Appetite For Destruction
Appetite for Destruction turns 37 years olde today. My very first memory of hearing about Guns N Roses came when my cousin asked my if I’d ever head of the band. When I said no, he said “oh man, skip em. They suck!” I’m glad I ignored that advice.
From the moment I saw the video for Welcome to the Jungle, I was hooked. Axl’s swagger. Slash’s coolness. Duff’s punky attitude. Steven’s swagger. Izzy’s hip indifference. It was an incendiary recipe for chaos, and I was all in.
I purchased a cassette copy of Appetite for Destruction as soon as I could, and man, did I wear it out—three of them, at least. I was into heavy music at the time, but so-called “hair music” was becoming boring to me. And while Guns N Roses did present as a “hair band” initially, they were far from the cookie-cutter bands hitting the scene.
Appetite for Destruction was something different—raw, heavy, dark, sinister. Sure, it was rooted in blues rock that came before it—think Aerosmith, AC/DC—but it was layered with glam rock tendencies and more than a dash of Finnish rockers Hanoi Rocks to round out its sound. Musically, it was much more complex and sophisticated than most of its peers but as raw and dirty as it came. This WAS sex, drugs, and rock and roll personified.
Appetite is explicit. Disgusting. And yes, unfortunately misogynistic. This was 1988 and rock and roll in Los Angeles was raw and dirty. That’s what drew Axl Rose to the city from Indiana famously inspiring the song and video for the opening track Welcome to the Jungle. Now a sports arena staple, Jungle tells the story of a newcomer to LA being wrapped up and swallowed by the seediest of lifestyles. The song is brutal and sets the entire tone for the record. Full of Axl’s highest screams, Slash’s signature riffs, and solos all built on top of a funky foundation from the rest of the band.
It’s so Easy, finds Axl singing in a lower register for part of the song. Duff’s bass kicks off the proceedings with a familiar punk-fueled rumble. Nightrain gives drummer Steven Adler the spotlight with a cowbell-filled opening and enough swagger fast enough to make you think you are along for the alcohol-filled ride.
Out ta Get Me and Mr. Brownstone build upon the drug-induced paranoia that fueled the band. While Out ta Get Me is a straightforward rocker with a filthy riff, gang vocals, and killer solo, Mr. Brownstone gives us some complexity and variety with interesting guitar work and a funky beat. Both songs are expletive-filled rants about drug culture.
Side one ends with the epic Paradise City. An anthem that demanded to be heard in stadiums. The nearly 7-minute song has become the band’s perpetual closing number for their shows. It showcased everyone’s signature style and is catchy af. Try not to sing along to the chorus or band your head at the frantic outro.
Side 2 is the umm, more “tender” side of the album—as tender as an album can be that features a song where the lead singer is having sex with the drummer’s girlfriend. Yes, really, but we’ll get to that side, which begins with love songs by Michelle: Think About You and Sweet Child O’ Mine. These are far from ballads and I use the term love songs liberally here, but each song does in fact recall a love story from Axl's life. My Michelle is a dark rocker with a dark subject matter think about you as a heavy tune, but fairly benign, and even Romantic lyrics were sweet Child of mine the biggest hit is about Axel's first love, Erin Everly, and their relationship. All three songs are incredible. I Think About You has always been among my favorite GnR songs.
If there is any filler on this album, it could be your crazy leftover from earlier sessions sped up, and anything goes, a sex-crazed romp built around a wild-sounding guitar and squeezebox. I like both of these songs a lot, but if you're going to skip a song, it might be one of these two, although I would not recommend it.
The album closes with Rocket Queen, another six-minute epic that could technically be considered two songs based on the style and signature change at the end of the tune. This song does feature the aforementioned sex scene, which features Axl Rose having sex with Stephen Adler’s girlfriend in the studio; it was 1988 again. Despite subject matter and crazy lore, Rocket Queen is an absolute banger with amazing work by everyone in the band.
Appetite for Destruction is widely considered one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded. It is the best-selling debut album of all time by an artist right now. Some of the lyrics and subject matter have certainly not aged well. The music itself has and the impact that it had on the industry is undeniable. I’m not a resident of LA, but every time I visit, I'm shocked at how many Guns N' Roses shirts I still see on people in downtown LA.
Appetite For Destruction is in my top 10 favorite albums of all time and is very likely my most listened to album of all time. I'm not kidding when I say I wore out three cassettes. I moved to Compact Disk and now have several copies on vinyl. Admittedly, I don’t listen to it as much as I did in my youth as my musical taste has changed, but I still recall the album fondly and am listening to it again today on its 37th anniversary. I'm having a blast with these songs. It may certainly not be for audience destruction as a critical album and one of the most important rock albums of all time.
29 Years of Fighting Foo
What now?
It was a legitimate question on the minds of many rock fans after the death of Kurt Cobain. Nirvana’s light burned bright and was extinguished far too soon. Drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic were without a band, without a leader and without a friend.
Rather than just sit behind the kit for another band, Pearl Jam and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were among the rumored bands considering Grohl, Dave decided to form a project under which he could release solo material. He named the project “Foo Fighters” after a WWII term for UFOs and related phenomenon.
In 1994, Dave began messing around with demos that would quickly materialize as the band’s debut album. Dave played every note of every instrument on every song save, a guitar part on the song X-Static attributed to Grohl’s friend, Hamilton! Ohio native and Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli who happened to be in a nearby studio during the sessions.
The. resulting record is surprisingly polished while still being rough, raw, and unhinged. Unlike Nirvana, Foo Fighters injected more fun and melody into their songs while still being built primarily around crunchy guitars and fits of aggression. Dave proved to be a talented and proficient musician on all instruments. The drums were lightning fast, heart pounding, and disco beat infused. The guitars were loud, crunchy, and distorted. And Dave’s vocals and screams were cool, clean, and encouraged you to sing or scream right along.
Songs like This is a Call, Big Me, and For All The Cows established the melodic, slightly poppy, fun rock sound that would become the signature sound of the band. Songs like I’ll Stick Around, Wattershed, and X-Static were more similar to Nirvana. Together, they created a balanced album that sounded like 1995.
Along with the signature sound of the band that was emerging from these sessions came another hallmark of the Foo Fighters, compelling, engaging funny videos. Where Nirvana was “serious” music accompanied by “serious” videos, FF was creating a more fun vibe while not being afraid to shy away from a darker more serious sound from time to time.
I jumped on the FF bandwagon pretty early. Catching them on their first tour and immersing myself in the music and videos. I’ve been a fan since.
Since my favorite band is The Afghan Whigs, I’ve always been fascinated by Greg Dulli’s involvement here. Last year I had the opportunity to ask Greg directly about this at a VIP meet n greet before an AW show. Greg fondly recalled working with Dave whom he proudly called his friend. He said it was a fairly simple and straightforward moment. Dave was talking to him about the demos and asked Greg if he’d like to hear some. Greg was noodling around on a guitar while listening and Dave asked if he wanted to jam. Tape was rolling and there you have it.
