Rock on, continue on. :)

Woah, the switch caught me off-guard! All righty then!!

So where were we... Oh yes! Here we go!

In spite of the controversies over his and the Church's unwillingness to consider changing their stance on sexuality and women's roles, Pope John Paul II made a number of statements which were seen as a needed change of heart by the Vatican. In regards to advancements in science, John Paul in 1992 publicly apologized for the legal mistreatment of Italian astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei, a devout Catholic who, in 1633, was placed under house arrest and threatened with death if he did not recant his findings about the earth orbiting the sun, in spite of Biblical "evidence" in the Book of Joshua suggesting otherwise.

In 1996, the Pope stated that the theory of evolution, long a source of consternation between scientists and many traditional Christians, need not necessarily be at odds with Christian belief. In his Message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on Evolution, he asserted thusly:

"In his encyclical Humani Generis (1950), my predecessor Pius XII has already affirmed that there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of the faith regarding man and his vocation, provided that we do not lose sight of certain fixed points....Today, more than a half-century after the appearance of that encyclical, some new findings lead us toward the recognition of evolution as more than an hypothesis. In fact it is remarkable that this theory has had progressively greater influence on the spirit of researchers, following a series of discoveries in different scholarly disciplines. The convergence in the results of these independent studies -- which was neither planned nor sought -- constitutes in itself a significant argument in favor of the theory."

However, he cautioned against embracing a materialistic view of the origin of the human soul:

Theories of evolution which, because of the philosophies which inspire them, regard the spirit either as emerging from the forces of living matter, or as a simple epiphenomenon of that matter, are incompatible with the truth about man."

John Paul II also wrote to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on the subject of cosmology and how to interpret Genesis:

"Cosmogony and cosmology have always aroused great interest among peoples and religions. The Bible itself speaks to us of the origin of the universe and its make-up, not in order to provide us with a scientific treatise, but in order to state the correct relationships of man with God and with the universe. Sacred Scripture wishes simply to declare that the world was created by God, and in order to teach this truth it expresses itself in the terms of the cosmology in use at the time of the writer. The Sacred Book likewise wishes to tell men that the world was not created as the seat of the gods, as was taught by other cosmogonies and cosmologies, but was rather created for the service of man and the glory of God. Any other teaching about the origin and make-up of the universe is alien to the intentions of the Bible, which does not wish to teach how heaven was made but how one goes to heaven." (October 3, 1981 to the Pontifical Academy of Science, "Cosmology and Fundamental Physics")

Pope John Paul II also made apologies for many great injustices caused by the Catholic Church in times past, such as the conquest and massacre of indigenous Americans living in the New World during the time of European exploration and expansion, all done in the name of the Church and "Christianization", as well as for the Church's subjugation of them and denying of their cultures and customs. He also apologized for the Church's involvement in the slave trade hundreds of years ago, as well as for the religious persecution and wars in European history between Catholics and Protestants which contributed to the rise of the Spanish Inquistion and murderous practices, such as burnings at the stake, during the Counter-Reformation. He publicly apologized for the Church's silence and inactivity during the Holocaust in World War II. He apologized for the horrific actions of the Crusaders when they attacked and sacked Constantinople in 1204, the "New Rome" in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, which finalized the Great Schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church for centuries. He even apologized for the Church's denigration of women and denial of equal rights. For his public statements asking for the correction of such injustices, he built many bridges with Protestants, Jews, and various ethnic groups.

Unfortunately, his acts of good will and reconciliation did not please everyone. Longstanding grievances with those of other religious traditions and other countries greeted him in his attempts to build avenues of communication with many. In his visit to Greece in 2001, the first by a pope since 1054 AD, Archbishop Christodoulos, the head of the Greek Orthodox church. After a private 30 minute meeting, the two spoke publicly. Christodoulos read a list of "13 offenses" of the Roman Catholic church against the Orthodox church since the Great Schism, including the pillaging of Constantinople by crusaders in 1204, and bemoaned the lack of any apology from the Roman Catholic church, saying "Until now, there has not been heard a single request for pardon" for the "maniacal crusaders of the 13th century." The Pope responded by saying "For the occasions past and present, when sons and daughters of the Catholic Church have sinned by action or omission against their Orthodox brothers and sisters, may the Lord grant us forgiveness," to which Christodoulos immediately applauded. John Paul II also said that the sacking of Constantinople was a source of "deep regret" for Catholics. "We shall do everything in our power, so that the Christian roots of Europe and its Christian soul may be preserved. … We condemn all recourse to violence, proselytism and fanaticism, in the name of religion." The two leaders then said the Lord's prayer together, breaking an Orthodox taboo against praying with Catholics. Pope John Paul II's desire was to end the schism which had divided Catholics and followers of the Orthodox Church for nearly a millenium in the 21st century.

Pope John Paul II met also with the Dalai Lama, with whom he felt a kinship in not only wishing for peace in the world, but that both men were from countries held under communist dictatorships, Poland and Tibet. 2001, Pope John Paul II became the first Catholic pope to enter and pray in an Islamic mosque. Respectfully removing his shoes, he entered the Umayyad Mosque, a former Byzantine era Christian church dedicated to John the Baptist (who is believed to be interred there) in Damascus, Syria, and gave a speech including the statement: "For all the times that Muslims and Christians have offended one another, we need to seek forgiveness from the Almighty and to offer each other forgiveness." He kissed the Quran in Syria, an act which made him popular amongst Muslims and more unpopular amongst traditionalist Catholics.

Often his endorsements of some right-wing dictatorships, such as Pinochet's regime in Chile, ran contrary to his denunciation of communist tyranny. The Pope did not always condemn so strongly human rights abuses by right-wing regimes in the West as he had of the Soviet Bloc. He seemed to be oblivious to the concerns of many clergy tied in with Liberation Theology. But he was not always supportive of the "blessings" of capitalism, finding hedonism and greed running rampant, a feeling that one could live apart from God based on
unchecked prosperity.

Pope John Paul II did urge economic responsibility and charity in his later years. In 2000 he publicly endorsed the Jubilee 2000 campaign on African debt relief fronted by Irish rock stars Bob Geldof and Bono. The Pope also became a staunch critic of America's invasion of Iraq in 2003: "No to war! War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity." He sent a spokesman from the Vatican to speak on his behalf to President Bush about his opposition to the war. He said that it was up to the United Nations to solve the international conflict through diplomacy and that a unilateral aggression is a crime against peace and a violation of international law.
“Wars generally do not resolve the problems for which they are fought and therefore... prove ultimately futile.”

One of the Pope's greatest achievements was the dismantling of communism and the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe in 1989. He provided the spiritual basis for it, prompting Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa to state: "The pope started this chain of events that led to the end of communism. Before his pontificate, the world was divided into blocs. Nobody knew how to get rid of communism. He simply said, ‘Don't be afraid, change the image of this land.'" Soviet primier Mikhael Gorbachev even claimed that the fall of the Iron Curtain would have been impossible without Pope John Paul II. "Warsaw, Moscow, Budapest, Berlin, Prague, Sofia and Bucharest have become stages in a long pilgrimage toward liberty. It is admirable that in these events, entire peoples spoke out — women, young people, men, overcoming fears, their irrepressible thirst for liberty speeded up developments, made walls tumble down and opened gates."

Pope John Paul II was a man of paradoxes, to many: Some considered him too conservative and traditional in his positions, while others castigated him as being too liberal and modernistic. He was criticized for promoting common language as opposed to traditional Latin in the Mass, as well as for promoting "false religions" in his calls for an ecumenical Day of Prayer For Peace in the World in both 1986 and 2002. He was also criticized for not dealing quickly with the growing scandal of sexual abuse by priests toward children in America. Regardless, he was a hero to many with his own faults and shortcomings who not only meant well but succeeded for the most part in opening doors and encouraging dialogue between various groups who had long been separated by ideological, religious, or ethnic differences.

On March 31, 2005, the Pope developed septic shock, a widespread form of infection with a very high fever and profoundly low blood pressure, and was treated at his private home at the Vatican rather than taken to the hospital. It was clear that the Pope had not much longer to live. Last rites for the sick were administered, and thousands of faithful Catholics kept a vigil in St. Peter's Square. The ailing Pope told them, "I have searched for you, and now you have come to me, and I thank you." Lights were kept burning all night and day for the next few days at his residence.

On the morning of April 2, 2005, Pope John Paul II uttered his final words in Polish, "Pozwólcie mi odejść do domu Ojca", ("Let me go to the house of the Father"), to his aides in his native Polish and fell into a coma about four hours later. He died in his private apartment of heart failure, sepsis and Parkinson's disease. He had been suffering from Parkinson's disease for quite some time. He died 46 days short of his 85th birthday. Millions flooded the streets of the Vatican in public mourning. World leaders sent their condolences, and flags were set to half-mast in remembrance for the beloved pope. One of the largest Christian pilgrimages ensued as many from around the world came to pay their final respects to Pope John Paul II. He was remembered with these final words to the faithful:

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”

:crying: :rip:


This may not be a rock and roll-related item, but it does reflect the times when rock and roll addressed similar issues of peace, the cry for freedom, as well as changing mores in religion and politics in the late 20th century as well as in the Third Millenium.

The "Popemobile" in 2004:

The Pope at the Polish Parliament in 1999:

The Pope and Mother Theresa:

The Pope and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Christodoulos:

The Pope and the Dalai Lama:

Bono meets with The Pope, who tries on the U2 frontman's glasses:

Bush bestows the Pope with the Presidential Medal of Freedom (in spite of the Pope's denunciation of the invasion and war in Iraq):

In the fall of 2005, the film biopic of Johnny Cash, 'Walk the Line', debuted in theaters and became a successful hit. The movie, which starred Joaquin Phoenix in the title role and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter, his future wife, depicted the often tumultuous relationship between the two singers as "the Man in Black" rose to the top in the 50's and 60's.

The film begins at San Quentin Prison in 1968, where Cash recorded his legendary concert album with inmates as his audience. Before taking the stage, he stops in a prison workshop and eyes a table saw. This sparks horrific memories of his childhood in rural Arkansas in the 40's where his brother was found to have been mauled nearly to death by a large buzz saw. On his deathbed, his brother describes his visions of angels in heaven. This incident traumatizes Johnny and influences his songwriting and outlook on life. The incident also shows his father's disapproval of the surviving brother Johnny. His father Ray claimed, "The devil took the wrong son." Not only does Johnny Cash suffer incredible guilt over the incident, but tensions between him and his father increase over much of their lives. Cash began to feel worthless in the eyes of his father. His brother was favored because he was studying to be a pastor, a worthy vocation.

After a fruitless foray into door-to-door sales, he decides to join the Air Force while pursuing a career in music. His first wife, Vivian, was depicted as unsupportive of his attempts to become a performer while the young couple had fallen on hard times. He formed a band with two other musicians and headed for Sun Records in Memphis. He and his bandmates performed a quaint, laid-back gospel tune for legendary producer Sam Phillips, who blew off their rendition. He was not convinced that the band believed in what they were singing, and besides, gospel was outdated. Johnny, taken aback, thought that Phillips was ragging on his belief in God. Phillips replied that if this was the one song he'd play in the last moments of life, would he want to be remembered for some limp, lackluster gospel ditty that had barely any impact on anyone? He was about to pass on recording his music when Johnny
began playing and singing a tougher tune, "Folsom Prison Blues", full of pain and hardships. Phillips was immediately impressed.

The film then depicts Cash's rise to stardom as he tours with some of the biggest names in rock and roll and their various misdeeds. During one show, June Carter, from the famous Carter Family singers, performs a rollicking number, stomping her feet onstage with unbridled enthusiasm. She clearly makes a huge impression on Johnny, with her sense of humor and candor. During the movie, their relationship is a sort of on-again, off-again affair, hampered by his growing abuse of amphetamines. June also refuses to commit to him, as she has already married someone else, much to Cash's disappointment. His drug use, and his relationship to Carter, strains his marriage to the breaking point, eventually leading to their divorce. His drug use soon disrupts his performances, causing him to become violent and belligerent at his shows. Carter and Cash's family try to intervene, and here we get a glimpse of the frayed relationship that Johnny had with his father, who appears to be displeased with the road his prodigal musical son has taken in life. But through the chaos of it all, he, and June, manages to come up with classic hits that stand the test of time.

His daughter Kathy, one of the daughters from his previous marriage to Vivian, criticized the movie for inaccuracies about Cash's relationship with first wife. The film did not show that theirs was a loving relationship where his new wife was actually very supportive of his budding musical career. The two wrote over ten thousand pages of love letters to each other while he was in the military. Before Vivian passed away that year at the age of 71, she described June Carter as a homewrecker who imposed upon their marriage, wanting to get her claws on her man. Vivian's marriage was plagued by his drug use and his dalliances with Carter, so in order to put an end to this, she filed for divorce, hoping this would bring him back to his senses. Unfortunately, it did not. Vivian even insists that, in spite of June Carter's claims to have written the song "Ring Of Fire", it was actually Cash who wrote it, while on pills and alcohol--and that the alleged "ring of fire" is actually a reference to a *certain part of the female anatomy*! :eek: ohno: :lol: Regardless, film biopics are never true to the actual events of a person's life, they are simply re-structured in a way to tell a dramatic story. Call it a bit of literary or cinematic license.

Meanwhile, pop stars of the 2000s were making up their lives as they went. :lol:

'Walk the Line' was nominated for five Academy awards, with Reese Witherspoon winning an Oscar for Best Actress in the movie.

Vivian died on May 29, 2005, due to complications from surgery for lung cancer, at the age of 71. The song "I Walk the Line" was dedicated to her, in which Cash proclaimed his faithfulness to his first wife. Unfortunately, drugs got in the way of his marriage, which ultimately led to their divorce. Other
factors included his growing fame and constantly, and the intrusion of June Carter. Cash claimed that if it were not for his addiction to amphetamines, they would have remained married. Early in their relationship, the lovestruck couple carved their names into a park bench which read "Johnny Loves Vivian". Before her death, Vivian tried unsuccessfully to buy back the bench, but local officials in San Antonio, Texas, declined her request.

Pictures of Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto, his first wife:

Johnny Cash with June Carter:

In the spring of 2005, Mariah Carey released The Emancipation Of Mimi, which became the biggest selling
album of 2005, debuting at #1. The album featured such hits as "We Belong Together", which became Mariah's
longest lasting chart-topper at 14 weeks, "Don't Forget About Us", "It's Like That", "Shake It Off", and "Fly Like
a Bird". The album was a comeback of sorts for Carey as her previous two albums suffered from poor sales.

The title, according to Carey, was a reference to an old nickname and her personal freeing of herself as an artist
and as a person. She felt that she was dropping the emotional baggage of who she was professionally and as a
celebrity icon.

We Belong Together

oh oh sweet love ohyeah [yeah]
I didn’t mean it when I said
I didn’t love you so
I should have held on tight
I never should have let you go
I didn’t know nothing,
I was stupid, I was foolish I was lying to myself
I couldn't of fathomed that I would ever be without your love
Never imagined I’d be sitting
Here beside myself
Guess I didn’t know you
Guess I didn’t know me
But if I knew everything.
I've never felt

The feeling that I’m feeling
Now that I don’t hear your voice
Or have your touch and kiss your lips
Cause I don’t have a choice
Or what I wouldn’t give
To have you lying by my side
Right here, cause baby

When you left I lost a part of me
It’s still so hard to believe
Come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who else am I gonna lean on when times get rough
Who’s gonna talk to me on the phone
Till the sun comes up
Who’s gonna take your place
there ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together

I can’t sleep a night you are on my mind
bobby womacks on the radio
now sing it to me
if you think your lonely now
now wait a minute this is too deep [too deep]
I gotta change the station
So I turn the dial tryin’ to catch a break
And then I hear Babyface
I Only Think Of You it's breakin’ my heart
I’m tryin’ to keep it together but I’m falling apart

I’m feeling all out of my element
Throwing things, Cryin tryin
To figure out where the hell I went wrong
The pain reflected and this song
Ain’t even half of what I’m feeling inside
I need you, need you, back in my life
baby

When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby please come
We belong
Who else am I gonna lean on when times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
When there ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together baby

When you left I lost a part of me
It’s still so hard to believe
Come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who am I gonna lean on when times get rough
Who’s gonna talk to me till the sun comes up
Who’s gonna take your place
There ain’t nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together

Don't Forget About Us

Don't baby, don't baby, don't let it go
No baby, no baby, no baby no
don't baby, don't baby, don't let it go
My baby...boy


(Verse I)
Just let it die
With no goodbyes
Details don't matter
We both paid the price
Tears in my eyes
You know sometimes
It be like that baby (yeah)

(Bridge I)
Now everytime I see you
I pretend I'm fine
When I wanna reach out to you
But I turn and I walk and I let it ride
Baby I must confess
We were bigger than anything
Remember us at our best
And don't forget about...

(Chorus)
Late nights, playing' in the dark
And waking' up inside my arms
Boy, you'll always be in my heart and
I can see it in your eyes
You still want it
So don't forget about us

I'm just speaking from experience
Nothing can compare to your first true love
So I hope this will remind you
When it's for real, it's forever
So don't forget about us

(Verse II)
and they say
That you're in a new relationship
But we both know
Nothing comes close to
What we had, it perseveres
and people can't forget it
How big we used to get it
boy...
(Bridge II)
There's only one me and you
And how we used to shine
No matter who you go through
We are one, that's a fact
That you can't deny
So baby we just can't let
The fire pass us by
Forever we'd both regret it
So don't forget about

(Chorus)
Late nights, playin' in the dark
And waking' up inside my arms
Boy, you'll always be in my heart and
I can see it in your eyes
You still want it
So don't forget about us

I'm just speaking from experience
Nothing can compare to your first true love
So I hope this will remind you
When it's for real, it's forever
So don't forget about us

And at least she got your head all messed up now
That's that trickery
she'll wanna act like you know how this lovin' used to be (ah)
I bet she can't do it like me
She'll never be MC

Baby don't you, don't you
forget about...

Late nights, playin' in the dark
And wakin' up inside my arms
Boy, you'll always be in my heart and baby and
I can see it in your eyes
You still want it
So don't forget about us

I'm just speaking from experience
Nothing can compare to your first true love
So I hope this will remind you
When it's for real, it's forever
So don't forget about us........(oooh oh)


Late nights, playin' in the dark
And wakin' up inside my arms
Boy, you'll always be in my heart and
I can see it in your eyes
You still want it
So don't forget about us

I'm just speaking from experience
Nothing can compare to your first true love
So I hope this will remind you, babe
When it's for real, it's forever
So don't forget about us

Don't baby, don't baby, don't let it go
No baby, no baby, no baby no
don't baby, don't baby, don't let it go
when it's for real, it's forever
so don't forget about us.

:banana: :mango

Say Somethin'
with Snoop Dogg

I'm over here
Looking at you
You're over there
Watching me, too
Both painting pictures of

So what we gon' do?
(So what ya gon' do? What ya gon' do?)
Tell me why we're standing here
I could tell with my eyes closed
And baby, I'm ready to go

But uh
If it's worth your while
Say something, say something
If it's worth your while
Say something good to me
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey
If it's worth your while
Do something good to me

(Let's make it)
Hot as you can stand it
Something like volcanic
You and me seems organic
Just like the stars and planets
Yeah, we are
So what you gon' do
(So what ya gon' do? What ya gon' do)

Tell me why we're still in here
I could tell with my eyes closed
That baby, I'm ready to go

But uh
If it's worth your while
Say something, say something
If it's worth your while
Say something good to me
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey
If it's worth your while
Do something good to me

If it's worth your while
Say something, say something
If it's worth your while
Say something good to me, baby
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey
If it's worth your while
Do something good to me

[Snoop Dogg:]
Everytime I fall though
Want me to speak on the word or two
It's the D-O-double-G
And dude, its so lovely
Don't make a sound
I'll take you, lay you down
Make your body go round and round
Most girls play shy

Baby Im ready to go

But uh
If it's worth your while
Say something, say something
If it's worth your while
Say something good to me
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey
If it's worth your while
Do something good to me

If it's worth your while
Say something, say something
If it's worth your while
Say something good to me
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey
If it's worth your while
Do something good to me


Fly Like a Bird

Da da da da da da
da da da da da da da da dooo
[Priest]
Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning
Trust him.

Somehow I know that
There's a place up above
With no more hurt and struggling
Free of all atrocities and suffering
Because I feel the unconditional love
From one who cares enough for me
To erase all my burdens
And let me be free to

[chorus]
Fly like a bird
Take to the sky
I need you now Lord
Carry me high
Don't let the world break me tonight
I need the strength of you by my side
Sometimes this life can be so cold
I pray you'll come and carry me home

Can we recover
Will the world ever be
A place of peace and harmony
With no war and with no brutality
If we loved each other
We would find victory
But in this harsh reality
Sometimes I'm so despondent
That I feel the need to

[chorus]
Fly like a bird
Take to the sky
I need You now Lord
Carry me high
Don't let the world break me tonight
I need the strength of You by my side
Sometimes this life can be so cold
I pray You'll come and carry me home

Da da da da da da
da da da da da da da da dooo

[Priest]
He says he will never forsake you
Or leave you alone
Trust him

I need You right here right now Lord
I need You right here by my side
Keep your head to the sky
With God's love you'll survive

Fly like a bird
Take to the sky
I need you now Lord
Carry me high
Don't let the world break me tonight
I need the strength of You by my side

Sometimes this life can be so cold
I pray You'll come and carry me home
Carry me higher, higher, higher
Carry me higher, higher, higher
Carry me home
Higher Jesus
Carry me higher Lord


:banana: :mango

The ongoing saga of Michael Jackson and his legal woes concerning alleged child molestation finally came to a head in 2005. Amid accusations of acting inappropriately toward his young male charges during sleepovers at his Neverland Ranch in the San Fernando Valley, Michael Jackson was finally brought to court in a widely publicized trial. Just like the rest of his public life and career, "Wacko Jacko's" court appearance took on Theater Of the Absurd tone and character.

The plaintiff in the case was a young boy named Gavin Arvizo, who initially went by the condition of anonymity. The 13-year old young man had suffered from cancer and had his spleen and one kidney removed. In 2000, in an outpouring of sympathy, Jackson reached out to the lad and had many phone conversations with him. The owner of an L.A. comedy club the Laugh Factory, Jamie Masada, arranged the opportunity for Arvizo to meet his idol and fulfill his lifelong dream. The boy stayed over at the Neverland Ranch and was able to visit Jackson often.

Afterwards, Arvizo allegedly became increasingly disruptive in class at school and unable to focus on his homework. The child's parents concluded that this was due to his encounter with Jackson, eventually accusing the pop entertainer with molesting him and offering him intoxicating beverages. These incidents apparently traumatized him and interfered with his schoolwork. Even more, the parents accused Jackson of holding them against their will at the Neverland Ranch. Jackson himself denied all these charges.

In the trial that followed, much was learned about Jackson's accusers: Gavin's father David Arvizo was known not only to have had a history of spousal abuse and child cruelty, but he was constantly begging for money from celebrities, one can assume over his son's medical condition. The boy's mother Janet encouraged their family to call Jackson "Daddy", and even called herself Janet Jackson. :eek: During her cross-examination at the trial she contradicted herself often and was difficult in questioning. She was criticized for her constant snapping of her fingers and staring down the jurors. She did not give straight testimony often, but repeatedly made speeches to the court and answered in constant catch-phrases. The courtroom erupted in laughter at many of her comments. She often used phrases such as "It's burned inside my memory" and "Money doesn't buy happiness" during her testimony.

Jackson's arrest came at the end of the taping for his video "One More Chance". While out of town in Las Vegas, he willfully surrendered to police, but the sight of the entertainer in handcuffs prompted howls of outrage worldwide, many accusing the police of being racist and unjustly targeting Jackson. Even stranger, Jackson's bail was set at $3 million, while the bail for producer Phil Spector, on trial for murder, was only at $1 million. Was this not an example of racism in the American court system? Why was Jackson's bail much higher? Jackson's passport was also confiscated to prevent the singer from fleeing the country. On November 25, 2003 it was revealed that unknown to Jackson, the private jet that was chartered to take him and his attorney from Vegas to California was secretly wired with recording devices. A third party took recordings on this trip and attempted to sell them to major television and radio networks for an extremely large amount of money; all declined to purchase. During his booking, Jackson said in an interview on '60 Minutes' that he suffered from bruises and other injuries from the handcuffs, though police denied this.

Jackson was accused of physically touching the boy inappropriately as well as giving a minor an intoxicating beverage (what was allegedly called "Jesus Juice"). Some legal adult magazines featuring heterosexual nudity were found by the boy and his brother while Jackson was away, without his permission, and the two boys drank alcohol in Jackson's absense. The two claimed that Jackson had shown the magazines to them for the purpose of grooming them and lowering their sexual inhibitions, which Jackson denied. The allegations that Jackson slept in the same bed as the boy were true, according to witnesses, including actress Elizabeth Taylor, but emphatically were not in any way sexual. A psychology expert who previously witnessed Jackson's actions concluded that the entertainer had regressed to the emotional level of a ten-year old. Jackson may have had some psychological issues, but a molester he was not, according to him. Jackson held hands with the young man, but this was not a "romantic" or sexual gesture. The media circus soon ensued as Jackson would often appear in court in pajamas, looking rather disheveled. Was something really wrong with him?

Ultimately, Jackson was found by the court:

NOT GUILTY.

It appeared that Jackson was in fact the victim of a bizarre extortion conspiracy by the boy's parents who attempted to extract a sizeable sum of money from the entertainer. Questions remained as to other incidents of alleged molestation, but Jackson, with his large sums of money and his reputation for odd behavior and previous accusations of illegal activities with minors, was an easy target. Jackson's legal ordeal was over, but what was next for the beleagured entertainer? Could his public reputation be salvaged?

Jackson with Arvizo, second pic:

Female hottie singer Lil' Kim released The Naked Truth, her first album since being released from prison for perjury.
The album was critically acclaimed though not a huge seller. The album featured such tracks as "Spell Check", "Lighters Up",
"Woah", and plenty of other hip hop tunes with provocative titles. R & B magazine awarded the album Five Mics, an excellent
score, though controversy ensued as many thought the accolade was not warranted.


Not surprisingly, the truth wasn't the only thing naked people wanted to see from Lil' Kim. ;) :grineyes:

In other tragic news in 2005, Paul Hester , drummer for one of Australia's biggest musical exports Split Enz and their successful spinoff Crowded House, was found dead on March 26, the victim of an apparent suicide. It was known that for years he had suffered from depression and wide mood swings, and had gone through a split with the mother of his two daughters. He had hung himself from a tree near his home. He was 46 years old.

Hester's mother, a jazz drummer herself, had encouraged her son to take up drums. Hester had been a fixture in the Melbourne music scene since the late 70's, playing in such bands as Thunder, Deckchairs Overboard, and others when he was recruited to play drums for Split Enz in 1983, after the departure of former drummer Noel Crombie. In the mid-80's, Hester and Neil Finn decided to form a new band when Split Enz broke up. Crowded House was formed and scored several hits such as alternative pop hits "Don't Dream It's Over" from 1986 and 1987's "Something So Strong", as well as "Better Be Home Soon" from 1988. The band was successful in America until the early 90's when their 1991 track "Chocolate Cake", a humorous take on American excesses, was misinterpreted as a criticism of America. The band's success faltered stateside, and in 1996, Crowded House broke up. Hester wanted to spend more time with his family rather than continue recording and touring.

The band and their devoted fans were devastated by the news of Hester's untimely passing. However, in 2007, the surviving members of Crowded House
announced that they would reform and tour.


I remember seeing Crowded House playing at Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival in 1991. Very entertaining show. Hester was announcing to the crowd that "I am the king!" :king: He had a crazy wit about him.

But sometimes wit and a sense of humor masks a deep inner pain. :(

In 2005, Beck released his highest charting album to date, Guero. The album featured such singles as as "E-Pro" and "Girl", as well as other tracks including "Qué Onda Guero", "Hell Yes", and "Go It Alone". The album was co-produced by The Dust Brothers, who also co-produced his successful 1996 album 'Odelay'. Beck released an album of Guero remixes called Guerolito later that year.

'Guero', pronounced "wero", is a Spanish slang term for a light-skinned or blonde-haired person.

It was also during this time in 2005 that Beck revealed in interviews that he was in fact a Scientologist. "Yeah, I'm a Scientologist. My father has been a Scientologist for about 35 years, so I grew up in and around it." He added, "What it actually is is just sort of, you know, I think it's about philosophy and sort of, all these kinds of, you know, ideals that are common to a lot of religions....There's nothing fantastical...just a real deep grassroots concerted effort for humanitarian causes. I don't know if you know the stuff they have. It's unbelievable the stuff they are doing. Education...they have free centres all over the place for poor kids. They have the number one drug rehabilitation programme in the entire world (called Narconon). It has a 90-something percent success rate...When you look at the actual facts and not what's conjured in people's minds that's all bulls*** to me because I've actually seen stuff first hand." His wife Marissa is also a Scientologist, and interestingly, she and her twin brother were both delivered by Beck's mother Bibbe.


E-Pro

See me comin to town with my soul
Straight down out of the world with my fingers
Holding onto the devil I know
All my troubles'll hang on your trigger
Take your eyes and your mind from the road
Shoot your mouth if you know where you're aiming
Don't forget to pick up what you sow
Talking trash to the garbage around you

Na na na na na na na (x4)

See me kickin the door with my boots
Broke down out in a ditch of old rubbish
Snakes and bones in the back of your room
Handing out a confection of venom
Heaven's drunk from the poison you use
Charm the wolves with the eyes of a gambler
Now I see it's a comfort to you
Hammer my bones on the anvil of daylight

Na na na na na na na (x4)

[x2]
I won't give up that ghost
It's sick the way these tongues are twisted
The good in us is all we know
There's too much left to taste that's bitter

Na na na na na na na (x4)


Girl

I saw her, yea I saw her
With her black tongue tied round the roses

A fist pounding on a vending machine
Toy diamond ring stuck on her finger
With a noose she can hang from the sun
And put it out with her dark sunglasses
Walking crooked down the beach
She spits on the sand
Where their bones are bleaching

And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
She doesn't even know what's wrong
And I know I'm gonna make her die
Take her where her soul belongs
And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
Nothing that I wouldn't try

Hey, my sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl
My sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl

I saw her, yea I saw her
With her hands tied back
Rags a' burnin'
Calling out from a landfilled life
Scrawlin' her name upon the ceiling
Throw a coin in a fountain of dust
White noise, her ears are ringing
Got a ticket for my midnight hanging
Throw a bullet from a freight train leaving

And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
She doesn't even know what's wrong
And I know I'm gonna make her die
Take her where her soul belongs
And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
Nothing that I wouldn't try

Hey, my sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl
My sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl

Hey, my sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl
My sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl

Hey, my sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl
My sun-eyed girl
Hey, my sun-eyed girl

:banana: :mango

In 2005, Nine Inch Nails released With Teeth, which was leaked on the internet prior to its release. The album was released following Trent Reznor's
bout with alcoholism and substance abuse, which would explain the six-year delay between it and its predecessor. Many of the themes on the album touched on the topic of his substance abuse problems.

Rather than debuting the first single's video on MTV (which wasn't about playing much in the way of music videos anyway), Nine Inch Nails aired it on their official website. It was probably a good idea, because when they actually were due to play a live segment on MTV that year, they brought controversy when their set was to depict the image of Bush as a backdrop during the popular track "The Hand That Feeds". In spite of the network's decision to axe their set, most people got what the band was putting across, they understood completely.

Reznor had this to say about the decision to axe their performance:

"Nine Inch Nails will not be performing at the MTV Movie Awards as previously announced. We were set to perform 'The Hand That Feeds' with an unmolested, straightforward image of George W. Bush as the backdrop. Apparently, the image of our president is as offensive to MTV as it is to me. See you on tour this fall when we return to play in America."

A fall tour included Queens Of the Stone Age as openers.

The Hand That Feeds

You're keeping in step, in the line.
Got your chin held high and you feel just fine
'Cause you do what you're told
But inside your heart, it is black
And it's hollow and it's cold

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you wanna change it?

