However, it's not going to be for long as they'll plan to play on two major festivals in September. Of course you already which ones I'm refering to...

READING Festival - 23/8/2008 --> It's already the 20th Year!

LEEDS Festival - 24/8/2008

I reckon both of them should be terrific. Amazing line ups this year including KILLERS, FRATELLIS, METALLICA, Babyshambles, Rage Against The Machine, PLAIN WHITE T's SUBWAYS and more.

So, get outside and enjoy! Britain's going to rock once again!

Mark White, American bassist for Spin Doctors

He seemed impressed by the way you came in.
"Tell us a story
I know you're not boring"

I was afraid that you would not insist.
"You sound so sleepy
just take this, now leave me"

I said please don't slow me down
If I'm going too fast
You're in a strange part of our town...

Yeah, the night's not over
You're not trying hard enough,
Our lives are changing lanes
You ran me off the road,
The wait is over
I'm now taking over,
You're no longer laughing
I'm not drowning fast enough.

Now every time that I look at myself
"I thought I told you
this world is not for you"

The room is on fire as she's fixing her hair
"you sound so angry
just calm down, you found me"

I said please don't slow me down
If I'm going too fast
You're in a strange part of our town...

Yeah, the night's not over
You're not trying hard enough,
Our lives are changing lanes
You ran me off the road,
The wait is over
I'm now taking over,
You're no longer laughing
I'm not drowning fast enough.

This is the Ordway St garden I have been redesigning on the first day I showed up. It was neglected, overgrown and very dried out. My clients wanted me to take it all out and start over. Most of the rosemary was pretty much dead and had rotten roots, or we would have liked to have saved more of it.

I will show more before and after pictures at the end to see the results clearly, but for now it is chronological. 

Here is the garden after clearing it out. I found lots of old rocks used for terracing in previous days. The garden is fairly steep, so I kept all the rocks to use for re-terracing later. My clients decided to remove the yucca trees while the garden was empty. It took a while to completely remove all the ground up roots and stumps from the tree removal but finally I could get on with replacing the rocks and putting in new topsoil and amendment.

Here is the garden with its first plantings. We decided to go with hardy low water/drought tolerant plants to conserve water and money, and because this is a west facing slope with very little shade. Once I laid out the  basic design and began planting, my clients installed a water efficient drip irrigation system. We got great information and support from the Berkeley Irrigation Equipment Company (http://www.irrigationequipmentcompany.com) and my client was able to install it himself for the most part, with some help from Chris at the irrigation store installing the valves.

I chose to plant a selection of California native poppies, my clients said they love poppies. I chose red, orange, yellow and apricot colors. I put in two gorgeous English Lavenders, lots of red and gold yarrow, native grasses, red and orange Lantana, and native Erigeron daisies. Also for year round structure a couple of dwarf Berberis shrubs. You can see from these pictures that the top level of garden is flat. I built a continuous terrace wall of rocks to keep the top flat. This allows it to be accessible and I planted a Meyer Lemon tree, lettuce, carrots, swiss chard, lemon cucumbers and strawberries on the top level.

The rock terracing is arranged in a more natural fashion on the slope. Rocks are inter-dispersed throughout the slope to avoid structural lines and look more naturally occurring. I suggested the large water stone you see in the foreground to add a water element and focal point to the garden, also to encourage birds bathing and to reflect moonlight. At the very bottom where the garden meets the retaining wall, I placed another continuous row of rocks to prevent run off and erosion.

The garden is nearly complete, I will post more shortly to show the final results and do a before/after gallery. 

Thanks, Brooke.

Heavy Metal In Baghdad (2008, Vice Films)

• Main documentary (84 mins)
• Bonus material (88 mins)

(Region 1, NTSC, Total Running Time = 2 hrs 52 mins)

Acrassicauda is:
Marwan - Drums
Firas - Bass
Tony - Guitars
Faisal - Lead Vocals & Guitars

Heavy Metal In Baghdad
Acrassicauda MySpace page

Heavy Metal In Baghdad is the story of Iraqi Heavy Metal pioneers Acrassicauda. Directors Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi turned their attention to Acrassicauda based on a magazine article that chronicled the Metal scene in Iraq as the regime of Saddam Hussein fell in 2003. The film follows the band from 2004 through 2007 as they try to find a way to survive and keep their Heavy Metal dreams alive in their war-torn homeland.

