Music, Thought and Opinion

Adrenaline Mob Rules

August 14th, 2011. I’ve written it down because it’s not often you are privy to the beginning of music history.

You see, I wasn’t even a twinkle in my father’s eye when The Beatles were an up and coming act. And I was just a child and never got to see when guitar greats Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van-Halen and Randy Rhoads began and all took it up a notch.

Alas, I was starting to feel that being part of the beginning of something special just wasn’t in the cards for me. Last night though, I finally got that chance when I saw the very first Adrenaline Mob performance in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Adrenaline Mob is the new project from some of the most talented musicians around. Featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Avenged Sevenfold), lead vocalist Russell Allen (Symphony-X), guitarists Mike Orlando (Sonic Stomp) and Rich Ward (Stuck Mojo/Fozzy) and bassist Paul DiLeo (Nena).

Having never seen an arsenal of musicians of this caliber come together before I didn’t quite know what to expect. But as the band took the stage to the familiar sounds from The Godfather movie and tore into Psychosane, the first song from its debut self-titled EP, any doubt I had as to whether or not they could pull it off was gone.

It truly was a headbangers paradise as the band wooed the audience with songs like Hit The Wall, Believe Me and the Black Sabbath/Dio classic (and very appropriate) Mob Rules.

Mixing in a few songs from their soon to be released full length album, Russell Allen told the audience “This next one’s our ballad” and I found myself wondering if this would be just another gratuitous throw away song. I was pleasantly surprised to find that their “ballad’ was actually on par with all of the other songs and Mr. Allen’s vocals were both smooth and powerful.

I felt like part of a brotherhood listening to Paul DiLeo’s killer bass grooves and sonic euphoria while shaking his head along with the rest of us.

I’ve never seen Mike Orlando perform before and as a guitarist myself I stood there in awe as I watched him shred. He is one of the most phenomenal players around and makes it look so easy. Afterwards I asked him how long he had been playing and he told me “About a week”.  Very down to Earth guy. What I should have asked him was if he was available next week to give me lessons.

Rich Ward played to the crowd showcasing his amazing talent and at one point allowing members of  the audience to play his guitar while he held it over them.  I wished I was down front so I could have also been a member of The Mob for just one night.

As for Mr. Portnoy, well what can be said that hasn’t already? The man is a genius, one of the greatest drummers ever and also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Just a year out of leaving the mega band Dream Theater, Mike is back with a vengeance.

After a thrilling 75 minute performance, the band exited the stage once again to The Godfather theme along with intentional feedback from Mr. Ward’s guitar.  Indeed, there was no better way to end the beginning.

If you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the Adrenaline Mob EP and seeing this band on their current tour so one day, like me, you’ll be able to say: “I was there when it all began”.

Article first published as Adrenaline Mob Rules on Technorati

Life, Thought and Opinion

The Things We Take For Granted

It was a rainy Sunday morning at the Wood Estate. I had just poured a cup of coffee and made the excursion out to pick up the Sunday newspaper which was sitting in a soaked plastic bag at the bottom of my driveway.

I know that in this digital age of technology I could have just popped open my laptop and browsed the news websites but the feeling of physically holding a newspaper and reading the headlines is one of the things I’ve just grown accustomed to.

While perusing the usual headlines of economic decline and political bickering I came across the movie listings. Something I typically just browse right over unless by chance I’ve already made plans to see a movie and needed to know the showtimes. This was not one of those days.

And yet I found myself stopping in mid page turn and going back to the listings to see what was playing at the two drive-in movie theaters we have in the area. 

As most people know, drive ins are on the endangered species list and I thought about making plans to take the family before summer ends. I always enjoyed the experience of going to a drive in movie growing up. I even worked at one as my first job out of high school.

All the while a voice in the back of my head was telling me that it’s already the middle of August and soon school will be starting and work will start getting busier again. The plan of my car covered in popcorn and soda might end up falling by the wayside but I justified it by thinking “Ah, the drive-in will always be there”.

But would it? All it takes is one bad year and the headline “Drive In To Close” could greet me in a future Sunday newspaper.