What if this whole crusade's a charade
And behind it all there's a price to be paid
For the blood which we dine
Justified in the name
Of the Holy and the Divine

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you wanna change it?

So naïve
I keep holding on to what I wanna believe
I can see
But I keep holding on and on and on and on

(Repeat x8)
Will you bite the hand that feeds you?
Will you stay down on your knees?

:rock: :guitar: :banana: :mango

Only

I'm becoming less defined, as days go by
Fading away, well you might say I'm losing focus
Kind of drifting into the abstract in terms of how I see myself
Sometimes, I think I can see right through myself
Sometimes, I think I can see right through myself
Sometimes, I can see right through myself

Less concerned, about fitting into the world
Your world that is, cause it doesn't really matter anymore
(No, it doesn't really matter anymore)
No, it doesn't really matter anymore
None of this really matters anymore

Yes, I am alone, but then again I always was
As far back as I can tell, I think maybe it's because
Because you were never really real to begin with
I just made you up to hurt myself

I just made you up to hurt myself
Yeah, and I just made you up to hurt myself
I just made you up to hurt myself
Yeah, and I just made you up to hurt myself

And it worked
Yes it did!

There is no you, there is only me
There is no you, there is only me
There is no f:censored:ing you, there is only me
There is no f:censored:ing you, there is only me

Only (x4)

When, the tiniest little dot caught my eye
And it turned out to be a scab
And I had this funny feeling
Like I just knew it's something bad

I just couldn't leave it alone
I kept picking at that scab
It was a doorway trying to seal itself shut
But I climbed through

Now I'm somewhere I am not supposed to be
And I can see things I know I really shouldn't see
And now I know why now, now I know why
Things aren't as pretty on the inside

There is no you, there is only me
There is no you, there is only me
There is no f:censored:ing you, there is only me
There is no f:censored:ing you, there is only me

Only (x8)


Love Is Not Enough

The more that we take
The paler we get
I can’t remember what it is
We try to forget
The tile on the floor
So cold it could sting
In your eyes is a place
Worth remembering

For you to go and take this
And smash it apart
I’ve gone all this f***ing way
To wind up back at…back at the start

Hey!
The closer we think we are
Well, it only got us so far
Now you’ve got anything left to show?
No, no I didn’t think so.
Hey!
The sooner we realize
We cover ourselves with lies
But underneath we’re not so tough
And love is not enough

Well, it hides in the dark
Like the withering vein
We didn’t give it a mouth
So it cannot complain
We never really had a chance
We never really make it through
I never think I’d believe
I believed I could get better with you

Hey!
The closer we think we are
Well, it never got us so far
Now you’ve got anything left to show?
No, no I didn’t think so.
Hey!
The sooner we realize (quiet repeat)
We cover ourselves with lies
But underneath we’re not so tough
And love is not enough

Love is not enough
Love is not enough
Hey!


With Teeth

She comes along
She gets inside
She makes you better than, anything you've tried

It's in her kiss
Black as sea
And it runs deeper than you, dared to dream it could be

With teeth
With teeth
With teeth
With teeth

Wave good bye
To what you were
The rules have changed, the lines begin to blur

She makes you hard
It comes on strong
You finally found, the place where you belong

With teeth
With teeth
With teeth
With teeth

I cannot go through this again
I cannot go through this again
I cannot go through this again
I cannot go through this again
I cannot go through this again
I cannot go through this again
I cannot go through this again
I cannot go through this again

With teeth
With teeth
With teeth
With teeth

She will not let you go
Keeps on and on
She will not let you go
Keeps on and on
This time I'm not coming back
She will not let you go
This time I'm not coming back
She will not let you go

:rock: :guitar: :banana: :mango

On the eleventh anniversary of the release of 'The Blue Album', in 2005, Weezer delivered Make Believe, an album which was met with mixed critical reviews, yet offered the band's biggest chart success, peaking at #2 on the U.S. charts. The hit "Beverly Hills" was a popular radio track, as was
"Perfect Situation".

The creative process for writing the album's lyrics came from Rivers Cuomo's involvement in Eastern meditation. The band sifted through scores of lyrics in the process, settling for final tracks which included the facetious "We Are All On Drugs" and "This Is Such a Pity". Rick Rubin produced the album.


Beverly Hills

Where I come from isn't all that great
My automobile is a piece of crap
My fashion sense is a little whack
And my friends are just as screwy as me

I didn't go to boarding schools
Preppy girls never looked at me
Why should they, I ain't nobody
Got nothing in my pocket

Beverly Hills... That's where I want to be! (gimme, gimme)
Living in Beverly Hills...
Beverly Hills... Rolling like a celebrity! (gimme, gimme)
Living in Beverly Hills...

Look at all those movie stars
They're all so beautiful and clean
When the housemaids scrub the floors
They get the spaces in between

I wanna live a life like that
I wanna be just like a king
Take my picture by the pool
Cause I'm the next big thing

Beverly Hills... That's where I want to be! (gimme gimme)(gimme gimme)
Living in Beverly Hills...
Beverly Hills... Rolling like a celebrity! (gimme gimme)(gimme gimme)
Living in Beverly Hills...

*Spoken*
Truth is...I don't stand a chance (aaaaaaaaaaaaaah)
It's something that you're born into...(aaaaaaaaaaah)
And I just don't belong...(aaaaaaaaaaah)

No I don't - I'm just a no class, beat down fool
And I will always be that way
I might as well enjoy my life
And watch the stars play

Beverly Hills... That's where I want to be! (gimme, gimme)
Living in Beverly Hills...
Beverly Hills... Rolling like a celebrity! (gimme, gimme)
Living in Beverly Hills...

Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills,(yeah)
Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, (hey baby)(hey baby)
Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, Livin' in Beverly Hills


Perfect Situation

What's the deal with my brain?
Why am I so obviously insane?
In a perfect situation
I let love down the drain.
There's the pitch, slow and straight.
All I have to do is swing
and I'm a hero, but I'm a zero.

Hungry nights, once again
Now it's getting unbelievable.
'Cause I could not have it better,
But I just can't get no play
From the girls, all around
As they search the night for someone to hold onto.
And just pass through...

singing...
ooooooh oh. Ooohhhhh oh. Ooohhh oohh.
Singing...
ooooooh oh. Ooohhhhh oh. Ooohhh oohh.

Get your hands off the girl,
Can't you see that she belongs to me?
And I don't appreciate this excess company.
Though I can't satisfy all the needs she has
And so she starts to wander...
Can you blame her?

singing...
oooooooh oh. Ooohhhhh oh. Ooohhh oohh.
Singing...
oooooooh oh. Ooohhhhh oh. Ooohhh oohh.

Tell me there's a logic out there.
Leading me to better prepare
For the day that something really special might come.
Tell me there's some hope for me.
I don't wanna be lonely
For the rest of my days on the earth.

[solo]

oooooooh oh. Ooohhhhh oh. Ooohhhhhhhhhh.
Singing...
oooooooh oh. Ooohhhhh oh. Ooohhh Oohh.
Singing...
ooooooooooooooh owoooooo owoooo owo owooooooooo

ooooooooooooooooooooo owo owoooooo wwwowwwo wowowoww
woooooooowoooowooooooooooooow


We Are All On Drugs

When your out with your friends
In your new Mercedes-Benz
And you're on drugs
And you show up late for school
'Cause You think your really cool
when you're on drugs
And you put on your headphones
And you step into the zone
When you're on drugs
But the world don't care
If you are or are not there
'Cause you're on drugs

Give it to me
We are all on drugs, yeah
Never getting enough,
Never get enough
We are all on drugs, yeah
Give me some of that stuff

(Woo)

And you twitch in your seat
'Cause you wanna hit the street
when you're on drugs
And you cause such a fuss 'cause
There's no one you can trust
When you're on drugs
And the best of your days
Will all vanish in the haze
When you're on drugs
And you wish you could quit
'cause you're really sick of it
But you're on drugs

Give it to me
We are all on drugs, yeah
Never getting enough,
Never get enough
We are all on drugs, yeah
Give me some of that stuff

I want to confiscate your drugs,
I don't think I can get enough (uhh)

Give it to me
We are all on drugs, yeah
Never getting enough,
Never get enough
We are all on drugs, yeah
Give me some of that stuff

We are all on drugs, yeah
Never getting enough,
Never get enough
We are all on drugs, yeah
Give me some of that stuff

We are all on drugs (6x)
(woo)


This Is Such a Pity

How is your heart little darling?
I didn't mean to get so mad.
Let me just hold you closely.
How did things get so bad?
I know how to pick on you.
You pushed me over the edge.
We caused so much agony.
We can't seem to move ahead.

This is such a pity.
We should give all our love to each other.
Not this hate that destroys us.
This is such a pity.
(This is a pity)

What kind of future will we have?
Will we ever find peace?
Everybody thinks we're crazy.
They're about to call the police.
I don't wanna be a chump.
You think I'm a fascist pig.
Right now everything is black.
I don't think we'll ever give.

This is such a pity.
We should give all our love to each other.
Not this hate that destroys us.
This is such a pity
(This is a pity)

[solo]

This is such a pity
We should give all our love to each other
Not this hate that destroys us
This is such a pity
(This is a pity)

This is such a pity
We should give
We should give
All our love
(Destroys us)
All our love
(Destroys us)
All our love
(Destroys us)
All our love
(Destroys us)
All our love
(Destroys us)
All our love
(Destroys us)

:guitar: :banana: :mango

Also in 2005, the Foo Fighters released In Your Honor, a double-album which featured acoustic tracks on the second disc. The album's singles included "Best of You", "DOA", "Resolve", "No Way Back", and "Miracle".

Frontman Dave Grohl said that the album was inspired by what he saw on the campaign trail of presidential hopeful John Kerry the year before. "We'd pull in to small towns, and thousands of people would come to be rescued by this man," said Grohl. "It's not a political record, but what I saw inspired me." Kerry gave people hope during the devastating reign of Bush, and it was certain the Democratic candidate would turn the tide. Alas, it was not to be, but Grohl dedicated the album to Kerry in the title. For so many seeking rescue by Kerry, it must have been painful to see their hero simply concede
to Bush and not fight for the presidency, as new voting discrepancies in favor of Bush arose in Ohio as they had previously in Florida four years before. Regardless, it was a wild ride, and encouraging.

Another famous figure to whom Grohl dedicated a song was none other than Grohl's departed fallen bandmate Kurt Cobain on the song "Friend Of a Friend", with whom Grohl shared an apartment, along with Krist Novoselic, in 1990. The song was written before Cobain's death in 1994.

The album features a number of special guests on its second, mellower disc, including Norah Jones, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame, and Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. Dave Grohl has described John Paul Jones' guest appearance as the "second greatest thing to happen to me in my
life."

Best Of You

I’ve got another confession to make
I’m your fool
Everyone’s got their chains to break
Holdin’ you

Were you born to resist or be abused?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Are you gone and onto someone new?

I needed somewhere to hang my head
Without your noose
You gave me something that I didn’t have
But had no use
I was too weak to give in
Too strong to lose
My heart is under arrest again
But I break loose
My head is giving me life or death
But I can’t choose
I swear I’ll never give in
No, I refuse

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
Your trust, you must
Confess

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Oh...

ooooh,oh,oh
ooooh,oh,oh
ooooh,oh,oh
ooooh,oh,oh
Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You'd die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
Your trust, you must
Confess

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

I’ve got another confession my friend
I’m no fool
I’m getting tired of starting again
Somewhere new

Were you born to resist or be abused?
I swear I’ll never give in
I refuse

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
Your trust, you must
Confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!


D.O.A.

Uh, you know I did it
It's over and I feel fine
Nothing you can say is gonna change my mind
Waited, and i wait the longest night
Nothing like the taste of sweet decline

I went down and i fell, i fell so fast
Dropping like the grains in an hour glass
Never say forever 'cause nothing lasts
Dancing with the bones of my buried past

Never mind there's nothing I can do
Bet your life there's something killing you.

It's a shame we have to die my dear
No one's getting out of here alive
This time
What a way to go but have no fear
No one's getting out of here alive
This time

I'm finished, i'm getting you off my chest
Made you come clean in a dirty dress
A promise is a promise if kept in check
Hard to cross a heart that beats its fist

Take a good hard look for the very last time
The very last one in a very long line.
Only took a second to say goodbye
Been a pleasure, but the pleasure's been mine all mine

Never mind there's nothing I can do
Bet your life there's something killing you.

It's a shame we have to die my dear
No-one's getting out of here alive
This time
What a way to go but have no fear
No one's getting out of here alive
This time


Ain't no way
D.O.A
Ain't no way
D.O.A

Take a good hard look for the very last time
The very last one in a very long line
Only took a second to say goodbye
Been a pleasure, but the pleasure's been mine all mine

Never mind there's nothing I can do
Bet your life there's something killing you.

It's a shame we have to die my dear
No one's getting out of here alive
This time
What a way to go but have no fear
No one's getting out of here alive
This time

It's a shame we have to disappear
No one's getting out of here alive
This time
This time
This time


Resolve

Something that I felt today, something that I heard
Swingin' from the chandeliers, hanging on your word
I remember watchin' you, once upon a time
Dancing from across the room, in another life

A little bit of resolve is what I need now
Pin me down, show me how
A little bit of resolve is what I need now
Pin me down, show me how

Lookin' back to find my way, never seemed so hard
Yesterday's been laid to rest, changing of the guard
I would never change a thing, even if I could
All the songs we used to sing, everything was good

A little bit of resolve is what I need now
Pin me down, show me how
A little bit of resolve is what I need now
Pin me down, show me how

One more year that you're not here has gone and passed you by
What happened to you, what happened to you?
One more tear that you won't hear has gone and passed you by
What happened to you, what happened to you?

A little bit of resolve is what I need now
Pin me down, show me how
A little bit of resolve is what I need now
Pin me down, show me how

A little bit of resolve
One more year that you're not here
Has gone and passed you by (A little bit of resolve)
A little bit of resolve
One more year that you're not here
Has gone and passed you by (A little bit of resolve)


:guitar: :banana: :mango

No Way Back

Lately, I've been
Livin' in my head
The rest of me is dead,
I've (I'm) dying for truth.

Make me, believe,
No more left and right,
Come on take my side,
I'm fightin' for you,
I'm fightin' for you.

Pleased to meet you take my hand,
There is no way back from here,
Pleased to meet you say your prayers,
There is no way back from here,
But I don't care,
No way back from here.

Wake me, I'm ready,
Somethin' don't seem right,
I was dreamin',
I was talkin' to you,

Memory, mend me,
No one's seen my share,
Things I can't repair,
I'm breakin' to you,
I'm breakin' to you.

Pleased to meet you take my hand,
There is no way back from here,
Pleased to meet you say your prayers,
There is no way back from here,
But I don't care,
No way back from, here.
(Yeeeaaa, YEAAH!)
Pleased to meet you take my hand,
There is no way back from here,
Pleased to meet you say your prayers,
There is no way back from here,
But I don't care,
No way back from, here!


Miracle

Crazy, but I believe this time
Begging for sweet relief
A blessing in disguise
I'm dying behind these tired eyes
I've been losing sleep
Please come to me tonight

Hands on a miracle
I got my hands on a miracle
Believe it or not
Hands on a miracle
And there ain't no way, that you take it away

Everything that we've survived
It's gonna be alright
Just lucky we're alive
Got no vision
I've been blind
Searching everywhere
You're right there in my sight

Hands on a miracle
I got my hands on a miracle
Believe it or not
Hands on a miracle
And there ain't no way, that you take it away

Hands on a miracle
I got my hands on a miracle
Believe it or not
Hands on a miracle
I got my, hands on a miracle
And there ain't no way, that you take it away

Take it away


Friend Of a Friend

He needs a quiet room
With a lock to keep him in
It's just a quiet room
And he's there

He plays an old guitar
With a coin found by the phone
It was his friends guitar
That he played

He's never been in love
But he knows just what love is
He says nevermind
And no one speaks

He thinks he drinks too much
Cause when he tells his two best friends
"I think I drink too much"
No one speaks
No one speaks
No one speaks

He plays an old guitar
With a coin found by the phone
It was his friends guitar
That he played

When he plays
No one speaks
No one speaks
When he plays
No one speaks


In Your Honor

Can you hear me
Hear me screamin'
Breaking in the muted sky
This thunder heart
Like bombs beating
Echoing a thousand miles

Mine is yours and yours is mine
There is no divide
In your honor
I would die tonight

Mine is yours and yours is mine
I will sacrifice
In your honor
I would die tonight
For you to feel alive

Can you feel me
Feel me breathing
One last breath before I close my eyes
This offering
For receiving
Deliver me into the other side

Mine is yours and yours is mine
There is no divide
In your honor
I would die tonight

Mine is yours and yours is mine
I will sacrifice
In your honor
I would die tonight
For you to feel alive

For you to feel alive
For you to feel alive
For you to feel alive
AHH

:guitar: :banana: :mango

The White Stripes returned with Get Behind Me Satan, an album which featured more acoustic work by guitarist Jack White than electric. Singles from the album included "Blue Orchid", "My Doorbell", and "The Denial Twist". The critically praised album was named after Christ's reprimand of His Tempter in the wilderness in the Gospels. White explained in a radio interview that "Truth is the number one theme throughout the album 'Get Behind Me Satan'."

Blue Orchid

You got a reaction
You got a reaction didn't you?
You took a white orchid
You took a white orchid turned it blue

Something better than nothing
Something better than nothing, it's giving up
You need to do something
Try keep the truth from showing up

How dare you
How old are you now, anyway?
How dare you
How old are you now, anyway?

How old are you
How old are you now, anyway?


You're given a flower
But I guess that there's just no pleasing you
Your lips tastes sour
But you think that it's just me teasing you

You got a reaction
You got a reaction, didn't you?
You took a white orchid
You took a white orchid turned it blue

Get behind me
Get behind me now, anyway
Get behind me
Get behind me now, anyway

Get behind me
Get behind me now, anyway

You got a reaction
You got a reaction, didn't you?
You took a white orchid
You took a white orchid turned it blue



My Doorbell

I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
Yeah, I been thinkin' about my doorbell

Oh, well

Well women and children need kisses
Not the man in my life I know
And I been goin' to Mister and Miss
I respect the art at the show
Take back what you said little girl
And while you're at it take yourself back too
I'm tired of sittin' and waitin'
Woman, whatcha gonna do now, whatcha gonna do about it

I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
Yeah, I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it oh
I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
Yeah, I been thinkin' about my doorbell

Oh, well

You don't seem to come around
Point your finger and make a sound
You don't seem to come around
Knock knock since you knocked it down

Oh, well

Make a sound and I'll make you feel right
Right at home
Right at home

You know you got me waiting in vain,
How come it's so easy to you?
You don't strike me as the type to be callous
But your words seem so obtuse
But then again I know you feel guilty
And you tell me you want me again
But I don't need any of your pity
I got plenty of my own friends
They're all above me

And I've been thinkin' about my doorbell
When they gonna ring it, when they gonna ring it
Yeah, I've been thinkin' about my doorbell
When they gonna ring it, when they gonna ring it, oh
I've been thinkin' about my doorbell
When they gonna ring it, when they gonna ring it
Yeah, I been thinkin' about my doorbell

Oh, well

They don't seem to come around
Point your finger and make a sound
They don't seem to come around
Maybe they they'll knock 'em down

Oh, well

Make a sound and I'll make you feel right
Right at home
Right at home

I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
Yeah, I been thinkin' about my doorbell
When you're gonna ring it, when you're gonna ring it

I'm thinkin' about my doorbell
When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it
I'm thinkin' about my doorbell, oh, oh well


The Denial Twist

If you think that a kiss is all in the lips
C'mon, you got it all wrong, man
And if you think that our dance was all in the hips
Oh well, then do the twist
If you think holding hands is all in the fingers
Grab hold of the soul where the memory lingers and
Make sure to never do it with a singer
Cause they'll tell everyone in the world

But he was thinking about the girl
Yeah, but he's thinking about the girl, oh

A lot of people get confused and they bruise
Real easy when it comes to love
They start putting on their shoes and walking out
And singing "boy, I think I had enough"

Just because she makes a big rumpus
She don't mean to be mean or hurt you on purpose, boy
Take a tip and do yourself a little service
Take a mountain turn it into a mole

Just by playing a different role
Yeah, by playing a different role, oh

The boat yeah you know she's rockin' it
And the truth well you know there's no stoppin' it

The boat yeah you know she's still rockin' it
The truth well you know there's no stoppin' it

So what, somebody left you in a rut
And wants to be the one who's in control
But the feeling that you're under can really make you wonder
How the hell she could be so cold

So now you're left, denying the truth
And it's getting in the wisdom in the back of your tooth
You need ta spit it out, in a telephone booth
While you call everyone that you know, and ask 'em

Where do you think she goes
Oh yeah, where d'ya suppose she goes, oh

The truth well you know there's no stoppin' it
And the boat well you know she's still rockin' it

The boat well you know she's still rockin' it
And the truth yeah you know there's no stoppin' it

You recognize with your back in the back?
That it's colder when she rocks the boat
But it's the cause hittin on the Cardinal Laws?
'bout the proper place to hang her coat

So to you, the truth is still hidden
And the soul plays the role of a lost little kitten but
You should know that the doctors weren't kidding
She's been singing it all along

But you were hearin' a different song
Ya you were hearin' a different song
But you were hearin' a different song

:guitar:

Stained also returned with Chapter V, which featured their hit single "Right Here", as well as songs such as "Falling", "Everything Changes", and "King Of All Excuses". Frontman Aaron Lewis stated that he believes "'Chapter V' is the best record the band have released to date."

Some songs on the album are personal responses to collective entities, such as the record industry, on "Paper Jesus", where the band attacks corporate heads who worship money over the music. Another song, "Reply", is the band's message to fans who wrote to them over the years. Staind was apparently a band for people, fans, not music industry bigwigs and hip tastemakers. They shrugged off criticisms, saying, "Having three straight number one albums was a nice big f:censored: you to a lot of people who have slagged us. Nobody can ever take away that fact."

Right Here

I know I've been mistaken,
but just give me a break and see the changes that I've made.
I've got some imperfections,
But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face

[Chorus]
But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting

I hope you're not intending
To be so condescending, it's as much as I can take.
And you're so independent, you just refuse to bend
So I keep bending 'till I break

[Chorus]
But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting

I've made a commitment, I'm willing to bleed for you
I needed fulfillment
I found what I need in you

Why can't you just forgive me?
I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made along the way...

But I always find a way to keep you right here waiting
waiting
I always find the words to say to keep you right here waiting

But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if I chose to walk away, would you be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep me right here waiting


Falling

You
In your shell
Are you waiting for someone to rescue you
From yourself
Don't be disappointed when no one comes

Don't blame me you didn't get it
Don't blame me you didn't get it
Don't blame me you didn't get it

I already told you that falling is easy
It's getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
If you don't believe you can find a way out
You've become the problem
Become the problem

You
All alone
Are you waiting for someone to make you whole?
Can't you see?
Aren't you tired of this dysfunctional routine?

Don't blame me you didn't get it
Don't blame me you didn't get it
Don't blame me you didn't get it

I already told you that falling is easy
It's getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
If you don't believe you can find a way out
You've become the problem
Become the problem

I already told you that falling is easy
It's getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
If you don't believe you can find a way out
You've become the problem
Become the problem

Falling is easy
It's getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
And if you believe you can find a way out
Then you've solved the problem
You've solved your problem.


Everything Changes

If you just walked away
What could I really say?
Would it matter anyway?
Would it change how you feel?

I am the mess you chose
The closet you cannot close
The devil in you i suppose
'Cause the wounds never heal

But everything changes
If I could
Turn back the years
If you could
Learn to forgive me
Then I could learn to feel

Sometimes the things I say
In moments of disarray
Succumbing to the games we play
To make sure that it's real

But everything changes
If I could
Turn back the years
If you could
Learn to forgive me
Then I could learn to feel

When it's just me and you
Who knows what we could do
If we can just make it through
The toughest part of the day

But everything changes
If I could
Turn back the years
If you could
Learn to forgive me
Then I could
Learn how to feel
Then we could
Stay here together
And we could
Conquer the world
If we could
Say that forever
Is more than just a word

If you just walked away
What could I really say?
And would it matter anyway?
It wouldn't change how you feel


King Of All Excuses

You
I trusted your intentions, a trust you took advantage of
Now you
Are sitting in the hole that you dug around yourself

You've lied so much you think it's true
Do you know what the truth is?
How does someone get to be like you?
The king of all excuses

Is she
Your partner in deception or caught inside the web you’ve spun?
Did you
Forget that you were family, the damage you have done

You've lied so much you think it's true
Do you know what the truth is?
How does someone get to be like you?
The king of all excuses

I trusted you
I trusted in you

This time
You're gonna get it
All the things you've done coming back to you
This time
You're gonna feel it
You're conscience slowly suffocating you
In time
You will regret it
Say goodbye to all the things you've gotten used to
Life will find a way to bring this karma to you
Life will find a way to bring this karma to you

You've lied so much you think it's true
Do you know what the truth is?
How does someone get to be like you?
The king of all excuses

Everything must come full circle
It kills me that I feel this hurtful
I wonder what your children think of you
The king of all excuses


Paper Jesus

You take this all for granted
All the things they choose to feed you
By keeping you distracted
Just long enough to bleed you...dry

A reason for your anger
It's what I need
It's what I need
To recognize the truth
It's what I need
It's what I need
So burn your paper Jesus
It's what I need
It's what I need
And own the things you do
It's what I need
It's what I need

Question what they sell you
All the lies that they are teaching
And they've made a corporation
Out of desperate people's feelings...of fear

A reason for your anger
It's what I need
It's what I need
To recognize the truth
It's what I need
It's what I need
So burn your paper Jesus
It's what I need
It's what I need
And own the things you do
It's what I need
It's what I need

Somebody chose these words for you
Interpretations of the truth
Somewhere behind your fear they hide
To fill the holes inside

A reason for your anger
It's what I need
It's what I need
To recognize the truth
It's what I need
It's what I need
So burn your paper Jesus
It's what I need
It's what I need
And own the things you do
It's what I need
It's what I need


Reply

I have seen
Too many sad eyes look at me
The eyes that set me free
All the places that I've been

Thank you for
The letters that you thought you wrote in vain
And for
The times you chose to stand out in the rain
And wait
For me
For me

Your words
Your words help me to see
A little honesty
In a world that doesn't share
And your eyes
Tell the story of your pain
Severity of your disdain
In a world that doesn't care

So thank you for
The letters that you thought you wrote in vain
And for
The times you chose to stand out in the rain
And wait

You
You understand my pain
From this I gather strength
In that we are the same

So thank you for
The letters that you thought you wrote in vain
And for
The times you chose to stand out in the rain
And wait
The life I live would never be the same
Without you here
You here
You here
Without you here

:guitar:

Another band which made extensive use of Roman numerals in their titles was Coheed and Cambria, with Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. The album was another prog rock opus which told the continuing saga of the band's fictional husband and wife team Coheed and Cambria and their travels through space. A graphic novel of the same name coincided with the album's release.

The album was an even bigger success for the band. However, it was also stickered for "violence": words such as "crush", "die", "hell", and "kill" were heavily censored on the edited version of the album. :confused: Was this going too far in America's supercharged conservative cultural climate? Regardless, the album ranked number 69 in the October 2006 issue of Guitar World magazine's list of the greatest 100 guitar albums of all time. The album peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200, selling over 500,000 copies, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

An acoustic version of "Wake Up" was featured on the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack.

It was clear from the growing series of albums that the band was beginning to out-Rush even Rush themselves back in the day with song and epic concepts that extended over a period of several albums. However, the band's
comparisons were not confined to just lyrics, but the vocals of Claudio Sanchez were astonishingly similar to Geddy Lee's in their being high-pitched.
Unfortunately, he acted full of contempt toward Rush, as he was not even familiar with them--but once he heard the mighty Canadian power trio, he was very impressed and enjoyed them a lot! :cool:

Welcome Home

You could have been all I wanted
But you weren't honest
Now get in the ground
You choked off the surest of favors
But if you really loved me
You would have endured my world

Well if you're just as I presumed
A whore in sheep's clothing
****ing up all I do
And if it's here we stop
Then never again
Will you see this in your life?

Hang on to the glory at my right hand
Here laid to rest, is our love ever longed?
With truth on the shores of compassion
You seem to take premise to all of these songs

You stormed off to scar the armada
Like Jesus played martyr,
I'll drill through your hands

The stone for the curse you have blamed me
With love and devotion, now die as you sleep.

But if you could just write me out
To never less wonder... happy will I become
Be true that this is no option,
So with sin I condemn you
Demon play, Demon out.

Hang on to the glory at my right hand
Here hes laid to rest is our love ever longed?
With truth on the shores of compassion
You seem to take premise to all of these songs

One last kiss for you
One more wish to you
Please make up your mind girl...
I'd do anything for you
One last kiss for you
One more wish to you
Please make up your mind girl...
Before I hope you die

:guitar:

Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial)

I can feel it in the way your blood and heart beats
My body's cold and it thinks that I'm already gone
Or is it in the way your body moves
I'd like to tell you
But I think that you already know
The words I drag out from your mouth speak
So listen up world, listen up world
In her vision I have given COMPANY
They see no evil in leading their bodies from home

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all
No but I don't buy it
Like anything you do, as anyone you are
Ten Speed, if I must... then I must

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all
No but I don't buy it
Like anything you do, as anyone you are

If written wrote me even chance
And the choice to save you
I wouldn't answer if it even had to ask
In her figure I've instilled a taste of my own
So listen up world, listen up world
To make it easier to take what life I'm owed
As the curse has returned from the hell of your
Heart and your soul

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all
No but I don't buy it
Like anything you do, as anyone you are
Ten Speed, if I must... then I must

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all
No but I don't buy it
Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Nobody knows but you
Nobody knows but you
'Cause I don't want to ride tonight...
No I don't want to go
I don't want to ride tonight...
Or maybe I don't want to go

[Spoken:]
"But are you going to kill her off?"
"Its not your decision, I love her character, she stays."
"Yeah, well the only thing love's done is put you in this position; I say kill her off!"
"Yeah, but you say a lot of things... and how does that work? You're a bicycle"

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all
No but I don't buy it
Like anything you do, as anyone you are
Ten Speed, if I must... then I must

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all
No but I don't buy it
Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Cause I'm...
Ten Speed, of God's Blood & Burial [x7]
Ten Speed, of God's Blood


The Suffering

Is there word or right to say,
Even in this old-fashioned way?
Go make your move girl.
I'm not coming home.

Would things have changed if I could've stayed?
Would you have loved me either way?
Dressed to the blues
Day to day with my collar up.

Decision sits so make it quick,
A breath inhaled from an air so sick.
I cursed the day that I'd learned
Of the web you've spun.
You had your hold till bleeding.

(Hey, Hey!)
If it was up to me,
I would've figured you out,
Way before the year clocked out.
Oh, I hope you're waiting,
Oh, I hope you're waiting.

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts,
You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in.

Listen well, will you marry me. (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts
I may be invited, girl, but I'm not coming in.

(Hey, Hey!)
If it was up to me
I would have never walked out.
So until the sun burns out
Oh, I hope you're waiting.

We have lived as a child would care.
With this vial to drink I dare.
(Oh where have you been, oh where have you been)
Only to cry all alone with your taste on tongue.
(Oh where have you been if it hurts to be forgiving, Bye)

Should we try this again with hope? (Bye, Bye)
Or is it lost, give up the ghost.
And should I die all alone as I knew I would.
(Then burn in hell young sinner)

(Hey, Hey!)
If it was up to me
I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out.
Oh, I hope you're waiting.
Oh, I hope you're waiting.

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts
You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in.

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts
I may be invited, girl, but I'm not coming in.

(Hey, Hey!)
If it was up to me
I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out.
Oh, I hope you're waiting.

(Hey, Hey!)
If it was up to me
I would have never walked out.
So until the sun burns out
Oh, I hope you're waiting.

