent CD, Hanging On By A Thread, which came out about a year ago.



(C) 2011 Tooth & Nail Records

Here Comes The Troll Hunter

I give you the official trailer for The Troll Hunter (or Trolljegeren in it's native Norway) in all it's gigantic awesomeness! Looks like it's going to get a limited theatrical run this Summer and hit Video On Demand as soon as May. Fun!

Synopsis: A group of students investigate a series of mysterious bear killings, but learns that there are much more dangerous things going on. They start to follow a mysterious hunter, learning that he is actually a troll hunter.

Brian Welch Flushes

I scored some tix to go see Brian "Head" Welch (Korn's former lead guitarist) tonight here in Little Rock. I've seen him with KoRn several times back in the day, but this will be the first time solo. Decyfer Down and The Letter Black open the show.

I read Head's autobiography a few years ago (reviewed it here) and found him to be a really interesting cat and I admire his doing his own thing. His aren't the same views as mine (most people's aren't) but I can appreciate where he's coming from... more power to him.

Check out his video and song "Flush" below. He says that the purpose of the song is to inspire alcoholics and drug addicts to "get clean" and that "if I can encourage even one drug addict or alcoholic to get clean with 'Flush,' then the song has served its purpose."



(c) 2008 Driven Music Group

Bring Home Shinedown Live

I love Jacksonville, Florida's Shinedown and have seen them live 3 times now, so I can't wait to pick up their new 2CD/2DVD live set coming out May 3rd called "Somewhere in the Stratosphere." It includes audio and video from two full live sets, one acoustic and one electric, from a Washington state concert and their most recent Anything and Everything: An Acoustic Evening With Shinedown tour.

Here's a teaser video and the full track list is below that:



"Somewhere In The Stratosphere" track listing:

CD/DVD 1

Somewhere In The Stratosphere - Madness : Live From Washington State (Electric)

01. Intro
02. Sound Of Madness
03. Devour
04. I Dare You
05. Cyanide Sweet Tooth Suicide
06. If You Only Knew
07. Diamond Eyes
08. 45
09. Burning Bright
10. Heroes
11. The Crow & The Butterfly
12. Her Name Is Alice
13. Save Me
14. Left Out
15. Simple Man
16. Fly From The Inside
17. Second Chance

CD/DVD 2

Somewhere In The Stratosphere - Anything and Everything : Live From Kansas City (Acoustic)

01. Heroes
02. Save Me
03. If You Only Knew
04. Sound of Madness
05. Shed Some Light
06. 45
07. I Dare You
08. Times Like These
09. The Crow & The Butterfly
10. Burning Bright
11. Devour
12. Call Me
13. Fly
14. With A Little Help
15. Simple Man
16. Second Chance

shinedown.com
facebook.com/shinedown
twitter.com/shinedown

Well, Well, Well My Shendelle

Hey I'm no fashion expert, but I will say I'm a pretty big fan of this nice shiny black bikini that Bikini.com's Shendelle Schockman is showing off. It's, um, well... it's sparkly. Yes, oh so sparkly.

Cover Art Unveiled for Stephen King's 11/22/63

Cover Art Unveiled for Stephen King's 11/22/63: "

The cover art for Stephen King's new time travel inspired book 11/22/63 has made its debut online, and as always we've got a look at it right here for you. Let's hope that the ripple effect caused by the changing of events yields many an unexpected horror!

Look for 11/22/63 to hit book shelves on November 8th, 2011.

Synopsis

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas; President Kennedy died; and the world changed. If you had the chance to change history, would you? Would the consequences be worth it?

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students — a gruesome, harrowing first-person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane — and insanely possible — mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life — a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=evilshopnet&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380557

Got news? Click here to submit it!

Right past wrongs in the comments section below.

"

The Red Rocker On Jimmy Kimmel Live

On of my favorite rockers, Mr. Sammy Hagar, was on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night. Jimmy poked some fun at him claiming he was abducted by aliens and reenacted it. I'm actually currently reading Sammy's new book which is what he's on the show to promote. Review soon.

Check it out below in 2 parts:

Saliva is Badass

Here's the latest video from Memphis rockers Saliva for their song "Badass" from the Under Your Skin CD, which came out last month.