There are so many things we take for granted in the course of life. Little things, big things. Some that seem meaningless at the time. I found myself thinking about such things.

Real Things:

Our family: Grandparents, parents, aunt and uncles, brothers and sisters. We always think they’ll just “be around” until the day they no longer are.

Our children: Even though they grow up so quickly we always seem to take for granted the days that they’ll be the little toddler, the ten-year old playing softball or the bratty teenager. It never really hits us hard until they’re receiving their diploma and leaving the nest for new horizons. I wager I’m going to feel a huge emptiness on that day.

Simple Things:

The smell of honey suckle: I wrote about this in a previous post about motorcycle riding when I first reunited with a fragrance that signified the innocence of my childhood and running through fields.

How long until huge housing developments tear up the fields and make it obsolete?

Obscure Things:

The sun and the moon: These little spheres have been doing their thing in the sky forever. Without them, we’d be living in a block of ice and there’d be no high and low tides. But have you ever noticed the moon up there in the night sky and thought to yourself that people like Jesus, George Washington and Beethoven all walked under it the same way we do now? Probably not. But maybe you will tomorrow or the next day because it’ll still be there.

These are all things we don’t pay much attention to due to all the hustle and bustle of our lives. And why? Because we’ve taken for granted the fact that they’ll always be there. Always there for that one day when we actually want to call them, smell them, admire them.

As I closed the newspaper I thought more about making a family excursion to the drive-in. We can’t go tonight, it’s going to be raining. Maybe next weekend if the weather is better.

There I go again.

Childhood Memories, Music

The Weekly Top 20 – Thirty Years Later

sony-cassetteIt’s funny how some dates just stick out in your mind. I’m not talking about the usual ones like birthdays, anniversaries, graduation dates and the like. I’m talking about ridiculous days that you never seem to forget.

For example: July 21st, 1979 is a day that sticks in my head. It was the day my father came home with this big black electric box and said “Hey family, there’s this new thing called HBO. Check it out! All we have to do is hook up this contraption to our television, turn it to channel 3 and then twist the dial on it. We’ll get to see all of these new movies they never show on TV”.

Why that particular day sticks out in my head is still a mystery to me but I’d really like to focus this blog entry on another ridiculous date two years later: August 10th, 1981. I recall that it was a beautiful sunny day just a few weeks before I started 7th grade.

The summer of 1981 was one for the books. Days were spent in our swimming pool with my cousin and having picnics. Nights were spent by the fire and chasing lightning bugs through the backyards in bare feet.

Music was also a big part of that summer. Casey Kasem’s Weekly Top 40 always filled the airwaves almost every weekend (although as a child, every day in the summer is like the weekend).

The song “Celebration” by Kool and The Gang had just come out and I remember many a night listening to its soulful lyric “We’re gonna have a good time tonight. Let’s celebrate. It’s alright!”…pumping from our little AM/FM radio that sat on the picnic table on our patio. Some nights, we’d sneak into the house and watch Smokey and the Bandit on HBO. Jackie Gleason’s “That some-bitch!” line always cracked me up.

The summer of 1981 was also the summer I got my first tape recorder. You know, one of those Panasonic job-ees. The ones with the big red button to alert you that you were actually “recording”. Ones where children with nimble fingers could press the record and play buttons with just their thumb. For something thirty years ago this was high-tech and I used to spend countless hours that summer recording anything and everything. Usually it would wind up being me interviewing myself using different voices.

On this particular day though, after listening to another “Long Distance Dedication” portion of Casey’s radio show, I had an epiphany. Why couldn’t me and my cousin do our OWN show? We could tape record it and mix in the songs we heard on the radio! That little idea turned into the one thing I remember most about that day: The Weekly Top 20.

We found out quickly that in order to stay relevant we had to record hit songs on the radio that were current. So we spent a few hours doing the prep work of recording songs off the radio (in retrospect, we were probably one of the first kids guilty of piracy). The idea of actually getting 20 songs to play in full quickly became unrealistic. Mostly because my attention span for doing this wasn’t going to last and soon the swimming pool would be calling me. So I had to get the show on the road. I think in the end we were able to get three or four songs recorded in pre-production. (I loved using technical terms as a young boy)

My cousin and I spent most of that afternoon recording The Weekly Top 20.  In between songs we did little interviews with each other and talked about the music. Our number one song the week of August 10th, 1981 was “The One That You Love” by Air Supply (one that actually was the #1 song just two weeks before). We also had Foreigner’s “Dirty White Boy”, Kool and the Gangs “Celebration” and Styx’s “Come Sail Away” as part of our line up.