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts
You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in.

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts
I may be invited, girl, but I'm not coming in.

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts
You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in.

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, Boy)
And are you well in the Suffering? (You've been)
The most gracious of hosts
I may be invited, girl, but I'm not coming in,

And you're not coming in.

:guitar:

The inner CD booklet picture looks very suggestive:

On December 21, 2005, Elton John married again, this time, to Canadian David Furnish, a former advertising executive and film maker. This event was significant in that it reflected Britain's new acceptance of alternative lifestyles and of gay marriages and civil unions. Such a thing could never be thought of in America. :nod:

Their wedding was underattended, however, with a few close family members and associates, and Furnish's dog, while countless others struggled to make it to the event but were clogged in the traffic jam they caused. The wedding guests did attend the lavish reception at their Berkshire mansion, all of which cost around £1 million.

John's tying of the knot followed his first wedding to a German woman, recording engineer Renate Blauel nearly twenty years before in Sydney, Australia, on February 14, 1984. Unfortunately, the marriage only lasted four and a half years, ending in 1988. After this, John announced that he was not bisexual, as he had claimed in 1976, but that he was fully gay. He felt that his announcement of being bisexual was a compromise.

Not surprisingly, given many people's hostile attitudes towards gays, Elton John said in an interview the following year 2006, that, "From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate."

One sad event, though not directly connected to rock and roll, was the passing of civil rights activist Rosa Parks on October 24, 2005. Her simple act of defiance in 1955, refusing to give up her seat to a white bus passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the powerful bus boycott, launched the civil rights movement, and propelled the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., to national, and international prominence.

Born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, she studied at schools for African-Americans until she left to care for her ill mother and grandmother. The state of Alabama had the notorious Jim Crow laws in effect where blacks were effectively restricted from taking part in the rest of society: everything from drinking fountains, movie theaters, hospitals, and ultimately busses, were designated specially as either "whites only" or "blacks only". Even worse, school busses would freely take white children to schools while black children were forced to walk to school. "I'd see the bus pass every day," Parks said. "But to me, that was a way of life; we had no choice but to accept what was the custom. The bus was among the first ways I realized there was a black world and a white world."

While she recognized most whites as kind, she could not avoid the overt racism in her area. The Ku Klux Klan marched down the street, which prompted her grandfather to guard his house with a shotgun. The Montgomery Industrial School, founded and staffed by white northerners for black children, was burned twice by arsonists, and its faculty was ostracized by the white community.

In 1932, Rosa married Raymond Parks, a barber as well as a member of the NAACP, who were at the time defending the Scottsboro Boys, a group of black youths who where falsely accused of raping a white woman. Her husband encouraged her to finish her schooling, and not only did she register to vote, but was able to get a job at Maxwell Air Force Base, where racial segregation was prohibited.

In the 1940's and '50's, there were a number of instances where blacks defied orders to give up seats to white passengers, including baseball legend Jackie Robinson, who was serving in the military in 1944 and refused to give up his seat to a white man. He was court-martialed, then acquitted. The NAACP needed a strong case to prove their point of the injustice of forced bus seating.

In Montgomery, the first four rows of bus seats were reserved for white people. Buses had "colored" sections for black people—who made up more than 75% of the bus system's riders—generally in the rear of the bus. These sections were not fixed in size but were determined by the placement of a movable sign. Black people also could sit in the middle rows, until the white section was full. Then they had to move to seats in the rear, stand, or, if there was no room, leave the bus. Black people were not allowed to sit across the aisle from white people. The driver also could move the "colored" section sign, or remove it altogether. If white people were already sitting in the front, black people could board to pay the fare, but then had to disembark and reenter through the rear door. There were times when the bus departed before the black customers who had paid made it to the back entrance.

It happened to fall on Rosa Parks, then working as a seamstress on the early evening of December 1, 1955, when she sat in one of the front seats reserved for black passengers toward the back. Part of the policy on the bus was that if the white section became too crowded, than black passengers could be ordered to move from their designated seats to accommodate whites. When the driver ordered her to stand up move for a white passenger, she simply said " I don't think I should have to stand up." The driver warned her that if she did not stand up and give away her seat, then she would be arrested. She simply replied, "You may do that."

In spite of claims that she refused to give up her seat because she was
"tired" or "old", she countered this by saying in her autobiography, "People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in."

Parks was charged with a violation of Chapter 6, Section 11 segregation law of the Montgomery City code, even though she technically had not taken up a white-only seat—she had been in a colored section. The driver saw fit to arbitrarily change the seating section to accommodate white passengers.
She had in fact broken no law.

Her unjust arrest launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which took away much revenue from the busses. Her treatment launched the activist career of
Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for fair treatment of people of color. Throughout the 50's and 60's, America began a turbulent push for equality of all citizens, which often ended in horrific violence as well as many hard-earned successes. Parks would be called "the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement."

Though Parks retained a quiet dignity about her, crediting her faith as sustaining her, her life after her arrest was anything but quiet. She remained in the spotlight well into her later years. On August 30, 1994, Joseph Skipper, an African-American drug addict, attacked 81-year-old Parks in her home. The incident sparked outrage throughout America. After his arrest, Skipper said that he had not known he was in Parks' home but recognized her after entering. Skipper asked, "Hey, aren't you Rosa Parks?" to which she replied, "Yes." She handed him $3 when he demanded money, and an additional $50 when he demanded more. Before fleeing, Skipper struck Parks in the face. Skipper was arrested and charged with various breaking and entering offenses against Parks and other neighborhood victims. He admitted guilt and, on August 8, 1995, was sentenced to eight to 15 years in prison.

In March 1999, a lawsuit was filed on Parks' behalf against American hip-hop duo OutKast and LaFace Records, claiming that the group had illegally used Rosa Parks' name without her permission for the song "Rosa Parks", the most successful radio single of OutKast's 1998 album Aquemini. The song's chorus, which Parks' legal defense felt was disrespectful to Parks, is as follows: "Ah ha, hush that fuss / Everybody move to the back of the bus / Do you want to bump and slump with us / We the type of people make the club get crunk."[33]

The case was dismissed in November 1999 by U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Hackett. In August 2000, Parks hired attorney Johnnie Cochran to help her appeal the district court's decision. Cochran argued that the song did not have First Amendment protection because, although its title carried Parks' name, its lyrics were not about her. However, U.S. District Judge Barbara Hackett upheld OutKast's right to use Parks' name in November 1999, and Parks took the case to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where some charges were remanded for further trial.

A comedic scene in the 2002 film Barbershop featured a cantankerous barber, played by Cedric the Entertainer, arguing with co-workers and shop patrons that other African Americans before Parks had resisted giving up their seats in defiance of Jim Crow laws, and that she had received undeserved fame because of her status as an NAACP secretary. Activists Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton launched a boycott against the film, contending it was "disrespectful", but NAACP president Kweisi Mfume stated he thought the controversy was "overblown." The scene also offended Parks, who boycotted the NAACP 2003 Image Awards ceremony, which Cedric hosted.

Parks' attorneys and caretaker, Elaine Steele, refiled in August 2004, and named BMG, Arista Records and LaFace Records as the defendants, asking for $5 billion in damages. (Also named as defendants were several parties not directly connected to the songs, including Barnes & Noble and Borders Group for selling the songs, and Gregory Dark and Braddon Mendelson, the director and producer, respectively, of the 1998 music video. The judge dismissed the music video producers from the case by the reason of "fraudulent joinder,"
as these defendants had no connection to the case and there was no justifiable reason for the plaintiff's attorneys to add them to the lawsuit.)

Parks passed away on October 24, 2005, at the age of 92. :rip:

She moved to Detroit after the boycott, and Twelfth Street there was renamed for her and promoted to boulevard statuswhule she was still alive.

Earlier that year, on January 28, 2005, legendary drummer Jim Capaldi, who performed with Traffic in the late 60's as well as other top names in rock, died at the age of 60 from a brief bout with stomach cancer. In addition to drumming, he was also a noted songwriter. He was known to have perfomed with such notables as Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, and Alvin Lee.

Born Nicola James Capaldi on August 2, 1944, in Evesham, Worcestershire, England, Jim Capaldi co-founded Traffic with Steve Winwood in 1967 and helped usher in the popularity of psychedelic music in both Britain and America, and incorporated such elements as jazz, keyboards, horns, and improvisational styles in their music. The band released such hits as "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Hole In My Shoe" from 1967, and "The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys" in 1971. In addition to instrumentalist Chris Wood who played horns, flute, and keyboards, the band featured Dave Mason on guitar, but friction between Winwood and the rest of the band resulted in Mason's dismissal. In 1971, Ric Grech of Family joined Traffic on bass. The group continued until 1974, though they reunited for a one-off tour in 1994. A fan left a voice message at Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir's hotel, suggesting that Traffic should tour with the Dead, and Weir agreed to the tour.

Capaldi also recorded a number of solo albums apart from his time in Traffic. He was married to his Brazilian wife Aninha and lived in Brazil in the 80's, where he became involved in environmental activism and in the plight of Brazilian street children.

In 2004, the year before Capaldi's passing, Traffic were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. At the time of his death, the surviving members of Traffic, including Steve Winwood, were planning another band-related project and tour with the group. In 2007, Dear Mr. Fantasy, a celebration of Capaldi's life and musical contributions, was attended by many big names in music.

Dear Mr. Fantasy

Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar
Make it snappy
You are the one who can make us all laugh
But doing that you break out in tears
Please don't be sad if it was a straight mind you had
We wouldn't have known you all these years
Oooo Ahhhhh
Oooo Ahhhhh
Oooo Ahhhhh
Oooo Ahhhhh Ahhhhh


Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar
Make it snappy
Yeah, yeah

[Instrumental]

Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar
Make it snappy
You are the one who can make us all laugh
But doing that you break out in tears
Please don't be sad if it was a straight mind you had
We wouldn't have known you all these years


The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys

If you see something that looks like a star
And it's shooting up out of the ground
And your head is spinning from a loud guitar
And you just can't escape from the sound
Don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
We were children once, playing with toys
And the thing that you're hearing is only the sound of
The low spark of high-heeled boys

The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest was
The low spark of high-heeled boys

If you had just a minute to breathe and they granted you one final wish
Would you ask for something like another chance?
Or something similar as this? Don't worry too much
It'll happen to you as sure as your sorrows are joys
And the thing that disturbs you is only the sound of
The low spark of high-heeled boys

The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest was
The low spark of high-heeled boys

If I gave you everything that I owned and asked for nothing in return
Would you do the same for me as I would for you?
Or take me for a ride, and strip me of everything including my pride
But spirit is something that no one destroys
And the sound that I'm hearing is only the sound
The low spark of high-heeled boys

:drummer:

On March 10, 2005, the rock world lost Danny Joe Brown, lead singer of Southern rockers Molly Hatchet, when he died from a combination of pneumonia and other illnesses. He was only 53. He had also been suffering from diabetes, a condition he had since the age of 19.

Though Molly Hatchet's classification as a Southern rock band has been disputed, the group was one of the first to update the subgenre by infusing it with the sounds of heavy metal and harder rock. They may have not been cut of the same cloth as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Charlie Daniels Band, but they were very successful in giving a Southern boogie kick to heavy rock and roll in the late 70's and early 80's when the genre appeared on the wane.

The band was named after the notorious Abigail "Hatchet Molly", a murderess from the 1600's in Salem, Massechussetts, which, like 80's metal band Lizzie Borden, was named after the famed female axe murderer. The band was about to have their debut album produced by Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but the frontman's death in the tragic plane crash in 1977 with other members of the band cut short those plans. Molly Hatchet's self-titled debut album was released in 1978 and sold over a million copies. The band had a very good run with songs such as "Flirting With Disaster", "Satisfied Man", "Beatin' the Odds", and a cover of the Allman Brothers' "Dreams I'll Never See". The fantasy illustrations by Frank Frazetta on the band's album covers helped tie the band in with the resurgent heavy metal genre.

Brown's bout with diabetes forced him out of the band in 1983, but he later returned with a solo album and another crack at fame with the band in 1984,
on their album 'The Deed Is Done'. Unfortunately, Brown's health problems continued, and the band broke up in 1986.

On July 1, 2005, the music world lost yet another singing sensation, when r & b performer Luther Vandross died at the age of 54.

Born April 20, 1951, in Manhattan, Vandross was raised in a musical family. His sister Patricia was in the 50's group The Crests who had a hit with the song "Sixteen Candles". In high school, Vandross joined a singing group called Shades of Jade, who recorded several songs. In 1972, in addition to being the president of the first-ever Patti Labelle fan club, he appeared on a Roberta Flack album in a duet, "Who's Gonna Make It Easier For Me". He not only co-wrote the song "Fascination" for David Bowie on 1974's 'Young Americans' album, but even sang backup for him on tour that year. Throughout the 70's he sang backup for many popular artists including Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, Chic, and Barbra Streisand. He also released a few albums which sold in disappointing numbers.

In 1980, as a member of the dance-pop act Change, Vandross scored with the hits "A Lover's Holiday", "The Glow of Love" and "Searching". Though he called "The Glow Of Love", "the most beautiful song I have ever sung in my life", he declined to pursue further participation with Change, citing low pay as his decision to leave. He then signed with Epic Records, and the title song from his 1981 album 'Never Too Much' topped the r & b charts. Throughout the 80's, Vandross released a string of hits including "If This World Were Mine", "Bad Boy/Having a Party", "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye", "Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)", "'Til My Baby Comes Home", "It's Over Now", "Stop to Love", "There's Nothing Better Than Love", "Any Love","Here and Now", "Power of Love/Love Power", "The Best Things in Life Are Free", and many others. His songwriting and involvement in other artists' projects earned him the moniker "the black Phil Collins". He also sang with such artists as Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey.

Luther Vandross also sang during the 1997 Superbowl in New Orleans. In 2004, he won four Grammies for "Dance With My Father", which was co-written with Richard Marx.

Vandross suffered from diabetes as did his father, who died from the illness when the singer was only a child. Just before his 52nd birthday in 2003, Vandross suffered a stroke. He appeared briefly on videotape at the 2004 Grammys to accept his Song of the Year award, where he said, "Whenever I say goodbye it's never for long because I believe in the power of love." When he passed away the next year, no official cause of death was given.

During his life, questions remained about his sexuality. Was he gay? He was never seen in the company of women. He never confirmed nor denied being a homosexual, but insisted that his busy lifestyle would complicate marriage. He never wanted to be forthcoming about his sexuality, and often wanted to steer interviewers away from the topic altogether. After his death, an article in Out magazine had several of Vandross' friends, including gay comedy writer Bruce Vilanch, stating that Luther was indeed a closeted gay man. Those close to him claimed that he had a few brief intimate enounters with other men. It is tragically ironic that a singer who was so highly regarded for his uplifting songs of love and positive emotions could remain so lonely with only a few furtive relationships. Regardless of his situation, he gave the world the gift of great songs.


:rip:

Also early that year, on January 11, 2005, former Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden died at the age of 66 from stomach cancer. Two years before, Bob Dylan, Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, and Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers, all helped raise $36,000 to help pay for Dryden's medical expenses due to hip replacement and heart surgery.

Dryden was born on April 7, 1938, in New York. His father, Wheeler Dryden, was a half-brother to classic actor Charlie Chaplin. While Spencer was still a baby, his family moved to Los Angeles in order for his father to work with Chaplin as an assistant director. Spencer became enamored by the jazz clubs there, and sought to take up the drums.

In 1966, as psychedelic band Jefferson Airplane began to take off, Dryden was recruited by the group to replace previous drummer Skip Spence. The former jazz drummer, together with bassist Jack Casady, created an exceptional rhythm section. A feature of live Airplane sets at the time were free-form improvisational jams, with Dryden's licks complementing Casady's fluid style. During this time also, he had an affair with Grace Slick. One song that Slick wrote on the occasion of Dryden's 30's birthday in 1968 was
"Lather", a bittersweet coming-of-age song about a boy who wants to remain young forever until, after a series of unpleasant events, he painfully learns he must grow up.

At the end of next year, 1969, the message of the song became disturbingly
prophetic: Jefferson Airplane played the ill-fated Altamont concert with the Rolling Stones, where Hell's Angels members caused mayhem and not only knocked Airplane guitarist Marty Balin guitarist unconsious, but murdered a young African-American attendee Meredith Hunter, in full view of the crowd and the Stones. This was the hippie generation's wakeup call, its moment grow up and lose its naivete. It was all over, and early that next year, 1970,
it was over for Dryden in the band. Shaken by the horrific events at Altamont, he left the group.

In the 70's, Dryden drummed for Grateful Dead offshoot New Riders Of the Purple Sage, and eventually became their manager by the late 70's. In the 80's, he joined a Bay Area supergroup, The Dinosaurs, which featured members of such 60's bands as Country Joe and the Fish, the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver
Messenger Service, Hot Tuna, and Big Brother and Holding Company. He remained with the band until 1995, when he retired from drumming.

The Dinosaurs also compelled late 80's/early 90's alternative guitarist J. Mascis to add "Jr." to the name of his new band, which became Dinosaur Jr.

In 1989, Dryden did not participate in the reunion of Jefferson Airplane, after years of being pop-rock oriented Jefferson Starship. He did join Jefferson Airplane for their Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 1996.

Dryden died in obscurity in 2005. At the time, he was living in a shack behind
rented property in Petaluma, California. He was survived by three children.

Grace Slick said in an interview in Rolling Stone that though the older one got, the less shocking death becomes, yet his death still "tore out a little piece of my heart", as she quoted Janis Joplin. She fondly remembered Dryden as being childlike, a sense of innocence and joy in his life during his time with the Airplane.

:drummer:

The sad list of 2005 obituaries in music continued with the passing of acoustic
blues singer/songwriter Chris Whitley on November 20, 2005. He died of lung cancer at the age of 45.

Chris Whitley had slight commercial success, but attained a dedicated cult following. Armed with only an acoustic guitar, often the National brand or a dobro, he wrote and sang songs that spanned genres from blues, folk, and acoustic rock. He was often tied in with the alternative scene in the 90's. His 1995 album 'Din Of Ecstasy' saw him venture in to hard rock with electric guitar.

Born in Texas in Houston, Texas, on August 31, 1960, Whitley began working behind the scenes with such popular artists in the 90's when U2 producer Daniel Lanois found him and produced his first album, 'Living With the Law'. Fans enjoyed his brand of confessional songwriting mixed with acoustic blues and alternative rock, and other artists such as Dave Matthews appeared on later albums. He was a fan of Mississippi Delta bluesmen of the 30's, as well as jazz legend John Coltrane, and appeared in a the concert film documentary 'Hellhounds on my Trail - The Afterlife of Robert Johnson', with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green, jam band Gov't Mule, and blues guitarist Keb' Mo.also recorded with Shawn Colvin, Cassandra Wilson, Rob Wasserman, Little Jimmy Scott, Mike Watt, Johnny Society, Joe Henry, Michael Shrieve, Chocolate Genius, DJ Logic, Ely Guerra, Goat, Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, Clint Mansell and Jeff Lang.

In the fall of 2005, Whitley cancelled his tour, citing health issues and went to convalesce at health care hospice. When he died that fall, his brother, Dan, and daughter, Trixie, publicly announced his passing. Though he was not well known in the mainstream, many musicians and fans in the music community mourned his death. Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Hornsby, Tom Petty, Don Henley, Iggy Pop, Alanis Morissette, John Mayer, Gavin DeGraw, and Keith Richards all count themselves admirers of Whitley's music. Dave
Matthews has said, "I feel more passion for his music than I do for my own. I have a fervent, religious devotion to the magic that Chris Whitley makes". Longtime friend and producer Daniel Lanois said, "Chris Whitley, my friend since 1988. The deep soul he was gifted with is the soul that challenged his life journey. I will forever remember his beauty."

Rolling Stone eulogized him, saying, "The post-Hendrix explosion of whammybar wankers hasn't produced a single axeman who can compare to Chris Whitley. His eerie, bluesy voice and American gothic tunes frequently draw attention from the fact that he picks like a p!$$ed off Doc Watson jacked through a Marshall stack."

Unfortunately, Whitley was seen smoking in many photos and video clips, often during performances, which could have contributed to his terminal lung cancer. Slash, are you listening?

:rip:


Living With the Law

Brother runnin' powder money
Daddy somewhere on a drunk
In the hours after washing
I do my dreaming with a gun


Well I come down from the country
Find a lesson in the draw
There ain't no secrets in the city
It's hard living with the law
They got machines mama I can't figure
They got a romance made for doing time
Send me out child, running outside

Out along a world of crime
Gonna swing my scythe, got a hand upon the handle
Gonna shade my children ways I understand
Milk the trigger, kill the hunger
Staring down this broken land
So fetch on up your greasy apron
Spread your lover in the straw
Hear me baby, I'm nearly crazy
It's hard living with the law

:guitar:

Indian Summer

Summer is lost now
The frost is closing n
To the cold gospel goller
The poor man walks in sin
I cant get no entrance, the doors all in rows
I pray into the distance, let me out of these heavy clothes

I beg, Indian summer, I need some return
So hard to get warm out
when its so easy to get burn
Down in the pavment, the laws are learn
It's so hard to get warm where, its so easy to get a burn

When a sister called up, said how long you broken down?
I said there is too much Ice around here, to find now soli ground
While I just squeeze a season, from this paper bag
I pray to the burning tires, and wrap my feet in rags

oh, Indian summer, I need some return
So hard to get warm out
when its so easy to get a burn
Down in the pavment, the laws are learn
Its so hard to get warm where, its so easy to get a burn

Now the skies are empty
The street is sweating ters
Communing at the station
For a million grinding years
While I'm riding out this century
With the harvest engine sing
From the church in mercenares
To a naked virgin spring

I'm singing,

Indian summer, I need some return
So hard to get warm out
when its so easy to get a burn
Down in the pavment, the laws are learn
It's so hard to get warm where, its so easy to get a burn


Narcotic Prayer

As the party closes
I ain't got a clue
Red and yellow roses
Nipple rings and tattoos
Well, I never met no girl
No one, no where
I never met no girl
Narcotic Prayer
If I seen her breathing
How could I adjust
Should I see her bleeding
Calling me in trust
Well I never met no girl
No one, no where
Narcotic Prayer
I copped and caught a movie
But you know it can't last
Lights come up and I just crashed


To Joy (Revolution Of the Innocents)

made a bid for you-

You know
Far as it was in me-
Somewhere to go
She goes - make my presence
Felt by
All the innocence you would destroy
She know - Angels
And even devils too
All await to show
How far we come to joy

I'll live anywhere you think you're from
Far as it is in you
To know you belong
She go - make my presence
Felt by
All the revolution you employ
She know - angels
And even devils too
Await to show how far we go to joy

Go down to the river
With your rod
All that which ain't all good
Is yet all god

She goes
Make my presence
Felt by
All the innocence you would destroy

Angels
And even devils too
All await to show
How far we go to joy

She go
Make my presence
Felt by
By all the revolution you would employ
She know
Angels
And even devils too
All wait to show
How far we go to joy

How far we come
How far we've come


Weightless

The ground gives as you go
With all them secrets that you know
As if to give nothing away
Of the signals you obey
You're weightless as a child
Falling from above
Helpless to your size
Lonelier than God
Footsteps, empty room
As if a temple or a tomb
The bed gives where you lay
As if to give nothing away
Of the power you betray
You're weightless as a child
Falling from above
Helpless to your size
Lonelier than God
Lonelier than God
Falling from above
You're weightless as a child


Wild Country

Breaking rocks all day on the avenue
its hard to unearth anything thats true
soon I am gonna loose these rags and run
Returning to the wild where I'm from

There's miles of stone, jack hammer in my hand
There's compromises, I cant comprehend
soon I am gonna drop this jack and run
Returning to the wild where I'm from
Returning to the wild where I'm from

Between the bricks you'll hear the children play
Their calaces get harder day by day
Between the cracks you'll notice where I've gone
Returning to the wild, where I belong

Soon I am gonna loose these rags and run
Returning to the wild, where I'm from
Returning to the wild, where I'm from

One unique band that became popular in 2005 was Panic! At the Disco, an alternative pop punk group which utilized many theatrical elements in their stage set. Much of their inspiration is to have come from the 2001 movie musical 'Moulin Rouge!'

The band formed in Las Vegas in 2004 with guitarist Ryan Ross and drummer Spencer Smith. When their lineup became secure, the band took their name from the lyrics of a song by the band Name Taken, called "Panic". Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz was so impressed by them that he asked them to sign on to his Fueled By Ramen record label.

The band's debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out sold poorly at first, but after much exposure on MTV and heavy promotion, the album climbed up the indie charts. The album's music was organized like a vaudevillian musical project with various styles from pop punk to electronic pop.


How's this for a song title:

The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage

Sit tight, I'm gonna need you to keep time
Come on just snap, snap, snap your fingers for me
Good, good now we're making some progress
Come on just tap, tap, tap your toes to the beat
And I believe this may call for a proper introduction, and well
Don't you see, I'm the narrator, and this is just the prologue?

Swear to shake it up, if you swear to listen
Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives

Swear to shake it up, and you swear to listen
Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives

Applause, applause, no wait wait
Dear studio audience, I've an announcement to make:
It seems the artists these days are not who you think
So we'll pick back up on that on another page

And I believe this may call for a proper introduction, and well
Don't you see, I'm the narrator and this is just the prologue

Swear to shake it up, if you swear to listen
Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives

Swear to shake it up, and you swear to listen
Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives

Swear to shake it up, you swear to listen
Swear to shake it up, you swear to listen
Swear to shake it up, you swear to listen
Swear to shake it up, swear to shake it up

Swear to shake it up, if you swear to listen
Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives

Swear to shake it up, if you swear to listen
Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention
I aim to be your eyes


London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines

Stop stalling, make a name for yourself.
Boy you better put that pen to paper, charm your way out.
If you talk you better walk you better back your s*** up
With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

Start talking "a sensationalist"
Oh he's slightly clever to just a certain extent
If you talk you better walk you better keep your mouth shut
With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

(Panic!: meet the press)
It's time for us to take a chance
It's time for us to take a chance

(Panic!: meet the press)
It's time for us to take a chance
It's time for us...

Well we're just a wet dream for the webzine,
Make us it, make us hip, make us scene
Or shrug us off your shoulders
Don't approve a single word that we wrote

Well we're just a wet dream for the webzine,
Make us it, make us hip, make us scene
Or shrug us off your shoulders
Don't approve a single word that we wrote

I'm burning and I'm blacking my lungs
Boy you know it feels good with fire back on your tongue
If you talk you better walk you better back your s*** up
With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

Start talking "a sensationalist"
Oh he's slightly clever to just a certain extent
Well keep quiet let us sing like the doves
Then decide if it's done with purpose or lack thereof.

Just for the record,
The weather today is slightly sarcastic with a good chance of:
A. Indifference or
B. Disinterest in what the critics say

It's time for us to take a chance
It's time for us...

Well we're just a wet dream for the webzine,
Make us it, make us hip, make us scene
Or shrug us off your shoulders
Don't approve a single word that we wrote

Well we're just a wet dream for the webzine,
Make us it, make us hip, make us scene
Or shrug us off your shoulders
Don't approve a single word that we wrote

Just for the record,
The weather today is slightly sarcastic with a good chance of:
A. Indifference or
B. Disinterest in what the critics say

Well we're just a wet dream for the webzine,
Make us it, make us hip, make us scene
Or shrug us off your shoulders
Don't approve a single word that we wrote

Well we're just a wet dream for the webzine,
Make us it, make us hip, make us scene
Or shrug us off your shoulders
Don't approve a single word that we wrote

Just for the record,
The weather today is slightly sarcastic with a good chance of:
A. Indifference or
B. Disinterest in what the critics say


Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off

Is it still me that makes you sweat?
Am I who you think about in bed?
When the lights are dim and your hands are shaking as you're sliding off your dress?
Then think of what you did
And how I hope to God he was worth it.
When the lights are dim and your heart is racing as your fingers touch his skin.
I've got more wit, a better kiss, a hotter touch, a better f***
Than any boy you'll ever meet, sweetie you had me
Girl I was it, look past the sweat, a better love deserving of
Exchanging body heat in the passenger seat?
No, no, no, you know it will always just be me

Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?

So I guess we're back to us, oh cameraman, swing the focus
In case I lost my train of thought, where was it that we last left off?
(Let's pick up, and go)

Oh now I do recall, we were just getting to the part
Where the shock sets in, and the stomach acid finds a new way to make you get sick.
I hope you didn't expect that you'd get all of the attention.
Now let's not get selfish
Did you really think I’d let you kill this chorus?

Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?

Dance to this beat
Dance to this beat
Dance to this beat

Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster
Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster

I've got more wit, a better kiss, a hotter touch, a better f***
Than any boy you'll ever meet, sweetie you had me
Girl I was it, look past the sweat, a better love deserving of
Exchanging body heat in the passenger seat?
No, no, no, you know it will always just be me

Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?

So testosterone boys and harlequin girls
Dance to this beat
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls
Dance to this beat
And hold a lover close
Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster
Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster


I Write Sins Not Tragedies

Oh, well imagine, as I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor,
and I can't help but to hear, no I can't help but to hear an exchanging of words:
"What a beautiful wedding! What a beautiful wedding!" says a bridesmaid to a waiter.
"And yes, but what a shame, what a shame, the poor groom's bride is a whore."

I chime in with a "Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?!"
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality.
I chime in, "Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?!"
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of...

Well in fact, well I'll look at it this way, I mean technically our marriage is saved
Well this calls for a toast, so pour the champagne
Oh! Well in fact, well I'll look at it this way, I mean technically our marriage is saved
Well this calls for a toast, so pour the champagne, pour the champagne

I chime in with a "Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?!"
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality.
I chime in, "Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?!"
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality.

Again...

I chime in, "Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?!"
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality.
I chime in, "Haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?!"
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality.

Again...


Build God, Then We'll Talk

It's these substandard motels on the (lalalalala) corner of 4th and Fremont Street.
Appealing only because they are just that un-appealing
Any practiced catholic would cross themselves upon entering.
The rooms have a hint of asbestos and maybe just a dash of formaldehyde,
And the habit of decomposing right before your very (lalalala) eyes.

Along with the people inside
What a wonderful caricature of intimacy
Inside, what a wonderful caricature of intimacy

Tonight tenants range from: a lawyer and a virgin
Accessorizing with a rosary tucked inside her lingerie
She's getting a job at the firm come Monday.
The Mrs. will stay with the cheating attorney
moonlighting aside, she really needs his money.
Oh, wonderful caricature of intimacy.

Yeah (Yeah)

And not to mention, the constable, and his proposition, for that "virgin"
Yes, the one the lawyer met with on "strictly business"
as he said to the Mrs., only hours before,
after he had left, she was fixing her face in a compact.
There was a terrible crash (There was a terrible crash)
Between her and the badge
She spilled her purse and her bag, and held a "purse" of a different kind.

Along with the people inside
What a wonderful caricature of intimacy
Inside, what a wonderful caricature of intimacy

There are no raindrops on roses and girls in white dresses.
It's sleeping with roaches and taking best guesses
At the shade of the sheets and before all the stains
And a few more of your least favorite things.

Raindrops on roses and girls in white dresses
It's sleeping with roaches and taking best guesses
At the shade of the sheets and before all the stains
And a few more of your least favorite things.

Inside, what a wonderful caricature of intimacy
Inside, what a wonderful caricature of intimacy

Raindrops on roses and girls in white dresses
It's sleeping with roaches and taking best guesses
At the shade of the sheets and before all the stains
And a few more of your least favorite things.

Raindrops on roses and the girls in white dresses
And sleeping with the roaches and taking best guesses
At the shade of the sheets and before all the stains
And a few more of your least favorite things.

:guitar: :banana: :mango

So now that Ozzy had finally tarnished his reputation as the ultimate rock and roll showman by becoming a major bloated t.v. show-man, what was next? Oh, yes, of course, another, uhhh, album. Yeah, that's it, one of those round thingies that Ozzy was originally known for making. Well, in 2005, he added yet another one to his roster, the highly under-anticipated Under Cover, which featured, you guessed it: cover songs. So were we gonna expect some totally slamming tunes by Slayer, Priest, and other cool metal-riffic bands?

