And after a four year hiatus, your favorite rock and roll thread has finally returned!!! Thanks to everyone for patiently waiting, since we had a few technical problems, but we're back and we've got a lot of ground to cover!!!

We last left the 2000's in the middle of the decade, or more exactly a little over halfway, in 2007. And now, hopefully, with no more problems, we are going back to where we left off, which was at Ozzfest 2007!!!

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

Ozzfest sampler:

Not sure why the image is not showing. :confused:

WOO-HOO!!! NOW WE HAVE LIFT-OFF!!! A PICTURE, FINALLY!!! :woohoo:

That spring, Ozzy released his latest album, "Black Rain", which would be the final album to feature Zakk Wylde on guitar and drummer Mike Bordin.

While Ozzy had peaked in his popularity and his visibility as the heavy metal t.v. icon in recent years, his musical output had suffered considerably. "Black Rain" was a record which reflected this downward trend, not being one of the classics of his heyday. The album featured two covers, one with Ozzy in a murky downpour, and another with blackened hands of liquid which appeared to be either grape juice or diluted India ink.

The album's lyrics reflected themes of war and a societal downward spiral. It was no "War Pigs", however.

Not Going Away

Don't tell me I'm wrong
Don't tell me that you knew all along
I won't roll over dead
Only I know what goes on in my head

I've got nothing to hide
I'm not guilty inside
I won't give up
After all I'm still crazy

[Chorus:]
I'm not going away
I'm not going
Try so hard to break me
But all your diamonds turn to sand
I'm not going away
I'm not going
Say goodbye forever
I'll wait for you in no man's land

Get out of my way
There's nothing you can do to change what I say
I won't ever let go
I got the answer but you'll never know

I got my eyes open wide
Ain't gonna' slip up or slide
Can't take me down
After all I'm still crazy

[Chorus]

I'm not going away [x8]

[Chorus]

I'm not going away
I'm not going away
I'm not going away
I'm not going
Say goodbye forever
I'll wait for you in no man's land

^^^ Nice try, but true rock & roll died in the early nineties. There is a lot of '90s music that I like, but really, I do not care for much music after the '90s.

Here is a photo of both Ozzy and Sharon at their press conference announcing their ill-fated decision to make Ozzfest 2007 a "Free-fest", which would adversely impact bands needing money to operate across the country on this tour.

Which meant business as unusual for Ozzy and Sharon. Could this be a sign of desperation for the famed rock and roll couple?

I Don't Wanna Stop

I don't know what they're talking about
I'm making my own decision
This thing that I found ain't gonna bring me down
I'm like a junkie without an addiction

Mama don't cry I just wanna stay high
I like playing with danger and fear
Everybody's walkin' but nobody's talkin'
It looks a lot better from here

[Chorus:]
All my life I've been over the top
I don't know what I'm doing
All I know is I don't wanna stop
All fired up, I'm gonna go till I drop
You're either in or in the way
Don't make me, I don't wanna stop

Why don't they ever listen to me?
Is this the one way conversation?
Nothing they say is gonna set me free
Don't need no mental masturbation

Too many religions for only one god
I don't need another saviour
Don't try to change my mind
You know I'm one of a kind
Ain't gonna change my bad behaviour

[Chorus x2]

I don’t wanna stop
Are you ever going to stop?
I don’t wanna stop, I don’t wanna stop
I don’t wanna stop, I don’t wanna stop
Are you ever going to stop?
I don’t wanna stop

[Chorus x2]

^^^ Nice try, but true rock & roll died in the early nineties. There is a lot of '90s music that I like, but really, I do not care for much music after the '90s.

You've got a point there!

I'm actually resuming an ongoing thread I "temporarily" postponed four years ago while in the year 2007.

The title track "Black Rain" reflected the carnage and drudgery of the war in Iraq continuing without end.

Black Rain

The black rain is falling
Contaminating the ground
The human race is dying
The dead are scattered around

What is the price of a bullet?
Another hole in the head
A flag draped over a coffin
Another soldier is dead

How many victims have fallen?
How many more have to die?
People dying in masses
Angel of death standing by

We've got our marching orders
Defenders of our home and our pride
We've crossed too many borders
Military suicide

[Chorus:]
War killing sons and daughters
Another failed attack
There is no turning back
Blood running down like water
You'll think you got away
Until the judgement day comes

Politicians confuse me
I watch the body count rise
Why are the children all marching into the desert to die?
The human psyche is twisted
The madness rising again
Another empire falling
I watch them dying in vain
We've got our marching orders
Defenders of our home and our pride
We've crossed too many borders
Military suicide

[Chorus:]
War sends our sons to slaughter
Another failed attack
There is no turning back
Blood running down like water
You'll think you got away
Until the judgement day comes
Are you ready?
Black rain, black rain
Black rain, black rain

[Chorus:]
War killing sons and daughters
Another failed attack
There is no turning back
Blood running down like water
You'll think you got away
Until the judgement day
You'll think you got away
Until your judgement day comes

So now Ozzy was at a crossroads of his career. He had succeeded in becoming the most visible rock figure due to his show and reputation as the oldest living metal hellion, of sorts. The travelling festival which bore his name had featured some of the biggest names in metal for the past several years. The exposure had increased the popularity of many bands while others, well, they had their fifteen minutes of fame in the summer sun. And now Ozzfest itself was itself in financial straits. It promoted itself as a "free" event because it could barely pay for its roadshow, and presented itself as doing a "favor" for fans by promoting itself through Monster Energy Drink codes to get in with no overcharged ticket prices and fees. But many bands who depended on Ozzfest to pay their way to travel the country could not do it for free, so many dropped off the bill. Things were tight for Ozzfest. What would they do next summer?

The answer to that would surprise everyone.

Also in 2007, the two brothers in Sepultura who left each other on bad terms some time before, Max and Igor Cavalera, reunited to form a new band, Cavalera Conspiracy. Old differences were put aside going back over ten years over management disputes which fractured Sepultura, and the new musical partnership was about to name itself Inflikted, which they found they were not legally permitted to do.

The feud between Max and the other members of the band began a decade before at the death of Max's stepson, who was 21, in a car accident. This tragedy escalated into a battle between Max's wife and band manager, Gloria, and the rest of the band who said they wished to replace her and other members of the band's business entourage, claiming "financial impropriety". Gloria vehemently denied this, saying she earned not even a dime from the band, only working with them out of a passion for the music. This contention compelled Max to exit the band, which was, in his words, the hardest decision of his life. But once he had left, he formed Soulfly and found new success.

In 2006, Igor called Max on the phone about a memorial show for his deceased son on the tenth anniversary of his death, and from there the brothers' relationship had been rekindled. Igor had already left Sepultura, and both siblings talked about song ideas and creative collaborations. They talked about what they saw while on tour in Indonesia of a bizarre self-punishment torture ritual conducted by the local populace there, involving knives, blood, and other disturbing objects. This became the idea for "Inflikted", the name of the album and song which would be released in the following year.

Around the Thanksgiving weekend, rock and roll faced another tragic loss when Kevin Dubrow, the "Mouth" behind Quiet Riot, was found dead at his home in Las Vegas. The cause of death was an accidental overdose of cocaine, which was ironic as he said earlier that he wanted to clean up his life. He was only 52.

He had been missing for over a week. His friend bassist Glenn Hughes had invited him to a party where he pulled a no-show, and other friends became concerned when he failed to show up for holiday events. Apparently he fell victim to the "I'll-clean-up-my-act-after-one-last-hit" mentality. Famous last words.

Not surprisingly, his professional career was marked by personal foibles and bad decisions which nearly derailed his rising band in the 1980's. While Quiet Riot were riding the wave of success as L.A.'s metal band to hit #1 on the charts with "Metal Health" in 1983, his subsequent belligerent nature soured fans on the band when Dubrow felt "threatened" by other Hollywood bands who followed in their wake. His "outspoken" comments quickly sank the band's popularity.

"The Mouth" is seen here with blonde hair, which was quite different from his brunette looks in the 1980's:

Kevin Dubrow was born in 1955 and raised in a Jewish family who lived in the Van Nuys district of Los Angeles. He grew up with a fondness for British bands such as Small Faces, Spooky Tooth, Humble Pie, and Rod Stewart. Using the name of Humble Pie's lead singer, he would make "emergency" prank phone calls to his friends and others using the name Steve Marriott in order to tell them outrageous things.

In 1975, he and his friend bassist Kelly Garni formed Quiet Riot, which included the very talented Randy Rhoads on guitar. The band, caught up in the glam hysteria going on in the hard rock scene then, played the look to the hilt, shocking many locals at dances and other events.

A live photo from around 1977:

In 1977, Quiet Riot, which was named after a phonetic slur by a member of British band Status Quo, Rick Parfitt, who pronounced "quite right" in a strange accent that sounded like the words that would form the band's name.

During that time, Kevin Dubrow and bassist Kelly Garni were constantly at odds, fostering a mutual dislike for each other. Garni was always trying to oust Dubrow, while at the same time, Randy Rhoads tried to remain quiet and neutral.

The band eventually got signed with Sony Records in 1977, and their first two albums were only released in Japan that year and in 1978. Garni finally left the band and was replaced by bassist Rudy Sarzo.

In 1979, at the urging of future Slaughter bassist Dana Strum, Rhoads was recommended to audition for Ozzy Osbourne's band now that the legendary Black Sabbath singer was free to form a new musical project. Once Rhoads was immediately hired by Ozzy during a very brief audition, the move had ended Quiet Riot. Interestingly, many Quiet Riot songs became tracks renamed by Ozzy on his new album, with updated lyrics. Thinking these tunes would never see the light of day, Randy Rhoads brought his ideas from Quiet Riot for Ozzy to re-use. "Suicide Solution" on the 'Blizzard Of Ozz' album (which was going to be the name of Ozzy's new band) was a reworking of the early Quiet Riot song, "Force Of Habit".

In 1980, Kevin Dubrow formed his own self-named band, Dubrow, which did not last.

In 1982, Dubrow, drummer Frankie Banali, and bassist Chuck Wright contacted Rudy Sarzo, who was in Ozzy's band with Randy, if they could get permission to legally use the name Quiet Riot once more. Both Randy and Rudy consented to this. Tragically, during that tour with Ozzy, Rhoads died in plane crash. Sarzo left Ozzy's band a few months later, devastated and unable to cope with the loss and death of his friend. Dubrow contacted Sarzo and asked if he wished to contribute bass to a track written in Rhoads' memory called "Thunderbird". Sarzo agreed to it, and when the band came together to rehearse and record it, they found that they enjoyed each other's company and everything clicked. They asked Rhoads' mother if they could reunite as Quiet Riot though her son would not be physically a part of it. She gave the band her blessing. Randy would certainly be with it in spirit.

Thunderbird

Hello you
yes it's me
You can't come back
Your flyin' free
You think you found
Everything that you need
Fly away, fly away
To your new home
Across the seas
Oh leave your nest
Oh baby leave the best thing
That you've been
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Fly on, Thunderbird fly
Fly on, spread your wings to the sky
Fly on, Thunderbird fly
On your own
And I'm alone
In the shadow
Of what we done
And I can't help but think
That someday
You'll be back home (whoa)
Fly away, fly away
To your new home
Across the bay
And give your best
Ooh baby leave the best thing
That you've been
Oh, oh, oh
Fly on, Thunderbird fly
Fly on, spread your wings to the sky
Fly on, Thunderbird fly (fly on)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah ah ah ah)
When all…

Perhaps it was the connection with Ozzy's connection to the departed Randy Rhoads, the guitarist from the previously struggling band, that precipitated the events that were to happen next: The newly reformed Quiet Riot were signed with CBS that fall, and the next spring, in 1983, the band's 'Metal Health' album was released. The band, featuring Dubrow, drummer Banali, Sarzo, and guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who joined prior to Rhoads' death, finally had their first American debut.

That summer, the band's first single, a cover of the 1973 song by British glam band Slade, "Come On Feel the Noize", landed Quiet Riot on MTV and all over the radio. The album made history when it became the first official metal LP to top the Billboard charts at #5. Quiet Riot had successfully ushered in the new era of metal with the song, video, and album.

However, Dubrow was not a fan of Slade nor the song he was asked to cover. He tried to sabotage the recording of the track, an "intentional train wreck", in the words of Banali, but the track worked in their favor. He could be seen in concert clips and be heard in the video with his unmistakeably strong voice yowling the song with total abandon. The song was quite a different take from the Slade original, but it worked.

Come On Feel the Noize

Cum on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We'll get wild, wild, wild
Wild, wild, wild

So you think I got an evil mind
I tell you honey

I don't know why
I don't know why

So you think my singin's out of time
It makes me money

I don't know why
I don't know why
Anymore
Oh no

So Cum on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We'll get wild, wild, wild
Wild, wild, wild

Cum on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We'll get wild, wild, wild
Baby!

So you say I got a funny face
I got no worries

And I don't know why
I don't know why

Oh I gotta sing with some disgrace
I'm in no hurry

And I don't know why
I don't know why
Anymore
No no no

Come on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We'll get wild, wild, wild
Wild, wild, wild

Come on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We get wild, wild, wild
Baby
Come on!

Well you think we have a lazy time
You should know better

I don't know why
I don't know why

So you say I got a dirty mind
I'm a mean go getter

I don't know why
I don't know why
Anymore
Oh no

Come on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We'll get wild, wild, wild
Wild, wild, wild

Come on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We'll get wild, wild, wild
Baby!

Come on, (come on) feel it
Girls rock your boys (come on, rock it!)
We'll get wild, wild, wild
We're gonna get wild! (wild, wild, wild)
We're gonna get rocked tonight (cum on feel the noize)

Rock it tonight (girls rock your boys)
We'll get wild, wild, wild
OH YEAH!!

Ah, ah, ah (woooo)
Ah, ah, ah

Cum on feel the noize
Girls rock your boys
We'll get wild, wild, wild

Ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah

'Metal Health' was so successful that it forced out 'Synchronicity' by The Police from the top position of #1 in the fall of 1983. The title track was often called "Bang Your Head" due to the infectious chorus.

Another popular track, "Slick Black Cadillac", was co-written by Randy Rhoads in their earlier days.

Metal Health

Well I'm an axegrinder piledriver
Mother says that I never never mind her
Got no brains I'm insane
The teacher says that I'm one big pain
I'm like a laser six streamin' razor
I got a mouth like an alligator
I want it louder
More power
I'm gonna rock ya till it strikes the hour
Bang your head
Metal health'll drive you mad
Bang your head
Metal health'll drive you mad
Well I'm remonstrated
Outdated I really want to be over-rated
I'm a finder and I'm a keeper
I'm not a loser and I ain't no weeper
I got the boys to make the noise
Won't ever let up Hope it annoys you
Join the pack
Fill the crack
Well now you're here there's no way back
Bang your head
Metal health'll drive you mad
Bang your head
Metal health'll drive you mad
Metal health'll cure your crazy
Metal health'll…

Slick Black Cadillac

Ooooo, Just a mean black set of wheels
What it takes to get me off
I'm gonna drive all night
Spin my wheels of light
It feels all right
It feels all right

I don't need no drivers license
I'm too reckless to survive
It's like a carburetor instigator
Feels all right
Feels all right

Drivin' in a Slick Black Cadillac
It's got solid gold hubcaps
It makes me feel like a king
I only need one thing
And that's a Slick Black Cadillac (get it up)

Slow down

You know I got a fully equipped rock 'n' roll machine
At speeds that take me high, high, high
At dead man's curve
I only hear one word drive, drive, drive
Drive, drive, drive

My machine is making headlines
It gives me love and everything
It's like an institution of revolution
It feels all right
Feels all right

Drivin' in a Slick Black Cadillac
It's got solid gold hubcaps
It makes me feel like a king
I only need one thing
And that's a Slick Black Cadillac (pull over, woooo)

Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac

Got the coppers on my trail
Just for me an A.P.B., yeah yeah
The sirens spinnin'
It's me who's winnin'
There're after me
There're after me

Oh, I know just what happened
I disappeared to their surprise
I got a Cadillac marquee by my back
And I don't mind
No, I don't mind

Drivin' in a Slick Black Cadillac
It's got solid gold hubcaps
It makes me feel like a king
I only need one thing
And that's a Slick Black Cadillac (wait a minute)

Slick Black Cadillac
It's got solid gold hubcaps

Slick Black Cadillac

I lay it down, spin em wide and get laid in back, oh yeah

Drivin' in a Slick Black Cadillac
It makes me feel like a king, alright!

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

So 1983 was a great year for Quiet Riot. They had succeeded in changing the musical climate with a top song and album. They received wide exposure opening for bands such as AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and ZZ Top. The next year, 1984, however, would be the beginning of the end so soon for the band that struggled to make it this far.

In 1984, the band released 'Condition Critical', which featured yet another Slade cover, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now". The situation did begin to look critical for the band when the album did not sell as well as its predecessor. The album featured very decent tracks such as "Sign Of the Times" and "Party All Night", but in all other ways was a disappointment.

To make matters worse, Dubrow felt that L.A. bands that followed them in their wake owed everything to Quiet Riot for opening the doors in the first place. He became intimidatiing in the press about other bands were getting as big, if not bigger than his band. He even claimed that his band was as big as The Beatles. Such comments infuriated other bands and fans who began to see Kevin "The Mouth" Dubrow as having a chip on his shoulder for insulting and berating other decent bands. Was his success so deserved?

For the next few years, the band remained on thin ice. Dubrow's rants threatened to defeat everything the band worked so hard for, Concert attendance dropped nearly everywhere they went. Fortunately, the band participated in Ronnie James Dio's 'Hear 'n' Aid' charity single, but things remained icy for a while.

Mame Weer All Crazee Now

Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ma ma mama weer all crazee now

Woo!

I don't want to drink my whiskey like you do
I don't need to spend my money but still do
Well don't stop now ah come on
Another drop now so come on
I want it live now ah come on

That's why
That's why

I say
Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ma ma mama weer all crazee now, yeah

And you told me fool firewater won't hurt me, but you lied
And you tease me and all my ladies deserve me, I'm gonna get 'em back
But don't stop now come on
Another drop ah come on
I want it live now so come on

That's why
That's why

I say
Ma mama weer all crazee now
I say
Ma ma mama weer all crazee now

Get crazee
Yeah!
Let's go!
Let's party!

I say
Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ma mama weer all crazee now

Oh yeah

Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ooh
Ma ma ma ma mama weer all crazee now

Get crazee with me

Ma mama weer all crazee now
(Mama, mama I'm going crazee. Help me)
Ma mama weer all crazee now
(Oh help me I'm going wild and crazee)
Ma mama weer all crazee now
I say
Ma ma ma ma mama weer all crazee

I said
Ma ma ma ma mama weer all crazee now
Yeah
Ooh-ooh

Sign Of the Times

Well I have street sense radar
Ooh, is supposed be news
You better lock up your daughters
You never know when we're due

Good news, bad news
It's all the same
Addicts on main streets
They give us the blame

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
We're a sign of the times
Having fun ain't no crime
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time, yeah

Great impersonators
We broke all the rules
We laugh with our masks on
The joke is on you

You're getting furry
It does you no good
It's the same old story
It's a human zoo

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
We're a sign of the times
Having fun ain't no crime
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time, yeah

My, my, my, my, yeah

Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!

Cha!
Cha!

I see a sign up ahead
Got it's lights flashing red
I can see you're the same
These are the words that I read

Long live rock and roll (Roll!)
Long live rock and roll (Roll!)
Long live rock and roll
It's gonna save your soul

Good news, bad news
It's all the same
Addicts on main streets
Please, please give us a break

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
We're a sign of the times
Having fun ain't no crime
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time

Hey!
We're just a sign of the times
We're just a sign of the times
We're just a sign of the times, yeah
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

Party All Night

Hang loose
Party

Got my head to the grindstone
I'm trying to act like a fool
My head is a lampshade
They can't find me at school

Well I'm an animal
Yes I'm a cannonball
They say I'm out for blood
One thing I wanna do is

Party all night (Oh-oh!)
Party all night (Oh-oh-oh!)
Party all night (Yeah!)
All night long

Driving right way on the wrong side
A bit too much to drink
Women in the backseat
And they don't know what to think

They say I've lost my head
You'll probably end up dead
But they're too blind to see
What's a party to me, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Is to party all night (Oh-oh!)
Let's party all night (Oh-oh-oh!)
Party all night (Yeah!)
All night long

Uh!

