W.A.S.P. - Dominator: Buy This Album!

W.A.S.P. is band that most likely you haven't heard of, or have only heard of on VH1 Classic. This band has quickly become one of my favorites over the two years. I first became aware of them in 2002, then again more familiar with their work in 2006, and then just started buying up anything the band released in the early part of last year. The band has gone through countless lineup changes, with one constant member in lead singer/bassist (or rhythm guitarist, depending on the lineup) Blackie Lawless. The band was thrown in with the other L.A. bands of the mid 80s, a "glam metal or hair metal", but this band was and is different. The band was always much darker, more shocking, with a strong KISS and Alice Cooper influence. But in 1992 the band released, their most widely acclaimed, "The Crimson Idol" a concept album centered around a fictional rock star who rises to fame, only to realize that it is not what he wanted. The band forged on in the 90s with a changing lineup and sound. Their post 200o work is probably some of their strongest. Unholy Terror - deals with a variety of issues, even hitting upon dictators and other world leaders who have gone mad with power, Dying for the World - an album written by Blackie as his reaction to 9/11, he expresses his anger, outrage, and also sadness, 8 of the 10 tracks are directly about 9/11. Following this, W.A.S.P. went with another concept album, this time a two part affair, called 'The Neon God'. But, now onto 'Dominator'.



I heard this album late last year, but finally go it about two or three months ago, the band is no longer on a major label so it was tough to find. The album is about world politics and U.S.'s tendency to dominate others, hence the title. Blackie posted on the band's website that was a strong supporter of John McCain and George W. Bush. I mention this because this album is an attack on Bush in some ways. There are 9 tracks, clocking in at 43 minutes, and every song is a standout.



The album is political in nature, but like many WASP albums, it is a challenge to figure out. The lyrics are complex, referencing religious and political events and persons, as well as American culture and folklore. This album is relevant, it is actually saying something, there is something going on here. The album is complex, because the world is complex. I love the entire idea that the album is going on and trying to layout what is going on in the world, we live in intersting times, so might as well write about it. Originally, I wanted to do a track by track rundown, what the song is about and so on, but I could not because after numerous listens I am still trying to figure it all. The songs are dealing with the world, what America has done and is doing and the impact it has. It is also an album filled with religious references and religious practices. Long story short, check this album out yourself, buy, get it off lime wire, find it on YouTube, but check it out.

Why Pearl Jam is not only a better band than Nirvana, but also a more important band

I just finished reading a book about the band Jane's Addiction, "Whores: An Oral Biography of Perry Farrell and Jane's Addiction", (Whores is a name of a song by the band from thier first album. Basically it collected interviews with the band members, their freinds, girlfriends, associates, and contemporaries. What I found to the be most interesting aspect was that the band really started the entire alternative movement and was really the first 'alternative' band to get mainstream airplay and video play, first with "Jane Says" and then "been caught stealing'. So how does this relate to Nirvana and Pearl Jam? Well, Nirvana is consistently labeled as the band the broke the scene, which can be supported with the fact that they knocked Michael Jackson out of the top of the Billboard sales in late 1991/early 1992, (who is bigger than the King of Pop). But, I want to debate and support the idea that Pearl Jam is not only the best Seattle band of the original four (PJ, Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains), as far as talent goes but also that the band is more important historically in music.

1. Kurt Cobain wanted to be a rockstar - According to a well respected author, Christopher Cross, who wrote Heavier than Heaven, one of the most well researched and more recent Cobain biographies, Cobain always wanted to be a rockstar. Cobain's biggest idols were the Beatles. Cobain always wanted to be a star, the guys in Pearl Jam wanted to make music.

2. Pearl Jam as social activists - The band members have been involved in social activism, Vedder would write "pro choice" on his arm at Pearl Jam's MTV's Unplugged. As of late, one of the band member has been heavily involved with the alternative energy.

There are many songs in the band's catalog that address social issues Jeremy - school violence, Evenflow - homelessness, Daughter - learning disabilities (have to read the lyrics to get this one, but its there, Glorified G - gun ownership, W.M.A. - police violence and racism, do the evolution - man's impact on the enviroment. The band also toured on the Vote for Change in 2004, which they used as a podium to show their support for John Kerry. Although I don't agree with thier politics, they are free to express it, and do so in a way that is meaningful and memorable. It is not so much that Nirvana didn't do this, as is that the band just simply said things are bad, and shrugged, while Pearl Jam takcles the issue and says hey this is not right.

3. Musicianship - the musicianship of McCready, Gossard, and Ament are far superior to Cobain and Novoselic. The best way to support this is by listening to their music live, go find any of their live recordings they have released, you can hear musicianship that is quite impressive. Now, Cobain and Novoselic are not bad musicians, they simply have a different style that is meant to be raw.

4. Longevity - Since Cobain is dead Pearl Jam wins by default. But I mean longevity in the sense that the band has continued to make new music and good albums for years after thier intial peek in the early 90s. Personally, after Vs. and Ten, Yield released in 1998 is my favorite and band continued to tour and release new music and sell records. Nirvana has in some ways been encapsulated in time, albums and such have been released, but in many ways the band ended in 1994 and has stayed there.

5. Refusal to be mainstream - Pearl Jam didn't make a video from the release of Jeremy to 1998's Do the Evolution (which was animated), then not again until 2006 Life Wasted. But the band continued to have monumental chart success (VS. Vitalogy, and No Code all hit No. 1 on the Billboard sales chart and combined to sell 13 million copies in the U.S.) In a period that made the music video as the key to success, the feat is impressive that they were able to sell and have hit singles in a period when they were going against the grain. Also, they took on Ticketmaster for the company's monopoly in the ticket industry, and for the fact that the company was charging too much for thier tickets. Nirvana on the otherhand relased music video for their followup to Nevermind and toured.

Well, I think that about covers it for why I feel that Pearl Jam is a better band as music goes and why the band has had a greater impact. Nirvana is still an important band, but Pearl Jam simply has more going for it.

Why I created a blog

Hello,
I am sure if you are reading this you have so how stumbled upon this for some reason or another. I created this blog because I feel that I have alot of opinions, observations, insights, and so forth that are interesting and enjoy sharing my opinion on many diverse topics.

And, since I have free time and enjoy writing, I wanted to do something productive.

Enjoy!