Not exactly. The Ozzzzzzzman did have a number of re-sung classic rock tracks including:

Track listing

1. "Rocky Mountain Way" by Joe Walsh,
2. "In My Life" by The Beatles
3. "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain
4. "Go Now" by the Moody Blues
5. "Woman" by John Lennon
6. "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson
7. "All the Young Dudes" by Mott the Hoople
8. "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield
9. "Good Times" by The Animals
10. "Sunshine of Your Love" by Cream
11. "Fire" by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
12. "Working Class Hero" by John Lennon
13. "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones.

In addition to his abysmal cover of Black Sabbath's "N.I.B." earlier, featuring Primus bassist Les Claypool, none of these songs were worth writing home about. One could only stand to hear Ozzy's over-processed gargling-with-pudding voice for only so long. puke:

Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains made a guest appearance on guitar.


Q magazine ranked Under Cover 47th in their list of The 50 Worst Albums Ever. :nod:

Skipping back to 2004 for a moment, one bright spot on the pop charts was Los Lonely Boys, a trio of Latino brothers, guitarist/vocalist Henry Garza, Jojo Garza on bass guitar and vocals, and Ringo Garza on drums and vocals (Ringo? Where have we heard that name for a drummer before?? :idea: ;) ). Following in the footsteps of their father Ringo Garza Sr., who led a conjunto band called The Falcones (conjunto is a style of Tejano music), the Texas-born trio stopped in Nashville for a while before returning to their home state to record at Willie Nelson's home studio in 2003. In 2004, they released their self-titled debut album which featured the hit "Heaven".

In 2005, the group recorded "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love," with Santana for his album 'All That I Am'.

The brothers were not exactly Hanson, or a certain group of brothers that would soon dominate the pop charts as part of the next wave of teen idols. Los Lonely Boys could actually play.

Heaven

Save me from this prison
Lord help me get away
Cause only you can save me now
From this misery
I've been lost in my own place
And I'm getting' weary
How far is heaven
And I know I need to change
My ways of livin'
How far is heaven, Lord can you tell me

I've been locked up way too long
In this crazy world, how far is heaven
I just keep on prayin' Lord
Just keep on livin', how far is heaven
Yeah,Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just got to know how far, how far is heaven
Yeah,Lord can you tell me

Tu que estas en alto cielo,
Echame tu bendiciòn
[translated from Spanish]
[You that's in a higher place
Send me down a blessing]

Cause I know there's a better place
Than this place I'm livin', how far is heaven
So I just got to have some faith
And just keep on giving, how far is heaven
Yeah,Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just gotta know how far, how far is heaven,
Yeah,Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven,
'cause I just gotta know how far,
I just wanna know far

:guitar: :banana: :mango

One of the big highlights of 2005 was the Slipknot tour with Shadows Fall and Lamb Of God opening. They made an appearance at the Tacoma Dome that April, and I was excited about going!! Not for Slipknot, but for the openers Lamb Of God and Shadows Fall!!!

Well, even though the ticket said 7:30 or whenever it was that the show started, I was in line and when I finally got in, Shadows Fall was halfway finished with their set!! :wallbang: I wished that that they would have let us in earlier!!! :mad: I guess the show was at 7 but we were told too late... But still it was a killer set, vocalist Brian Fair told the crowd, "Let's make this a KISS concert from 1978!!!" You know he was ready for major crowd mayhem!! :rock: I really wanted to see more of them, but I would get my chance at Ozzfest later that summer. They were definitely one of the bands bringing metal back!! I had to go and get a Shadows Fall t-shirt in the concession stands.

Next up was Lamb Of God, who started the show out with something rather unexpected. It was a vocal track of a woman singing in Arabic, rather sad and dirge-like, full of pain. The lights and sound effects of what resembled helicopters filled the stage and P.A., and it was clear that these were images and sounds relating to the war in Iraq. It was haunting, and very effective. There was no question where the band stood on the issue of the war, the clip of the woman singing was mourning the death of her country and homeland while U.S. military copters circled overhead. It was an image which stayed with you. Finally Randall Blythe and the band broke out on stage, and the floor erupted into a moshpit!! They played the songs from their most recent album, 'Ashes Of the Wake', and, as they had the album out in the concession stands, I had to pick up that as well.

Also, Blythe had clipped his big lick of hair and went on with a shaved head. Guess he didn't want to look "emo", fortunately, as before. Not at all emo to begin with, but didn't want to be confused with being one, apparently.

As far as the Slipknot set was concerned, the stage resembled that of the Hollywood Squares, and the band did their usual thing of beating drumkits with baseball bats and the typical pandemonium. It was "un-together", no real choreography, just mayhem. It should have been everything I'd ever want in a rock concert, but it wasn't. ohno: I wasn't even familiar with a lot of their music. But maybe later, I'd listen and watch with a more open, objective mind. I left for home after half an hour. I'd gotten to see some of my new favorites.

Strangely, though the tour was successful, one place where Lamb Of God was not able to play was the L.A. Forum. Shadows Fall was allowed to open for Slipknot, but Lamb Of God was not. Why?? Well, it seems that the owners of the Forum were of the Southern Baptist Convention, and took offense to the name "Lamb of God", regarding it as "blasphemous". There was nothing blasphemous about the band, nothing "satanic" (good thing they hadn't kept their old name Burn the Priest), but one can't accuse the SBC of being too hip to all things metal. Which was really strange, because Slipknot was shaping up to being a rather controversial band itself. Bannings on account of metal's reputation were going to become commonplace, as we shall see.

John Campbell, Lamb Of God bassist live in 2005:

Shadows Fall, on the right:

Seeing that we're running out of things to report on the momentous year 2005, it's time to draw the year to a close and continue on to the next exciting year in the history of rock and roll, 2006!!!

I'm sure there are a ton of things left to cover about 2005, in fact, I know there are, but we'll touch on them soon enough. For now, let us continue on.
But first, a final thought about one of the most controversial events of 2005, of course, the egging incident of Iron Maiden by $haron Osbourne at Ozzfest 2005. Her reason was that anyone who badmouthed her family and show deserved nothing less.


What was the $auron's response to none other than TV legend Bill Cosby about 'The Osbournes' phenomenon?

Bill Cosby commented thusly:

“All of you need to stop with this Ozzy Osbourne — this is a sad, sad family. It is a sad case. The children are sad and the parents are sad and it’s not entertainment.” Cosby added, “It is the kind of entertainment that you look at but you wouldn’t want it in your home. I don’t like to look at things like that.”

:rock: Amen to Cosby!! 'The Cosby Show' was funny. 'The Osbournes' is not.
I may claim ignorance in only watching a few episodes, but I didn't get it. I didn't understand it. This was funny?? :confused:


So is Bill Cosby going to get egged, too??

And now, time to continue on to the next exciting year in the history of rock and roll:

2006!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why was 2006 exciting??

Well, it was the year of the greatest calamities ever known to mankind, one that happened midyear, not only affecting the music scene, but the entire human civilization itself!!! :eek:

You all remember, do you not??


Time to refresh our memories.....

It was a day which occurred only once a century, and in mid-year 2006, it took place on the day of the release of a major metal album. Was it coincidence?? Continents shook, the skies darkened, Barbarians descended and cities erupted in flames and chaos.

It was June 6, 2006.

On the calendar:


6/6/6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek2: :faint:

Yes, here are a few scenes of that tragic, fateful day, of course coinciding with.......

the new album by Slayer!!!!
No coincidence!!!! :eek:


We apologize if these scenes are too shocking and lurid. Not to viewed by the faint of heart, these images are
very disturbing:

The impending collapse of the world as we know it, prefaced by continents cracking open to devour the populace, skies raining down fire and brimstone, plagues of locusts and lemmings devouring all, was timed perfectly for the upcoming release of Slayer's new album. Death, doom, destruction, new Slayer. Coincidence? We think not.


So metal fans and their nervous parents clutched anything they could grab hold of, bracing for the Apocalypse which the new album would bring about!!!
Record store doors (what little remained after the advent of internet downloading) opened, and merchants and mall owners cringed, awaiting the breaking of the Seals and blowing of the Trumpets announcing the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation--where the heavens would turn black, rivers would turn red, and mankind would endure its final hour!!!! :eek:



Well, it didn't quite happen that way. June 6, 2006 saw none of the upcoming album by Slayer. Wouldn't it have been the coolest PR promotion, the greatest marketing tool, to have their album released on 6.6.06?? :cool: Try as they might, it didn't really happen on schedule. For one thing, Tom Araya was in the hospital undergoing gall bladder surgery, and for another, guitarist Kerry King said that they did not want to be lumped along with all the other "half-ass, stupid f:censored:ing loser bands" releasing albums on that same day, as it was a big day for releases. In actuality, the band was delayed and were not able to secure enough studio time to finish in time for its release on that day. To placate Slayer fans drooling in anticipation for a little bite from the band, a limited-edition Slayer EP, Eternal Pyre, was released through Hot Topic outlets. The EP featured the track "Cult", as well as a live video performance of "War Ensemble" and studio outtakes. Two other songs, "Jihad" and "Eyes Of the Insane", were to featured on the new album.

During that day, radio stations all across the country played Slayer tunes round the clock. :rock: It was a great day............to be a Slayer fan.

The next day, the country, and the rest of the world went back to work, drank Mountain Dew, and watched episodes of "Scrubs". Or whatever.

Slayer's next full-length album, Christ Illusion, was finally released on August 8, 2006. The world did not end on that day, but many metal fans' long wait had. This was their first album to featured the return of original drummer Dave Lombardo. And once again, as was fitting for Slayer, the album came chock full of controversy--and not just for its unflattering depiction of Christ on the cover. :eek:

The album cover, illustrated by artist Larry Carroll, who had painted Slayer covers including 'Reign In Blood', 'South Of Heaven', and 'Seasons In the Abyss', was one of the reasons for the delay in the release of the album. The album depicted Christ as a pathetic, emaciated figure with missing hands and limbs, as well as a bleary-eyed face and grimy pallor more fitting a drug addict or wino rather than a revered Savior full of a radiant glow. The "Christ figure" caricature wades through a bloody sea of severed heads. Many record outlets were appalled and outraged at the cover art and refused to carry the album. The record label decided to release an alternate cover with the band's logo cut through a white surface under which the offending artwork could be seen.

The album cover art reflected the personal views of guitarist Kerry King, who railed against religion as one great con job foisted on humanity. Bassist Tom Araya, however, was more sympathetic to Christianity, and felt personally more connected to it by his Catholic roots. If the album's artwork was controversial, what lie inside the lyrics would shock practically everyone.

But what if June 6, 2006 hadn't been a Tuesday, the day of audio and video recording releases? :D

The Subdudes, an American roots rock band from New Orleans, released their somewhat provocatively titled LP Behind the Levee in 2006.

Comprised of Tommy Malone on vocals, acoustic, electric, and slide guitars, John Magnie on vocals, accordion, keyboards, Jimmy Messa on bass and guitar, and Steve Amedée on tambourine, drums and percussion, and vocals, the Subdudes took a great deal of inspiration from gospel, blues, folk, and country.

Behind the Levee featured "Papa Dukie and the Mud People," a tune recalling the day a busload of hippies came to town that became a favorite on public radio.

Papa Dukie and the Mud People - the Subdudes

Back in the day, in our sleep little town
Out of nowhere, a hippie band came around
They set up camp (down by the river)
Close to SoSo curve (behind the levee)
Folks said stay away (them people are dirty)
Tell Deputy Momio, get down there in a hurry
Nanananananananana...

He said they got them hippie girls
Taking off all their clothes
They're swimming in the river
Painting beads, making rainbows, and singing

Chorus:

Love is a beautiful thing
I can't wait to see what the new day brings
Love is a beautiful thing
Make you wanna dance, make you wanna holler
Nanananananananana...

I remember
Supper time conversation, opinions flew
I ain't sure about my daddy
I think he kinda liked the view

Brother said they ain't hurting nobody
(ain't hurting nobody)
Leave the Mud People alone
Momio said they ain't broken no laws
and I kinda like to hear that song

Chorus

The was patcouli incense
And weed smoke in the air
It was all colors, it was all love
And it was all right
Me and my brother stayed right there
Singing all through the night

Chorus

Make you wanna dance, and cry, and
laugh, and sing
Nananana...make you wanna holler
Nananana...down by the river
Nananana...behind the levee

One of the most controversial songs that Slayer has ever done put them far beyond the accusations twenty years before of being "Satanists"--this time, one song from the new album, titled "Jihad", written by guitarist Jeff Hanneman. The band was irritated with other bands' American perspective of the attacks on New York and Washington D.C. in 2001, so they wrote their own disturbing version. The band sparked outrage from the families of 9/11 victims with the song written from the point of view of the terrorists.

Guitarist Kerry King said, "In America every band under the sun has written their 9/11 song. And that's why I didn't want to have any part of it, but this is really cool. It kind of has an 'Angel of Death' feel because it doesn't condemn anyone or say that anyone's right or wrong."

He explained that the song was about seeing 9/11 unfold through the eyes of the terrorists. The reason why the song was so condemned was that the band made no moral point against the terrorists. Was the band defending them?

The link to the thread below is one that I started criticizing their stance, though I understand now what they were getting at. The band noticed that in the aftermath of 9/11, there was a plethora of songs by artists making the typical feel-good "hurray-for-our-side, boo-on-them" token patriotic songs chock full of nice moralizing. Which was fine, and understandable, but this was not Slayer's way of doing things. The band was simply trying to see things the way the perpetrators of 9/11 were seeing them, not making a moral statement against (and certainly not for) their actions, but trying to instill a chilling unsettling feeling of the detachment that these terrorists had toward the life and safety of their victims and for themselves. Spurred by the religious obsession for holy war (jihad means "struggle") and the promise of Paradise with seventy vestal virgins awaiting them upon their demise, the terrorists threw off moral considerations and all compassion for their victims' plight in order to see their bloody objectives fulfilled. Slayer were not about to moralize, that was not their style. They were not about to preach, like all other bands did, that was not the Slayer way. They depicted their actual moral stance against 9/11's perpetrators by showing what was going through their minds, the horror of such callousness. If there was any moral statement to be made, it was certainly not overt. It was there, but couched in the themes of bloodshed and brutality. The band was actually making a statement against religion as causing acts of savagery such as the one caused by the hijackers on 9/11.

Because Slayer were considered "the bad boys" of metal, it was naturally expected that they acted "insensitively" toward such calamities as September 11, 2001, just as Marilyn Manson was targeted for spurring on the Columbine massacre.


http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=173555&highlight=slayer

Jihad

I have witnessed your death
I've seen it many times
Your tortured screams
Your decrypted little mind
A father's son
With pathetic eyes that bleed
Twins in the end
Begin and let the brothers fall

I will see you burned alive
Screaming for your God
I will hunt you down again for Him

God won't judge what I've done
He crawls upon my feet
A privileged pain
Beneath buried are your dead
On splintered bones I walk
Sifting through the blood
Besieged to fear
Await the coming of the God!

I will watch you die again for Him

Blood is raining downward
The stain reflects the sun
Conquer divide within
Terrorize the mind
I've seen the end it's yours
Rosary in hand
Your selfish flesh it melts
Spilling from the sky

I will see you burn alive
Screaming for your God
I will watch you die

This is God's war
God's war
This is God's war
God's war

War of holy principles
I'm seeking God's help in your destruction
Slit the throat of heathen man
And let his blood dilute the water
Bury your dead

F*** your God erase his name
A lady weeps insane with sorrow
I'll take his towers from the world
You're f***ing raped upon your deathbed

This is God's war
God's war
This is God's war
God's war
F***ing holy war

Be optimistic, happy, and calm
Show no fear or anxiety
Smile at the face of God
And your reward will be eternity
Holy warriors your patience will be justified
Everything is for Him
You must not comfort the animal before you kill it
Strike as champions at the heart of the non-believers
Strike above the neck and at all extremities
For it's a point of no return for Almighty God
God will give victory to his faithful servants
When you reach ground zero you will have killed the enemy
The Great Satan!

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

"Jihad: video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv3TudB5J10

So by Slayer not writing songs explicitly condemning the terrorists on 9/11, they were not specifically endorsing them. The outrage seems to have been sparked by the automatic "if-you're-not-for-us-then-you're-against-us" mentality fostered by Bush after 9/11. It almost seemed
"mandatory" or obligatory for bands to write their typical anti-terrorist songs full of patented outrage and predictable indignation. This was not Slayer's style. It just wouldn't be Slayer if they didn't do something to shock or offend. But they simply weren't being provocateurs, they were only making people take a different look at the incident. By approaching it with a sort of detachment from the actual moral outrage, to put themselves in the place of the cold, unfeeling perpetrators, to merely describe their thoughts as they performed their heinous actions, without pointing fingers at the hijackers, they created an unsettling, sinister feeling in the mind of the listener. "So this is what they must have been thinking." It was like watching a movie and understanding the attitudes and motives of the villain. For a moment, we identify with the culprit.

Still, many around the world were not sympathetic with Slayer's inclusion of the song on the album. The song outraged the Mumbai-based Catholic Secular Forum in India. As a result, all Indian stocks of the album were recalled and destroyed by EMI India (of course, a very strong bastion of Christianity, no doubt. ohno: ). As we soon see, many on the other side of the world had strong feelings about heavy metal, and many authorities went beyond merely trashing the albums.

One song had wider critical acceptance, "Eyes Of the Insane". Tom Araya read about the plight of American soldiers returning from Iraq, and how many of them were severely traumatized and emotionally incapacitated as a result of what they had seen there. The story was "one that the military doesn't want you to know. They sweep it under the rug, but it's a story that needs to be told," Araya said. It was true, returning soldiers may have come back as heroes for their service to their country, but their emotional well-being was destroyed in the process. Reports emerged that a record number of soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other afflictions were seeking medical attention, and were finding it hard to readjust to life after their tour of duty.


Eyes Of the Insane

A soldier's heart
Reflecting back at me
I keep seeing mutilated faces
Even in my dreams
Distorted images
Flashing rapidly
Psychotically abusing me
Devouring my brain

The eyes of the insane
On a demented campaign

Tortured spirits
Will not let me rest
These thoughts of mutilated faces
Completely possessed
Fragmented images
Flashing rapidly
Psychotically abusing me
Whirling through my head

Shellshocked
Battle mortise
Overwhelming anxiety
Flashbacks
Panic attacks
Death raising it's ugly face at me!

Got to make it stop
Can't take it any more
They're all dead
Keep haunting me
They just keep coming back for more!

The eyes of the insane
On a demented campaign
Flashbacks
Panic attacks
Death raising it's ugly face at me!

Got to make it stop
Can't take it any more!
Death's face keeps haunting me
And just keeps coming back for more!

Got to make it stop
Can't take it any more!
Death's face keeps haunting me
And just keeps coming back for more!

A soldier
Of misfortune
I owe my pain and suffering
To this hell
These demons
Ripping through my soul
Evil's relentless hostility
Won't let me sleep

Shellshocked
Battle mortise
Devastating insanity
Flashbacks
Panic attacks
Death's rotting
He's coming for me!!

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Eyes Of the Insane video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOMec-rYTbo

Slayer actually won a Grammy for "Eyes Of the Insane". Was this an indication that either the Grammys got "hip",
or that Slayer was becoming "respectable"?? :eek: :confused:

One of the most popular songs on the album is also rather controversial in its verbal blasphemies. King appears to
have written the lyrics, but how would Araya, with his Christian background, felt about singing it? It is another
blistering attack on the manipulation by religion. According to the lyrics, religion is responsible for the world's evils.

Cult

Oppression is the Holy Law
In God I distrust
In time His monuments will fall
Like ashes to dust
Is war and creed the master plan?
The Bible's where it all began
Its propaganda sells despair
And spreads the virus everywhere

[Refrain:]
Religion is hate
Religion is fear
Religion is war
Religion is rape
Religion's obscene
Religion's a whore

The pestilence of Jesus Christ
There never was a sacrifice
No man upon the crucifix
Beware the cult of purity
Infectious imbecility
I've made my choice
666!

[Solo - Hanneman]

Corruption breeds the pedophile
Don't pray for the priest
Confession finds the lonely child
God preys on the weak
You think your soul can still be saved
I think you're ****ing miles away
Scream out loud, here's where you begin
Forgive me Father for I have sinned!

[Refrain:]
Religion is hate
Religion is fear
Religion is war
Religion is rape
Religion's obscene
Religion's a whore

The target's ****ing Jesus Christ
I would've lead the sacrifice
And nailed him to the crucifix
Beware the cult of purity
Infectious imbecility
I've made my choice
666!

Jesus is pain
Jesus is gore
Jesus is the blood
That's spilled in war
He's everything
He's all things dead
He's pulling on the trigger
Pointed at your head!

Through the fear you're sold into the fraud
Revelation,
Revolution,
I see through your Christ illusion!

[Solo - King]

The war on terror just drags along
My war with God is growing strong
His propaganda sells despair
And spreads this violence everywhere

[Refrain:]
Religion is hate
Religion is fear
Religion is war
Religion is rape
Religion's obscene
Religion's a whore

There is no ****ing Jesus Christ
There never was a sacrifice
No man upon the crucifix
Beware the cult of purity
Infectious imbecility
I've made my choice
666!

Perhaps less stringent than the actions taken by offended groups in India over Slayer's lyrics was the response by city officials in Fullerton, California, who were alarmed that ads on local benches promoting the band's album featured the gruesome artwork. They were appalled by the band's name, which was "a reference to a murderer", as well as by the grotesque caricature of Christ and anti-Christ and skull images. After receiving many complaints, the bench ads were removed.


Oh, come on, people!! Where's your sense of humor?? ohno:


:lol:

With the lyrics attacking religion, it's not surprising that members of the band would do so. After all, was there not a religious motivation behind the so-called War On Terror? Us versus them, if you're not for us, you're against us, Christian Americans are the good guys, Arab Muslims are the evil ones, we must destroy them utterly, God wants us to do this, to question and disagree is to go against God, etc., etc. If violence was a major component in the Old Testament, well, it sure darned worked in the 21st century with cluster bombs, Abu Ghraib, and Shock and Awe. It was God's will, right?? ohno:

Somehow the idea of Jesus being the Prince of Peace, loving thy neighbor, kindness toward enemies, and following the Golden Rule got lost in the process.

Flesh Storm

Take a deep breath
'Cause it all starts now
When you pull the ****in' pin
The shrapnel burns
As it tears into the skin
Ever wonder what it takes
To be questioning your faith
This is what it's like
When it happens every Goddamn day

Violence is our way of life

Shards of life
Like confetti in the air
The flesh storm grows
As it breeds despair
You hear screams in the distance
Fighting the resistance
Not cries of war
These are just the sounds of pain

It's all just psychotic devotion
Manipulated with no discretion
Relentless War

[Lead - Hanneman]

Killing's in style
And it's now the main event
The cameras are whores
For The daily bloodshed
Like a junkie
Hungery for a fix of anything
The media devours
And feasts upon the inhumane

Violence is our way of life

It's all too f:censored:in' clear
We can never coincide
So let's all drink
To genocide
All the venomous sights
Border on the arcane
In times of war
Everything is bound by pain

It's all just psychotic devotion
Manipulated with no discretion
Relentless War
Warfare knows no compassion
Thrives with no evolution
Unstable minds exacerbate
Unrest in peace

[Lead King]

There's no future
The world is dead
So save the last
Bullet for your head

Only fallen have won
Because the fallen can't run
My vision's not obscure
For war there is no cure
So here the only law
Is men killing men
For someone else's cause

It's all just psychotic devotion
Manipulated with no discretion
Relentless War


Skeleton Christ

Unbound God's creation
Has grown into the sinner
Abandoned innocence
Impenitent transgressor
Escape mortality
They say your life can change
If you take God's hand
Embrace rebirth
Your cleansing's so divine
To be reborn in God's eyes

You'll never touch God's hand
You'll never taste God's breath
Because you'll never see the second coming
Life's too short to be focused on insanity
I've seen the ways of God
I'll take the devil any day
Hail Satan

[Lead King]

Your faith has atrophied
And rots in hell's asylum
Despondence tears you down
A free-falling social stain
Escape atrocity
They say your life can change
If you take God's hand
Embrace rebirth
Your cleansing's so divine
To be reborn in God's lies

You'll never touch God's hand
You'll never taste God's breath
Because you'll never see the second coming
It's all a f:censored:in' mockery
No grasp upon reality
It's mind control for
Compulsory religion and the Skeleton Christ

You'll never touch God's hand
You'll never taste God's breath
Because you'll never see the second coming
I laugh at the abortion known as Christianity
I've seen the ways of God
I'll take the devil any day
Hail Satan

[Lead King]

You'll never touch God's hand
You'll never taste God's breath
Because you'll never see the second coming
It's all a f:censored:in' mockery
No grasp upon reality
It's mind control for
Compulsory religion and the Skeleton Christ

Consfearacy

I need to redefine
All the things I hate today
Politics that fail
From a president derailed
I hate the s*** economy
It might as well be sodomy
I know that in the end
I'm expected to pretend

But I can't relate
To your verbal idiocy
No one's in control
When the government's the enemy

So light the fuse
Impose your views
Consfearacy
Is anarchy

Actions of hostility
Breeds conformity
Annihilation will begin
Extermination from within

So light the fuse
Impose your views
Consfearacy
Is anarchy

I need to redefine
How I see the world today
Seems that all the war
Didn't even up the score
It's only mind pollution
There is no resolution
Still I know that in the end
I'm expected to pretend
That I can Think of myself
Blame it all on someone else
Half-hearted smile
While you look the other way
I can't relate
To your verbal idiocy
No one's in control
When the government's the enemy

So light the fuse
Impose your views
Consfearacy
Is anarchy


Final Six

Surrender your cloth and collar priest
There's no need for your beliefs in war
This is a place for heathens
Into that darkness fires illuminate
Grotesquely swollen by the heat
A half-burned corpse hanging naked
A stream is poisoned by the dead
I ghostly light, debris of war

Lead us to the brink of extinction
The time has come for you now to finish it

What has man become a funeral pyre
Now that judgement's near prepare to die
Need to suffer lust for power mindless hunger never win

Final six is here the cycle ends

I have come for you my child
And the gift I bring is murder
Sumarian death in eastern winds
Face the father of your terror
Godless warheads wait to breath
Set their sights on history
Distant silhouettes of the dead
Blacken face screams through the ashes

Lead us to the brink of extinction
The time has come for you now to finish it

What has man become a funeral pyre
Now that judgement's near prepare to die
Need to suffer lust for power mindless hunger never win

Final six is here the cycle ends

Mankind owes his pain to hell
As he brings the end upon himself
Arms rising from the ashes
In the ghastly light of human flares
Berith soldiers capture souls
Shadows of human sacrifice
The return of everything that's dead
A cryptic promise from the heavens

Lead us to the brink of extinction
The time has come for you now to finish it

Dead flowers for a faceless dead
A city engulfed by the smell of the death
Bodies piled beneath the mist
Walking dead among the living
The world will bleed while horseman ride
Now that God has wept for Judas
Days are numbered find your grave
Forever trying to escape to hell

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

As if the release of the new album hadn't put the world on notice that dark times were upon us, then the Unholy Alliance tour did!

The summer tour, featuring headliners Slayer, with opening bands Thine Eyes Bleed, Children of Bodom, Mastodon, and Lamb of God, took America by storm, and would become a yearly tour in both in the States and in Europe. Swedish band In Flames appeared on one leg of the tour. Posters and ads for the tour contained the caption, "Preaching to the Perverted"! :lol:

The Marshall amplifier stacks were assembled thusly: :rock:

Slayer believed the time was right to unleash a full metal assault on America and the world. People were burned on the NU-metal phase, and they sensed that a new trend toward heaviness, beginning with the harder though lighter "metal" sounds of Disturbed and Godsmack a few years before, were
"leading people up into Slayer Avenue". Times were dark, and Slayer were darker. Onstage, the cross motif was included with the right-side-up crosses which were slowly inverted while the band played.

Things were different this time with the crowd. Slayer fans, who were known to be absolutely brutal during a show and creating the bloodiest moshpits and making life hell for opening acts regardless of who they were, actually behaved well during their set on this tour. The pits were going on and people thrashed on, as expected, but there was a difference. A Slayer show became a family event, and middle-aged dads as well as young kids could be seen in the crowds, such as the familiar face below:

And guess who else is a fan of Slayer???

The first band to open the Unholy Alliance Tour was melodic death metal artistsThine Eyes Bleed, which had ties to Slayer in that bassist Johnny Araya was the brother of bassist Tom Araya. Jeff Phillips briefly spent time playing guitar in Kittie. The other members included Justin Wolfe, former vocalist for 90's British pop band Acacia, lead guitarist James Reid , Ryann Tunn also on guitar, and Darryl Stephens on drums.

The band debuted in 2005 with In the Wake Of Separation, which featured such tracks as "Cold Victim", "Without Warning", "Live To Die",
"Corpse You Up", and "Better Off Dead".

Cold Victim

So unashamed of your solution
Trapped only fooling yourself
As my existence offends you

Immortal mind of weakness
Frozen until death do us apart
You f:censored:ing tore me to pieces

Internal rage boils strong
Blood drained veins are left to heal
Your silent breath speaks louder than words
Release my soul of misery
Ever lost love infects with ease
Now tears of blood left rising for you

Challenge the soul of the dead
Cold victim caught in your head
Still drowning in your passion
Put my fist through the wall
With no one to break my fall
My eyes will bleed tonight

You're only fooling yourself
It's much deeper then pain
A sudden shiver of weakness
You f:censored:ing tore me to pieces

Without Warning

Collapsing heartache
Brought to the young
Release the heartless soul
This web sorrow now put to shame

Can you tease the restless
Can you taste the life
Through the passing darkness

I walk alone, through the dead wind

Shame will arise
Every time you breathe
With every word you speak
And every time you think
You will hear me bleed

I cant be your perfection
For what it's worth ill bleed
I cant heal this depression
And what if it was me

Time will only hide
What will soon be carried out
Ill see you bleed for me

Without a tear we sleep


Live To Die

You can scream all you want to scream
And it's cold every one has left with me
Your last breath isnt what it could be
Now I burn apart every last memory
Suddenly the innocent will control
By your need for pain
Why live to die
I walk alone tonight
Without a trace ill make sure your in sight
To die, to live a familiar fright
Every word shadows deeper
The night is young hold your head up high
They will come before you say

Live to die
Without memory
Face of evil
Some how so empty
Live to die
Someone please save me
Face of evil
Some how reflects me
Live to die
Left so empty
Face of evil
Someone please save me
And you'll scream all you want to scream
And it's cold everyone has left with me
You last breath exactly what it should be
Now I tare apart everything you gave to me

Suddenly the innocent has your soul
Theres no need for pain

And I'm set free from the fury we were sent unhappy
Light the fire, bring the pain
Somehow you enrage me
Now take life in your hands
To hold all that is real
You'll find me in your dreams
As you look for me you'll be sorry
That you couldn't live and let it go
And now your sorry
Remember how you hurt me
And now I'm sorry

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Justin Wolfe and the band were excited that they were on the Unholy Alliance
lineup. They were even more ecstatic--and relieved, that, in the words of Wolfe, "we haven't been Slayered yet!!" He meant that they had such an awesome rapport with the crowd, an enthusiastic audience response, that they hadn't been booed offstage with chants of "Slayer!!! Slayer!!!"

The audience got really excited for the upcoming band next on the lineup, Finland's own Children Of Bodom! The crowd began chanting "BO-DOM!!! BO-DOM!!! BO-DOM!!!", then the lights began to dim, and this corny country-sounding pop song that I remember hearing as a kid began playing as an intro.
Rather strange to be playing that, but it pretty much psyched people up for all that was NOT corny: THE BOYS FROM BODOM!!! :rock: :rock:

They played a killer set, complete with their keyboard player Janne Warman--something you wouldn't expect from a band opening for Slayer, a keyboardist!
Aren't keyboards and synths rather UN-metal?? That's been the story for years. Well, when you're as good as Children of Bodom, you can have tubas for all we care!!! :rock: Keyboards are a nice touch, who cares if people think they're a "wimpy" instrument, they worked fine in UFO and Dio!!