(C) 2011 The Island Def Jam Music Group

Movie Review: Hobo With A Shotgun

Synopsis: A homeless vigilante (Rutger Hauer) blows away crooked cops, pedophile Santas, and other scumbags with his trusty pump-action shotgun.

I love a movie where are you really need to know is the title. The title of this, much like Snakes On A Plane, is pretty much the entire plot of the movie. If it only said something about him befriending the trusty hooker-with-the-heart-of-gold it would be covered.

If you like stuff like the Grindhouse double-feature (Death Proof and Planet Terror) and Machete, then you're probably going to like this over-the-top, ultra-violent and ridiculously gory blood bath. If you thought those others were stupid and pointless then by all means you should avoid this like the cooties.

It's got a very nostalgic look to it, with very unique colors and settings. The effects are very twisted and gory, but somehow almost comical they're so intentionally cheesy. In fact, intentionally cheesy describes everything from the plot to the acting. The oddball tone actually makes it's a lot of fun, as the gore and violence and death and kills would be pretty sickening if they were realistic at all, or even if the movie felt the least bit realistic. But it's not. Heads exploding, hand removal via lawnmowers and guys getting shotgun blasts to the junk all seem more like silly, quirky fun.

It does drag a few times though I thought and some of the quirkiness is just too odd, even for this movie. It's almost distracting despite the non-serious tone of the whole film. Then there's a bit of the "tries too hard" syndrome, which can be explained by saying that's the whole goal of the film, but somehow it still feels a bit forced.

The movie still has a nice fun style and a lot of creative carnage and is probably a must see for fans of this genre. And remember, homeless people are people too... especially if they have a loaded shotgun.

6/10

Rob Zombie Mixes Evil With Woolite. Yes, Woolite.

Rob Zombie Mixes Evil With Woolite. Yes, Woolite.: "

Out of every conceivable headline we ever thought we'd have a chance to write, the above is without a doubt the last one we'd have expected to be typing out. Confused? Intrigued? Morbidly curious? Read on.

Over on his official blog Rob Zombie posted some stills from his shoot of a commercial for Woolite called 'The Torturer'.

'Well, I just wrapped a very odd directing gig in sunny Vancouver, says Zombie on his blog. 'A very scary TV commercial for Woolite called 'The Torturer'. Yes, I said Woolite. This ain't yo Mamma's Woolite.' Honestly? We didn't even know Woolite was still being made.

Check out some imagery below from the town that dreaded laundry and stay tuned for more - we guess?

VISIT THE EVILSHOP @ AMAZON!

Got news? Click here to submit it!

Clean up your act in the comments section below!"

Oh Dirty Woman

Here's the new video from Pain for their song "Dirty Woman" off their upcoming CD You Only Live Twice, due out June 11th.

Game of Thrones Debuts Tonight On HBO

I dare to guess I'm not the only one pretty excited for the new HBO series debuting tonight, "Game Of Thrones." It's a medieval fantasy television series created by David Benioff and Dan Weiss. The series, based on author George R. R. Martin's best-selling A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels, chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among noble families for control of the Iron Throne of Westeros. The television series is expected to follow the multiple storylines of the novels closely, and author Martin has stated that the pilot script was very faithful to his work.

Here's a trailer and an exclusive look at the first episode:

Book Review: Pretty Little Dead Things

Pretty Little Dead Things
by Gary McMahon

Synopsis: Years ago, a car accident killed Thomas Usher's wife and daughter and left him with an unwanted gift: the ability to see the silent shades of the restless dead. Now a psychic detective, Usher takes a mundane job for night club owner Baz Singh, keeping an eye on Baz's daughter, Kareena, an assignment that ends when Usher finds Kareena's corpse. Usher soon learns that Kareena's death is just the latest in a series and that the murders, the kidnapping of a little girl, and even Usher's own past are all elements in the cheerfully malevolent Mr. Shiloh's vast occult plot.

I believe this is my first book to be considered "British horror" and I must say I was quite impressed. The characters are all very real and flawed, both living and dead, but especially the lead character who is a big mix of emotions from experiencing something between a gift and a curse while mourning his loss and the sense of guilt he feels because of it. The overall feel of the book is very dark and gloomy, which gives it a real sense of foreboding and suspense as it builds toward the finish. The finish itself is very dark and gruesome with a final explosion of creepy imagery.

It's all very inventive and intelligent as well. But the best thing about this book is the way in which McMahon writes. The story never seems to drag, he gives great descriptive imagery and the way he writes his prose is very enjoyable. Watch this guy horror fans.

