Thursday: Jon Hole's Pit

   As another Thursday approaches, I find myself sitting around listening to a mix of music. On my laptop, as I review music, I’m jamming the new Stray From The Path - Rising Sun…which is amazing by the way…and whatever noise is being blared here at one of my jobs. Currently it’s Kiss...well, now it’s Faith No More. It’s an interesting mix to say the least, which brings me to the 'meat & potatoes' of this week’s rant. Oddly enough it’s about music! Imagine that. 

   I was at work this Sunday (another odd occurrence in my life) and a song came on that every drunken girl in the bar started signing in unison. Annoying to say the least, but they were feeling it, and I kind of enjoyed it. I love the power of music. A song can make you remember good times and bad times, loved ones past and present. It can hype you up and it can bring you down. Music, simply put, is life. I hate to admit it but even these shitty pre-fabricated garbage bands that people all swear are good accomplish this same feat. What I can’t stand ,though, are these people that drive around while texting and skyping, listening to the radio singing whatever song is on heavy rotation and honestly have no clue who they are listening to. I don't expect everyone to be as into music as I am, but taking the time to learn who these performers are just makes sense. You end up with a connection to them. Inevitably you find they have better songs than what modern radio force feeds you (I promise). The ignorance with music has long been an issue that's bothered me. Maybe it's something one has to be born with…I have no idea. It just annoys the shit out of me. Maybe it's just me. I'm sure I’m not the only one though. I find it invigorating to stumble across a band that is just amazing. Anyway, my point is this: don't just sit around and let life move around you. I don't expect you to be deep into the music scene like a lot of us are. I do, however, expect you to learn a little about who and what you are listening to. There are way too many excellent bands out there for someone to sleep on them.
    Having said all that, you know what bands I find disgusting? It's not only due to the generic anger and other emotions they have, but it's the fact that they have managed to blind so many people. I list these bands because they usually come up in conversation when people ask what kind of heavy music I listen to. Five Finger Death Punch is just God awful. Not only are their original songs weak and devoid of any real substance, the lead singer writes terrible lyrics. Not to mention they're a direct rip off of another shit band, Godsmack…I’ll get to them in a second though. F5DP also completely destroyed a Pantera song, A New Level…just horrid. They need to be locked in a deep hole and never released for this atrocity. Godsmack…an Alice In Chains rip off, is terrible and more than generic, enough said. I’ll slam one more then I’m done. Disturbed…who in God's creation told these mavens of gay biker metal they were bad ass?!!? PLEASE tell me! Besides being generic, they are pompous and arrogant. They act like they have been around for years and years and actually influenced someone worth a damn! I remember seeing them on OzzFest 2001. They played main stage with a slew of other crap bands, but went on before the mighty Slipknot. The extra large crowd was barely moving and in his gay ass voice, David, Disturbed's lead gay biker vocalist, barked at the crowd, "If you aren't moving to this music, you're disrespecting the godfathers of metal". He was referring to Black Sabbath who were headlining. I laughed uncontrollably. Now, when Slipknot came out and decimated the stage and crowd, Corey had the crowd get down during 'Spit It Out' and when he told them to "JUMP THE FUCK UP!"… guess what? EVERYBODY did just that. They deserved that respect for writing good music the way they wanted to and it was pure.
    On the flip side, these bands are musicians and doing what it is they love. Whatever. But my opinion remains the same. Go fuck yourself.