The documentary shows a history of the band from their early beginnings in 2000-2001 up until early 2007, depicting not only their struggles as a Metal band but also as human beings. One of the most striking things about the film was the real look inside devastated Baghdad that Alvi & Moretti made sure they captured. Seeing the destruction, danger and despair from a different angle than what we are shown on the U.S. news brought everything down to earth. The band is more than a Metal band, they are just regular people and all they want is to have the freedom to live. Their is a bond among the members and their family that is pure and their only goal is to find a better life somewhere.....all the while missing the country, and family, they left behind. The film follows the band from Iraq to Syria then to Turkey as each new challenge to survival means relocating. Everyday brings new problems, new hassles, in an effort to make a better life. Shows you just how lucky we are here in the U.S.! There is music on this DVD too, it's not all doom and gloom. Their is footage from various gigs over the years, as well as the band in the studio during their first recording session, makes you remember that this is about a band. These guys love Heavy Metal.....they like to play it, listen to it, and live it.

Bottom Line:
The basic premise of the film is to show how Acrassicauda has survived with their lives turned inside-out by the war that has ravaged their country for the last few years. The band is more than a band, more than simply Iraqis.....they are people with hopes, dreams, and ambitions and a specific desire to have a better life. I have to give the directors credit for bonding with the band and their families and trying everything they can to help them. This DVD is a step in the right direction for the awareness of the plight of millions of innocent Iraqi people as told through a Heavy Metal band's survival. Definitely a must see and one of the best Metal documentaries I've seen. It's a bit more political and focused on the effects of the war than on actual music but it is a fascinating and riveting story.

If you go to the Heavy Metal In Baghdad website, there is a link for donations that go directly to the effort to help the band continue their daily survival and quest for a stable life.

Most of the students went to the spots the night before and waited patiently for more than twelve hours to just have a glance at Olympic torch. Millions of Chinese people along the Olympic torch relay were shouting one slogan: “Go China”.

read more and see the pictures in The Brooklyn Voice

Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that results when a person “inherits all or part of an extra copy of chromosome 21,” according to Encarta. The defect causes mental retardation. For McMahon, it greatly affects his mental capacity and his speech; he has a bad stuttering problem that many times affects his ability to express himself...

Read more at "The Brooklyn Voice"

Read more at The Brooklyn Voice

Featuring Top 5 Positions:

• Billboard Top 20 Singles [07.04-07.10.08]
• Billboard Top 10 Modern Rock Tracks [07.04-07.10.08]
• Billboard Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs [07.04-07.10.08]
• The Philippines Top 20 [6.29-7.5.08]
• MYX Hit Chart [6.29.08]

Visit Music Hit Charts Page!

Since the 1950s, he has galvanized cinema audiences the world over (albeit in this country relegated to art houses and, ironically, grind houses) with his powerful brooding performances – transcending the language barrier with his trademark penetrating glare.  Truth be told, those magnificent eyes can literally stare you to death...

Read more at "The Brooklyn Voice"

Summary: The momentum is there and if 30 Seconds to Mars could catch it at the right time, this could be the next big thing.

First off, let's get the whole actor-wannabe-musician thing out of the way. Yes, Jordan Catalano from My So Called Life or better yet that kid that got his "Angel Face" smashed in by Tyler Durden, is indeed the front man of 30 Seconds to Mars. The actor/singer takes breaks from the day job to play rock star with his band mates and has done so since 2002 when they released their impressive but highly ignored self-titled debut. Actors turned musicians just don't have as much credibility as musicians turned actors, and Jared Leto has had to overcome his own name before 30 Seconds to Mars can be fully recognized. An actor's brand may be the spark that gets a band noticed, but at the same time, it can create a bigger hurdle to clear. Not even "Anti-Hollywood" Johnny Depp has been able to get P known as anything else than the first letter of my name.

