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Hammersmith Odeon, London '75 by Bruce Springsteen
Hammersmith Odeon, London '75 by Bruce Springsteen
2006 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This isn’t exactly a studio release. It’s a live release from the very first two shows that Bruce did in England, recorded on November 18, 1975 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. In attendance was Joe Strummer, Pete Townshend, and Peter Gabriel, to name a few. At this single concert, Joe decided he’d play a Fender Telecaster from then on, Peter Gabriel decided he’d leave Genesis and go solo, and Pete Townshend made a request for “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City"" (to which you can clearly hear Bruce say, “This is for Pete” in his thick-as-mud Jersey Shore accent). All of this at one show. All because Bruce and the band were on absolute fire on this night. It’s the single best concert I’ve ever heard in my life. So when someone says to me, “Bruce? The guy with the flag and his butt on the cover of that record from the '80?” I reply, “Yes. That Bruce, and this punk rocker too.” Start here."

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Precious Blood (The Blessed, #1)
Precious Blood (The Blessed, #1)
Tonya Hurley | 2013 | Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
Not for everyone, but I enjoyed it
What I liked about this book is it was able to draw you in slowly to the plot and it unfolds gradually by introducing you to the main characters and their backgrounds. You can’t help but keep reading to see what will happen next. Your curiosity is piqued and it’s worth reading through. There is a chapter here and there that lets you think ‘Gee what the heck am I reading here’ but it makes up for it wholeheartedly towards the ending of the book.

The plot and the pace is slow but steady. You’re taken through each girl’s perspective and when they finally come together, if you can bypass the pettiness and mean girl attitude (some parts were quite fun to read, the comebacks are something to be filed away for future use should need arise) they actually do make a solid team. Each girl has their own story and their own pain to deal with. Of the three, I’d taken a liking to Cecilia. She’s a tough one and although all three have gone through a substantial amount of pain, Cecilia seems to be the most likable and the most independent (plus she’s a Rocker girl. Who doesn’t think Rocker Girls are cool?)

As the story unfolds, it gets chaotic towards the last third of the novel. Pretty good action - brutal at times so might not be for the faint of heart, and of course it leaves room for more things to come (two books follow after this one). Understandably this book might not be for everyone. Gratuitous swearing, references to Catholicism which may be offensive to some, some serious what the F chapters that make you wonder what kind of shrooms they’re on, and references to rape are mentioned in the book.

So while it may not be for everyone, I was surprised that I enjoyed reading this one so much. Although it took awhile for the book to gain momentum and this thing with Sebastian being a somewhat Charles Manson wannabe without the murders is a bit tedious, it was actually pretty good. However it comes across as a book that either you’ll really like, or you’ll really hate. So, when in doubt, just take it out of the library and save your money for other things.
  
Chasing Rabbits (The Underground #1)
Chasing Rabbits (The Underground #1)
Erin Bedford | 2020 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
88 of 200
Kindle
Chasing Rabbits ( underground book 1)
By Erin Bedford

 
Alice was wrong. Wonderland wasn't so wonderful after all.

Kat never expected to be back in her hometown, but when house sitting turns into a mad rabbit chase, Kat finds herself with a whole new set of problems.

A two-headed bird with a Game of Thrones obsession, a party full of tea addicts, and a Cheshire Cat who could seduce the pants off her grandma? And if the citizens weren't bad enough, their prince was off his rocker.

This wasn't your run of the mill Wonderland. This was the fae world, where rules are rules, and some things are exactly as they seem.


I found myself a few times during this book stopping and asking myself wtf am I reading. It got a little confusing in parts to. I have changed my stars from 2 to 3 and back a few times as I just can’t make my mind up! I feel like I’ve smoked something funny after reading it lol. I think it’s intrigued me enough to continue on to book 2!
  