The Foo Fighters went on to become one of rock’s biggest band. Dave’s touring band would evolve eventually settling on a pretty consistent lineup including Pat Smear, Chris Shifflet and the late Taylor Hawkins. A steady stream of consistent releases and regular touring led to worldwide fame and the band became the standard torch bearer for rock while Dave Grohl became the nicest guy in rock. While I love the band, everytime i see them live for a moment I get lost in my thoughts and think wow…thats’s the drummer from Nirvana…
I Don’t Need Your Civil War
Alex Garland’s 2024 movie Civil War could easily be a documentary in a few years. That’s the way it feels sometimes, anyway.
Garland drops us into a United States clearly sometime after a Civil War has broken out. We’re introduced to Lee (Kirsten Dunst) a hardened and seasoned photojournalist covering the war in New York City. When tensions escalate between police and citizens picking up water Lee unexpectedly and reluctantly saves aspiring photojournalist, Jesse (Cailee Spaeny) who ultimately ends up tagging along with Lee, Joel (Wagner Moura), and Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) who are en route to the front line and Washington DC respectively to continue their coverage of the war.
At this point, we don't know much about the war. We know some states are secessionists. We know the president (Nick Offerman) is somehow in his third term and has disbanded the FBI. As they travel, we get more indicators of the state of the nation as they stop for gas, encounter a firefight, and witness a battle, raging from afar.
A respite stop in West Virginia at a high school football stadium relief center gives us a peek inside civilian life and offers Lee and Jesse an opportunity for levity and to connect.
Being an A2 for production, the music and cinematography have that feeling of something always being a little off. The movie itself builds tension and unease just as much as the story itself. When our weary journalists come upon a seemingly normal town, Jesse, even comments that it seems like the Twilight Zone an an apt comment for the feeling of unease that is being built. The movie does feel like a modern Twilight Zone episode.
Things take a dark and twisted turn, when our intrepid journalists come upon a small militia force led by an unnamed soldier (Jessie Plemons, uncredited). It quickly becomes clear that this militia is acting as judge, jury and executioner, for those who are "not American enough" and our unfortunate to come across their compound. After this harrowing encounter, our heroes escape, but not without suffering heavy losses. I very nearly got sick to my stomach during this scene, realizing how close we may actually be to actual “well-armed militias” taking out their twisted agenda on those they don’t consider American. It's unsettling to say the least.
We learned that the western front forces are moving toward DC, and apparently, what's left of the Republic has surrendered. We see a firefight at the Lincoln Memorial, bombs flying over the Washington Monument, and fighting in the streets of suburban DC. Our journalists continue to cover the fighting, the younger Jesse, with a seemingly growing excitement and appetite for adventure, while the older Lee seems to be losing her desire as she loses her sense of hope. It's total chaos. Scenes that we've seen in our lifetime on the news, but in countries far from here. It's unsettling to see this happening in DC. Our journalists are in the middle of the fight as it goes right towards the White House.
Things become increasingly unsettling and unhinged as forces breach the White House, and our reporters go in for the story.
I won't spoil the ending, but would you expect to happen happens. dramatic flourish to a dramatic film. Let's just hope that this movie is a modern masterpiece treatise on journalism and gun culture and not a cautionary tale.
The Blue Album at 30
There are probably very few, if any, albums that have impacted and influenced my life more than the debut album from California rockers Weezer. Released on May 10, 1994, the self-titled debut album from this quintet of nerds from Southern California was not expected to do much of anything. In their anniversary post about the album, the band admitted as much in the oft-told reflection of the record’s release. “…the crux of it was that no one thought it would do very well, even though all the band and the band’s small inner circle felt they’d made a really good album. The assumption was that people would say “who?” and laugh at the audacity of a new band putting out a debut album on a major label, with no fan base, no single out, nothing.”
The DGC Records release produced by The Cars’ Ric Ocasic was released at a very interesting time in the history of popular music, particularly rock music. The 80’s “hair metal”/hard rock era that long held a stranglehold on MTV, radio, and pop culture was pretty much out of gas as we were well past two years since the release of Nirvana’s Nevermind. “Alternative”music, such as it was, had taken over as the dominant rock genre, and bands like Weezer were getting signed left and right.
The release of Weezer’s debut album coincided with the heyday of the compact disc format. College students, high school students, and music collectors were flocking to this versatile digital format. Used CD shops were as common as new record stores, and albums released during this time had a high chance of selling hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of copies. This favorable market condition undoubtedly contributed to the eventual commercial success of Weezer’s debut album.
But in that first week, the record sold 90 copies.
Eventually, of course, college and alt radio stations started playing undone the sweater song, and of course, the famous video for Buddy Holly directed by a Spike Jonze went into heavy rotation on MTV changing the trajectory of the album and the course of history.
I vaguely remember a time between first hearing Undone, purchasing the album on CD, and listening to it constantly. I seemingly became a mega fan overnight with the blue album becoming some thing of my go to record. I saw the band on that tour, which only solidified my love for them.
It’s no secret that 1994 is my favorite year for music maybe my favorite year ever. So many important records came out during that year records that I still listen to today and then informed my musical taste since then. Previously, I had been into hard rock with Guns N’ Roses being my favorite band that all changed with never mind, and I still liked some hard rock and pop and even some 90s country alternative music became my default. 80s hard rock was defined by its hedonism and it’s over the top sexuality. It was escapism music while I enjoyed some of it I never identified with it. I didn’t do hard drugs. I didn’t have sex with supermodels I didn’t ride around in limos on the Sunset strip. I like that Tommy Lee and Axl Rose did that, but it wasn’t me. And even though I was angsty and angry, I wasn’t Kurt Cobain either. What I was was a geek who liked music who had posters on my wall who played video games finally I found music that I did closely identify with rivers Brian, Matt and Pat looked like me. They look like people. I knew they talked like people I hung around with, they sang about things that made sense to me.
The blue album is full of big riffs, fun lyrics, catchy melodies everything that I really love about music. Undone was literally a night out, hanging out at parties talking to people having mundane conversations. Buddy Holly was a while trip with crazy lyrics and insane video, crushing guitars, soaring harmonies, and the crazy guitar interlude in the middle.
Gen Xers like myself raised on albums. We were trained to listen to albums as a singular piece of art from front to back CD or convenient. That was the way you typically listen to them. Singles were important, but not as much as they would be later after the digital revolution with Napster and eventually iTunes , and then TikTok. And that’s how I consumed this record and its entirety from front to back many many times. My name is Jonas with it. Open guitar and building chorus was the perfect opener. It drew you in and made you want to listen to the rest. No one else follows the opener with a blistering guitar sound. it was my favorite song in the album for a long time. It’s a song of longing and pining for love some thing that every nerdy high school kid could relate to. The world has turned and left me with that signature drum opening, crunchy guitar was slower and moodier than much of the album reflecting some of that angst that would come to defying our generation. And signature Weezer style this is followed up with Buddy Holly. The ultimate have fun party song.
Say it Ain’t So, in the back half of the album became a signature song for the band. Its slow meandering intro leading to a Creep like chorus was reminiscence of the soft, loud, soft loud structure that defined nirvana’s music.
Surf wax America and Holliday are fun melodic songs more in line with Buddy Holly and while not hits are just as good and memorable as the bigger songs from the record. in the garage and only in dreams are slower, heavier, more plotting songs like undone or the world has turned that help strike an interesting balance to a perfect record.