The moment we wrapped, I remember writing the title of our show and the date, August 10th, 1981 on the cassette tape and then making a bee line straight to the patio where my Mom and Dad were to let them listen to the finished product. I couldn’t wait to see the look on their faces as they listened to The Weekly Top 20. Seeing them smile and get a chuckle out of what we accomplished was the greatest feeling an eleven year old could have.

It sure was an exciting day. My cousin and I talked about what we would do for next week’s show and how we would spend our money once the show went into syndication. The possibilities were endless. And to celebrate our success, we went swimming.

So here I am thirty years later sitting at my computer and thinking about that day again. Technology sure has come a long way since I pressed record and play simultaneously and HBO is bigger then ever.

I sometimes wonder how we would do that show now with all the new fangled equipment available. I suppose it would be much better but in the end I wouldn’t change a thing.

But the best part of all is when ever I hear that Kool and The Gang song on the radio now or at a wedding. I get to recall all the innocence of childhood from one of the best summers ever.

Movies and TV, Music, NY Ink, Thought and Opinion

Get Me On NY Ink

I am a man on a mission and I need your help. I want to be a reality TV star. Let me first give you some background as to why:

A few weeks ago I posted an article on Technorati (and this blog as well) about my affinity for the TLC reality show NY Ink, a show dealing with the drama of opening a tattoo studio in the SOHO district of New York City. A tattoo virgin myself, I loved not only the drama and beautiful artwork but also the real stories people told on why they got their particular tattoo.

Much to my surprise the article was Tweeted and linked to by Ami James himself, the star of the show, and owner of the Wooster Street Social Club where the show is filmed.

A few days ago, NY Ink was picked up for a second season and Mr. James again graciously Tweeted the link to my article but this time also included it as an entry on his own personal blog:

Having been inspired not only from the attention to my article but also from the show itself, I decided to make it my mission to try to get cast on the show for season two.

In addition to the article (with over 500 Facebook “likes” and almost as many Re-Tweets), I’ve also had the opportunity to make contact with several of the show’s stars via Twitter.

One caveat of getting on the show is that you will have to pay for your tattoo as a regular client. There are no “perks” for being there other than being on television and getting to tell your story. You pay as any normal customer would.

I’m told that the cost may run as high as five times the price of a tattoo at a typical studio but I am willing to pay the price.

So, without any further adieu, here are the reasons why I believe I’m the ideal candidate to be cast next season:

#1. I’m a tattoo virgin whose had mostly negative opinions about tattoos until I watched this show.

#2. I do have a good story to tell about my rock & roll days and dreams coming true.

#3. I am a huge fan of Megan Massacre’s artwork. And she’s from Pennsylvania too so that should count for bonus points.

#4. I have my own group on Facebook with the sole purpose of getting me on NY Ink.

#5. Megan Massacre (The Artist) knows I exist:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#6. Jessica Gahring (The Shop Manager) likes my taste in poetry and quotes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#7. Robear (The Floor Manager) has “Favorited” one of my Tweets:

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, so those last three aren’t really reasons but they’re still pretty darn cool none-the-less.

Let’s be honest here folks. I don’t have the pipes to be the next American Idol. And there’s no way I’d survive a day in the African Safari outback on Survivor (especially without bacon and Count Chocula). But getting my first tattoo and becoming a bad ass on national TV?.  Now that’s right up my alley and is SO rock and roll. Will it hurt? That I don’t know but I’m willing to risk it.

So what can you do? It’s easy. Join me on my quest for reality show immortality and help spread the word by signing up for the Facebook group “Get James Wood on New York Ink Next Season”

Who knows? Someday soon you just might see me getting needled by Megan Massacre! ~ And if so, I promise not to cry.

Music, Thought and Opinion

30 Years of Hi Infidelity

Thirty years ago at this summer a young twelve-year-old blogger (me) was busily wearing out the vinyl of one of his favorite albums: Hi Infidelity, the break-through album by REO Speedwagon, a band who had achieved moderate levels of success during the 1970’s with songs like “Time For Me To Fly” and “Roll With The Changes”.

The release of Hi Infidelity catapulted the band from a local mid western act into a world-wide arena rock sensation selling an estimated 10 million copies and spending fifteen weeks at #1 on the Billboard album charts. Powered by the songs “Take it On The Run”, “Don’t Let Him Go” and the song that started the power ballad craze, “Keep on Loving You”, which became the band’s first #1 song.

REO Speedwagon has gone through a few line-up changes over it’s 44 year history (yes they’ve been rockin’ since the 1960’s)  but still holds founding member Neal Doughty (keyboards/Hammond Organ) in it’s arsenal along with long time members Kevin Cronin (vocals, guitar), Bruce Hall (bass guitar) and the “babies” of the group: Dave Amato (21 years as lead guitarist) and Bryan Hitt (20 years on drums). Gone are the original members who contributed to the Hi Infidelity album: guitarist Gary Richrath (left in 1989) and drummer Alan Gratzer (retired).

Not surprisingly, the band is celebrating the 30th anniversary of this monumental event with the digitally remastered release of Hi Infidelity: The 30th Anniversary Edition.

What sets this 2 CD release apart from most other milestone reissues is what’s also included on disc two:  The Crystal Demos –  previously unreleased demo versions of nine songs from the album. Here, listeners actually get the opportunity to hear the “raw” sound of what was to become the biggest selling album of 1981. In addition, the CD package also contains liner notes from Kevin Cronin and long time guitarist Gary Richrath.

Hi-Infidelity’s accolades include:

* The highest-selling rock LP of 1981

* Has sold more than 10 million copies in the US

* On February 21, 1981; the album reached #1 on the Billboard album chart and remained at #1 for 15 straight weeks; over-taking  John Lennon’s “Double Fantasy” album. Not many bands can claim their record dethroned a Beatle.

* Remained on the Billboard 200 album chart for 101 weeks, unprecedented for an American rock band at the time

* The single “Keep on Loving You,” certified  #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 21, 1981

* “Take it On The Run” and “Keep on Loving You” were one of the first videos that aired on MTV (#9 and #17 respectively)

REO Speedwagon is currently out on the road in support of their “new” record.  As an bonus, in addition to all of the other hits they are known for, the band has also included at least six songs from the Hi Infidelity album into their set list.  It’s the perfect opportunity for fans to hear most of this milestone record performed live.

There are plenty of reasons 80’s rock fans should revisit REO Speedwagon’s magnum opus. What’s even better: wearing out the polycarbonate plastic on this 30th Anniversary Edition is much harder to do than it was on the original vinyl. Be sure to check it out.

 

Article first published as 30 Years of Hi Infidelity on Technorati.

Childhood Memories, Summer, Thought and Opinion

Forty Something

I was sitting outside alone on my patio enjoying another beautiful Saturday morning in late July drinking my coffee. My wife, daughter and two crazy dogs still soundly sleeping on the second floor. It wouldn’t be long now before they were all up and the day would “officially” begin.

The freshly cut grass was still damp from the last night’s thunderstorms but its smell still reminded me of summer. I heard the familiar call of the locusts making their presence known. The sound of which announcing that August was but a few days away.

Before too long, the season of leaves changing colors and colder temperatures will be upon me again but that only made me appreciate this day even more.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and inhaled life. All the while thinking, “I’m forty something years old and it’s great to be alive.” I tend to think that from time to time. More often now that I’m older. There’s a sort of oneness I have with God, Nature, whatever you want to call it, when I have this quiet time.

I’ve been doing a lot of social network stuff lately. Whether it’s posting funny status updates on Facebook, announcing my affinity for television shows and sports on Twitter or reading critical comments on my music articles (c’mon dude – you’re nit picking a typo – sheesh!).

I’ve also been doing a lot of catching up with old high school classmates. Something I really enjoy doing. In fact, I’ll be attending another semi-reunion in a few weeks at Musikfest where I’ll reunite with some people I haven’t seen in years. Who knows, we might even do some walking through the park and reminiscing.

Just the other day I friended a girl–well, now “woman”, who was in my homeroom for most of my time in school.  I haven’t seen her since graduation but the two of us had coincidentally shared the exact same birthday. I remember always making mention of that “bond” with her every year as our big day approached.

Now, almost 25 of those birthdays have passed and I had not even thought about that birthday bond until I saw her picture. I love being reminded of things like that.

When ever I reconnect with someone from the past it’s surreal. I know we are all now forty-somethings and have all experienced adult life. We’ve gone to college, gotten married, had children, bought a home. Everything expected of us as members of society. The thing is, when I see these wonderful people none of that matters to me. I still see us as we “were” not as we “are” (having a career, paying bills, taking vacations).

I realize that we all have lives now and some of our children are even at the age we were when I last saw them but I like to remember the innocence we had. Not some forty-something with a bunch of adult responsibility, but a time when the future and possibility was wide open.

Well, my coffee cup is empty and the dogs are at the door wanting to join me on the patio. Looks like the day is ready to officially begin.

Books, Childhood Memories, Movies and TV, Thought and Opinion

Spider-Man

I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I was fourteen years old and my parents had just paid for my first subscription to The Amazing Spider-Man comic book. Having grown tired of my whining for sixty cents every month and my pestering of the local drug store for the latest issue they gave in to my demands and sent in a check for $7.20.  I could hardly wait for the first issue of my favorite super-hero to arrive in my mailbox.

I was a Spider-Man from way back you see. As far as I could remember. Well, I’m guessing that my ability to recall things started at age five so at the time probably about nine years if you want to really get technical about it.

Regardless, if there was anything Spider-Man related, I wanted in on it. I loved the idea of  how a guy everyone considered a dork (like me) could become this superhero with all the abilities of a spider. The red and blue tights concealing his identity only added to my excitement.

Want to know how much I love Spider-Man? Here are just some of the highlights:

  • I remember literally running home from school to watch the old Spidey cartoons from the 1960’s. Although I must admit, I thought the people who created it must have been high on mushrooms or something because some of the crazy psychedelic scenes were a bit over the top.
  • My brother and I shared a room growing up and he used to wake me up in the middle of the night. He’d say I was dreaming that I was  Spider-Man and literally trying to climb the walls. I still haven’t forgiven him for rousing me. I mean, bro, I was Spider-Man!!!
  • My neighbor friend and I actually made our own Spider-Man movies with an 8mm camera complete with costumes.
  • I was laughed to scorn when the live action Spider-Man series was on television in the mid 1970’s. You definitely take your lumps when you’re a Spidey fan.

Back to my original point: I was so excited to be getting my first Spidey subscription that I eagerly checked the mail every day. Days turned into weeks but I knew my heart my boy Spidey would never let me down. He’d arrive, just in time, like the theme song from his cartoon said. Sure enough, one day I opened the mailbox and there was a comic book completely surrounded by a brown paper bag style wrapper. Spidey was HERE in all of his red and blue glory!!

I hastily tore open the paper in anticipation of what lay inside, being extra careful not to tear any pages. I could just picture Spidey beating the crap out of Dr. Octopus or The Green Goblin. Maybe the cover would have a picture of Spidey’s girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson, dangling from a building along with some villain laughing menacingly as Spidey was just out of reach of grabbing her. I could hardly wait.

Anticipation and excitement vanished immediately and my jaw dropped when I saw the cover of issue #252 looked like this:

What the? Who is this? Someone must have screwed up at the comic book department. My parents checked the wrong title when they ordered. NEW Spiderman? What effing’ rumors are you talking about? I never got that memo. Apparently though, some alien costume had replaced the red and blue tights my homey always wore and I was NOT a happy camper.

With a quick look insider this comic I determined there was no red and blue costume at all. This was NOT my Spider-Man so out of frustration this issue quickly went into the garbage. On a side note: today that issue, which cost sixty cents back in 1984, is now worth $400.

Looking back though, I still have good memories of my days with Spider-Man and we still see each other when ever a new movie comes out (the next one being next summer).

Sadly, my dreams of being Spidey and climbing the walls don’t seem to be happening any more (thanks Bro). I do, however; still have my comic book collection tucked away with a lot of good back issues (one of them NOT being issue #252 thank you very much). I’ve even transferred the 8mm movies onto DVD so I can enjoy all of the adventures again. I’ll be selling them for $9.99 an episode for anyone interested.

It sadly took four years of this dark costumed imposter posing as my boy until the red and blue suit returned but the damage had been done. I had spent the better part of my teen years suffering in silence as my favorite hero played dress up. But it all worked out. I’m just glad my Spidey came back!

Spidey and Me
Thought and Opinion

Bin Laden Might Declare Victory Posthumously

When I got word that US special forces had invaded a small town in Pakistan and killed 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden I had mixed emotions. Certainly I was glad that the man who spear-headed the deaths of 3000+ Americans on a Tuesday morning in September 2001 had gotten what he deserved, albeit almost ten years later.  Looking at the state of our economic situation the last few years, however; I’m concerned our declaring full victory may be a bit pre-mature.

Early next week, unless our elected officials can come to some last-minute agreement to raise the debt ceiling, the United States will be unable to pay its bills for the first time in our history. This embarrassment will send shock waves through out the world as interest rates rise and much-needed programs are no longer funded. This is not the time nor place for the people we elected and sent to Washington to be unable to come together and reach the very basic of decisions for the good of the nation.

One solution that was thrown out to alleviate the impasse was to create some sort of “Super-Congress” composed of equal members of republicans and democrats that would spear head legislation of this type through.

Do you mean to tell me that in the 236 years this country has been around we now suddenly need to create a separate committee to deal with the most basic of needs? Has it really come to this? These people, and I mean ALL of Congress, need to stop worrying about the 2012 election and get this thing resolved and pronto.

This whole thing sort of reminds me of the recently ended NFL lockout. All of last season it was on the minds of everyone. Broadcasters and sports pundits all claiming that there may be no football next year when the owners “lock” the players out once the season is over.  Sure enough, as predicted, there was an lockout with both sides blaming each other.

It’s puzzling to me why the people making the decisions almost always wait until disaster before doing the right thing.  Everyone knew football was going to be affected but no one did anything about it until after it was too late. And, in true football form, Congress has been flirting with this issue for months and only until recently decided to take the ball and try to run with it. Quite frankly, I think our economy is more important than pig skin.

Back to my original point on Osama Bin Laden and pre mature victory. It’s good to keep in mind that the terrorist mastermind’s game plan from the beginning was not to keep bombing populated buildings and mass transit lines until we as a society surrendered.  No, his real intention was to have us fight the threat using all resources possible until we were bankrupt.

Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq for ten years, the heightened alerts and extra scrutiny at our air and sea ports, the greed of Wall Street investors, the bail out of the auto industry, our involvement in the Egypt and Libyan crisis are just some of the things that have put all the pieces in order.

Today our country is faced with defaulting on its obligations. Sounds exactly like a long-range plan the creep from the cave would have relished had he lived to see now doesn’t it? So let’s do the right thing and make sure his cronies don’t declare victory on his behalf.

Article first published as Bin Laden Might Declare Victory Posthumously on Technorati.

Movies and TV, Thought and Opinion

Super Hero Saturation At The Box Office

It was no surprise when Captain America: The First Avenger reaped 65 million dollars in its opening weekend at the box office and knocking the final Harry Potter film out of the top spot. The viewing public definitely has a soft spot for movies of  men and women running around in long underwear. People like me are more than happy to open our wallets and pay to see the battle between good versus evil. Some people, not me, will even shell out the few extra dollars to see it in 3D. I decline this option because most of the time there’s no real reason for the film to be in this format and quite honestly, no one can tell the difference anyway (aside from making you wear silly glasses).