Let's have a good time, good time

C'mon

Everybody's parties
I'm on a one way cruise
Lookin' for trouble
We got nothing to lose

They're on the telephone
They're trying to send me home
We're gonna pull the plug
We've got a new kind of school

Let's party all night
Let's party all night
Party all night
Let's party all night

(Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)

Let's party all night (Oh!)
(We're party animals, baby)
Let's party all night (Oh-oh-oh!)
(We've got nothing to lose)
Let's party all night
All night long, yeah!

Let's party all night
Let's party boys

Kevin Dubrow's subsequent rants and tirades in the press further eroded the band's fan base and concert attendance. In 1986, the band released QRIII, indicating it was the band's "third" album though it was technically their fifth. But as far as their third major label release, this title was correct. At that point, however, who was counting?

The album sold even more modest numbers at that point, making a dent with the song "The Wild And the Young", a song with a video depicting a tyrannical Tipper Gore figure crushing all rock and roll expression, an obvious reference to the much-publicized PMRC hearings on offensive rock albums. Game show host Wink Martindale even made a cameo appearance on the video.

In 1987, Rudy Sarzo left the band to join Whitesnake, and, having reached their breaking point with Dubrow's behavior and verbal spewings, the band, under pressure from their record label and management, fired Dubrow early that year. They had enough of his unprofessional attitudes which threatened the band's livelihood. He was replaced by Rough Cutt vocalist Paul Shortino, and Sarzo was replaced by bassist Chuck Wright.

The Wild And the Young

Times are changing
Nothing stays the same
For this jukebox generation

Adhere to fashion
Like computer games
Modern day communication

The news hard to take
Will fade tomorrow
They are the strong
They'll survive

The wild and the young
They all have their dreams
The wild and the young
They've got to be free
The sun never sets
For souls on the run
The wild and the young

Yeah
Hah!

Roaring passion
With no guilt or shame
It's accepting education, yeah!

Misbehaving
No regrets, no blame
With a bold kind of sophistication

So close to the edge
And high on the wire
They are not wrong
They're alive

The wild and the young
They all have their dreams
The wild and the young
They've got to be free
The sun never sets
For souls on the run
The wild and the young

Ha!

So close to the edge
And high on the wire
They are not wrong
They're alive

Look out!

Wild, wild
The wild and the
Young, y-y-y-young

The wild and the young
They all have their dreams
The wild and the young
They've got to be free
The sun never sets
For souls on the run

The wild and the young
They all have their dreams
The wild and the young
They've got to be free
The sun never sets
For souls on the run
The wild and the young

Oh yeah

The wild and the young
Oh

Right

After Quiet Riot, Dubrow joined a band called Pretty Women, and wrote a song, "Slam Dunk", to be used in the Blake Edwards film "Switch".

In 1991, Dubrow had rejoined with his former bandmate Carlos Cavazo in a band called Heat. Now that the "original" Quiet Riot had disbanded at that point, the Dubrow/Cavazo pairing decided to rename themselves Quiet Riot.

By the mid-90's, Quiet Riot had weathered the grunge and alternative climate with various lineups. At some point a full "Metal Health"-era lineup came together and played for enthusiastic audiences. The band even recorded a few albums including 'Terrified', 'Down to the Bone', 'Alive and Well', and 'Guilty Pleasures'.

In 2003, after Quiet Riot made another breakup, Dubrow recorded an album of covers in 2004 called 'In For the Kill'.

The band's final album with Kevin Dubrow, 'Rehab', was released on October 3, 2006. The lineup on the album was DuBrow, Frankie Banali, Tony Franklin, and Neil Citron. Singer Glenn Hughes also made a guest vocal appearance on the album.

When Dubrow was found dead at his home in Las Vegas on November 25th of 2007, it was determined that he had died on the 19th, nearly a week before. He had told his friends he wanted to clean up his life. But the lure of a deadly drug won out for that "one last hit".

Kevin Dubrow was an immensely talented vocalist with a strong voice and stage presence. However, he learned the hard way that his petulance was not enough to sustain a rock and roll career. Success was not a given. He later admitted that he made bad business and personal decisions, but was fortunate to have a new generation of fans around to welcome him and his band back to give him a brief return to a shot at the limelight.

Dubrow also learned a little too late, as others did before him, that drugs such as cocaine were deadly and dangerous. For him there would be no comeback to the stage.

Quiet Riot has since returned with a new lineup, featuring "American Idol" performer James Durbin.

Meanwhile, there was plenty of life in Megadeth. For a while, it appeared that the band was on the ropes due to Dave Mustaine's problems with his record labels, and the famed frontman nearly decided to pursue a solo career. But during a concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he announced that he would in fact continue as Megadeth.

The band, however went through a change: Guitarist Glen Drover felt the need to leave the band due to personal reason, and was replaced by guitarist Chris Broderick, formerly of Jag Panzer and Nevermore. Broderick was known to be a musician of incredible fretboard talent, adept in many playing styles.

While Mustaine translated his frustration with the record labels into his musically, thematically the album dealt with a familiar topic, American government and politics, particularly relevant in the Bush era. The album's title was in fact a reference to his play on words for the United Nations, which he felt was leading the nation into a pending one-world government, as he saw it. This fit in with his apocalyptic views of Scripture, as a Christian. The album's cover also featured the band's mascot, Vic Rattlehead, as a "fleshed-out" figure rather than a skeleton and skull, a rather curious take on their famous image, as he is embraced by an angel.

United Abominations

Within striking distance from Ground Zero sits a smoldering international cauldron, the United "Abominations" as it were. Born to prevent wars, it froze in the face of disaster and stood silent while terrorization to hostage of the world
In a mire of hypocrisy, the U.N. ignores sex crimes by its "blue helmets", and enables terrorism; so in the end it's failed and the U.N. is where our
so-called friends get to stab us in the back and we pay 22% of their tab to host our
enemies here at home.

Ambassadors from countries enjoy otherwise known as a catastrophe, enjoy Diplomatic immunity living in Manhattan, while their children are turned into prostitutes It's a complete and utter disgrace, a blot on the face of humanity, and they get away with it.

Poverty in their kitchens
Held hostage by oil-for-food
Yet their own plates are full off the fat of their lands
There's no blood on their hands, right Kojo?
They promised to tell the truth
Without leaving a fingerprint,
They will lose the U.N. one way or another
The victim, I fear will be us, sisters and brothers

The U.N. is right; you can't be any more "un"
Than you are right now, the U.N. is undone
Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun
The threat is real, the Locust King has come
Don't tell me the truth; I don't like what they've done
It's payback time at the United Abominations

A grave and gathering danger
The decision to attack
Based on secret intelligence it'll take years
I fear to undo the failings in Iraq, Iran, and Korea
You may bury the bodies

But you can't bury the crimes only
Fools stand up and really lay down their arms
No, not me, not when Death lasts forever

The U.N. is right; you can't be any more "un"
Than you are right now, the U.N. is undone
Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun
The threat is real, the Locust King has come
Don't tell me the truth; I don't like what they've done
It's payback time at the United Abominations

"The U.N. writes resolution after resolution and has become irrelevant through inaction and totalitarian paralysis,"
"Order, Order!!!"
"Ha! There is no such thing as order"
"Larry, it's true, reports confirm today that the United Nations has officially closed its doors forever,"
"Well, I just don't see what all the fuss is, because they don't do anything anyway, do they?"

The U.N. is right; you can't be any more "un"
Than you are right now, the U.N. is undone
Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun
The threat is real, the Locust King has come
Don't tell me the truth; I don't like what they've done
It's payback time at the United Abominations

NATO invaded Yugoslavia to end ethnic cleansing, there was no U.N.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, there was no U.N.
Saddam Hussein violated 17 U.N. resolutions; The U.N. was asked to join the
war in Iraq. The U.S. invaded, Ha! there was no U.N.
Libya bombed a discotheque in Berlin killing Americans, there was no U.N.
Iran funds Hamas, and attacked the U.S. in the
seventies, there was no stinking U.N.
Facing War without end, looking into the future, there was no more U.N.

Dave Mustaine felt very much in the role of a metal prophet with the following song about the nation's capital fulfilling the role of a previous world empire in millenia past. Much of his understanding of Apocalyptic scripture tied in with this track. Not only power but societal decline was in the picture...as in the days of old.

Washington Is Next!

The quiet war has begun with silent weapons
And the new slavery is to keep the people
Poor and stupid, "Novus Ordo Seclorum"

How can there be any logic in biological war?
We all know this is wrong, but the New World Order's
Beating down the door, oh something needs to be done

There was a King, an evil King,
Who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven years of famine, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

The word predicts the future and tells the truth about the past
Of how the world leaders will hail the new Pharaoh
The eighth false king to the throne: Washington is Next!

Disengage their minds, sabotage their health
Promote sex and war and violence in the kindergartens
Blame the parents and teachers; it's their fault, "Annuit Coeptis"
Attack the church dynamic, attack the family
Keep the public undisciplined 'til nothing left is sacred and
The "have-not's" get hooked and have to go to the "have's" just to cop a fix

I am the King (an evil king),
Who dreams the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, nobody could interpret
Of seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

The word predicts my future and tells the truth about my past
Of how the world's leaders are waiting to usher in
The eighth world power of modern Rome: Washington is Next!

There was a King, an evil king,
Who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

I am a King, and I dream the wildest dreams
Nobody could interpret
Seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
Oh, that that was, that is, that is no more

There's something at my door, some ancient mystery
The future tells the truth about my past
And I'm the eighth false king to the throne
I've got you in my crosshairs, now, ain't that a bitch?

Washington, you're next!

:rock :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

As expected, more social commentary followed from Megadeth. Dave appeared spot-on with his assessment of foreign affairs.

Amerikhastan

Recruiting the ill-fated for "The War"
A legion of uneducated, bankrupt souls
With a lust for revenge, answering the call
From New Yorqatar to Califarabia

Desperation provides fertile ground for religious extremism
This glorious brainwashing where prejudice lies
Like a crouching tiger
Tormenting peasants till they erect an army
Under everyone's nose
In the end propaganda destroys their DNA, God help them

[Solo - Drover]
[Solo - Mustaine]

All that they envisioned of what things would come to be
Turned into a pink mist when they blew to smithereens
We are just a war away from Amerikhastan
When God versus God;the undoing of man

Promising a vapor, in the end they become one

[Solo - Drover]

No rules of engagement, this enemy hides
Amongst women and children

And to beat violence, you must ignore the focus groups
You must send in the Mossad, turn of the BBC, CNN
And don't look back
Rest assured there'll be no more Middle Eastern crisis, hell!
There'll be no more Middle East!
These are your people Liberty
Pull up your dress today
And tattooed is "property of The USA
A subsidiary of Halliburton"
Surprise?!
But a roaring lion is about to be on earth
Hey, Jihad Joe? Guess what? We're coming to get you!

[Solo - Drover]
[Solo - Mustaine]

All that you envisioned of what things will come to be
Turns into a death knell when you look behind the scenes
We are just a war away from Amerikhastan
When God versus God, the undoing of man

[Solo - Drover]
[Solo - Mustaine]
[Solo - Drover]
[Solo - Mustaine]

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

Dave live with bassist James LoMenzo:

The album also featured a remake of 1994's 'Youthanasia' track "A Tout Le Monde", with this new version featuring guest vocals by Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil. The song was considered controversial because at that time a school shooter by the name of Kimveer Gill claimed to be a fan of Megadeth and cited the lyrics to the song as his motivation to shoot students at Dawson College in Montreal. Mustaine became incensed that his song was used to justify such violence:

"I was so angry that this guy would use my song, and that he would try and turn that beautiful song into something ugly and nasty. It's for those who lost their lives, and it's a gift to those who are in the process of healing ... and Gill was not worthy of being a Megadeth fan."

The song was originally about a person facing death and wishing to say some final words to those left behind. It was not a song promoting suicide, as some believed. The song was initially chosen to be the album's first single.

A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)

[feat. Cristina Scabbia]

Don't remember where I was
I realized life was a game
The more seriously I took things
The harder the rules became
I had no idea what it'd cost
My life passed before my eyes
When I found out how little I accomplished
All my plans denied

So as you read this know my friends
I'd love to stay with you all
Smile when you think of me
My body's gone that's all

À tout le monde [To everyone]
À tout mes amis [To all my friends]
Je vous aime [I love you]
Je dois partir [I must leave]
These are the last words
I'll ever speak
And they'll set me free

If my heart was still alive
I know it would surely break
And my memories left with you
There's nothing more to say

Moving on is a simple thing
What it leaves behind is hard
You know the sleeping feel no more pain
And the living are scarred

À tout le monde [To everyone]
À tout mes amis [To all my friends]
Je vous aime [I love you]
Je dois partir [I must leave]
These are the last words
I'll ever speak
And they'll set me free

So as you read this know my friends
I'd love to stay with you all
Please smile, smile when you think about me
My body's gone that's all

[2x]
À tout le monde [To everyone]
À tout mes amis [To all my friends]
Je vous aime [I love you]
Je dois partir [I must leave]
These are the last words
I'll ever speak
And they'll set me free

These are the last words
I'll ever speak
And they'll set me free

Below, a photo of Cristina Scabbia, who performed the song live with the band at one concert:

This song was originally going to be used for a video game of the same name:

Gears Of War

Ethnic cleansing with no defending
These acts of genocide
A fatal ending with no surrendering
To cover up the crimes and lie

Smart bombs, precision guided armament
A more sophisticated way to end up dead
Still we search and invent such intelligent weapons
That kill each other like the Gears of War
Hoo-rah!!!

If you ride with thieves, then you die with thieves
Cross my heart and hope that you die, that you die!
When the smoke has cleared, the devil's in the mirror
And you see his warheads paint the sky, now you die!

Smart bombs, precision guided armament
A more sophisticated way to end up dead
Still we search and invent such intelligent weapons
That kill each other like the Gears of War
Hoo-rah!!!

More live photos of Megadeth, with Chris Broderick live below:

The growing list of rock and roll obituaries for 2007 was not complete without the passing of Mark St. John, the guitarist for KISS whose stay with the band was brief. Details were sketchy when it was first reported, but it was later revealed that his death was in relation to a violent altercation at an Orange County, California, jail involving his possession of drug paraphernalia. He was only 51.

St. John's claim to fame was his appearance one of the more popular "unmasked" KISS albums of the 80's, 'Animalize', the second album where the band appeared sans makeup in 1984. The album featured "Heaven's On Fire", though by this time, the band was derided by many fans for its decidedly glam-pop direction.

St. John's tenure with KISS was brief due to his acquiring reactive arthritis, which limited his ability to play guitar. He played a partial tour with the band before being replaced by Bruce Kulick.

By 1985, St. John had recovered well enough to form a series of side projects with musicians such as Dave Donato, who briefly worked with Black Sabbath and Barry Brandt, drummer for 70's glam rock band Angel. Bassist Rudy Sarzo and others became involved in the project. Later he played live with a Greenpeace benefit concert with other jazz notables, as was his forte.

Both St. John and Donato formed a band called White Tiger before playing sessions with such performers as Jeff Scott Soto and Christian rock guitarist Ken Tamplin. By 1990, St. John had teamed up with former KISS drummer Peter Criss, but their attempts to promote their new project yielded nothing.

Sadly, Mark St. John's fortunes plummeted further when he was incarcerated for possession of drug paraphernalia on September 14, 2006. He requested to be moved for his safety by allegedly reporting he had stolen crackers from another inmate. A guard conspired with twenty other inmates to punish him for this act by savagely beating him and stabbing him with pencils.

St. John's girlfriend said that this brutal beating contributed to his death several months later. She described him as being unrecognizable after this horrific attack. He said that he suffered severe headaches and body pains, but due to his lacking medical insurance, he received no treatment while in jail. His health deteriorated before he died from a cerebral hemorrhage brought on by methamphetamines, according to the coroner. His girlfriend refuted this and insisted his beating at the Theo Lacy jail sent his health spiraling in decline and caused his internal bleeding.

Those close to St. John claimed that the violent incident at the jail changed his personality for the worse. He became severely depressed and refused to talk about his time at the Theo Lacy jail. He resorted to doing odd jobs such as mowing lawns in order to finance his growing drug habit which was now out of control. He sold his outfits and other valuables to afford his addiction.

Mark St. John was one person whose brief stay in one of America's legendary bands and guitar talent was not enough to keep his life out of a downward spiral. One may surmise that his sinking fortunes prompted his decline into drugs and incarceration which led to his violent end.

Sadly, the official report may contradict with the actual facts of the case. St. John was not alone in the horror stories of musicians facing tragic ends at the hands of police and detention officials in jails. In 1988, blues musician Roy Buchanan was said to have committed suicide by hanging while being incarcerated for drug and alcohol intoxication. However, insiders at the jail, including his family, according to a 1990 issue of Guitar World magazine, insist that police officers may have in fact ended his life, due to injuries consistent with bludgeoning of his head. What is the the truth, and who is covering up whom?

So we bid farewell to another fallen musician. Unfortunately, the list grows from there, as we shall see.

Early that year, Finnish power metal band Nightwish announced they had brought on a new singer for their band to replace Tarja Turunen, who had been fired from the band previously. Annette Olzon was the band's new vocalist after topping the list of mailed-in entries. The band felt she was the right fit for their music.

Still, it was a question of whether someone could replace a person with Turunen's diva-esque voice and presence. It remained to be seen.

In early 2007, Audioslave announced that they were breaking up when lead vocalist Chris Cornell reported his departure from the band, citing it was "Due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences, I am permanently leaving the band Audioslave. I wish the other three members nothing but the best in all of their future endeavors." It opened the door to the pending reuniting of Rage Against the Machine and various solo projects.

Cornell later explained that his decision to leave was based on the way the band conducted business. He was not happy with the equal split of royalties between each member when he was the one who wrote most of the music. This was in addition to his not getting along with other members of the band.

Audioslave made musical history earlier when they became the first American band to perform in Cuba.

Below, Chris Cornell and Tom Morello live, with the cover of their final album, 'Revelations':

Not all of 2007 was steeped in tragedy and breakups. There was in fact the greatest music movie ever filmed: Tenacious D In the Pick Of Destiny.

Though Tenacious D was in fact a real band, the story of the band's beginnings was in question. But did it not add to the mystique, as with most bands, that there was an amazing story about how two metal fans, actor Jack Black and Kyle Gass met as they exited the lives of their extremely religious families and tyrannical town in the midwest in their single-minded quest to create the greatest metal band in the world. After bonding with each other due to their musical abilities and mutual fondness for each other's magnetism and charisma, they form Tenacious D after coming into contact with Satan's guitar pick which contains magical powers and properties.

A Faustian sort of bargain ensues when they confront the Evil One face to face in a cataclysmic battle of rock supremacy.

Why this movie bombed at the theaters up its release remains the world's greatest mystery. The band did release their album of the same name at that time.

The album by Tenacious D of the same name as their epic movie, 'The Pick Of Destiny' faired a bit better than their film. However, it was rumored that some outlets such as Wal-Mart and K-Mart refused to stock the album due to the "satanic" satirical nature of the album cover in a humorous take on Michelangelo's depiction of the Creation in Genesis.

Both Meat Loaf and Ronnie James Dio appear on the first song, "Kickapoo", and other performers appear on other tracks, such as Dave Grohl on "Beelzeboss". Other songs include "The Divide", "The Government Totally Sucks", and the anthem, "The Metal".

The Metal

You can't kill the metal
The metal will live on
Punk-Rock tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were smite to the ground
New-wave tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were stricken down to the ground
Grunge tried to kill the metal Ha,hahahahaha
They failed, as they were thrown to the ground
Aargh! yeah! [x2]

[Singing]

No-one can destroy the metal
The metal will strike you down with a vicious blow
We are the vanquished foes of the metal
We tried to win for why we do not know

New-wave tried to destroy the metal, but the metal had its way
Grunge then tried to dethrone the metal, but metal was in the way
Punk-rock tried to destroy the metal, but metal was much too strong
Techno tried to defile the metal, but techno was proven wrong
Yea!