Even 30 years later, this record sounds exciting and vibrant. Well, in many ways it’s a record of its time. It does have one of those indefinable qualities that makes it timeless to me. This is a 10 out of 10 I can listen to it anytime in any mood and it will put a smile on my face , this has been with me and this band have been with me for the better part of my life my son my friends are fans and I found a community in Weezer fan club. Hapy 30th anniversary Blue album!
Health Update
Been a while since I wrote on here. I thought I would jump in and give an update on my health first I want to genuinely and sincerely thank everyone for all of their support since my accident and January. It's been overwhelming thank you.
This week I was discharged from in-home care and began outpatient physical therapy. When I begin in-home care, I can move my left arm 15° and that is increased to 30° my right arm improved from 50° to 75°. That's basically lifting my arms up and out to the side, my hands still hurt and are not very useful particularly my left hand. Fortunately, I don't have a lot of pain it's just limited use of my arms. I've switched to sketchers shoes which I can slide on and go and walk by myself and I'm trying to get about a mile in each day, I'm working out at home in addition to physical therapy and hope to have improvement. My goals are to be able to drive again to be able to type to get back to something that looks more like normal. Heck I'd even love to be able to put a shirt and socks on by myself. baby steps
We're still accepting help via our GoFundMe, you can also Venmo me or cash app me at Rich Richmond on both.
I'll try to keep more updates up on here and hope to be blogging more so stay tuned make sure to follow me on threads by Meta as that's where I am most active.
Oh, well whatever never mind. Reflecting on the deaths of Raymond Wesley Richmond and Kurt Cobain
Oh, well whatever never mind. Reflecting on the deaths of Raymond Wesley Richmond and Kurt Cobain
Early in the morning on April 5, 1990, my stepbrother walked into my room. He had grim news to deliver, but somehow I already knew. Before he said a word, I started sobbing. Then he informed me that my father had passed away the previous evening. I’m not sure how I knew, but that feeling, that specific emotion, that intense grief is seared into my memory. I remember it has clearly as I remember anything.
I was just 16 years old when I lost my dad. Raymond Wesley Richmond was a good man. While not my biological father, he was my dad, and I loved him fiercely. The evening before he died, I went out to hang out with some friends. We went to the mall, hung out at the record stores, grabbed some McDonald’s, and smoked some weed. Typical light suburban teenage debauchery. I returned home and headed to bed. As I went to my room, my dad was also headed upstairs to go to bed. He said to me, “Getting a little big for your britches?” I wasn’t entirely sure what he meant. “you left tonight without asking me or even saying goodbye.” “Oh,” I replied. “I told mom I was going”. He paused for a moment, holding his ever-present crossword puzzle in one hand over his bifocals, considering what I had said. I can see him standing there, clear as day. “Well, Good night,” he said. “Night, dad” I replied. Then we both paused for a moment. I stood there, suddenly, feeling incredibly guilty. We looked at each other again. “I love you, Richie.” my dad said. “ I love you too, Pop.” I replied. It was a surreal moment. We said these things to each other, thousands of times, but this was the last time and I swear to God it felt like we knew.
My father‘s death impacted me greatly and changed the trajectory of my life. He adopted me when I was 4 years old. My adopted mother Joanne died. When I was five for the next several years it was just me and my dad kind of against the world.
My dad worked in a factory as a journeyman pressman at US Playing Card. I was the definition of an 80s latchkey kid. My dad worked second shift much of my childhood which I was on my own but when he was present, he was intentionally present. We went to the movies. We had dinner out. We got donuts on Saturday morning. He did the best he could. He rarely showed his emotion, but I knew that he loved me. I only recall seeing him ever cry once, and that was after my grandmother died. He called to tell one of his brothers and broke down crying just for a few moments. I recall this moment vividly as well, because it was the only time I’d ever seen him cry.
I was rudderless after my father passed away. I didn’t have a particularly close relationship with my stepmother, and I was a dumb teenager. My friends became my family and I soaked my grief in chaos. I partied too much and studied too little. I was loud, brash and stupid. I moved out of my house on my 18th birthday and continued my chaotic, directionless lifestyle.
The way I grew up and the impact of my father‘s death primed me to be the typical angsty Gen X stereotype. A little over a year after my father died, I found a new father figure in a musician from Washington State.
In 1991 I was mostly into metal music. I had heard a song by Nirvana on 120 Minutes and decided to pick up their sophomore record. Nevermind. Legend has it that I picked the CD up at Camelot music in Eastgate before a Queensrÿche concert at the old Cincinnati Gardens. It drips with irony, doesn’t it? my friend Anthony and I listen to Nevermind in the parking lot before the concert. It changed everything for me. This music was unlike anything I had heard before or was into at the time. Nirvana changed my attitude. My fashion sensibility, my direction in life. Music became incredibly important to me. Importantly, it became an outlet for me to navigate my emotions, particularly the grief around my father’s death. Having an outlet to deal with my emotions allowed me to improve my mental stability and mental health. Sure , There were still plenty of issues for me to deal with but I have something that made me feel good.
It was never implicitly stated I knew that my father wanted a “better” life for me than what he had. For many parents of that era that just meant they didn’t want their kids to grow up and work in a factory. Not that working in a factory isn’t an important or valuable career. I just think my dad realized he didn’t want a life for me where I was working late nights and not spending time with a family if I decided to have one.
I worked my way through college, spending what little disposable income I had on the soundtrack for my 20s, a steady diet of alternatives, music, and compact discs I obtained, building an impressive CD library. Music was always on whether it was in the car, the apartment or in a host of concerts. I immersed myself in music. Nirvana was the gateway band to alternative music for me and we’re an omnipresent part of the soundtrack of my life. Nevermind is probably one of the records I’ve listened to more than any other second to Appetite for Destruction. Back and discovered bleach. I bought it in utero on the day of release and watched Unplugged in New York countless times.
I specifically remember coming home from college 30 years ago, turning on the television and hearing Kurt Louder deliver the news about Kurt Cobain’s death. I obviously didn’t know Kurt, but his music and words had had a significant impact on my life. I collapsed on the spot and started sobbing uncontrollably. Seems silly to have such an extreme reaction to the death of a celebrity I didn’t know it had only been in my of knowledge for a few years. Of course, looking back on it now. I know this reaction was a culmination of the grief I felt from my father‘s death four years earlier, My unresolved feelings about being abandoned by my biological parents, my reaction to the physical and mental abuse I had received by them before I was adopted, and probably every other sadness and anxiety I felt in my short life. Yes, I was sad that the voice of our generation was gone and seemingly by his own hand, but I know my intense reaction was my way of finally dealing with and releasing emotions that I had had for years. That emotional release made me look at life differently. I knew I wanted to finish school. I knew I wanted to have direction. I knew I wanted to stability. it would still take me several years to find that, but I finally had some resolution to the grief and anxiety that filled my life.
I still deal with a lot of emotion. I still have a lot of grief, but I have an awesome family now and I’ve had some tragedy this past year. I have ways of dealing with my emotions and coping mechanisms that work. One of those, of course, is still music. And the music of Kurt Cobain still resonates with me as strongly as it did 30 years ago it’s a shame that we lost Kurt, but it seems like the perfect end to his story. We still have his music and we still have his words and of course, I still have the memories the positive memories of my dad, the positive memories of finding Kurt music, and of course significant memories of the moments I found out we’ve lost them both. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 30 years since we lost Kurt and 34 since I lost my dad. I’ve lived many more years without them. I had them, but their impact on my life resonates still.