During my pilgrimage to the theater I noticed several middle-aged men wearing old school Captain America t-shirts. I even bore witness to man bringing his two young sons into the movie who were both dressed in full Captain America garb (minus the shield of course). It’s nice to see that a hero that has literally been around for more than seventy years still stands the test of time.

Unfortunately, I think we have been a bit over-saturated with super-hero movies during this summer season. 2011 has produced no less than four films with stories of well-known super-heroes. In addition to Captain America we’ve seen Thor, Green Lantern and X-Men: First Class. Each of these films were able to scratch the itch of comic book lovers everywhere.

My fear though is that this plethora of heroes on-screen will eventually result in films being made with bad story lines and might also lead to the extinction of the genre in future movies. Ironically, the case for over saturation will inevitably be made next May when The Avengers is released.

The Avengers are a team of super-heroes who band together to fight evil. If you’ve been following story lines in recent Marvel Studios films over the past few years ( Iron-Man, Thor, Captain America) and forced yourself to stay seated through all of the ending credits, you were thrown a bone with a snippet from the new film.

Try as I might I am having a difficult time believing that The Avengers will be a good film. Consider that the following heroes, many of whom had their own feature length films, are all set to appear: Iron-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow.

Next add in the always unpredictable Samuel L. Jackson as Colonel Nick Fury, the man who assembles the team. Finally, put in the super villain and Thor’s arch nemesis, Loki and his intentions on destroying the world.  Sure sounds like a great story line for a few months of comic books doesn’t it? The problem is, this isn’t a comic book that can be spread out over six or seven issues.

How will they be able to utilize all of these heroes and give them adequate screen time? Is it even possible to bring all of these people together, tell the reason they need to save the world and then have them fight to save it? More importantly, can the film makers do all of this in under two and a half hours with a great story line? Unless they are doing a trilogy of films similar to Lord of the Rings, my initial guess is that we’re all going to be in for a disappointment.

I do hope they save the day next May and prove me wrong.  My continuing super-hero affection depends upon it.

Article first published as Super Hero Saturation At The Box Office on Technorati.

Music, Thought and Opinion

The Tragic And Unnecessary Death Of Amy Winehouse

Incredible vocalist and five time Grammy award winner Amy Winehouse, aged 27, was found dead in her home on July 23rd, the result of an apparent drug overdose

When I first heard Back to Black I could not believe that beautiful sound was coming from such a young woman. She had a voice that only seasoned female jazz musicians held, and it was natural. How prohetic it was that one of her biggest singles, “Rehab”, dealt with drug abuse and how she refused to go get help.

Sadly, it was that same alcohol and drug abuse that ultimately silenced her beautiful voice. Just a few weeks ago she had to cancel her entire European concert tour because she appeared completely wasted at her performances and couldn’t even remember lyrics to her own songs.

I have to admit, when I heard the news of her death I also found one other thing to be a bit ironic as well. Having died at the age of 27 I realized that the media and music conspiracy theorists will now surely place her in the same unfortunate “immortal” category as Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix. All of whom eerily died well before their time at the exact same age.

The ones she will join in the “27 Club” were also all victims of the cruel effects of alcohol and drugs and have left an empty void of what might have been. We can now only imagine the incredible music we missed out on over the last forty years.

Consider the other members of the 27 club who died prematurely:

Janis Joplin – Heroin Overdose

Jimi Hendrix – Sleeping Pills, Wine, Asphyxiated on his own vomit

Kurt Cobain –  Suicide. History of depression and drug abuse

Jim Morrison – Official cause of death unknown but believed to be drug overdose.

All of the these talented musicians suffered silently, in their private lives for the most part, until it was too late. The tragic part of the Amy Winehouse saga was that the public bore witness to her struggle on a daily basis through magazine and Internet gossip sites.

One question will continue to bother me about this unnecessary waste of life. When will we as a society stop waiting for the inevitable to happen before we do something?

Instead of Amy Winehouse now being the subject of a documentary about musicians who died tragically at age 27, and how she, along with Hendrix and Morrison are all jammin’ up on cloud nine (where we’ll never hear them), couldn’t someone, anyone have gotten her the help she needed?

Article first published as The Tragic And Unnecessary Death of Amy Winehouse on Technorati