8/10

Sunday Funnies

MMA Link Parade

MMA Link Parade: "In search of good reading material for a Saturday morning? Why not try these articles from our friends around the internet.



- Jon Jones says his brother would smash Cain Velasquez. (Middle Easy)



- Strikeforce wrong to ban writers. (Sports Illustrated)



- Zach Makovsky: who he is and why you should care. (MMA Convert)



- Miesha Tate talks Strikeforce sale, women's MMA. (Heavy)



- Tito Ortiz talks about crashing at celebrity GP race. (Low Kick)



- TUF 13 recap: Len Bentley falls. (SB Nation)



- Nick Diaz to try his hand at boxing? (Versus)



- Fighters use social media to be their own matchmakers. (Sports Illustrated)



- Fedor Emelianenko training kickboxing in Holland. (5th Round)



- FBI shuts down MMA sponsor web sites. (Bleacher Report)



- Bellator CEO says he'll take female fighters if Zuffa won't. (Cage Potato)



- Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire barely misses weight. (Five Ounces of Pain)"

Machine Head Back To Studio

If you don't have Machine Head's "The Blackening" you're missing one of the best metal CDs of all-time from your collection. But that CD came out way back in March, 2007 so it's be 4 freakin' years already! I saw them in Vegas with Metallica in that time and really started getting into their back catalog, but damn I'm ready for some new music.

So in November 2010, Machine Head began writing and demoing new material for their seventh studio album. They plan on touring the USA this summer with the 2011 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, where they will open the main stage for Megadeth, Godsmack, and Disturbed for the first 9 dates and headline the Extreme Stage for the remaining 18.

Now they've announced they are to commence recording of their new album on April 16th 2011 at Green Day's Jingletown Studios in Oakland, California. Hopefully it'll be in my grubby little hands by the end of 2011.

In the meantime, check out this cool video to see what goes into the writing process and what this album means to the band.

More Foo For You!

As if you haven't gotten enough of Foo Fighers here on FF Week at Focused Distortion... here's something they just posted this afternoon. It's them in the studio performing the entire new Wasting Light CD, which is fantastic. Like, for reals. And stuff.

BAM!

Foo Fighters. Wasting Light Live from 606:

Accept The Teutonic Terrors

If I've told 1 person I bet I've told 20 that the best hard rock CD from 2010 is Accept's "Blood of the Nations." Start to finish it's just a great rockin' set of tracks that will peel the paint off your living room walls at decent volume. It was a good year for the German rockers and to celebrate it they put together a video of their track "Teutonic Terror" from over 100 fan shot clips.

Wolf Hoffmann: "It's amazing now everyone has a camera and can videotape the shows. Back in the day it was a big issue with people bootlegging concerts, now, everyone does it. 5 mins after the show's over it's on YouTube so we thought this would be a fun way to embrace it rather than to fight against it. Back in '85 we did a live album in Japan which was called Kaizoku-Ban, which roughly translates to Bootleg, so I guess this is our 2011 answer to that. It's been a amazing ride, and it's far from over".



http://www.facebook.com/accepttheband
http://twitter.com/accepttheband
http://www.myspace.com/accepttheband
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ACCEPT-OfficialSite/

This Idiot's Guide To The Scream Movies

Caution: If you haven't seen the films... here there be spoilers...

I remember when the first Scream movie came out. I saw the previews and thought "eh, that might be decent" before I went and saw it and liked it, but didn't love it. As the sequels popped up I found more of an appreciation for the trilogy as a whole and now it's become a tradition at my house to watch the entire trilogy before every Halloween.

The first Scream film has become one of my all-time favorite slasher movies and while it's sequels as good as the original, they don't suck like they say in Scream 2. Let's talk about all 3 shall we?

The Scream film series is a series of satirical horror films directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson and Ehren Kruger. The main plot involves a psychopathic serial killer wearing a Halloween costume attempting to kill Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and various other characters involved in her life. They revitalized the slasher film genre in the mid 1990s by using a standard concept with a tongue-in-cheek approach that successfully combined straightforward scares with dialogue that satirized slasher film conventions.

They also made a whole lot of money at the box office. Here's the US numbers:

Scream (1996) - $103,046,663
Scream 2 (1997) - $101,363,301
Scream 3 (2000) - $89,143,175

TOTAL: $293,553,139 The three movies in the series share several common elements in their structure and plot.