So now that we have unloaded some of the baggage...30 Seconds to Mars is clearly a band to be reckoned with. Their latest, A Beautiful Lie is a leaner meaner step up from their spastic debut and begs to be front and center. 30 Seconds is deserving of their destined 15 minutes and should be on your to do list.

Their self-titled debut had so much fat that it weighed an otherwise solid effort by this up and coming band. You could almost hear it in Jared Leto's voice as he, at times, tries too hard to shed his celebrity skin and prove that he really can rock it out with the big boys. A Beautiful Lie trims some of the fat and brings forth a more composed and secure singer comfortable in his own skin. With his brother Shannon behind the drums, Matt Wachter on the Bass and Tomo Milicivitch's guitar work, 30 Seconds to Mars hopes to rocket to stardom and cement their place in the music landscape.

The album's lead off and current single, "Attack" is the best representation of what this band can do. It's not the music but the voice that really grabs your attention. It begins with an echo-y synthesized guitar riff as Leto's voice slips in only to pause the music so that he can pop a vein in his neck as he yelps, "AND I AM FINALLY FREE!" It's an aggressive breakup song "like a back that hides a knife," and it'll leave her in the dust.

Notables like "The Kill," "Was it a Dream" and "From Yesterday" keep the pity party going and are radio friendly ditties that could surely get constant airplay. Just as the whole album is, they are not extraordinary, but do prove that this is a band on the move.

One of the more intriguing numbers is "A Modern Myth." It slows the pace of the album quite nicely, but once "the secret it out," it waves goodbye and goes silent for an eternity. Once the eyeliner has been reapplied, the boys reappear with what seems like a hidden track in the middle of the album! You think the record is over until you notice that there are still two more songs on the play list. Silence is golden but not when it randomly breaks up an album and causes more annoyance than anything else.

Instead of redemption, 30 Seconds ends on the lowest of low notes. I've never been a big fan of remakes, especially with tracks that are fairly new. Joss Stone did it with style and grace with her remake of The White Stripes', "Fell in Love with a Girl" and the Postal Service created one of the best remakes ever covering Phil Collins' "Against All Odds." Unfortunately, Leto and the bunch neglected to take notes and missed a valuable lessen: "A remake is not a redo. Add some originality that is a reflection of you and the song will take on a whole new life." 30 Seconds' cover of Bjork's "Hunter" is just painful and you begin to twitch when Leto mismatches his voice over Bjork's recognizable thump in percussions. Only Bjork can do Bjork and 30 Seconds To Mars let us all down with this one.

A Beautiful Lie really is a solid album full of hard-edged aggression over soaring melodies. Leto's talent does extend beyond the big screen and a transition from film to stage might not be a bad thing. The momentum is there, and if 30 Seconds to Mars could catch it at the right time, this could be the next big thing. Just think twice about doing another remake.

Okay, it's a sad day in my book.  Delirious?, one of my all-time fave worship/rock bands, just made this following announcement today:

The End of an Era......

We would like to address all our fans, our friends and people around the world who have faithfully supported Delirious?

After 14 albums, thousands of shows in front of millions of people, and many extraordinary memories, we have decided that at the end of 2009 we will take a break from recording and playing as a band.

Our decision was triggered by a request from Martin to be released from the band to pursue new projects including his work with CompassionArt and the desire to be at home more with Anna and his children. We have of course honoured this request and made a decision together that now is the time to end this chapter of our lives.

We will continue to play and be excited about our current tours and bookings but will not be adding many more over the coming 17 months..

We are all so deeply grateful to our incredible fans who have sung the songs and allowed Delirious? the privilege of providing the soundtrack to many lives over the years. From the school hall in Littlehampton to the stadiums of the world we have many stories to tell our children's children. Delirious also would not be what it is without our amazing wives and families, and our gratitude to them is immense. We will now move forward to the next part of our lives where new challenges unfold and greater stories will be written.