Lead guitarist and frontman Alexi Laiho had the whole place slamming!!!

The songs included:
Silent Night, Bodom Night
Needled 24/7
In Your Face
Angels Don’t Kill
Living Dead Beat
Six Pounder
Hate Me
Downfall

These pics were taken during their tour earlier that year, before the Unholy Alliance tour:

More pictures from their prior winter tour of America:

Interesting how their keyboardist Janne has his keyboard positioned vertically. This must make it easier for him to play, rather than to have his wrists bent and acquire uncomfortable strain.

A few more pictures from the earlier tour:

Here a few pictures from the Unholy Alliance tour that summer:

Silent Night, Bodom Night

On the eve of their doom
they are baptized
in the unholy waters of Bodom
With no hint of the torture awaiting
to greet them at the break of dawn

When the Reaper wants more...

When the calm is setting in
we'll watch it swiftly disappear
Too many years of silence
soon he's bound to reappear

The Reaper
is calling for you to come home
With the thrust of a switchblade
on the grip of a madman
And the waters of Bodom
turn a blood shade of red
As the Children Of Bodom
Take their last breath.

When the calm is setting in
we'll watch it swiftly disappear
Too many years of silence
soon he's bound to reappear


Needled 24/7

Since day one I've been crass and far beyond.
I couldn't laugh, I couldn't cry...
Before you judge me, take a look at yourself.
Condescending, outlivin' in a lie..

Despite all the pain in my heart grinding through,
It ain't due that you hate what I hate what you do

Despite all the piety you've been consuming thus far,
A backstabbing mother****er to the bone is what you are

And everyday when the knife in my back starts to twinge n' turn,
My eyes are catching fire and my heart starts to burn.
A foot away from you is like a bit closer to heaven,
Then again it's like being needled 24/7

You look down to me to see the scum of the earth to be.
**** yeah, that's me, vile and obscene.
I ain't happy about it but at least I don't judge and decree
To be better than another human being.

Everyday when the knife in my back starts to twinge n' turn,
My eyes are catching fire and my heart starts to burn.
A foot away from you is like a bit closer to heaven,
Then again it's like being needled 24/7

Despite all the piety you've been consuming thus far,
Can anyone, somebody tell me what the f:censored: is going on?

Everyday when the knife in my back starts to twinge n' turn,
My eyes are catching fire and my heart starts to burn.
A foot away from you is like a bit closer to heaven,
Then again it's like being needled 24/7

[Spoken:] Death? What do you all know about death?


Angels Don't Kill

I hear the footsteps crawling by,
Watching myself slowly die.
Sharp pain is impaling through my heart,
Slowly tearing me apart.

One minute you're an angel fallen from grace,
Next, the fist that I hate.
Pick me up from the gutter with a gentle kiss,
Then rips out my heart to show me how black it is!

No!
Yet again...
It feels so cold,
It hollows your name.
I'll die alone!

I hear the footsteps walking by,
Watching myself slowly die.
Sharpening pain leading through my heart,
Slowly tearing me apart.

When you appear as an angel
Look at me now, losing my way.
Could you ever kill the pain in my heart
Even though they say angels don't kill?

No!
Yet again...
It feels so cold,
It hollows your name.
I'm dying alone!

No!
Yet again...
It feels so cold,
It hollows your name.
I'll die alone!!


Living Dead Beat

Once again waiting for the darkness, beat up
Spun and scarred. Prepare for another war.
Day by day we decay. Sunlight, get out of my way.
Dig up yourself from your grave.

Bad to the bone, raised in the gutter,
Not exactly a motherf:censored:ing role model.
To you looking down on me.
F:censored: YOU BITCH!
Ain't got time for the future or the past.
Live for the moment, make it last.

As long as the twilight veils
The decadence we embrace
More than the ones we love.
We're ardent, we're burning down...

[Chorus:]
Not afraid of crying, sorrow and foe.
Not afraid of falling down below.
To the night, recklessly we fly.
Like living dead, we'll never die.

Stalling the sandman, fighting back
Drinking like a madman, run away from the light to come.
S:censored: FALLS DOWN!
Sun comes up shining bright
Time to close your eyes..

[Chorus]

As long as the twilight veils
The decadence we embrace
More than the ones we love.
We're ardent, well burn it down

[Chorus]


Sixpounder

Can you say what you don't know?
In darkness of the odds
The wrecking voice is getting nearer
Awaiting the first sixpounder

Well, let me show you battle
That's from the path of hate
What it takes to bring you down
Like a spark resist you
Go go!!!

War!
I refuse to be brought down by you
Praise is far away from what you do
Not only are you cranking up my brain
I'm ready to blow you away... 666 (...pounder)

Hey! Wanna see the darker time
A time that never ends
It'll be too late for you
When you try to persuade me by
Pain!
Go!
Load the sixpounder!

Can you say what you don't know?
In darkness of the odds
What it takes to bring you down
Like a spark resist you
Pounder!

War!
War!
I refuse to be brought down by you
Praise is far away from what you do
Not only are you cranking up my brain
I'm ready to blow you away... 666


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

One last photo of Alexi Laiho, taken at Qwest Field Events Center (Now WaMu Theater) on the Unholy Alliance Tour that summer:

The next band on the lineup was Mastodon, with lead vocalist/bassist Troy Sanders opening the show by shouting, "We're Mastodon, from Atlanta, Georgia!!!" The band played for over an hour, pummelling the audience with songs such as "Iron Tusk", "March of the Fire Ants", " Where Strides the Behemoth", "Mother Puncher", "Aqua Dementia", "Megalodon", two new songs "Circle Of Cysquatch" and "Crystal Skull", and closed with their their biggest song, "Blood and Thunder". At the opening of one song, Sanders introduced it by shouting, "I AM AHAB!!!!!!!!!!!" He was apparently making a reference to the evil captain who was the nemesis of the whale Moby Dick on their previous album, 'Leviathan'.

The show opened with a vocal clip of a hip-talking 50's radio/t.v. announcer urging listeners to "Get ready, Daddy-O", etc., that a really cool show was about to begin. A perfect contrast in what was cool several decades ago, and what was really cool now--the band about to take the stage for some more serious headbanging action. :cool:

Below, Brann Dailor with his Randy Rhoads drumkit (complete with Rhoads' trademark polka dots):

More photos from Unholy Alliance:

Mastodon's next album, Blood Mountain, was released later that year.
The band's critically acclaimed album was a concept album featured such songs as "The Wolf Is Loose", "Crystal Skull", "Capillarian Crest", the previously
mentioned "Circle Of Cysquatch", The Wolf Is Loose", "Sleeping Giant", and the hugely popular "Colony Of Birchmen", which featured Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age as a guest artist on the song. Vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta appeared on "Pendulous Skin" and "Siberian Divide".

Bassist Troy Sanders explained the album's concept: "It's about climbing up a mountain and the different things that can happen to you when you're stranded on a mountain, in the woods, and you're lost. You're starving, hallucinating, running into strange creatures. You're being hunted. It's about that whole struggle."

Many music magazines named the album as the best release of the year. The album even hit #32 on the Billboard charts and sold very well by the end of the year.


The Wolf Is Loose

The hero of the gods
The crossing of the threshold
The belly of the whale
Refusal of return
Hollow eyes
Dry pale legs
Howling on
Through fields and graves
Language of the signs
Symbols to our sight
Guardian to thy throne
Take on form
Daylight
Hide the skin
Cut it off
Scatter ash in the wind
Shapeshifter rolling on winds of tyrants make
Fierce lore of fanged horn
Danger all the way
Night's sea reflection
The faces of bodies slain
Returning to the form of natural human's fate
Grown from the cold
Spirits unclean
Dealer of the days
The ice will thaw
As the soldier walks through the crimson side
Researchers of aftermath
Dispelling disarming man
One-toed horses subject of Genesis
And the immigrants
Fundamental side of a human mind
Hulder folk and fairies
So believe
The hero of the gods
The crossing of the threshold
The belly of the whale
Refusal of return


Crystal Skull

Guide a truth
Prevail and ride
Into the black hole
Searching the crystal
Making the veins bleed
The source of consciousness
Alive
Crystalline resonance
Into the black hole
Searching the crystal
Making the veins bleed
A deep breath before the plunge
One million voices
Dispelling
A thousand faces
Disarming
Running through the darkness
Holding hearts in my eyes
Falling short of gauntlet
Covered in blood-sucking flies
The touch is cold
I tore a path screaming through wind and blood
I will it all
Burning deep in my skull

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

With the release of their new album, Mastodon joined the ranks of many bands of the 2000's who revived a once stagnant subgenre, progressive, or prog, rock, along with other bands as The Mars Volta and Coheed and Cambria. The latter two bands could best be described as alternative, while
Mastodon remained metal, and prog and alternative were at one time polar opposites, with punk bands lambasting Yes and Pink Floyd in the 70's, but now the two genres combined and produced very interesting, compelling concept albums. With Mastodon, metal and prog combined like a perfect fit, as was to be expected, but this was not the lofty prog metal of Dream Theater, Queensryche, or even Rush, but something much heavier and edgier.

Guitarist Brent Hinds actually had little use for Dream Theater. In a Guitar World interview, he described Dream Theater as "gay", meaning that their members seemed rather effeminate in both appearance and performance. Dream Theater was too highbrow, too self-indulgent, too self-important, lacking "street" cred, but having a sort of "look-at-how-fast-and-intricate-I-play" attitude. Such was the assessment of Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom, who infamously blew off Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci's guitar playing as "sports", too athletic, too-note-perfect. Though Laiho recanted his comments later, this was a comment complaint leveled at Dream Theater.


Sleeping Giant

Earth has burst
Mountain flames
Moon beheld
Father snake
Mind control
Has left its nest
Shame on
Bulls roar loud
The fearless fall
Wooden vessel
Broken wings
Caught my killer
In my grave
Shame on
Eyes of grace
Kill again
Trapped in maze
Trembling fear
Head scorched brow
Perish the land
Shame on
A vast calm wilderness
The call to adventure comes
Lead and land atop this rock
Infinite path carved with unrivaled skill


Capillarian Crest

Capillarian gone away
Capillarian gone away
It's a shattered wave
Cosmogenic cycles
Universal dreams
The unseen essence
Energies refreshed
12 years of silence
Frivolous to moments
Shake the hand of lightning
Capillarian carnate
Capillarian carnate
You don't have to go
Escaping from the long way
And leave us here all alone
Carve
Carve out your soul
Lay it on the altar
And leave us here all alone
This river is running violence
A way to catch our breath
Rising from the mercury
We will climb to bestow our trust
Take away the anchor
Amplify the mystery
Inhale the earth and wind
Map out the plans to our test


Circle Of Cysquatch

Elephant spirits
Tower of ivory
Story of ancient deities
Seizure of the fleece
Protector of its place
Fly through dreamscapes
Of valleys gullies and spires
Herd across suicidal slopes
Changeless moonshines
Circle cyclops image
A race of one-eyed beings
All feared and shunned
Rakshasa demon
Seizure of the fleece
Protector of its place
Eyes all around you
Enter the labyrinth
Visions of the hunted
Beware the birchmen
Incisors thought to be
Skulls of us
Our release


Colony Of Birchmen

This forest is growing faster than I can tell
Cell structure eats away at a massive swell
Seems however I'm a victim of circumstance
Hunt for ogres and dwarfs
Lion slicer
Run with death
Run with death
White faces coming closer with every step
Earth envelopes taking breath without happenstance
Carve my teeth out ripping through the sheep's head curse
Hunter gatherer
Ridden from the cave
Run with death
Run with death
Gone away
My heart's gone away
Taking everything
My heart's gone away
Take it now
Hunt for ogres and dwarfs
Lion slicer
Run with death
Run with death
Gone away
My heart's gone away
Taking everything
My heart's gone away
Take it now


Siberian Divide

Ice god shakes the earth
Destruction of the path
Sinking deeper in the snow
Eating bark with blackened hands
Swollen fingers frozen jaw
Warm teeth wrapped around my wrist
Frostbite eating away at our limbs
Slit the belly brontotherium
Climb towards vermilion snowbank fall
Station of the crosses prayer save all
Chewing bone
Euphoria
Land and sky
Shining skull
Ice field blanket land
Hunted beyond the fray
No direction known
Running with the band
Provisions wearing thin
Avalanche sweeps the land
Starvation setting in
Spilling all that's left
Should've kept the fruits from virgin's vine
Three-horned face
Pillar of red
Evil lives atop my crooked spine
Rosebush current flow
Carmine river go
Solar storms erupt on the sun
Ice fields blanket land
Snow queen
Hypothermia
Ice lips
Hallucination
Ice field blanket land
Hunted beyond the fray
No direction known
Running with the band
Provisions wearing thin
Avalanche sweeps the land
Landscape ebb 'n' flow
Think I felt the end of time
Skulls aglow as crystal shines
And starts to warm the empty climb

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

The next band on the lineup was the long-awaited Lamb of God, but the opening wasn't as dramatic as when they opened for Slipknot the year before at the Tacoma Dome. It was actually rather hilarious--a person came onstage and started ragging on them, but in a completely facetious manner:
"Oh, so all you guys want to hear Lamb of S:censored:, now, do ya??!!" He went on for a minute or two slagging them, but this was all in order to get everyone worked up--in order to stir up the pending moshpit, of course! This was all just to get people upset enough to start defending their favorite band. The things bands will do to get a reaction from the crowd! :rock:

And then, Lamb Of God came out, and vocalist Randall Blythe was shaven-headed, so as not to be confused with all the dorky emo/screamo kids with the big lock of hair over their faces, as he looked two years before. Didn't want to lose credibility with the metal crowd!

But there was no danger of being seen as "fake", because the crowd in the center of the venue erupted into a wide moshpit (and one had to be careful not to fall, because the floor was concrete).

Interesting thing about Blythe's new look, he remained the only one shaven, while the rest of the band were rather furry with long hair and beards.

The setlist included:
Ruin
Hourglass
Laid To Rest
Ashes of the Wake
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
Purified
Faded Line
Vigil
Redneck (a new song from the upcoming album released that summer)
As Palaces Burn
Black Label

The crowd couldn't get enough of Lamb of God, and Randy Blythe knew how much they meant to everyone in attendance. He was aware that the band sacrificed much of the comforts of home to be out on the road, playing live and recording great music, spreading the Gospel of Lamb of God. So much so,
in fact, that he thanked the his and rest of the band's wives, "for putting up with our smelly asses!" :lol: Yes, being in a rock and roll band certainly does wonders for one's hygiene and laundry! :nod:

Blythe urged the crowd to "give it up" for the other bands on the bill, and everyone cheered the rest of the bill on. :rock: Seattle was a metal town, in spite of what the radio and rest of the media wished to depict (a "post-grunge" town full of whiny, sensitive types :rolleyes: ).

Lamb of God's next album, Sacrament, was released that August. The album became the band's biggest, most commercial album yet, with such happy singalongs as "Redneck", which copiously dropped the F-bomb in its lyrics and chorus--and surprisingly aired on MTV (without the offending lyrics, of course). Other songs included "Walk With Me In Hell", "Again We Rise", "Pathetic", "Foot To the Throat", and others. One song, "Requiem", contained the muffled voice of the Reverend Jim Jones, who led his cult to mass suicide in the jungles of Guyana in 1978.

The critically praised album was meticulously played, rehearsed, and produced to the point of fatigue and frustration, and near breakup, within the band. They were avowed perfectionists, and their work ethic made the composition and recording difficult. But though they were relieved at the final product, they were surprised by the overwhelming public reception to the album. It got big--a little too big. The band explained that they "weren't supposed to get this big", they just wanted to have that comfortable niche of hardcore fans and just perform below the radar, but it never happened this way. Now everyone was into the band. Was this a good thing?

Regardless, for all the turmoil and nerve-wracking production that nearly brought the band to the breaking point, the members were very pleased with the results. "There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that went into this, and that sounds kind of cliched and cheesy, but there were some difficult points in this record," said drummer Chris Adler. "It took a lot out of us--kind of like it was a rite of passage. And when it was done, it was like, This is what we have to offer the world--this is our sacred statement. And that's why we're calling it Sacrament."

Redneck

So goddamn easy to write this,
You make it spill on the page.
So drunk on yourself, self-righteous,
The laughing stock of your own f:censored:ing sage.

But I ain't one to call names,
Or throw stones in a house of glass.
You try me.

This is a motherf:censored:ing invitation
The only one you could ever need.
This is a motherf:censored:ing invitation.
You try me.

Just one time you got a reason,
Heard you had nothing to lose.
A pied preacher for the pin-eyed congregation,
It must be easy to lose.

But I ain't one of those names,
Or throw stones in a house of glass.
You try me.

This is a motherf:censored:ing invitation
The only one you could ever need.
This is a motherf:censored:ing invitation.
You try me.

You can tell the same lie a thousand times,
But it never gets anymore true,
So close your eyes once more and once more believe
That they all still believe in you.
Just one time.

This is a motherf:censored:ing invitation
The only one you could ever need
This is a motherf:censored:ing invitation
Just one time

This is a motherf:censored:ing invitation
You try me
Just one time
You try me
Just one time
You try me
You try me


Walk With Me In Hell

Pray for blood,
Pray for the cleansing,
Pray for the flood,
Pray for the end of this nightmare.
This lie of a life can as quickly as it came dissolve.
We seek only reprieve and welcome the darkness.
The myth of a meaning so lost and forgotten (forgotten).

Take hold of my hand,
For you are no longer alone.
Walk with me in hell.

Pray for solace,
Pray for resolve,
Pray for a savior,
Pray for deliverance, some kind of purpose.
A glimpse of a light in this void of existence.

Now witness the end of an age.
Hope dies in hands of believers.
Who seek the truth in the liar's eye.

Take hold of my hand,
For you are no longer alone.
Walk with me in hell.

Walk with me in hell [x5]

Take hold of my hand,
For you are no longer alone.
Walk with me in hell [x3]
You're never alone [x5]
Walk with me in hell.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Again We Rise


Store-bought attitude and spit,
A sugar-coated piece of s***.
An instant rebel, just add greed.
Another useless commodity.
Broken glass and a broken jaw.
Lies are told in a southern drawl.
Poor-house poverty's your schtick.
The real thing would kill you quick.

Rise, again we will rise.
Rise, again we will rise.

Blood and fire used to fill the night,
Burnt and drowned by our very lives.
You missed a sinking boat by years,
Dollar signs, crocodile tears.
It's over now and long has been,
Those days are gone won't come again.
Another name crossed off the list.
The real thing would kill you quick.

Rise, again we will rise.
Rise, again we will rise.

There's nothing for you to fight against,
You're so unreal it's evident.
You'll never be one of our kind,
This ain't yours, f*** you, don't try.

(This ain't yours, f*** you, don't try) [5x]

This bridge was burnt before you could cross,
You reap the benefits of what's lost.
Go home son, hang your costume up,
A goddamn insult to the rest of us.
A thousand-yard stare across the south,
A fully belly and a lying mouth.
Mamma's boy plays heretic.
The real thing would kill you quick.

Rise, again we will rise.
Rise, again we will rise.

[x2]
F*** you, don't even try.
F*** you, your time is nigh.
F*** you, I've had enough.
F*** you, your time is up.


Requiem

Down, chemical sacrament,
Blasphemous prayer.
Deliver me from this so serene apocalypse

Just make me f***ing numb,
Deaf, blind and f***ing dumb.
Return to sacred sleep.

This could be my requiem,
And I'll feel no pain.
This could be my requiem,
But don't bury me too deep.

Drain infected brine,
Sickened cesspool shell of mine.
Strap up the hands of time,
And push the soul into the vein

Just make me f***ing numb,
Deaf, blind and f***ing dumb.
Return to sacred sleep.

This could be my requiem,
And I'll feel no pain.
This could be my requiem,
But don't bury me too deep.

[x2]
Sink, suffer, self destruct.
Rise, stronger, reconstruct.

Dispose, discard, deny.
And I will feel no pain.

Pathetic

Somewhere between an excuse and a lie,
You found something that you believe.
So proud, I guess I can't imagine why,
Three cheers for what we used to be.

Pathetic. Wasted. Soulless. Compromised.

Sleep-walking the mind field.
S*** talking, it crumbles around you.
It comes back around.

Somewhere between delusion and denial,
You'll drown in your own sympathy.
Profound, at least you thought so at the time,
A ghost of who you used to be.

Pathetic. Wasted. Soulless. Compromised. [x2]

[x2]
Sleep-walking the mind field.
S*** talking, it crumbles around you.
It comes back around.

Pathetic. Wasted. Soulless. Compromised.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:


In the tradition of great kiddie-birthday party-themed videos, such as Ratt's "Lay It Down", Quiet Riot's
"Party All Night", and the Beastie Boys' "You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party", Lamb Of God offered
their take on that happy, festive theme--which may explain their exponential rise to fame on this
album. A mother decides to hire professional musicians for her little girl's birthday party, and finds a
"wholesome"-sounding band in the yellow pages. Guess who's coming over for fun?? ;) party: :birthday: :rock:

Redneck (unedited):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQYPn_en6OU

The band live in 2007:

Of course, headlining the wonderfully sordid event was Slayer, with their inverted cross-Marshall amplifier stacks suspended high above the stage and cross props behind them slowly being turned upside down behind them as they played their first song. Strangely, the crowd was not as intense as one would have expected for Slayer, why didn't the crowds erupt into a massive wall of bloodshed in the mosh pit?? :confused: I suppose everyone was focused on what was going on up on the stage.

The band played clips of Nazi World War II footage during some of their songs such as "Angel Of Death", about the infamous "Butcher of Auschwitz", Dr. Josef Mengele, who performed horrendous medical experiments, which had no real medical purpose, on prisoners at the notorious death camp. The editor of Revolver magazine, Tom Beaujour, himself part Jewish, explained in a later issue that he cringed at the barbaric film footage of Nazi atrocities during the show, and did not buy into anyone's argument that the footage was depicted in their act as some sort of "profound commentary" by the band to reflect on man's inhumanity to man. In his view, the film clips were simply gratuitous, in
true Slayer fashion. As in the "Jihad" song from the latest album, the band was courting controversy for shock value, not moralizing or preaching about the events at hand. Perhaps to Beaujour, it was amoral to depict events as such, but were not the band making a moral point regardless? If the band could criticize blind faith in Christianity as the cause of wars and violence, then wouldn't they be making the same point about Islamic terrorism and Nazism? The band claims to not want to make moral statements for or against, like anyone else would--yet they decry blind devotion to causes, religious or ideological, as causing acts of violence. The band's message appears to be not so overt against these acts, but still their point is clear. They do not condone or support them. Depicting them in a supposedly "neutral" point of view instills a sense of emotional detachment by the culprits, which is more chilling and sinister than condemning the perpetrators outright. We see things from the eye of the killer or terrorist. We "become" the perpetrator, trapped in the mind and body of the person committing the violence, having our moral objections in our inner selves, but the murderous actions of the person whom we inhabit overrides our own ability to stop them.

Metal is largely about social commentary about existing evils--but often we depict them in ways that are not so obvious to make the same valid point as if we were being more overt--and sometimes, being more implicit is more effective.

So the Unholy Alliance roamed through your town, decimated a few lucky eardrums, laid all to waste, and moved on. Slayer and their fiendish friends on the bill served as the perfect house band of the Apocalypse. The cataclysmic devastation of Day 6/6/06 may not have begun on time, but with the Slayer tour, it did happen after all.


And everyone had a killer time. :rock:

After the previous year's debacle at the San Bernadino Ozzfest, what could one expect at Ozzfest 2006? More of the same, some good, some bad...but it just felt different this time around. How could Ozzfest stand to show its ugly face around anywhere after its reputation had been tarnished by $haron's shabby treatment of the Maiden, one of the two greatest choices for co-headliner (along with Priest)? Well, it could go on and act like nothing happened. But for many, it did, and that was why there were smaller head count this time. Of course, there were quite a few people there for a good time, but to me, it just felt, not really right.

In fact, the tour appeared on the decline.


So who could we expect at this year's Ozzfest?? The 2006 lineup included:

Main Stage:
Ozzy Osbourne (On Select Dates)
System of a Down
Disturbed
Avenged Sevenfold
Hatebreed
Lacuna Coil
DragonForce

Second Stage:
Ozzy Osbourne (On Select Dates)
Black Label Society
Atreyu
Unearth,
Bleeding Through
Norma Jean

Second Stage (rotating slots):
A Life Once Lost
The Red Chord
Walls of Jericho
Strapping Young Lad
All That Remains
Full Blown Chaos
Between the Buried and Me
Bad Acid Trip

One thing that shown how far fans of Ozzfest had come was made evident that morning while waiting in line at White River Ampitheater. Some of these kiddies, some twenty-nothings were hanging around talking about whom they had met previously at Ozzfest and who they wanted to meet. I told them that the year before, I had met Tony Iommi at a signing at Ozzfest, but their response was completely appalling:



"Who's Tony Iommi?"



HUH?????!!!!!!!!!!! :eek2:

And not only did they claim ignorance, but they poked fun at the GODFATHER OF ALL METAL!!!!! :mad: From inside the ampitheater we heard a female voice singing at rehearsals , most likely it was Christina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil practicing for her show that afternoon--but these gelatinous bags of festering slug phlegm were taunting TONY IOMMI'S NAME by saying stupid
stuff like, "Tony Iommi? It must be that chick singing inside!" Like Tony is a female name, like Toni Tenille (The Godfather of Metal does also does have a daughter named Toni who fronts a band called Lunar Mile, with Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill's son in the band). But this was UNFORGIVABLE!!!!! :livid: Blasphemous!!!! Taunting the man who HELPED Ozzy's rise to stardom in Black Sabbath!!! It was sad that these guys didn't even KNOW about the great Tony Iommi--but they mocked his name, as well!!! I found this completely surprising from these so-called Ozzfest fans. I shouted out, "Is there anyone who doesn't KNOW who Tony Iommi is??" And other concertgoers just gave me dumb looks.
:confused: :drool:

See, these are kiddies who only know Ozzy from the t.v. show. THEY ARE NOT TRUE FANS OF METAL IF THEY DO NOT KNOW THE GREAT NAME OF

TONY IOMMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:notworthy: :notworthy: :rock: :rock:

Well, His Exalted Awesomeness Tony Iommi was not appearing at Ozzfest 2006, but San Fernando Valley's own Bad Acid Trip was. The opening band for the Second Stage that morning was signed to Serjical Strike, a label formed by System Of a Down's Serj Tankian. Their 2004 album, Lynch the Weirdo, was produced by System Of a Down guitarist Daron Malakian. Since SOAD was the co-headliner, it made sense that one of the bands they signed
would be the opener of the Ozzfest bill.

The band's 1999 debut, 'For the Weird By the Weird', pretty much was a self-explanitory statement by the band. The debut album featured a very surreal album cover. 'Lynch the Weirdo' was a collection of seventeen very short songs which clocked in at 31 minutes at the most. Song titles from the album included "Cigarette Pack", "Jump Rope--Spray Water", "Strange Humans", "Kill Or Be Killed", "Plate Of Shrimp", "Fascist F:censored:wad",
"When You Go Madd", "Beef Moo", "Join the Circus", and "Zombie Nation". Does it seem like when a band constantly refers to itself as being weird and acts accordingly, they seem like they're trying too hard?? :confused: Judging from their songs on Myspace, they sound like they want to be quirky, too much like System of a Down, the band that signed them.

I don't know, from what I recall about this band, they didn't do much for me.
Weirdness for weirdness' sake, trying too hard to be "avant-garde" metal. ohno: It reminded me of a band name like Leftover Crack, Slaves On Dope, or some other druggie name. The band's members included Dirk Rogers on vocals, Keith Aazami on guitars, banjos, and vocals, Chris Mackie on bass, and Jose Perez on drums.

Actually, this song's lyrics really hit the spot about the fake "punk" fashion show kiddies have gobbled up for the past several years. Very reminescent of "Packaged Rebellion" by Anthrax, which criticized the trendy alternative craze, where being "cutting edge" was simply something to be bought off the shelf. Must pay attention more to lyrics like these: :cool:

Jump Rope, Spray Water

Alright LA Sports Arena, are you ready to rock? Then lets go!
Hello all you little fans. Hello all you little kids
Hello all you little dupes. My children
Hello all you little fans. Hello all you little consumers
Before you see the band there's something that you must always remember to do
Check your wallet, check your funds, and make sure youĺve got enough cash
Cuz itĺs not about expression and itĺs not about art
Itĺs all about make those big dollars
Watching puppets...
Always remember to buy please (x3)
Remember to buy
Before you see the band there's something that you must always remember to do
Check your wallet, check your funds, make sure youĺve got enough cash
Itĺs not about expression and it's not about art
Itĺs all about making those big dollars
You donĺt care about what we say. You care less about how we play
All you care about is how you feel
Another anthem for you when you murder and cheat, lie and steal
Screaming cuz weĺre f:censored:ing pissed
Weĺve got a lot to say. Talking gets us nowhere
Gonna try another way and keep on fighting until you hear what we say
Let's go to the mall so that we can shop at Hot Topic
Practice our moshing and maybe some spinning kicks
It's written on a patch right next to the one that says ô**** the systemö
Anarchy through hair dye, Punk rock's just a fashion rebellion
You don't care about what we say. You care less about how we play
All you care about is how you feel
Another anthem for you for when you murder and cheat, lie and steal
Screaming cuz we're f:censored:ing pissed. We've got a lot to f:censored:ing say
Talking gets us nowhere
Gonna try another way and keep on fighting until you hear what we say
We're the puppets, weĺre the puppets, we're the puppets, Playing jumprope
We're the puppets, weĺre the puppets, we're the puppets...Spraying water.


Wonderful Life

Multi-million dollar market - theyĺre our prisons
Keep the menace off the streets - we don't need them
Build bigger better prisons - for our children
Beat 'em, bash 'em, f:censored:ing rape them - hail our system
They declare war on drugs - what a joke
****ing Bush dropping bombs - snorting coke
CIA sells the crack - industry
They allow all the drugs - in the country
What the f:censored: is going on
Hopes of a future are gone
Using our taxes for bombs
When children live in slums
There's no money for schools
The poor are treated like mules
Equal opportunity is bulls:censored:
When the rich rule all markets
It's a wonderful life
Work real hard and break your back - you're still poor
Pimp your ass for a loaf of bread - you're a whore
Politicians lie and cheat - all the time
F:censored: your mother for a nickel - or a dime
Buy their products and their food - they're the best
Eating all their chemicals - grow a breast
Rape the land, pollute the seas - just for profit
Killing man with their disease - causing havoc
It's a wonderful life

Zombie Nation

A chemical weapon has been released now we'll never rest in peace
Hunted and gutted for a weapon of death,
clutching the bombs you draw your last breath
The greedy homeless are picking at the locks,
and soon infectious gas is swirling around
Burning the skin of the living, transformed weĺre the living dead
Poisoned the earth and poisoned the sky
Clouds of death cause hundreds to die
Zombie Nation - rotting corpses roam the streets
Zombie Nation - where the dead no longer sleep
Zombie Nation - witness to this gruesome scene
Zombie Nation - canĺt pretend itĺs only a dream
The greedy homeless are picking at the locks,
and soon infectious gas is swirling around
Burning the skin of the living, transformed weĺre the living dead
Poisoned the earth and poisoned the sky, clouds of death cause hundreds to die
But some will rise and return to feed, preying on the living with murderous greed
Zombie Nation - ghouls feeding on the screaming
Zombie Nation - dearly departed on the grieving
Zombie Nation - Hideous creatures all around pulling themselves out of the ****ing ground
Zombies - walking bags of rotted meat
Zombies - think your flesh is quite a treat
Zombies - created for power gains
Zombies - another weapon it's all the same
Zombies - grisly armies of the night
Zombies - devouring the country side
Zombies - more and more at the gates
Zombies - mankind has sealed its fate
A suicide mission from the start
Now you've returned without a beating heart
Feel your body start to change
Give the weapon back to the deranged

:guitar:

Next up on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was Between the Buried and Me, a more progressive metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Their name actually comes from an unlikely source--The song
"Ghost Train" by alternative rockers Counting Crows: "Took the cannonball down to the ocean/Across the desert from the sea to shining sea/I rode a ladder that climbed across the nation/Fifty million feet of earth between the buried and me".

