Song Of The Week: 12/30/18

Song: "Everybody Knows That You're Insane"

Artist: Queens Of The Stone Age

Album: "Lullabies To Paralyze"

Year: 2005

Place Of Origin: Palm Desert, California

Years Active: 1996 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Everybody Knows That You're Insane" appears to be a song about a fear of being perceived as different. It makes the vocalist think that other people think he's insane but it seems he tends to overthink things or tries to hard to be something that he's not. His issues are really with himself. He needs to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and just be true to himself. His perceived insanity is his own doing by his own actions.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1998 - Queens Of The Stone Age (Loosegroove Records)
2000 - Rated R (Interscope Records)
2002 - Songs For The Deaf (Interscope Records)
2005 - Lullabies To Paralyze (Interscope Records)
2005 - Over The Years And Through The Woods (Interscope Records)
2007 - Era Vulgaris (Interscope Records)
2013 - Like Clockwork (Matador Records)
2017 - Villains (Matador Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE:

Queens Of The Stone Age formed out of the ashes of the band Kyuss. The project is essentially guitarist/vocalist Josh Homme's baby. The band was originally called Gamma Ray but changed to Queens Of The Stone Age to avoid legal action from a German band called Gamma Ray. The band dropped their first full length album in 1998 on Loosegroove Records, which was owned by Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard. It wasn't long before the major labels came calling and in 2000, Queens signed a long deal with Interscope Records which would last until 2007. 2000's "Rated R" was the band's first album to be certified gold, but it would not be their last. In fact, their 2002 album, "Songs For The Deaf", was a pivotal moment for the band. With the help of Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters) on drums, Queens released what would be their most successful album, thanks to hit singles "No One Knows" and "Go With The Flow". While this album achieved gold status in the U.S., it went platinum in places like the U.K., Canada and Australia. The band would continue to have a major international following right up to the current date. The 2005 album "Lullabies To Paralyze" debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 charts, cementing Queens Of The Stone Age as headliner material. 2007's "Era Vulgaris" was a dark and heavy album by Queens' standards. It was also the last album the band released through Interscope Records. The band would go on a little bit of a hiatus after this album. Homme formed a supergroup with Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones called Them Crooked Vultures, who released one album and toured in support of it. After that, Homme got an infection from a botched knee surgery that nearly took his life. Homme would recover and in 2013, Queens dropped "Like Clockwork", the band's first album to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 charts! The band's most recent release was 2017's "Villains" through Matador Records. Queens also put a major tour together to support this album which included their very first time headlining Madison Square Garden in New York, a very proud moment for Homme indeed. I said earlier in this paragraph that Queens Of The Stone Age is Josh Homme's baby and this is true. He is the only constant member from the conception of this band to the present day. Many artists have collaborated with this band, both in the studio and live performances. This list includes Joey Castillo, Chris Goss, Dave Grohl, Brody Dalle, Alain Johannes, Mark Lanegan, Troy Van Leeuwen, Nick Oliveri and many more. While Homme is the main songwriter, he encourages any musicians working with him at the time to bring music and ideas to the table. As for style and sound, Queens has been labeled "stoner rock" by some, a label that Homme hates himself and one that made him write the mocking song "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer" which basically just reels off names of drugs in the lyrics. Homme refers to the band as "robot rock". I just look at them as riff rock. You could tell they're influenced by 70's big riff bands. Their style is pretty unique when you think of what was going on in rock music in the late 90's and 2000's. Queens almost used electronic music grooves in a hard rock band format while other rock bands were trying to go for more melodic driven, big chorus type songs at the time. If Jimmy Page is the riff master, Josh Homme is sort of like the riff master lite. His songs aren't quite as iconic as Zeppelin's but if you like hard charging guitar riffs, then you'd like Queens Of The Stone Age.

TEN QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. No One Knows
2. Little Sister
3. 3's & 7's
4. Make It Wit Chu
5. Go With The Flow
6. The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret
7. If Only
8. The Way You Used To Do
9. I Sat By The Ocean
10. My God Is The Sun

Song Of The Week: 12/23/18

Song: "Kicking And Screaming"

Artist: MxPx

Album: "Panic"

Year: 2005

Place Of Origin: Bremerton, Washington

Years Active: 1992 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Kicking And Screaming appears to be a song about pulling your hair out because the person you're in a relationship with lacks honesty and constantly stabs you in the back. It seems like the vocalist has finally lost it and is at wits end with this person. It's almost as if he's throwing a child's tantrum because of their antics.