Metal!
It comes from hell!

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

By the end of the year, the music world lost one its pioneering legends, Ike Turner. The coroner claimed that cocaine use contributed to his death, but this was emphasized over the fact, his daughter pointed out, that pulmonary emphysema was a bigger factor in his failing health.

While it was emphasized for years about Turner's tumultuous and abusive relationship with his wife Tina Turner who would go on her own stardom, it has been forgotten by many that he was one of the very first pioneers of rock and roll. He is credited with writing and recording "Rocket 88" in 1951 which became a single for performers such as Bill Hailey. This song is considered by many to be the first rock and roll song.

Born on November 5, 1931, in in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Turner claimed that, as a child, to have witnessed his father being beaten nearly to death by a white mob. However, others claimed that his father had died in an industrial accident. He had a violent relationship with his drunken stepfather who was abusive to his mother and ran away from home after one altercation.

Turner claimed to have been introduced to sex at a very young age by a few local women. Was this story to be believed? He felt not at all victimized nor traumatized by this. Was he bragging? Or was he commenting on his situation which would normally cause concern for abuse for youngsters in his day and age? He never thought it as abuse, there was no word for it other than "fun".

Also at a young age, he was exposed to music at a local radio station where he was allowed to spin records of local R & B releases as well as the latest rockabilly records. This had a profound impact on him. He was given piano lessons but felt his musical education came from boogie-woogie joints and then playing blues on guitar.

Ike Turner went his way into music locally by forming The Kings Of Rhythm, soon playing with the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson II (as there were two well-known blues artists who claimed the same name) as well as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and other notables. He said that while playing local juke joints the sets would begin at 8:00 PM and not let out until 8:00 AM! Playing music was continuous but it gave Turner some musical discipline and a trained ear.

He recorded "Rocket 88" with his band by putting holes in the amplifier which caused a unique distortion. Jackie Brentson And His Delta Cats was the name of his band at the time. The album was successful though Turner made only a small pittance from it. After the band broke up, Turner was hired as a talent scout for a local label, Bihari Records.

In St. Louis. Turner reformed The Kings Of Rhythm and enforced a strict code of discipline for the members of the band, even physically assaulting them if they played the wrong note and other transgressions. As the band's popularity grew across the states, he found that young white audiences were enthused by his music.

Rocket 88

You may have heard of jalopies
You've heard the noise they make
But let me introduce you to my Rocket '88
Yes it's great, just won't wait
Everybody likes my Rocket '88
Baby we'll ride in style
Movin' all along

V-8 motor and this modern design
Black convertible top and the gals don't mind
Sportin' with me, ridin' all around town for joy
Blow your horn, Raymond blow your horn

Step in my Rocket and don't be late
Baby we're pullin' out about a half-past-eight
Goin' on the corner and havin' some fun
Everybody in my car is going to take a little nip
Ooh, goin' out
Oozin' and cruisin' along

While in St. Louis, Turner was making a name for himself as a session musician who appeared on various record labels. While connected to the Stevens record label, named after his friend Bill Stevens, he changed his name to an anagram, Icky Renrut, as he was still under contract to Sun Records and did not wish to cause problems with the head of Sun, Sam Phillips.

In 1959, Turner found himself for the first time in trouble with the law due to "interstate transportation of forged checks and conspiracy". He was forced to stand trial twice: The first time he was cleared of the charges, but the second time found guilty.

Two years later, destiny beckoned when 16-year old Anna Mae Bullock accompanied her sister Aillene, a barmaid at the Club Manhattan, to see The Kings Of Rhythm. During a break she asked to sing with the band, and when she did, Ike was impressed. So much so that he made her a member of the group under the name "Little Ann". In 1958, she sang on the band's song "Box Top". She also became the mother of the son of member Raymond Hill.

Turner also released a track, "A Fool In Love" with Anna's vocals. When former member Raymond Hill tried to woo Anna away from Ike's band, Ike asked her to take his last name in order to deter Hill. Anna agreed to this. Inspired by the character Sheena, Queen Of the Jungle, Ike renamed Anna Tina, due to the rhyming name. Thus Tina Turner was born. Ike had the name trademarked in case Anna/Tina left and he could continue to use another female and give her the same name.

In 1960 "A Fool In Love" began to chart, the first under the name Ike & Tina Turner. The decision to use her vocals came when the original vocalist, Art Lassiter, failed to show up and Ike was convinced to use her voice. The song became a huge hit and made the duo into national stars. The Kings Of Rhythm was changed to the Ike & Tina Turner, with the backup singers called The Ikettes. Robert Palmer writes, "There was never any doubt that Tina Turner was the star... the electrifying performer audiences came to see. Ike kept his own stage presence deliberately low-key, avoiding flamboyant moves and directing the band with underplayed, economical gestures. His songwriting, production and musical direction were geared toward showcasing Tina."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKpISNtgJMs

A Fool In Love

There's something on my mind
Won't somebody please, please tell me what's wrong

You're just a fool, you know you're in love
You've got to face it to live in this world
You take the good along with the bad
Sometimes you're happy and sometimes you're sad
You know you love him, you can't understand
Why he treats you like he do when he's such a good man

He's got me smiling when I should be ashamed
Got me laughing when my heart is in pain
Oh no, I must be a fool
Cause I do anything you ask me to

Without my man I don't want to live
You think I'm lying but I'm telling you like it is
He's got my nose open and that's no lie
And I, I'm gonna keep him satisfied

A wave of action speaks louder than words
The truest thing that I ever heard
I trust my man and all that he do
And I, and I do anything you ask me to

During the 60's the duo grew bigger with such songs as "Poor Fool", "I Idolize You", and a cover of Joe Seneca's "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", the latter which became a million-seller. The duo shopped for various labels and recorded on many as Ike tried to find the best record deals. When the song "River Deep--Mountain High", produced by Phil Spector with none of Ike's creative input allowed, failed to chart in the States, the loss of success prompted Spector to become reclusive from the music industry. However, the song charted highly in Europe, catching the attention of Mick Jagger, who had Ike & Tina Turner open for the Rolling Stones in 1966 and 1969, bringing them into a wider audience.

The duo also covered Sly & the Family Stone's "I Want To Take You Higher", and of course, the very familiar cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary", where Ike's baritone background vocal chorus can be heard against Tina's defiant shriek.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcyl_-5Yv2U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN_Aq2W2Yi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzQnPz6TpGc

More photos:

The financial success of Ike and Tina Turner gave Ike the ability to build Bolic Studios next door to his mansion In the Inglewood area of Los Angeles. The entire studio was state of the art, and was later used by other famous musicians such as, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Duane Allman, Little Richard, and later, Frank Zappa.

In 1974, Ike was arrested for using illegal devices known as blue boxes on the studio's phones at the studio there that could create "free" long-distance calls. Ike worked feverishly to finish recording some projects before being taken to jail by police. Though he was cleared of charges, his studio continued to remain under surveillance due to suspected illegal activities.

The end of Ike and Tina's partnership came on July 6, 1976, on the eve of a new, lucrative partnership with Cream Records. En route from Los Angeles to Dallas, the two became involved in a violent argument which resulted in Tina fleeing their hotel and seeking refuge at a friend's home. Ike claimed the altercation was in fact her doing, in some sort of attempt to sabotage the deal with Cream Records. Tina sued for divorce on July 27 that month, citing irreconcilable differences.

Mind if I join in?

Mind if I join in?Go ahead if you have something to add to the current year we are reviewing, 2007. :cool:

Go ahead if you have something to add to the current year we are reviewing, 2007. :cool:

OK. :cool:

January 30, 2007

Following rumours that The Police will reunite for a tour after 23 years to mark the 30th anniversary of the release of "Roxanne", the band announce that they will perform at the opening of the 49th annual Grammy Awards on February 11 and subsequently announce The Police Reunion Tour.

January 30, 2007

Following rumours that The Police will reunite for a tour after 23 years to mark the 30th anniversary of the release of "Roxanne", the band announce that they will perform at the opening of the 49th annual Grammy Awards on February 11 and subsequently announce The Police Reunion Tour.
I read in an article that drummer Stewart Copeland in fact hated Sting. This was why they broke up twenty years before. If you look at old album covers with photos in the liner sleeves, Copeland's drum heads are covered with obscenities to illustrated his utter contempt for Sting.

I read in an article that drummer Stewart Copeland in fact hated Sting. This was why they broke up twenty years before. If you look at old album covers with photos in the liner sleeves, Copeland's drum heads are covered with obscenities to illustrated his utter contempt for Sting.

I’ll have to keep an eye on that next time.

It was never quite the same for Ike after he and Tina broke up. For the next several years beginning in 1977, Ike managed to get another female singer, Holly Maxwell, to take Tina's place. She reported a rather positive relationship working with him.

However, the public perception of Ike Turner had begun to sour, as did his personal and professional life. Reports emerged that he had become increasingly erratic and unstable. Police raided Bolic Sound in 1980 to find a live hand grenade and seven grams of cocaine. He served thirty days in jail in Los Angeles, but this was only the beginning of his problems. He was later arrested for allegedly shooting a middle-aged newspaper delivery man, and, though he was later found not guilty, his troubles did not end there when he was financially in disarray and owed the State of California thousands of dollars in back taxes.

In 1981, Bolic Sound burned down on the day he was to show it to a potential buyer, ironically.

In 1985, Ike Turner was arrested for cocaine possession and selling of a controlled substance. He was then arrested on charges of selling cocaine in 1986 and 1987, the latter instance to an undercover police officer. In 1990, he was incarcerated at California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo. It was noted that he behaved well in prison and became known as a model inmate, even becoming a trustee there. He saved up money and wrote songs during his time there.

When Tina Turner, who had become a huge superstar by then, released her book, 'I, Tina', the perception of Ike Turner became now one of a persona non gratis with the sordid tales of humiliation and control of his famous wife.

December 10, 2007

Led Zeppelin reunite in London for their first show in 25 years.

In 1991, Ike Turner received some vindication for his contributions to music when, though he was still in prison, Ike and Tina Turner were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Phil Spector, a person who was no stranger to controversy and extreme legal troubles, accepted the award for them. Once Ike was released from prison, he compiled a record of previously unreleased Ike and Tina songs. In 1993 Salt-n-Pepa sampled his Ikettes hit "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" for their 1993 single "Shoop". So Ike's influence was not lost on a new generation of music fans and performers. Not only did the track go to #4 on the pop charts, but Ike earned half a million dollars in royalties from it.

Ike also appeared on the song "Love Gravy" with Rick James on the album 'Chef Aid: The South Park Album', the soundtrack to the TV series South Park. Ike Turner also made an appearance on MADtv in 1997, episode #2.18

Blues musician Joe Louis Walker encouraged Ike to return to his roots in blues. Ike played guitar and assisted in production in Walker's album 'Great Guitars' in 1997. The turnabout in his fortunes convinced Turner to reform his original band The Kings Of Rhythm for a tour. The band appeared at a South By Southwest music festival in 2001 and was hailed as one of the highlights of the event. Turner's wife Jeanette sang lead on the tour. Ike recorded the Grammy-nominated 'Here & Now' album. He was even featured in Martin Scorcese's documentary "The Blues" in 2003.

On January 16, 2008, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reported that Turner had died from a cocaine overdose. "The cause of death for Ike Turner is cocaine toxicity with other significant conditions, such as hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema", Supervising Medical Examiner Investigator Paul Parker told CNN. His daughter Mia was said to be surprised at the coroner's assessment, believing his advanced stage emphysema was a bigger factor.

On January 16, 2008, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reported that Turner had died from a cocaine overdose. "The cause of death for Ike Turner is cocaine toxicity with other significant conditions, such as hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema", Supervising Medical Examiner Investigator Paul Parker told CNN. His daughter Mia was said to be surprised at the coroner's assessment, believing his advanced stage emphysema was a bigger factor.
There seems often to be this idea that when a famous, or infamous person dies, coroners and "experts" tend to focus on the vices, such as drugs, that supposedly contribute to their deaths than on more legitimate causes. I am thinking of the case of Jeff Porcaro, the drummer for Toto, who died at the age of 38 in 1992. When cocaine was found in his system after he died following spraying his garden with pesticides, it was determined by medical officials that his cocaine use contributed to his demise. Guitarist Steve Lukather countered this claim, saying that Porcaro had a heart condition that was hereditary, that he had relatives who died at an early age from similar heart problems. It was not that Porcaro did not use cocaine back in the day, but that his bad heart was the biggest factor. There was the temptation in the press to sensationalize certain things.

In 2005, it was learned that Ike Turner was suffering from emphysema. His health had been in decline and that, according to his daughter Mia, he would only remain up for a few hours to do recording before having to lie down for long rests. He was increasingly weakening. However, he summoned enough strength to appear on 'Demon Days', an album by animated band Gorillaz, where he played piano on the track "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead".

Turner was about to collaborate with band Black Keys before his death.

Ike Turner was determined to be bipolar by people close to him, for which he took Seroquel for treatment. His ex-wife later related: "I would come in the room and see him change like a lightbulb, switch on and switch off. I did ask him about it. He said he made a song about it "Bi Polar", last track on Rising With the Blues and we started laughing... He said, 'I know I'm bipolar.' He says, 'And I've been bipolar, but a lot of people is bipolar.'"

His daughter Mia rejected this claim: Turner's daughter Mia Turner rejected this diagnosis, saying that the medication was unnecessary: "Daddy is not bipolar... He was so heavily medicated. He could hardly speak. He was double stepping and walking sideways."

By 1974, Ike’s heavy usage meant he had worn a large hole through his nasal septum. This hole caused him pain, which he relieved with further use of cocaine. He then began freebasing crack cocaine. While in prison in 1991, Turner managed to break his dependency on cocaine. He remained clean for ten years, with the help of family members. However, in 2004, while trying to help rescue a crack addict acquaintance from his addiction, Turner entered a crack house, smelled cocaine fumes, and had a relapse.

By 1974, Ike’s heavy usage meant he had worn a large hole through his nasal septum. This hole caused him pain, which he relieved with further use of cocaine. He then began freebasing crack cocaine. While in prison in 1991, Turner managed to break his dependency on cocaine. He remained clean for ten years, with the help of family members. However, in 2004, while trying to help rescue a crack addict acquaintance from his addiction, Turner entered a crack house, smelled cocaine fumes, and had a relapse.
Niot a good idea to "help" people from their addictions when you are dealing with your own. I was about to think that the whole thing about his cocaine use was overstated, but it was a factor in his passing. Not the biggest, but it did play a part. I think it would be another factor in the disintegration in the relationship between him and Tina.

Turner's songs began to be sampled by hip hop artists, most notably Salt-n-Pepa sampling I'm Blue for use in their 1994 hit "Shoop" and Jurassic 5 used "Getting Nasty" from A Black Man's Soul on the 1997 track Concrete Schoolyard. Main Source also sampled "Getting Nasty" on track "Snake Eyes" as well as Ike & Tina's "Bold Soul Sister" on "Just Hanging Out", both featured on their 1991 album Breaking Atoms. The track Funky Mule, also from A Black Man's Soul, has been sampled extensively by jungle DJs, with the drum introduction being a very popular break. It was sampled by producer Goldie for his 1994 hit "Inner City Life", in the same year by Krome & Time on "The License", and by Paradox in 2002 on track "Funky Mule".

Of course the tell-all autobiography of Tina Turner, 'I, Tina', and the subsequent film adaptation of the book, 'What's Love Got To Do With It?" did little to paint Ike Turner in a more sympathetic light other than being "the Devil incarnate". In many ways, Ike Turner relished the "bad boy" persona in music, but in the 80's and 90's, as people lost their connection between fantasy and "realism" in music and pop culture, many audiences tended to agree that Ike Turner was literally an evil sort. He became tabloid fodder whom no one could believe in.

The Disney Company, which made and distributed the film, took many liberties to depict Ike Turner in such an unflattering fashion. It sold the film. Tina Turner said, "I would have liked then to have more truth, but according to Disney, they said it's impossible, the people would not have believed the truth."

Turner began playing piano and guitar when he was eight, forming his group, the Kings of Rhythm, as a teenager. He employed the group as his backing band for the rest of his life. His first recording, "Rocket 88", credited to "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", in 1951 is considered a contender for "first rock and roll song".

2007 was not exactly a great year for pop icon Britney Spears. The previous several months were spent in a whirlwind of well-publicized scandals and other examples of insanity. She was railed against for photos of her holding her child in a car with her hand instead of a safety belt or other protective device. She said the photo misrepresented her, but questions remained about her ability to be a good parent, according to the tabloid press.

In the fall of the previous year, she got a divorce from her husband Kevin Federline. Concerns about her parenting skills were raised when she lost custody of her children to Federline in court. She also abandoned her involvement in the Jewish mystical religion on Kabbalah, which appears to have been due to Madonna's influence.

When her aunt, with whom she had been close, had died from ovarian cancer in early 2007, Britney Spears shaved her head before admitting herself for drug rehabilitation treatment. Was her head-shaving a cry for help?

Of course, there was an earlier alleged image of Britney exposing herself while attending a party scene.

In spite of the personal turmoil going on in her life, Britney Spears returned in the fall of 2007 with another successful album, 'Blackout'. However, this album failed to debut at Number One on the charts, only entering at Number Two. The music was a rather dark series of songs immersed in dance, techno, and Euro-pop. Critics gave high praise to the album. It was certainly not the audio bubblegum everyone was used to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elueA2rofoo

Gimme More

Every time they turn the lights down
Just want to go that extra mile for you
You public display of affection
Feels like no one else in the room (but you)
We can get down like there's no one around
We'll keep on rockin' (We'll keep on rockin')
We'll keep on rockin' (Keep on rockin')
Cameras are flashin' while we're dirty dancin'
They keep watching (They keep watching)
Keep watching
Feels like the crowd is saying
Gimme, Gimme more
Gimme, More
Gimme, Gimme, More
Gimme, Gimme more
Gimme, More
Gimme, Gimme, More
Gimme, Gimme more
Gimme, More
Gimme, Gimme, More
Gimme, Gimme more
Gimme, More
Gimme, Gimme, More
A center of attention (Can you feel them?)
Even when we're up against the wall
You've got me in a crazy position (yeah)
If you're on a mission (uh-uh)
You got…

One big song on the album, titled "Piece Of Me", was perhaps the most confrontational, revelatory song of Britney's career. She spoke out against the paparazzi's obsession with every unsavory detail of her life in the song and video. She was no longer playing Little Miss Cute now. She was tough as nails as she was about to tear apart the tabloid press.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4FF6MpcsRw

Piece Of Me

I'm Miss American Dream since I was seventeen
Don't matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They still gon' put pictures of my derriere in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me
I'm Miss bad media karma
Another day another drama
Guess I can't see no harm
In working and being a mama
And with a kid on my arm
I'm still an exception
And you want a piece of me
I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's shameless!
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! This just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. 'You want a piece of me?'
Tryin' and pissin' me off
Well get in line with the paparazzi
Who's flippin' me off
Hopin' I'll resort to startin' havoc
And end up settlin' in court
Now are you sure you want a piece of me?
I'm Mrs. 'Most likely to get on TV for strippin' on the streets'
When getting the groceries, no, for real
Are you kidding me?
No wonder there's panic in the industry
I mean please
I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's Shameless
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Exta! Extra! this just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don't matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They still gon' put pictures of my derriere in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me
You want a piece of me?
I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's shameless!
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! this just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's shameless!
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! this just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)
Oh yeah
You want a piece of me

The third top song from the album, "Break the Ice", featured Britney in an animated video sequence.

Perhaps due to the turmoils going on relating to her overexposure in the press, Britney did not heavily promote the 'Blackout' album.