“Oh well. Whatever. Never mind.”
The Fall
On Monday January 22nd at around 1:30 in the afternoon I had an accident in my backyard. It had snowed the previous weekend leaving about four inches of snow on the frozen ground in Cincinnati Ohio. I was taking my dogs out to go potty when I slipped on the ground on the apex of a hill in our backyard. My body went vertical and I slammed on the ground on my back hard.
Initially everything went fuzzy for a second the sky above me and a branch o could see lost color and went out of focus. Then everything was fuzzy and I felt woozy. Then the scene above me flashed back into focus. I was conscious, could see but was lying flat on my back.
Suddenly I was aware that I could not feel anything below my neck and could not move. It was probably the most terrifying moment of my life. I did not have fall detection on my watch turned on. Technology fail. I immediately began screaming for help. “Please help me. I’ve fallen in my backyard and I am paralyzed. Please someone hear me and call 911.” I then would try and activate SIRI to call 911. It did not comply. So for four minutes I alternated between screaming for help and begging SIRI to activate.
Finally one of my neighbors happened to let her dog out and heard my screams. “Where are you? What happened?” I recognized the neighbor as Patty and began talking to her. “Patty it’s Rich. I’ve fallen and I’m paralyzed please call 911.” I still had my faculties and was able to communicate. Patty asked for my address and was calling EMT. Soon another neighbor, Michelle, was hopping fences and telling me she was coming to help. I warned her of the slippery conditions as she jumped out fence and made her way to me. She’s a nurse. How can she help. I told her I fell and couldn’t move. I think I’m paralyzed. She said she would help me and call 911. I said 911 has been called. She went in my house and got a blanket. Michelle retrieves my phone and calls Rebecca. I tell her I've fallen and cannot move. She's on her way.
After a few minutes I could feel my legs. I moved one. Then the other. “I can move my legs” I sobbed. Michelle said “thats great! Take it easy though.” I continued to use my legs but was aware I could not feel my torso area still. Soon I'm able to lift my shoulders but arms are useless. My fingers are jello. More terror. I keep moving my legs and lifti g my shoulders. I'm so cold. So scared.
Patty, Michelle and my mother in law Linda are now all at my side as we await EMT.
EMT arrived in about 9 minutes. They assess the situation. Where I'm at on the snowy hill is precarious. They make a plan to dig their heels into the snow and through the dirt to secure themselves to get me on a backboard and up the hill. Soon the plan. Is in motion. I'm on the board and up the hill. On the stretcher. In the ambulance.
On the way to the hospital i begin to feel my fingers and can start to move them. A moment of relief.
We arrive at the hospital and the trauma qteam is assembled. They begin assessing me. Rebecca arrives and sees i am moving. I hear the surprise and relief in her voice.
X-ray. CT Scan. MRI. STRESSFUL
Tests revealed an existing condition on my neck and spinal cord that would have required surgery anyway. The fall caused my spincal collumn to squeeze my spinal cord causing a bruise. So surgery. On Friday. Wish me luck.
I Ate The Kroger Cheeseburger Pizza So You Don’t Have To
The other day, I wandered past the Home Chef Cheeseburger Pizza at Kroger. I was intrigued but in a hurry. I thought about the pizza a few times after I first saw it. It wasn’t that I couldn’t get it out of my mind, but I did think about it from time to time.
I found myself at Kroger again and remembered the pie, so I stumbled over to the deli to see if they still had it. And had it, they did—one left. Now, we’ve had these styles of pies before. They’re not super great, but they were certainly acceptable facsimiles of pizza pie.
I had high hopes for this pie. Memories of the excellent BBQ Cheeseburger Pizza from Pizza Hut from the 90s came rushing back. The Home Chef Cheeseburger Pizza from Kroger has “beef patty crumbles, pickles, onion, and tomatoes with a cheesy ketchup and mustard sauce on a wood-fired style crust.” Now, there are some red flags I was willing to ignore here. “cheesy ketchup and mustard sauce” should have been the deal breaker, though. But at $5.99, I was willing to take the chance.
I prepared this pizza in accordance with the stated directions. I preheated the oven to 400 degrees and then baked it for 16 minutes in the pre-heated oven. I waited the recommended two minutes before slicing into six slices.
I noticed as my alarm went off to indicate the pizza had cooked the requisite 16 minutes that I didn’t really smell anything. No fresh baked pizza, no burger goodness. Nothing. Weird. As I opened the oven, I smelled the deliciousness of some oatmeal cookies my wife made yesterday and a faint pickle smell. The pizza looked fine for a $5.99 grocery store pie, I supposed.
I was disappointed at first bite. In fact, for a brief moment, I was terrified I might have COVID as I could not really taste anything. I tried a chip, carrot, and Coke Zero, and they all exploded with flavors that I would expect. Phew. Another bite, nothing. I had a few pickles on the next bite, and they had the briny, tangy flavor I’d expected. As I continued eating this pie, my disappointment grew. Occasionally, I’d get a burst of something that tasted like a cheeseburger. The thin “wood-fired” crust was actually fairly crispy and had a bit of that wood-fired flavor.
I added a little BBQ sauce to the slice to try to liven it up, but the disappointing flavors of the pizza were not greatly improved by this addition. I tried each component on its own. The burger crumbles were not bad. It's a little spicy, actually. Greasy and beefy. The onions were bland. The pickles were bright and tangy. The cheese was mild, with just a bit of a cheddar bite to it. The sauce was a mess. My brain kept trying to insert Big Mac sauce into my thoughts. But ultimately, it was more of a slightly spicy ketchup, if anything.
I don’t know exactly what I was expecting from a $6 Cheeseburger pizza from a grocery store. I guess I was hoping it would be a taste explosion. Something I could try a few times a year to get the best of both worlds in a super cheap lunch or dinner. The bottom line is this pizza was bland, uninspired, and not that great.
🍕out of five.
Mean Girls 2024 Review
Mean Girls (2024) is presented as “A New Twist From Tina Fey,” and that it is. Part remake of the 2004 classic, part movie version of the 2017 Broadway musical Mean Girls is a fun update on the classic teen comedy.
The original Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey and directed by Mark Waters, was an adaptation of the 2002 Rosalind Wiseman novel Queen Bees and Wannabes, making the entire franchise very meta.
I consider the original Mean Girls to be a teen classic—a masterclass of the genre. We made sure our daughter watched it before she began high school. I’ve not seen the musical yet, but I listened to the soundtrack before seeing the new movie. I have to say I’m pretty impressed.
Mean Girls does an interesting job of remaking the original movie, incorporating the music from the musical, and updating the story for modern times without losing much of the magic that made the original movie so good. It’s actually a lot to accomplish, but directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. do a great job of striking a good balance.
The new cast had big, pink high heels to fill here, and everyone does a great job of establishing themselves I the roles while paying homage to the original cast. Renee Rapp and Angourie Rice are particularly good in the lead roles of Regina and Cady, respectively. Unlike their predecessors, they are called upon to act, sing, and do a great job with both.
