Monday, July 28, 2008

SFTD: "Fire" by Bruce Dickinson

Today I am starting a new thread of blogs in which I will write briefly about a random song on my iTunes.

"Fire" by Bruce Dickinson

Taken from the album that the Siren released during his time away from Iron Maiden, "Fire" is one of the more surprising songs from the much-maligned Balls to Picasso (1994). It is a mid-tempo slow-burner that has a riff reminiscent of a Judas Priest song circa British Steel (1980). The chorus has a slightly funky hook to it that makes it sound a little more "American". Roy Z comes up with a very Steve Morse-inspired solo in the middle, before the song fades away in a rather unsatisfactory fashion. Not a highlight from a patchy album, but not a stinker either.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The New Awesome Playlist

What follows is my new Awesome Playlist (30 songs that I find myself listening to most these days):

(in alphabetical order)

- Coming Home by Alter Bridge
- Indians by Anthrax
- Ain't Enough by Army Of Anyone
- Wide Awake by Audioslave
- Threshold by Audrey Horne
- Sailin' on by Bad Brains
- Wanderlust by Baroness
- Remedy by The Black Crowes
- Sinful Love by Blue Oyster Cult
- The Doom of All Fires by Cavalera Conspiracy
- Mercury by Clutch
- Elembivos by Eluveitie
- Bonded by Blood by Exodus
- Executioner's Day by Heaven's Basement
- The Mirror's Truth by In Flames
- Revelations by Judas Priest
- Rocket Ship by King's X
- The Spirit by Magnum
- Trust by Megadeth
- Ronnie by Metallica
- Double Nature by Mustasch
- Stuff Is Messed up by The Offspring
- Burden by Opeth
- First It Giveth by Queens Of The Stone Age
- Morphine Child by Savatage
- Practice What You Preach by Testament
- Alien Angel by 3
- Wings of Time by Tyr
- Wild Child by W.A.S.P.
- Jump for Joy by Warrior Soul

Shaking the hands of the Truth

It has been a long time since I graced this pages with utterances that are utterly useless. Needless to say it has been a fruitless few weeks with nothing much to write home (or on this blog, for that matter) about. However, today's chance spotting and immediate handshaking deserve a little mention.

As I was innocently trying to figure out whether the new James Patterson book is even worth putting up on the shelf, I pass by this dude who was much taller than me, wearing an Oakland Athletics cap. Then a very supporting-character-in-a-romantic-comedy happened and I stopped in my tracks and literally retraced my steps. Holy fucking shit. Could he be? No way, right? But he is. It's Paul Pierce. The MVP of the Finals. The Man. The Truth.

Throwing away the shit that was in my hands and pushing away little children trying to grab the newly-arrived Horse webkinz, I made my way towards the man I have admired all these years, from late night rebroadcast games on Sky Sports in England to Channel 52 here in Boston. But, I had to be sure.

Gurur: "Dude. You're Paul Pierce, right?"
The Truth: "Call me Champ"

He walks away, I stand there wide-eyed... Awesome.

Last but not least, a moment of Zen. I have mentioned this to none other than Mr. Wheeler Maidrand Crowley today: 3 months in L.A. and the most famous person I've seen is Tony Shalhoub (great actor, by the way) and 3 weeks working at a bookstore at Logan Airport and I have already spotted Counting Crows and Paul Pierce. Go figure.

Peace.