The band formed in 2001 and released a few singles before recording their self-titled debut album the next year. The album included such tracks as
"More Of Myself To Kill", "What We Have Become", "Use of a Weapon", and the song "Arsonist", which criticized the hateful beliefs and practices of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, whose head pastor, Fred Phelps,
encourages his followers to spread ugly homophobic speech directed against gays and even pickets funerals of AIDS victims. In 2003, the band released their second album, 'The Silent Circus' and underwent a few lineup changes.

The band followed up with 2005's 'Alaska' album, and in 2006, released The Anatomy Of..., a collection of cover songs by artists which influenced the band, including Metallica, Queen, King Crimson, and Counting Crows.

The band has tons of death metal riffs which easily morph into some odd time signatures and soft passages.

More Of Myself To Kill
You have all wept once more... why? I would never ask
for such. Go.
I have realized for once in my existence my true
happiness. This is a first time for me... I feel
innocent, caring, and non-threatening.
Reincarnation for a better life... becoming one with
true harmony. No gods have caressed or burned me, only
nature is willing to comfort me.
Salvation is dead and all of you have passed away with
me today. I will never have to entertain or please any
of you ever again. I am alive.
My memory is the only thing keeping the old tears in
my eyes.
I still know that all of you are taking for the sake
of not leaving. You are killing the innocent for your
so-called nutrition. You are infecting our lands with
your filth. You are killing for the sake of your
promotions in life.
One day we will all be in this soil... with no gods to
slave to, and no heroes to kill for.


Arsonist

Compassion no more, the angel sleeps in her blood.
Guilt will ruin... you rest no more.
I will always watch... until the last church is burned,
until the guilty drown in blood, until your preachers
of filth cease to be. Everyday I hope...I hope that your
end will bring a better day.
F*** your god, your god of s***. Our sin will send the
death we wish upon you. For the families you've
broken, for the lies you have ruined, we burn the last
of you down.
"Now you will receive us. We do not ask for your poor,
or for your hungry. We don't want your tired and sick.
It is your corrupt we claim. It is your evil that will
be sought by us. With every breath we shall hunt them
down everyday. We will spill their blood till it
bleeds down from the sky." Now you will receive us,
receive the arsonist.


What We Have Become

Is this justifiable, this is life we lead. Blind
stares at what we call humanity.
So afraid to face what has already become of us. The
dark cloud passed lifetimes ago. The "saints" drink
the blood of their own. Your pathetic prayers mean
nothing for...
Our mother is already dead. She tried her best but the
dirt choked her. We raped her, and laughed as we
****ed her last chance of survival.
I sleep on her tears. They keep me awake. I fear that
closing my eyes might end me. But what am I? I'm just
a worthless member of a twisted language.
We all speak this twisted language. Is this
justifiable?
We have raped her, and we are pleasured from this.
Thinking this progress... progress stopped lifetimes
ago. We are raping with this life we lead. Everything
is all right. Lies-the twisted language we all
breathe.

Mordecai

[Day one]
Asleep mid-sentence- the words fell apart.
No one is listening anyway.
This day will soon turn black and my "wants and needs" will spill on my burning ashes.
I learned to be selfish today...
I learned to be alive.
These things I care for are for my personal gain and my person happiness only.
Why should I sit in your chairs and satisfy your standards.
I've done it all before and I've confused myself a thousand times.
The tragic day that I call morality just doesn't do it for me anymore.
No more choices, just standing in the cold.
The day will turn black and I will have either lived or died.
Asleep mid-sentence- my words fall to the ground.
Swept into this dreamland.
Economic satisfaction, never succeed.
But happiness has its place.
Justice will not lie in your corner.
New day towards death, only compassion for my own needs make my need necessary.

[Day two]
Throw myself in the corner; I have nothing to complain about here.
A tragic day seems too peaceful to most, spoiled ambitious turned my heart to black.
I'm figuring out this realization process- the process to never look upon bitter ground.
Living dreams, loving dreams, awakening to what I've always dreamt of.
The familiar sound of the lovely laugh from the love of my life will keep the notes coming.
From the reciting of the show,
From the plip and the shevanel,
From the grind that annoys, and the sarcasm, they all hate...
Forever I worship.
I'll kill, love, and hate for all of you.

Thank you for the best part of my life.

Alaska

The road is dry... I'm f:censored:ing delirious right now...
Life goes on... glorious evening of nodding and jump starts...
I need to make a personal dance party. The brain works very weird at this hour...
Not the best time for lyrics I suppose...
Keep writing... keep dreaming...
Keep writing... keep dreaming...
Keep writing... keep dreaming.

Nope, can't be awake and dream, drifting in and out, in and out...

Eye motions... in out... heat lightning,
Scares us both... the only two people awake at this ****ing hour...
I won't remember this in the morning...
At least I wrote this all down... please pick the right song...
The one that keeps the eyes wide...
Creepy... creepy... creepy...
Yes, creepy...
The idea of control...
Controlling death with alertness...
When is the ****ing sun coming up...
The idea of control...
Yes, creepy...
Controlling death with alertness...
Controlling death with alertness.

Then it all changes, same scenery but sun involved...
Shouldn't be much different...
Alaska, Alaska. Then it all changes, same scenery but sun involved...
Shouldn't be much different...
Alaska, Alaska... the brain works very weird at this hour...
The brain works very weird at this hour...
The brain works very weird at this hour.

Tick tock tick tock... the rain is pouring now...
Wide-awake... at least for now... nature can be the death of me...
A thing we'll never overcome... in out in out.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Next on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was Full Blown Chaos, a band tied in to the NYHC (New York Hardcore) and metalcore scene. The band formed in 2000 and released their first EP in 2001. The band joined Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta's Stillborn label, during which time their original lead singer Joe White was replaced by current vocalist Ray Mazzola.

In 2004, the band released 'Wake the Demons' and toured with such acts as Hatebreed[2], Terror, Sick Of It All, Madball, Himsa, and Napalm Death. In 2006, the band released Within the Grasp of Titans, which, like its predecessor, focused on themes of inner strength and power over obstacles.
Songs from the album include "Trails Of Triumph", "Chopping Block",
"Burning Age", "Solemn Promise", "Rise & Fight", "Anchored Heart", "Vendetta"
"Against The Grain", and "Kingdom Undone".

Lead singer Mazzola proved to a be a very imposing, powerful frontman. The band played pummelling music that was definitely worth a listen. The song
"Solemn Promise" really struck a chord with me; when he announced the song,
he related the story of his mother who was sick with cancer. The song spoke of his solemn promise to be with her for everything. It was a very moving, heavy song. Afterwards, I went out and met the band at the FYE table and spoke to Mazzola about the passing of my mother from cancer over a year and a half before. He was touched and offered condolences, as well as a few kind words of encouragement, telling me that she was in a better place now. He and the rest of the band were so cool. I got a picture of them below throwing the horns!! :rock: :cool:

Solemn Promise

Think you are alone
You have never been more wrong
This affliction
Kills a piece of us all
Drowning inside out
Swallow fatal frame
Don't hold your breath
I swear, you will breathe again
This is a promise
All I have in my heart
Strength for both of us
Pull you from the shadows
This blight wont take your life
Scour the rust from your veins
I feel your pain
Shedding mortal remains
Put your mind at ease
You aren't on your own
With you all the way
Fight this together
This is a promise
To a fallen friend
If you are lost
I swear, we will meet again
Think you are alone
You've never been more wrong
This affliction
Kills a piece of us all
Drowning inside out
Swallow fatal frame
Don't hold your breath
I swear, you will breathe again
This is a promise
This is a promise
All I have in my heart
Strength for both of us
Pull you from the shadows.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Wake the Demons

We are the unseen
Locked down and driven out
Too long we sleep in dreams
Inside nightmares unwind

Today we rise
The wait is over
Burn down walls of shadow
Tear through reality

You cannot hide the dark side
Blackened by years of hate
This darker half of our conscience
Will soon be revived

Breathe life into this nightmare
WAKE THE DEMONS

WAKE THE DEMONS
WAKE THE DEMONS
WAKE THE DEMONS
WAKE THE DEMONS

We are the unseen
Locked down and driven out
Too long we sleep in dreams
Inside nightmares unwind

You cannot hide the dark side
Blackened by years of hate
This darker half of our conscience
Will soon be revived

Unearth the buried
Contained within
Escape this cage
Penetrate the surface

Today we rise
The wait is over
Burn down the walls of shadow
Tear through reality

Breathe life into this nightmare

WAKE THE DEMONS
WAKE THE DEMONS
WAKE THE DEMONS
WAKE THE DEMONS


Trials of Triumph

My stride can't be broken
Always gaining ground
It'll prove you wrong
In steel my will is forged
Spark lights the friction
Mountains set in motion
Its not a slow burn
This is a firestorm
Impetus
Driven every wave
Catalyst
Master my influence
My stride cant be broken
Always gaining ground
Ill prove you wrong
In steel, my will is forged
Spark lights the friction
Mountains set in motion
Its not a slow burn
This is a firestorm
Impetus
Driving every wave
Catalyst
Master of my influence
Dominate
Trials of triumph
Incinerate
Conquer all my fears
Dominate
My stride can't be broken
Mountains set in motion
Ill prove you wrong
In steel my will is forged


Rise & Fight

Get up, get on your feet
I watched long enough
Time is now, to make things right
We must overcome gone on for to long
Where do you cross the line
Kept us down and out
Got rich while we were blind
You always had our trust
Now you turned on us
Sold your soul
To burn us all
Actions beyond forgiveness
Lies wont be forgotten
Take no prisoners
Destroy them all
Rise-to your feet
Fight - tooth and nail
Rise - brothers in arms
Fight - we will prevail
Get up, get on your feet
I watched long enough
Time is now to make things right
We must overcome
Gone on for to long
Where do you cross the line
Keep us down and out
Got rich while we were blind
Rise - to your feet
Fight - tooth and nail
Rise - brothers in arms
Fight - we will prevail
Gave our faith
Took our trust
Sold us out
Pay in blood
Rise - to your feet
Fight - tooth and nail
Rise - brothers in arms
Fight - we will prevail


Vedetta

Over before the start
Our eyes will never meet again
Cry after cry, lie after lie
Built upon deceit
You know what I believe
No a f:censored:ing word
With all you fabricate
How can you grip reality
Show now mercy
Vengeance mine
Deception led to nothing
That is what you are
Over before the start
Your eyes will never meet again
Show no mercy
Vengeance mine
Deception led to nothing
That is what you are
Over before the start
Our eyes will never meet again
Show no mercy
Nothing remains vengeance mine
Eye for an eye


Against the Grain

Do you know me?
Tell me what you believe
How dare you judge me
I am more than what you see
I made this life
And everyone a friend
Still you turned on me
Shown true colors
You never listen
You hear the sound
You never listen
And f:censored: the words
Never ending every things become a trend
I hope you had your fill
Cause this is where the bleeding ends
Slowly dying
Were worked down to the bone
Go against the grain
Or die alone
I wont change for you
Cause you will never change
I live my life everyday
You just fail and fade away
Dare you judge
Turn on me
You just fail
Fade away


Kingdom Undone

One man to rule them all
Conceived son of God
He will destroy us
Bleed the world dry
Power corrupted
Infected mind
Unholy messenger
Drank blood, of the martyr
Deceived and in denial
Betrayed by belief
Enslaved to an enemy
Involved in our prayers
Darkened harvest
Reaped their souls
Lambs to the slaughter
Kingdom undone
The sleeper has awaken
Lay down your crown, your reign is over
Raging angles, battle no more
Might have fallen
Lay down your crown, your reign is over
The sleeper has awaken
One man to rule them all
Conceived son of God
Power corrupted
Infected mind
Achieved and in denial
Betrayed by belief
Lambs to the slaughter
Kingdom undone
The sleeper has awaken
Raging angles, battle no more
Kingdom undone, your throne in ruins
Enemy of the world, praise our new lord
The might have fallen, law down your crown, your reign is over
Conceived and in denial
Betrayed by belief
Lambs to the slaughter
Kingdom undone
The sleeper has awaken

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Next up on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was All That Remains, a metalcore band from Springfield, Massachussetts, home of Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, and Staind. The band formed in 1998 and released their first album, 'Behind Silence and Solitude', in 2002. After a few lineup changes, the band released 'The Darkened Heart', which marked a shift in the band's musical direction in the use of clean vocals and melodic death metal styles. The album was produced by Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz.

The band's next album, The Fall of Ideals, was released in time for Ozzfest 2006, and featured their breakthrough track, "This Calling", as well as
"The Air That I Breathe", "Six", "The Weak Willed", and "Not Alone".

This Calling

I secretly crave, crave that scent again
Still feel lit pressing on me now
Now with the onset, my flesh is weakening
I steel my nerves for temptations at hand again

[Chorus:]
And I hear this calling still you don't seem so far at all
And I hear this calling

No secrets, deception for these would tear this down
I'll note the past spare the pain
Words match my deeds with brutal honesty
Never forget these choices were made by me

And I hear this calling still you don't seem so far at all
And I hear this calling out

Not falling victim to the fire that burns inside of me
Though I am fearful I will not prevent this tragedy
My strengths been tested I wear the scars that prove
Still I believe that this calling will see me through

And I hear this calling still you don't seem so far at all
And I hear this calling out

My strengths been tested I wear the scars that prove
Still I believe that this calling will see me through.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Not Alone

No more
No more are the days that I will
Fear for I have found a strength that
None can match and I'll push forward

Never has the blood in my veins
Flowed so fiercely as when I feel this around me
I am whole

[Chorus:]
I'm not alone with the touch of your hand I am whole again
I'm not alone with the touch of your hand I am whole again

Now I feel the passion burning
This what drives me further
Strengthens my resolve to push me further

[Spoken:] AND I BELIEVE I, THAT I AM NOT ALONE

[Chorus]

Give me hot steel, go

[Solo]

No more are the days that I will
Fear for I have found a strength that
None can match and I'll push further

Now I feel the passion burning
This what drives me further
Strengthens my resolve to push me further

[Chorus]


The Weak Willed

I will not give in to fascist beliefs and I am not a fool
I will not let pride in my core be rooted out
I will stand firm on my beliefs
Live life the master of my destiny
See no other way to live

I am not the weak willed
Nor am I a fool who can not see
I am not the weak willed
I will not let pride destroy me

Wise men can see the difference in compromise
And laying down ones beliefs

There shall be wisdom in my beliefs
They shall be rooted in strength not failure

With lies on your tongue seek to deceive
You've fallen victim to the human condition
And it's lead to your defeat

I am not the weak willed
Nor am I a fool who can not see
I am not the weak willed
I will not let pride destroy me

I will not let pride destroy me


Six

I wish I was free of this
I see her in my dreams
Wish that she wasn't there
But she still haunts me and I

Still feel her breath on me
Still want to taste her skin
But I know that would kill me

No damn her, still I choke on her lies
Still reeling from her last caress her good-bye
Oh how this sickens me
This wretched fools affair
I can't erase this from me

And now it permeates
And every thought I feel
The anger writhes in my soul

No damn her still I feel my skin turn
Choke back hold my head high I'm strong
No damn her still I choke on her lies

Not reeling I'm strong


The Air That I Breathe


I will not relent no, no
Never live with defeat never falter
This like the air that I breathe
I will not choke on failure

I am a mortal man
But I'm not fallen
I'm not broken
I am a mortal man But I'll
Hold tight to my beliefs

I have suffered defeat, pain, loss
Still I push to the edge, never falter
For this cement my beliefs
I'll will not choke on failure

I will not relent


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

The lineup of All That Remains included Philip Labonte on vocals, Mike Martin on guitar, Oli Herbert guitar, Jeanne Sagan on bass, and Jason Costa on drums.

This Calling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcfLkrDXdn8

Not Alone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnDEFyV88Qs&NR=1

The Air That I Breathe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG9qlKEyV4E

Next up on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was a band with a familiar face to many, Canadian thrashers Strapping Young Lad, whose frontman, Devin Townsend, was the lead singer on Steve Vai's 1993 album 'Sex and Religion', which was the noted virtuoso shredder's attempt at a band project simply called Vai. Townsend's latest band was light years away from Vai's otherwordly fretboard wizardry, SYL was simply powerful, pissed-off metal.

Strapping Young Lad was formed in 1995 after Townsend finished touring with Steve Vai. Townsend had spent his early years in his native British Columbia practising on guitar and taking lessons. During this time he learned about expressing his creative frustrations on his instrument, while at the same time learning to sing. He formed a band called Noisescapes, and sent out copies of the band's demo in used underwear to attract label attention! :eek: :lol: Obviously, it worked, as Relativity Records picked him up and asked if he would like to sing on Steve Vai's latest project. He agreed, though he would not be playing guitar.

Though Townsend was honored to play with Vai, his own music was nothing like Vai's and he did not personally feel like playing in such virtuosic manner himself. Townsend did not even know much about Vai, other than hearing all the accolades in music magazines, and took the job of providing vocals as a nice touch on a musical resume, something he could brag about to his friends. Townsend had deep respect for Vai as a person, but he was not "awestruck" by the legendary guitarist. This helped take the heat off the two performers. In spite of his relations with Vai, Townsend was uninterested in guitar shredder virtuoso music. He liked Vai's playing, because he was more of a musician than just a technical showman, but other guitarists he found little to praise. "The one type of music I can't listen to is guitar virtuoso music--all those guys with the poofadooma hairdos and albums like 'The Seventh Pinnacle of Doom', and where the tone is endorsed by Remington: all whizzywhizzywhizzy."

While 'Sex and Religion' had some great moments, it was regarded as something which hardly lived up to its potential, in spite of the great skills of the band's members. It was a commercial disappointment, and even Townsend felt stifled. Steve Vai controlled the whole album project creatively, and Townsend's own input and ideas was put on the back burner. It was frustrating, and after Townsend finished his time with Vai, he felt completely discouraged and disgusted with the entire music industry. His own music was ignored, and felt his own record deal was just made so he could sing with Steve Vai. Labels felt his extreme rock was just "noise", and rejected his demos. Fortunately, Century Media Records took an interest in him, and he decided to use the name Strapping Young Lad so as not to draw attention to his real name and its association with Vai. "At the beginning, I wanted to avoid at all cost to use my name because I was known as the singer for Steve Vai and it wasn't the best publicity to have," he later explained. "I was playing somebody else's music and I was judged in respect to that music."

Strapping Young Lad's first album was Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing, released in the spring of 1995.

Of course, the one particular noticeable thing about Townsend other than his association with Vai was his "skullet", where the top of his head was nearly bald or thinning while hair in back remained long. Not too many bands could get away with that style. :cool:


This song apparently is directed toward his slaveowners in the music industry
(operative word "industry"):

S.Y.L.

I am the coming of a new age
Past your s*** by far
I was a puzzle in your sick life,
But will never be a piece anymore.
Because I worked through your f***ing bulls***
And I worked through your f***ing lies
Now I'm working on the edge

With a thousand times the stress,
So I can damn you down to size.

I worked in your f***ing warehouse

I worked in your f***ing dream
I worked on the edge of the product community

And found that nothing's what it seemed
I ****ing hate you....

Devy worked in the corner of the p!$$ yard
Bored and plagued by pain,
Devy got a taste of the corporate community,
And never went back again.

I worked for you f***ing bastards
I worked for your f***ing lies
I went and pissed away too may f***ing opportunities
To try and make you f***ers feel right
And I f***ing hate you...

I am the coming of a new age
Stained we still stand tall
I am the coming of a new age
And I will never fall
I bear the questions of a new time
Seen but never heard
I've seen the comings of a new time, get ready...
Coz here it comes.

Pushing your incompetance,
And racial views aside
And never now,
Until death again, is there anywhere to... hide

It starts here my friends,
My brothers and sisters,
The courage to show what is brave, and not to be weakened
To stand it through, by any length

To look into the eyes,
And have the strength of men who say "f*** you"
I won't do what you tell me...
I don't care who you are...
I'll never stop believing...
And I'll never be the one who takes the heat in the name

Of the remorse that isn't pushed into a hole
Waiting now, and packing down
Into the open spaces we must go and not be frightened
As children we came,
As children we go,
So never look behind you, never look behind... "f*** you"
It isn't a decision.
It's a sign of greater things.
And a loss will never matter...

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Unfortunately, while record reviews remained largely positive about SYL's debut album, Townsend found his own work completely distasteful. He loathed the production values on the album, only finding two songs worth listening to. As far as some reviews and ads for 'Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing' glowing in their praise, the reissue of the re-issue as the "rebirth of a genre-defying classic", Townsend called it "record company bulls:censored:".

While 'Heavy...' was recorded with Townsend playing all instruments, similar to Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails on his first albums, the next SYL outing was to feature a full band lineup. The second incarnation of Strapping Young Lad featured guitarist Jed Simon , bassist Byron Stroud, and drummer Gene Hoglan. The second album, City, was released in 1997, and received high praise from magazines such as Britain's Kerrang!, whose reviews applauded its extreme heaviness by comparing it to "sticking your head into the jet nozzle of a Stealth Bomber." It became the band's most popular album and attained a cult status among cutting edge metal fans.
It charted highly in lists of best metal albums in publications, and Townsend was quite pleased with the album and its response by the public. It was the true SYL album that he intended to make.

In 1998, the band released a band whose title mimicked a live release by Motorhead, called No Sleep Till Bedtime, recorded at a concert in Australia.

Velvet Kevorkian

Want To Be Where The Action Is
It's Time Again
We Won't Get A Second Chance
Everything Is Dying
F*** Sleep, F*** Beauty, I Know I Have To Make It Alone
It's 2:45 A.M. And I'm Freaking Out
All I Can Think Of Is Glory, And I'm Sitting In Burnaby
At 2:45 In The F***ing Morning
Freaking The F*** Out

One Month And I'm Gone Forever
F*** This Once And For All...
And Just Like All Those Bulls*** Jobs
I Swore I'd Never Go Back To
I Swear I'll Never Go Back To This Life

F*** This

Can You Believe This **** People?
All You Stupid F***ing People
With Your Useless F***ing Lives
And Your Bulls*** Priorities
And Your Sick F***ing Wars
And Your Pathetic Religion
And Your S*** Music
And Your Sick F***ing Hate
Bulls***, Sitcom, North American Ignorance
A New Time Is Coming
And We Know You'll Awake In There

Who's Your Daddy?


All Hail the New Flesh

Hey Man, I'm Going To F*** This S*** Up
No Fear, No Compromise, I Want It All
I Will Never Be Afraid, And I'll Die With What I Believe

All Of You A**holes Can Stay Rotting Here
I Do No Care, I Will Not Be There
I Have Got To Save Myself
And Don't Tell Me There's No One Else

And All You Are Is All You Are...
I'm So Sorry (For You) I'm Sorry...

So All Hail The New Flesh,
Because It Suits Me Fine...

Just Get Away, You Motherf***
And We'll Be Back If You Come
For What This Means To Me, You Piece Of S***...
I'll See You Pigs In Hell
I Just Know Everything's Going To Be O.K.


Oh My F****** God

There Is No Insanity, Rather A Super Sanity
More Suited For Life At The End Of The 20th Century
Where Everything Is Art,
And Everything Is Trying To Express It,
Where Everything Is Art,
And Everything Is Trying To Comunicate It...

All Intelligent Beings Sleep The Dreaming Of Dreams
And They've All Come Up To Meet Me Tonight
Although While In The Morning, All Their Wonder And Their
Glory Was Turned Ugly And Quite Simple
Like A Venue When You're Loading In Gear

Sexuality, Eroticism In Asexual Pursuasions.
Man Or Woman, Make's No Difference In The Outcome
No Fasion, No Tolerance For Stupidity Or Ignorance
..."Adidas" Or "The Arch Deluxe"...
And Time Is Now An Object

Oh My F****** God...
Oh I'm F****** God...
And I'll Dream All This Into Becoming Real

And Until Such Time That You Can Prove Me Otherwise
I Will Continue With My Agnostic Travels
Until I've Found A Place That Dreams With Me...
...A Place That Feeds On My Rountine

All I Want Is My Mommy...
All I Want Is My Mommy...
All I Want Is My Mommy...
All I Want Is My Mommy...

This Is The Night That It All Changes


Home Nucleonics

Hey, You Failed Like God in Me
Feasting Like Dogs, You F***s, Get Out Of My Way
I Warned You...

Hey, The Fools Shall Not Be Entertained
Feasting Like Gods
You F***s Are In My Way
I Warned You...
F*** You ... Stupid Human Beings...
Technology Will Be The Second Coming
And It Will Hit Us While You're Looking For A Man

I Warned You...

T E C H N O L O G Y

Hating, Burning, Waiting, Falling
F***ing, Twisted Human Cancer
F*** Your Bulls*** America


AAA

Devy In The Corner Of His Teen Year
Born To Run Away
Children In The Middle With The Village Idiot
So He Never Made The Potty Grade

Now Maybe He Pulled A Little Closer
Cold In A Mousy Way
Boom Boom As They Came A Little Closer
Put A Bolt In The Curse Today

Now Devy Has To Eat It In His Own Way
Broke In A Dirty Way
Boom Boom Is The Beating That I Hear In The Night
But No One Hears, So No One No And No One ****s With
Me

Devy Wants A Word With The Master
I Got No Need To Run Away
Down On The Road Isn't Easy,
But I Never Would Back Away...

Boom Boom In The Morning With The Night Sounds
No Way To Run Away
Boom Boom As The Boredome Of Monogamy
Hits One More Time...

No One Must Know...
No One Must Know...
No One Must Know...
No One Must Know This Machine...

Devy Got A Taste Of Some Black S***
Born In Another Way
And It Probably Would Have Been Easy,
But It Never Worked Out That Way

Boom Boom In The Corner With The Well - Soiled
Bound To Amalgamate
Boom Boom As It Kills The Inhibitions
...No More Games

No One Must Know...


Spirituality

I'm Right Here Where You Left Me Experimenting
-Bored Out Of My F***ing Mind...
Please Give Me A Sign,
Please Show Me That You're Alive

There Has Got To Be A Better Way
...Another Place For Me
Please, Help Me Please...

You'll Never Be What You Try To Be If You Want To Be It
God Help The King Of Nothing

It's Getting Late
I'm Getting Old
And Every Night I Just Sleep, We Never Talk
And Every Night, I Look In The Sky
And I Pray To God They'll Hear Me...

And If This Is All There Is
...If This Is It
Won't... Won't Someone Tell Me

Because I'm So F***ing Sick Of All You
Stupid People
All You Sick
Stupid People


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

In 1998, SYL went on hiatus briefly while Devin Townsend concentrated on both recording two solo albums, 'Ocean Machine: Biomech' and 'Infinity', and producing music of other artists. The band went on hiatus due to not only Townsend's problems with Century Media but also his bipolar disorder, for which he sought treatment by checking into a psychiatric hospital and taking medication.

Townsend explained:

"What happened? I signed a s:censored:ty deal, but luckily it was non-exclusive. I got tired of doing Strapping so I said, 'I can't do it anymore.' Then I freaked out and went into a hospital. My lawyer said that I was under mental duress when I signed the contract so the contract is void. At that point it was like, 'I just won't do another Strapping record.' Yeah, I went down saying 'CM was the s***tiest label ever.' And they went down as saying that I was 'a complete, arrogant psychopath.'"

"Arrogant psychopath"?? Their point being?? :confused:

;)

Seriously, Townsend recorded two more solo albums, 'Physicist' and 'Terria', in 2000 and 2001, respectively, on his own label, Heavy Devy Records. He also produced albums by such artists as Soilwork and Stuck Mojo. Strapping Young Lad even regrouped for a one-off concert with Fear Factory in 2001. Townsend even surprised audiences by announcing that a new SYL album would be released in 2002, not because of the need for cash, but because of his "creative anger", in his words, towards the events of September 11, 2001's terrorist attacks.

After spending a year writing and recording new material, Strapping Young Lad released their self-titled third album in early 2003. Though the album hit #97 on the Billboard charts, it was more modestly praised than 1997's critically acclaimed 'City'. Though Townsend announced this might be their final album, the band curiously re-signed with Century Media in 2004 and released a live DVD titled, For Those Aboot To Rock: Live At the Commodore, another word play on an album title, this time, AC/DC's 'For Those About To Rock'.

The lyrics from the 'Strapping Young Lad' album are rife with images of violence, carnage, fiery destruction, and religious war:


Dire

ever... Forever... For EVER


Consequence

Human Mind, Human Soul...
Human Weakness
I love you... I love you...
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

No... no one
No pride at all

I see devastation and I'm ready to BURN!
My skin is infected

Quiet now, Quiet now... Quiet Human
I love you... I love you...
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

No... no one
No pride at all

You Fail
I am Temptation... your Saviour
Now your Soul dies...

You won't survive
Nothing will ever survive...
Filling the void with nothingness

All rise... Satan steals you away
Hate Springs eternal
I see devastation and I'm ready to BURN!

My skin is infected
And I never...
Never...
There's no release


Aftermath

Give us a reason for coming of war
Fighting for Jesus through prices of oil
See how your demons are forming a wall
Burning and beating and raping them all

Reaching for something
When nothing else matters
Buddha to Krishna through Jesus and Allah
See how your demons are forming a wall
Burning and beating and raping them all

Far from here... we'll light away
So unclear... we'll find the way
To war... we ride


Devour

Devour the living
Devour the dead
We learn how we live when we die

Divide... Divide... Divide
We learn how we live when we die
Divide... MULTIPLY
Divide... MULTIPLY
Divide... MULTIPLY
We learn hown we live when we die

Dividing the living... Defining the dead
One hundred or more in the womb
One hundred will go... one hundred below
One hundred will burn it away
Oh God help me with these dreams
Of one hundred millions souls washed away
One hundred will go... one hundred below
One hundred will burn it away


Bring On the Young

Young machines
Machines they burn the war
Bring on the Young my God
Bring on the babe my Lord
Bring on the Young
Bring on the dumb

The machines, machines that burns for war
Bring on the pain my God
Bring on the burn
Bring on the Young
Bring on the dumb

The machines, machines they pay for war
Bring on the hate my God
Bring on the burn
Bring on the Young

Bring on the...
HATE... HATE... HATE

Burn... BOIL... BOIL

Burn
Burn
Burn
BURN


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

In 2005, Strapping Young Lad released Alien, which was originally intended as an EP. The album charted very highly on the Billboard charts, with tracks such as "Love?", "S:censored:storm",
"Skeksis", "We Ride", and "Zen". The album was originally intended to include a cover of Tom Jones'
"What's New Pussycat?", but the label chose not to put on the record. The album received wide critical praise as well.

Interestingly, for the creation of the album, Townsend refrained from taking medication for his bipolar disorder. This enabled him to create in a frantic, feverish and panicky state of mind which enhanced the music, such as on the track "Info Dump", which contained experimental noise. A video was made of the song "Love?" which became one of their most popular tracks, which also aired on MTV. The band embarked on a stint with The Sounds Of the Underground Tour, and planned one more album before Townsend went on hiatus once more to recover from fatigue.

In the summer of 2006, the band released The New Black, in time for Ozzfest. The new album was once again a commercial and critical success, being more melodic and accessible than other albums, and featured the band's dark sense of humor as well. The album included such tracks as "Decimator", "You Suck", "Anti Product", "Wrong Side", "Far Beyond Black", "F:censored:er",
and the title track. A video was made for the song "Wrong Side".