MXPX DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1994 - Pokinatcha (Tooth & Nail Records)
1995 - Teenage Politics (Tooth & Nail Records)
1996 - Life In General (Tooth & Nail Records)
1998 - Let It Happen (Tooth & Nail Records)
1998 - Slowly Going The Way Of The Buffalo (A&M Records)
1999 - At The Show (Tooth & Nail Records)
2000 - The Ever Passing Moment (Tooth & Nail Records)
2003 - Before Everything & After (A&M Records)
2005 - Panic (SideOneDummy Records)
2006 - Let's Rock (SideOneDummy Records)
2007 - Secret Weapon (Tooth & Nail Records)
2009 - On The Cover II (Tooth & Nail Records)
2012 - Plans Within Plans (Rock City Recording Co.)
2014 - The Acoustic Collection (Rock City Recording Co.)
2017 - Left Coast Live (Rock City Recording Co.)
2018 - MxPx (independently released)

CURRENT STATUS OF MXPX:

MxPx formed as a band back in 1992 in Bremerton, Washington when all the members were 15 years old and still in high school. The band was originally called Magnified Plaid and featured Mike Herrera on bass and vocals, Yuri Ruley on drums and Andy Husted on guitar. Husted would depart the band after the release of their debut album, 1994's "Pokinatcha". "Pokinatcha began a relationship with Christian punk label Tooth & Nail which would last up to 2007. Tom Wisniewski, a good friend of Herrera's, would replace Husted on guitar and that line-up has been intact to the present day. In 1996, the band dropped "Life In General". With the hit song, "Chick Magnet", and it's accompanying video, MxPx began creating a niche for itself in the exploding pop punk and skate punk scene of the mid 90's. Major label A&M Records signed the band for the release of their 1998 album, "Slowly Going The Way Of The Buffalo". This album peaked at #99 on the Billboard 200 charts and has been certified gold. To me, this is the band's pinnacle. In my mind, "Slowly Going The Way Of The Buffalo" is MxPx's finest moment. But that's not to say they didn't have great material before that and would continue to drop high quality pop punk after that as well. 2000's "The Ever Passing Moment" featured the band's highest charting single, "Responsibility", which reached #24 on Billboard's Modern Rock charts. 2003's "Before Everything & After" would be the band's highest charting album, #51 on the Billboard 200. 2005's "Panic" featured the single "Heard That Sound" which also gained some popularity on alternative rock stations. And, 2007's "Secret Weapon" peaked at #1 on Billboard's Christian charts. After years of bouncing from Tooth & Nail to A&M Records and a short stint with SideOneDummy records, MxPx decided to release future material on their own label, Rock City Recording Company. 2012's "Plans Within Plans" would be the first full length studio album on their own label. After the release of this album, drummer Yuri Ruley decided that he was going to retire from touring but he would still be active when the band records future music. In 2015, chief songwriter Mike Herrera announced that he is totally distancing himself from the "Christian" label. While he still has personal beliefs, he no longer adheres to any form of organized religion. 2017 saw the release of the band's second live album, "Left Coast Live". On November 7, 2017, MxPx officially announced that they were heading to the studio to record a new album and in 2018, that album was released, the self-titled "MxPx". That album was totally funded by the fans in a GoFundMe campaign. Later in 2018, the band released an EP called "Best Life" so the band has definitely ratcheted up it's activity in 2018. MxPx was kind of on that second wave of punk bands behind bands like Rancid, Offspring, Green Day and Bad Religion that really rejuvenated the punk scene. MxPx, along with No Use For A Name and Lagwagon and bands of that ilk, didn't quite get the pop of those other four bands, but that doesn't mean they weren't equally as great. When I think pop punk, MxPx is one of the first bands that comes to mind. They wrote great songs that were catchy and melodic but don't be fooled, they could amp it up when they had to. In fact, the band's first album, "Pokinatcha", was more hardcore than pop punk, as well as being probably their most religious effort. MxPx was considered a Christian punk band early on, but as the years went by, they distanced themselves from that label. Similar artists? If you enjoy bands like Slick Shoes, Green Day, Pulley, No Use For A Name or The Ataris, then you would probably enjoy the music of MxPx. Quite simply, MxPx is one of my favorite bands. Have been for a long time and I still get excited when I hear that they are working on new music.

