Edwin McCain is Coming

So i'll say this from now until the show, but this is a Can't Miss Show!

Edwin is so good live, i'm not lying! The first time kassie and i saw him was at the Soiled Dove in Denver across the street from Coors Field. It's a tiny little club, and Edwin played acoustic with his buddy Craig who plays horns, keys, and anything else.

We also saw him play in Boulder last year, which was great.

I tell so many people about Edwin, and his music, and how his live performances are just great, yet, no one ever takes me up on going to the show. in fact, i don't know if anyone besides our buddy Jen have even listened to Edwin.

Anyway, the show is July 2nd at the Soiled Dove. If you're cool you'll be there. I don't know what else to say except that this will be my favorite show of the summer.

Rage Against the Machine

Apparently they're up to something, check out their website:

http://www.ratm82407.com/

Songs of my Life

So i decided to make a list of the songs that were the most impactful relating to that season of my life. Instead of going year by year, i went by school years ya know, like 04-05 to 05-06. anyway, this was a really fun list to make, thinking back to high school and even jr high and what i was listening to at the time. so here it is: The Songs of My Life

1. 6th Grade (1993-1994): Boyz II Men - Thank You. My first CD player, and my first CD
2. 7th Grade (94-95): Garth Brooks - If Tomorrow Never Comes. I played this in the jukebox at Round Table Pizza every time we went there
3. 8th Grade (95-96): Skankin' Pickle - Fakin Jamaican. A quick ska phase thanks to Lindsay Strannigan and Shep Sheppard
4. 9th Grade (96-97): MxPx - Chick Magnet. Guiltripp was formed and we covered this song, it was like the first song we learned
5. 10th Grade (97-98): Dropkick Murphys - Barroom Hero. My punk years begin with a sampler from Hellcat Records, and seeing the Murphys at Bo Jangles
6. 11th Grade (98-99): Straight Faced - Against. I loved these guys in High School, everyone had their band and mine was Straight Faced.
7. 12th Grade (99-00): AFI - Malleus Maleficarum. AFI was our favorite band as a group and went and saw them in SF, one of the greatest shows of my life.
8. Freshman College (00-01): John Mayer - Comfortable. At CCU i discover a new stye of music and love it. This song was close to me because my HS girlfriend and i finally broke up and this was the song i was listening to at the time.
9. Sophomore College/Engagement (01-02): Ky-mani Marley - Buffalo Soldier. Discovered this great track and it became the theme song for the Lasalle House and all of our YMCA basketball games.
10. 1st year of marriage (02-03): Edwin McCain - Anything Good About Me. Kassie introduces me to Edwin and I'm hooked!
11. 2nd year of marriage (03-04): Lumindee - Uh Oh. Kass and I go to Hawaii for our anniversary and this song played on the radio over and over. we still listen to it.
12. 3rd year of marriage (04-05): Black Eyed Peas - Shut Up. Kassie and I become obsessed with BEP and even get to see them with Gwen Stefani.
13. 4th year of marriage (05-06): Comeback Kid - Wake the Dead. So i listen to Killing the Dream's ep and realize i miss hardcore/punk. I get back into my roots and this song by Comeback Kid sealed the deal.
14. 5th year of marriage (06-07): Bebo Norman - I Will Lift My Eyes. I've always listened to Bebo and his latest cd is amazing. We got to see him play a few months back and its one of the few artists that kass and i both get overly excited to see. (the others would be BEP and Edwin McCain).

So there you go, what an interesting list, and it brings back so many great memories. i encourage people to make the same list, you could even post it in the comments section of this blog.

2 Great Albums You Aren't Listening To

so i could list 100 hardcore albums here, or a few good hip-hop/rap albums, a few christian worship albums and about 10 country albums here, but i'm going to tell you the two albums that i've constantly come back to in the last year or so.

Dave Barnes - Brother, Bring the Sun

Matt Wertz - TwentyThreePlaces

These two albums are amazing, seriously, please check them out. If you like John Mayer, Bebo Norman, Shawn McDonald, Jonah Werner, Damien Rice, Derek Webb, or Edwin McCain, you'll like these two albums!

Speaking of Edwin McCain, his album Messengers was a very close third. this album is timeless!

Why Do You Listen??

Everyone has a reason why they listen to the music that they do.

Not everyone has the passion for music as others do obviously, so maybe music is just background music to their lives or filler whereas some peoples' lives revolve around music.

Lately my friends have been asking me questions like "Why would you continue to put together compilations (Converting Atheists Into Believers) trying to convince people to listen to your style of music?"

I think i can explain it

There is so much music out there. So many artists that people don't know or have never heard of. Sometimes i fear that i'm missing out on a band that i would love. I didn't discover underOATH until about 2 years ago and i totally missed their prime, and that sucks.

