Top 3 Albums To Hear Before You Die

            While there are many amazing albums out there, there are a particular 3 that stick out in my mind that a recommend for everyone to listen to before they die. In no particular order they are:

1. Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd

            A brilliant yet sad composition, this genre defining album is one of the greatest selling albums of all time as well as one of the most popular for good reason. Chock full of strange sounds and beautiful music, Dark Side of the Moon is an album that explores the themes of insanity and darkness, and flows perfectly from the opening track till the end. It is impossible to pick a favorite song on this album, as they blend together so well the album seems like a single song. This is the first album I recommend to anyone curious about Pink Floyd, and what I consider one of the best albums of all time.

2. Abbey Road – The Beatles

           

            This was a hard one to choose. I have been a devoted fan of The White Album my entire life, but Abbey Road is has taken over the spot. The interesting thing about this album is the first half consists of single song compositions from the various members of the band, followed by a song medley that makes up the second half of the album. The single compositions make up for some of the best and most well known Beatles songs, such as Something and Come Together. However, the final half of the albums song medley is a seamlessly flowing song that shows off The Beatles in their finest hours before their unfortunate break-up following the albums release.

3. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd

            After Dark Side of the Moon, it was going to be hard to make a worthy follow up album. However, Pink Floyd rose to the occasion with this follow up album. A tribute to former band member Syd Barrett, Wish You Were Here is made up of the “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” suite broken up into two tracks, and three individual songs in between the two. This is my undisputed favorite album of all time, and was the high point in my opinion of Pink Floyd’s career. The songs are beautiful and haunting and are absolutely perfect all the way through. The songs can also be listened to over and over and never lose replay value. 

Roger Waters: The Wall

             The show must go on. And it has done exactly that. The Wall has not been toured since 1980, and now 30 years later it has been resurrected for a tour. Led by former Pink Floyd leader Roger Waters, but without the help of remaining live members Nick Mason and David Gilmour, Waters puts on a show that not only made me remember why The Wall is one of the greatest albums of all time, but also can have a powerful message even 30 years after its release.

            Pink Floyd is my favorite band of all time aside from The Beatles. Every Pink Floyd album has something special (with the exception of A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell). The Wall, which is also one of the best selling albums of all time, is also certainly some of their most ambitious and well written music. The albums concept was about a musician who isolates himself and builds a metaphorical wall around himself. The original tour for this album was a spectacle in itself. It featured a giant white wall that is slowly built up during the playing of the album till the band is no longer visible. At the end of the show during the last song, “Outside The Wall”, the wall comes down. At this new performance, everything was recreated brilliantly. The only thing that is noticeably different was the anti-war and anti-government message the new show had to offer.

            The moment the band broke out into “In The Flesh?”, the first song from the album, I immediately began to smell marijuana floating through the air. That was when I knew I was going to really enjoy this show.

            I firstly must say that Roger Waters still sounds amazing. The man, despite being close to 70, still sounds just as he did during the days of Pink Floyd. Every song is faithfully reproduced to sound almost exactly like the album. The only noticeable difference was the absence of David Gilmour’s vocals during “Comfortably Numb”. Instead he was replaced by a person with a voice that sounded similar to Water’s voice, only nowhere near as good.

            Aside from this, everything sounded perfect. I felt like I was listening to the album in my car. Waters was very receptive to the audience, and the effects and theatrics of the show were just brilliant.

            While this may end up being Roger Waters’ last tour, I can certainly say if it is he has gone out with a bang. Here’s to hoping we see some sort of Pink Floyd reunion in the coming years.

Freaks Of The Civil War (Who You Probably Didn't Know Of)

            Some of the most popular names of the Civil War are forever ingrained in our minds. Most people with enough common knowledge can tell you who Robert E. Lee was, as well as Ulysses S. Grant. Another name commonly associated with the Civil War is Abraham Lincoln.

If you don’t know who Lee and Grant are, then you certainly know who Abraham Lincoln was. He was the president responsible for freeing the slaves. He also was tall enough to be a professional wrestler. Hell, the man even is related to Tom Hanks.

Unfortunately, Lincoln met his demise at the hands of failed actor, John Wilkes Booth. Booth put a bullet through Lincoln’s brain and escaped the theater only to flee to a book depository and be cornered 10 days later in a barn, where he was gunned down. This is usually where most people’s historical knowledge ends. If I said the name Boston Corbett would you have a clue as to who I’m talking about?

It’s safe to assume that he has some relevance to this story. He does. Boston Corbett was the man responsible for bringing John Wilkes Booths' life to an end in that barn. So why does he never end up in history books, even as a passing mention? Certainly the man who killed the person who assassinated the president deserves a mention; I mean everyone knows who Jack Ruby is. The most probable reason is because Corbett is bat-shit crazy.

An emigrant from England, Boston Corbett was a hatter prior to enlisting in the Union army. This is important for reasons I will come back to later. Corbett’s first wife died during childbirth, which prompted Corbetts downward spiral. At this point he moved to Boston, changed his birth name from Thomas to "Boston", and converted to Catholicism. This is where things get strange.