TEN MXPX SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Secret Weapon
2. Heard That Sound
3. Under Lock And Key
4. Well Adjusted
5. Middlename
6. My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Ramones cover)
7. Far Away
8. Running Away
9. My Life Story
10. Let's Ride

Song Of The Week: 12/16/18

Song: "Heaven's Dead"

Artist: Audioslave

Album: "Out Of Exile"

Year: 2005

Place Of Origin: Glendale, California

Years Active: 2001 - 2007



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Heaven's Dead" appears to be a song about doing everything it takes to make someone you love happy. It sounds as if it's written about someone's child or children. The vocalist, Chris Cornell, has two young daughters and the song sounds more as if it was to one of them or both of them. It's about doing everything to protect the one you love at all costs and ensuring their happiness every day.

AUDIOSLAVE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2002 - Audioslave (Epic/Interscope Records)
2005 - Out Of Exile (Epic/Interscope Records)
2006 - Revelations (Epic/Interscope Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF AUDIOSLAVE:

In 2001, the three remaining members of Rage Against The Machine, Tom Morello (guitar), Tim Commerford (bass) and Brad Wilk (drums) decided to find a new lead singer to form a new band. Enter music producer Rick Rubin who suggested that Morello ask Chris Cornell who had been doing solo stuff after the break-up of Soundgarden. The band's chemistry was apparent from the very first time they jammed and after a short period named as Civilian, the band adopted the name Audioslave. The band's debut album, "Audioslave", debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 charts, achieved gold status in one month and by 2006, was certified triple platinum! The lead single "Cochise" introduced the band to the world but it was the second single "Like A Stone" that catapulted the band to major success. "Like A Stone" became a #1 single for the band and they were on top of the rock and roll mountain, even as Chris Cornell had to enter rehab and finalize a divorce from his first wife. In 2005, Cornell was now clean and sober and the band was clicking on all cylinders with the release of their sophomore album, "Out Of Exile". This album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 charts and was certified platinum in just three weeks after it's release date! The band secured their second #1 single as well with the song "Be Yourself". After releasing that album and touring in support, the band quickly re-entered the studio and released their third and what would be final album, "Revelations" in 2006. Since the band's inception, their was always some turmoil going on, whether it was on the business side or the creative side. The tensions came to a head in February of 2007 as Chris Cornell announced he was departing the band, ultimately closing the door on Audioslave as a band. Morello, Commerford and Wilk reunited with Zack de la Rocha and performed a few one-off live reunion shows with Rage Against The Machine but ultimately, that band still couldn't get over thier differences to do anything long term. Morello also had a solo project called The Nightwatchman and currently, he, Wilk and Commerford have teamed up with B-Real of Cypress Hill and Chuck D. of Public Enemy and formed a new rock/rap outfit called Prophets Of Rage. Cornell had resurrected his solo career as well as reuniting with Soundgarden. Not only had Soundgarden been touring worldwide, they also released a new album called "King Animal". In 2017, Chris Cornell performed some songs with his Audioslave bandmates during a Prophets Of Rage show marking the only time since 2007 that the band had performed together. There was even talk that Audioslave could possibly be reuniting for some live shows and perhaps even new studio material. All of those hopes were dashed however when Chris Cornell was found dead in his hotel room on May 18, 2017. Audioslave was a true supergroup. Though they were only a band for 6 years, they received three Grammy nominations, sold over 8 million albums worldwide and in 2005, became the very first American rock band to perform an open-air concert in Cuba. They were big time to say the least! If you loved Rage Against The Machine and Soundgarden, then this band just seemed like a match made in heaven. And they no doubt were. Chris Cornell, in my mind, was the greatest hard rock vocalist of all time. This dude was just an amazing singer with an amazing range. Tom Morello is such an innovator on guitar. He gets sounds out of that thing that no other guitarist gets. Wilk and Commerford have just a steady groove that works together and really is the glue of the songs. Even though I love Audioslave, I was much happier when I found out that Soundgarden would be reforming. Soundgarden is just a beast of a band and in my mind, that is where Chris Cornell rightfully belonged. It was just one of the worst days when Cornell died because we will all miss his amazing voice on new songs, whether he did them with Soundgarden, Audioslave or solo. We will never have new songs and that sucks. Thank God he left us with so much material that we can go back and enjoy and his Audioslave songs always find a spot on my car stereo rotation!