TO
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Another fun Pepper Martin mystery that's as good as the first and better than the second in the series. Again, the ghost is the best character, this time a 60s rocker who possibly died of an overdose forty years ago. I couldn't help but think he was a Jim Morrison prototype, especially with some of the lyrics.

Pepper was thankfully brighter in this book and figured things out at a good pace. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to figure out whodunnit early on in this series, for lack of suspects, but I liked how the author had Pepper go about it anyway.

I could do without the constant who-wears-what, how Pepper's hair or nails are done, everything she wears at every given moment, and most of all, I get annoyed at her overactive libido every time a hot guy - dead or alive - comes into contact with her. Get it together girl! What's your problem. Luckily, it looks as if she might (finally) get her act together for the fourth book. Hopefully it is not Quinn, because he is a boring, cut-out character that adds nothing to this series. However, I still look forward to the next book and hope it continues to get better.
  
Child's Play 2 (1990)
Child's Play 2 (1990)
1990 | Horror
10
7.4 (14 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The final fight in the toy factory is one of the best in slasher history. (4 more)
Chucky is even better the second time around
The kills continue to be inventive
The film successfully keeps the dark tone from the first
The film finds a perfect balance of darkness and humor
Close your eyes and count to seven. When you wake you'll be in heaven.
Child's Play 2 is the perfect horror sequel. The film takes everything that made the first one great and ups the ante without going too far. More violence, more gore, more comedy, and more Chucky. Yes, part 2 saw Chucky starting to find his footing as a king of zing with the one liners before he kills you, but it wasn't until Bride of Chucky that I felt they took it too far. It's great to have Alex Vincent back as Andy and Christine Elise steps into the series as Kyle, Andy's foster sibling with a rocker chick edge. The kills are great and the suspense is still there. The film is not quite as dark as the original, but the tone is still on point. The climax in the toy factory is one of the best, at least in slasher history. Definitely a must watch in the Child's Play series.
  
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols by The Sex Pistols
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols by The Sex Pistols
1977 | Punk
8.9 (15 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Of all the people who were a direct influence on Oasis, the line goes back to the Sex Pistols, whether that’s Joy Division/New Order, The Smiths, The Stone Roses or Factory Records, and if they hadn’t played those two gigs in Manchester who knows what would have happened? And on that album you’ve got Lydon or Johnny Rotten with that voice going on about the Royal Family and boredom and the rest while you’ve got Steve Jones just hammering it out like a pub rocker or like someone who’s into Slade or The Small Faces rather than punk rock, and between those two things you’ve got it. Every time I listen to it I think that if it came out tomorrow it would fit right in, it wouldn’t feel dated. Way back at the start of Oasis we did a radio session for Mark Radcliffe and during ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ Liam out of nowhere sang ‘Sunshi-i-ine’, you know, with about ten extra syllables and when it went out on the radio I remember thinking, ‘Fuck me, that sounds great.’ And when we came to record I was like, ‘Sing it like you did on Radcliffe again, like Lydon.’ It was his idea, I just pushed him toward it."

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Thundercat recommended Purple by Stone Temple Pilots in Music (curated)

 
Purple by Stone Temple Pilots
Purple by Stone Temple Pilots
1994 | Rock
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"So this is pre-teen me; I became a bit of a rocker. This is when I got into Marvel really heavy, and still playing in jazz band and other stuff. I remember my favourite movie at the time was The Crow, and when I was younger the littlest thing would snag me, like if I heard some type of melody or harmony or something that would immediately get stuck in my head and I would have to know where it came from or what it was. Stone Temple Pilots, for me, it started with The Crow. I remember hearing Scott Weiland singing the melody of 'Big Empty' and I was like, 'What? Who wrote this? Who the hell wrote this song?' I was literally like, I had to find this album. I would listen to albums with repetition a lot of the time, and this is right in the middle of like the grunge era. All kinds of stuff going on, and clearly Stone Temple Pilots, when they came up, were making waves outside of that. Ultimately, because Purple had my favourite song from my favourite movie on it, it essentially became one of my favourite albums when I was a child. To this day I still listen to it."

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A Star Is Born (2018)
A Star Is Born (2018)
2018 | Drama, Romance
The story that's been resurrected more times than Dracula is back again, this time with Bradley Cooper as troubled country-rocker Jackson Maine, and Lady Gaga as the aspiring singer-songwriter who starts off as his protege/girlfriend but whose talent threatens to eclipse his. Better bring your hankies (or some kind of absorbent cloth, anyway).

Well, the good news is that Cooper can sing and Gaga can act, so the film hangs together as a dramatic musical, but it's still probably at its best when Cooper is acting and Gaga is singing. Some of the songs are absolutely lovely, but to be quite honest, the film goes on a bit too long, especially the wallowing-in-existential-misery stuff near the end. It's also made quite clear from the opening moments that Cooper's character has problems, so the story kind of comes across as one last detour on the way down than a genuine romantic tragedy.

Still, well acted, well sung, convincing stuff: the kind of old-fashioned meaty melodrama that often does very well for itself both critically and commercially, though it may have come out a bit too early to really storm the Oscars next year. Brace yourself for a remake of The Bodyguard with Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, I shouldn't wonder.
  
Runaway Boys: A Retrospective '81-'92 by Stray Cats
Runaway Boys: A Retrospective '81-'92 by Stray Cats
1997 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

Stray Cat Strut by Stray Cats

(0 Ratings)

Track

"Then we became rockabillys and got really into the Stray Cats, This was about 1982. It was my brother and his mates who started brushing their hair up, and me and Sice joined in. It felt like years at the time, but it was probably for 12 to 18 months we became rockabillys. We had our hair piled up, baggy trousers and crepe shoes. I still love the Stray Cats. They had this cartoon image - their hair was much bigger. I had such a crush on Brian Setzer, he's a great singer. But the guitar playing is phenomenal. The B-side is called 'Drink That Bottle Down' - I think it's live in Newcastle - and you've got the double bass player Lee Rocker shouting these blues. It really is a racket, but the guitar playing is unbelievable. The variety and dexterity and fluidity - the ferocity of his guitar playing is wonderful. I was into them for a couple of albums, but by the third album we kind of gave up. My brother got deeper into it - he started getting into psychobilly and all that, The Sharks, Tall Boys, The Meteors, The Milkshakes - all that Klub Foot stuff. And there was a psychedelic wave - The Purple Things and The Vibes - and it all got really strange. I was out of it by then. I think 'Relax' came out and I was back in the modern world."

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Axis: Bold As Love by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Axis: Bold As Love by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
1967 | Blues, Rock, Psychedelic
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"That album is my favourite because it's the one that feels most concise. Electric Ladyland I love, but it does sprawl a little bit and some of the later ones don't feel like he's absolutely at his peak. The early ones - Are You Experienced? - I do love them but it feels like there's lots of singles. So for me, Axis: Bold As Love has that depth. The production is just fantastic as well. 'If 6 Was 9', embodies that whole wild, epic, Jimi Hendrix thing, in a concise pop song. Him saying about the businessmen going down the street, ""you can't dress like me"", and ""I'm gonna wave my freak flag"". For a long time, my favourite Jimi Hendrix stuff was the live stuff - he's one of those guys where you can be a fan of the the live stuff and it's almost a completely different artist to the albums. Whereas this one feels like it's got that spirit of Jimi Hendrix live in the song as well. He manages to get this epic adventure into three and a half, four minutes. To me it just embodies Hendrix: rebellious but friendly, and totally in control of the universe. He's like a shamanistic character isn't he? 'Up From The Skies' is really amusing, really cool. 'Spanish Castle Magic' is just a rocker. But it's got this real sparkle to the whole thing. I think these albums, the reason why they've lasted, is because you can listen to them at any time. You can have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can listen to Axis: Bold As Love on an epic road trip or having a coffee in the morning."

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