Break the Ice

It's been a while
I know I shouldn't have kept you waiting
But I'm here now
I know it's been a while
But I'm glad you came
And I've been thinking 'bout
How you say my name
Got my body spinning
Like a hurricane
And it feels like
You got me going insane
And I can't get enough
So let me get it up
Ooh, looks like we're alone now
You ain't gotta be scared
Where you going now?
I'm a have to floss on you
Let's get it blazin'
We can turn the heat up if you wanna
Turn the lights down low if you wanna
Just wanna move you
But you're frozen
That's what I'm saying
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
So you warming up yet?
You got me hypnotized
I never felt this way
My heart's beating like an 808
Can you rise to the occasion?
I'm patiently waiting
Cause it's getting late
And I can't get enough
So let me get it up
Ooh, looks like we're alone now
You ain't gotta be scared
Where you going now?
I'm a have to floss on you
Let's get it blazin'
We can turn the heat up if you wanna
Turn the lights down low if you wanna
Just wanna move you
But you're frozen
That's what I'm saying
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
I like this part
Feels kinda good
Yeah
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
Hot (more)
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
Let me break the ice
Allow me to get you right
But you warm up to me
Baby I can make you feel
Hot (more)

In October 2007, Spears released her fifth studio album, Blackout. The album debuted at the top of charts in Canada and Ireland, number two in the U.S. Billboard 200, France, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom and the top ten in Australia, Korea, New Zealand and many European nations. In the United States, Spears became the only female artist to have her first five studio albums debut at the two top slots of the chart. The album received positive reviews from critics and has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

One female pop performer who never had a problem with her "bad girl" persona was Avril Lavigne, who succeeded in making a coup with her 2007 album 'The Best Damn Thing'. However, unlike Britney Spears' foray into darkened Euro-dance pop, Avril was pop-punk chick-rock to the core. Her first single from the album, "Girlfriend", testified to that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg59q4puhmg

Girlfriend

Hey, hey
You, you
I don't like your girlfriend
No way, no way
I think you need a new one
Hey, hey
You, you
I could be your girlfriend
Hey, hey
You, you
I know that you like me
No way, no way
No, it's not a secret
Hey, hey
You, you
I want to be your girlfriend

You're so fine
I want you mine
You're so delicious
I think about you all the time
You're so addictive
Don't you know what I can do
To make you feel all right?
Don't pretend
I think you know
I'm damn precious
And, hell yeah
I'm the motherf****in' princess
I can tell you like me too
And you know I'm right
She's like so, whatever
You could do so much better
I think we should get together now
(And that's what everyone's talkin' about)
Hey, hey
You, you
I don't like your girlfriend
No way, no way
I think you need a new one
Hey,…

While Lavigne was in the studio for her third studio album, Fox Entertainment Group approached her to write a song for the soundtrack to the 2006 fantasy-adventure film Eragon. She wrote and recorded two "ballad-type" songs, but only one, "Keep Holding On", was used for the film. Lavigne admitted that writing the song was challenging, making sure it flowed with the film. She emphasized that "Keep Holding On", which later appeared on the album, was not indicative of what the next album would be like.

One popular track, "When You're Gone", was more of a ballad, with a video of Avril in a more subdued pose:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G3_kG5FFfQ

When You're Gone

I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd
Need you there when I cry
And the days feel like years when I'm alone
And the bed where you lie
Is made up on your side

When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?

When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missin' you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missin', too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear
To always get me through the day
And make it okay
I miss you

I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do
Reminds me of you
And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor
And they smell just like you
I love the things that you do

When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?
When you're gone
The pieces…

On 18 February 2007, clips of "Everything Back But You", "I Can Do Better" and "When You're Gone" were released on AOL Music. The track "Alone" (the B-side of "Girlfriend") was made available for download on the iTunes Store in New Zealand and Australia on 29 March. The whole album made its radio debut on Ottawa radio station HOT 89.9 at 6:00 pm on 14 April 2007.

Interestingly, Britney had now become what Avril once challenged about her: the "good girl" image, while Avril herself was adopting more of the "diva" persona of Britney.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzb75m8NuMQ

Hot

You're so good to me, baby, baby

I wanna lock you up in my closet
When no one's around
I wanna put your hand in my pocket
Because you're allowed
I wanna drive you into the corner
And kiss you without a sound
I wanna stay this way forever
I'll say it loud

Now you're in, and you can't get out

You make me so hot
Make me wanna drop
It's so ridiculous
I can barely stop
I can hardly breathe
You make me wanna scream
You're so fabulous
You're so good to me, baby, baby
You're so good to me, baby, baby

I can make you feel all better
Just take it in
And I can show you all the places
You've never been
And I can make you say everything
That you've never said
And I will let you do anything
Again and again

Now you're in, and you can't get out

You make me so hot
Make me wanna drop
It's…

The video for the title song appeared to be a nod to Toni Basil's "Mickey" video with a bit of an edge as well a toward the cheerleaders in "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, just "cuter".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2i5Jp7mdMc

The Best Damn Thing

Let me hear you say: "hey, hey, hey" (Hey, hey, hey)
All right, now let me hear you say: "hey, hey, ho" (Hey, hey, hey)

I hate it when a guy doesn't get the door
Even though I told him yesterday and the day before
I hate it when a guy doesn't get the tab
And I have to pull my money out, and that looks bad

Where are the hopes, where are the dreams
My Cinderella story scene?
When do you think they'll finally see

That you're not, not, not gonna get any better
You won't, won't, won't, you won't get rid of me never
Like it or not, even though she's a lot like me
We're not the same

And, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a lot to handle
You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal
Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen
I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen

All right, all right
Yeah
I hate it when a guy doesn't understand
Why a certain time of month I don't want to hold his hand
I hate it when they go out, and we stay in
And they come home smelling like their ex-girlfriend

But I found my hopes, I found my dreams
My Cinderella story scene
Now everybody's gonna see

That you're not, not, not gonna get any better
You won't, won't, won't, you won't get rid of me never
Like it or not, even though she's a lot like me
We're not the same

And, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a lot to handle
You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal
Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen
I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen

Give me an A, always give me what I want
Give me a V, be very, very good to me
R, are you gonna treat me right?
I, I can put up a fight
Give me an L, let me hear you scream loud (let me hear you scream loud)

One, two, three, four

Where are the hopes, where are the dreams
My Cinderella story scene?

When do you think they'll finally see
That you're not, not, not gonna get any better
You won't, won't, won't, you won't get rid of me never
Like it or not, even though she's a lot like me
We're not the same

And, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a lot to handle
You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal
Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen
I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen

Let me hear you say: "hey, hey, hey" (Hey, hey, hey)
All right, now let me hear you say: "hey, hey, hey" (Hey, hey, hey)

I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen

Days before the release of The Best Damn Thing Lavigne was full in promotion around North America doing live performances on shows including Saturday Night Live, Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, TRL, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Live with Regis and Kelly.

Meanwhile, 'American Idol' winner Carrie Underwood released 'Carnival Ride', which became one of the most popular albums of 2007, debuting at #1. She became the first female country artist since Shania Twain to feature four #1 songs from her album, reaching quadruple platinum.

The album was in fact aptly titled, a carnival ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEQj6RrQbgA


So Small

Yeah, yeah

What you got if you ain't got love
The kind that you just want to give away
It's okay to open up
Go ahead and let the light shine through
I know it's hard on a rainy day
You wanna shut the world out and just be left alone
But don't run out on your faith

'Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
And when you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else seem so small

It's so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big at the time
It's like a river that's so wide it swallows you whole
While you're sitting around thinking about what you can't change
And worrying about all the wrong things
Time's flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count 'cause you can't get it back

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, and when you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else seem
So small, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
And then you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Oh, it sure makes everything else seem
So small

Yeah, yeah

Unlike Britney and Avril, Carrie Underwood's persona as a cute Christian country queen was not derailed on her rise to the top by allegations of scandal and the like. Still her climb was rather overwhelming. She explained:

"You step onto this ride called life, and it’s a crazy thing you don’t know anything about, but you get on it anyway. You do what you can to lean different directions to try and get it to go where you want it to go, but you can’t stop it – it just keeps moving. That’s why Carnival Ride works as my album title, because it describes the wonderful craziness that I’ve been through over the past couple years."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m36xv75MJ4U

All American Girl

ince the day they got married,
He'd been praying for a little baby boy.
Someone he could take fishing,
Throw the football and be his pride and joy.

He could already see him holding that trophy,
Taking his team to State.
But when the nurse came in with a little pink blanket,
All those big dreams changed.

And now he's wrapped around her finger,
She's the center of his whole world.
And his heart belongs to that sweet little beautiful, wonderful, perfect all-American girl.

Sixteen short years later,
She was falling for the senior football star.
Before you knew it he was dropping passes,
Skipping practice just to spend more time with her.

The coach said "Hey son, what's your problem?
Tell me, have you lost your mind?"
Daddy said "You'll lose your free ride to college.
Boy you better tell her goodbye".

But now he's wrapped around her finger,
She's the center of his whole world.
And his heart belongs to that sweet little beautiful, wonderful, perfect all-American.

And when they got married and decided to have one of their own,
She said "Be honest, tell me what you want?"
And he said "Honey, you wanna know,
Sweet, little, beautiful, one just like you.
Oh, a beautiful, wonderful, perfect all-American."

Now he's wrapped around her finger,
She's the center of his whole world.
And his heart belongs to that sweet little beautiful, wonderful, perfect all-American girl
All American girl.

The fastest-selling single from the album, "Last Name" was about a drunken romp a girl has with a man she barely knows when she wakes up to find that she has become married to him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f27zNlmRMWU

Last Name

Last night, I got served, a little bit too much of that poison baby
Last night, I did things I'm not proud of, and I got a little crazy
Last night, I met a guy on the dance floor, and I let him call me 'baby'

And I don't even know his last name
My momma would be so ashamed
It started out "hey cutie, where you from?"
Then it turned into "oh no! what have I done?"
And I don't even know his last name

He left, the club, about around three o'clock in the morning
His Pinto, is sitting there in the parking lot, when it should of been a warning
I had no clue, what I was getting into, so I blame it on the Cuervo
Oh where did my manners go

And I don't even know his last name
My momma would be so ashamed
It started off "hey cutie, where you from?"
And then it turned into "oh no! what have I done?"
And I don't even know his last name, oh here we go

Today, I woke up, thinkin' 'bout Elvis, somewhere in Vegas I'm not sure
How I got here, or how this ring on my left hand just appeared
Outta nowhere, I gotta go, take the chips, and the Pinto, and hit the road
They say what happens here, stays here,
All of this will disappear, but there's just one little problem

I don't even know my last name
My momma would be so ashamed
It started off "hey cutie, where you from?"
And then it turned into "oh no! what have I done?"
And I don't even know my last name

What have I done, what have I done, what have I done
Well what have I done, I don't even know my last name

And it turned into "oh no! what have I done?"
And I don't even know my last name
It started off "hey cutie, where you from?"
And then it turned into "oh no! what have I done?"
And I don't even know my last name

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLntFKtR66g

Just a Dream

It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen
All dressed in white, going to the church that night
She had his box of letters in the passenger seat
Sixpence in her shoe
Something borrowed, something blue
And when the church doors opened up wide
She put her veil down trying to hide the tears
Oh she just couldn't believe it
She heard the trumpets from the military band
And the flowers fell out of her hands

Baby, why'd you leave me, why'd you have to go
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance,
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now,
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray
Lord please lift his soul and heal this hurt
Then the congregation all stood up
And sang the saddest song that she ever heard
Then they handed her a folded up flag

And she held on to all she had left of him
Oh, and what could've been
And then guns rang one last shot
And it felt like a bullet in her heart

Baby, why'd you leave me, why'd you have to go
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance,
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now,
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

Baby, why'd you leave me, why'd you have to go
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
Oh I'll never know
It's like I'm looking from a distance,
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now,
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

Oh, this is just a dream
Just a dream, (yeah, yeah)

The song "I Told You So" was originally written by fellow country singer Randy Travis.

I Told You So

Suppose I called you up tonight and told you that I loved you
And suppose I said "I wanna come back home".
And suppose I cried and said "I think I finally learned my lesson"
And I'm tired a-spendin' all my time alone.

If I told you that I realized you're all I ever wanted
And it's killin' me to be so far away.
Would you tell me that you loved me too and would we cry together?
Or would you simply laugh at me and say

"I told you so, oh I told you so
I told you some day you'd come crawling back and asking me to take you in
I told you so, but you had to go
Now I found somebody new and you will never break my heart in two again".

If I got down on my knees and told you I was yours forever
Would you get down on yours too and take my hand?

Would we get that old time feelin', would we laugh and talk for hours
The way we did when our love first began?

Would you tell me that you'd missed me too and that you've been so lonely
And you waited for the day that I return.
And we'd live in love forever and that I'm your one and only
Or would you say the tables finally turned?

Would you say
"I told you so, oh I told you so
I told you some day you come crawling back and asking me to take you in
I told you so, but you had to go
Now I found somebody new and you will never break my heart in two again".

"Now I found somebody new and you will never break my heart in two again".

Carnival Ride had one of the biggest ever opening weeks by a female artist and earned Underwood two Grammy Awards.

While Carrie Underwood had a lighthearted approach to her success, British singer Amy Winehouse had a much darker take. Her sophomore album, 'Back To Black' featured such popular singles as : "Rehab", "You Know I'm No Good", "Back to Black", "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Love Is a Losing Game". The album, which was released in the fall of 2006, charted in the coming year.

The following song indicates the serious problems facing Winehouse throughout her career:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUmZp8pR1uc

Rehab

They tried to make me go to rehab
I said, no, no, no
Yes, I been black
But when I come back, you'll know, know, know
I ain't got the time
And if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab
I won't go, go, go

I'd rather be at home with a Ray
I ain't got seventy days
'Cause there's nothing, there's nothing you can teach me
That I can't learn from Mr. Hathaway

I didn't get a lot in class
But I know we don't come in a shot glass

They tried to make me go to rehab
I said, "no, no, no"
Yes, I been black
But when I come back, you'll know, know, know
I ain't got the time
And if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab
I won't go, go, go

The man said, "why do you think you here?
I said, I got no idea.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna lose my baby
So I always keep a bottle near
He said, I just think you're depressed
This, me, yeah, baby, and the rest

They tried to make me go to rehab
But I said, no, no, no
Yes, I been black
But when I come back, you'll know, know, know

I don't ever want to drink again
I just, oh, I just need a friend
I'm not gonna spend ten weeks
Have everyone think I'm on the mend

And it's not just my pride
It's just till these tears have dried

They tried to make me go to rehab
I said, no, no, no
Yes, I been black
But when I come back, you'll know, know, know
I ain't got the time
And if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab
I won't go, go, go

Amy Winehouse clearly had the "bad girl" schtick down one better than a more "prefab" one such as Avril Lavigne or the "new" Britney. She displayed smoky, sultry vocals as well as a beyond-retro beehive and overcaked mascara. Almost like a millenial Tom Waits with a touch of Janis Joplin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-I2s5zRbHg

You Know I'm No Good

Meet you downstairs in the bar and hurt,
Your rolled up sleeves in your skull t-shirt,
You say 'What did you do with him today?',
And sniffed me out like I was Tanqueray,
'Cause you're my fella my guy,
Hand me your Stella and fly,
By the time I'm out the door,
You tear men down like Roger Moore,

I cheated myself,
Like I knew I would,
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good,

Upstairs in bed with my ex boy,
He's in a place but I can't get joy,
Thinking on you in the final throes,
This is when my buzzer goes,
Run out to meet you, chips and pitta,
You say 'when we married',
'cause you're not bitter,
'There'll be none of him no more',
I cried for you on the kitchen floor,

I cheated myself,
Like I knew I would,
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good,

Sweet reunion Jamaica and Spain,
We're like how we were again,
I'm in the tub, you on the seat,
Lick your lips as I soap my feet,
Then you notice like carpet burn,
My stomach drop and my guts churn,
You shrug and it's the worst,
Who truly stuck the knife in first

I cheated myself,
Like I knew I would,
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good,

I cheated myself
Like I knew I would
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJAfLE39ZZ8

Back To Black

He left no time to regret
Kept his dick wet
With his same old safe bet
Me and my head high
And my tears dry
Get on without my guy
You went back to what you knew
So far removed from all that we went through
And I tread a troubled track
My odds are stacked
I'll go back to black

We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
I go back to us

I love you much
It's not enough
You love blow, and I love puff
And life is like a pipe
And I'm a tiny penny rolling up the walls inside
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
Black
I go back to
I go back to

We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to black

In contrast to her jazz-influenced former album, Winehouse's focus shifted to the girl groups of the 1950s and 1960s. Winehouse hired New York singer Sharon Jones's longtime band, the Dap-Kings, to back her up in the studio and on tour. Mitch Winehouse relates in Amy, My Daughter how fascinating watching her process was: her perfectionism in the studio and how she would put what she had sung on a CD and play it in his taxi outside to know how most people would hear her music.

While growing up in England, Winehouse attended a Jewish school which she said she hated because it did not help her with being Jewish. Her family and relatives heavily influenced her with jazz music, and she joined a rap group briefly. She was, as the story goes, expelled from a school for "not applying herself" and for piercing her nose. This appears to be a tale invented to add "cred" to her "trashy girl" persona.

Her 2003 debut album, 'Frank', received critical raves.

She stilll seems to have this Brunette Peg Bundy look about her, heavy on the makeup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojdbDYahiCQ

Tears Dry On Their Own

All I can ever be to you is a darkness that we knew
And this regret I got accustomed to
Once it was so right
When we were at our height
Waiting for you in the hotel at night
I knew I hadn't met my match
But every moment we could snatch
I don't know why I got so attached
It's my responsibility
You don't owe nothing to me
But to walk away, I have no capacity

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way
In this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

I don't understand
Why do I stress the man
When there's so many bigger things at hand?
We could've never had it all
We had to hit a wall
So this is inevitable withdrawal
Even if I stop wanting you
And perspective pushes through
I'll be some next man's other woman soon
I cannot play my self again
I should just be my own best friend
Not f:censored:k my self in the head with stupid men

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way
In this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

So we are history
Your shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way
In this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

I wish I could sing no regrets
And no emotional debt
'Cause as we kissed goodbye, the sun sets
So we are history
Your shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze
That only lovers see

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way
In this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

Whoa, he walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way
My deep shade
My tears dry on their own

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way
My deep shade
My tears dry

In spite of the success of the album and tour, in November of 2007, Amy Winehouse encountered a non-receptive audience in Birmingham, England, which booed and heckled her. Her performance was cut short and she began to curse at the crowd as she stumbled about. A later performance in London was marred by her drunken behavior, and she was urged by doctors to take time off to rest and recover from her hectic touring schedule.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMO5Ko_77Hk

Love Is a Losing Game

For you I was the flame
Love is a losing game
Five story fire as you came
Love is losing game

One I wished, I never played
Oh, what a mess we made
And now the final frame
Love is a losing game

Played out by the band
Love is a losing hand
More than I could stand
Love is a losing hand

Self-professed profound
Till the chips were down
Know you're a gambling man
Love is a losing hand

Though I battled blind
Love is a fate resigned
Memories mar my mind
Love is a fate resigned

Over futile odds
And laughed at by the gods
And now the final frame
Love is a losing game

Also that year, Korn, currently in their ever-shifting lineup, released a new album which was either untitled, or self-titled, or, in the words of lead vocalist Jonathan Davis, "Why not just let our fans call it whatever they wanna call it?"" But one need not think this was going to be the coup that the untitled fourth Led Zeppelin album became. The album was beset by problems: For one, this would be the first album to not feature drummer David Sylveria. Instead, noted drummers such as Terry Bozzio, Brooks Wackerman from Bad Religion, and even Davis himself on drums were featured.

Things did not work well with Bozzio. He was noted for imposing himself on the band, demanding to be a full-time band member and requesting 25% pay. This was unacceptable to the band, which was now officially a trio with Davis, guitarist Munky, and bassist Fieldy. So Wackerman was brought in as a replacement.

