Taking it back to the start!

Eleven, that's how old I was when it started. Let me stop you before I go any further with this. If you are thinking this will be an article on how I started a path of drugs and alcohol at such a tender age you will be disappointed. This was an addiction, which in some cases might have been more expensive than a pack of Cigarettes or Weed for that matter especially if you are trying to buy an import. Music people!, well its kind of obvious that it would be the main topic in this article it is a Music blog.

So my lovely five followers who I feel probably stopped reading my posts a long time back let me get down to the topic of my addiction. Eleven that's where my addiction with music started, though if you go by what my mother has to say my addiction started with Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" album, which is a really good album if I do say so my self, any ways back to the point.
At eleven what would most kids ask for, a new bike, a new game console or Pamela Anderson (I was eleven in 1999, give me a break and she was so fine on Baywatch), well I did ask for her but sadly I was disappointed, so I settled for the second best thing to give me happiness Music.

I had just started listening to music cause the Big kids on the bus kept talking about all these artist, I will give them credit, I was intrigued by this band called Guns and Roses. So for my birthday I told everyone I wanted Vouchers to this Music store in Delhi, in the excitement of the present I remember ditching my own birthday party early cause well the store would close and went to buy music. I think I spent close to four thousand rupees (Back in the day that was a lot of money), and I'm not saying like I bought CDs we are talking Audio Cassettes. For children reading this blog picture of an Audio Cassette can be found below.

Yes! children this beautiful piece of machinery was both epic and the most annoying shit at one point at time. Yet there was something about the sound of an Audio cassette that was so rough that it just added to the feel of a song. But I get the feeling that older the method of listening to music the rougher the sound, at least in my opinion. The other day I was at a store that also sold music (Sadly they had to diversify their portfolio, because of Music Piracy, and on-line streaming of music) THANK GOD FOR APPLE MUSIC! But we digress that's another post. So I was listening to that Guns and Roses album I was talking about earlier "Appetite for destruction" one of my all time favourite albums and the rawness of Slash on Vinyl is just beautiful. Hey Kids this is a vinyl player.

The point I'm trying to make is that if you love music, if you truly want to hear the emotions of an artist, try not to listen to a digitally remastered version of a song. Look for the original even if it's not the best sounding it's how it was actually recorded. Well not for EDM and any of that because lets face it there is no actual music in that (Come at me bro!)! 

Here are my top 5 recommendations for songs to listen to without the digital remastering:

5. Guns N' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle

4. Eric Clapton - Layla

3. Ray Charles - Georgia on My Mind

2. Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

1. Jimmi Hendrix - Purple Haze

Also guys if your town has a record store that even sells CDs please go support it! You never know when digital media will go down, so please support these stores! We need more CDs, Audio Cassettes and Vinyls in our life! 

Music can change the world!

Anyone who knows me well enough knows my love for music, and how I have always felt if people spend the time getting away from the Top 40 or the commercial side of what the "media" feels you should listen to. There is much bigger message, which especially now when the world is as screwed up as it is, can help the world heal and unite us. So though not many would care for this I have come up with a List of 6 modern artist, that I feel should be listened to more often. Not for their commercial tracks but the tracks that carry a message for us, to help inspire us to be better.

1. Wyclef Jean; though many know him as the artist from the Shakira - Hips don't lie video saying "Shakira Shakira". He is more than that, he has sung song with political statements such as "Sweetest Girl", "Hold on" and most recently he teamed up with Avicii to make a track called "Devine Sorrow" for the Coca Cola Aids Free Generation.
Lyrics Sample:
"Closed legs don't get fed, go out there and make my bread
All he wanna know is (where my money at?)
She ended up in a road car, bruised up, scarred hard
All he wanna know is (where my money at?)
She thought he'd call (where my money at?)"