This movie is more of a remake of the original movie with the songs from the musical baked in instead of a direct movie version of the musical. I think the choice works very well, but fans of the musical may be disappointed by some of the choices to shorten or cut songs entirely from the movie. If you’re unfamiliar, the plot is that Cady Herron has grown up in Africa and is homeschooled by her mom. As Cady turns high school age, her mom accepts a job at a University in the United States, where Cady will attend school for the first time. She’s excited at the prospect but soon finds that high school is just as dangerous and unpredictable as the wilds of Africa.
She is quickly accepted by Janis and Damien, but is just as quickly ensnared in the clique known as The Plastics, ruled over by Regina George (Rapp). From here, Cady lives a double life, befriending and infiltrating the Plastics to enact revenge for the horrors they have enacted on the women of the junior class. Along the way Cady finds herself becoming more and more “plastic” while falling for Regina’s ex Arron Samuels (Christopher Briney) and suddenly failing math a subject she’s actually quite good at.
The structure of the movie follows the original very closely, with the big musical numbers expertly incorporated right into the story. The plot moves along at a brisk pace, with the story being propelled by both the narrative and musical numbers. Affordances are made here for the modern setting of the movie. Cell phones, social media, and updated slang are incorporated here while returning almost everything from the original. Fetch, October 3rd, and the Spring Fling are all here and accounted for. There are a few updated jokes, a couple of clever references to the original movie and one BIG cameo that sent our theater crowd into an uproar.
One important note is the spectacular performance of Auliʻi Cravalho as Janis 'Imi'ike. She definitely steals the show! Her voice is phenomenal, and while all of the songs are good and all of the performances are top-notch, hers is outstanding!
Mean Girls fans, I think your cherished classic is in good hands. As Gretchen would say, “It’s so fetch!”
Van Halen’s 1984 Turns 40
Van Halen’s seminal sixth album, 1984, turns 40 years old this year. For Gen X kids growing up with MTV, this is a sobering anniversary. You see, this album was a big deal. Van Halen were among the biggest American bands in the world in 1983 And we’re about to become even bigger. Formed in Pasadena in 1973, Van Halen emerged from the Southern California scene to become an indomitable force on FM radio and MTV.
1984 came after furious recording and touring between 1978 and 1982. Eddie Van Halen was established as a guitar god, one of, if not the best ever to pick up the instrument. His brother Alex was a force on the drums, and his rhythm section partner Michael Anthony was an angel on background harmonies. Then out front, David Lee Roth. The quintessential rock frontman. Van Halen entered cities like a tornado, leaving a path of destruction, breathless women, rowdy teenagers, and wide-eyed guitar fans in their wake.
1984 came at a tumultuous time in the band. Eddie Van Halen was starting to tire of DLR’s antics and was embracing an infatuation with synthesizers that changed the trajectory of the band forever. Wanting to have more autonomy over creating his music EVH built a studio, 5150, at his home and began working out of there. Here with engineer Donn Landee, the album began to take shape.
I became a fan of Van Halen at this time. I was familiar with them prior of course, but my age, with the availability of MTV at home, I was perfectly primed for this. I’d become a super fan during the Sammy Hagar years, but my foundational fandom was forged here. I used to wait for the foreshadowing filmstrip or cargo plane that proceeded the videos for Jump and Panama. I squealed with delight as the mini-movie video for Hot For Teacher came on. These were songs you’d scramble to hit record on your boombox to capture, or, in the case of Hot for Teacher, turn the volume knob as far to the right as you possibly could.
Van Halen seemed dangerous. Dave’s cryptic way of talking, always hidden behind sunglasses and that huge smile. Ed talked through his guitar and smoke rings, solidifying the image of danger. Hell, even the baby on the album cover was smoking. It was the 80’s and this was its soundtrack.
As an album, 1984 was both an evolution and a revolution of Van Halen’s sound. There were plenty of smoking hot guitar riffs, mind-bending solos, thunderous drums, soaring harmonies, and nonsense lyrics punctuated by DLR’s signature whoops, hollers, and screams, all of the things that came to define Van Halen’s signature sound. But there was something else here. Layers of synthesizers. Synthesizers were not necessarily new to the Van Halen sound, they appeared on songs on Fair Warning and Diver Down, but here they were out front, dominating the sound and charting the path forward for the band. The opening title track is all synths, an instrumental introduction to the ultimate keyboard anthem and Van Halen’s most recognizable tune, Jump. Anytime that keyboard intro hit, you knew you were in for a good time. The band doesn’t rely solely on EVH’s new obsession with the synth. Songs like Panama, the aforementioned Hot for Teacher, Drop Dead Legs, and Top Jimmy deliver the guitar-based goods, but it was Jump and the sort of ballad I’ll Wait, co-written by Michael Macdonald, that this album is best known for.
Ed’s approach and vision worked. 1984 would become a monster. The band’s second diamond-selling (10 million units) album and their self-titled debut. While the album certainly is a product of its time, having its name hitched to the year of its release certainly doesn’t hold it back from being a timeless classic.
As I grew up and started attending concerts regularly, Sammy Hagar replaced Dave and that became my Van Halen. That’s not to say I didnt and don’t love the DLR era, I do, I just was so much more familiar with Sam and saw that version of the band countless times on each of their tours together. I don’t take sides on the whole stupid fight between singers, I love all of Van Halen.
As my Sammy-era fandom grew, I also deep-dived on the six-pack. Ironically, 1984 became less and less important to me. In fact, for a long time I took it out of the rotation having tired of Jump and Panama and I’ll Wait. Honestly, I’d much prefer hearing Michael MacDonald talk a run at I’ll Wait instead of ever hearing the original again.
In more recent years, I’ve grown more fond of the record again, though my faves are songs like Drop Dead Legs, Girl Gone Bad and House of Pain. I was pretty done with Jump for a couple of decades and truth be told I never really liked I’ll wait.
I gave this album a relisten to, straight through on vinyl, and listened loudly. I have to admit it sounded pretty great. This is a fun album, it abadones the darkenss of Fair Warning and the absurdity of Diver Down for a pretty straightforward hard rock record. The songs are a little more pop-oriented, radio-friendly for 1984, of course, and sound pretty slick. I’ve come back around on Jump and I’ll Wait is fine. It’s not hard to see why this record connected with so many back then and continues to be a fan favorite today. Happy anniversary 1984!
Music From the Motion Picture Philadelphia
Music From the Motion Picture Philadelphia was released 30 years ago this week. Philadelphia is a legal drama released in 1993. The film was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. It stars Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, and Antonio Banderas. The movie was primarily filmed on location in Philadelphia and tells the compelling and tragic story of Attorney Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks), who hires fellow attorney Joe Miller (Denzil Washington) to sue his firm for discrimination and wrongful termination after they fired him after discovering he was gay and has AIDS.
Howard Shore scored the film, but the soundtrack includes a smattering of songs featured in the movie along with one piece of music from Shore’s score. Unlike other popular soundtracks of 90’s movies, this soundtrack includes more mature music from mostly established artists that best fit the tone and story of the movie. The soundtrack stretches back to the 80’s for most of its artists including Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Sade, and Peter Gabriel. But then it also includes 90’s artists Indigo Girls and …Spin Doctors? it’s a bizarre collection of songs, to be honest. Outside the outstanding dueling Philadelphia-titled songs from Springsteen and Young, it’s not super memorable either. The Spin Doctors, whom I enjoy, inexplicably cover Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Have You Ever Seen The Rain? which is a fine cover but out of place on this soundtrack.