* every movie begins with the death of a couple
* in the first and third movies, the actual killer is suspected and even taken into custody, only to be cleared due to a loophole
* at the end of every movie, Sidney's romantic interest is shot (and killed in the first two movies)
* the killer or killers always suddenly return when they seem dead (except for Stu), and, all but one time, the killer is finally vanquished with a head injury, usually a gunshot
* the Song "Red Right Hand" is played in all three of the movies.

So let's get to the individual films shall we?

Scream

Summary: A psychopathic serial killer is stalking a group of teens, just like in the movies! Sidney seems to be the main target as the 1 year anniversary of her mother's murder approaches.
Stars: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Rose McGowan, Jamie Kennedy, Matthew Lillard, Drew Barrymore, Liev Schreiber
Stuff: directed by Wes Craven... like the original Halloween, "Don't Fear The Reaper" is heard in the movie (it's also in Zombieland)... won several awards, including Best Movie at the MTV Movie Awards 1997... Linda Blair (The Exorcist) has a cameo... Billy Loomis' surname is the same as that of Donald Pleasance's character in Halloween... When Casey's parents come home and see that something is wrong, her father says to her mother, "Go down the street to the Mackenzies' house" which is a quote from Halloween... the school janitor, Fred, is actually director Wes Craven and he wears a sweater similar to Freddy Krueger... the killer was based on the "Gainesville Ripper"... body count: 7
Defining Moment: You quickly learn that nobody is safe, as the movie's biggest star, Drew Barrymore, is slaughtered at the beginning of the film after a creepy phone conversation about horror movies.
Quote: "Life is like a movie. Only you can't pick your genre." These are the horror film rules as stated in the movie:

1. You will not survive if you have sex
2. You will not survive if you drink or do drugs
3. You will not survive if you say "I'll be right back"
4. Everyone is a suspect. Two additional rules come from the killer:
5. You will not survive if you ask "Who's there?"
6. You will not survive if you go out to investigate a strange noise.



Scream 2

Summary: Sidney Prescott relocates to Winsdor College trying to forget what happen in Woodsborro, only to find that another psychotic killer wants her dead. They've also make the Woodsborro events into a motion picture, "Stab", based on the Gale Weathers book and Cotton has been released from prison.
Stars: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber, Jerry O'Connell, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rebecca Gayheart, Timothy Olyphant, Joshua Jackson, Omar Epps, Jada Pinkett Smith
Stuff: Cameos by Heather Graham, Luke Wilson and Tori Spelling... there are several reference's to Courtney's tv show Friends... the killer's comments in the bathroom stall are directly influenced by the killer in Black Christmas... the cast didn't know who the killer was until the last day of filming... most of the outdoor scenes were filmed at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Ga... the stage performance "Cassandra Aria" was written by Danny Elfman... the movie within the movie, Stab, was directed by Robert Rodriguez... body count: 10
Defining Moment: Jada Pinkett Smith's character gets offed in a theater full of cheering people, as they think it's not real
Quote: "Oh please! By definition alone, sequels are inferior films."

The rules for a horror movie sequel:
1. The body count is always bigger.
2. The death scenes are always much more elaborate with more blood and gore.
3. Never assume the killer is dead.



Scream 3

Summary: Sidney visits the set of "Stab 3," after old pictures of her mother become the clue to a series of murders around Hollywood and on the set.
Stars: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Lance Henrikson, Parker Posey, Jenny McCarthy, Patrick Warburton
Stuff: This is the only part of the Scream cycle not to be written by Kevin Williamson... written by Ehren Kruger, who also wrote Arlington Road, The Skeleton Key and The Ring... celebrity cameos include Carrie Fisher, Jay and Silent Bob... most of the story is set in Hollywood and focuses on the making of Stab 3... the house used during the climax is the same house used as a school in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later... Body count: 10... Wes Craven filmed three different endings and didn't tell the cast which one he was going to use... During the studio tour, the tour guide mention's that the next stop on the tour is the set of "Seinfeld" on which Patrick Warburton, who plays Steven Stone in the movie, was famous for role as David Puddy...
Defining Moment: A fistfight between Sidney and the killer brings the trilogy to a close.
Quote: Phone Voice: "When you're friends with Sid, you die."

