CopyRight or CopyLeft

When a child, in elementary school for example, gets caught cheating or copying on a test or an assignment the teacher is most likely to tell the child never to do it again because stealing someone else's ideas is never acceptable.  In high school, the penalty for cheating or copying is even worse; the student could even be kicked out of classes and organizations that he/she is a part of.  But in the music industry many can argue that that is the total opposite from the truth.  That copying or "sampling" another artists work can be a good thing, that it builds upon and helps create a healthy public domain.

There are many though, who believe that this is still a very bad thing, mainly the owners of that certain copyright.  There is even a whole government sector that is dedicated to the stoppage of copyright infringement and to see that those who ignore their warnings are severely punished.  This mainly includes a ridiculously high number of fines.  I for one am able to see where each party is coming from although I tend to think that I am rooting for those who want to cut back on those copyright laws.  

Artists like Girl Talk and The White Panda (mentioned in an earlier blog) are technically are violating many of the copyright laws.  This video below explains the situation in more depth.

The original creator of this documentary: Brett Gaylor, has allowed for his video to be cut and remixed any way anyone likes it.  Above is an example of one of the remix's.  

Even though Girl Talk's music is not necessarily legal, it still is pretty amazing.  Anyone who see's what he does and how he creates his music is stupid to say that it's not art...in fact it's probably the exact definition of it.

(here's an example)

-Brooks Gonzales

Black Sabbath

As a classic rock lover, I have been waiting for a while to listen to bands like Zep and Black Sabbath.  Although I think Led Zepplin has better players/musicians, I really do enjoy what Black Sabbath and Ozzy have to offer; the beginning of metalish, harder rock that was not really seen up until this point.  Black Sabbath formed in 1969 in Birmingham, England as a few poor British guys.  Although Sabbath is one of the most influential hard rock/metal bands of all time, they started off with many aspects of the blues in their songs, sampling themes from bands like Cream, Deep Purple, and Blue Cheer.  But eventually, transitioning into the slowed tempo rock band focusing on the the "screaming" guitar solos and the kickin bass.  

Although their first album was not overly successful or liked for that matter, it did have some hits that included: "Black Sabbath," (also the name of the album) and "The Wizard."  Their second album, Paranoid, in my opinion was the better of the two, containing songs like "War Pigs," Paranoid," and "Iron Man."  In all of these songs the drums are very heavy and dominant, leading the group (although they are a little sloppy at times).  The guitar also plays a huge role in many of the songs especially with featured solos.  The blues feel (mainly with the harmonica) is also very evident in songs like The Wizard, which so happens to come off of their first album.

Although it can probably be said that the members of Black Sabbath weren't the best lyricists, their music was and is still essential to the history of rock music as a whole and especially to the beginning of metal and hard rock. 

-Brooks Gonzales

Oh How Youtube Can Be Fatal

During this past break, I had much time to peruse the internet and the many numerous musical selections that it so happens to offer.  One day, as I was wasting time on Youtube, I came across a page whose only purpose was to give their audience a new dubstep, electronic, drumstep, glitch hop, etc. song everyday.  As a electronic music fan I was highly excited by this wanting to learn and listen more.  Based out of the UK, Fatal Dubstep was created to promote high quality dubstep, drumstep, glitch hop and more. Here is a link to their Youtube channel :http://www.youtube.com/user/fataldubstephd. 

Even though I haven't been aware of the sight for very long, I have already found many songs that I really like for various reasons.  The one above is one of my favorites because I really do like the "singing" aspect of the song and songs like that rather than just the electronic beats.  I also liked how the song is set up like "normal" non electronic song with a chorus and separate and different verses.

This song, like the one before, contains aspects of female singing but also has random but very carefully chosen pauses that enhance the experience of the song by emphasizing (almost to an extent of foreshadowing) that whatever comes next is going to be big. 

Another really cool thing about this page is that every so often they will create playlists that show off the best of the year (what is placed above) for example, with the track names so if you hear some you like, you will be able to find out more about that certain artist or artists.  If you like dubstep or electronic music in general, this page is amazing.  I highly recommend it.

-Brooks Gonzales 

Wale = (wah-lay)

Back to hip-hop/rap this week, this time with Wale.  Wale aka (get ready for this)....Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, is a young rapper out of Washington D.C. born in 1984 to Nigerian immigrants who had arrived in America only five years before.  As the self proclaimed "Ambassador of Rap for the Capital," Wale has been writing and playing with music his whole life even after attending Robert Morris College and Virginia State on football scholarships, then transferring to Boise State.  Eventually though he dropped out to pursue his recording career.  Many of his early songs sampled 80's disco and go-go (a more raw sounding, percussion driven disco out of Washington) including the popular song "Dig Dug."  Transitioning from the underground rapper that he once was, Wale has released two full length albums under Interscope "Attention Deficit" (2009) and "Ambition" (2011) along with many mixtapes one being "More About Nothing," a sequel to "The Mixtape About Nothing."  Wale has recorded many famous songs with many other superstars including the likes of: Rick Ross, Meek Mill, Miguel, and many more.  Songs like "Chain Music," "Lotus Flour Bomb," and "Ambition," were huge hits off of Ambition.  What I also like about Wale is that many of the songs that he writes sound highly educated making me actually think about what he's saying, one of these songs being "The Problem," off of his most recent mixtape, "More About Nothing." 