Honestly, this was a fine background listen and reminded me I should probably re-watch this movie again sometime but other than Springsteen and Young, it’s not really my cup of tea. I can’t imagine pulling this off the rack too often in the future.
The standout is the Young track, which is used to tremendous effect at the end of the movie. Young’s haunting voice and melancholy arrangement are perfect for the scene and the song is strong enough to stand on its own as well.
Rating: 💿💿💿
Music From The Motion Picture Philadelphia CD
Music From The Motion Picture Philadelphia CD
The 1994 Project
1994 was a pivotal year for music, my favorite year for music full stop.
This year I plan to explore the music of 1994 as these songs and albums turn 30 fucking years old. ‘94 saw the end of the “glam” rock era, we were in the early stages of the “grunge” and alt-rock emergence, and hip hop was popping off. Movie soundtracks were still a HUGE thing and the mighty compact disc still reigned supreme. We were still years away from the Napster era, the iPod release and the current vinyl resurgence. It was a time to be immersed in music. You bought albums and listened to the whole damn thing. Sometimes you got burned by one or two great songs and a lot of filler. Used CDs were cheap, concert tickets were also. I saw Weezer a few times in a club for like $20. Radio was still relevant and MTV still played videos. What a time to be alive.
I’ll use this wiki page for my list and dates, but I will try verifying release dates and other information using various sources. I’ll try to write about, Thread, Insta, Tumbl, and maybe even talk (!) about these albums as close to their release dates as possible.
So, what are YOUR favorite albums from 1994? I cannot wait to hear them.
For my 90’s bona fides here is a photo of myself and Jason Mewes. Let’s rock.
Taylor Swift Pointed At Me
2023 was quite a year. Taylor Swift pointed at me. Oh, and I had quadruple bypass heart surgery. The two are, believe it or not, unrelated.
The year began as most years do; I planned to do a lot of things I’d never accomplish. Losing weight, exercising more, spending more quality time with family and friends, reading. Wesley moved to Florida to work for Disney, exponentially increasing my pride and anxiety. We had a lot of things to look forward to this year. We thought incorrectly that the pandemic was in our review mirror. We had a trip planned, tickets to see the aforementioned Dr. Swift, and several other things to look forward to.
On March 21, I had a cardiac catheterization to check out some pain in my chest and general fatigue I’d been experiencing. That day did not go as planned. We were scheduled to leave just a few days later to visit Wesley in Florida. A trip that never happened. Shortly after the procedure, my cardiologist entered my room and began tossing out numbers while drawing on a schematic of the human heart. He may as well have been speaking a foreign language and writing in Sanskrit. The bottom line was I had five blockages in my heart ranging from 60% blocked to a widow-making 95% blockage. I’d need heart surgery. And soon. He recommended not traveling and getting my pre-op work done in the next week and my surgery in a few weeks. Rebecca asked, “What if we just stay here?” My cardiologist said we could try that and see if someone could perform the surgery the next day. They could. So what began as a Tuesday before vacation turned into a life-changing and life-saving trip to the hospital.
The surgery went as good as it possibly could have. The surgeon took a vein from my leg and used it to bypass all the blockages in my heart. Apparently, before the surgery, while under anesthesia, I laid out and executed a perfect Seinfeld joke about not wanting a Junior Mint to fall into my chest cavity.
Wesley was able to fly home, so everyone was home to support me during this time. While I was scared, my wife and I took a one-step-at-a-time approach. This was happening; the other option was me dying eventually, so we just had to take each challenge as it came up and keep moving forward. I think I felt the most bad about the stress I put my family under. It must have been dreadful for them.
Recovery was difficult, but again, we approached each challenge as it came up and tried to succeed and move on to the next one. One thing that was very hard, was that several people I’d considered friends didn’t seem to concerned with my peril. Some of them didn’t even reach out to see how I was. And still haven’t. That was tough. But I persevered, physically and mentally. Day by day I got stronger. I was able to walk to the mailbox. Then to the end of the street. Then around the block. Then a mile…while I was in the hospital they asked me to set a recovery goal, some personal milestone to work toward, I said I wanted to see Taylor Swift with my daughter. We had tickets to several shows on the Eras tour and I was worried my new health situation would not allow me to go. Fortunately, my surgeon assured me I’d be able to go and we did! Our story even made the local news!
And then, Taylor Swift pointed at me.
I can’t say that 2023 was a great year. Much of it was pretty miserable, but thanks to the skill of my surgeon and my family’s support, I survived heart surgery and Taylor Swift pointed at me. I’ll take the wins where I can.
The Hyperbole Free Best Albums of 2023
1. boygenius the record
2. Taylor Swift 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
3. GUTS Olivia Rodrigo
4. Taylor Swift Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
5. Bethany Cosentino Natural Disaster
6. Reneé Rapp Snow Angel
7. Misterwives Nosebleeds
8. Gorillaz Cracker Island
9. Foo Fighters But Here We Are
10. Bully Lucky For You
11. Paramore This Is Why
12. Metallica 72 Seasons
13. The National First Two Pages of Frankenstein
14. The Rolling Stones Hackney Diamonds
15. Blondshell Blondshell
Bully Lucky For You Review
Lucky for You, Alicia Bognanno’s latest effort under the Bully banner is a spectacular record.
Everything about this record screams that Bully is ready for the big time. If this album were released in the mid 90’s it would be a big hit and break her into the mainstream of alternative rock. The album is polished, mature, and sophisticated while maintaining the crunchy guitars, catchy melodies, and signature screams she’s known for. It is definitely not a “sell-out” record, but it is a mature offering that shows Bully is ready for the big time.
I saw Bully finally the year opening for Pixies, and it was a perfect pairing. Bully’s crunchy guitars and occasional screams match well with the legendary act. Songs like A Wonderful Life and All This Noise match that alternative energy that drew so many people to this type of music in the 90s and why so many artists are rediscovering this sound.
Songs like All I do, the aforementioned A Wonderful Life and Lose You, the collaboration with Soccer Mommy, have the potential to be big radio hits. Change Your Mind is a bop with that satisfying slow, fast, slow fast energy that drives a lot of alternative rock. Crunchy guitar, driving bass and an engaging melody and lyrics make this a highlight of a great record.
Lucky for You packs a lot into just over 30 minutes. If you like guitar-driven alternative rock in the vein of Liz Phair, Veruca Salt, or even Hole, this is a great record for you.
The First Two Pages Of Frankenstein Review
I have to admit that despite being a Cincinnati native who has long supported the local music scene, I’ve never been too much into The National. It was guitarist Aaron Dessner’s collaboration with Taylor Swift on the albums Folklore and Evermore that made me pay attention. And I’m so glad I did. Though now I’m disappointed at not having become a fan sooner.
Once Upon a Poolside, featuring Sufjan Stevens pulls you right in. This is hipster lounge music. Matt Berninger’s silky smooth delivery is fantastic and the addition of Stevens is perfect.
On Eucalyptus, the band plays their indie credibility card calling out The Cowboy Junkies and fellow Cincinnati indie rock luminaries, The Afghan Whigs across a sprawling, echoey indie rock dreamscape.
Songs like New Order T-shirt and Ice Machines are the kind of melodic, dreamy indie pop you expect from The National. Grease in Your Hair and Tropic Morning News pick up the pace a bit with the Dessner brothers rocking out a bit. Matt Berninger’s voice is solid, smokey, and wistful throughout, the perfect indie rock front person.
For me, it’s the collabs that stand out here. My favorite female vocalist, Phoebe Fucking Bridgers appears on two songs adding her angelic, god-like voice to an already impressive presentation of indie rock perfection. And of course, the obligatory Taylor Swift cameo on The Alcott is outstanding. Aaron Dessner’s friendship and professional collaboration with Swift will no doubt continue to pay dividends for years to come.
The First Two Pages of Frankenstein is polished, mature indie rock. The National has probably even been around long enough for them be classified in the dreaded “dad rock” category. Regardless, of classification this is accessible pop, polished rock, full of catchy, melodic engaging songs.
Godzilla Minus One is a Plus a Million
The hype is real. While American audiences are still haunted by the specter of Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla 98, we’ve been gifted with a new take on the classic kaiju that we certainly don’t deserve. Godzilla Minus One is glorious. A Hollywood blockbuster better than anything Hollywood had given us in ages. A film that is deeply rooted in the classic monster movies that came before it but carefully crafted as a serious well well-made drama.
A period piece set in post-war 1940’s Japan, Godzilla Minus One looks fantastic. The color pallet, the set pieces, and the machines of war all look incredible. Unlike the more recent American Monsterverse movies with their heavy-handed CGI and unremarkable stories, Minus One is a monster movie that matters.
At its heart, Godzilla Minus One is a family story told among the horrors of World War II and well the post war emergence of the nuclear-powered monster known as Godzilla. Koichi, played by Ryunosuke Kamiki, is a dishonored and disgraced kamikaze pilot who chose to ditch his suicide mission and land on Odo Island. The mechanics on the island quickly discern his treason but allow him to stay, one mechanic is even sympathetic to his decision. Godzilla soon appears, his herald a group of deep see floating fish who appear on the surface before Godzilla. Godzilla wreaks havoc on the island, killing everyone, while Koichi freezes up when he had this chance to kill the monster.
Koichi suffering from crippling PTSD and mental anguish, returns home to find his parents dead and his home destroyed but standing. A neighbor recognizes his treason by the fact he’s alive and shuns him.
Soon, Koichi meets Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and the infant Akiko (Saki Nakatani). Noriko agreed to take Akiko from her dying mother, and soon the trio form an unlikely and uneasy family. While the relationship between Koichi and Noriko always remains platonic, there is clearly love there and this is a family you’re ready to root for.
Koichi lands work as a minesweeper off the coast of Japan, which soon puts him and his crew face to face with a now fully grown Godzilla. They are given instructions to slow Godzilla’s approach to Japan and succeed for a bit.
The glory of this film is that while it is definitely a monster movie, you care about these characters. You invested in the family and were concerned for the crew. Major Jaws vibes as they hunt and fight Big G for the first time.
Everyone here puts on a good performance. Whereas the original Godzilla was an allegory on the terrors of the nuclear age, Godzilla Minus One is a treatise on the modern family and the global mental health crisis. Kamiki’s performance is nuanced and brilliant. He expresses the anguish, grief, and emotion befitting his character’s experiences.
Eventually, Godzilla reaches Tokyo, and all hell breaks loose. This scene is no extended CGI nonsense. It’s short, terrifying, and tense. Director Takashi Yamazaki does an amazing job of presenting horror and tension while still showing us the shock and awe of a monster attacking and destroying the city. There’s a key moment here I won’t ruin but it’s shot expertly and the emotional pay off hits like a ton of bricks.
From here plans are made to go after and kill Godzilla. There’s lots of nerdy science talk as they prepare for battle and it’s just too fun. The final battle is thrilling the only negative at all to this movie is Godzilla looks a little stiff and fake during the scenes on land here. It’s not enough to distract from how fantastic the movie is otherwise.
Godzilla Minus One is a great movie. It’s well written, expertly directed, and the acting is top notch. The movie looks fantastic more like a classic movie from the 70’s and less like a bloated modern Hollywood mess. It’s engaging, emotional, and entertaining. Koichi’s hero arc is outstanding. This is a monster movie for everyone. Don’t miss out.
Hackney Diamonds Review
I’ve never been that big of a Rolling Stones fan. I like a lot of hits, of course, but I’ve never owned a record, seen them live, or done a deep dive of the group. When Steel Wheels came out in 1989, I remember really liking Mixed Emotions. When A Bigger Bang was released in 2005 I recall really enjoying Rough Justice. Those minor flirtations with really good songs didn’t really inspire me to go much further with the band. Now, 18 years since their last release, The Rolling Stones are back with Hackney Diamonds, a new collection of rock and roll tunes for the geriatric set. Or is it?
It’s not news that rock music-the sort of masculine-dominated “sex drugs and rock and roll” guitar-driven rock that dominated arenas in the 70’s , 80s and 90s- has been on a sharp decline. Of course, no one told the olds. This type of music still packs stadiums and arenas, flows freely from car stereos and even dominates much of the catalogue music sales charts. While the Stones are necessarily going to or even trying to appeal to a youthful audience, their upcoming tour is sponsored by AARP after all, they apparently WERE interested in making a great straight forward rock record. With an eye on keeping things modern, they retained the services of producer du jour Andrew Watt. Watt has parlayed an early career of working with pop stars like Justin Bieber into an impressive career working studio magic with everyone from the likes of Post Malone, Dua Lipa and Miley Cyrus to rock legends Ozzy Osbourne and Pearl Jam. Watt has an ear for guiding artists to make listenable music that connects with the intended audience and beyond. His success creates a bit of a buzz. That is certainly what piqued my interest.
A few music friends I respect began really heaping praise on Hackney Diamonds shortly after its release. Then, I heard someone say wow, The Rolling Stones made a Hanoi Rocks album. And I agree, they did! Let’s back up. Hanoi Rocks is a Finnish rock act from the 80’s best known for having their drummer get killed in a car accident with Motley' Crue’s Vince Neil. It’s a shame, because if you’re a fan of the better bands of the 80’s hard rock and metal scenes (think Guns N Roses), you’d probably really like Hanoi Rocks. The lack of stateside success and the untimely death of the aforementioned Razzel Dingley ensured Hanoi Rocks were more of a footnote than a global phenomenon. But their blues-based glam rock sound always reminded me of what a punk version of The Rolling Stones would probably sound like. With Hackney Diamonds, The Rolling Stones deliver on that promise.
I was eight songs into the record before I realized I was smiling like a goon and tapping my feet the entire time. The goofy lyrics on Live by the Sword finally took me out of my stupor, but even that song with its rollicking piano and gang vocals is pretty good. By the time Jagger growls “Gone gone GONE!” before the guitar solo, I was back on board. Hackney Diamonds is the kind of straight forward rock record that shines with moments of brilliance while chugging along solidly the entire time.