Evolution

I'm diggin' with my fingertips
I'm ripping at the ground I stand upon
I'm searchin' for fragile bones
(Evolution)
I'm never gonna be refined
Keep tryin' but I won't assimilate
Sure, we have come far in time
(Watch the bow break)

And I'm sorry I don't believe
By the evidence that I see
That there's any hope left for me

It's evolution...
Just evolution...

And I
I do not dare deny
The basic beast inside
It's right here, it's controlling my mind
And why
Do I deserve to die?
I'm dominated by
This animal that's locked up inside

Close up to get a real good view
I'm betting that the species will survive
Hold tight, I'm getting inside you
(Evolution)
And when we're gonna find these bones
They're gonna wanna keep them in a jar
The number one virus caused by
(Procreation)

And the planet may go astray
In a million years they'll say,
those motherf:censored:ers were all deranged

It's evolution...
Just evolution...

And I
I do not dare deny
The basic beast inside
It's right here, it's controlling my mind
And why
Do I deserve to die?
I'm dominated by
This animal that's locked up inside

Take a look around
Nothing much has changed
Take a look around
Nothing much has changed

Take a look around
Take a look around
Take a look around
(Nothing much has changed)
Take a look around
Take a look around
(Nothing much has changed)
Take a look around
Take a look around
(Nothing much has changed)
Take a look around

I
I do not dare deny
The basic beast inside
It's right here, it's controlling my mind
And why
Do I deserve to die?
I'm dominated by
This animal that's locked up inside

Why
Why do I deserve to die?

It was one thing for Korn to persevere in spite of all the changes going on in the past few years, but critics were quick to point out that the band, or what remained of it, was going through a "mid-life crisis", and it was reflected in their music. They seemed to be a shadow of their former self. With the difficulties also with drummer Terry Bozzio, the band brought on drummer Joey Jordison to replace him on the road, on the aptly-named Bitch We Got a Problem Tour.

Bitch We Got a Problem

For every person I've tried to be
There's another ten inside
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I'M NEVER THERE
I'M ALWAYS WITH YOU BUT NEVER HERE

And you move in a hostile way
Like you're recently wounded
I REACH FOR YOUR WRISTS TO FEEL A PULSE
YOU'RE FEELING YOURSELF FOR BOTH OF US

We got a problem, it's plain to see
We got a problem

Which one, which one of you is into me?
Which one, which one of me is into you?
We're both schizophrenic I fear
See how many voices you hear
Which one, which one of you is into me?
Which one, which one of me is into you?
We are schizophrenic, don't stop
No, not till I f:censored this all up

All the searching we do inside
Is a futile attempt to
TO SIFT WHAT WE'RE MEANT TO NEVER KNOW
IT'S ALL SCREWED UP HOW THE RIVER FLOWS

And I know that you tried to hide
To center yourself, but
WAS I THE BEAST THAT SUCKED INTO YOU?
A REAL DARK BITCH DOWN INSIDE OF YOU?

We got a problem, it's plain to see
Bitch, we got a problem

Which one, which one of you is into me?
Which one, which one of me is into you?
We're both schizophrenic I fear
See how many voices you hear
Which one, which one of you is into me?
Which one, which one of me is into you?
We are schizophrenic, don't stop
No, not till I f:censored: this all up

NICE TO F:censored:ING MEET YOU
And you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you

And this is me, and me, and me, and me,
and me, and me, and me, and me, and me

Bitch, we got a problem

Which one, which one of you is into me?
Which one, which one of me is into you?
We're both schizophrenic I fear
See how many voices you hear
Which one, which one of you is into me?
Which one, which one of me is into you?
We are schizophrenic, don't stop
No, not till I f:censored: this all up

Bitch, we got a problem!
Yeah!
We got a problem!
Bitch, we got a problem!
We got a problem, problem, problem
We got a problem, yes, yes
We got a problem
We got a problem
We got a problem, problem, problem

Not all critiques of the album were negative. GN noted that, "There's an overall cohesion from start to finish, and repeated listens continue to reveal new and intriguing elements at every turn, which bodes well for the future", while The Gauntlet wrote, " 'Untitled' is the most articulate recording the band has delivered to date." Entertainment Weekly also praised the album as being the band's best release "since 1999's 'Issues' ".

Hold On

With aversion, this insertion
came so swiftly
Cut the cord, from this day forward
We'll be drifting

No direction, no affection
Watch the soul dive
You're dissected, resurrected
Still don't know why
This illness is like a monster that is
eating us alive

Hold on, be strong
So right, so wrong
With all of our senses
All of our defenses
Hold on, be strong

New arrival, our survival
still not certain
What's a virtue, where do you go to
when you're hurting?

It's a weakness, it's a sickness
in the gene pool
Show no mercy, people here say
"Kill the damned fool"
This illness is like a monster that is
eating us alive

Hold on, be strong
So right, so wrong
With all of our senses
All of our defenses
Hold on, be strong

My
Soul
Blood
Run

Don't ever let me go, no
Don't ever let me go, no
Never never let you go, no
I'll never let you go, no

Hold on, be strong
So right, so wrong
With all of our senses
All of our defenses
Hold on, be strong

This album was the first without former drummer David Silveria, instead, Korn enlisted the help of Terry Bozzio, Brooks Wackerman, as well as Jonathan Davis for drumming. Also, the band recruited Zac Baird as keyboardist on this album. An MTV article published on May 17, 2007 includes an interview with Munky as he details the process of the new studio album, while also revealing several song titles. On May 28, vocalist Jonathan Davis joined Dutch radio station 3FM immediately after his performance at the Pinkpop Festival. He commented on the band's upcoming album, stating it "will not be titled." He elaborated, "We had the world's greatest drummer Terry Bozzio in and Brooks Wackerman from Bad Religion in and I played drums on some songs too. I'm so proud of it, we just can't wait to show people what we've done." Davis went on to say "We didn't want to label this album. It has no boundaries. It has no limits and why not just let our fans call it whatever they wanna call it?" It is the first and only Korn album to ever be recorded by the band as a trio.

Kiss

ome deny and search for things that never come around
Do I feel like a fool?
The places I have ran to all my life have disappeared
And I owe this all to you

I'm feeling like I'm sinking
And nothing's there to catch me, keep me breathing

What do I have to do?
Why can't this hurt be through?
I'm going head unto
Something I know I will fail
Why can't this kiss be true
Why won't you please let me through?
I don't understand why you always push me away

The last thing I would like to do before I go away
is cry there next to you (next to you)
Cry and talk about the good old days and where they've gone
And now how much I hate you

What do I have to do?
Why can't this hurt be through?
I'm going head unto
Something I know I will fail
Why can't this kiss be true
Why won't you please let me through?
I don't understand why you always push me away

I feel the blood drip off my body as it falls right there
on the ground
What am I now?

What am I now?
What am I now?

What do I have to do?
Why can't this hurt be through?
I'm going head unto
Something I know I will fail
Why can't this kiss be true
Why won't you please let me through?
I don't understand why you always push me away

Why you always push me away
Why you always push me away
Why you always push me away
Why you always push me away
Why you always push me away
Why you always push me away
Why you always push me away
Why you always push me away

“We always wanted the atmospheres, and to really go deep," guitarist Munky told Billboard. "It wasn't until this record that we really felt comfortable to do that. As records progress, the urge to do that becomes greater. We feel like we've finally solidified ourselves in the rock world, and wanted to take this one a little deeper into that direction. It's less pop, and it's more experimental." Jonathan Davis said of the songs, "I don't want to say that it's heavy, because that pisses the other band members off. It's still the Korn sound, but it's also very atmospheric."

Returning back to the theme of Whine, Women, and Song, there also was the huge seller by Alicia Keys, 'As I Am', released in November 2007. It became one of the biggest R&B albums released that year, with such tracks as "No One", "Like You'll Neve See Me Again", "Superwoman", and "Teenage Love Affair".

No One

I just want you close
Where you can stay forever
You can be sure
That it will only get better

You and me together
Through the days and nights
I don't worry 'cause
Everything's gonna be alright
People keep talking they can say what they like
But all I know is everything's gonna be alright

No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I'm feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you, you, you
Can get in the way of what I feel for you

When the rain is pouring down
And my heart is hurting
You will always be around
This I know for certain

You and me together
Through the days and nights
I don't worry 'cause
Everything's gonna be alright
People keep talking they can say what they like
But all I know is everything's gonna be alright

No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I'm feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you, you, you
Can get in the way of what I feel

I know some people search the world
To find something like what we have
I know people will try, try to divide, something so real
So till the end of time I'm telling you there ain't no one

No one, no one
Can get in the way of what I'm feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you

Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh, ohh
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh, ohh

Keys received five nominations for As I Am at the 2008 American Music Awards and ultimately won two.

Like You'll Never See Me Again

If I had no more time
No more time left to be here
Would you cherish what we had?
Was it everything that you were looking for?
If I couldn't feel your touch
And no longer were you with me
I'd be wishing you were here
To be everything that I'd be looking for
I don't wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don't wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
'Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed

So every time you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you'll never see me again
Every time you touch me
Touch me like this is the last time
Promise that you'll love me
Love me like you'll never see me again

Oh Oh Oh

How many really know what love is?
Millions never will
Do you know until you lose it
That it's everything that we are looking for
When I wake up in the morning
You're beside me
I'm so thankful that I found
Everything that I been looking for

I don't wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don't wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
'Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed

So everytime you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you'll never see me again
(can you do that for me baby)
Every time you touch me
(see we don't really know)
Touch me like this is the last time
(see everyday we never know)
Promise that you'll love me
(I want you to promise me)
Love me like you'll never see me again
(like you'll never see me again)

Oh oh oh oh oh

Along with Korn's continuing development in what was left of NU-metal , Linkin Park released a big seller also in 2007, 'Minutes To Midnight', a departure from from that same "NU" subgenre they were claimed to have popularized.

The album takes its title from the Doomsday Clock which counts down the time remaining until an atomic or nuclear conflagration, which was the point of the popular track by Iron Maiden, "2 Minutes To Midnight". The album had a delayed release as band members Mike Shinoda worked on his side project Fort Minor, and vocalist Chester Bennington worked on his spinoff band Dead By Sunrise.

When the album was finally released, "What I've Done" became the first single. The lyrics were rather grim and ominous.

What I've Done

In this farewell
There's no blood
There's no alibi
'Cause I've drawn regret
From the truth
Of a thousand lies

So let mercy come
And wash away
What I've done

I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done

Put to rest
What you thought of me
While I clean this slate
With the hands of uncertainty

So let mercy come
And wash away
What I've done

I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
For what I've done

I start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I'm forgiving what I've done!

I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done

What I've done
Forgiving what I've done

Both veteran producer Rick Rubin and guitarist Mike Shinoda contributed to the production on the album. The record contained a mixture of classic rock, punk, and hip-hop sounds. The album took fourteen months to record as the band experimented with different sounds and textures. Shinoda rapped less on the album than on the others.

This track gives a familiar theme as the previous one. Was Chester Bennington telling us something?

Given Up

Wake in a sweat again
Another day's been laid to waste
In my disgrace
Stuck in my head again
Feels like I'll never leave this place
There's no escape

I'm my own worst enemy

I've given up
I'm sick of feeling
Is there nothing you can say?
Take this all away
I'm suffocating
Tell me what the f:censored: is wrong with me?

I don't know what to take
Thought I was focused but I'm scared
I'm not prepared
I hyperventilate
Looking for help somehow somewhere
And no one cares

I'm my own worst enemy

I've given up
I'm sick of feeling
Is there nothing you can say?
Take this all away
I'm suffocating
Tell me what the f:censored: is wrong with me?

God!

Put me out of my misery
Put me out of my misery
Put me out of my—
Put me out of my f:censored:ing misery

I've given up
I'm sick of feeling
Is there nothing you can say?
Take this all away
I'm suffocating
Tell me what the f:censored: is wrong with me?

Leave Out All the Rest

I dreamed I was missing
You were so scared
But no one would listen
'Cause no one else cared

After my dreaming
I woke with this fear
What am I leaving
When I'm done here?

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed
And don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory
Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest

Don't be afraid
I've taken my beating
I've shared what I've made
I'm strong on the surface
Not all the way through
I've never been perfect
But neither have you

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed
Don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory
Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest

In an interview, lead singer Chester Bennington explained that the album is "a mix of punk, classic rock, and hip-hop standards" and that "Rick has brought more of a stripped down, classic-rock and hip-hop kind of feel."

In another interview, Bennington stated: "This time around, Mike Shinoda is singing a lot more. It may seem like he's not on the record, but he's doing a lot of the harmonies. He also sings a couple of songs alone. We're presenting ourselves in a different way."

Critics were divided in their opinion of the new Linkin Park album. Some applauded their attempts to be a straight-on rock band, while other journalists found their attempts to have feet in both the old and the new convoluted. Rolling Stone gave Minutes to Midnight 4 out of 5 stars, stating that "most of Minutes is honed, metallic pop with a hip-hop stride and a wake-up kick", placing at number 25 in their list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007. IGN referred to it as "definitely a step in the right direction and a stepping stone for things to come". Herald Sun writer Karen Tye gave it 3½ out of 4 stars and praised the band's new sound, asking, "Who knew being a plain old rock band could suit Linkin Park so well?". Despite commending the band for their ambition, The Guardian's Caroline Sullivan gave the album 3 out of 5 stars and perceived "their decision to stay roughly within the shrieky boundaries of their genre" as a weakness, while writing that "the sound still pivots on the interplay of walloping guitar chords and self-flagellating lyrics".

But were music fans picking up on a topic on the band's new lyrics? More than a few metaphors were saying something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnuuYcqhzCE

Bleed It Out

[Mike Shinoda:]
Yeah here we go for the hundredth time
Hand grenade pins in every line
Throw 'em up and let something shine
Going out of my f:censored:ing mind

Filthy mouth, no excuse
Find a new place to hang this noose
String me up from atop these roofs
Knot it tight so I won't get loose

Truth is you can stop and stare
Bled myself out and no one cares
Dug the trench out laid down there
With a shovel up out of reach somewhere

Yeah, someone pour it in
Make it a dirt dance floor again
Say your prayers and stomp it out
When they bring that chorus in

[Chester Bennington:]
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out

[Mike Shinoda:]
Go stop the show
Choppy words and a sloppy flow
Shotgun opera lock and load
**** it back and then watch it go

Mama help me I've been cursed
Death is rolling in every verse
Candy paint on his brand new hearse
Can't contain him he knows he works

F:censored: this hurts, I won't lie
Doesn't matter how hard I try
Half the words don't mean a thing
And I know that I won't be satisfied

So why try ignoring him?
Make it a dirt dance floor again
Say your prayers and stomp it out
When they bring that chorus in

[Chester Bennington:]
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out

I've opened up these scars
I'll make you face this
I've pulled myself so far
I'll make you face this now!

I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away

I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
I bleed it out digging deeper
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away
Just to throw it away

I bleed it out
I bleed it out
I bleed it out

"Shadow Of the Day" was first performed live on the Projekt Revolution Tour in Auburn, Washington, on July 25, 2007.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1PCW0C1aiM

Shadow Of the Day

I close both locks below the window
I close both blinds and turn away

Sometimes solutions aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbye's the only way

And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey

And the sun will set for you

In cards and flowers on your window
Your friends all plead for you to stay

Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbye's the only way

And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey

And the sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey

And the sun will set for you

And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey

And the sun will set for you

While Linkin Park and other contemporary bands were making forays into combining old with the NU, a band whom we haven't heard in decades returned with their first album since their last in the late 70's: The Eagles came back with a new album, 'Long Road Out Of Eden', their first since 1979's 'The Long Run'. The band made history when they reunited several years before on their "Hell Freezes Over" Tour, so named when they said they would reunite "when hell freezes over". Things had deteriorated with the band that internal squabbles derailed relationships to where a breakup was inevitable by the end of that decade.

The following song is a cover of a popular tune by J.D. Souther:

How Long

Like a blue bird with his heart removed, lonely as a train
I've run just as far as I can run
If I never see the good old days shining in the sun
I'll be doing fine and then some

[Chorus]
How long, how long
Woman will you weep
How long, how long
Rock yourself to sleep

[Verse 2]
Well, I've been doing time in lonesome prison, where the sun doesn't shine
Just outside, the freedom river runs
Out there in that shiny night, with blood hounds on your mind
Don't you know it's the same sad situation?

[Chorus]

[Instrumental]

[Verse 3]
Everybody feels alright you know, I heard some poor fool say (Somebody Ooh)
Everyone is out there on the loose
Well I wish I lived in the land of fools, no one knew my name
But what you get is not quite what you choose

Were The Eagles back? In an interview with CNN, Don Henley replied, "This is probably the last Eagles album that we'll ever make." Later, when questioned about the possibility of a follow-up album, band member Timothy B. Schmit said, "My first reaction would be: no way. But I said that before the last one, so you never really know. Bands are a fragile entity and you never know what's going to happen. It took a long time to do that last album, over a span of years, really, and it took a lot out of us. We took a year off at one point. I'm not sure if we're able to do that again. I wouldn't close the door on it, but I don't know."

Busy Being Fabulous

I came home to an empty house
And I found your little note
"Don't wait up for me tonight"
And that was all she wrote

Do you think I don't know that you're out on the town
With all of your high-rollin' friends?
What do you do when you come up empty?
Where do you go when the party ends?

And you were just too busy being fabulous
Too busy to think about us
I don't know what you were dreaming of
Somehow you forgot about love
And you were just too busy being fabulous, uh-huh

A little time in the country
A day or two to slow down
A bottle of wine and a walk in the moonlight
Maybe some foolin' around

But you think time is just a magazine
And money's just a thrill
I've waited so long for you to change your way of livin'
Now I realize that you never will

'Cause you were just too busy being fabulous
Too busy to think about us
Lookin' for something you'll never find
You'll never know what you left behind
'Cause you were just too busy being fabulous, uh-huh

You tell a joke and everybody's laughin'
That's something you know how to do
You've always been the life of the party
But now my baby, the joke is on you

'Cause you were just too busy being fabulous
Too busy to think about us
Running after something that never comes
What in the world are you runnin' from?

And you were just too busy being fabulous
Too busy to think about us
To drink the wine from your winner's cup
To notice the children were growin' up

And you were just too busy being fabulous
Too busy, too busy
Too busy
Aw, baby

What did it mean for a band whose popularity peaked three decades before to return for one last hurrah? It was good to see some familiar faces back on the road. For one more album, if not more, if fate was willing. Was there that unity, that cameraderie still there, or unhealed scars which fractured the band some decades before in considerable acrimony? For now The Eagles were back, but for how long, only time would tell.

No More Long Walks In the Wood

No more walks in the wood
The trees have all been cut down
And where once they stood
Not even a wagon rut
Appears along the path
Low brush is taking over

No more walks in the wood
This is the aftermath
Of afternoons in the clover fields
Where we once made love
Then wandered home together
Where the trees arched above
Where we made our own weather
When branches were the sky
Now they are gone for good
And you, for ill, and I
Am only a passer-by

We and the trees and the way
Back from the fields of play
Lasted as long as we could
No more walks in the wood

What Do I Do With My Heart

You don't have to say a word
I can see it in your eyes
I know what you wanna say
It's so hard to say goodbye

I can hold back my tears
And try to be strong
While our love is fallin' apart
I know what I'll say
If you walk away
But what do I do
What do I do with my heart?

I'm not gonna say a word
I know I can't change your mind
You know where you need to go
I know I'll be left behind

I won't hold you back
I won't stand in your way
If you need to make a new start
But I still wanna know
When my arms let you go
What do I do
What do I do with my heart?

Oh, girl, don't you remember?
It was not so long ago
We were makin' plans for two
Just me and you
Now you tell me that you've found somebody
Someone who loves you better
No one could ever love you
The way I do

Tell me you're not leavin' now
Tell me you're not leavin'
Tell me that you're gonna stay
Please say you'll stay with me, baby
Tell me that you love me still
Say you love me still
For this and this alone I pray
Fall down on my knees and pray

I'll do anything
Yes, I would
To save what we have
To keep you by my side
I'll love you 'til death do us part
But what do I do
What do I do
When I'm still missing you?
What do I do
What do I do with my heart?