2. Aloe Blacc; he has built a name for himself these past few years, and if you didn't know he is the Artist on the back of Avicci's wake me up track. Going through his discography I realised that he has much to say, Especially with tracks such as "Hello World", "Wake me up" (His Version Acoustic) Talks about Immigration and problems faced, Or even "Ticking Bomb".
Lyrics Sample:
"Hello world, the sun is rising
It doesn't matter who you are, the sun still sets the same
Hello world, undivided
Don't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game"

3. Rise Against; this band from its Inception has been using their music to champion different social issues from Bullying of Children, to the true casualties of war. Each song is challenging a different issue to make the world aware of the problems we face. Songs such as "Savior", "Hero of War", "Make it Stop", "Prayer of a Refugee" and most recently "I don't want to be here anymore"
Lyrics Sample:
"And too much blood has flown from the wrists,
Of the children shamed for those they chose to kiss.
Who will rise to stop the blood?"

4. K'Naan; Another artist known more for his commercial tracks but not the tracks that matter. Most know him as the man who sang "Wavin flag" as the FIFA WORLD CUP Anthem, Yet the original song was a one of struggle and the effects of War. K'naan is a Somalian refugee his music focuses a lot on what he went through to get out of Somalia and what people still face today. Songs such as "Somalia" , "I was stabbed by Satan", "Strugglin" and from his most recent album "Coming to America"

Lyrics Sample:

"I'm from the most risky zone - oh
No place is more shifty global
More pistols, Russian revolvers
We shootin' all that is normal
But it ain't just because we want to
We ain't got nowhere we can run to
Somebody please press the undo
They only teach us the things that guns do"

5. Lupe Fiasco; Lupe fiasco in my opinion is what is missing from many a rap artist today. Rap and I have a very old relationship from the first time I heard my first Eminem Album (though now days we have no idea what has happened to him). Lupe Fiasco these day makes music about all issues from saying how politics has screwed up what we say or do, How freedom of speech is no longer free. Songs such as "Dumb is Down", "Words I never Said", "State Run Radio" and from his Food and Liquor II Album one of my favorites "Around My Way (Freedom ain't free"

Lyrics Sample:

"Now you can say it ain't our fault if we never heard it
But if we know better than we probably deserve it
Jihad is not a holy war, wheres that in the worship?
Murdering is not Islam!
And you are not observant
And you are not a muslim
Israel don’t take my side cause look how far you’ve pushed them
Walk with me into the ghetto, this where all the Kush went
Complain about the liquor store but what you drinking liquor for?
Complain about the gloom but when’d you pick a broom up?
Just listening to Pac ain't gone make it stop
A rebel in your thoughts, ain't gon make it halt
If you don’t become an actor you’ll never be a factor
Pills with million side effects
Take em when the pains felt
Wash them down with Diet soda!
Killin off your brain cells
Crooked banks around the World
Would gladly give a loan today
So if you ever miss a payment
They can take your home away!"

6. Nas and Damian Marley; Though I love both artist and their music individually is incredible. There is something about their collaboration in 2010's "Distant Relatives" album that didn't give them a nomination or award for best rap album. Songs such as "Africa Must Wake up", "Strong will Continue" or even "My Generation" and "Patience" 

Lyrics Sample:

"Tribal trouble
The drive by s double
Cause the youth dem nah go war
And go fight with knuckle
The two sides scuffle
Vietnam nah go a war
With no more kung fu nun chuckle
Missile and shuttle
Huh
And the queen of england and uncle sam
Dem a flex dem muscle
The tribal hustle
Blood diamond poodle
Survival struggle"

Guys have a listen to the tracks, and try taking the time out to listen to these artist and promote some of their songs that carry a heavy social message.

"What you should have on you iPod!" Part 3

Welcome back folks, sorry for the delay with the return to the program. Internet connectivity can be a bitch ...... and not an easy one at that.Plus I was actually trying to get some form of payment for all the Product placement I did and would do for future post. I was not even that Apple Logo to stick on my Laptop to make look cooler. I guess my only option left is for me to go and act Pricey at Microsoft to let them Advertise the Zune here. Anyway so where were we ??? Oh yeah on the Countdown!! We are in the Top 4 tracks the excitement Must be getting to you by now - *Literal Crickets Making Noise* - Don't everyone jump out of your seats together.



