When we fall down...we have to pick ourselves up again.

I love rock. End of story. Classic rock. Hard rock.  Indie rock. Grunge.

But when I'm feeling really angsty-mad-teenager (like I really want to break something), only Paramore will do for me. They're like a whole new genre of rock all on their own. A potion of punk, pop and alternative, all mixed up together in a cauldron. Lots of people older than me won't like Paramore, and yes, I have to admit they are becoming a lot more commercial. But Paramore are like comfort food for me...like a Big Mac(and I'm supposed to be a liberal vegetarian...bah), like chocolate fingers, like marshmallows. They're familiar, they're the band that first introduced me to rock music. I started with Paramore, I moved on to Muse, I heard Muse liked Nirvana so I decided to check them out, things spiralled on from there. I soon discovered classic rock, I even went all the way back to the 50s and found Chuck Berry. A part of me forgot about Paramore. But a part of me still needed them.

So...you can't blame me...when I heard rumours Paramore were splitting up-ok, I cried. A lot. Before pulling myself together and reminding myself that rumours on the internet are not necessarily always true. I found out that although the Farro brothers were leaving the band, Hayley Williams, Taylor Yorke and Jeremy Davis were staying. Paramore had fallen down...pretty badly...I mean Josh and Zac Farro were two of the bands founding members. When the founding members leave...that's is basically almost as bad as it gets.

But. Paramore were picking themselves up again. Hayley, Taylor and Jeremy were definitely staying, and trying very hard to find a new guitarist and drummer. I still felt a tiny bit broken afterwards though. Paramore's band chemistry live was amazing. What if that all changed?

And then....I found this article in the Rolling Stone magazine:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ex-paramore-members-slam-hayley-williams-20101222

It says some very controversial things about Hayley Williams, who I adored for years. Apparently, she's been taking control of the band, and the band is becoming all about her. I don't know what to believe...I mean I know the media lies...I know that well enough- it's all very confusing. I found myself feeling very angsty-mad-teenager again, so I ended listening to more Paramore. But their softer songs, like We Are Broken.

Well, anyway, Paramore taught me a good lesson. The past can hurt. But the way I see it, we can either run from it or learn from it. And yes, that is quoted from the Lion King. (I like old Disney movies ok?! Well at least the classics...as for High School Musical...I better not get started).

Does anyone reading this remember a band close to them breaking up/almost breaking up when they were young? How did you react?

Thanks for reading if you did(well, you would have, if you're reading this) I appreciate it. Please comment, even if it is a couple of words.

There is so much good music still out there waiting to be discovered...

It seems to me that almost every week I discover a new band, a new artist or a new song. It's so exciting to know that there's still so much good stuff out there, just waiting patiently for me to find it.
Take for example Fleetwood Mac.
I know, I know, all those rock gurus out there will probably think it's quite sad that I've only just found them. I'm quite late. I've got lots of catching up to do when it comes to rock music. To be fair, most of the good stuff was made before I was born. :(
But...in case there's anyone out there who doesn't know them (high five for being late)...here's a small sample of their awesomeness


And Stevie Nicks who sings in Fleetwood Mac happened to have a solo career too. And even though I think she's amazing in Fleetwood Mac, I think she's even better solo. The following song happens to one of my favourite songs at the moment...I'm absolutely in love with it...


Enjoy....
:D

Guess who's birthday it is......!!!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

I've let you down, haven't I? You were expecting someone famous and important. Not me, an insignificant child who you've never seen, and who wastes time writing random stuff and annoying you by commenting on your blog posts.

But it is my birthday. So I deserve some time to myself.

However, I happen to share my birthday with a very special man, who just so happens to be famous. He is the incredible drummer, Dominic Howard, who plays the the amazing band Muse. Here's Dominic Howard in a Spiderman costume.

His sense of humour never fails to amuse me. I love all the interviews with him!

Here's a birthday video someone made for him:

I wish someone would do that for me...

Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOMINIC HOWARD! And Happy Birthday to me as well :)

Things are never what they seem.

This will be a short post. It's not really music related, but it gave me such a lot to think about I had to talk about it.
In London, there is a massive contrast between the wealthy, upper class neighbourhoods, and rough, dodgy, not-so-well-off neighbourhoods. They're like two different worlds, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a different country.
I was driving past an area that happened to have a very, very bad reputation. It had many council housing estates, and was famous for it's association with drugs. Instead of flowers, injections crop up on the floor. If you walked alone there at night, you were guaranteed to be attacked. Gangs hung about everywhere, people often got shot.
But. It had been snowing recently. The gangs didn't feel like hanging about in the cold weather. It was much safer.
And...underneath all the snow, the boring, grey council estates were absolutely transformed. It didn't look  like the same neighbourhood.
But what inspired me enough to write this post was that...on the wall...written with snowballs...was "I Love You". Not a hasty, "I <3 a="" and="" bored="" bring="" but="" carefully="" cheesy="" couldn="" face="" for.="" had="" help="" i="" it="" just="" love="" made="" meaningful="" on="" or="" p="" partners="" proposal="" smile="" someone="" something="" t="" their="" they="" to="" u="" wanted="" was="" who="" wondering="" write="" written="" you="">
What surprised me the most, was that the sudden declaration of love on the wall, helped to utterly transform the neighbourhood. Suddenly, it was beautiful. Cheesy as it seems, love can bring change.