The album debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. and won the band two Grammy awards for "How Long" and the instrumental "I Dreamed There Was No War". The album became the band's sixth No. 1 album and was the highest selling album of the year. It has since sold 3.5 million copies in the U.S. alone. Being a double album with length exceeding 90 minutes, the album was certified 7x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of 7 million discs.

This album may have been listed in the previous Rock And Roll History 2000's Thread, but we'll review it now if we haven't already:

Veteran power trio Rush released their album, 'Snakes And Arrows' in the spring of 2007. A tour was to commence that summer. The album was known for such popular tracks as "Far Cry", as well as "The Bigger Bowl" and "Spindrift". The album also contained not one but three instrumentals, "The Main Monkey Business", "Hope", and "Malignant Narcissism."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSoiURfbP9s

Far Cry

Pariah dogs and wandering madmen
Barking at strangers and speaking in tongues
The ebb and flow of tidal fortune
Electrical changes are charging up the young

It's a far cry from the world we thought we'd inherit
It's a far cry from the way we thought we'd share it
You can almost feel the current flowing
You can almost see the circuits blowing

One day I feel I'm on top of the world
And the next it's falling in on me
I can get back on
I can get back on
One day I feel I'm ahead of the wheel,
And the next it's rolling over me
I can get back on
I can get back on

Whirlwind life of faith and betrayal
Rise in anger, fall back, and repeat
Slow degrees on the dark horizon
Full moon rising lays silver at your feet

It's a far cry from the world we thought we'd inherit
It's a far cry from the way we thought we'd share it
You can almost feel the current flowing
You can almost see the circuits blowing

One day I feel I'm on top of the world
And the next it's falling in on me
I can get back on
I can get back on
One day I feel I'm ahead of the wheel,
And the next it's rolling over me
I can get back on
I can get back on

It's a far cry from the world we thought we'd inherit
You can almost see the circle growing
You can almost feel the planet glowing

One day I feel I'm on top of the world
And the next it's falling in on me
I can get back on
I can get back on
One day I feel I'm ahead of the wheel,
And the next it's rolling over me
I can get back on
I can get back on

One day I fly through a crack in the sky
And the next it's falling in on me
I can get back on
I can get back on

Snakes & Arrows was released on CD on May 1, 2007, as a double LP album on June 19 (limited to 5,000 copies), as well as being the first album released on the new MVI (Music Video Interactive) format (limited to 25,000 copies) on June 26. Snakes & Arrows debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart where it remained for 14 weeks. It was certified gold in Canada in September 2007.

The title of the album came from multiple sources: the 2000-year-old Buddhist game called "Leela, the Game of Self-Knowledge", the children's game "Chutes And Ladders", and the quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet, "slings and arrows". This information helped convince bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson to adopt the original painting of the age old game board as the cover for the new album.

Most people saw the album cover art of the sign warning of a winding road and drew their own conclusions.

Workin' Them Angels

Driving away to the east, and into the past
History receeds in my rear-view mirror
Carried away on a wave of music down a desert road
Memory humming at the heart of a factory town

All my life
I've been workin' them angels overtime
Riding and driving and living
So close to the edge
Workin' them angels - Overtime

Riding through the Range of Light to the wounded city
Filling my spirit with the wildest wish to fly
Taking the high road to the wounded city
Memory strumming at the heart of a moving picture

All this time
I've been workin' them angels overtime
Riding and diving and flying
Just over the edge
Workin' them angels - Overtime

Driving down the razor's edge 'tween the past and the future
Turn up the music and smile
Get carried away on the songs and stories of vanished times
Memory drumming at the heart of an English winter
Memories beating at the heart of an African village

Many of the lyrical themes of the band's latest album dealt with the issue of faith, or the lack thereof. As drummer Neil Peart understood it, or at least attempted to, life was uncertain. Life happens. And life did in a big way ten years ago when he lost both his first wife to cancer and his daughter to a car crash. What could one believe? It was not so much a given as one would like to think. He had much to think about while on his motorcycle journey in the years following this tragedy which served as the catalyst for these lyrical themes.

We hold out for hope, and we have faith that things in some way will turn out well. But in the shifting political and cultural climate worldwide, faith, religious or otherwise, was becoming a dangerous thing. Could that faith be trusted? One only needed to consider the events of the fall of 2001 to take that into account.

Faithless

I've got my own moral compass to steer by
A guiding star beats a spirit in the sky
And all the preaching voices -
Empty vessels ring so loud
As they move among the crowd
Fools and thieves are well disguised
In the temple and market place

Like a stone in the river
Against the floods of spring
I will quietly resist

Like the willows in the wind
Or the cliffs along the ocean
I will quietly resist

I don't have faith in faith
I don't believe in belief
You can call me faithless
I still cling to hope
And I believe in love
And that's faith enough for me

I've got my own spirit level for balance
To tell if my choice is leaning up or down
And all the shouting voices
Try to throw me off my course
Some by sermon, some by force
Fools and thieves are dangerous
In the temple and market place

Like a forest bows to winter
Beneath the deep white silence
I will quietly resist

Like a flower in the desert
That only blooms at night
I will quietly resist

Armor And Sword

The snakes and arrows a child is heir to
Are enough to leave a thousand cuts
We build our defenses, a place of safety
And leave the darker places unexplored

Sometimes the fortress is too strong
Or the love is too weak
What should have been our armor
Becomes a sharp and angry sword

Our better natures seek elevation
A refuge for the coming night
No one gets to their heaven without a fight

We hold beliefs as a consolation
A way to take us out of ourselves
Meditation, or medication
A comfort, or a promised reward

Sometimes that spirit is too strong
Or the flesh is too weak
Sometimes the need is just too great
For the solace we seek
The suit of shining armor
Becomes a keen and bloody sword

A refuge for the coming night
A future of eternal light
No one gets to their heaven without a fight

Confused alarms of struggle and flight
Blood is drained of color
By the flashes of artillery light
No one gets to their heaven without a fight
The battle flags are flown
At the feet of a god unknown
No one gets to their heaven without a fight

Sometimes the damage is too great
Or the will is too weak
What should have been our armor
Becomes a sharp and burning sword

Interestingly, the following song has a recurring lyrical pattern rearranged in various parts of the following stanzas, hence the meaning of a pantoum:

The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)

If we’re so much the same, like I always hear
Why such different fortunes and fates?
Some of us live in a cloud of fear
Some live behind iron gates

Why such different fortunes and fates?
Some are blessed and some are cursed
Some live behind iron gates
While others see only the worst

Some are blessed and some are cursed
The golden one or scarred from birth
While others only see the worst
Such a lot of pain on the earth

The golden one or scarred from birth
Some things can never be changed
Such a lot of pain on this earth
It’s somehow so badly arranged

Some things can never be changed
Some reasons will never come clear
It’s somehow so badly arranged
If we’re so much the same, like I always hear

Guitarist Alex Lifeson began composing the guitar parts on acoustic guitar, which gave him a sort of artistic purity before working them out on electric. He said he was inspired and influenced by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd to do this approach to song composition.

Spindrift

As the waves crash in
On the western shore
The wind blows fierce from the east
Wavetops torn into flying spindrift

As the waves crash in
On the western shore
It makes me feel uneasy
The spray that’s torn away
Is an image of the way I feel

What am I supposed to say?
Where are the words to answer you
When you talk that way?

As the sun goes down
On the western shore
The wind blows hard from the east
It whips the sand into a flying spindrift

As the sun goes down
On the western shore
It makes me feel uneasy
In the hot dry rasp of the devil winds
Who cares what a fool believes?

What am I supposed to say?
Where are the words to answer you
When you talk that way?
Words that fly against the wind and waves

(A little closer to you)
Where is the wave that will carry me
A little closer to you?

What am I supposed to do?
Where are the words that will make you see
What I believe is true?

We Hold On

How many times
Do we weather out the stormy evenings
Long to slam the front door
Drive away into the setting sun

Keep going until dawn
How many times must another line be drawn
We could be down and gone
But we hold on

How many times
Do we chafe against the repetition
Straining against a fate
Measured out in coffee breaks

How many times
Do we swallow our ambitions
Long to give up the same old way
Find another road to take

Keep holding on so long
‘Cause there’s a chance
That we might not be so wrong
We could be down and gone
But we hold on

How many times
Do we wonder if it’s even worth it
There’s got to be some other way
To get me through the days

But we hold on

During the Snakes & Arrows tour, Rush once again used their connections to add humor to their performances. "The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)" featured an intro from SCTV's own Bob and Doug McKenzie, while "Tom Sawyer" was preceded by an intro from South Park characters Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny.

During the Snakes & Arrows tour, Rush once again used their connections to add humor to their performances. "The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)" featured an intro from SCTV's own Bob and Doug McKenzie, while "Tom Sawyer" was preceded by an intro from South Park characters Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny.

I saw that video when I saw them on tour that summer! That was a great concert!

According to drummer and lyricist Neil Peart, inspiration for the title of the album was conceived after considerable research from several sources; the 2000-year-old Buddhist game called "Leela, the Game of Self-Knowledge", the related children's game Snakes and Ladders (also known as Chutes and Ladders), and Hamlet's quote "slings and arrows." This information helped convince bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson to adopt the original painting of the age old game board as the cover for the new album.

Also in 2007, Saliva released 'Blood Stained Love Story', which featured the popular track "Ladies And Gentlemen". This song was used as the official theme song for the WWE PPV WrestleMania 23.The song "King Of The Stereo" was modified and featured as ESPN Varsity Inc's Theme song, under the name "King Of The Stadium" with edited lyrics. A band was on to something when their songs made it into sporting events.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMlKmELIhgY

Ladies And Gentlemen

Ladies and gentlemen please
Would you bring your attention to me?
For a feast for your eyes to see
An explosion of catastrophe

Like nothing you've ever seen before
Watch closely as I open this door
Your jaws will be on the floor
After this you'll be begging for more

Welcome to the show
Please come inside
Ladies and gentlemen

Boom
Do you want it?
Boom
Do you need it?
Boom
Let me hear it
Ladies and gentlemen

Boom
Do you want it?
Boom
Do you need it?

Boom
Let me hear it
Ladies and gentlemen

Ladies and gentlemen good evening
You've seen that seeing is believing
Your ears and your eyes will be bleeding
Please check to see if you're still breathing

Hold tight cause the show it not over
If you will please move in closer
Your about to be bowled over
By the wonders you're about to behold here

Welcome to the show
Please come inside
Ladies and gentlemen

Boom
Do you want it?
Boom
Do you need it?
Boom
Let me hear it
Ladies and gentlemen
[x6]

It also has appeared on many other sporting event telecasts. The song "King Of The Stereo" was modified and featured as ESPN Varsity Inc's Theme song, under the name "King Of The Stadium" with appropriately edited lyrics. The original title for the album was The Rise & Fall Of The Glorified Kingdom.

Broken Sunday

I looked up at the stars tonight,
To see your face and to feel your presence now,
I need you here right now..
I came from a lonely place,
Windows strewn in my darkest hour now,
I need you here right now,
I need you here,
Cos you won't leave me lonely,
Cos I can't go on,
You won't leave me broken,
In a world that's not my home,

Cos I'll be gone,
Until forever,
I'll be home,
Goodbye my broken Sunday.

One love and one escape,
To another place where the pain and fear fade out,
I need you here right now,
I need you here cos you won't leave me lonely,
Cos I can't go on,
You won't leave me broken,
In a world that's not my home,

Cos I'll be gone,
Until forever..
I'll be home, until my name is etched in stone,
Oh, and we will never be alone,
Goodbye my broken Sunday.

You won't leave me lonely,
Cos I can't go on,
You won't leave me broken,
In a world that's not my home.

Cos I'll be gone,
Until forever..
I'll be home,
Until my name is etched in stone,
Oh,
And we will never be alone,
Goodbye my broken Sunday.

Never Gonna Change

Just as sure as the sky is blue
And the ocean too, I've never lied to you
And I've never ever done anything
That would render me untrue
But for you, I can't say the same
You have only brought me pain
There's no use in pointing fingers
When I'm the one to blame
And I know that it's over
And there's nothing left to say
And we all pay the prices
Of the games that we play
I don't know how to love you
But I can't walk away
What do I have to say?
What do I have to do?
I need to hear you say
I just wanna be with you
What to I have to change?
What do I have to prove?
You're never gonna change
You're never gonna change
It still blows me away somehow
When you seem so proud
Of the damage that you've done
I'm a puppet in your pageant
I'm a game you played for fun
Still now when I see you frown
And you see me smile
And you say I'm still the one
You know you are quite the actress
But I'm just not that dumb
And I know that it's over
And there's nothing left to say
And we all pay the prices
Of the games that we play
I don't know how to love you
But I can't walk away
What do I have to say?
What do I have to do?
I need to hear you say
I just wanna be with you
What to I have to change?
What do I have to prove?
You're never gonna change
You're never gonna change
Never gonna change
Never change, yeah
What do I have to say?
What do I have to do?
You're never gonna change
What do I have to say?
What do I have to do?
I need to hear you say
I just wanna be with you
What to I have to change?
What do I have to prove?
You're never gonna change
You're never gonna change
What do I have to say?
What do I have to do?
I need to hear you say
Never gonna change
What to I have to change?
What do I have to prove?
You're never gonna change

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIT6jB1O1ms

King Of the Stereo

Massive, drastic, classic, I'm interactive
You put me in your computer and Ima crash it
My claim to fame is my brain insane
And if the blame is framed then Ima smash it

I'm back again and on a rampage
Spittin' pain and fables onto a new page
Around the corner I'm comin'
There ain't no use in you runnin'
And now I'm pushin' the button into a new age

The whole world is waiting for the
King of the Stereo
This is too damn hot

I think we've proven that history's being made now
I see you suckas got nothin' that you can say now
And all the others who've fallen
With all their fakin' and ballin'
The kitchen's too damn hot for you to stay now

To everybody who's left you better recognize
Throw your hands in the air
And let me see your eyes
It only took one song for you to realize
Click, click, boom, the king is here tonight

The whole world is waiting for the
King of the Stereo
This is too damn hot

Ladies and Gentlemen

Ladies and gentlemen, please
Would you bring your attention to me?
For a feast for your eyes to see
An explosion of catastrophe
Like nothing you've ever seen before
Watch closely as I open this door
Your jaws will be on the floor
After this you'll be begging for more
Welcome to the show
Please come inside
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)
Ladies and gentlemen!
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening
You've seen, and seeing is believing
Your ears and your eyes will be bleeding
Please check to see if you're still breathing
Hold tight 'cause the show is not over
If you will please move in closer
You're about to be bowled over
By the wonders you're about to behold here
Welcome to the show (Welcome to the show)
Please come inside
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)
Welcome to the show (Welcome to the show)
We're glad you came alone (We're glad you came alone)
Please come inside
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)
Ladies and gentlemen!
Boom! (Do you want it?)
Boom! (Do you need it?)
Boom! (Let me hear it!)

In 2007, Fall Out Boy released Infinity On High, a stylistic departure from their familiar pop punk. They incorporated more r & b and other genres into their sound, using guest vocals as Li'l Wayne and Jay-Z on a few tracks. The album featured such tracks as "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)", and "The Carpal Tunnel Of Love".

This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race

am an arms dealer
Fitting you with weapons in the form of words
And don't really care which side wins
As long as the room keeps singing
That's just the business I'm in, yeah

This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
I'm not a shoulder to cry on
But I digress

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate

I wrote the gospel on giving up
(You look pretty sinking)
But the real bombshells have already sunk
(Prima donnas of the gutter)
At night we're painting your trash gold while you sleep
Crashing not like hips or cars*,
No, more like p-p-p-parties

This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This bandwagon's full
Please, catch another

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate

Yeah...
Whoa-oh

All the boys who the dance floor didn't love
And all the girls whose lips couldn't move fast enough
Sing, until your lungs give out

This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Now you)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Wear out the groove)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Sing out loud)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Oh, oh)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate

Dance, Dance

She says she's no good with words, but I'm worse
Barely stuttered out a joke of a romantic stuck to my tongue
Weighed down with words too overdramatic
Tonight it's it can't get much worse
Versus no one should ever feel like
I'm two quarters and a heart down
And I don't want to forget how your voice sounds
These words are all I have so I write them
I need them just to get by
Dance, dance
We're falling apart to halftime
Dance, dance
And these are the lives you love to lead
Dance, this is the way they'd love
If they knew how misery loved me
You always fold just before you're found out
Drink up it's last call last resort
But only the first mistake and I
I'm two quarters and a heart down
And I don't want to forget how your voice sounds
These words are all I have so I write them
So you need them just to get by
Why don't you show me a little bit of spine
You've been saving for his mattress, love
Dance, dance
We're falling apart to halftime
Dance, dance
And these are the lives you love to lead
Dance, this is the way they'd love if they knew how misery loved me
Why don't you show me a little bit of spine
You've been saving for his mattress (mattress, mattress)
I only want sympathy in the form of you crawling into bed with me
Dance, dance
We're falling apart to halftime
Dance, dance
And these are the lives you love to lead
Dance this is the way they'd love (way they'd love)
Dance this is the way they'd love (way they'd love)
Dance this is the way they'd love if they knew how misery loved me
Dance, dance
Dance, dance
Dance, dance
Dance, dance

The band got the album's title from a quote by Vincent van Gogh made to his brother Theo in a letter written in 1888: "Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all".

The Carpal Tunnel Of Love

We take sour sips from life's lush lips
And we shake, shake, shake the hips in relationships
Stomp out this disaster town
You'll put your eyes to the sun and say, "I know
you're only blinding to keep back what the clouds are hiding."

And we might've started singing just a little soon
We're throwing stones at a glass moon

Whoa oh, we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa oh, love songs for the genuinely cunning, whoa-oh

We keep the beat with your blistered feet
And we bullet the words at the mockingbirds singing
Slept through the weekend and dreaming
Of sinking with the melody of the cliffs of eternity
Got postcards from my former selves saying: "How've you been?"

We might've said goodbyes just a little soon
(Stomp out this disaster town)
Robbing lips, kissing banks under this moon

Whoa oh, we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa oh, love songs for the genuinely cunning
Whoa oh, we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa oh, love songs for the genuinely cunning, ohh...

It was ice cream headaches and sweet avalanche
When the pearls in our shells got up to dance
You call me a bad tipper of the cradle
Tired yawns for fawns on hunter's lawns
We're the has-beens of husbands
Sharpening the knives of young wives
Take two years and call me when you're better
Take teardrops of mine, find yourself wetter

Whoa oh, we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa oh, love songs for the genuinely cunning
Whoa oh, we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa oh, love songs for the genuinely cunning

Thanks For The Memories

I'm gonna make you bend and break (It sent you to me without wait)
Say a prayer, but let the good times roll
In case God doesn't show (Let the good times roll, let the good times roll)
And I want these words to make things right
But it's the wrongs that make the words come to life
Who does he think he is?
If that's the worst you got, better put your fingers back to the key
One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you, only sweeter
One night, yeah, and one more time
Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories
See, he tastes like you, only sweeter, oh
Been looking forward to the future
But my eyesight is going bad
In these crystal balls
It's always cloudy except for
When you look into the past
One night stand
(One night stand)
One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you, only sweeter
One night, yeah, and one more time
Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories
See, he tastes like you, only sweeter, oh
I only think in the form of crunching numbers
In hotel rooms, collecting page six lovers
Get me out of my mind
Get you out of those clothes
I'm a liner away
From getting you into the mood
Whoa
One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you, only sweeter
One night, yeah, and one more time
Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories
See, he tastes like you, only sweeter, oh
One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you, only sweeter
One night, yeah, and one more time
(One night, one more time)
Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories
(For the memories, for the memories
See, he tastes like you, only sweeter

Also in 2007, Type O Negative returned with Dead Again, whose cover featured the infamous Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin, the "Mad Monk" who influenced Czar Nicholas II and his wife Czarina Alexandra while engaging in licentious behavior before being murdered in December 1915, three years before the Romanov family met a tragic fate.