After playing some of the band's biggest audiences at Ozzfest and the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals in Germany and the Download Festival in Britain, Townsend decided to pull the plug indefinitely on SYL:

"At the end of the day, man, I'm just tired, and old, and bald, and fat, and grouchy, and bored. You know? So I was just like, I'm going to make this record, and do this stupid Ozzfest thing, and tell a bunch of stupid jokes in front of a lot of people at Download, then I'm just going to f:censored: off for a while. The bigger this gets, the less I care, to the point where I just need to go spend some time with my family. I don't wanna bastardise Strapping and all these other projects by doing it for the money. Strapping was about the big middle finger, and it still is, but I don't think it needs to go any further than this." :grrbald:

So whoever got to see Strapping Young Lad on Ozzfest might have only got their last time to see them, if Townsend was to be taken at his word. But he was quite the funny frontman, even greeting the audience by announcing,
"Good morning, ladies and germs!!" :lol:

Devin Townsend would go on, but as a solo artist recording studio albums.

Initially, Townsend enjoyed the idea of doing Ozzfest:

We were very inspired with the idea of doing Ozzfest, and the concept we are running with on this record is really based around abhorring the current music scene, yet being a part of it in some weird way… We intend to sprinkle a little ugly around all the pretty bands this year. You can think of us as the proverbial pubic hair in the cheesecake of this year’s festival. We are ugly, large and angry.”

Drummer Gene Hoglan went on to add “I’m sure we’ll be going on at 9:00 a.m. in front of 35 people.”

Love?

(F*** it!)

(There's no external way to tell when a woman is ready to recieve)

MARCH!!!

LOVE... is a way of feeling
LOVE is a way of feeling less alone
So what's all the fuss about?!?

"F*** IT"

LOVE: the paradox of needing
OH LOVE,
MAKE WAY FOR BREEDING

GIVE IT TO ME! GIVE IT TO ME!
F*** YOU AND YOUR TALK OF LOVE!
I know what I stand for; I STAND FOR ME!!!

I'll wait for the nigiht to come
So far, suicide at home
For I'm not the man you know
This love it's about control

OH WHAT A FEELING!!!!!
OH WHAT A FEEDING!!!!!
Know the chosen ones ARE HERE!
ALL HAIL!!! ...S***

(F*** IT!)
I'll wait for the night to come
So far, suicide at home
For I'm not the man you know...
This love, IS ABOUT CONTROL

YOU F***ERS!

ALL IN THE NAME OF LOVE
ALL IN THE NAME OF LOVE
ALL IN THE NAME OF LOVE


Decimator


Penetrate and desecrate my soul
Penetrate and decimate them all

God, have you always be listening to me
Hell has a way with the pros
Give me the strength
Give me the strength now to know

Penetrate and demonstrate your guiding
Every word and every note and everything at all

God hasn't always been listening to me
Hell has a way with the pros
Give me the strength
Give me the strength now to choose

It's in your nature to fear
Fearing the cracks in the earth

SYL!
SYL!
SYL!
SYL!

Yes, it's in your nature to fear
Fearing the cracks in the earth
Oh God, it's human nature
Fearing the cracks in the earth

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Devin Townsend's output on this current album was a far cry from his work on Steve Vai's 'Sex and Religion'. The next song, one of his most popular tracks, had more F-bombs than the Los Alamos testing fields in 1945:

We Suck

WHOA
Give us all that you are
I HATE ME!
Give me all that you are!
WHOA YEAHHH!
HELL YEAH!!
WHOA Give us back the temptation
WE HATE YOU
This is not the temptation
WHOA YEAH!!
HELL YEAH!
Tell us how much they f***ing suck!
HELL YEAH THEY F***ING SUCK!
You and your band you f***ing suck!
HELL YEAH YOU F***ING SUCK!
I don't give a f*** you f***ing f***!
HELL YEAH YOU F***ING SUCK!
Come on tell me how much we f***ing suck
HELL YEAH YOU F***ING SUCK!
Hell yeah we f***ing suck!
Hell yeah we f***ing suck!
Oh f*** us all!

[solo]

Oh yeah!
HELL YEAH!
WHOA YEAHHHH!!!!
HELL F***ING YEAH!!!
WHOA
Give us back the temptation
WE HATE YOU!!!
This is not the temptation
Sing it now!
OHHH YEAH!
HELL YEAHHHH!!!
Tell us how much they f***ing suck!
HELL YEAH THEY F***ING SUCK!
Even your girlfriend f***ing sucks!
HELL YEAH SHE F***ING SUCKS!
Oh **** you you f***ing ****!
HELL YEAH YOU F***ING SUCK!
Tell me how much you f***ing suck!
HELL YEAH WE F***ING SUCK!
Hell yeah you f***ing suck!
Hell yeah you f***ing suck!
We are the losers of all that we know!
F*** us all!


The Anti Product

I am the Antiproduct
Rotten to the core
Sell me the Antiproduct
Rock me to the core

Sell me, tell me
I'm the only one
I am the Antiproduct
Rock me to the bone

I am the Antiproduct
Quantum-mechanically pure
So you will show me, be automatic
We must be perfectly sure

Sell me, tell me
I'm the chosen one
I am the Antiproduct
Rock me to the bone

For sale!

I am the Antiproduct
Rotten to the core
Sell me the Antiproduct
Rock me to the bone

I am the Antiproduct
I am the Antiproduct
We are the Antiproduct
We are the Anti--

Anti-god-damn!


Wrong Side (Of the Head)

Woke up screaming on the wrong side of the head
Dreaming of demon's who'd be better off... better off dead
Now I know I'm accountable for the things I've said before
But I just can't shut up, shut up, shut up, get up, get up, get up and get out the door

SO LET'S SING VOLUMES FOR THE SOULS THAT AREN'T FOR SALE
INDEED LATELY THERES BEEN HELL HOUNDS ON MY TRAIL

Woke up screaming on the wrong side of the Zen
So get up(x7) and say the words!
Say the word and I'll be gone
Say the Word and I'll be gone

Say the word and I'll be gone for ever, and ever...
(Get up, Get out)
Singing the good for the bad in the age of the fall
Now the enemy plays for the whole ****ing world

[Solo 1 - Dev / Solo 2 - Jed]

Sooner or later the nights with the satyr
Will bring back the memory
Leaving you money and time

Sweet locomotive with you is the motive
the beauty, the agony mixes the honey with grime
Sly imitator, the cats in the cradle, the dogs in the stable will
Always remain on your mind

Sooner or later it comes to the table reminding them all
That the memory always was mine.
Wake up running in the only way I can
This type of dependency turns a boy into a man!

Now I know I'm accountable
Now I know I'm responsible
NO PEACE FOR YOU LITTLE MAN!
Say the word and I'll be gone
Say the word and I'll be GONE!!!

Say the word and I'll be gone for ever, and ever...
(Get up, get out)
Singing the good for the bad in the age of the fall
(Singing the good for the bad in the age of the fall)
Singing the good for the bad in the age of the fall
Now the enemy plays for the whole f***ing world!!!!

Far Beyond Metal

COME ON
King Raul beat off
F***ing strength
King Raul beat off
F***ing strength

Now that the music industry's ill
And we're the f***ing antidote
One line and you're outta control
Yeah, you f***ing suck!

HEY!
King Raul beat off
F***ing strength
King Raul beat off
F***ing strength

Oh, you ironic pop-rock f***
Don't you f*** with METAL
One line and you're outta control
Yeah, we f***ing OWN YOU!

King Raul beat off
F***ing strength
King Raul beat off
F***ing right

Can't wait to feel it again
And I need to feel, whoa
When I was somebody else
When I was just a boy

METAL!
(come on)

[Solo / harmonized lead]

[Dev:]
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MAGGOT MASTER!

[Oderus:]
Now in the halls of the necro lord
Flash of fear when he sees my sword
Raped his woman, smoked his bone
Leave a booger underneath his throne!

King Raul beat off
****ing wank
King Raul beat off
F:censored:ing...
F:censored: ING WANK!

So... I...

Can't wait to feel it again
And I need to feel, whoa
When I was somebody else
When I was just a boy

METAL!


The New Black

Lord over creation
Hands across the nation
Woe to human kind
Woe to human kind

(STAND BACK) - You burn the medic
(THROWN BACK) - I'm broken
(STARE BACK) - Attack, attack, attack
(THE NEW BLACK!!!) - THE FACE OF CREATION

Woe to you mankind

And it can never be held in stasis
What on your mind?
WOE TO YOU MANKIND

(STAND BACK) - You taste the taste
(THROWN BACK) - I'm broken
(STARE BACK) - Attack, attack, attack
(THE NEW BLACK!!!) - THE NEW BLACK

SLEEPWALKING
Your lack of vision is the division
Theres no vision in your mind, back the F*** OFF
In time... Same thing as... but off

With the vision in mind
Superficial is time
Inquisition the mind in the FACE OF CREATION

In morning they will come alone
And we arise as if a new day's dawned for everyone
But now we know... as much as we don't show...
OUR WORLD HAS BEEN BLACKEND

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Back to the sixties for a minute for a British group we overlooked - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Micky, and Tich, a Wiltshire band that never made it in America. Their records spent more time in the U.K. singles charts between 1965 and 1969 than the Beatles. Here's a taste of them below - a video link to their 1966 hit "It's So Hard To Love You."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=897NsBd6SoE

Here is the Guitar World September 1993 issue with Steve Vai and Devin Townsend on the cover, which coincided with the release of the 'Sex and Religion' album. Devin looks very different on this cover with a cool ponytail and shaven head (before the skullet).

Here are the lyrics to songs to which Devin contributed vocals. The lyrics are penned by Steve Vai.

One song on the album was titled "Touching Tongues". KINKY!!! :grineyes:

Deep Down In the Pain

So naive, so innocent, thrust in a world too intense
Flesh is weak but the soul is strong, and you will bleed but you'll carry on

Yes you need your pain, life is pain
I could hold your hand, but you must take your pain

I don't need sacrifice, I don't need advice
This hurt surrounds me like a dissonance
Anger is power, I use it to protect myself from insanity

You gotta go down deep down into the pain
Let it purge your soul like flesh to a razor blade
Dig down deep into the pain
Surrender, surrender, dig into Euphoria

Time may never heal the wounds, hearts bleed hard even the sun cries moon
Fate is tragic just for heavens sake, the good Lord giveth and taketh away

'Cause you need your pain, God gave us pain
I can hold you in my arms, but I can't take away your pain

I am not long for this world please save me from myself and my discipline
Lashing out with tight fists in despair, my plight is running from reality

Chorus:
You gotta go down deep down into the pain
Let it purge your soul like flesh to a razor blade
Dig down deep into the pain
Surrender, surrender, dig in, dig in
Put yourself down deep into the pain
Embrace the bliss of pure sensation
You can't escape from the ultimate pain
So let your senses drift into Euphoria

Blood is thickest when love is bold
But blood runs thin when the heart grows cold

So you need your pain, we all need pain
We were born into this world to feel the joy of all our pain

(Solo)

(chorus)

[spoken:]
The falling will be gentle and soothing
But the awakening will be as riveting as an explosion
Eyes open to total darkness, body floating in encompassing tranquility
And then the voice came
'Hear this voice and know that it will be with you always'
Phantoms of opulent auras emblazed in a repulsively lush turmoil
Of incomprehensible vastness, dance in a sea of timeless infinity
And 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
Is this the voice of my God? -This is the voice of liberation
Man you've got to be kidding me

Go forth and rise to life rise
You will have the freedom to think and choose as you wish
What do I choose? -You choose in the moment
Your life will be shaped around your choices
And the fight is on, every minute of the day, every action in every way
Is every creature's expression to be one with its creator
From a simple prayer to a senseless murder

Where do I find you when I need you? -You will search and you will question
Worship me in your joy and curse me in your pain

You will fight, kill and love in my name, but I have no name
Always keep in your thoughts that life is good
But do not fear death, for I am closer to you than your vry own breath
And I love you, and I want you to know me
Now beautiful life awaits you, and when I count to 3, you will awake
And you will remember everything I've said
1-2-3


Sex and Religion

Repent, repent, repent ye sinners

What do you think you got, when you thought you had a lot
But all your feelings are dead?
And who do you think you are, when you're reaching for the stars
But all your feelings are dead?

Must you make a decision, between sex and religion
Why can't you love God in your bed?

Chorus:
Well, Jesus Christ is in your bed tonight, to bring you back from the dead

How are you gonna fight for what you think is right
If all your feelings are dead?
And what can you know of love, from the eyes of a child to the heavens above
When all your feelings are dead?

It's a tragic condition, sex and religion, makin' a manic mess in your head

(chorus)

Jesus Christ, or any son of the heatless light
When all your feelings are dead

Resurrection!

I raise my hands high up into the air
Get down on my knees and start-a-prayin'
When love walks in, my body begins
I feel my promised land comin', but I gotta go to Hell now
And those creatures, evangelist preachers
The ones that take money, for the promise of hope
Well, they are dangerous, I'm not dangerous
Brain washing us, and we're not gonna take it

(Solo)

I just wanna know, oh, Lord, how it is so
How is it that you can take my sins away?
Oh, Lord tell me, so I can see the light again
I don't think anybody can take my sins away

How can the truth be known, if we got little black holes in our souls
And all our feelings are dead?

Are we imprisoned by sex and religion
Or is God the one that's trapped in our mess?

(chorus)

Jesus Christ, or any son of the heatless light
To bring you back from the dead

So remember now folks, when you kneel to pray
Blow a little kiss to the hypocrites
Good God knows when you turn the other cheek
Which direction you're pointing it


[Holy s:censored:. Holy Jesus Christ, I hurt your brain, hah, Great God, Steve, oh
My fingers are numb, right now
Yeah, they're numb
Can I deprive my brain of oxygen?]

Still My Bleeding Heart

A child to a boy, from a boy to a man
Pride growing stronger, reaching his victories
He speaks no lies, he fights his cause
He judges not the scavengers that persecute humanity

Fate does call and the sickness falls, lights of life dim down
Fear like an alien comes to view, but with words like the mountains

I'll die like a soldier in your arms, my will enduring till the pain is gone
Then he looked into his lover's eyes and he cried

Chorus:
In the name of love, still my bleeding heart
For the love of God, still my bleeding heart

His chin he held high, and the courage in his voice
Was like the burning of the sun, but like the breath of an angel
How could this be, I had to scream
Why this innocent young boy, must suffer so helplessly?

But who am I to challenge God
In the ways of the world, remain divine mystery
I crumble down on my hands and knees
While his words fill the air, as he looks into his destiny

I'll die like a soldier in your arms, and I will be brave so you can be strong
And then he looked into his lover's eyes and he cried

(chorus)

(Solo)

And he died like a soldier in his lover's arms
Brave as a hero in a blood red war
And his final words as he reached for the stars

In the name of love, still my bleeding heart
Be well my love, still my bleeding heart
In the name of love, still my bleeding heart
For the love of God, still my bleeding heart
(repeats out...)


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Back to the sixties for a minute for a British group we overlooked - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Micky, and Tich, a Wiltshire band that never made it in America. Their records spent more time in the U.K. singles charts between 1965 and 1969 than the Beatles. Here's a taste of them below - a video link to their 1966 hit "It's So Hard To Love You."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=897NsBd6SoE

I remember the name of this band being referenced on the 'Grindhouse' movie
'Death Proof'. :cool:

The next band on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was Walls Of Jericho, a Detroit-based metalcore band fronted by female singer Candace Kucsulain. The band formed in 1998 and went through a number of lineup changes during the next several years. After releasing a few EPs, the band recorded their full length debut, 'The Bound Feed the Gagged', which hit stores in late 2000. The band nearly broke up that year when original drummer Wes Keeley announced he was leaving the group to attend school in Seattle. Over time, a series of replacement drummers filled the vacant drum seat.

Ultimately, the band broke up when a constant replacement drummer could not be found. At that time
Candace also found an apprenticeship in body piercing for the next few years. Some of the remaining members regrouped as a side band, All's Gone To Hell, and soon the band found a drummer who would fill the drum slot on a more permanent basis, Alexei Rodriguez. The band called up Candace to tell her the band was getting back together, and she agreed to return. The band recorded their first album of new material in five years, 2004's All Hail the Dead. The new album was hailed as a critical success, and the band toured with the likes of Hatebreed, Madball, and Sick Of It All. Songs from the album included "A Little Piece Of Me", "Another Anthem For the Hopeless", "There's No I In F:censored: You", and the title track. Unfortunately, Rodriguez left the band after they finished touring, but luckily, the band found a new drummer, the band's friend Dustin Schoenhofer, who had drummed for a few other bands previously.

The band had released their new album, With Devils Amongst Us All, which featured their biggest song,"A Trigger Full Of Promises", as well as tracks such as "I Know Hollywood and You Ain't It", "And Hope To Die", "And the Dead Walk Again", "Another Day, Another Idiot", and the title track.

In addition to Candace and new drummer Dustin, the band's members included guitarists Chris Rawson and Mike Hasty , and bassist Aaron Ruby .

It was pretty sweet to see Candace perform live, a nice piece of fiery red-headed eye candy:

All Hail the Dead

all hail the ones that take from life without giving back.
what's ours is ours.
control is all you crave, a f***ing paycheck is all you are.
our world is crashing down before our ****ing eyes.
we strive to be perfect in this imperfect world, so watch her starve herself.
struggle to fit the mold, as she makes her self sick, it should make us all sick.
we can't go on like this, we can't go on like this.
know your f***ing role they say, as they die fighting beauty.
but they never knew that they were truly beautiful.
and we can't go on like this.
with our brainwashed minds, as they die fighting beauty.
because we're slaves to the system
we can't go on like this, let the dead be dead.
you corporate f***, it's time to fight this.
the status quo, it's time to fight this.
our broken families, it's time to fight this.
your billboard barbie, it's time to fight this.
let the dead be dead, all hail the dead

There's No I In F:censored: You

here i am a poster board pinup for you to hate,
someone who once cared now nothing is holding me back.
i am no more an image of what you thought i should be,
the choice you've made and forced upon me.
so go on and hate me if you must, but honestly i don't give a f***.
with my friends by my side i can get through anything,
with you on my side we can destroy everything.
for those who continue to comare to this false idea,
what do you expect from me,
sing a lullaby scream you to sleep, i'm f***ing sick of it being your way.
you don't love me, you love the person you think i am
a poster board pinup for you to love.
you don't hate me, you love the person you think i am
a poster board pinup for you to hate.
what you may see on the outside might not hold true to your heart, so here i am.
the real deal take it or not, like i've said before i don't give a f***.


Another Anthem For the Hopeless

to whom it may concern another anthem for the hopeless.
a life so innocent that day was not the same.
experience that would change her life forever.
she sang her f***ing song tried to make a change.
but the change came from with in herself.
forever in debt to the nightmare in my head.
how much more can i feel, before it ruins me?
this will not control me that is what i fight for.
when will it be my turn?
when will all i fight for take its toll on me?
becuase i can not see my future lie ahead of me.
i'm ****ing in debt to the nightmare in my head.
the one you put there, i'm taking back what you took away.
it's my turn now to bury this along with you.
it's my time for her to dream sweet songs again,
it's time for her dream alone again.


A Trigger Full Of Promises

Do you forgive me?
You never lost your sight
So scream your heart out
To reject one more TIME

This tragic, need for hope
Won't give up
It's what, keeps us alive
Now who will survive
In this game of chance
Now hold out your hand
And give me
This final kiss

If I load this gun, would you hold in your heart and give your life for love?

So bleed (SO BLEED)
This hate (THIS HATE)
With me
And fight these broken dreams

If I load this gun, would you give your life for love?

So bleed (SO BLEED)
This hate (THIS HATE)
With me
And fight these broken dreams!

This is more than hopeless romantics
I will never let it die
I walk the line
And your daybreak eyes
The whispers,
And the brand new scars
The brand new scars

Do you forgive me?
We will never let this die
We scream our hearts out
To reject one more TIME

If I load this gun, could you hold it to your heart and give your life, your love?

So bleed,
This hate
With me
And fight these broken dreams

So bleed
This hate
And fight these broken dreams

If I load this gun will you hold it to your heart and give your life for love?

So bleed (SO BLEED)
This hate (THIS HATE)
With me
And fight these broken dreams
And fight these broken dreams

And fight
FIGHT
FIGHT
FIGHT
FIGHT

These broken dreams


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Don't you just love it when a chick talks dirty?? :grineyes:

Also on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was The Red Chord,
a band from Revere, Massachussetts which combined elements of thrash, noise, and metalcore in their highly experimental sound. guitarist Mike McKenzie has said, "Some people call us a grind band. Guitarist Mike Mckenzie, disavowing any connection to the new trend called deathcore, explained, "Some people call us a hardcore band. Some people call us a death metal band. We’re not any of them, really. We’re just sort of a noisy band".

The band released their debut album, Fused Together in Revolving Doors in 2002 , which won wide acclaim in the underground metal community. The title of this album is a reference to the 1942 Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire in Boston, the deadliest nightclub fire in American history, which killed 492 people, making the tragic Great White concert fire at the Station in Rhode Island in 2003 pale in comparison. In this horrific incident in 1942, bodies were found fused together as they struggled to exit through revolving doors!
:eek: The heat was apparently that intense.

Songs from their debut included "Nihilist", "That Certain Special Ugly", "Catalepsy", "Like a Train Through a Pigeon", "Breed the Cancer", "Dreaming In Dog Years", and "Sixteen Bit Fingerprint".

Nihilist

Oh so sweet yet oh so miserable..
It felt so good to finally clear the air - as I spilled my guts.
The guilt fades away - as I spill your guts.
It only hurts the first time,
until you find conviction to draw first blood and suffocate remorse
and realize that your actions were "beautiful" in a violent sense of the word.
The skin peels away - as I spill your guts.
There's nothing sweeter than the taste of the blood of a rapist.
Stand triumphant and decorate with the fabrics that you were once made of.
And suffocate remorse.
Realize that your actions were so beautiful in a violent sense of the word.
As time passes on, there is no shadow of doubt or guilt.
I did to ensure... you will burn.
Holding the blood reigns to success,
I have lead a one man army.
I'd like nothing better than to sever your head and set that pig on fire.
As time passes on, there is no shadow of doubt or guilt.
But I must admit, I fill much pants better as I do my cell, withering into old age.
It's so wrong to do what's right,
but I still think they've persecuted a hero,
because you'd be on my side if this happened to your little brother.


Catalepsy

Over and over constantly, I see the face smiling at me.
It is a mere reflection of human wretchedness.
Our sins bleed a smile upon the face.
Corpse ****ed knows what lies on the other side.
To bask and burn in the deeds of the guilty and the wretches.
Our skin peels and burns reflecting off the glimmering white
over and over and over inside my mind.
Over and over constantly, I see the face smiling at me.
It is a reminder of our own insecurities.
Guilty remain melted together, our turn to hate all that remains.
Today's a day like any other day.
You just can't escape the pain and the tragedy or help wondering,
"Why this man smiles?"
The young get old and the old get older
and they are all soon melted together.
The tragedy and wondering "why is this man smiling?"


Dreaming In Dog Years

Searching for a mode and for a method.
What's he thinking and what the f*** is he saying?
And does it matter anyway?
"Never again..." I begin to think,
as the liquid seeps in and the agony escapes my lungs.
The simple concept of trust.
You can't take back some mistakes.
You've come to see me, now I know that my life must end.
And while I may be forgotten, there will be no forgiveness.
You've come to see me, now I know that my life must end.
Searching for mode or motivation... what was I thinking?
Dreaming in dog years.
And though I may be forgotten, there will be no forgiveness.
You've come to see me, now I know that my life must end.
Be it seven seconds or seven years,
it doesn't matter when you're dreaming in dog years.
Just like the kiss that condemned christ,
it was such a pity to throw what we had away Dreaming.
Now, I'm not afraid to die.
Just like the kiss that condemned christ, what a pity.
You threw it all away. Dog years.
Now I'm not afraid to die.
There's nothing left. Dreaming.
Splitting headaches and random thoughts...what matters anyways?
Hypertension? Diabetes?
I had it all, now I can't feel my legs.
I heard the metal clank, and Guy just sold out good ole' Bud.
And it's not gonna be all right.
And it's not going to be "ok."


Sixteen Bit Fingerprint

No more short jokes. No more "you're weak."
Take you inside, f*** you up.
The way I deal with this pain, take you in digital, take you inside ****
you up.
No more short jokes and no more "you're weak."
Take you inside, f*** you all!
Digital Babysitters. Don't tell me I can't win.
My sixteen-bit Fingerprint, this is game over again.
Press B to continue. Press B to continue.
It's the sixteen-bit fingerprint that makes me feel alive
and keeps some power within my hands.
As the bones ride, through the fingers and through the hands.
With every click there's constant fervor, preserving his livelihood.
The bone ride, taking steps closer to your digital grave.
The bones ride through... Taking you across.
And as the bones ride through the skin;
There's bloody stumps instead of fingerprints.
Living under constant pressure - calling your self to arms.
Nintendo systems serving as a Mom.
I'd rather see you drown than let you use this bridge, old man.
The name is Bagu. Show my note to river man.
It's all about the connections these days.
No one rides for free.
But you won't take me alive, I swear.
I'm past the point of learning.
As the bones ride through the skin...
there's bloody stumps instead of fingerprints.
I think he's going to snap.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

The band's next album, Clients, was released in 2005. The title refers to the mentally disabled students for whom vocalist Guy Kozowyk's parents drove a school bus, referred to as "clients". The vocalist knew some of these mental patients when he worked at a convenience store near a pychiatric hospital. The album's song titles therefore became "clients", stories and anecdotes about some of these colorful characters with whom he associated at the store. The album's songs included "Fixation On Plastics", "Black Santa", "Antman", "Blue Line Cretin", and the title track.

In addition to Kozowyk, the band's lineup included Brad Fickeisen on drums, Mike "Gunface" McKenzie on guitar, Kevin Rampelberg, also on guitar, and Gregory Weeks on bass.


Fixation On Plastics

A realization.
I look to the sky and ponder my fixation on a world of plastic clouds.
It is a film that is holding me together.
A synthetic rise that is holding us and our time.
Collodion stripped across my belly.
Holding back the insides.
The synthetic rise is holding us and our time.
I am waiting for that moment.
It is a film that holds me together.
We and our existence are becoming one with a new synthetic lifeform.
It is a wonder we remember how to breathe without a computer telling us to do so.
We have baited a trap, but the prey is ourselves.
What will we do when it all comes crashing down?
A synthetic rise of creations that can sure kill.
And you start to think that Matrix s*** is going down.
Isn't it ironic that our own creations will outlast us?
Synthetic rise, fake salvation a time will come.
It is no longer an opinion, a time will come.
Remember yourself how to live again.
Will come.
Hey! A realization of my fixation.


Black Santa

Phillies sweets.
Two for five.
Killing time.
Waiting for the final battle.
Got the shakes and wasting life.
Killing time.
Waiting for the final battle.
Nosebleeds and psycho babble, I know it all too well.
THe penis was from heaven and it went to hell.
It is past the time to think.
It's time to kill.
And just know, I've been waiting for this forever.
Got the shakes.
Wasting life.
Killing time.
The final battle is now.
This time it's everything you thought it'd be, folks.
Because this time it's Antman vs Black Santa.
Live the clash of the titans meets the war of the worlds.
You stand for the lowest class?
Take me off your list.
I'm not a democrat.
I'm a conversationalist.
If your aunt had balls, she'd be your uncle.
And you just can't seem to get that off your brain.
Give a straight answer?
Not today and not tomorrow.
But why don't you come sit down.
Tell the boss what's on your mind.
Shake it like a sickie.


Antman

Step up.
It is time to learn the hard way.
As so many lives here end.
And I've fallen.
Bugs crawling up my arms.
Eyes so strong.
Staring and torturing me for so long.
So tell me about this life filled with guilt, fear and emptiness.
Ash for teeth and gums.
Eden is laid to rest.
The search for truth begins while you're still sleeping in.
The simple life.
A simple plan.
Eden is laid to rest.
When this is what you stand for, this is what you get.
Is this everything you asked for?
This is all I have.
Is this everything you asked for?
This is all I am.
Is this the same thing that gives us something to live for that gives us something to die for.
THis is an ode to the Antman.
We are gathered here one last time.
This is what you stand for.
This is what you get.
With the precision of an axe as it cuts right though someone.
This is what you died for because this is what you knew.
You know.
You'll never know.
Surrounded yet isolated, goodbye my friend.
Surrounded yet isolated, see you in hell.


Hospice Residence

This is a lesson in what we have and what we get.
And what we want.
I want it back again.
I won't let you destroy what we have.
And I know it kills you.
this is it.
All the pain.
From the inside, I can't breathe.
But I must never fall.
Call forth the insides, I must never fall.
I won't let this end.
I won't die.
I won't let it die.
It's getting dark.
I've questioned faith.
Feel the pain inside.
If there is a God, where is he now?
If there is a God, where was he then?
Feel your skin as it crawls.
I won't let this end like I let you die.
And what we have and what we get.
What we get and what we need.
And even though you're so much older, it hurts the same every time.


Blue Line Cretin

My name.
This is my day.
The time to shine.
I can see the end.
From six stops away.
Money buys you beds bit it can't buy sleep.
I'm almost sorry that I must do this to get my name in lights.
But this is my chance and I'm going to take it.
Don't forget my name.
This is the most important day of your life.
How does it feel to know that I'm a part of it.
This is the most important day of your life.
This is my day in the sun.
Don't you forget.
My name.
This is my day.
The time to shine.
I hate you all more than you will ever know.
How does it feel to know you will be destroyed?
The words rolled off those pretty lips.
More at nine.
I'm the bastard blue line cretin.
I, the destroyer.
I, the cripple.
The disabled.
I am your end.
Now we're at the end and it's over now.
Money buys you 'friends' but it won't buy you fame.
Not like this, anyway.


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Next up on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was A Life Once Lost, a metalcore band from Philadelphia who were touring in support of their latest album, Hunter, released the previous year. The band formed in 1999 and recorded several albums including 'Open Your Mouth for the Speechless...In Case of Those Appointed to Die', their long-titled debut from 2000, 'The Fourth Plague: Flies' from 2003, and 'A Great Artist' from that same year, which was released as an LP vinyl record album in 2004.

'Hunter' featured such tracks as "Rehashed", "Needleman", "Vulture", which featured Lamb Of God's Randall Blythe on vocals, "A Rush & Siege", "With Pitiless Blows", and the title track.

I thought this band was okay. I didn't get into them as much as All That Remains. Interestingly, it was easy to confuse many of these metalcore bands' names which begin with the letter 'A'. In fact, since last year's Ozzfest Second Stage band As I Lay Dying, as well as this year's All That Remains have some ties with the Christian scene or have Christian members,
A Life Once Lost dissociated themselves from the Christian tag, which is easy to connect because their name suggests the Christian theme of salvation and redemption.

Rehashed

My head rests on my shoulders facing the sun
I struggle to walk
The burden of this guilt I hide from you is growing
You'll never know what it is
This is the kind of person that I am
This is the kind of person I've turned into
In time of song I am the Kamikaze dreamer
Clog my own throat; swallowed by color tortured slumber
It becomes harder to breathe or think clearly
Remorse Instigates an overkill of self loathing the older I get
So I'll rest my dead beat tongue, You'll dismiss me anyway


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Interesting how metalcore lyrics never have stanzas. :confused:

Needleman

What happens here stays here, right?
This is nothing but a miserable lesson learned
What we share together will not end up streaming through someone else's lips
I must fight with shadows in my own defense and worst of all, their names I do not know
Tell me do I disgust you?
Tell me do I amuse you?
Tell me which is it?
I fit their image so perfectly and it is making them sick
Is this disgust?
Is it disgust or amusement?
That catches you attention; that draws them near
Is it disgust or amusement?
Disgust or amusement; Which is it?