Horror Film Rules For A Continued Sequel

1. The killer has got be super human - stabbing or shooting won't be enough to finish him off.
2. Anyone, including the main character, can die.
3. The past will come back to haunt you.

Later in the film Detective Mark Kincaid remarks "All I know about movie trilogies is in the third one, all bets are off".

So that's a wrap! I've given you a little bit about the 3 movies so go rent them again or buy them or something and prepare for another, because Scream 4 hits theaters today and Kevin Williamson has said that "it will be the start of a new trilogy."

The Cans Of Summer

Here's a little something yours truly wrote up for a site called GuysGab.com so click on over there and check it out. Lots of good stuff besides this fine article on canned beers for the Summer. Go I said!

The Cans Of Summer: "

Let’s just get right to it… I’m a man who loves his craft beer (as my stretch pants can attest to). I also love to get outdoors in the Summer and soak up the sun and fun. Heck I don’t even mind mowing the lawn and doing yard work… as long as there is some good refreshing beer involved. The best way to do this is to have some nice canned craft beer handy.

Beer in cans and craft beer is a beautiful marriage that actually took a bit to take off. There was a stigma attached to beer in cans about it being only for “crap beer.” This was justified back in the day as the cans weren’t lined and the aluminum would oxidize and impart off flavors in the beer. Now cans come with a lining that keeps beer away from the aluminum, eliminating that old metallic taste. They’re also completely lightproof, meaning the beer won’t get “skunky” like some of your bottled beers. They seal up with very little air in the can too, keeping the beer fresher longer.

So now a current trend is that more and more craft brewers are canning, and why shouldn’t they be? The cans recycle very easily and cut down on shipping costs (see: less energy used). For the consumer they’re lighter to carry, pack flat, cool quickly and are just damn convenient. Also you can enjoy them in places where bottles just aren’t practical… camping, boating, hiking… etc. Lastly, you can’t impress the lovely ladies in bikinis smashing bottles on your forehead, although the EMTs might be in awe.

So if you’ve never considered sucking your Summer suds from a can I want to offer you some suggestions and try to cover several good styles. The beauty is that for every one I’m going to suggest there are probably 10 I’m missing because beer has become so regional that despite my attempts, I’ve not tried every beer in the world yet. So have fun searching for your own 12 oz. Summer pals, but if you see these tiny aluminum kegs of deliciousness by all means check them out.

• Tallgrass Brewing Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat – New this year, and you need a nice unfiltered wheat for all that sweaty yard work.


• Stevens Point Nude Beach Summer Wheat – The name alone tells you not only where to drink it, but how to dress for the hot days.


• 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer – If only this had seeds in it that I could spit at my sisters it’d be perfect.


• O’Fallon Wheach – I haven’t seen this in cans yet, but they say it will be and I love the mix of peach and wheat in the bottled version from this St. Louis area brewery.


• Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yellow Pils – A very solid Czech Pilsener from a great brewery that doesn’t miss.


• Southern Star Bombshell Blonde – A very nice, light, refreshing blonde, and who doesn’t like a bombshell blonde on their boat?


• Big Sky Montana Trout Slayer Ale – Classified as an “American Pale Wheat Ale” it’s got a great, easy-to-drink flavor. Necessary to slay trout? Quite possibly.


• Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale – An excellent year-round brown ale.


• Harpoon Summer Beer Kölsch – You need a nice Kölsch on your list as the style just screams “drink me” hot Summer days.


• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – Maybe not THE top dog, but one of the standards by which pale ales are measured.


• Caldera IPA – This is on my list of favorite IPAs as I’m a hop-head and this is 94 IBUs.


• Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat – A very solid sweet stout.


• Shiner Bock – Always a good, easy to drink go-to brew from the little brewery in Texas.


• Maui CoCoNut Porter – I have to admit that I haven’t found this one yet. But they are canning it I’ve heard and it’s a quality brewery while that name alone makes me thirsty for it. But please, don’t put the lime in the CoCoNut (and mix it all together).


• Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale – One of my favorite pale ales period. But be careful because at 6.5% ABV you may get buried in the sand.



This article has been contributed by Cracker from Focused Distortion. Cracker is a beer connoisseur, lover of horror movies, player of heavy metal, watcher of MMA and all around super dooper guy. If you liked this post, be sure to check out his site!

"