Big 5-0 today (aka: 50 is the new........who am i kidding?!)

I turned the big 5-0 today.......WTF?!

Miiidliiiife Criiiisis (aka: holy ashtray! fifty is looming overhead)

The big 5-0 is approaching.

<my mantra>It's just a number.....It's just a number.....It's just a number.....

"A midlife crisis is a transition of identity and self-confidence that can occur in middle aged individuals. It's a psychological and behavioral observation that commonly occurs with individuals between the ages 45–64."

Closer to 50 (aka: shit! closer to 50!)

When it gets closer to my birthday, I always play Elton John, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, and Billy Joel.

"And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh, no no no
I'm a rocket man
Rocket man
Burnin' out this fuse
Up here alone....."

"But oh how it feels so real
Lying here with no one near
Only you and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly...."

"Maybe I'm a man and maybe I'm a lonely man
Who's in the middle of something
That he doesn't really understand..."

"Like a heartbeat... drives you mad...
In the stillness of remembering what you had...
And what you lost...
And what you had...
And what you lost..."

"I would not leave you in times of trouble

We never could have come this far

I took the good times, I'll take the bad times

I'll take you just the way you are..."

Happy 68th David Gilmour

David Gilmour is an artist I wish we saw more of over the years. Aside from his years in Pink Floyd, he carved out his own direction via solo albums, which had something to offer outside the ‘walls of Floyd’.  But the music he created in Pink Floyd is why he’s in the Rock and Roll history books. Last studio album David released was in 2006 “On An Island” and the title track alone stops me in my tracks when I hear it.  It has that full on Floydian feel to it, but the tones which emanate from that song are truly spectacular.

My favorite Gilmour/Floyd tracks:

“Division Bell”
“Not Now John”
“Time”
“Wish You Were Here”
“Sorrow”
“Dogs”
“There’s No Way Out of Here”
“Young Lust”
“All Lovers Are Deranged”
“Comfortably Numb”
“On An Island”
“Learning To Fly”

Happy birthday, David!! Salute!  <insert cold shot of Crown here>

Pantera’s “Vulgar Display Of Power” is 22 years old today

“Vulgar Display Of Power” is 22 years old today – HAPPY FUCKIN’ BLACKTOOTH BIRTHDAY!!! 

This was the album that catapulted Pantera into the quintessential American Metal band of 90’s. Just add Dimebag Darrell’s maniacal riffing and extremely intense solos, Phil Anselmo’s ferocious vocal delivery and Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown’s rhythmic-groove session and what happens? The face of extreme music changes forever.

“Mouth for War”, “New Level”, “This Love”, “Walk” and “Hollow” morphed this Texan quartet and slayed their previous release “Cowboys From Hell” from the start. Combined with go-to-producer guru Terry Date, he captured the all-definitive Pantera sound. You know the one.

VDOP was a true testament to the heavy metal genre that Pantera had something to prove. The songs were less polished than their previous release, “Cowboys From Hell” and had grit, dirt, mold and just enough crust to grab the listener by the balls (women by the tatas…yes, I had to go there), smack ’em around and expect them to beg for more. There’s no denying the classic Pantera cuts such as, “Walk”, “Fucking Hostile”, “A New Level” and “Mouth For War”. A number of songs on this album have been covered by a number of bands and artists, especially following the passing of Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott.  The spirit of Dime lives on in all those who loved the guy, but also by the fans who undoubtedly embrace this band forever.

Sidebar:
The 20th anniversary reissue (released May 2012) included an unreleased track, “Piss” and a DVD from the 1992 Monster of Rock performance in Italy (posted below for your viewing pleasure).

Getcha pull!