Vulture

I need a miracle to conquer this endeavor
The imagery of song to portray the routine of life
Maybe I'm neurotic or just wrong in general
Maybe I should concede and put out the fire
Can you feel this uproar festering desire in my thoughts?
I can promise you one thing; I will haunt you till you die
I can promise you one thing; I will hunt you till you die
In absence of your favor I would rather choose death
I'd prefer it would be executed only by you
No legacy, fall short of understanding
Maybe I should concede and put out the fire
I want you to bleed me of my misery
Drained bled dry; hung up for all to see


Hunter

This is when panic and shock are given out in doses
There is nothing to admire
Absent from this present anxiety is liberation
Malice now exists inside my head
Crush and rebuild
Destroy and organize
I stand above looking down on this devastation
Words form blindly to express my feelings
And these hands work to gather what is lost
Anxious thoughts
Torment now exists inside my head


With Pitiless Blows

We collapse, hands interlude
Cheek against cheek
A pulse duet hums through our veins
And I'm not sure why I continue
When we start to embarrass each other
As our lies attain bi-partial virtue
And all I want is to die
I gain and lose control
Like some f***ed up lust opiate
And now you will forever abhor me
As I purge myself one piece at a time
I won't forget my reflection
Loved and lost between your thighs
Don't forget how I can't forget you
I continue
When we start to embarrass each other
Hypnotic and gross, stained with a big deal
And all I want is to die
I'd rather erase my
Two ton impact on your life
This shouldn't be my only way out
Anxious to have validity knowing I only take up space
I'll continue to swell thanks to induction of severity


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

The next band on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was Norma Jean, a metalcore band similar to previous Ozzfest favorites P.O.D. and As I Lay Dying in that they were a Christian crossover band with a large following. The metalcore/mathcore band hailed from Atlanta, Georgia, forming in 1997 under the name Luti-Kriss as a rapcore band. Not surprisingly, the band changed their name to Norma Jean to avoid confusion with the popular rapper of the same name, Ludachris. Fans of the rapper would appear at their shows and be surprised to find it wasn't the same act! (What would Norma Jean think of the late 80's metal band Ludichrist, who changed their name to Scatterbrain and recorded the popular songs, "Down With the Ship" and "Don't Call Me Dude"?)

It seemed like the band was naming themselves after the real name of actress Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jean, but the band explained that there was a Biblical connection to the name, that Norma Jean meant "patterns of grace and mercy ("Norma" = "pattern"; "Jean" means "God's grace and mercy"). The band recorded their debut, 'Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child', in 2002, their only album to feature original vocalist Josh Scogin. The album featured such lengthy song titles fitting for emo/metalcore such as "The Entire World Is Counting on Me, and They Don't Even Know It", "Creating Something Out of Nothing, Only to Destroy It", "Pretty Soon, I Don't Know What, but Something is Going to Happen", "Sometimes It's Our Mistakes That Make for the Greatest Ideas", "I Used to Hate Cell Phones but Now I Hate Car Accidents", "It Was As If the Dead Man Stood Upon the Air", and "Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste".

In 2005, the band went into a "mathcore" (metalcore with odd time signatures and musical dissonance) direction with their next album, O God, the Aftermath. This was the first album to feature their new vocalist Cory Brandan Putman. The song titles were not only lengthy, but contained blended words (portmanteaux), and colons:

"Murderotica: An Avalanche In D Minor"
"Vertebraille: Choke That Thief Called Dependence"
"Bayonetwork: Vultures In Vivid Color"
"Dilemmachine: Coalition Hoax"
"Coffinspire: Multitudes, Multitudes In the Valley of Decision!"
"Liarsenic: Creating A Universe of Discourse"
"Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire"
"Absentimental: Street Clam"
"Charactarantula: Talking To You and the Intake of Glass"
"Pretendeavor: In Reference To A Sinking Ship"
"Scientifiction: I. A Clot of Tragedy /II. A Swarm of Dedication"

The album cover to 'O God, the Aftermath' was nominated for a Grammy for Best Recording Package at the 2006 Grammys.

Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste

Waltz around the room, with a glaze in your stare.
In your tuxedo suit. I'll give it a name. Lower
defenses. I'll lower the casket. Open the door.
Open the grave. Murder. Now you're doing the waltz with your murderer......
Waltz around the room, with a glaze in your stare.
In your tuxedo suit. I'll give it a name. Lower
defenses. I'll lower the casket. Open the door. Open the grave.
Mediocrity is the killer.

You find yourself helpless. Christ is not a fashion,
fleeting away. fashion...

He laid emeralds in her eyes, oh but I'd
already tried. a bracelet made of gold and scarlet
thread around her wrist. and everything was wrong so we
sang sentimental songs. Oh how seldom we belong but
how elegant our kiss. and we painted crooked lies but we
danced in perfect time to a love so much refined, we
know not what it is until like a dullen wine we pour
into a grief we know before but it's never quite like this. never quite like this.
All I know now is regret, it follows like a silhouette
along the cobblestone behind me, but has nothing to
say except to innocently ask, a voice as delicate as
glass, "Do you see me when we pass?" but I continue on
my way.


Bayonetwork: Vultures In Vivid Color

We walked on glass all day long, with eyes rolled back
it came with smiles, it came with gestures, and it came with motives.
Investing flowers in one hand and a blade in the other
This is between me and this blade, and my heart.
Distributing rusty knives in these countless attractive letters
with a directional diagram of a guilty heart.
"Insert Knife Here"
Lack of thought on this subject has attested catastrophic
Come one, come all, introduce knife to heart.
With our eyes rolled back.


Dilemmachine: Coalition, Hoax

I don't care. we don't care, no one seems to care.
The mirror of our mouths endlessly yelling
May I have your attention, attention, attention?
This is a quote from our weapons,
"This fight is more important than your life."
destruction is constructive.
The world and waking and wearing.
the way that deaf can see a sound in darkness
Certainly we will find hope in desperation.
no. destruction is destructive.
Everyone stay calm, we're taking over this ship
with our lives, with our hearts, and with our hands out
to this God forsaken town. Hell will have no mercy.


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

The band's members look like they have some sort of ink or carbon paper smudges covering their arms:

I guess Norma Jean was okay, they didn't really do a whole lot for me, but I guess I wasn't paying much attention, since I was taking pictures of artists at the F.Y.E. booths. They seemed to be all different and rocking, kinda cool for Christians, not what you'd expect from a Christian band, which was good. But for the most part, I expected a different kind of metal (REAL metal), and these guys weren't really my cup of tea. But I'd probably have to listen to them more to get an idea of them.

Is there a tendency sometimes to defend a Christian band simply because they're doing something different than what you'd expect from Christians, even though you've heard this kind of music countless times before? :confused:

Coffinspire: Multitudes, Multitudes In The Valley Of Decision!

They rest on the coast and the die is impending.
We pull at the motionless and static,
but the torrent has crowned their heads.
it fills their ears and it makes them ill.
they do not struggle at all.
This will speak of the end, and will not prove false.
It is time to move on with the weapons of faith and love.
Synchronize your steps to the sound of guns.
This world is damned to hell and it's a revelation.
And this is a shallow grave, and it's on the highest rise,
We stand on its highest crest.
I'll set myself on fire. Come on, watch me burn.
Poisoned now enough to kill ten hundred men.
The harvester's mouth has not gone dry.
[Joel 3:13-16]


Liarsenic: Creating A Universe Of Discourse

Run, run farmer screaming bloody murder.
The daughters of question have been murdered, murdered, murdered.
Deception is charming.
No, I don't think so.
I dont think so. I don't think so. I don't think so.
These things harmonize and overthrow
these things will cure, but they will tear down
and we are not the ones who carry on.
and we are not the ones who wear the shroud, tear down.
Liar, condescender, words born as bastards.
Our swords will rest and a course in miracles all hail
and killers will rise. Where have we gone wrong?
Understanding laced in the web. I don't think so.


Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire

It's taken me 50,000 separate wrecks to get here and
I've learned absolutely nothing. As I'm standing here alone,
upright and motionless I am drowning in her sea.
The rising and stinking of every consciousness I've ever known
Now detached and disconnected. The endless cycle of idea and action,
Endless invention, endless experiment, endless hope and endless
disappointment. and I thought all I needed was just one breath to stay
afloat. For me it was like...like the breath, the last breath, the
last breath that I never wanted. Any of this.
I never thought that this would
capsize, but this isn't a boat, its a coffin! And now I'm moving forward.
Into the sea...into the great sea.
So I begin with the end in mind.
The cycles of heaven, 20 centuries gone by, come home.
I've fallen three miles now... and I still can't shake this dragon,
but the end is coming like a flood. It's going to be a year for
growing and the greatest amount of forgetting. My sea is dying, but
death is a doorway
and at the very root of me I know this.
It's the greatest reminder. What a board world to roam in,
what a sea to swim in, so I begin with the end in mind.


:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Absentimental: Street Clam

The contract of black halos. Go, run for your mouth,
your open mouth. run your open mouth. Close your open mouth.
sun blacks out, sky blacks out
Don't plan on standing under the falling sky.
It's so pointless to fall. Please believe what you see,
and what you hear and not what you love.
Sun blacks out, sky blacks out
Your names are indications
in red blood and
I'm choking on my tongue.


Charactarantula: Talking To You And The Intake Of Glass


I will speak careful formulations of defense, these wary methods.
Words with no echo, this is an unfair architecture,
and my fists will surrender to my emotion.
Canceling
each other's experience with the intimidating sound
of our voices. Truth is the method of defense and
Passion cries out from our fiery blaze of words.
They make monuments and we make no progress.
We could build a mansion with our million dollar words.
Separate the widow from the bride.
in this part of my story I am the one who dies...
the only one.


Scientifiction: I. A Clot of Tragedy /II. A Swarm of Dedication"


[I. A Clot of Tragedy]

Bring this underground, bring this to its knees
Marching in slumber, swelling shades of mystery
we have the motive to breathe and to feed from the
mouth of deceit
Mutual fear will bring us peace as the raven builds its nest
will nest

[II. A Swarm of Dedication]

I'm haunted by the strains of human limitation
sending you letters like I'm daring you to,
in relation to you going astray.
What seemed like a lifetime spent riding on teh wings of the backwards
devils. It was as if I had fled from a lion, only to meet a bear.
Cut off when I saw the unseen. Sending me to my home,
covered with dust adn ashes.
Humiliation and insignificance.
Oh, the curious teeth of a bear, those fangs,
a continual lash and spur onto dedication.
I will not be moved or shaken. I will not be mislead.
Messenger follows messenger follows messenger follows......

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

The next band on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage were veterans from the 2004 lineup, Bleeding Through. This time, the band had the prestigious spot as one of the opening bands for the Second Stage headliners. The band released their new album, The Truth, earlier in the year. While many reviews of the album remained lukewarm, other critics raved about the release, such as Britain's Kerrang! magazine which claimed that 'The Truth' "is about to tear 2006 a new arsehole" and gave the album a whopping "KKKK" rating, a very good score (K's = stars). Billboard magazine called The Truth "one of the four most important hard rock albums of 2006." Other publications, however, were not so generous in their praise, feeling that the band "played it safe" and became predictable. One critic noted that the music was "infuriatingly one-dimensional reliance on victimized, self-pitying lyrics of a middle school maturity level." Other reviewers pointed out, though, that the band had huge potential and were a band to watch in the future.

The album, produced by Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano, featured several singles, including, "Kill to Believe", "Love in Slow Motion", and "Line in the Sand".

Love In Slow Motion

I will always feel. And I will always care
I wish she was my enemy
But I'm still waiting here for her to hold my hand
For her to steal my breath
For her to pick up the pieces of promises never kept
She moves in slow motion.
Sonically as the rain.

As the rain falls down.
Everything is still as she moves to me.
Stands still.
Maybe I'll do better on my own
Why does everything disappear?
When all I see is you alone...

And her love moves slowly
This time now I'm dying for you to call my name
I'm waiting. Still Fading
So tell me I'm not alone
I'm still waiting
I'm still fighting

Wake me from this sleep
So I can begin living
Or give me the solution
So I can start dying
Will I start living, or start dying?
Maybe I'll do better on my own
Why does everything disappear
When all I see is you alone
And her love moves slowly
This time now I'm dying for you to call my name
I'm waiting. Still fading
So tell me I'm not alone...


Kill To Believe


Now what do you want from me?
When I've sacrificed my heart so you can be set free
And time will never cure this disease
I'm only left with tired arms to stop from drowning

This is loveless
Your love is hopeless

Do you remember
On that night I couldn't find the words to say I'm sorry
If you recall that night you ripped my heart right out
Before saying I loved you Do you believe in this
Do you believe in me
If you believe in love
Would you believe in me

So what will you take from me
I'm the man without a soul a soul for you to seek
And time will never cure your disease
I'm only left with
Tired arms to stop from drowning.

This, This is loveless
Love, Your love is hopeless

Do you remember
On that night I couldn't find the words to say I'm sorry
If you recall that night you ripped my heart right out
Before saying I loved you
Do you believe in this
Do you believe in me
If you believed in love
Would you believe in me

Believe in me
I've emptied my soul
Believe in me
I've killed this disease now
Time to shatter your heart
Bring you to your knees
I've found the strength to fight on
And stop the bleeding

And I stop the bleeding

Do you remember
On that night I couldn't find the words to say I'm sorry
If you recall that night you ripped my heart right out
Before saying I loved you
Do you believe in this
Do you believe in me
If you believed in love
You're killing, you're not the same to me now
Got to kill to believe


Line In the Sand

The line is being drawing through my heart
Where conciving fires through our thoughts
And you're just like me.
And you're just like me.

This is everything I wanted to tell you,
That I'm still in love with everything about you
And I feel the wreckage from everything you do,
And I'm tired of still waiting

If I told you the truth now would you still leave and take my heart?
And I still feel ugly but you're ugly just like me
If I showed you the truth now would you still leave?
Will you ever change?
But I still feel empty.
Will I always lose this game?

This is everything I wanted to show you,
I'm no longer scared of anything about you
I live through the damage of the heart you took from me
And I'm tired of still wanting.

[x2:]
If I told you the truth now would you still leave and take my heart?
And I still feel ugly but you're ugly just like me
If I showed you the truth now would you still leave?
Will you ever change?
But I still feel empty
Will I always lose this game?

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Are we still on Ozzfest? I lost track.

Are we still on Ozzfest? I lost track.Yes, we are. At each post for the bands featured at Ozzfest for any given year, I will label the title post "Ozzfest 2006: (band name here)" or whichever. If there is a second post about the band being featured, I may not necessarily preface the thread with "Ozzfest (year)".

We are currently going through the Second Stage bands of Ozzfest 2006. :cool:

For Love and Failing

I don't give a f:censored:
I'm not afraid of the worst
I'm the sheep who lost his way
Still looking for it everyday
I'll face neglect every curse you wish to throw at me
Without trying I would never fail and I fell in love with failure

I can't see through your eyes
What do you see a disgrace another lie
Today I'll start being perfect. Cut you open to expose your insides
Cut you open expose your insides

I know
I'm still counting scares from every time you cried
And I remember the first time you died
Tonight I want to bleed along with you
Here's to craving everything you do

Know and I'm taking you on
And I'm taking you on cause I got nothing left to prove to you
I got nothing left to prove to you
I've got nothing left to prove


Confession

Yesterday I reached my end.
Now I'm watching you leave me.
And today I feel sick. I hear voices now
This girl is killing. Her face was pale.
She couldnt't even shed a single tear over my lifeless body.
She dosn't realize because she never loved me.
Today I hate myself. Look what I've done to you.
See what you've done to me. You sent me straight to hell.
Now is this confession pointless. Was my love entirely useless?
She'll never know because I'm face down in the ground.
Underground. Face down underground. Tonight I killed myself.
They said a prayer standing over my body. Rusty casket.
Empty funeral. Is this confession pointless?
Was her love completely truth-less?
She dosn't care even now that I'm gone.
That night you left. The night I died.
The air was cold set for a brilliant suicide.
That night was still. The night you left was
The Night I Died


Dearly Demented

Give up your heartache
Build your weapon to destroy them all
We have been stabbed to death
Now our hearts are replaced with this hole

Eye for an eye. Eye for an eye
Life for a life
Eye for an eye

Together we are as one
The broken and the heartless
Destroy hypocrisy to eliminate the weak
Behind every plastic smile is the blood of humanity
We are the prophets of the night
And we will rise at our given time

Eye for an eye.
A life for a life
Eye for an eye

[Chorus:]
Walk among the hopless souls
We are coming for you
We are armed to the teeth
Ghost of invincibility
We're coming for you
Dearly Demented

The holes in our chest mark our bravery of slaves fighting for your life.
We are whores
The condemned
'Cause someone else once held our heart

Your broken heart, my broken Heart
Your broken hand, your broken heart

Eye for an eye.
A life for a life
Eye for an eye

[Chorus]

We are the prohets of the night.
Eye for an eye.
We fight this fight for the hopeless romantic
Life for a life
We take this on for the battered and broken
Eye for an eye
We fight the fight for the hopeless romantic
Life for a life
For those who felt liek they wernt good enough
And I felt that way
And we all felt that way
Now we are rising up in numbers
And we will No Longer Be Slaves

[Chorus]


She's Gone

We are nothing.
A lost cause for a lost cause.
The hourglass is a loaded gun.
Running short of sand.

Breaking every single mirror.
I'm burning every single letter.
You're fading with a hundred pictures on my walls.
We are nothing.
We're fading faster.
We're fighting for another lost cause.
And you're fading fast.

Now you're fading out with the pictures of.
Were fading faster.
Were fighting for another lost cause.
And you're fading faster now.
You're fading out like the pictures on my walls

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Keyboardist Marta Peterson is one of the hottest girls in rock: :eyes:

The next band up on the Ozzfest 2006 Second Stage was Unearth, who also
made their repeat performance after appearing on the tour several years before. The metalcore band was touring in support of their new album, III: In the Eyes of Fire, which was released that August. The album featured such tracks as "This Glorious Nightmare", "Giles", "March Of the Mutes", "Sanctity Of Brothers", "The Devil Has Risen", "Imposters Kingdom", and "Big Bear and the Hour Of Chaos", the latter being a reference to the name of the malt liquor the band was drinking while composing the song. :cheers:

The album was produced by veteran metal producer Terry Date, who made his home in Seattle. To work with the renowned producer was an honor and a high mark of their careers. "Working with Terry Date is another amazing feat for us on a growing list of accomplishments." :cool:

The album was preceded by 2005's Our Days Of Eulogy, a compilation album which featured a number of earlier tracks of their career.

This Glorious Nightmare

Divine intoxication spills out the pores.
A self diluting fix that craves all the more.
Destructive seasoned vet, full glass of sting.
A bittersweet triumph that weighs in each day.
Obsession - my falsest friend.
Moderation - a fantasy that I can't win.
Devastation - a hardship loss.
Demanding - the pain of wasted years.
Lift me up, tear me down.
Will I last through this glorious night mare?
Collapse all that's sacred, prey on the weak.
Slow painful suicide that steals from each man.
Hells fire soon returns to rape the well.
Prolific doom machine that hears our words.
I'm fighting the will to live with countless persuasions.
I'm fighting the will to live - the endless temptations Its lifeless grip, that haunts us all.
Pulling from every direction, it's lifeless grip grabs hold.
Yearning is now my dissension, it's lifeless grip grabs hold.
Tear me down.


Giles

Smother his life - the words cut right to the heart.
Disease and threaten my family nam.
An epic stand is made.
Condemned I will not plead.
Damned to the beast of torment.
Damned by the beast within us all.
Crushed by the fear.
More stone, more stone, more weight for Corey.
Not one set forth could capture admission of guilt.
By law, avoids death on Gallows Hall.
Through time this fight will martyr my name.
My soul free of a heretic.
Court of Ayer and Terminer leave me my rightful land.
Men of Ayer and Terminer leave me my rightful land.
To slow in my hear - to leave to my sons.
Peine Forte et Dure is called - an effort to collapse belief.
Has failed, and surely will die with me.
Rectify my name.


Sanctity Of Brothers

A west side run through.
One string away from taking the lead.
We stalked the streets at night to live, to feel, to breathe.
Bring back those days of gold where the torch was ours to bare.
A troubled youth to some, to us our crown to wear.
I see a time, a sanctity of brothers.
We knew another world, A west side horror.
A torch burned out before his own time.
We close our eyes at night to hurt, to heal, to breathe.
Bring us back to the day.
Bring us back to our ages of innocence.
Our times to live forever.
Our worlds will meet again.
Worlds.


The Devil Has Risen

Hell strikes on solid ground.
Give us the strength to hold our home.
Open the wrath again.
Withstood this fight before.
Been told to leave it all.
Go where I do not know.
We will stare down the eyes of fire.
Like stone we battled the winds.
Beat down and strangled the winds.
We stood to fight till the end, but mother has breached our defense, Keep rising.
The devil is rising.
We lost it all.
It only took five days for the man to come for me.
I know our faith is strong and belief is all we need.
It was those lonely nights that tried our hearts.
It was those lonely nights that tore us apart.
And then our faith grew dim.
It was our solemn sin.
Forsaken in the eyes of fire.
We All lost in the eyes of fire.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

March Of the Mutes

How an we close our eyes when the walls around us wear thinner each day.
How can we mute our voices when a parade of chaos marches throughout the land.
This is the end, end of all.
We've been down this road before, yet we all just stand and watch.
Everlasting ignorance hes led our ways.
Forewarned, but still forgotten - our history erased.
This is the end of all.
Down on our knees we bow to hatred.
Down on our knees we fade away.
We've tried and failed.
Now Rome burns again.
This time it's all of us.
This time it's forever.


The Time Was Mine

Victim - the cards were dealt with less time for me.
Rebel - my only way to avoid your sympathy.
Virtue - spellbinding charm and strength of a hurricane.
Blacksheep - the rebel son that clashed with authority.
Powerless - at least I have tonight.
The roads not long - at least I have tonight.
Bloodline - few will see this through to the end.
Cower - some hide in fear.
Controlled by ignorance.
Eyes Closed - the cruelest site for those dear to me.
Sting - your conscience seared as anguish tears away.
I might not come back tomorrow.
Please know I chose the right path for me.
I've lived, I've died.
I've done it all a thousand times and, I don't regret a thing I've done.
This time was mine to have I've lived and died a thousand times.
Wanderer - I've seen it all like no other man.
I've seen the light of all worlds Father.
I did my best for the lack of my own.
Son - a ragged path, but the love was not unknown.
Brother - the best of times - a forever unyielding bond.
Free - from this disease.
Farewell, I'll miss you all.


Bled Dry

The lines been drawn.
The lines been blurred for far too long.
The years have scaled frustration.
How can you shine within your shell with such profound pretension.
We have lost ourselves to self contradiction.
We have lost ourselves to the rise of opposition.
The hand that leads and feeds you.
Would we all still battle if this caved in beneath you?
We've done it on our own.
All the years of Bleeding.
We've done it all alone.
Now you will bleed for me.
It's a war
We have lost ourselves to our own lies.
The bleeding intentions.
This is the line I've drawn.
This is your last chance.
This is the line I've drawn.
Now you must bleed dry for me.
Wars.
This is the line I've drawn.
This is your last chance.

:rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Once again Second Stage veterans Atreyu made an appearance at Ozzfest 2006. The mall-core band had just released their latest album, A Death-Grip On Yesterday earlier that spring. The new release, which featured the popular track "Ex's and Oh's", as well as "My Fork In the Road (Your Knife In My Back", "Creature", "Shameful", "Our Sick Story (Thus Far)", "We Stand Up", and "Your Private War", was a top seller, hitting #9 on the charts.

The album was said to have a balance of Brandon Saller's melodic singing vocals and Alex Varkatzas's aggressive screaming. Yeah, that's what passes for "thrash" and extreme rock. "Sensitive" metal. Gosh, where's a power ballad when you need one? :rolleyes: This was pretty much the order of the day, angst-y fast music with a touchy-feely part thrown in. Get ready to swoon, emo girls and guys. ohno:

:crybaby:

Ex's and Oh's

You took me home
I drank too much
'Cause of you my liver turned to dust
Cold rust taste
A cruel creeping cold pain
Do you understand what I mean?
When you feel your soul drop to the floor
Like a hole
Like an open bleeding sore
Then you'll have bled like I bled
And you'll have wept as I've wept

Suck me down, it's time to rock and roll
Let's hit the bar, let's lose control
One false move, you took me home
One false move, you're all alone

But it looks so good and it feels so nice
I paid the price
I'll cut you out just to hear you scream,
Get away from, get away from me
And I can feel my heartbeat racing
As I realize what I must do
Get away from,
Get away from,
Get away from me

I should have turned and ran like hell
Last time I got the taste of you
I should have turned and ran like hell
And I'll see we're through
I should have turned and ran like hell
Last time I got the taste of you
I should have turned and ran like hell
And I'll see we're through
And I'll see we're through

You fell upon me like a plague
Weakness, sweet weakness
But I digress...
After all this...
You're just like all the rest

Suck me down
It's time to rock and roll
Let's hit the bar, let's lose control
One false move, you took me home
One false move, you're all alone


Our Sick Story (Thus Far)

And we danced
So Pristine and
Knee deep in sin
Balls deep in hate (I see your face)
I see your face
And it tears me apart
It tears me up
My mouth is full of love
My head is held in shame

[Chorus:]
When you kiss me
Do you still taste her?
Are you thinking of...?
Are you thinking of me?
With your lips pressed tightly up against his skin
Does your body still scream my name?
Does your body still scream my name?

Hold your breath
Keep it in
Trapped with secrets
'Til you're turning cold blue with guilt
Still no blood to spilt
Had I seen the plot twists coming?
Would I have checked out the book?
And even if I was dead
You would never be off the f:censored:ing hook.

[Chorus]

Can You Take It While I Fake It [x2]

[Solo]

Cross your heart, false your heart [x2]

[Chorus ("Press Your Heart, F:censored: Your Heart" throughout)]

Cross your heart, false your heart [x2]


Creature

Go
Run away
In Distress
Try To Hide
From What's Creeping And Crawling And Stabbing Within
Try To Deny
The Turmoil Inside
If You Fight Yourself Hard Enough You'll Never Win
Any Ounce Of Serenity
Or A Calm Hope At Best
(Or A Calm Hope At Best)
Can leave you heaving on the floor
Gasping for breath (Are You Gasping For Breath?)
To Be Left On The Floor Gasping For Breath!

[Chorus:]
You're either the person you are
Or The Person Your Trying, Trying, Trying, Trying To Be
Don't let the outside sway too far
From where you want to be

And at any cruel moments Of This
You Can ruin The Best
Where's Your Body is Brutally Pressed
Against The Confines Of Your tense Flesh

And If You Close Your Eyes Tight Enough
Then None Of The Bad Can Get In [x2]
And If You Close Your Eyes Tight Enough
Then None Of The Light Can Get In (Then None Of The Light Can Get In)

Boom
You scream as the light hits you
It radiates though out your whole soul
Boom
The pain is clarity
It cleanses, and if it still f:censored:ing hurts than you still f:censored:ing know
That You Are Still Alive
That You Are Still In Control
If you would only take hold
Boom
The day with both hands
A death grip
And a good chance to outlive your past
You are living free
Where You Will Be Free [x2]

[Chorus x2]

:guitar:

So I didn't pay too much attention to Atreyu. Just kiddie-"metal" to me. Look at all the whiny lyrics about doomed relationships. Can't these guys keep a girl?? ohno:

Shameful

You should have ran for days
You embrace you betray
I am sick to say
You're a sad cliché
But when you ran you tripped and fell
On a path that lead you straight to hell
This is my salt in your wounds
This is my "I TOLD YOU SO"

If You Knew What I Know
Would You Move Like You Do?
With malicious Discontent
You went about hell-bent to destroy
But did you have a reason why?

[Chorus:]
Here's to lowering caskets
Of old friends
Choice and consequence
We'll birth a new day
With the death of an old and
Start over, Start over.
Here's To Burying Hatchets in Those
Who You'd Never Call Your Friend..
We'll Birth A New Day With The Death Of An Old Day And..
Start Over! Start Over!

Can You Breathe In Reach And Let It Out
Thee Evil Inside that's eating you out tonight
With Every Venomous Move I Will Suck You Up And Spit You
Get Out Of My Life, Get Out Of My Sight!

[Chorus]

You Let Yourself Get Carried Away
Don't Act Like Your Ashamed
You Let Yourself Get Carried Away
Bow your head now, accept the blame
You Let Yourself Get Carried Away
Bury this with you, a waste
And Now It's Time To See
What You Don't Mean To Me

Now it's time to see
What you don't mean to me
Now it's time to see
What you don't mean to me

Here's to lowering caskets
Of old friends
Choice and consequence
We'll birth a new day
With the death of an old and
Start over, Start over.
Here's To Burying Hatchets in Those
Who You'd Never Call Your Friend..
We'll Birth A New Day With The Death Of An Old Day And..


We Stand Up

I've watched the sun go dancing fall
And watched the night reign
Please note that casual
Observers are always the first to go
So this is for me and the boys
We'll always play our part
To kick and scream
To be the ones you hate to love
I can never turn my back because this is all I know
You know all that is the truth
We are all we have
In a world that corrupts the strongest soul
You know all that is the truth.

If you blink don't do it twice
I've still got something to say here.
I will bare my heart to expose my soul.
If honesty has a price then I won't ****ing pay dear.
We will take our dreams straight to the grave.

Go choke on this
And on my words,
And on us,
And on my honesty.
It's of no consequence
Because I've seen the opulence.
The beauty I've held in my eyes
If only for seconds
Words will never take away
What we have built together
With our hands, with our hearts, with our minds.

If you blink don't do it twice
I've still got something to say here.
I will bare my heart to expose my soul.
If honesty has a price then I won't ****ing pay dear.
We will take our dreams straight to the grave.

If this is just in our heads then
Then we'll keep on living our perfect lie
One day at a time
God bless our cheating hearts
And damn your lies

If this just in our heads then
We'll keep on living our perfect lie
One day at a time
God bless us.

If you blink don't do it twice
I've still got something to say here.
I will bare my heart to expose my soul.
If honesty has a price then I won't ****ing pay dear.
We will take our dreams straight to the grave.


Your Private War

For my whole life, I have been burning down bridges
My only problem was foresight
I was standing on them, I never looked down
And now I am, knee deep in your bulls:censored:
If you're ready for battle then I'm ready for war
So we can dance if you want lies

How easily we are deceived, how easily we believe lies

I will not run out of ammo, no more bowing my head
If every day is another slug, I will pull them out of my...
I will not run out of ammo, no more bowing my head
For every day is another slug, I will pull them out of my chest!

So raise your voices and hold your hopes up high!
Tell your stories, run your mouth, and tell your lies!

After all this time, don't wash my blood off of your hands
Let it crack and stain you, so the outside can match the in
Oh, does it make you the ****ing toast of the town?
To pull yourself up, on those you're always putting down

So raise your voices and hold your hopes up high!
Tell your stories, run your mouth and tell your lies
So raise your voices and hold your hopes up high
Tell your stories, run your mouth and tell your...

You curse my name, burn down my house
As I bare my soul you cast your doubt, and I can live without

You're passing judgement (you're passing judgement)
With side long glances (with side long glances)
Am I splitting hairs or - do I dare to say? - you've had your chances
You're passing judgement, with side long glances
Am I splitting hairs or - do I dare to say? - you've had your chances

So raise your voices and hold your hopes up high!
Tell your stories, run your mouth and tell your lies
So raise your voices and hold your hopes up high
Tell your stories, run your mouth and tell your lies

Curse my name,
Curse my name,
Curse my name,
Curse my name,

F:censored:!


My Fork In the Road (Your Knife In My Back)

So here we are again
The same fork in the road
I hate you. You love me
This story's getting old
The day that I opened up
You shut me out for good
Forgive, forget, f:censored: you
You are a liar and a whore

[Chorus:]
So take what you want and leave
You'll never get another part of

I remember the day that
I thought I would be free
I poured out my soul to you
Exposed everything
I take it out,
My heart's broke
My hand is much the same
I did my best to drink you away

[Chorus]

You are poison on man's lips
Lured in by the curves of your hips
Come here boy, stand by me
Look my way, have another drink

I should have got up...
I should have got up and left you

And I will never ever be your lover again
As far as I'm concerned, we are not even friends
This may not seem to subtle to you
The point I'm trying to make is we are completely through

[Chorus]

[Solo]

You are poison on man's lips
Lured in by the curves of your hips
Come here boy, stand by me
Look my way, have another drink

:guitar: