The rise and possible demise of the Kings of Leon

The Kings of Leon are a hard rocking four-piece from Nashville Tennessee the band consisting of lead singer/guitarist Caleb Followhill,lead guitarist Jared Followhill,Drummer Nathan Followhill and bassist Matthew Followhill.Now you should have noticed the band all share the last name well the band are indeed related,brothers Caleb,Jared and Nathan and their cousin Matthew.The band where formed back in 2000.

They released a debut Ep in 2003 called Holy Roller Novocaine full of raw rock songs,which was further explored on the debut full-length Youth and Young Manhood.

The band quickly grew a reputation for their hard drinking,drug use and also fighting within the band.In 2004 the band released the album which fully transformed them in to Europeans superstars,"Ahh Shake heartbreak",with the three singles released crashing into the charts.The band toured with U2 before heading off to record the follow-up to the album.Asked why they decided to record another album so quick Caleb simply answered"You guys ain't sick of us yet".

The album "because of the Times" released in 2007 was a much darker album than the first two.The album proved that the band had grown up in a sense with less lyrics about alcohol and drugs but more about social issues pregnancy,love and sex.The album was the bands biggest release entering the American charts at number 25 and topping the UK charts.

The Band headlined Glastonbury the following year as well as releasing their latest album "only by the Night".The first single from the album "Sex is on Fire"went straight into the charts giving the band their first number one single this was followed up by "Use Somebody" which reached number four.Revelry and Notion where the last two singles released,the band recently headlined Reading and Leeds and have been touring continuously through 2008 and the remainder of 2009.

Now my title is the rise and possible demise of the Kings of Leon and my blog has only charted their rise to super stardom but underneath the music there are massive problems within the band.The most notable one is Caleb's inability to leave alcohol alone,the tole of which seems to have affected Caleb,his face in the Use Somebody video is rather red(a sign of alcoholism).There has also been bust ups with in the band.Considering they are all brothers it is understandable I fought with my brothers but it seems these guys don't know when to stop Nathan having once broke his hand after punching Caleb in the face after enjoying too much red wine,meaning the band had to cancel gigs for 6 weeks for Nathan's hand to heal.I personally feel that if they keep up this behaviour they will end up not only losing their beloved fans but also any credibility that they once had.

Do we ever really hear the true meaning in the song?

Sup y'all,its been a while but I'm back and badder than ever,so here it is straight from Ears to the Speakers headquarters listen now.We all listen to music some listen to pop others rock,indie metal,hell i know a guy that actually likes Opera music?WTF I hear you gasp,I know but lets not go on about him the point I am trying to make is we all listen to music but do we really ever hear the true meaning of the song?I mean I listen to some music that people would consider to be,and I quote,shit.I can accept it might not be to everyone's taste but please listen to the lyrics hear the words fuck look at the emotion the guy puts in during the performance.The "guy" I just mentioned is the alternative rock god Eddy Vedder,for those of you still hung up on Nirvana listen closely because Nirvana where over-hyped and really rather shit compared to the excellent Pearl Jam(Vedder's band).From there debut album "ten" released back in 1991(not really catching on till 1992)right through to there latest album "Backspacer"(due later this year)Pearl Jam have kept consistent with there lyrics about homelessness,depression and abuse.An example I hear you say OK take "Jeremy,the third single released from "Ten".Inspired by a newspaper article read by a young Vedder about a young boy who killed himself in front of his classmates,the video gained notoriety for graphic scenes,lyrics include the line:

"Daddy didn't give attention oh to the fact that mommy didn't care King Jeremy the wicked oh ruled the whole world."

It is pretty deep but to merely hear the song is not enough you need to see Pearl Jam unplugged "Jeremy",Eddy shakes on stage and he puts his heart into the performance its really heartfelt too.

Another band who seem to put a lot of there own personal experiences in there lyrics and yet do not receive the proper recognition they deserve are a Glasgow band named "Glasvegas".The singer James Allen,spills his guts when he sings on songs like Daddy's gone(singing about how his father walked out on him and his mother when he was a child the lyrics go:

"All I wanted was a-kick a-bout in the park for you to race me home when it was nearly getting dark I could have been yours and you been mine it could have been me and you until the end of time do what you want,when you want be as fuckin' insincere as you can what kind of way is that to treat your wife to see your son on Saturdays what kind of way is that to live your life?"

Another song by Glasvegas is "Stabbed",which is really a poem simply read over Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata.The poem is written about gang and knife culture in Glasgow.

Now the meaning of those songs are rather obvious and that is fair enough but what about the songs that you really need to think about the songs that make you go wtf?We have all heard and listened to a song and at the end of it thought what the hell was he singing about and yet it could be a really serious song,take Sum 41 for example there first album was full of cheesy skater songs all not really taking anything to seriously but the follow up does this look infected had alot of serious underlinings,one of the songs from the album "The Hell Song" is one of those.To hear it you would think just a song about some guy who has a few problems to see the video you would think its a joke but the song is actually wrote about a friend of the band who had contracted HIV,yet to hear the song or see the video you would never know this lyrics go:

"Everybody's got their problems (problems).Everybody says the same thing to you.It's just a matter of how you solve them (solve them),And knowing how to change the things you've been through.I feel I've come to realize How fast life can be compromised.Step back to see what's going on.I can't believe this happened to you...This happened to you..."

Personally I don't actually know if the story is true,but I heard it from a very reliable source.Another rather obscure song is Flowers and Football tops by the aforementioned Glasvegas.The song was wrote about a young boy who was kidnapped and killed in Glasgow(rumoured to be about a teenager called Kris Donald who was killed by a group of Asians,but when this question was put to the singer he said it is about the situation in general because he didn't want to disrespect the teenagers memory).The title comes from the tradition of placing Flowers and Football tops at the scene of the incident,originally started in Glasgow it has since spread to other parts of the country.At the end of the song James sings you are my sunshine.

Is the music of today,tomorrow's generations classics?

I decided to write this blog because I heard a song on the radio,which reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend a few months ago,the song in question was Boogie Wonderland by Earth,Wind and Fire.The reason this song was brought up was because it made him feel old is because he heard it on a Golden Oldies radio station,I must admit at the time I laughed,but,is the music of today,tomorrow's generation's classics?I mean you can buy classic 60's albums so does that mean in forty years time you can buy a classic 00's CD?with bands like Kaiser Chiefs,Radiohead,the Magic Numbers all cemented in history?Or will the face of music as we know it today become something we least expected?Will I hear a song from my youth or teenage years my early adult hood and find out its considered a classic?and then what?should I stop listening to those songs and listen to new music?What makes a classic a "Classic"?why are some bands remembered forever for example the Beatles?Personally I hate them I think they where over-hyped and played it safe with the first what 5-6 albums all about love this and love that,basically drawing in gullible fans,next thing you know its forty years later and Paul McCartney is still living off the Beatles name charging a fortune for a ticket to see him sing songs that he and three other people made famous.What gave the Beatles that kind of staying power?the same with the Rolling Stones,all geriatrics and yet still rocking the place like there is no tomorrow.Is that kind of thing still possible?millions of bands are formed around the world and disband before they even get noticed for those lucky enough to get noticed do they know they will never be forever famous?

Them's the Breaks?no those the brokes

Well as its been a while I thought I would lighten the mood a little with a nice blog about "Love".Now before y'all think this hard rocker has gone soft and is gonna write about love songs then your wrong,and I hate you all for thinking it.Now love,love is one of those words ya know which pisses me off sometimes cause its threw around like its nothing you see 10 year old kids saying I love you one minute I hate you the next to there boyfriends its ridiculous.Now when I think of love I think of the Numbers man.

The Magic Numbers,are an English indie rock band,who wouldn't look our of place In the sixties a proper sixties outfit you know long hair flares beards well that's just the guys.They consist of two pairs of brothers and sisters and where formed in 2002.Romeo Stoddart(Lead singer Guitar)Michelle Stoddart(Bass and Vocals)Sean Gannon(Drums)and Angela Gannon(Vocals Percussion Melodica Glockenspiel)

The Stodarts are the children of a Scottish father and a Portuguese mother and were born in Trinidad in the Caribbean, where their mother was an opera singer and had her own TV show. When the family fled an Islamic coup attempt there in 1990, they were raised in New York. In the mid-1990s, when Romeo was 16 and Michelle was 10, they moved to London.

The Gannons are of Irish descent but lived in Hanwell, London where they became friends with their neighbours the Stodarts. Prior to forming The Magic Numbers, Romeo and Sean spent time trying to form a band together under various guises, and previously performed under the name 'Guess'.

In late 2002 The Magic Numbers formed in their present guise, and they began touring the London circuit, gradually developing their sound and building a small cult following, not least amongst some already established artists including The Chemical Brothers, Travis, and Ed Harcourt, with the latter later influential in their signing to record label Heavenly Recordings.