Well fuck it I'm Going strong, though this has been the best month for this blog all of 165 People viewed it. I still feel they might have stumbled on to it by mistake, sort of like the 1000 Rupees note you find on the floor that will pay for your drinks at the bar. For those calculating into dollars the going rate today is 60 Rupees to the Dollar so about $17. Please find a link to my Pay Pal account I will take all that you wish to give (Nothing less than ten Dollars or else........), Single Ladies I will also request phone numbers! (Helloji!) Just leave them in the comment section below. We'll WhatsApp. . . . ., You the know the calling cost the too much! Thenks! XD

Well on to the music Coming at number four is one of my all time favorite rappers, yes ladies and gentlemen we have the one and only Slim Shady himself ! . . . . . EMINEM ! . There are many things that we should appreciate about his music. Firstly come on anyone who has not though of it think about He's the first white guy to actually make it like really on his own (Beastie Boys were a trio! They had triple the strength) since after Vanilla Ice (Lets not get started on that!). So yeah back to Mr Marshal Mathers, He was discovered in Detroit by FBT Productions, run by brothers Jeff and Mark Bass, and recorded his debut album, Infinite which in my opinion is still pretty kick ass! It's cool and has a nice flow but didn't go off well commercially. It was not until 1997 that he met up with Dr. Dre another legend (Still D.R.E Mofo) and starting killing it starting with the Slim Shady LP that he released in 1999 (Ah what year! was only 11 years old). Last year he released his 8th Studio Album The Marshal Mathers LP 2, Which I was more excited about than anything else -cause my top three favorite Eminem Albums have to be Slim Shady LP, Marshal Mathers LP and The Eminem Show - I just feel there something missing still, though it was much better album than Relapse so maybe Eminem is getting back to what he does best! Beat down boy bands (One Direction and all that crap, In My day was N'Sync and Backstreet boys - How Fucking old am I?) and Pop Princesses (Em! Have you seen Miley Lately??? Come on there is a song in there). So I'll Leave you to the music ..... Ladies and Gentlemen I give the 1st Rap song I ever heard - trust me this was a hard choice - I give you "Brain Damage" from the "Slim Shady LP" - How Do you Beat Lyrics like this? , Find me a modern day rapper who can do that!

"My first day in junior high, this kid said,

"It's you and I, three o'clock sharp this afternoon you die"

I looked at my watch it was one twenty

"I already gave you my lunch money what more do you want from me?!?"

He said, "Don't try to run from me, you'll just make it worse..."

My palms were sweaty, and I started to shake at first

Something told me, "Try to fake a stomach ache it works"

I screamed, "Owww! My appendix feels like they could burst!

Teacher, teacher, quick I need a naked nurse!"

Well we are into our TOP 3 Song which are a must on your iPod or iAnything these combine of the best of the best songs. Songs that have changed the world or just helped that one person out when things just seemed really out of control. Music has this way to take people away for that hour or 2 hours when nothing else makes sense. The lyrics can provide advice, the tune can calm the mind to think straight and the artist for the 5 Mins of the song is speaking only to you. Music can change our perspective of how we see things and focus on what matters in the world such as Floyd did when the Berlin Wall came down. The Wall album is still on the top 10 greatest albums of all time. 

So coming in at number three is band that at times saved me from losing my cool and temperament and has vented that anger for me through their Music. They are one of the leading Metal bands in the world with a fan following, that I might add would make most modern artist orgasm. Across all six continents (Not too sure of the Music Scene in Antarctica .... Might be cold!) they are known for their amazing sound and performances. One of the best bands when performing live. I Give you METALLICA!!! Performing "Nothing Else Matters" from the "Black Album" as this proves that Metal Music is more than just a guy screaming, there is a finesse that many miss out on!

That's it for the countdown today, I'm ending it as the next post will consist of the Top 2 tracks but I will not be choosing the songs alone. As I will be taking your advice in my choice of songs, I have a chance for you guys to help me decide what should be the Number one song on the countdown:-

What Should be the Number One Song on the Countdown?
	Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
	Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
	Layla - Eric Clapton
	All along the Watchtower - Jimmi Hendrix
	Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
	Shoot to thrill - ACDC
pollcode.com free polls

Okay so now I shall take your leave but not before this much awaited word from our sponsors that have become a regular fixture.