The first indication, and certainly not the most horrific, that something was clearly wrong was following his conversion to Catholicism, Corbett began wearing his hair long in an attempt to imitate Jesus. However this must have proven too sane an act for Corbett.

In the following years, to avoid the temptations of prostitute, Corbett made one of the most rational decisions since Heinz made colored ketchup; he castrated himself…with a pair of scissors. Yes you read that properly. And in an attempt to clearly show he still had balls, Corbett proceeded to eat a meal and go to a church service before having the smart idea to seek medical help.

Now You Know Why He Leans

It doesn’t end though. Following the death of John Wilkes Booth, Corbett decided to move to a cozy new home. So he did what any other emigrant American would do with newfound fame and fortune. He dug himself a hole in the ground in a prarie in Kansas and lived in it. It is now the location of his memorial.

Home Sweet Home

Due to his celebrity status as Booth’s killer, Corbett eventually was appointed the assistant doorkeeper of the Kansas House Of Representatives. However, one day when he overheard a coversation mocking the opening legislative prayer, Corbett brandished a gun at the mockers and began making threats. Having commited a similar act a few years earlier, Corbett was thrown into an insane asylum; however he escaped a year later.

This brings me back to an earlier statement. I mentioned earlier Corbett worked as a hatter prior to the Civil War. This makes it very likely he was a victim of mercury poisoning, as mercury was used for the lining of hats during the time. Anyway, Corbett is presumed to have died in the Great Hinckley Fire of 1894, but it’s never been proven. It’s a shame he has managed to elude our history books because frankly this is more interesting and entertaining than some of the stuff that happened in the Civil War.  Hopefully you can take this useless information with you.

The Best New Show On TV

            The undead have FINALLY invaded television. After week two, The Walking Dead is shaping up to be one of the most entertaining and exhilarating shows on television.

            The Walking Dead premiered last weekend on AMC. Based on the comic of the same name, The Walking Dead tells the story of a post-zombie apocalypse. While the premise sounds like just about every other zombie movie…well it is. But this is not necessarily a bad thing.

            First keep in mind that this is a show, on television, about zombies. Now think for a moment what zombies usually do. You could imagine it’s going to be pretty graphic. This is one of the first things I want to give the show kudos for. The Walking Dead is the most graphic show I have ever seen on television. There are few cutaways from gore in this show and the blood is not used sparingly.

            Now think about something else. Usually a zombie movie is filled with one-dimensional characters that we frankly could give a shit less about. The Walking Dead steps up to the plate to show that even zombie apocalypse survivors can be interesting and, excuse the pun, human.

            The third and final piece to this delightfully graphic show is it’s handling of tension. The show managed to capture me in within the first few minutes, and the second episode managed to do the same. The only time it really deviates from this is during character development, but it is paced well enough that it flows properly.

            There is only one more thing that could make the show even better and it managed to nab that too. The show is executive produced by Frank Darabont. He’s the guy who is responsible for the amazing films The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Darabont is also responsible for writing and directing the first episode, as well as writing some of the later episodes. His quality shows through on his work here.

            So after two weeks down, it’s safe to say that you should all meander over to your televisions and 10:00 p.m. on Sunday nights to watch The Walking Dead. This show will absolutely blow your mind.

Saw 3D Finishes On Point

           After six mind twisting films, Saw has finally taken its curtain call with the confusingly numbered Saw 3D. This film is actually the seventh and apparently final film in the series that has spawned over numerous media and considered one of the most successful horror franchises in history. While a few of the sequels were rather lackluster, the fifth and sixth film were pretty decent. So does the series finale make for a great ending for a historical movie series? The answer is…yeah I guess.

            The series low point for me is Saw 4. It was just a very weak film with weak traps. I love watching these movies to see how gory they can get and how far they are willing to go. Saw 5 and Saw 6 pushed that barrier. Saw 7 manages to answer a lot of questions, but it seems rushed and almost contrived.

            See, the Saw series was supposed to end with not a Saw 7, but a Saw 8. However after box office profits dropped from Saw 5 and Saw 6, Lionsgate decided to just make one more movie instead of two. This is where the big problem lies with this film. You can tell that it was meant to be two movies instead of one, and therefore seems all over the place, and barely seems coherent at times.

            The movie picks up where Saw left off with Dr. Gordon having just amputated his own foot with a hacksaw. After escaping the bathroom, which is the last time fans saw him, Dr. Gordon comes across and hot pop and cauterizes his wound. The movie then cuts directly to the end of Saw 6, with Jigsaw accomplice Agent Hoffman left with a gaping wound on his cheek as a result of a reverse beartrap. Jigsaws widow, Jill, escapes and what ensues is a game of cat and mouse as Hoffman tries to capture and kill Jill. Meanwhile, Jigsaw survivor Bobby Dagen, who has started group therapy sessions for other survivors, is captured and thrust into the next “game.”

            I won’t lie; this movie ties up the series quite nicely. The only problem is that it was just done too quickly which left a whole new series of questions. However, the movie remains quite gory, with a particularly awesome trap involving a car that sets off a dangerous domino effect. The acting is about as good as you’d expect, but definitely believable.