The album was significant for lead frontman Peter Steele in that there were many rumors regarding his disappearance from the scene for the past several years. Stories abounded of his supposed demise, incarceration, drug abuse and other sordid tales. However, many of the rumors were true: He descended briefly into cocaine addiction, which he regretted, and coped with stage fright by drinking. He also served time on Riker's Island for assaulting a love rival. He also made a return to his childhood faith in Christianity after a period of intense soul searching.

Songs on the album included "The Profits Of Doom", "Halloween In Heaven", "September Sun" and the title track.

Dead Again

The first to admit - I'm a doomed drug addict
And I always will be - hey man, don't follow me
No excuse for drug abuse
Said these lines a thousand times
Don't want to live atrial fib - from neurosis, cerosis

Please make me smile - if you learn from my trial
Baby I'll pay this price - maybe saving your life for ya
I can't state this point enough
The pickup's easy, but the put down's rough
Up the nose or tap a vein - no one else but you to blame

I can't believe I died last night - oh God I'm dead again
I can't believe I died last night - I'm f:censored:ing dead again

Chemical joy turning thee paranoid
Recently buried deep Greenwood Cemetery, now
I had no pulse last time I checked
I'd trade my life for self respect
So I say with my ass whipped
There are some things worse than death

I can't believe I died last night - oh God I'm dead again
I can't believe I died last night - I'm f:censored:ing dead again

The back cover of the CD featured the tragicallly doomed daughters of Czar Nicholas, who were executed, along with the rest of the family in 1918 by their Bolzhevik captors.

Peter Steele also reactivated his earlier band Carnivore in 2006.

Peter Steele plays bass at Wacken metal festival in 2007 in the photo below.

The Profit Of Doom

Goodbye cruel world.

Of this shape a star of five
Also applies to the one with six sides
Against the sun and against the moon
I warn you that these two combined
Will bring man's doom
Of ten horns and seven heads
Count your fingers and the continents
On your head or in you right hand
This new moral code that the media commands

Believe not in their clever words
Because faith inacted are the loudest heard
All these things I say are true
Understood sadly by a chosen few... you

April 2-0-2-9 the final time
The end my friend in not near the hour in fact is quite here
When the moon becomes red to guide the risen dead
This means God's turned his back on you
It's a Friday the 13th of course you won't live to see noon

I am a prophet of doom
I am the profit of doom

So now the star has fallen washing away the seas
The seventh seal now opens it's raining your fears
Are you paranoid the coming asteroid
Has got your name tattooed on it
This stone's called Apophis it brings Apocalypse

I am a prophet of doom
I am the profit of doom

Speak the name of He created thee all to be which should not be spoken
No laws broken

Now life and love the stars above which fall upon thee all that worship the beast
Influence ceased

My soul's on fire

My faith is an amber burning ever working towards a greater reward
Serving my Lord

Built his home upon the rock not of the flock but coming as a shepherd
Guarding his herd

My soul's on fire

The band uses studio drums instead of a drum machine for the first time since their third album, Bloody Kisses. Thus, it remains the only Type O Negative studio album with Johnny Kelly's actual playing, as he was only "credited" as the drummer on the three albums prior to Dead Again.

Also in 2007, Chevelle released their fourth album, 'Vena Sera', which was Latin for "vein liquids" or "blood". The album featured their popular track, "Well Enough Alone".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr6kM9HKjRc

Well Enough Alone

Sick

Walk down the realm
hint to no one that this
generic bond exists
evil shows another side

And like before, makes no sense
never coming
always leaving right before
hooked on substance
dig in deeper
can't reveal

Why we leave
well enough alone
never thought about the shame

So fed up
what's with the scenes?
Observe and leave instead
this pity wagon
penetrates my skin
so sensitive, makes me sick

And like before, makes no sense
never coming
always leaving right before
hooked on substance
dig in deeper
can't reveal

Why we leave
well enough alone
never thought about the shame

The old and the aged
pulled and never knew what hit
Rolled
the old and the aged
pulled and never knew what hit

And like before, makes no sense
never coming
always leaving right before
hooked on substance
dig in deeper
can't reveal

Why we leave
well enough alone
never thought about the shame
why we leave
well enough alone
never thought about the shame

Paint the Seconds

[Verse 1]
I'm about to give rise
Like the sun never could
More often not we belong
Albeit with a little taste of regret

[Pre-Chorus]
See these streams of color
They threatened it's too magical
That you still need to grow

[Chorus]
The sooner we enter
The sooner we'll blend
Ease into another
Endless abyss

[Bridge]
We stopped time
To chase these truths
Tell it to move
Feel like climbing the walls
Useless messengers haste
Rushing to arrive

[Pre-Chorus]
See these streams of color
They threatened it's too magical
That you still need to grow

I Get It

So you say I'm ignored
As it is,
Well, give us your sad, sad trip

You're right, I get it
It all makes sense, you're the perfect person
So right, so wrong
Let's all live in your imaginary life

Assumed it's whether
We're right or wrong
We're doomed, and there's plenty for all

How dare you catch me counting?
How dare you call at all?
How dare you call it suffering?
How dare you call at all?

You're right, I get it
It all makes sense, you're the perfect person
So right, so wrong
Let's all live in your imaginary life

Press on these tannins
They'll double in time
The touch of life, once failed to mention so far

Of course the law is fountains
Of face to face remorse
A fast and restless blackmail
Like pent-up fetish whores

You're right, I get it
It all makes sense, you're the perfect person
So right, so wrong
Let's all live in your imaginary life

Do you want it enough?
Do you want it at all?
Should you need it at all?
Takes a minute to see
Do you want it enough?
Do you want it at all?
Should you need it at all?
Do you want it or not?

You're right, I get it
It all makes sense, you're the perfect person
So right, so wrong
Let's all live in your imaginary life

Life, life, life.

Midnight to Midnight

[Verse 1]
Sleep will carry us
After mentioned having a lesson
It's the least discerning place
We could dive to

We both shouldn't last another day
Another failed invention straight to nowhere
One more you say, what causes these
It's all the better your greed seems to carry you well
We couldn't dive too far

[Chorus]
We toss our failures at the earth
Connected to a cause
Stripped away another fool
Blame it all because
We toss our failures at the earth
Stripped away from under

[Verse 2]
So shy crossed my heart I sinned
With images too far apart to tell
What don't we know?
What should we know?
Slipping under is just the beginning of thirst
Could we dive too, too far

[Chorus]
We toss our failures at the earth
Connected to a cause
Stripped away another fool
Blame it all because
We toss our failures at the earth
Stripped away from under

[Bridge]
We so forgot to mention
A waste upon the hours
We so forgot to mention
The hook that is the chorus

We so forgot to mention
A waste upon the hours
We so forgot to mention
The hook that is the chorus

[Chorus]
We toss our failures at the earth
Connected to a cause
Stripped away another fool
Blame it all because
We toss our failures at the earth
Stripped away from under

While Chevelle's latest album was not about to disappoint fans, there were a number of very disappointing, if not distressing events during the tour behind the record. In May, the band's gear was stolen. The band issued a warning to fans that "Most items are labeled 'Chevelle' and if you notice anything suspicious on eBay or other online resellers selling 'authentic' Chevelle items... guitar, basses, drums, amplifiers, risers, backdrops, tee shirts... please call the police..." The band was able to recover some of the stolen items, but they were unhappy that most of the items lost had personal sentimental value. Sam Loeffler stated, "Of the 14 guitars, we got two of 'em, and then we got some amplifiers back and our monitor system. So it's really, I mean it's cool because it's kind of like Christmas, only really weird. People have been calling us and saying, 'Hey, I bought this or that', and you know, we're just doing our best to buy it back from them. And certainly the issue is not a money issue, it's about having the pieces of gear that you did all your records with."

A few months later, the band's tour manager died while they were on the road in Australia, which was a tremendous blow to them.

The Fad

Soon the men
Taste their own normalcy
Ends that day
Consumed by all
Irrational thoughts depend
Then shape their tastes

Let's call it change
Let's call it change

Once the fad
Permeates
It's hip to care
It's hip to hate it

Once the fad
Permeates
It's hip to care
It's hip to hate it

Laugh at the violence
Laugh at the violence

True to form
He's blind as his taste for cheat
Panther piss
He loves to live beyond the card
So count us in to that Gucci clan
The fat face

Let's call it "the chase"
I'll call it a phase

Once the fad
Permeates
It's hip to care
It's hip to hate it

Once the fad
Permeates
It's hip to care
It's hip to hate it

Laugh at the violence
Laugh at the violence
Laugh at the violence

So sell your voodoo
And recognize this
Your last and only score
Got you hung up on your strut

Once the fad
Permeates
It's hip to care
It's hip to hate it

Once the fad
Permeates
It's hip to care
It's hip to hate it

Once the fad
Once the fad
Once the fad
Once the fad
(The same, you want it, I bought it) [x4]

Laugh at the violence
Laugh at the violence


Pete Loeffler live in 2007:

In Debt To Earth

[Verse 1]
Resolve, I don't envy your seats
At least don't break, until we descend
To peace talks, full of remorse
But the keeper tends to remain aloof

[Chorus]
They know what we'll use
They know what they'll lose
Such unspeakable wrong
Now then, what will we do?

[Verse 2]
Liaisons, falling in tall
This blinding forest, will body unfold?
Don't be long, this has to be told
We weave our mazes, be in debt to the Earth

[Chorus]
They know what we'll use
They know what they'll lose
Such unspeakable wrong
Now then, what will we do?

[Bridge]
But with gratitude and fortitude
We credit your enlightenment
The panic of his solitude is calling out

[Outro]
Just get 'em all
Pick 'em off

New England band Shadows Fall released their followup to 2005's 'The War Within' with 'Threads Of Life' in 2007, which yielded popular tracks such as "Another Hero Lost" and "Redemption".

"Another Hero Lost" was a ballad which lamented the death of lead singer Brian Fair's cousin, who lost his life in combat while in Iraq.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvHle7ke3zY

Another Hero Lost

I'd never leave you.
But fate has come to silence me.
Darkness is all I see.
I can not reach you.
And soon the earth will cover me.
It's become so hard to breathe.

Darkness is all that I see. Forever is waiting.
The final steps you're taking.
Will soon be buried in the sand. All the battles. They say we won.
They leave another thousand lives undone.
Another thousand lives undone. Forever is waiting. The final steps your taking.
Will soon be buried in the sand.
You're gone, But not forgot. Another hero lost. The sorrow builds with every passing.
All the lessons that you taught.
And all the light you brought. Lives on in the eyes of your son.

Burning The Lives

Soon a darkened pyramid will rise
There will be no escaping from the all seeing eye
Lost in blindness
Serving shielded masters still unknown
Chaos is their goal, corrupt your heart and soul
The air is getting thin, will you give in?
All the voices of the lost and forgotten
Still lay in their graves
They've been silenced for their thoughts
Lost in blindness
This history is written with their blood
Chaos is their goal, corrupt your heart and soul
The air is getting thin, will you give in?
Burning the lives and the pride of the innocents
Tearing down all that we built
Chaos is their goal, corrupt your heart and soul
The air is getting thin, will you give in?
Burning the lives and the pride of the innocents
Tearing down all that we built
Burning the lives and the pride of the innocents
Tearing down all that we built

Redemption

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnsSCRLtGN8

Intimidation, I stand before you now.
Hold my ground, you won't strike me down.
A validation of all the blood I spilled, survived of my will,
There's nothing to say,
Yourself you have betrayed,
We must try to seize the day,
All the world will hear you,
Our voices can't be bound,
All the world will hear you,
Redemption in the power of the sound,
Interpretation,
Of all the thoughts I shared,
Draw you near,
Creating all your fear.
A brand new nation.
For those who persevere.
The future is so clear.

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

Bay Area power groove metal band Machine Head returned also with 'The Blackening', which featured a popular track responding to a critic's assessment of the music of Dimebag Darrel. A few years before, an article by a writer named William Grim for Iconoclast.com titled ""Aesthetics of Hate: R.I.P. Dimebag Abbott, & Good Riddance" practically cheered on and championed the death of the guitarist of Pantera. Grim considered Dimebag "an ignorant, barbaric, untalented possessor of a guitar" who looks "more simian than human" and is "part of a generation that has confused sputum with art and involuntary reflex actions with emotion". :eek: This enraged the members of Machine Head, who knew Dimebag personally before his tragic murder onstage in 2004. Guitarist Robb Flynn lashed back at Grim:

"What would YOU know about love or values? What would YOU know about giving to the world? All that you know is teaching prejudice, and your heart is as black as the 'ignorant, filthy, and hideously ugly, heavy metal fans' you try and paint in your twisted, fictitious ramblings. It's because of people like YOU, that there are Nathan Gale's in this world, NOT the Dimebags and metal musicians who work to unite people through music."

For this reason, the band wrote their own song titled "Aesthetics Of Hate":

Aesthetics Of Hate

You tried to spit in the eye
Of a dead man's face
Attacked the ways of a man
Not yet in his grave
But your hate was over all too soon
Because nothing is over
And nothing's through,
'Til we bury you

For the love of brother
I will sing this f:censored:ing song
Aesthetics of hate,
I hope you burn in hell

The words I read on the screen
Left me f:censored:ing sick
I felt the hatred rising
You son of a bitch
You branded us pathetic for our respect
But he made us Driven,
Such deep reverence,
Far Beyond the rest
[A reference to Pantera's album "Far Beyond Driven"]

For the love of brother
I will say these f:censored:ing words
Aesthetics of hate,
I hope you rot in hell

[Solo: Demmel, Flynn, Demmel, Flynn, Flynn & Demmel]

Long live memories
Live his freedom vicariously
Defend tenfold
His honor we'll always uphold

For the love of brother
I will say these f:censored:ing words
No silence against ignorance
Iconoclast, I hope you burn in hell

May the hand of God strike them down [8x]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions and musical tastes, to be sure. But for people not up on extreme metal, it was easy to dismiss Dimebag Darrel's talents on guitar as "mindless noise" rather than a passionate display of fretboard talent played at astonishing levels. It was articulate and played with abandon. Thought was behind it, much emotion. Of course, Dime looked like quite the rogue, but he was the real deal, an honest man who was friend to all and would go out of his way to give fans everything he felt they were due, a good time, a good laugh, and a guitar pick or a drink if the occasion provided it.

Dime was not an angry person, he was a man driven by passion. This did not prevent Robb Flynn and the others from being angry themselves at the injustices they saw in the world. The opening track of the album decried the apparent need to die and kill for America's thirst for oil in Bush's war, according to the band. Many of the tracks were diatribes against war, politics, and religion, such as "Halo" and "A Farewell To Arms".

Clenching the Fists Of Dissent

War!

Do you hear revolution's call?
It's time to fight our own denial
Warmongers keep us locked in fear
Invoke the past, a moment of tears

An ugly truth
Put forth by our youth
Under the threat of patriotic brute, so

Use your rage
It is a weapon
We now must engage

Let trumpets sound our call
Or by their lies we will fall

Gnash down our teeth in hate and sing

Sing revolution's song
When they say die
Die for America

[Solo: Flynn, Demmel]

War!

They say that freedom isn't free
It's paid with the lives
Of sons and families
Cause blood is their new currency
And oil pumps the heart of money

So fight as one
Without a f:censored:ing gun
Words are the bullets to this revolution

Use your pain
The battlegrounds, the streets are ablaze

Excess will pave their path
The winds of change, our bloodbath

Gnash down our teeth in hate and sing

Sing revolution's song
When they say die
Die for America

Power and prejudice
Actions they use to pit against
Terror, insurgency
Words uses to scare conformity
It's propaganda, it's their hypocrisy
Free to choose our own slavery

All suffer humanity

[Solo: Demmel, Flynn; Demmel, Flynn]

Fight

Fight -- for all that you love
Scream -- choking with foot upon threat
Blind -- star spangled eyes
Death -- no more the truth you will hide
No, more

So how do they sleep?
When our mothers weep
They're selling our souls
And our blood for oil

Our generation
Can be the f:censored:ing one
That overcomes the greed
Of corrupt nations

Have no shame
You're not alone in thinking
This is f:censored:ing insane

Rise up and take your stand
And curl the fingers of your hand

And I don't know what to do
Cause I don't have the answers
But with ever ounce of strength
I'll vow to fight this cancer

Didn't say I want to lead
I just might let you down
Didn't say believe in me
Just hold this common ground

I'm just as lost as you
And probably more confused
So f:censored:ing far from perfect
My mind wrecked from abuse

There's something f:censored:ing wrong
When war takes sons and daughters
Our lambs misled to slaughter

War!
Clenching the fists of dissent
Lies!
Clenching the fists of dissent
Fear!
Clenching the fists of dissent
Change!
Clenching to hope

The album was praised by many critics for its raw energy and honesty.

This was one of the most popular tracks on the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQLQC4ln05o

Now I Lay Thee Down

I want to know
How it feels
When we die
Can you take me under?

[Chorus:]
Dream over
Grieve no more
And breathe one last time
Now I lay thee down

She watched me leave
Me bleeding
On the floor
As she takes me under

[Chorus]

Godless mimicry
White lights cemetery
Flashes of the angel's ivory wings
Images so many broke dreams
Of pain
Terror
Fear
Crippling

Follow the light into the tunnel
Or will it end up in a black hole?
Follow the light into the tunnel,
Dead in its end

What is love?
What is murder?
Within the eye of the beholder

[Solo: Demmel, Flynn, Demmel, Flynn]

What have I done?
I've gone and killed the only one I love
How could I do this?
I'm screaming at God
Why do you curse me?
F:censored: it, load it, sever the day

[Chorus]

Now I lay thee down,
Underground

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

Many other artists had an ongoing commentary about the state of society and the direction of world affairs in 2007. Nine Inch Nails released a concept album depicting a dystopian vision of life a decade and a half from now on their album 'Year Zero'. Of course the album's theme was a projection of Bush's foreign policies that many felt bode ill for the future. The album featured two popular songs, "Survivalism" and "Capital G".

Survivalism

I should have listened to her
So hard to keep control
We kept on eating but
Our bloated belly's still not full
She gave us all she had but
We went and took some more
Can't seem to shut her legs
Our mother nature is a whore

[chorus:]
I got my propaganda
I got revisionism
I got my violence
In hi-def ultra-realism
All a part of this great nation
I got my fist
I got my plan
I got survivalism

Hypnotic sound of sirens
Echoing through the street

The cocking of the rifles
The marching of the feet
You see your world on fire
Don't try to act surprised
We did just what you told us
Lost our faith along the way and found ourselves believing your lies

[chorus]

[cut-up speech:]
All bruised and broken, bleeding
She asked to take my hand
I turned, just keep on walking
But you'd do the same thing in the circumstance
I'm sure you'll understand

[chorus]

You got your pacifism - I got survivalism

The album's techno industrial sound complimented perfectly with the lyrics' sense of desolation and fatalism.

Capital G

I pushed a button and elected him to office and a
He pushed a button and it dropped a bomb
You pushed the button and could watch it on the television
Those motherf:censored:s didn't last too long ha ha
I'm sick of hearing about the have's and the have not's
Have some personal accountability
The biggest problem with the way that we've been doing things is
The more we let you have the less that I'll be keeping for me

Well I used to stand for something
Now I'm on my hands and knees
Traded in my god for this one
And he signs his name with a capital G

Don't give a s:censored: about the temperature in Guatemala
Don't really see what all the fuss is about

Ain't gonna worry about no future generations and a
I'm sure somebody gonna figure it out
Don't try to tell me how some power can corrupt a person
You haven't had enough to know what its like
You're only angry cause you wish you were in my position
Now nod your head because you know that I'm right, alright!

Well I used to stand for something
But forgot what that could be
There's a lot of me inside you
Maybe you're afraid to see

Well I used to stand for something
Now I'm on my hands and knees
Traded in my god for this one
And he signs his name with a capital G


Trent Reznor:

Concept albums of dystopia were nothing new in rock music. Lyrics describing the real-liefe events of 9/11 and the Iraq War were, however. In this disturbing narrative by Trent Reznor, a fictional nuclear war between the U.S. and Iran is depicted in this future, as well as a "Bureau of Morality" which spied on citizens and eroded personal liberties, a reference of the then-current Patriot Act crushing dissent.