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(He makes an interesting comparison here that I had never noticed before)

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This is my personal favorite song because of the quality of lyrics in the extended intro and really the whole song in general.  It's really quite surprising that this insight is coming from a modern artist especially a rapper.

Wale, only at the age of 28, has a very bright future in store for him especially if he continues to write and record with the quality he has now.  And who knows, he might even get better.

-Brooks Gonzales

JIMI HENDRIX

How does one even start when it comes to addressing Jimi Hendrix?  Especially because he really only had four extremely short years of superstardom and was still one of the greatest guitar players in Rock & Roll history.  Today, he is still considered a rock legend even though some of his guitar "tricks" are a little outdated or we've seen before; but, at the time, he could have even be considered a rock God.  Hendrix really became an international superstar in 1967 as if he had dropped out of the sky, even though he had been playing since the beginning of the decade.  He was made famous with his band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, in England, with top ten tracks that included: "Purple Haze" and "The Wind Cries Mary."  But only in June of 1967 did Hendrix become really popular in the U.S., with his album, "Are You Experienced," at the Monterey Pop Festival (allmusic).  But in 1969, as the last performer of the Woodstock Festival, Hendrix became even more popular most notably with his rendition of the Star Spangled  Banner as an epic guitar solo.  He then ended his set with "Purple Haze" and "Hey Joe."

(I not sure what it is, but something about this version of the song makes me feel very patriotic) 

It really is unfortunate that so many young and extremely talented musicians die at such a young age because at the time, there was no limit as to what (in this case) Hendrix and his band could do.

-Brooks Gonzales 

A Day To Remember

When it comes to metal and "emo" music, I am not the biggest fan.  This is mostly because I'm not too fond of screaming and screeching into a microphone but this band is a little more than that.  A Day To Remember was formed in 2003 in Ocala, Florida mixing elements of heavy metal with alternative and "modern" rock creating a sub genre of rock affectionately referred to by their fans as "pop-mosh"...whatever that means.  Because all of the bands' songs aren't full of obnoxious screaming and there is actually a melody to them, they have kinda grown on me.  Vocalist: Jeremy McKinnon and guitarist(s): Neil Westfall and Tom Denney are very talented individuals, whose sound flows extremely well together really making quality music.  

Scary dudes aren't they 

Even though some songs of theirs could be considered "screamo" a lot of their music is full of very pleasant singing and even some audible and comprehensible lyrics (shocking, I know).  Some of these include: "Have Faith In Me," "Homesick," "If It Means a Lot To You," and "All I want."

I really like the original version but hey, why not?  Here's a link to the acoustic version of "Homesick"

And once again an an acoustic version.  (This is actually a really good version of the song; I highly recommend.

Overall A Day To Remember is a pretty outstanding band, unfortunately because they aren't played on "mainstream radio" they don't receive the proper respect they deserve from the majority of the public.  RYIL: Papa Roach, The Devil Wears Prada, Four Year Strong

-Brooks Gonzales

Infestation pt. 7

Well, once again, it's The Beatles.  This time with their second to last album and probably one of their most famous, Abbey Road.  After listening to The White Album, which I thoroughly enjoyed despite its incredible length, I wasn't sure I'd like Abbey Road as much.  This might be shocking to some Beatles fanatics out there, but honestly, before really listening to the band, I didn't really like them.  But after listening, I realized how great this album was.  Not only was the melodic aspect great, the writing and vocal progression has also greatly advanced, creating one pretty amazing album.  

Tracks like "Come Together," (also covered (not originally recorded by) Aerosmith, (just in case anyone was confused)), "Oh! Darling," "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," and "Here Comes the Sun," became instant classics as soon as the album was released.  But also songs like "You Never Give Me Your Money,"  and "The End," were still spectacular for their own individual reasons.  Regarding "I Want You;" some could consider it a "jam band" song simply meaning that it is repeated over and over and over and over until it almost gets obnoxious, but I really enjoyed that song and others like it mostly because of its killer guitar featured throughout the song.  On the album, from tracks "You Never Give Me Your Money," to "The End," the same basic melody is repeated in some way whether it be through piano, guitar, or even trumpets.

Where'd Paul's shoes go?

(Even though I am a huge Aerosmith fan, I am choosing not to feature their cover because this version really is that much better.)

It really is quite amazing, in my opinion, the progress the group made from Please, Please Me to this album.  At the beginning they were all extremely talented musicians but at the time of Abbey Road, they were simply amazing.  I mean listen to the difference between "I Saw Her Standing There," and "Golden Slumbers," or "Carry That Weight," it's quite a change.  Nothing against the early Beatles but there definitely is a change that took place, some could possibly even argue for the better.

-Brooks Gonzales