TEN AUDIOSLAVE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Cochise
2. I Am The Highway
3. Show Me How To Live
4. Be Yourself
5. Doesn't Remind Me
6. Like A Stone
7. Shape Of Things To Come
8. Revelations
9. Out Of Exile
10. Wide Awake

Song Of The Week: 12/9/18

Song: "Thermals"

Artist: The Movielife

Album: "Red Demo"

Year: 1997

Place Of Origin: Long Island, New York

Years Active: 1997 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Thermals" appears to be a song about having someone that seems to be blocking your path to reach goals that you are trying to attain. The vocalist has a vision of the future he wants and he sees the path with which to take, but until he gets this person out of his life, he won't be able to follow that path. It's important that he has people in his life that support his journey. That's when he feels the possibilities will be endless.

THE MOVIELIFE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1999 - It's Go Time (Fadeaway Records)
2000 - This Time Next Year (Revelation Records)
2003 - Forty Hour Train Back To Penn (Drive-Thru/MCA Records)
2017 - Cities In Search Of A Heart (Rise Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF THE MOVIELIFE:

The Movielife formed as a band back in 1997. This Long Island, New York outfit put out a couple of demo tapes early on, "Red Demo" in 1997 and "White Demo" in 1998. The band managed to hook up with Fadeaway Records to record their debut full length album, "It's Go Time". In 2000, the band released their sophomore effort, "This Time Next Year", through Revelation Records. By this point, The Movielife was gaining a reputation as a great, high energy live act. Their reputation was being legitimized in the underground music scene as well. In 2001, the band signed up with punk rock label Drive-Thru Records and released an EP, "The Movielife Has A Gambling Problem". In 2003, the band released their third and most successful album, "Forty Hour Train Back To Penn". Thanks to the single "Jamestown", this album would reach #164 on the Billboard 200 chart. Just as it seemed the band was gaining some momentum, they threw a curveball to fans and announced that they had broken up in 2003. The band's vocalist and songwriter, Vinny Caruana went on to form the band I Am The Avalanche at this time. In 2008, Caruana played a set of The Movielife songs with the band Set Your Goals at Bamboozle Fest. 2011 saw Caruana and longtime The Movielife bandmate Brandon Reilly reform the band to play the New Jersey Bamboozle Fest. 2015 saw another live show at Irving Plaza in New York City. Caruana and Reilly were finally at a point where they could begin writing material for a new Movielife album. In 2016, the band dropped the single "Future Feeling (Afraid Of Drugs) and in 2017, The Movielife returned with the long awaited full length album, "Cities In Search Of A Heart". The Movielife are definitely well respected in punk rock circles. They are probably the birth of the hardcore/emo type band. They don't necessarily fall into either category all together, but there are definite elements of both in their music as well as some melodic punk. When I think of bands like Thursday or Thrice, I can see that The Movielife surely had an influence in their sound. Some contemporaries of The Movielife that you might also enjoy would be bands like Midtown, The Menzingers, Lifetime, Bayside and obviously I Am The Avalanche. I have mixed feeling about the reunion of The Movielife. I mean, I love the band. But I really love I Am The Avalanche. I'm not sure if Vinny Caruana is going to keep both bands going, as well as his solo career. I guess I just have to be happy that he continues to make great music, no matter what outlet he prefers to use.

TEN THE MOVIELIFE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Jamestown
2. This Time Next Year
3. Kelly Song
4. Maybe It's Nothing
5. Hand Grenade
6. Future Feeling (Afraid Of Drugs)
7. Mercy Is Asleep At The Wheel
8. Champ
9. Walking On Glass
10. Pinky Swear

Song Of The Week: 12/2/18

Song: "Needles In The Camel's Eye"

Artist: Queens Of The Stone Age

Album: "Make It Wit Chu" single

Year: 2007

Place Of Origin: Palm Desert, California

Years Active: 1996 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

I read a great explanation of this song on the site www.songmeanings.com so I'll credit the poster "thezpn" and paste what he/she wrote: "The title plays off of the parable that it is harder for a rich man to cross through the gates of heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. The painful image of the needle in the eye of the camel is a witty revenge against this, and as Brian Eno is a meta-rocker, I think here he is poking fun at the limitations of conventional morality and humility in favor of a rock and roll lifestyle. Rockers aren't concerned with the why, and the mysteries of existence, just the by and by of fun and pleasure seeking." Brian Eno, of Roxy Music fame, wrote and recorded this song for his 1974 solo album "Here Come The Warm Jets". For my song of the week, I used a cover version of the song by Queens Of The Stone Age. It is a b-side on the band's 2007 single "Make It Wit Chu".

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1998 - Queens Of The Stone Age (Loosegroove Records)
2000 - Rated R (Interscope Records)
2002 - Songs For The Deaf (Interscope Records)
2005 - Lullabies To Paralyze (Interscope Records)
2005 - Over The Years And Through The Woods (Interscope Records)
2007 - Era Vulgaris (Interscope Records)
2013 - Like Clockwork (Matador Records)
2017 - Villains (Matador Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE:

Queens Of The Stone Age formed out of the ashes of the band Kyuss. The project is essentially guitarist/vocalist Josh Homme's baby. The band was originally called Gamma Ray but changed to Queens Of The Stone Age to avoid legal action from a German band called Gamma Ray. The band dropped their first full length album in 1998 on Loosegroove Records, which was owned by Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard. It wasn't long before the major labels came calling and in 2000, Queens signed a long deal with Interscope Records which would last until 2007. 2000's "Rated R" was the band's first album to be certified gold, but it would not be their last. In fact, their 2002 album, "Songs For The Deaf", was a pivotal moment for the band. With the help of Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters) on drums, Queens released what would be their most successful album, thanks to hit singles "No One Knows" and "Go With The Flow". While this album achieved gold status in the U.S., it went platinum in places like the U.K., Canada and Australia. The band would continue to have a major international following right up to the current date. The 2005 album "Lullabies To Paralyze" debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 charts, cementing Queens Of The Stone Age as headliner material. 2007's "Era Vulgaris" was a dark and heavy album by Queens' standards. It was also the last album the band released through Interscope Records. The band would go on a little bit of a hiatus after this album. Homme formed a supergroup with Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones called Them Crooked Vultures, who released one album and toured in support of it. After that, Homme got an infection from a botched knee surgery that nearly took his life. Homme would recover and in 2013, Queens dropped "Like Clockwork", the band's first album to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 charts! The band's most recent release was 2017's "Villains" through Matador Records. Queens also put a major tour together to support this album which included their very first time headlining Madison Square Garden in New York, a very proud moment for Homme indeed. I said earlier in this paragraph that Queens Of The Stone Age is Josh Homme's baby and this is true. He is the only constant member from the conception of this band to the present day. Many artists have collaborated with this band, both in the studio and live performances. This list includes Joey Castillo, Chris Goss, Dave Grohl, Brody Dalle, Alain Johannes, Mark Lanegan, Troy Van Leeuwen, Nick Oliveri and many more. While Homme is the main songwriter, he encourages any musicians working with him at the time to bring music and ideas to the table. As for style and sound, Queens has been labeled "stoner rock" by some, a label that Homme hates himself and one that made him write the mocking song "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer" which basically just reels off names of drugs in the lyrics. Homme refers to the band as "robot rock". I just look at them as riff rock. You could tell they're influenced by 70's big riff bands. Their style is pretty unique when you think of what was going on in rock music in the late 90's and 2000's. Queens almost used electronic music grooves in a hard rock band format while other rock bands were trying to go for more melodic driven, big chorus type songs at the time. If Jimmy Page is the riff master, Josh Homme is sort of like the riff master lite. His songs aren't quite as iconic as Zeppelin's but if you like hard charging guitar riffs, then you'd like Queens Of The Stone Age.

TEN QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. No One Knows
2. Little Sister
3. 3's & 7's
4. Make It Wit Chu
5. Go With The Flow
6. The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret
7. If Only
8. The Way You Used To Do
9. I Sat By The Ocean
10. My God Is The Sun