The eponymous debut album was recorded in late 2004 and early 2005 at Metropolis Studios in London, and released on 13 June 2005. The album was produced and recorded by American Craig Silvey. Prior to release only "Forever Lost" was promoted as a commercial single and this was followed up by later releases "Love Me Like You", "Love's a Game" and "I See You, You See Me".

The band where due to perform on Top of the Pops in August 2005,but walked off after guest presenter Richard Bacon introduced them with the statement :"What do you get when you put two brothers and two sisters in a band? A big fat melting pot."

The band took immediate offence believing it was a reference to their weight. A statement issued by The Magic Numbers said: "We would like to apologise to anyone who was disappointed by our non-appearance on TOTP on Sunday. (Believe us we were disappointed too.)"Due to derogatory, unfunny remarks made during the guest presenters introduction to our performance, we felt we had to make a stand and leave. It was an important day for us and should have been special. We didn't take this decision lightly, but we stand by it."Two days later, drummer Sean Gannon is able to be philosophical, saying: "It's been fine. Things happen and you just glaze over them and you get on with whatever you do, and that's the most important thing."Lead singer Romeo Stodart is less sanguine about events. He said: "It wasn't at all stressful, it was kind of a gut feeling in that we felt insulted and we just reacted."We're not too sensitive about the way we look, we're able to take a joke, but it's just not on within an introduction and we felt we had to just say that."We were invited on the show, we made time to appear on that programme, be it Top Of The Pops or anything else, so it's like you can hardly insult someone and then expect them to perform like a monkey, which is the way I deemed it, and I just wanted to make a stand and say no."

personally I think Bacon was out of order to say what he said and the numbers where right to walk off and refuse to play.

The album The Magic numbers reached number 7 in the official album charts and was also shortlisted for the Mercury Music prize in 2005.

The follow up album "Those the Brokes",was released in the autumn of 2006 championed by the song "Take a Chance",which I must point out is not a cover of Abba.The album was partly recorded in New York at Allaire Studios in Spring 2006, a venue which has also been used in the past by David Bowie, The Strokes and Ryan Adams, and was recorded and engineered by Richard Wilkinson.

The Music That Defines Us

OK,well first I better explain,in this blog I wont be talking about any upcoming bands well that's not strictly true,i am confusing myself here.OK what I am gonna do is,I wanna talk about music that has touched us,in the sense that when you hear it you kinda stop what your doing and listen to it,you turn it up smile cry laugh whatever.We all have songs like that which affect us in a certain way you know.The reason this blog came to me was because i heard the song "He ain't heavy he's my Brother" by the Hollies,The road is long with many a winding turn that leads us to who knows where but I'm strong,strong enough to carry him he ain't heavy he's my brother,when I hear this song I personally cant help but sing and I wasn't strong enough to carry my brother,he wasn't strong enough to carry himself.Another song that has a personal deep meaning to me is a song called 4 am Forever by a welsh band called "Lostprophets",the song sticks out for two reasons one Joe actually gave me the CD,well the CD was given to me after his death but also the words of the song mean more to me than I first realised as Joe died at 4 am,the lyrics go,Yesterday I lost my closet friend,yesterday i wanted time to end I wonder if my heart will ever end I just let you slip away 4 am forever maybe I'll never see you smile again maybe you thought that it would all pretend all these words that I could never say I just let them slip away 4 am forever.Whenever i hear Cry Little Sister by Aiden,well I say Aiden the song was originally done by Gerald McMahon under the name Gerald McCann,it was used in the film the Lost Boys,Aiden's cover version being used in the follow up film.So anyway anytime I hear it I think of my sisters especially the youngest one and i don't know why the lyrics are as follows,The last fire will rise behind those eyes black house will rock blind boys don't lie immortal fear that voice so clear through broken walls that scream I hear Cry little sister(thou shall not fall)come come to your brother(thou shall not die)Unchain me sister(thou shall not fear)love it with your brother(thou shall not kill)Blue mascarade strangers look up when will they learn this loneliness temptation heat beats like a drum deep in your veins I will not lie sister.Why the hell it makes me think of my sisters I don't know but it kinda makes me sad.A song I listen to every day and I mean at least once a day i will hear this song and its called Shock horror by Scottish indie group the view.Again what it is with this song I don't actually know I mean it could be the Scottish connection or just what he sings the lyrics are Tell you the same thing that they told me are you worth your weight in gold should I practice what i preach man?Should I just do what I'm told?cause the clock keeps ticking lets hope you don't grow old,even reading the lyrics i see no reason why they seem to stick in my mind but its one of those things.Other songs that have touched me include California Dreamin a classic by the Mama's and Papa's check them out Monday Monday genius,the Boom town Rats,I don't like Mondays.Brilliant song.I suppose maybe i should apologise for this blog seeing as it actually wasn't really a blog I mean it was about music but not like about any new upcoming bands so I suppose it ain't is it?hmmm OK I got a new band well they have been around a while but i like them they are called the displacements I caught them on the Gary Crowley show they done an amazing stripped down cover of the Buzzcocks classic Ever Fallen in Love they played it superbly too,I also heard one of there own called James I'd like to apologise which was fantastic.Now leave a comment lets here the songs that have touched you songs close to your heart etc

peace readers

Interlude

Now that might have been political hell it wasn't that bad i could have got worse if I wanted to I am sick of these PC people you cant say this or that its shit we live in the free world we have a right to say what we want.Now I hope you have enjoyed what you have read so far,keep the comments coming criticism praise bad mouthing its all good.I am gonna keep it real with this blog no dancing round the subject you know.
Peace

Lets get political

OK it would appear we are living in a world run by corporate scum who don't really care about us they just wanna line there own pockets with our hard dollars,pounds,rupees,euros etc.Now before you think this is a political rant and nothing to do with music well your wrong on the contrary its all about music,I mean how else do you get to call the government a c**t without getting busted?write and release a song.Now there are a few political bands out there who do political music but for me there is one that really stand out the band is ,Rage Against the Machine.Now Rage against the machine formed in are probably most the most prolific band with song titles like "Guerrilla Radio" which includes the lyrics:

Transmission third world war third round A decade of the weapon of sound above ground No shelter if you're lookin' for shade I lick shots at the brutal charade As the polls close like a casket On truth devoured A Silent play in the shadow of power A spectacle monopolized The camera's eyes on choice disguised Was it cast for the mass who burn and toil? Or for the vultures who thirst for blood and oil?

The band who are infamous for there revolutionary politics and lyrics have regularly voiced there viewpoints which where highly critical of the domestic and foreign policies of the US Government,and lets face it who ain't?They would also regularly take part in political protests to advocate these beliefs.The band saw its music as a vehicle for social activism,Zach De la Rocha explained that "I'm interested in spreading those ideas through art, because music has the power to cross borders, to break military sieges and to establish real dialogue.

Right ain't it,Fellow band member Tom Morello was quoted as saying:

"America touts itself as the land of the free, but the number one freedom that you and I have is the freedom to enter into a subservient role in the workplace. Once you exercise this freedom you've lost all control over what you do, what is produced, and how it is produced. And in the end, the product doesn't belong to you. The only way you can avoid bosses and jobs is if you don't care about making a living. Which leads to the second freedom: the freedom to starve."
This was said to Guitar World in reference to wage slavery in America.At the Coachella festival 2007 during the song "Wake Up" De la Rocha made a speech citing a statement by Noam Chomsky regarding the Nuremberg Trials:

A good friend of ours once said that if the same laws were applied to U.S. presidents as were applied to the Nazis after World War II every single one of them, every last rich white one of them from Truman on, would have been hung to death and shot — and this current administration is no exception. They should be hung, and tried, and shot. As any war criminal should be.
The statement created a storm with a clip of the statement being broadcast of Fox news program hanity and colmes,the on-screen headline being Rock group Rage Against the Machine says Bush admin should be shot. Ann Coulter a right wing political commentator who was a guest on the show blasted the band saying "They’re losers, their fans are losers, and there’s a lot of violence coming from the left wing".This out burst from Coulter led to Zach,the band co-headlining Rock the Bells hip-hop festival on the 28Th and 29Th of July,doing another speech during the song Wake Up defending the band from Fox news:

A couple of months ago, those fascist motherfuckers at the Fox News Network attempted to pin this band into a corner by suggesting that we said that the president should be assassinated. Nah, what we said was that he should be brought to trial as a war criminal and hung and shot. THAT'S what we said. And we don't back away from the position because the real assassinator is Bush and Cheney and the whole administration for the lives they have destroyed here and in Iraq. They're the ones. And what they refused to air which was far more provocative in my mind and in the minds of my band mates is this: this system has become so brutal and vicious and cruel that it needs to start wars and profit from the destruction around the world in order to survive as a world power. THAT's what we said. And we refuse not to stand up, we refuse to back down from that position...

Subsequently, De la Rocha added Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister who supported and facilitated Bush's war plans, to the list of those who ought to be tried and hanged at the Reading Festival on the August 22, 2008. The Reading and Leeds Festivals organizer announced after the 2008 festival that Zack had requested Friday and Saturday slots specifically so he could be back in the U.S. for the Democratic and Republican conventions taking place in the week of the 25Th.

Basically it shows the government like to control us and lets face it they do they ain't starting wars they are taking people prisoner and keeping them in cages or they send people to war why don't presidents fight the war?why do they always send the poor?The following are lyrics written by a band called Avenged Sevenfold,who usually aren't political but I found this awesome song titled Critical Acclaim and goes a little something like this:

Shhh… quiet you might piss somebody off

like me motherfucker you've been at it for too long

While you feed off others' insecurities

You stand in front of me and bite the hand that feeds

Self-righteousness is wearing thin(Lies inside your head, your best friend)

Heart bleeds but not for fellow men(Broken glass, your fake reflection)

I've had enough It's time for something real

I don't respect the words you're speaking

Gone too far

A clone

So how does it feel to know that some one's kid in

the heart of America has blood on their hands

fighting to defend your rights

so you can maintain a lifestyle

that insults his family's existence

Well, where I'm from we have a special salute that we aim high in the air

towards all those pompous assholes

who spend their days pointing fingers(Fuck You)

Shhh… quiet you might piss somebody off

Like the heartbeat of this country when antagonized too long

I'll be damned if you count me in as part of your generous hypocrisy

collecting enemies

Tabloid gossip queen worthless man(There's no need for us to bury you)

Selfish agenda once again(Right this way you've dug your own grave)

I've had enough It's time for something real

I don't respect the words you're speaking

Gone too far

A clone

All the way from the east to the west we

got this high society

looking down on their very foundation

constantly reminding us that our actions

are the cause of all their problems

Pointing their fingers in every direction and blaming their

own nation for who wins the elections

They've never contributed a fucking thing to the

country they love to criticize

Excuse the obscene, ignore the untrue

Depictions we see try and get through

Admitting mistakes can hurt

I'm not the last but I sure ain't the first

Shhh… quiet you might piss somebody off

Self-righteousness is wearing thin(Lies inside your head your best friend)

Heart bleeds but not for fellow men(Broken glass your fake reflection)

I've had enough

It's time for something real

I don't respect the words you're speaking

Gone too far

A clone

Who Killed the Zutons?

Now you may have noticed the title of this blog is "Who killed the Zutons?".Now I better clarify the Zutons at the time of going to the press are not dead,This was the name of the debut album by the liverpudlian five-piece.Formed back in 2001,taking there name from Magic band guitarist Bill Harkleroad better known as Zoot Horn (or "Zuton") Rollo.Singer Dave mcCabe was previously in Tramp attack and bandmates Sean Payne and Russell Pritchard where in the Big Kids which also had Seans brother Howie Payne,who is known from the stands.Originally a four-piece Boyan Chowdhury completing the line-up,they where sometimes joined on stage by Sean's girlfriend Abi harding who would play Sax mid set,the crowd loved her and the band liked the way the Sax enhanced there sound.Abi went on to become a full time member contributing vocals and saxophone.

Having to battle being compared to fellow Liverpudlian band The Coral,both bands from merseyside,both prominent on the Liverpool music scene,signed to the same record label and sharing the same producer Ian Broudie.The bands sound and music has been difficult to categorise,one report calling it "psychedelic cartoon punk".The bands first full-length album"Who killed.......The Zutons" was initially released in April 2004,reaching 15 in the album charts and a year later reaching number 9.The album was critically acclaimed and nominated for the mercury music prize award 2004.at the Brit awards 2005 the band where nominated for best British break-through act,sadly the award went to Keane(also nominated where Franz Ferdinand,Joss Stone,Natasha Bedingfield,and the Zutons).The album was later re-issued with a bonus track on it with number 13 becoming Don't Ever Think(too Much).

The follow-up album " Tired of Hanging Around" was released in April 2006 and reached number 2 in the charts.The first single Why won't you give me your love and the follow up release Valerie both reached number nine in the top forty charts which was considered an achievement considering the highest entry they had was number 15 with the single Don't ever think(too much).

On July 13 2007 it was announced that Boyan Chowdhury had left the Zutons,with the reason being music differences.

After Chowdhury left the band, bassist Russell Pritchard claimed: "It was like splitting up with someone. It set us back in a way and moved us forward too. I had a little bit of a cry about it. I'm not ashamed to admit. It was hard confronting him about it". The band claim that Chowdhury's departure was a mutual decision. In late 2007, The Zutons asked multi-instrumentalist Paul Molley, formerly of The Skylarks and The Stands, to join the band. He has played with the band on such occasions as the Isle of Wight Festival and Radio 1's Big Weekend 2008.

The band released their third studio album titled You Can Do Anything on June 2, 2008. It was the band's first album to feature Paul Molloy on lead guitar. The first single was "Always Right Behind You" which was released on May 26, 2008. The album was recorded earlier in the year in Los Angeles, California The band was dropped from Sony/BMG over the 2008 Christmas holidays as a result of the band not meeting the label's sales expectations. There is currently no word on future recording plans.

Having said all that all you pop fans out there will think Valerie?oh Amy Winehouse sang a song called Valerie yeah fshe did she destroyed the Zutons song with her morose sound,I mean really what the hell is going on with that girl?her hair is a mess she badly needs to get those teeth fixed......yeah I got sidetracked sorry.

My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance are a post-hardcore and alternative rock band from New Jersey .They where formed in 2001 by Gerald Way.Gerald formed the band the day of the September,eleven attacks after walking form his job in New York and seeing the bodies falling from the building he asked himself "What am I doing with my life?I am doing animation for Cartoon Network and helping no-one.As soon as he got home he called up Matt Pelissier who got Ray Toro involved(Lead guitarist),Gerald got his younger brother Mikey,who had just dropped out of college to join as the bass player soon after.In the May of the following year Frank Iero dropped out of college against his parents wishes and when the band where on tour he had a scorpion tattoo done as far up his neck as he could so he could not get a job.
The name My Chemical Romance comes from the Irvine Welsh book Ecstasy:Three Stages of Chemical Romance
The bands first album "I Brought you my Bullets you Brought me your Love" was released in 2002 and contained the very first song Gerald started writing after the 9/11 attacks Skylines and Turn styles.
In 2004 the follow up album "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" was released and shot them to fame,with the singles Helena(Which was written about the Way's grandmother,Elena who was known as Helen to her friends and considered as Helena by Gerald)and I'm Not Okay(I Promise)it went on to sell over two million albums stateside.During 2004 drummer Matt Pelissier was kicked out the band for repeatedly messing up during live performances,general bad behaviour and disregard for the rest of the band,when asked about him My Chemical Romance refuse to speak about him stating they don't talk shit. He was quickly replaced by Bob Bryar who was a drum tech for bands the Used and Thursday at the time.
Their latest album titled The Black Parade was released on October 23rd 2006. The album sold more than 240,000 copies in the first week after it was released. It has sold over 1 million copies in total. The first single taken from The Black Parade called Welcome to the Black Parade reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.1 in the UK charts for two weeks. The band has commented in the past about the album, saying that The Black Parade is like a different band performing in a different 'world', and once that's over, My Chemical Romance will never be The Black Parade again. The album largely focuses on one character, The Patient, but also consists of songs and lyrics about different subjects and aspects of life and death.

My Chemical Romance are back with new Single Desolation Row,a cover of Bob Dylan,Which is being used in the new Watchmen film.Yet again the band have decided to go for a new image,this time opting for a rock side to the new sound back to the early days maybe?who knows.

The band have also released two live albums "Life on the Murder Scene" and also "The Black parade is Dead",which was also the last time the songs from the Black Parade album will ever be played by the band.

Gerald way is also a comic book writer having written a six series comic called Umberella telling the story af a band of abnormal superheroes.

Dynasty is an association founded in 1999 by finnish bands The Rasmus,Killer and kwan,Killer have since disbanded and are no longer members.

The reasons for founding the association was to strengthen the co-operation between the bands and subsequently their members. Members are anticipated to display the Dynasty logo, for example as part of tattoos or on guitar straps. Co-operation within the association transcends the main bands, and guest appearances are common.The Rasmus' drummer Aki has played in both Killer and Kwan, also appearing in Kwan's music video for song padam. Killer was co-produced and co-managed by Lauri Ylolen and Pauli Rantasalmi from The Rasmus. Rantasalmi has also produced the Kwan song Chillin' at the Grotto
Since Killer disbanded in early 2005 the association has consisted of The Rasmus and Kwan. Later the same year Ylönen and Rantasalmi founded a recording studio in Helsinki Finland The record label was named Dynasty Recordings. The alrenative rock bands Von Hertzen Brothers become part of the association and Happiness were signed to the label in 2006.
In 2008 the record label signed the singer Belle Who.

Now I am gonna talk about a favourite of mine the Rasmus.The Rasmus where formed in 1994 in Helsinki Finland.The original Line-up was Lauri Ylolen(vocals and songwriter),Eiro Heinonen(Bass),Pauli Rantasalmi(Guitar) and Janne Heiskanen(Drums)when all four members where in the high school.Heiskanen quit the band in 1998 and was soon replaced by Aki Hakala.They released there first album "peep" in 1996 on the Warner Music Finland label.In 1997 "Playboys"followed by the 1998 relase of "Hell of a Taster",both on the Warner Music Finland label.Soon after this Janne Heiskanen quit the band to "find himself" before the release of the fourth studio album "Into" on the Playground Music Scandanavia label the band changed there name from simply "Rasmus" to "The Rasmus" to avoid being confused with a swedish dj of the same name.It was there 2003 album "Dead Letters"which brought them the critical acclaim they so well earned the first single from the album "in the Shadows" going to number one in many countries,people singing along not knowing the actual band because of the catchy chorus:

I've been watching

I've been waiting

In the shadows for my time

I've been searching

I've been living
For tomorrows all my life

The band went on a tour to support the "Dead Letters" album called well "Dead Letters" Tour.Doing 296 concerts in a 107 different cities in 29 countries around the world.Not a band to waste time They where quickly went back to the studio to record follow-up ablum "Hide from The Sun"Which was released in 2005,the same year The Rasmus toured again calling it the "Hide from the Sun" tour,doing 249 concerts in going to 110 cities in 36 countries,now they are back with a brand new album and a new image.The album is called "Black Roses",the first single to be released is "Living in a world without you".The image change I mentioned refers to two of the band firstly is Lauri,who since about 2002/03 he has wore crows feathers in his his hair,but for the new release gone are the feathers and his hair is platinum blond as is Aki's who decided to finally have LASIK eye surgery, and ceased wearing his trademark black glasses. Early 2007, he stopped dying his hair black, opting instead for platinum blond.Like Madonna, he is studying Kabbalah.

Now I will speak about Aiden. Aiden are an American post-hardcore band hailing from Seattle Washington and were formed in 2003, taking their name from a character from "The Ring". They currently consist of members wiL Francis (Lead vocals, guitar, piano and also the lyricist), Jake Davison (Drums), Nick Wiggins(Bass) and Angel Ibarra (Guitar)There was a fifth member of Aiden Jake Wambold who parted company with the band on the 20th of May 2008. wiL originally played bass when he first joined but stepped up to the mic after the singer left. Aiden have had three studio albums : Our Gangs Dark Oath (2004), Nightmare Anatomy (2005), Conviction (2007) and have a new album rumoured to be a double album planned for 2009. I will bring more information as soon as I get it. They have also released two EP's (extended plays) the first of which was a split EP recorded with Stalin's War (now know as In Love and War) and was called "A Split of Nightmares" and their own EP in 2006 called "Rain in Hell". Aiden's first full-length album "Our Gangs Dark Oath" was released on Dead Teenagers records in 2004, having been recorded while Angel and Jake, still being in high school. It was released shortly after they left. In 2005 they signed to a new label, Victory Records, and their second album which was also their debut from Victory Records "Nightmare Anatomy" was released on October 4th 2005.
In April 2007, Aiden played an arena tour of the UK supporting Lost prophets with Taking back Sunday. They also played the 2007 "Taste of Chaos North American Tour" alongside The Used 30 Seconds to Mars, Senses Fail, Saosin, Chiodos, and Evaline. They recently played a West Coast tour, followed by a national tour, "Confessions in the Dark Tour", with Drop Dead Gorgeous, Still Remains and 1997. They recently completed the "International Taste of Chaos" tour. Aiden's song 'One Love' appears in the movie "Resident Evil: Extinction" and their song 'We Sleep Forever' is featured in the motion picture "Dead Silence".

If you survived the rather heavy onslaught of my first blog, let me lighten the mood with a favourite of mine and the first of-as I like to call it-"Liam's unsigned band/singer section" (catchy right?). If I was to say to you Angel Ibarra what would you think? Now a few of you would relate to Mr Ibarra as the Aiden guitarist, well done, but did you know Angel has decided to grab an acoustic guitar and go solo now before all you Aiden fans scream NO (I first did when I heard wiL was doing solo stuff) it is merely while wiL is doing his William Control stage, now having never heard Angel sing I was unsure but oh my that guy has a voice, his first single which was a rough demo recorded with a simple little acoustic is called "couldn't be more wrong", which if you listen to it is about loving and losing someone and then the person who gave it all up realising it was actually the best thing they had said right? Angel is currently unsigned but I am confident he will be snapped up soon, check his music out he rocks. He is due to tour a few dates in the UK these dates are:
5 Mar 2009 Underworld in London
6 mar 2009 Barfly in Birmingham
7 Mar 2009 Manchester Club Academy Manchester
Make sure to check out the rather dashing Angel at his myspace site angel ibarra music where you can hear the songs and find out more about his tour dates.

Ears to the Speakers are taking over

"Listen up there is a new voice y'all have a problem with it good lets hear what you have to say"

I would like to welcome you all to my first of many blogs, you may not like what you see or read here and I don't care,thats right i dont give a fuck so leave a comment, let's have it out this is merely my view on things, my take if you will, I will have news of upcoming bands tours and albums so keep an eye out, I will also try to feature an unsigned band every so often, I deal with many, many types of music so if you don't see one of "your bands" hold on or message me, ask me about it I might have them in mind, now take your time and read it through you might just learn something.


William Control In Own Words:

"The smoke clears and in whispering waves of self-mutilation I can see the dark sky fall to pieces. The world is sometimes too heavy to breath and the dead surround me like an ocean. I can't recognize the reflection looking back through the mirror. I only grasp the concept of what it's like to walk through life with a stranger holding a knife to my neck. The empty shell of a shattered boy I know possess is my new skin. Pain is my only horizon, hate, is my only form of flattery, ugly is the world around me and nowhere beyond the infinite infrastructure of the eternal lonely soul can my blackened heart be found. If you want a glimpse of torment and bittersweet visions delight, I'll gladly cut my head off so you can look down the hole. Nothing there will bring the joyful bliss you crave. Drinking lighter fluid to start a fire inside my guts, I am on a slow painful ride through the underbelly of hell and I will not mind if this is where we say goodbye and go our separate ways. I am inside of you - Living and breathing.

"I am William Control"

Allow me to be frank at the commencement
You will not like me
The gentlemen will be envious and the ladies will be repelled
You will not like me now and you will like me a good deal less as we go on
Ladies, an announcement
I am up for it
All the time
That is not a boast or an opinion
It is bone hard medical fact
I put it round you know
And you will watch me putting it round and sigh for it
Don't!
It is a deal of trouble for you and you are better off watching and drawing your conclusions from a distance than you would be if I got my tarse up you petticoats
Gentlemen do not despair
I am up for that as well
And the same warning applies
Still your cheesy erections till I've had my say, but later when you shag and later you will shag
I shall expect it of you and I will know if you have let me down
I wish you to shag with my homunculus image rattling in your gonads
Feel how it was for me, how it is for me
And ponder
Was that shudder that same shudder he sensed?
Did he know something more profound?
Or is there some wall of wretchedness that we all batter with our heads at the shining live long moment?
That is it
That is my prologue
Nothing in rhyme
No protestations of modesty
You were not expecting that I hope
I am William Control
And I do not want you to like me

Now you may be forgiven for thinking William Control is, well to put it politely on a "downer", on the contrary William has never felt better. His new single "Deathclub" is being used for the new Underworld film "Rise of the Lycan". Currently touring across America promoting the album "Hate Culture" and also finding time write the new Aiden record, William is busy. William Control is the alter-ego of Mr wiL Francis (the case sensitive typing of his first name stems from wiL himself and not my own mis-typing) wiL is the front man of Seattle based Post-Hardcore band Aiden (more about them later).wiL says he created William Control because the songs he wrote did not fit with Aiden so he went solo for a time, recording the album Hate Culture under the name William Control. The style of music alone is a far cry from early or even present Aiden, lyrically he is the same if not more poetic if you will, but this time round wiL is using electronica rather than pounding drums or shredding guitars, the videos may be the same full of dark imagery, but at the same time it tells the story of what William is trying to portray. The video for first single "beautiful Loser", William is topless smoking, there is a large woman wearing revealing lingerie with a snake sliding over her, the lyrics include the line "Your beautiful, I am a loser a life on a suicide mission to die". Now many people would hear this and automatically accuse William of glamorising suicide, where again on the contrary many a time he has been noted not so much saving lives but touching them shall we say. A young girl left a comment regarding William's album and stated she fell asleep for the first time in weeks without crying herself to sleep, listening to his album she fell into the deepest sleep she had in a long time, another nameless source was quoted as saying he was so low until he heard Williams poetic words that he realised life wasn't as bad as he had first thought thus living on.