Eat your heart out, Adrian Pang
Monday, October 23, 2006
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Rediscovering Metal ... and Metallica
I had a discussion with a fellow muso the other day about the sad state of Metallica's recent output, and we agreed that their music has generally gone to the dogs since the Black album was released. Anyone remember the albums that came after that? Thought so.
Anyway, I decided to revisit my Metallica CD collection, and started to rip all their albums I had onto my MP3 player. Boy, that brought back memories! From 'Kill 'Em All' to 'Ride The Lightning' to 'Master Of Puppets' to '...and Justice For All', and then the Black album, and the double CD pack of Garage Days, Metallica did deliver some of the most memorable riffs in metal's history.
The band's lack of focus, from 'Load' onwards, and with various members' substance addictions, sadly derailed one of the greatest metal bands to have emerged from the SF Bay area.
Still, there's no denying the relevance that their first 5 albums will hold for the next few generations of metalheads.
Inspired by Metallica revisited, I went and bought 'The Best of Sepultura' and 'The Best of Fear Factory', two more seminal late '80s/early '90s metal bands that were on the artist roster of one of my favourite metal labels, Roadrunner Records. As is evident, my trip down memory lane is an ongoing journey.
That's not to say that the current crop of metal bands are crap either. Check out Finland's Children of Bodom, for instance. Or Trivium, who hail from Florida, US. Two new exciting metal bands among a slew of others that also incorporate the meanest guitar shredding I've heard in a while.
Things are indeed looking bright for the metal scene since it fell into a creative slump towards the end of the last Century, and I'm pleased as punch.
Anyway, I decided to revisit my Metallica CD collection, and started to rip all their albums I had onto my MP3 player. Boy, that brought back memories! From 'Kill 'Em All' to 'Ride The Lightning' to 'Master Of Puppets' to '...and Justice For All', and then the Black album, and the double CD pack of Garage Days, Metallica did deliver some of the most memorable riffs in metal's history.
The band's lack of focus, from 'Load' onwards, and with various members' substance addictions, sadly derailed one of the greatest metal bands to have emerged from the SF Bay area.
Still, there's no denying the relevance that their first 5 albums will hold for the next few generations of metalheads.
Inspired by Metallica revisited, I went and bought 'The Best of Sepultura' and 'The Best of Fear Factory', two more seminal late '80s/early '90s metal bands that were on the artist roster of one of my favourite metal labels, Roadrunner Records. As is evident, my trip down memory lane is an ongoing journey.
That's not to say that the current crop of metal bands are crap either. Check out Finland's Children of Bodom, for instance. Or Trivium, who hail from Florida, US. Two new exciting metal bands among a slew of others that also incorporate the meanest guitar shredding I've heard in a while.
Things are indeed looking bright for the metal scene since it fell into a creative slump towards the end of the last Century, and I'm pleased as punch.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Life As It Goes
I've seen or heard of three deaths in the past six months, all in the same housing estate, all suicides.
Could it be the environment? The poor in their pigeonholes? Their diminished hopes? An incurable ailment?
Is there a link between an ageing housing estate and crumbling dreams; unhappy lives, and the leap off the parapet to self-destruction?
The most recent case (which took place barely a week ago) was someone in his or her thirties. What happened? What could have helped? I don't know; and I don't know if there'll be any simple answer.
People abandoning reason and crossing the chasm - was there ever any effort to pull back? Did someone try to pull them back? Did they know how?
Could something be done to lift sagging spirits, cheer up the downtrodden, infuse hope and ambition, turn meaningless chores into purposeful routines? Would it be too late to fight the onset of hopelessness?
I don't know. Could there be a better world than this?
Could it be the environment? The poor in their pigeonholes? Their diminished hopes? An incurable ailment?
Is there a link between an ageing housing estate and crumbling dreams; unhappy lives, and the leap off the parapet to self-destruction?
The most recent case (which took place barely a week ago) was someone in his or her thirties. What happened? What could have helped? I don't know; and I don't know if there'll be any simple answer.
People abandoning reason and crossing the chasm - was there ever any effort to pull back? Did someone try to pull them back? Did they know how?
Could something be done to lift sagging spirits, cheer up the downtrodden, infuse hope and ambition, turn meaningless chores into purposeful routines? Would it be too late to fight the onset of hopelessness?
I don't know. Could there be a better world than this?
Power!
The ex-MF gang descended on Prego's yesterday for brunch and a catch up. Eveyone looked smashing - Maggie and Chris had just come back from a holiday; Doris is here for a couple of weeks since she became HK-based; Angie had just come back from Australia; Char, Boon and I didn't go anywhere. But it was fun, and we've got the obligatory group shot to prove it.
Maggie and Chris
Maggie explaining why she shopped more than she should have. Chris' thought bubble says: "Uh-oh..."
Pizza at Prego's
Doris took this shot. Later, Angie, Doris and I made sure it was well-spoken for. Yum.
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