We want to make it absolutely clear that although this decision has been extremely painful and difficult, we are still great friends and our respect for each other is unquestionable. We love playing in this band together and know that even though 2009 will bring an end to this current journey, there will be more adventures together in years to come.

We always used to say that we were ‘taking it wherever it goes'. The music ended up going further and deeper than we could ever have dreamed, yet we are now at a point where our creative futures will spread out and take on different journeys.

Thanks again for believing in us through all these years. We believe the best is yet to come.

Jon, Martin, Paul, Stu G and Tim

Anybody up for a road trip with me when they come to the states sometime within the next 17 months?

Secondly, I saw this and realized its sheer insanity and genius all at once.  For this -- a hearty salute and a warning -- I hereby present RPS-101 (RPS=Rock, Paper, Scissors, and now 98 other options).  I remember adding bombs and falling buildings as a kid, but never went past... oh, eight or so options... these folks go beyond anything considered... uh, normal.

Lastly, sorry for the lack of activity on the site.  I need to get my hands on Val's laptop sometime -- that's where all the good Max stuff gets transferred to!  That said, for our friends on Facebook, I believe Val added a new video of Max within the last week or so... :)

Le 01 octobre 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bernie BONVOISIN et Norbert KRIEF remonteront sur scène avec leur musique rebelle;

Pour les places : points de vente habituels (tarif de 35 à 45€).

Pour les fanatiques de Hard Rock, pressez-vous !!!!! sinon, vengez-vous sur le site : www.trust.fr

Genial disco de China, ex Sheik Tosado, banda pernambucana que misturava frevo, rock e hard core.

“Japan Pop Show” é o nome do segundo disco de Curumin e se o título faz referência à sua descendência, o som do disco traz no seu DNA, o que já conhecíamos de “Achados e Perdidos”, primeiro álbum de Curumin, uma profusão de ritmos e influências, com matriz fundamentalmente na música negra.

"Móveis Coloniais de Acaju" é uma mistura de Kusturica com Hermeto, um pouco de Cuba com macarrão. Um pouco de Paulista sendo de Brasília, um pouco de Brasília sendo do Brasil, um pouco do mundo sendo da Terra e, por que não, um pouco de Karnak com Los Hermanos. Um pouco de Pato Fu com amendoim. Um pouco de móveis com cabelo, um pouco de sorte com pensamento, um pouco de dor com amor, um pouco de Solidão com quarto e sala com fiador. Gorbachev com Copacabana. Samba de russo, pagode de cego com Tom Waits. Se fosse Teatro seria Tadeus Kantor, se fosse Foto seria do Rodchenko, se fosse esquilo não sambaria . (André Abujamra)

Folk cuiabano.

Download it Here

Talk about this band r the video on the Gtown Forums.

Life Less Ordianry

Let Your Troubles Roll By

The War Was In Color

Jay Z didn't like it when Wino recently called his pal Kanye West a "c*nt."

Amy, I said No, No, No.

Trip Hop talent Tricky says to The Sun that 9/11 put him in quite a creative malaise.

"I put on TV and saw the plane crashing into the building. I built up a spliff, smoked it and went back to bed. I didn’t want to acknowledge it. I knew things were going to change then."

Tricky's new album just came out, Knowle West Boy, the first in 5 years.

www.trickyonline.com

What do you get when you cross The Muppets, Halloween, and rock and roll?  No, this isn’t the beginning of a bad joke, I promise.  The answer is Muppletone, who have been rocking out in Austin at places like The Red Eyed Fly and Carousel Lounge for 10 years.  I had a chance to sit down with Muppletone’s lead guitar player, Aaryn Russell.  He gave me some insight on his band, which has been described in the past as “fantastically creepy.”  When you hear their songs, with titles such as “Buffets” and “Day of the Locust,” you feel like you’re in a horror movie, and a masked murderer is chasing you with a screwdriver.