Reading through this post, it is the most utter crap I have ever written, so I'll just post it before I change my mind.

Look here at what I've found...

I discovered this band by accident. But now, I'm absolutely in love with them. And the strange thing is, their music is so different to the sort of 70s classic rock I usually listen to, but it's got a hypnotic quality that puts you in a dreamy state of mind. So...I'm asking you guys out there to listen for a second. You might not end up liking it, but you might.

The UK's always produced some of the best music out there, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, and more recently bands like Muse and Kasabian. Now, in my very own city London, a new indie rock band has appeared out of the gloomy rainclouds, and something tells me they're gonna be big. I'm just going to enjoy their music for now before they get really famous and their music starts becoming manufactured and boring. Although I doubt that will happen, they say that they want to avoid being 'flash' and showy. They don't care about their appearance, and they don't appear on their album covers either.

This wonderful band is called The XX. And without further ado...I give you Crystallised.

Just listen till the end. If you don't like it, fair enough. But I won't pretend I don't. It may not be classic rock, but it's good rock.

But if you do like them...first of all, give me a virtual high five, and secondly, I think you might be interested in this article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/apr/10/the-xx-interview

Jimi Hendrix. THE MAN HIMSELF.

Yep. I'm typing so fast with eagerness, that my blog post is already swarming with red squiggly lines.
78 YEARS AGO, A ROCK LEGEND WAS BORN IN SEATTLE ON THIS VERY DAY . HIS NAME: JOHNNY ALLEN. HE WOULD LATER BECOME JIMI HENDRIX, ONE OF THE GREATEST GUITARISTS IN THE WORLD.
The very man who helped develop the rock and roll sound that we hear  listen to, was born today. 

As a child, he would pretend his Dad's broom was a guitar, and his father, spotting the potential decided to buy him a real one, although it was a old second hand thing that only cost him $5 .A left-hander who took a right-handed Fender Stratocaster and played it upside down, Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Not only did this look unusual, but it meant that the Strat’s bridge pick-up was also reversed, making the lower strings more resonant and producing a unique sound.Players before Hendrix had experimented with feedback and distortion, but he turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began. Apart from his sublime skill in making his guitars sing, Hendrix is probably best known for smashing and setting fire to many of them.And to think, his first string instrument was a ukulele that started off with only one string. 

Hundreds  look up to Jimi Hendrix, as the God of Rock n Roll. And so, today, I think we should all spend a couple of minutes in remembrance of him by watching the video below. Jimi Hendrix, although you died of heart failure, you live on in the sound of the guitar. We salute you.

Keith Richards has still got it...

( A small forenote: I apologise for not writing for ages. Yes, I only have twelve followers, but a lot of them are lovely people who are dedicated enough to actually read my silly ramblings. So, I'm sorry, I've been very busy lately and I simply haven't had the time. Even now I'm typing this secretly, I'm supposed to be doing homework, and planning a surprise birthday for my friend. But, I think I can spare an hour or so to type all this up :D)
All of today I've been pondering to myself what on earth I should write...
I've missed Neil Young's birthday, like the silly creature I am. I found myself searching my Dad's newspaper for inspiration.
But then I thought...
Well...

I THINK KEITH RICHARDS HAS STILL GOT IT.
Why not? He's releasing a new biography, let's start talking about the wonderful man. Yes Jagger is great, but what would The Rolling Stones be without Richards? He's the 'roll' in the rolling stones. He's the riff in their chart topping songs.  If you don't understand his awesomeness, watch this:



(Yes, I have finally figured out how to upload videos onto blogger. Do not laugh! We all have to start somewhere... this is only my eleventh post...)

SHARP REFLEXES! Possessed fan runs on stage, like a rock n roll ninja Richards uses his special skills to defend himself. For all of you party poopers out there who say, "But...isn't that mean?"
Well, this was only a year after Lennon had been shot by a fan, so of course all people in the world of rock would be on their guard.And trust  Richards to do it in style! Whack whack, whack them on the head with his guitar. And then coolly continue playing.

And I love how Mick Jagger just ignores it all and continues singing. Although, if there was any serious trouble, I'm sure he would have leaped to the rescue.Richards and Jagger's friendship is a strong one, one that has lasted about 50 years. They were both there when the Rolling Stones first formed, and they're still there now, unlike a lot of their other band members.

Chart to show The Rolling Stones' band members

I took this from an interview with Rolling Stone magazine(not the band, it confuses me too, don't worry) in 1981


You and Mick appear to have one of the great friendships of our era. Is it really as solid as it seems? 
Yeah. It's a true friendship when you can bash somebody over the head and not be told, "You're not my friend anymore." That's a true friendship. You put up with each other's bitching. People will think we're having these huge arguments and say, "Oh, will they split up?" But it's our way of working, you know? He's my wife. And he'll say the same thing about me: "Yeah, he's my wife."
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/51942/220525?RS_show_page=1


It's perfectly fine with me if they want to get married someday. I hope I somehow find a way to go to their wedding. I'll gatecrash it.





ANYWAY, STOP TRYING TO DISTRACT ME, I NEED TO GET ON TO THE MAIN TOPIC!
Yes. His book.

Ok, I have not actually read the book. I haven't had the time (PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!) and I have about three books to read for school, and tests coming up. But I've done some research and I've found a very good review from the Indepent. So here's some of what they've written:

That he's here at all to tell the story is a miracle. Back in the 1970s, New Musical Express used to run an annual Top 10 list of the rock stars least likely to see the following year due to their fondness for various substances. Top of the list year after year was Keith Richards.

"That was the only chart on which I was Number One for 10 years in a row," he writes in his book. "I was kind of proud of that position. I was really disappointed when I went down (to second on the list)."

Those were the days, as Mary Hopkin used to say. His intake was on an industrial scale and the behaviour that went with it created his global image as the ultimate rock 'n roll wild man. But what the book reveals is that this was always less than half the story. The real Keith Richards has been obscured for years behind that image.

He may look like an urban pirate (Johnny Depp robbed the look for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) with the flamboyant clothes, mad hair, crazed eyes, skin like an alligator and speech permanently slurred by decades of drink and drugs. But the real Keef is -- and always has been -- a serious, and supremely gifted, musician.

All the rest of the stuff happened, of course, and it's all part of him now. But what always mattered, above anything else, was the music. His book, possibly the most honest rock 'n roll autobiography ever written, goes through all the drug binges and busts, the groupies, Altamont and everything else in detail. But although he hides nothing -- and doesn't apologise for anything either -- it's all very much an aside to the main business, which is the music.

Yes. I copied and pasted. Screw me. But I did the good thing here, I could have copied and pasted it and pretended I wrote it, and that I had actually read the book (I was actually going to do that to be frank). But no. I was honest. So I think I deserve a round of applause, thank you very much. 

But it's a great book, from what I've heard. I'm going to read it as soon as I've got the time, so I think you should too.
Au revoir mes amies :D

If only they realised what sort of evil powers were at work...

There is a dark lord plotting his evil plans. He goes by the name Cowell. That is...
Simon...Cowell.
He is very cleverly scheming to take over the world, slowly and slyly without anyone realising.
And he is succeeding. Oh yes, he is. He has a massive entrepreneurial enterprise.
He is a British fellow-although, it shames me to admit this. He placed his base in the UK, and started his massive business. No one had predicted how big his business would become. But big, it did become. Immensely big. And so, he made another base in America, and in countries all around the world.

Picture it. You're in Britain. It's cold and rainy Saturday, and everyone's indoors in front of the TV. Unfortunately, it is Autumn. And do you know what that means? Every Autumn right through to Christmas... a horrible, slimy thing, creeps onto the television sets of vulnerable Britons in the form of....

THE X FACTOR.

This show has immense power.You cannot even begin to comprehend how powerful it is. Millions of people turn up to watch at times. 8 million to be precise. And that's if it's not the results show. There are only so many people in Britain you know. And every year, there is a winner, who sings a soppy ballad and nomatter how out of tune he is or how much everyone hates the song, it is ALWAYS, ALWAYS number one in the Top 40.

And every year, the magazines plaster pages upon pages with fictous stories about the X factor, and everything X factor related. Everywhere you go, everywhere you turn, there's always something to do with the X Factor. You can never, ever escape it, and you will never, ever escape it, even if you hide under your bed, and say you're never coming out. The judges faces' are on your shampoo bottles.You search in the newspapers for information on the recent floods in Pakistan, but no, all you find is an article telling you one of the x factor contestants is being deported because her Visa has expired or something like that. When so, so, so many inncoent people get deported every day, but no one even cares about them. 

Let me tell you a little story.

There was once a little girl  with a monobrow, frizzy hair and very disgusting teeth. She was a rough girl, who was always getting in fights. She worked as a waitress in a bar. She decided to try her luck oneday, and entered in a band competion. She couldn't really sing, but that was alright, she only had to stumble through a verse at most. Luckliy, her group won, as they showed their bums the most. She got her teeth fixed with some surgery, waxed her monobrow and got a hair stylist. After that, she married a footballer. Still, she was nothing special. No one really noticed her.

Until...

She worked as a judge on the X Factor.

And now...

SHE IS CALLED, THE NATION'S SWEETHEART.

Do you understand yet how powerful this show is?

Every year...every single year...I have to put up with this horror. I have to sit and cry as it slowly crushes the music industry. Because this...this is fast food music at it's absolute worst.

Musicians are hard working people. They have to spend ages performing at dodgy bars and get a part time job as a cleaner before they make it big. And everyday, they have to worry about paying bills, and about whether or not they should have stayed in school and become something sensible, instead of being in a band and not earning enough for their family. They stay up all night writing songs, they get guitar calluses. They have to work very, very, very hard. And in the end, it's very likely they'll die and no one will remember them.

But the people on the X factor simply appear...in all their cockiness, they just appear...and get voted in depending on looks and popularity rather than talent. And then, some stupid sod wins, and sings a song someone else has written, and it becomes number one.
Just like that. Instant fame. Instant success. Instant pleasure for the 'public'. Instant food. Or, rather, fast food.

The fluffy teenage girls vote for the young teenage boys that they're madly crushing on. (there's always, always one, this year it's this soppy thing called One Direction). The others who think they're being different, vote for the pretty girl they wish they could be. And the old ladies vote for the cheeky charmer they wish was their husband.

Picture it. It's a Monday morning in rainy London. You walk into school. You are instantly attacked by mad girls shrieking ,"OMG, OMG, did you watch the X factor, it was soooo good!" and "Oh, Rihanna's performance was so good, but Bon Jovi just ruined it all...ugh I hate rock music" and "Oh my God, I think Cher should win, she is sooo good. But I don't like that guy with red hair...he's butterz (London slang for ugly)"

You calmly tell them you don't watch the X factor. They stare at you in disgust, and quickly move away. You're not 'cool'. You have nothing to talk to any of them about, you're quickly excluded from the conversation.
You pick up the Metro that someone's left lying around. You soon regret it. It's stuffed full of X factor articles. Nevermind the war in Sri Lanka that no one knows about.Because Sri Lanka's not as interesting as the X factor. No, it's more interesting to read about how so and so missed a note in their song, or how someone else is wearing a hideous outfit.
You go to assembly, hoping you can escape it all. No. The head teacher is giving a speech about the X factor, and talking about how we should think about other things as well as TV. Yes, well how can we forget about the X factor if you keep on mentioning it?
Throughout the whole day...the teachers...people in the hallway...the receptionist...they're all talking about the X factor.

WHY?! Why does no one realise what a bloody SCAM this all is?! Simon Cowell is a dark lord at work here, he is earning billions of pounds, at your expense, every time you buy an X factor record or vote for someone on the show, you give him more money. Cowell is ruthless. He doesn't care if he ruins the music industry, he doesn't care as long as he gets his money. To be truthful, the X factor is more about the judges than the actual performers. Ooh, what is Cheryl Cole wearing? Ooooh, don't you think Simon was a bit harsh.All the faux bickering going on between the judges. Someone is always 'headed to the final' or 'deserves to be in the competition'. To be honest, I think Simon Cowell is vain, and wants the show to be all about him, which is why he is always thinking of new , cruel comments to give to the contestants. He knows it's only going to get him attention. 'You sounded like cats trapped in a bag.' Ok Cowell. You've had your fun. You're world famous from Tokyo to New York. You earn about $90 million a year (yes, I didn't believe it either) When will you stop? Exactly. When he controls the world.

Never mind Cowell. What about the music industry being corrupted? Well, no need to worry. This fast food music...some of the winners are forgotten and never remembered. Four out of six of the winners so far have been forgotten after a couple years. Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke are the only remembered ones. And you have got to admit, this is all very impressive considering all the hype that went on when they were on the show. So, why are they all forgotten so quickly?

Well, sadly, it's not because the public's music taste has improved. No, with the media, the general public will never improve their music taste. The reason that they're forgotten so quickly is because, like I said before, this is fast food music. Instant gratification, no staying power. Next year, there's a new winner, and everyone forgets the old one. The same happens every year.

Most of my readers here are from America, and so they won't be familiar with the X factor. Well, I'm sure you've gathered it's like your 'American Idol'. By Cowell as well, as I'm sure you know. I don't watch the American Idol, so I don't know if the winners have staying power or are forgotten. But I'm sure it's pretty much the same.

Once...some time ago...my friends were trying to persuade me to go on the X factor.  Yes, you heard right. They thought I had a nice voice (bah is all I have to say). But regardless, I'm glad I didn't go. If I ever do make it in the music industry (and that is if I did decide to )I don't want to be an act everyone forgets about in a couple of years time. I want to be an act that people remember years after I die, I want everyone to still be singing my songs years after I die.
Thank you very much, but I do not want to be another burger lying in the bin.


Thanks for reading. Please do leave a comment :D

Happy Halloween guys!

Humph. I'm quite disappointed with myself,  for the past few days I've been trying to think of a post I could do that was both Halloween, rock related and interesting.
You've probably logged on thinking, oooh, she's written another interesting blog post! (I flatter myself...interesting-hah!) But instead, you're left with me rambling... once again.... I've probably already wasted two minutes of your life.
Ok, right, this is my attempt at writing a Halloween blog post...I shall TRY to make a list of scary rock songs, that are somehow Halloween related. Just in case you were bored of listening to the Monster Mash and Thriller.
Sympathy for the Devil: The Rolling Stones
Ok...maybe this isn't that much Hallowen related. But it has the word 'devil' in it, ok? It's the best I could do...
I'm very sorry guys for no video, but here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLddJ1WceHQ

Highway to Hell: AC/DC
You have obviously seen the word 'hell' in the title of this song? Good. Now you know why it's on this list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TziyOcb96q0
It's quite cute how they're all wearing devil horns :)

People are strange:The Doors
Yay for the Doors!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awi14wDTxNw


Led Zeppelin: The Battle of Nevermore
Don't ask. Just don't ask.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW6xaDGmffQ

OK, now, on a more fun note, here are some pictures of hamsters wearing clothes!!!

YAY for randomness and wasting people's time!!! Now, what are you still doing here?

Covers that make us want to hide in a cave

There are many covers of songs that can indeed be said to be better than the original. For example, Nirvana's cover of 'Man Who Sold The World'. But there are some covers that go as far as making us embarassed.

Yesterday, when typing in 'I love rock and roll' into Youtube, I accidently selected the Britney spears version. Out of mere curiosity, I watched the music video. Absolute horror ensued. Which is what inspired me to write this blog post. Signing into my yahoo home, I see that they have already done a blog post on the worst covers. But that will not stop me from doing my own. :D

So without further ado...a list of some of the worst covers. You can make your own mind up which you think is worst, they're in no particular order.

I love rock and roll-Britney Spears
Originally by: The Arrows

Excuse me, but since when did she love rock and roll?
Anyway...like in all of Britney's music videos, she is scantily clad, and there are close up shots of her body every two seconds to try and please her male fans.No. Just no. You can do that in all your other music videos Britney, but you have to respect the song in this one. Joan Jett managed to be a lot hotter in her cover of the song, without looking like a slut.
Sadly, blogger is being moody with me and won't let me upload videos. So I'll just leave some links:
If you want to witness the horror of the Britney Spears version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThZ9MgKjE1Q&ob=av2n
If you want to see the lovely version by Joan Jett: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ZicY7Oqmg
If you want to see the amazing original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AT_Pbtyid0
Moving swiftly on...

Smells like Teen Spirit-TAKE THAT!?
Originally by:Nirvana (the lovely men at the top of my blog)

I'm sorry, but what were they thinking? They covered the song the year after Kurt Cobain died. Ok, maybe I'm being harsh , maybe they were just having a bit of fun. It's just one of those songs you can't really cover. Although to be honest, I think Kurt Cobain would laugh rather than be angry. At least that's what I would do.I have nothing against Take That, but just....why? Oh why?
Take That's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzBjatkVtzY
However, I have to admit, their version is entertaining in a hypnotic sort of way.
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg

American Pie-Madonna
Originally by: Don McLean

I don't think Madonna should have covered it, but that's just my opinion. This song is supposed to be a recounting of 'The Day That Music Died', a 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. When Don McLean sang it, he was telling it from his perspective, so we could relate to it. He told us about himself as a paperboy, delivering the sad news in the newspapers. When Madonna sings it, I just can't relate to it somehow. She was only one year old at the time (she was born in 1958) so she obviously cannot remember it. Anyway, this one is a slight 'iffy', it sort of deserves to be on this list, it sort of doesn't. You can make up your mind about it:
Madonna's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkvpuOebd88
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6uEjifqTaI



Fairytale of New York-Ronan Keating and Moya Brennan
Originally by: The Pogues

Fairytale of New York is a folk rock song-so it just managed to scrape into this list of the worst rock covers. Personally, I think this is one of those Christmas songs you can never get bored of. Unless you're listening to the Ronan Keating cover. He changed the words from 'you're a cheap lousy faggot' to 'you're cheap and you're a haggard' because he didn't want to offend anyone. I don't really know who he thought he was offending, maybe he didn't want to upset his parents. Anyway, this is obviously again one of those songs you can't ever cover and  be better than the original. I wish someone had told Ronan Keating that. I don't know how he managed to drag Moya Brennan into it either. I don't actually know who she is, and I can't be bothered to research her either.
The horrific version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daAG5JfNNFQ
The timeless original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLb213lak5s



Strawberry Fields Forever-Candy Flip
Originally by: The Beatles

This is another 'iffy' one. It doesn't exactly make me want to go and hide in a cave. But the cymbals are very annoying. And it's nowhere as good as the original. Of course, no one can beat the Beatles :D
Candy Flip's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DjWpq8Oyoc
The Beatles version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A4r2RU1u3g


Under the bridge-All Saints
Originally by: The Red Hot Chili Peppers

It's not so much that the girls in All Saints can't sing. It's just that 'Under the Bridge' is completely about heroin addiction, and they utterly disrespected the song by removing the verse about drug use. So now it's a song about who knows what. Even The Red Hot Chili Peppers said themselves that they felt the song had now lost of of it's 'personal significance'
The All Saints Version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA_c1o5Y95o
The orignial:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwlogyj7nFE&ob=av2n

The Tide is High-Atomic Kitten
Originally by: The Paragons, but made famous by Blondie.

Ok. Maybe this is really stretching things a bit. But Blondie did write a lot of rock songs, so they are sort of a rock band. Maybe? Alright, no, maybe not. Nevertheless, the Atomic Kitten's version is incredibly annoying. Everything from their horrible music video, to the fact that they added a random bit called 'Get the Feeling'. To be honest, I find the Atomic Kittens annoying in general. I mean, what sort of name is Atomic Kitten? I'm a cat lover, and even I find their name annoying.
The Kittens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPFk0X1p2fs&feature=related
Blondie:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0skjm-uJSs&ob=av2n
The Paragons:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rwSPmT3ujU

God only knows-David Bowie
Originally by:The Beach Boys

I love David Bowie, but sadly he's not too good at covering others-his style is too singular. And this song is no exception.Although it's not as bad as the other offenders on the list.

David Bowie:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOadV_CPT_k
The Beach boys:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDfH_J4MAUQ




I can't get no satisfaction-Britney Spears
Originally by: The Rolling Stones

Yes, once again Mrs Spears appears. Why Britney? Why cover a timeless classic like this that you know you're going to end up ruining? You might not be able to get any satisfaction, but we can't get any satisfaction from this either. Although at least she did try. And she tried and she tried and she tried.:D

Britney's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF2l_rWdvDs
ROLL UP for the Rolling Stones:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_VbImuG71M

Song 2-Robbie Williams
Originally by: Blur

I happened to really like Song 2. Even though it was Blur's attempt at actually making fun of grunge bands like Nirvana, it's still one of those really catchy songs you can't get bored of. But Robbie Williams...why? What possessed you? But similar to the Take That version of Smells Like Teen Spirit, Robbie's version is strangely entertaining. You want to look away...and yet you can't.
Robbie's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObUz_on6c-I
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlAHZURxRjY&ob=av2e

You shook me all night long-Celine Dion and Anastacia
Originally by:AC/DC

This is actually quite funny to watch. Celine Dion and Anastacia prancing about, air guitars in hand, wearing the most ridiculous clothes. I highly suggest you watch it
The hilarious cover:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rzTDfbbMXI
Ac/dc original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfffzRJ9nVs

Walk this way-Girls Aloud and the Sugababes
Originally by: Aerosmith

GA and S:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jvrjd8DI-c
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80c1KIMNxY&feature=related













Alright, maybe I'm being a bit biased here, as I adore Aerosmith but detest Girls Aloud. They're all sex appeal and annoying dance routines. Sorry. They might have some slightly catchy songs, but did they write them? No. At least we can say that they covered this song for charity...although I'm not sure I would even buy it for charity.

GA and S:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jvrjd8DI-c

The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80c1KIMNxY&feature=related

Absolute beginners-Carla Bruni
Originally by:David Bowie

Ok, let's get this straight Carla. Just because you're married to the president of France does not mean you can butcher whatever song you want. "I find it incredible she doesn't realise that she can't sing now, she doesn't have the right to when the country is on the verge of exploding and she is Sarkozy's wife. Can you imagine Cherie Blair or Samantha Cameron doing that?" said Jean Daniel Beauvallet from ‘Les Inrockuptibles' a French publication. Well, personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Michelle Obama cover something...
Carla Bruni's version:http://perezhilton.com/tv/Carla_Bruni_Absolute_Beginners/?ptvid=26bca2fbc44f8
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_cHvtPB2dY

Macy Grey herself

Macy Grey's covers are all hilarious. Listen to her version of 'Walk this Way' and you'll understand what I mean. But if you really want to get a taste of her covers...this as bad as it gets:
Macy Grey's cover on Elton John's Don't Go Breaking My heart.
Watch it here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEv65FaHG40
I found myself silently cackling at a remark someone on Youtube made: "This is the worst cover ever. Hands down. Nothing else even comes close. Still funny as shit."
If you want to compare it to the original, here you go:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwJ_XuAgMNM

Mr Tambourine Man:William Shatner
Originally by:Bob Dylan

At least this is one of those covers where the singer is intentionally being funny, rather than blindly murdering the song and leaving us all embarassed.
Shatner's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekMYBvhhMg0
The lovely original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff5wsQCPhtk


Is it wrong that I feel slightly guilty after all this for being mean? I have to admit though, this post was pretty fun to write...
All comments are welcome, if you disagree with me on anything don't be afraid to tell me.
Let me know of any other covers you think deserved to be on this list.
:D

Why don't teenagers seem to like rock music as much as before?

Teenagers used to love rock music. Now, it seems it's hard to find people who genuinely like it. Of course, there are 'scene' and 'punk' people, who listen to rock music because they seem to think that it makes them look 'cool'. It's more to do with image, and less to do with the music itself, which is what I hate.

Now, there are so many commercial rock bands that sound more like the Jonas Brothers, who try and please the scene market. I'm not sure whether or not to like Paramore, I used to love them but now they seem to be changing to quickly. I'll always love Hayley Williams for the brilliant frontwoman she is, but I honestly don't know what to think of them anymore.

When most people think of real rock music, they think of possessed headbangers, drunkards smashing their guitars and screaming lyrics. Once you get into rock music, you understand why rock music is such a passionate way of expression sometimes the only way to express yourself is to headbang or if you're performing, smash your guitar. And that screaming lyrics is just an extremely passionate way of singing(even though personally, when rock singers scream throughout the whole song it does get a bit annoying. A wail on the chorus is alright, but 'screamo' isn't my thing). From a distance though, all the drama surrounding rock music looks intimidating and scary for many.

Also, rock music generally is so different from other types of music. Listen to hiphop, with it's repetitive beat and simple, understandable  lyrics. Listen to rock music with all the intricate guitar solos, confusing drumming patterns and metaphorical lyrics. Often, rock music is just too different for people. That's why bands like Coldplay, who make their music simple and easy for people to understand, are more successful then bands like Muse, who have very complicated bass lines and guitar solos. When I listen to rock music, I pretend the guitar is singing as well as the singer, and it helps you appreciate what a big part guitars play in rock music.

 Many teenagers also think that if you're going to listen to rock music, you have to abandon all other types of music. But that is not true, and any rock fan who says that is only listening to rock music for the sake of their image. I like rock music, but I also like rap and hiphop (although I am very picky and only like certain songs, as a lot of hiphop has sadly become very manufactured-unlike the good old 90s). I also like blues, jazz, pop and any other song that is good. You shouldn't ever only like one type of music. Just should be free to like what you want.

I think the fact that that teenagers don't like rock music so much is also to do with the media. If people realized how much the media was manipulating them, they would be so, so very surprised. I once watched a programme on channel 4 about the media, and trust me, if people knew how much the media got inside their head,  they would probably go and live in a cave. Teenagers like the songs the media tells them to like and that's that.

This is how I think of it:
The media force feeds you food (songs). You can't tell whether or not you like it, because you've always had it. One day you try a different type of food (rock music). It's so different from the food you usually have, that your body rejects it. Some people, however don't reject it, and realises that it tastes so much better than the food the media forces them to have.

Some people like familiarity. Some people are more willing to try more things. I'm just so sure that if more people were introduced to rock music, they would like it.
Maybe it's just not the right time. Let's be honest, rock music has had it's time.
70s the best rock music
80s the best pop music
90s the best hiphop and rap music
00s manufactured music that is just trying to earn money.
10s well who knows what will happen, we're only one year into this decade. I think music still hasn't decided what it wants to be.

I think it's time for a rock revival...

JOHN LENNON'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Yay!!! It's John Lennon's birthday today. If you don't know who he is, then you have either been hiding in a cave for the past century, or are a victim of today's manufactured music. John Lennon was one of the most gifted songwriters in the world, and I intend to preach that bit of information to the world.

Well, at least some people should know the Beatles. I quote from John Lennon "We're more popular than Jesus". I knew them at the age of the 7! Although admittedly, that was not because my parents had an interest in them, but more to do with a school trip to Madame Tussuads. Unfortunately. Although now they have made their place as one of my favorite bands in the world. The Beatles, along with Jimi Hendrix, were the founders of rock music. And what would the Beatles be without John Lennon? It's like toast without butter. Or a pencil case with no stationary in it Oh wtf, I've never been good with similes and metaphors.  Just ask my English teacher.

It was John Lennon who thought of the name Beatles. Need I say more? I think not. It is obvious that without him, the band would have probably been called something like 'Grasshoppers'. And obviously, The Grasshoppers, would not have been as successful as 'The Beatles'. Sorry, but no. When John  Lennon was asked why he chose the name, he said,"It came in a vision--a man appeared in a flaming pie and said unto us "From this day on you are Beatles with an A." "Thank you, Mister Man," we said, thanking him."


And so you can tell that as well as being a human genius (I only realized two years ago why they misspelled beetles...so it would have 'beat' in it. Which is music relevant. I am so very slow aren't I?) he had an amazing sense of humour. Oh, and you should also be able to tell that he liked cats from my blog. So what's not to love?

There's even been a film made about John Lennon called Nowhere Boy (with Aaron Johnson in it!).That's how cool he is. Although I have to admit, the whole 'making films about deceased rockstars craze' that seems to be going on is starting to get irritating. For example, they're making a film about Kurt Cobain. Yes, the ABSOLUTE HORROR! I've never met Kurt Cobain, unfortunately he committed suicide before I was born, but from what I can see from interviews, I think he would highly dislike a film being made about his life. Even I would. I mean, how many assumptions would they be making? They would be assuming what his life was like at home with his parents, they would be assuming what his relationship was like with Courtney, and they would be assuming why he committed suicide. And they're obviously just doing it for the money. No, just no, someone has to stop this.

Anyway, back to John Lennon. Honestly, I don't know how Kurt Cobain manages to worm his way into all of my posts. My obsession with him is unhealthy.

John Lennon was voted by The Rolling Stone Magazine as the fifth greatest singer in the world. Which is effing good. And you might not have noticed, but GOOGLE HAS DONE ANOTHER DOODLE TO CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY. AND IT IS ANIMATED. OOH YEAH. YOU BETTER GO AND SEE IT NOW BEFORE IT GOES! Oh, and Youtube has a doodle too, but it's not as cool.

www.google.com
John Lennon always wanted peace in the world (just listen to 'imagine' there's a youtube link on my blog at the end). Sadly for him, his criticism of the Vietnam War almost got him deported. He was always campaigning for human rights as he was an anti war activist. And following the Bloody Sunday massacre in 1972, in which 27 civil rights protestors were shot by the British Army during a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march, Lennon said that given the choice between the army and the IRA he would side with the latter, and in 2000, Britain's domestic security service MI5 said that Lennon had given money to the IRA.

Oh, they must have been so pissed.....
You rock Lennon. Literally.
So what have people been doing to celebrate his birthday? People all over the world are going to be holding celebrations, and people are dedicating monuments and so on to him .And well, his wife Yoko Ono is going to ask the world for peace. But sadly, I don't think that the wars in this world are going to stop anytime soon. Sorry Yoko.

But 'imagine' if John Lennon was alive today- what would he be doing? Oh,if only he hadn't been murdered. I'm sorry, but what is it with all these rockstars dying a sad death? I mean, is it just fate then? If you're a rockstar, you either get murdered like Lennon, commit suicide like Cobain (my second mentioning of him in this blog-oh dear) or die of AIDs like Mercury. I am starting to get slightly worried now.

R.I.P. John Lennon. Your music lives on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw
(CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO.)

Recycling can be useful!!!!

Ok. So many people think that global warming is not real. Whether or not you believe in it, sometimes, recycling can be very cool. I am not talking bout making musical instruments from Pringles tins and lentils. I am talking about stuff you can use for your guitar. I've already mentioned that you can make flowers from old guitar strings. But that is old news. I'm talking about stuff that is actually useful, not just ornamental.

Picks are ALWAYS getting lost. All the time. So if you're too busy to pop off to the shops to buy new picks, you can make some of your own from home! Just cut a pick shape out of an old credit card, file around the edges and hey presto! Ok, it's not the best pick in the world, but it's still comfortable to use and makes a great sound. Anything from gift cards to old ID cards will work. As long as it's made out of that thick, hard plastic material. And you can personalize them with a permanent marker or sharpie.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Credit-Card-Guitar-Picks/
The link above was quite useful for me

And if you don't have a capo lying around? Use a pencil and elastic bands. You might need a couple of bands though. Or even shoe laces will work.

I found these both pretty useful. I hope someone else does. x

I'VE ALREADY BROKEN A GUITAR STRING!

Yesterday, while trying to tune my guitar back to normal after previously tuning it to a drop d, I broke my high e string. I only bought my guitar two weeks ago! I am such a failure.

I was faced with one of the scariest tasks for new guitarists...changing guitar strings. I was positively terrified of doing it wrong, but then I realized...it wasn't actually quite as difficult as I first thought it would be. With the help of the internet, I managed to single handedly, without any tools apart from a pair of scissors, change my guitar strings.

Yep, I have a Yamaha guitar. It was only a £100 (quite cheap actually), but it's good for a beginner, as it came with a guitar case, stand, three picks (although I made some from old credit cards...I might make a post on that actually sometime), a cheap tuner, a strap and a spare set of strings (which I obviously found very useful!)

Here's a link for anyone looking to change their guitar strings:
http://guitar.about.com/od/guitarlessons/a/changingstrings.htm
I found it very useful anyway. And I just wanted to say that although string changing seems like a really scary task, it is actually surprisingly easy.
Oh, and instead of throwing your old guitar strings...turn them into artwork...like this:

IT'S A FLOWER! And think about it, the more guitar strings you break, the more flowers you'll have! Amazing right? It's like reincarnation...or what was it...recycling. And to be honest, guitar strings are worth too much to throw in the bin. I guess if you have nylon strings maybe...mine are steel light gauge...but anyway, even nylon strings don't deserve a fate like that. No part of a guitar deserves to go in the bin.
Ok, here I go again...you know, I've even named my guitar. He's called Jimi, after Jimi Hendrix.
:D