            Overall, if you are a diehard fan of the series like I am, you will enjoy. If you have not been a fan or stopped following the Saw movies after Saw 2 or Saw 3, then this movie is not for you. But if you want a good thriller that has good pacing, definitely check out the final entry in this iconic series.

My Opinion: 7.5/10

Whats The Point Of Early Voting?

            Well the time is here again, our bi-yearly citizen rights…voting. Almost feels like Armageddon. There has been more bullshit in this year’s election than I have ever seen. Every television commercial against candidates has just been total slander campaigns. Politicians are literally digging dirt out of their opponents asses. There have been more lies than a Bill Clinton scandal; but it’s seriously making that incident timid with the left field cheap shots politicians have been taking. Yet there is something I have noticed that is a completely pointless in the voting process: early voting.

            I have been able to vote since 2004, but at that time I did not care about politics as much as I do now. At the time it was a case of just not being informed but that has since changed. Yet tomorrow I will not be voting. I am registered for the state of Nevada and did not bother to fill out an absentee ballot. Sharon Angle vs. Harry Reid…if you don’t know about it, inform yourself.

            But since my first voting election, and every election I’ve voted in since, I have had the opportunity for early voting. The first year I voted, 2004 (Bush vs. Kerry), I thought that this would be a good idea. Get to the polls early and beat the rush on the actual voting day. Much to my disdain, when I arrived the line was longer than then a busy day at Splash Mountain. Wasn’t the point of this to avoid this problem?

FML

            I started walking towards the line before two words ran through my mind. “Fuck it” Needless to say, I went back voting day and there wasn’t even a line. I was happy with my victory but annoyed I still had to drive to the same place twice. Clearly something went wrong with the whole “early voting” process.

            So why do we fall victim to thinking that we are actually going to beat the line? It is that rationale of thinking that gets us into that problem in the first place. Even without voting this year I have been told by people that went to vote early that they just drove off after witnessing the long lines. So without making this information spread like wildfire, take my advice and avoid early voting. Let the people who want to vote early diminish the voting day lines for us.

            We could just alleviate this problem by having a voting booths open couple of days. Instead we try to condense the process into a short time span over two spaced out non-mutual days. I have heard more people complain about long lines than ever before, especially on early voting days when one would not expect a long line. But apparently there are still some people that stick it out. But isn’t it about time we make this process less stressful and time consuming for people. After that maybe we can get some GOOD candidates to fill those ballots out too. I’m just asking.

Quick, What Do Nikki Sixx And I Have In Common?

            This Sunday morning was spent like any other Sunday morning, relaxing with VH-1 on the television. It’s a Sunday activity I have done week after week with my roommate because, well, we have no life. During a replay of an old episode of Behind The Music, Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx was recalling a heroin overdose that occurred in 1987. What piqued my interest in this was his vivid description of an out-of-body-experience (OBE) that happened to him while he was legally pronounced dead for two minutes. Sixx recalled the experience as “floating above his body in the ambulance watching the paramedics work on him, to suddenly being pulled right back into his body.” This incident is of interest to me because it has happened to me too.

            I did some quick research to find there are a few different kinds of OBE. There are one’s that happen during or near sleep. There are those that happen as a result of a near death experience. There are also one’s that can be induced. My OBE, as you may have guessed, was similar to Nikki Sixx’s reason. The only difference was mine wasn't brought on by a heroin overdose.

            During one of the hottest days of the years, my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Sanford decided to extend our recess to a two-hour window from its original one-hour time frame. Normally this wouldn’t bother me, except that we were forbidden from going back into the room to get water, and Mrs. Sanford forced us to play outside in the sun without any shade. Following our extended session playtime in hell, we all went back inside to continue with the day’s lesson.

            As I sat at my desk I began to feel very dazed and light headed. I then began to see black spots. It was pretty surreal as I was only six years old at the time, so I had no damn clue what was happening to me aside from obvious dehydration. The last thing I remember was my head dropping between my arms before I blacked out. What happened next I will never forget.

            The memory still remains as vivid as it did when it happened. I remember coming to in the corner of the classroom. The lights were out in the room and there were no students. I looked around the room for a few seconds before I suddenly saw myself lying on the floor. Four paramedics, who had a gurney next to them, surrounded my body. As I saw them working to put my body on the gurney, I remember wondering what was going on and why I was able to see what I was seeing. I remember feeling scared for a few seconds, but then I was calm. I watched as the paramedics wheeled me out of the room. Then there was silence. I remained in the dark room for another few seconds before I suddenly came to in the ambulance with a horrible smell of oxygen being pumped in my nose.

            I’ve read countless articles and heard numerous testimonies of similar experiences happening to other people. While there is no definitive proof as to what exactly this phenomenon is, I think it opens the possibilities for discussion of spiritual existence. If this happens as frequently as it does, then it has to have some credibility as an idea. The idea being that we all have a spiritual energy that exists beyond us. Any thoughts if this has happened to you?