Opener, Angry, has the kind of instantly recognizable one-two punch of Stones guitar riff/Jagger vocals that instantly grabs you and reminds you why guitar-based rock was so popular and dominant for so long. The chorus is catchy, the music is fun and the video with Sidney Sweeny driving through LA in her best black rock attire is a throwback.
Get Close continues the standard formula, simple guitar riff, Jagger swagger, catch chorus, guitar solo, rinse repeat. Jagger growls with confidence and sounds better than ever. As the music pulses and rises around him he leads this rock and roll circus with a swagger of a man three quarters his age.
The band slows things down with Depending on You, a meandering Whose Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses type ballad befitting of middle career stones before kicking thing back into gear for the next few songs. Bite My Head Off and Whole Wide World are rockers and remind me most of Hanoi Rocks. Catchy melodic choruses are built on top of a sturdy combination of punk-influenced blues-based rock foundations. You can SEE Jagger snarling “they want to break your walls in those slimy walls”. Featuring a killer guitar solo and a slow post solo breakdown, this is an absolute bop.
It’s understandable to be wary of Sweet Sounds of Heaven, the 7 minute epic featuring Lady Gaga. But don’t be. Sure, it’s long. Sure, it’s bloated, but in the best November Rain way possible. Jagger and Gaga go after each other, hitting crazy notes as the song builds to a ridiculous crescendo before going off the rails in a buzzsaw of screams, oh oh ohs, yeah yeah yeahs, and some other nonsense. It’s way too much but it’s incredibly fucking fun.
Finally, if the lo-fi cover of Muddy Waters tacked on the end of this album isn’t intended to be a fare the well to the Stone’s recorded catalog, I don’t know what is. Often, these blues covers feel unnecessary, a throwaway add-on but this feels intentional.
Hackney Diamonds is not an album we need. It’s not an album we expect. And it certainly is not something that you’d expect to be as good as it is. Rock music like this is not often in regular rotation on my turntable or phone but this long play has definitely earned a post there. And a mention as one of the best albums of the year.
Blondshell Review
Blondshell, the self-titled debut long play from L.A.-based indie rock artist Sabrina Mae Teitelbaum, better known as Blondshell, continues the tradition of the 90’s rock renaissance spearheaded by artists like Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy and perfected by artists like Pom Pom Squad and beabadoobee.
Blondshell’s music includes the kind of loud quiet loud bombast exemplified by bands like Nirvana in the early 90’s with a modern sophistication and pop sheen that makes each song a potential earworm. Pop culture-aware opening song Veronica Mars weaves in and out of the lot quiet loud model and rolls right into Kiss City, which punctuates that formula with softer moments accompanied by piano contrasted with moments of shouting and searing guitar solos. It’s complex indie rock. Emotional, raw, and engaging.
Lead single Olympus is a meandering, quiet, acoustic guitar-based number that could easily be mistaken for a Nirvana, Radiohead, or Noel Gallagher song, depending on where you drop in.
Many of these songs have an echoey, dramatic sound. Blondshell does an excellent job building the drama in each of these songs. Her voice is engaging whether she’s whisper quiet or shouting at the top of her lungs, it’s powerful, unique and steady. Explosive guitars, loud drums, ringing keyboards and even the occasional epic guitar solo make this album pretty accessible to a broad range of rock fans.
This album reminds me a lot of Pom Pom Squad’s 2021 release Death of a Cheerleader. Great, melodic indie rock with pop sensibilities and something to say. Thematically, Blondshell tackles issues of rage, toxicity, heartbreak, relationships, queerness, religion and so much more.
Blondshell is a terrific release. If you like music like Liz Phair, Nirvana, Pixies, or Belly this is for you. ****
I Had Breakfast at Skyline Chili, and I Have Thoughts
Breakfast is a critical component of diner culture to which, Cincinnati’s own Skyline Chili shares some DNA. While not a diner, of course, Skyline Chili is a chili parlor. The regional institution shares some similarities with diner culture; it’s very popular, has regulars, and the food is served on china. But unlike a typical diner, Skyline does one thing, and one thing well, in this case Cincinnati style chili. So it may seem bizarre to have breakfast at Skyline, it’s honestly not that great of a leap. Many independent parlors have breakfast and even serve burritos that incorporate Skyler Cincinnati style, chili, goetta, or other staples of the standard Cincinnati diet And there are vague memories that certain Skylines used to serve breakfast. But now Skyline Chili is bringing its wares to the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky airport, and to accommodate travelers that are traveling at all times of the day they’re going to offer breakfast exclusively at this location. To celebrate this announcement, Skyline chili served their new breakfast items at Fountain Square today for anyone to try. As a long time as a native Cincinnati and a longtime fan of Cincinnati style chili, I couldn’t resist and if the line at 8 AM when they began serving breakfast, was any indication, other Cincinnatians felt the same way.
Now Cincinnati chili may be considered something of an acquired taste. Though most Cincinnatians acquired that taste as part of their birth right. When talking to area transplants, many of them turn their nose up at our popular local cuisine, although you will find some fans and converts. But again, for most not all, but most native Cincinnati and Skyline chili is part of our heritage. We’ve been eating it since we were children, and it’s now part of our bloodstream, in my case probably 1 to 2%. I should note that my favorite Cincinnati style chili comes from a mom and pop shop in Western Hills. J&J on Glenway has always been my favorite Cincinnati style chili and always will be. But I digress let’s get back to the topic hand, which is breakfast at skyline chili.
There are four items on the breakfast menu at Skyline. Of course, a breakfast burrito, a breakfast Chito, breakfast tots, and the breakfast Coney. I imagine the breakfast coney is probably the item that most people are interested in it. It’s clearly most representative of what most people eat at Skyline chili which is the cheese coney, a hotdog served on a warm bun with chili and cheese. You can add onions and crackers but that’s the basics here for breakfast. The miniature hotdog is replaced with a breakfast sausage, onions are replaced with eggs. This is the item I tried, because I figured it was going to be the most representative item and the one that would also be most like something that you would eat regularly at Skyline. As you could see the single picture I took before trying, it looks like a coney with its mountain of signature cheddar cheese, which every person recognizes is as at the same time way too much and somehow just right. The cheese is piled high on top of breakfast sausage, egg, and chili all on that signature warm bun.
So how does it taste? Well, it’s Skyline chili for sure. The egg adds an interesting texture to the meal. The sausage is a little savory not too spicy and basically mostly covered up by the taste of the signature chili anyway, it’s an interesting item and one that I think native Cincinnati would probably not mind eating for breakfast as they travel out to their destination from the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky airport. I mean why not? What are your other options? Bruegger’s Bagels? McDonald’s? Jack-in-the-Box? Big Kahuna burger? I’m a Cincinnati native I’m gonna go for Skyline. Most Cincinnati residents palates are so tuned to Cincinnati chili that for us it’s just another item like eating a salad, a burger or a regular breakfast. Since chili is just part of what we eat and part of what we love. I love that Skyline is doing this. It makes sense to try it on a trial basis at the airport. It’ll be interesting to see how they react to the lines for the launch and reviews like this one as they possibly consider rolling this out to further locations. But for now if you missed the launch at Fountain Square the only way to get breakfast is skyline chili is at the location at the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky airport again. The items that are available are a breakfast Coney breakfast Burritobreakfast Chito and breakfast tots you can find more details at skylinechili.com.