About a week ago, I posted a review of the first disc from the Red Hot Chili Pepper's "Stadium Arcadium".  Just thought I'd finish the job and do the second half of the album.  If you'd like to read about the album and/or read my review of Jupiter (the first disc in Stadium Arcadium) click here.  Well, here's my review of Mars.

1. Desecration Smile: This song is probably the best from this side of the album, has an older Chili Peppers sound to it. 10/10
2. Tell Me Baby: Has a slow start, and then picks up with a nice beat, also a very good song, with a nice and catchy chorus.  9/10
3. Hard to Concentrate: I lied, this is actually my favorite song from this side, and one of my favorites from the entire album.  It's got a great off-beat feel and a really great lyrical style, just a great song.  11/10
4. 21st Century: Starts out with a fairly fast beat, and then picks up even more, also a great song.  9/10
5. She Looks to Me: A really great chorus, and a pretty good rest of the song.  8/10
6. Readymade: A driving and catchy bass part, and a pretty good chorus too.  8/10
7. If: A very pretty song, and has great lyrics to accompany the soft instrumental part.  9/10
8. Make You Feel Better:  A pretty good song, but just not my favorite from the album.  7/10
9. Animal Bar: A slower song, but the chorus is great and picks the song up a little.  8/10
10. So Much I:  It's an alright song, but it's just not anything special.  5/10
11. Storm In a Teacup: A clever intro, with the vocals, and otherwise a pretty good song.  7/10
12. We Believe: A really good song, a great chorus which features a choir the second time around. 10/10
13. Turn It Again: A pretty good song, and as a trombonist, I appreciate the small brass parts towards the end.  8/10
14. Death of a Martian: A great song, and a very good choice for ending the album, even if the ending is a little strange.  9/10

This is an album that I've really enjoyed lately and I felt I owed it a review.  Minus a very few, this album is full of extremely great songs and while it's a little different from old RHCP albums, it works well.  Overall I give Mars from Stadium Arcadium a 8.4/10.  I give Stadium Arcadium as a whole a 8.25/10.

I'm currently listening to some Soundgarden - a few years old, but great music. It's the former band of the lead singer from Audioslave, Chris Cornell (he also went solo for one of the James Bond themes). Anyway, that's how bored I am, I have to wrtie about what I'm listening to.

Went to a wedding yesterday, which was alright. Not many people I knew but it was still fun, even if it did rain. Constantly. But hey, that's the Scottish weather for you.

Still haven't seen Toms Hitler cat. I really want to, so I'll try and post pics when I do finally manage to see it:)

Oh, and I just bought myself a gamecube for some retro gaming - Nintendo style! Kind of an impulse buy, and got loads of games. Too many probably. Infact no, you can't have too many games. EVER. Also got a gameboy advance for some pokemon, I love that game :)

Anyway, I can't be arsed wrighting anymore, because I am so tired. I'll add more in another post, but for now I'm going.

Oh, if you have last.fm add me at www.last.fm/user/neillya1

That MSN conversation with Tom and Nikki is calling me with it's flashing icon at the bottom of my screen. Should really go and see what the idoit and the bassist are up to I guess.

I'll leave you with a completely random and unrelated picture today, because I can't think what to put.

Who ever said blashphemy wasn't fun?

I'm a very lucky guy because I get 4 weeks paid vacation every year and every year I take July 4th week, the 2nd week of August, and the week of Halloween for vacation. (The 4th vacation week I use as individual vacation days for things like concerts or football games.) So here I am starting my first full week of vacation since Halloween 2007 and all I did was sleep and setup my Metal week.....

So what do I have planned for my vacation?

The first thing is to catch up on all the CDs piling up on my desk.....I am going to listen to music 24/7 even if that means sacrificing sleep!

The second thing is I'm going to catch up on this site. I'm going to try to write up as many reviews in advance so I can post more often. I may also tweak a few things in the sidebar, etc.

I have a few more Metal related projects that I would like to get a move on: cataloging my collection is the priority and creating a want list is also at the top of the list. I'm also going to start to frame some of my vintage posters this week hopefully.

Stay tuned.....