When you see someone who is totally passionate about a certain genre of music, they've got a reason, whether its the music itself, the lyrics, the artists, maybe history, maybe liking that band represents something like religion, politics or something else. Most genres i can figure out ya know, like why someone just loves country, or rap. You might not like it, but you can see where someone else might.

That genre for me is the punk/hardcore music that i've been listening to since high school. its comforting to know that no matter what, putting in Good Riddance's Operation Phoenix or underOATH's Chasing Safety that i will enjoy the listening.

This style of music is just energizing. the shows are motivating and intimate. How often do you get to see your favorite band face to face?

I think other people would like aspects of this music too if they gave it a chance.

But still, the one genre i struggle with is this experimental/metal/hardcore stuff like Dillinger Escape Plan or even Zao . I just don't get it. And thats fine as long someone explains it to me someday...alan.

But it all comes back to those individuals that chose to listen to the radio over everything else. do you think that John Mayer is only artist doing that? no, check out Edwin McCain, Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz, Bebo Norman ya know. Is James Blunt talented at all? What about Linkin Park or Puddle of Mud? These artists have huge paychecks and their music seems to lose the passion that got them to the status that they currently have. Another reason why i enjoy underground music.

These artists are trying to do their best so that they can get known. They have something to prove.

James Blunt has nothing to prove, he could put out a crappy record and still sell thousands of records.

I'm not saying those artists are bad on the radio, i'm just saying that there is more out there, you're missing out on some of the greatest artists ever because you haven't either opened up your mind or you're just lazy.

Find the music that makes you happy, in fact, listen to multiple genres, don't close yourself off to anything if you like it just because it isn't cool. Not only do i really enjoy country music, i'm also a big fan of Britney Spears, Black Eyed Peas, Hollowtip, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z, DC Talk and others (isaac can 2nd this).

Music makes me happy, spreading music makes me happy so check out the CAIB series and if there's any bands you like, hit me up, i'll give you all the info you can handle.

For All You Haters...

So i was reading an interview by punknews.org with Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath and they asked him about the new record, The Sufferer and The Witness, being leaked 8 weeks early. His response is a great punk answer and it shows you that the bands really focus on getting people to the shows, haters take note.

"Your record leaked pretty early, any thoughts on that?

I think it leaked 8 weeks prior to its and for the most part no record goes to the release date without leaking anymore- it just happens. The only ones that don’t are records that no one gives a shit about anyway but when I first heard it happened - and it’s kind of like that day when you know it’s going to come eventually. The day it came it was like I remember talking to #2 from Anti-Flag and he said “Tim you know why it doesn’t matter that your record leaked? Because it’s such a fucking awesome record….”

I just want them to hear it. I was reading an interview with Ian MacKaye about downloading, and his quote was “I’d rather have 100 people hear my song than $100 in my pocket.”

That guy sets the bar right?

He totally sets the bar! And he’s right. Is it really worth that $100 in my pocket if 100 people didn’t hear the songs? I want people to hear this record- I think it’s an important record. Our songs are about way more than the schematics of record sales and marketing and all that bullshit. I want people to hear it, I want people to take the time to do all their internet nerd shit to actually find it. Check it out and come out and see us play.

But it goes to show you that even though it’s on the internet people are still going to pick it up. There are still people who want to own records who want the lyrics and everything and feel like supporting the band is important. I could’ve downloaded that new AFI album this morning pretty easily but I went out and bought it instead. I want the artwork, I want the lyrics, I want to see what crazy pictures there are of Davey in it now."

Here's the rest of the interview

Don't you find it interesting that the smaller bands, Rise Against for example, are outspoken about being okay with downloading their music? They understand that they're putting out a quality product and since its quality, you will hopefully pay for a ticket to the show, maybe even buy a shirt.

But the bigger bands, like Metallica for example, are outspoken against downloading saying how it hurts their bottom line.

James Hetfield, Metallica's lead singer, said, "There has to be someone who steps up and represents musicians." So recently, I joined Lars Ulrich, Metallica's drummer, in delivering to Napster the screen names of over 335,000 people who have pirated Metallica's music using Napster. We demanded that Napster prevent those people from copying any more of Metallica's works. Metallica was well aware that fans might not react well. "If this were a popularity contest," Ulrich said, "we might not have done this." [article]

Its not about the bottom line. Its about the music, and if artists can write one or two good songs and fill the rest of their album with crap filler songs and package it up and sell it to kids for $20 and feel like that's the right thing, they're wrong.

I feel like I'm test driving cars, I'm not gonna spend $20 on a band I've never listened to just to find out the album is crap. I'd rather download it for free, and if i think it's quality, I'll go to the show, I'll spread the music on compilations or through websites.

Maybe all this free downloading of music will force bands to actually start producing a quality product again, and stop ripping off the fans.

519 this Friday

This Friday at JC's Ground in Denver, 519 will be opening for The View From Here

Show starts at 730p and it's $5