The Beginning Of the End

Down on your knees, you'll be left behind
This is the beginning
Watch what you think, they can read your mind
This is the beginning
I got my mark, see it in my eyes
This is the beginning
My reflection I don't recognize
This is the beginning

We think we climb so high
All up the backs we've condemned
We face our consequence
This is the beginning of the end

You wait your turn, you'll be last in line
This is the beginning
Get out the way, cause I'm getting mine
This is the beginning
God helps the ones that help themselves
This is the beginning
May be too late as far as I can tell
This is the beginning

We think we've come so far
On all our lies we depend
We face our consequence
This is the beginning of the end


The band is dressed for the "future" in this photo:

Between tour legs Nine Inch Nails gave a performance as part of the Year Zero game. A small group of fans received fictional in-game telephone-calls that invited them to a "resistance meeting" in a Los Angeles parking lot. Those who arrived were given "resistance kits", some of which contained cellphones that would later inform the participants of further details. After receiving instructions from the cellphones, fans who attended a fictional Art is Resistance meeting in Los Angeles were rewarded with an unannounced performance by Nine Inch Nails. The concert was cut short as the meeting was raided by a fictional SWAT team and the audience was rushed out of the building.

How long would it take before life would imitate art?

Zero-Sum

They're starting to open up the sky
They're starting to reach down through
And it feel like we're living in that split-second
Of a car crash
And time is slowing down
And if we only had a little more time
And this time
Is all there is
Do you remember the time we
And all the times we
And should have
And were going to
I know
And I know you remember
How we could justify it all
And we knew better
In our hearts we knew better
And we told ourselves it didn't matter
And we chose to continue
And none of this matters anymore
In the hour of our twilight
And soon it will be all said and done
And we will all be back together as one
If we will continue at all

Shame on us
Doomed from the start
May god have mercy
On our dirty little hearts
Shame on us
For all we've done
And all we ever were
Just zeros and ones

And you never get away
And you never get to take the easy way
And all of this is a consequence
Brought on by our own hand
If you believe in that sort of thing
And did you ever really find
When you closed your eyes
Any place that was still
And at peace
And I guess I just wanted to tell you
As the light starts to fade
That you are the reason
That I am not afraid
And I guess I just wanted to mention
As the heavens will fall
We will be together soon if we
Will be anything at all

Shame on us
Doomed from the start
May god have mercy
On our dirty little hearts
Shame on us
For all we've done
And all we ever were
Just zeros and ones

Nine Inch Nails was not alone in releasing a concept album that year. Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir released 'In Sorte Diaboli', which told the story of a priest's assistant who departs his faith to become the Anti-Christ when he discovers supernatural powers, that which are known to be thelemic, where one becomes self-actualized by means of the occult. While the music was appealing with its combination of extreme metal and a classical orchestra, many music critics found the Faustian storyline premise tiresome and predictable. It was not very original.

The album featured the Devil as a female, nude from the waist up, as was noted often in medieval illustrations. Was there some sort of significance of evil, or the antithesis of Christianity, as being female in form? This was not simply a crticism of femininity, but in much pagan worship, female deities, or demonic entities, were plentiful in the pantheon of goddesses: Ashtoreth, the Queen of Heaven, in Mesopotamian mythology, Diana, goddess of the hunt for the Ephesians in Greece and Asia Minor, and Isis of the Egyptians. These were goddesses of fertility cults and the like.

The album cover below is a strategically covered sampler:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAmMcBQavKE

The Serpentine Offering

My descent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My descent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair

Evoked and entertained through centuries
Wrathful and sullen -- Dormant still

The ferocity pervades everywhere
Waiting to be released at last
Hear my offering
Ye bastard sons and daughters
Share my sacrifice
Share my sacrifice.

My descent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair

Reconcile not with the fear of the snake
But embrace it as your own
Inject its venom into your veins
And replant the seed that gives growth
Still shrouded in mystery
Until you arise above perception
A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout generations

(A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout multiple generations
Let me be the one that deliver you from the deceit
And back into perfect accordance with the laws of nature)

The snake is notoriously tempting
But the snake is fair
What is worse than not knowing?
To live or disappear?

The ferocity pervades everywhere
Waiting to be released at last
Hear my offering
Ye bastard sons and daughters
Share my sacrifice
Share my sacrifice

The lineup of Dimmu Borgir was about to change as this album was the last to feature members ICS Vortex, Hellhammer and Mustis.

The Chosen Legacy

Hence I will anoint
And whisper wholeheartedly
The creed of Hades and beyond
As I succumb to inevitable sin

For I cannot enslave myself
With imaginary words of salvation
The hypocrisy that surrounds my temple
Is assisted by pretenders to the throne

The winds that blow purity
Signify my chosen legacy
I was born to opposition
A contender to creation

In Sorte Diaboli
In Sorte Diaboli
In Sorte Diaboli
In Sorte Diaboli

For my sins
I will ask no forgiveness
For my sins
They are not to forgive

So never speak of me quietly
Stand by my confession
I voice your rebellion
Against the traitor of the world

I am the first creature of this Kingdom
I will be the One
To out live His time
With the triumph of free will

Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity released their latest album 'Fiction' in 2007. The band added to the growing list of murky themes in metal pervading the decade of uncertainty.

Inside the Particle Storm

Inside the particle storm
Where clouds of napalm shimmer
With the promise of one final dawn

Inside the particle bliss
Where ages collide into nothingness
Obliteration's one final kiss

A claw in the garden of eden
Clogging the bloodstream of Earth
Tearing a hole in the fabric of life
The horizon enriched with scars

Inside the particle blaze
A chamber of dissolution
Proclaiming the end of days

We leave now
Nothing will follow, nothing at all
The cleansing flames of entropy
To devour us all

Our lungs are filled with sarin
Our children drowning like dogs
Handcuffed to the weight of cold dark matter
Without purpose, meaning or name

[Solo]

Inside the particle storm
The poison gene of humanity
Nullified

This is the moment
When black ships anchor to the skies
The heavy hands of chaos
Descend in merciless demise

Nothing To No One

Force it to begin
Spark the flame
To fire-bursting sin
Doctrine denied
Over and over again

Keeping death of all things private
Expose this failed creation
What is done is dead
What is done is dead

To be content, an abomination
Are you satisfied
Are you done with this

The ultimate rebellion
The sacrifice is endless
The ultimate rebellion
Be nothing to no one

What's in a true life?
Behind the crumbling walls
Of dream and infant illusion
Action without movement
Desire without heart
It is over and done
It is over and done
To crave for touchless objects
And fathom without eyes
The fall of all things personal
That no one sees

The ultimate rebellion
The sacrifice is endless
The ultimate rebellion
Leave nothing to no one

Awaken to the screams
Of unresolved
Demands and accusations
Words are free

No, these are the outer symptoms
Of inner detonation
They will force us to inaction
Rid us of resolve
Take the burden off me
Lead me to my grave

The ultimate rebellion
The sacrifice is endless
The ultimate rebellion
Leave nothing to no one

Focus Shift

I think, I just forgot
To pick up the shells
From my recent discharge
And you took the blame
Explanations falter
To ears fallen deaf
Wherever I go—I get lost

A reference to something
That both of us knew
Nothing that favors the few
In the darkness electric we see
That silence has spoken tonight

I think, I have lost my language
Whatever I've said, I deny
I think, I have lost my way
Whatever was missing is gone
I let my focus shift

Your face is a map
I fail to discover
Drowning the sounds
So lost in the order
It's the look that stayed my words
The unblinking knowledge
Interlocked and holding
No stalemate to break
Take hold of the flame that unites
In the silence that speaks to me now

I think, I have lost my language
Whatever I've said, I deny
I think, I have lost my way
Whatever was missing is gone
I let my focus shift

[Solo]

I struggle to find the words
That negate my meaning
I fail to comprehend
What message is given

[Solo]

I decline the steady hand
That leads to rejection
Tempted by the closure
With no sense of pride
Drown the fury and swallow the fire
Drown the fury, swallow the fire

I think, I have lost my language
Whatever I've said, I deny
I think, I have lost my way
Whatever was missing is gone
I let my focus shift


Vocalist Mikael Stanne:

None other than German metal veterans The Scorpions threw their hat into the ring for apocalyptic concept albums. Their 2007 album 'Humanity: Hour I' depicted a world where humans and robots vie for dominance. The album was co-written by noted rock songwriter Desmond Child and futuristic writer Carl Liam. Could everyone's favorite Teutonic titans of metal who wanted to Rock You Like a Hurricane with a Lovedrive be taken seriously with a story about Orwellian themes of humanity facing extinction at the talons of cyborgs?

Truth be told, The Scorpions as a forward thinking band was not entirely out of the question. In the 70's, the band was both a prog-rock as well as a metal band during the era of Uli Jon Roth on guitar. But since that decade was long past and the band was more defined by uber-macho guitar slingers grabbing the hot babes on MTV in the 80's, it was almost a tough thing to swallow the band as having social commentary in the new millenium.

Hour I

So here we are
It's hour one
And it's a nightmare
There's nothing left
And yet it's good to be alive
There's no use crying
Cause the universe is not fair
The wicked and the innocent
Are fighting to survive

Child stay down, stay down
You better run for cover underground
Child stay down, stay down
You better shut your mouth
Don't make a sound

Human nature is the reason
For our downfall
And we deserve it playing God
With our machines
Our religions are a prison
That's our fatal flaw
Bombs are flying
While we're sleeping with the enemy

Child stay down, stay down
You better run for cover underground
Child stay down, stay down
You better shut your mouth
Don't make a sound

Look at me, right at me
When I'm telling you to stay down
Come to me, run to me
I am begging you to stay down
Cling to me desperately
All you gotta do is stay down
Pay attention my child down

Look at me, right at me
When I'm telling you to stay down
Come to me, run to me
I am begging you to stay down
Cling to me desperately
All you gotta do is stay down
Pay attention my child

Child, stay down, stay down
You better run for cover underground
Child stay down, stay down
You better shut your mouth
Don't make a sound

Child, stay down, stay down
You better run for cover underground
Child stay down, stay down
Stay down

The band knew there was no going back to the past. The future was here and they were not going back to an era that no longer existed. As frontman Klaus Meine said: "We wanted to make an album that was up to date, with a more modern sound to it without losing the Scorpion signature and I think it's still there. A lot of people feel it's a very good connection between the typical Scorpions sound but in a new way. It wasn't so much that we were trying to experiment; we still wanted a Scorpions record but not so much a classic rock album like going back to the old days, the 80's. We really wanted a record that would sound like 2007."

The Future Never Dies

Verse 1]
I'm lost in your eyes
Reaching out to cross the great divide
You are drifting away
Mind and soul and body day by day
Nothing's stopping you and I
It's do or die tonight

[Chorus]
So tell me why I'm alone
When we're lying here together
On a night that's so cold
And you're just a touch away
Baby try to hold on
Until we make it to forever
We're alive
And the future never dies

[Verse 2]
I've been dying inside
Holding back the tears I never cried
Now I'm down on my knees
Because everything you are is what I need
You're the meaning of it all
Don't let me fall you've got to

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
We've got to come together
Because everybody needs a heart to hold
Can't you see it's now or never
Because we've got nowhere else to go
Tell me why I'm alone
When we're lying here together

[Outro]
Baby try to hold on
Until we make it to forever
We're alive
And the future never dies
We're alive
And the future never dies
In your eyes
The future never dies

Interestingly, the lyrical direction was not the only thing that had changed about the band's new album. For the first time in years, the familiar band name logo, in the distinctive angular letters indicative of a metal band, was not used on the album cover. Was this a more dramatic touch? However, as one looks at the female robot, or gynoid on the cover, the band's traditional logo can be spotted vertically.

The guitars were also performed in various lower tunings drop D, drop C and drop C#. As Matthias Jabs explained: "Sometimes if you play the guitar riff dropped to a D, it will not only sound different but play different. But what ever was the best for the vocals is how we proceeded. It is no point in recording something if it is too stressful for the singer to sing properly".

Many of the songs the band recorded before putting them on the album seemed too "dark", so they were compelled to include more "up" songs such as "The Game Of Life" and "You're Lovin' Me To Death", in more typical Scorpions fashion. Times were dark, people felt, and dramatic statements were the order of the day, but fans seemed to clamor for what the band was always known for.

The Game Of Life

The time has come
For me to talk to you
And I don't mean
To hurt your pride
But everybody needs a friend sometimes
To make you see the light

In the game of life
The strong survive
We're on a one-way street
We gotta make it out alive
And never let 'em drag us down
In the game of life
We live and die
Another breath begins
Another chance to win the fight
From the moment that you hit the ground
In the game of life

You're born to hunt
And never run away
And then you're hunted
By the prey
The wounded deer
Leaps highest to the sun
Until his day is done

In the game of life
The strong survive
We're on a one-way street
We gotta make it out alive
And never let 'em drag us down
In the game of life
We live and die
Another breath begins
Another chance to win the fight
From the moment that you hit the ground

Here comes the morning
It's time to play
The game of life
The game of life

In the game of life
The strong survive
We're on a one-way street
We gotta make it out alive
And never let 'em drag us down
In the game of life
We live and die
Another breath begins
Another chance to win the fight
From the moment that you hit the ground
It's the game of life
The game of life

Humanity

Humanity
Auf wiedersehen
It's time to say goodbye
The party's over
As the laughter dies
An angel cries

Humanity
It's au revoir to your insanity
You sold your soul to feed your vanity
Your fantasies and lies

You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye

Be on your way
Adios amigo there's a price to pay
For all the egotistic games you played
The world you made
Is gone

You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye

Run and hide there's fire in the sky
Stay inside
The water's gonna rise and pull you under
In your eyes I'm staring at the end of time
Nothing can change us
No one can save us from ourselves

You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
Now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye

Newer metal bands also jumped onto the trend of recording concept albums. Arizona extreme death metal band Job For a Cowboy recorded their debut album 'Genesis' with an Orwellian, apocalyptic theme about the abuse and exploitation of technology. In this case, controversy ensued about the use of what was known as the Verichip, which was about to implanted into the skin of human subjects, or the general populace, to where the government could actively monitor and track the activities of citizens.

The band also tied into the fears and concerns that the Verichip was the much-rumored Mark Of the Beast in the Book Of Revelation in the Bible. The band disavowed having any allegiance or affiliation to religion, as they considered themselves atheists, but the views on modern, contemporary technology and alleged fulfillment of Scripture were worth investigating in the band's lyrics.

Embedded

An incision leads to the future of the new world -
a mark buried deep under the skin and flesh will define and distinguish man.
Signatures implanted on the hands and forehead.
Re-occurence of modern times and scriptures.
Testament to holy doctrines written in vital blood.

In the extent, all will hold something very similar and accordingly.
All will bear his name with the distinct and original number of his signature.
In a new world with suppressing technology.
Lacerations lead to codes embedded in blood streams beneath the flesh.
Currencies fuse together to form a solitary and overruling capital.

Money evolves into cryptic letters and numbers that flow through the net -
a conflagration set to diminish papered riches, depleting its masterdom.
No longer capable of enslaving the likes of human kind from only presenting itself as a form of an object.
Fragments of ash flow through the atmosphere's currents,
onlookers breathe and inhale what they once worshipped.
The demon's solution, a new world order.

Altered From Catechization

The demon lord's son, now a ruler of only one nation
Spreading his gospel among millions
Empires fused and bound together by the fingertips of their distinct leader
A flesh parade of a converted public altered from catechization
Manipulated and influenced into a sense of delusive calm
Consuming every word spoon fed directly into their beliefs
As a shepherd carrying his offerings between his arms
Garnished statements maintain and keep his people optimistic and confident
A throbbing army only grows from the misleading tongue of their new ruler
One army with new beliefs expanding through demonic designation
Ordered to butcher the existence of anything contrary
Almost as a reoccurrence of times past
As previous enemies of the forgoing lord have come and gone
All having the corresponding image of god through their own incoherent reflection

Jiob For a Cowboy, while not having the most likely name for a metal band, did have a straight on fast, abrasive metal sound. The band's members included
Brent Riggs on bass, Elliott Sellers on drums, vocalist Jonny Davy, and Bobby Thompsonon guitar. Guitarist Ravi Bhadriraju would remain with the band until after the band recorded this album before leaving.

The band's earlier material was more in the deathcore genre, but 'Genesis' was a full death metal album. What was the difference? Deathcore had more of that angsty mall-punk sound (pretty much any "core" band did at this point) with death metal overtones. It was not strictly death metal. Purists of metal decried the "teen-scream" sound of such subgenres as metalcore and deathcore.

Bearing the Serpent's Lamb

This virgin churns on the back of her own indisposed and throbbing body.
Nauseated she chokes on her own vomit emitted from her distended and desiccated throat.
Weak and obscured this woman's body begins to convulse and twitch in her now soiled sheets with an abdomen beginning to flourish as her ribs now unhinge and shift.
Beneath the rib cage lay a sweltering child.
A child forcing and pushing outward for decampment of his mother's womb.

Bearing a bastard child.
Bearing what is now the son of the new world's lord.
Bearing the serpent's lamb.
Overwhelmed she grows debilitated and weak.
Staying attentive becomes more burdensome, a struggle to stay awake as her body starts to contract, she mutters one conclusive, crowning breath.
"Why would such a God allow such deep evil? Theodicy!"

The curtains are slowly lowered over her solitary and meaningless life.
Her chest lay open, a gaping wound revealing the damage left inside.
Her own body only used to mask the beast that dwelled internally.
This orphan child scowls over the remains of his birth given origin, his own mother - only to grow through his adolescence to clench the name of the Antichrist.

"Altered From Catechization"

The demon lord's son, now a ruler of only one nation,
spreading his gospel among millions.
Empires fused and bound together by the fingertips of their distinct leader,
a flesh parade of a converted public altered from catechization,
manipulated and influenced into a sense of delusive calm,
consuming every word spoon fed directly into their beliefs.

As a shepherd carrying his offerings between his arms,
garnished statements maintain and keep his people optimistic and confident.
[?] A lucrative piece of propaganda [?]
A throbbing army only grows from the misleading tongue of their new ruler.
[?]
One army with new beliefs expanding through demonic designation,
ordered to butcher the existence of anything remotely contrary,
almost as a re-occurrence of times past.
All previous enemies of the forgoing lord have come and gone,
having their own corresponding image of God through their own incoherent reflection.

So the world was in trouble, and metal was tapping into the national, or global zeitgeist. And Bush was the bringer of all that was dire and despicable, as we were told. War, war, and more war. Dark times. The end was near. What was one to do?

But not all bands were of that grim, gloomy mindset. If you were Richmond, Virginia band Municipal Waste, you knew there was more to life than death, doom, and destruction. There was beer, booze, and bacchanalia. On their 2007 album The Art Of Partying, you were guaranteed to have a good time. This was a band which did not take itself seriously. Which was to in fact take itself very seriously in terms of a full-on blown-out keggar of Biblical proportions.

This album, the band's third, featured such memorable classics as "Headbanger Face Rip", "A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Destroyer)", "Lunch Hall Food Brawl", "Beer Pressure", "Mental Shock (Deathripper Part II)", "Sadistic Magician", "Septic Detonation", and the title track.

The Art Of Partying

There's thrashing all around
You know the Waste provides the sounds
To push the party level all the way to ten

The terror starts tonight
A drunken outrage in our site
And we won't waste our time to rip this place to shreds
We've broken all the laws and moshed on people's jaws

Some truly believe and here's to those that tried
Some people broke their limbs and others almost died
This song is for doing what you love not for the sake of fashion

As the thrash pounds through your head
Pound your drinks
Tonight we shred

We don't need their laws together we destroy
And I won't let them ruin the one thing I enjoy
Tonight's the night we finally get to rip this place apart
And this is how we turn your boring party into art

You worked so hard for many hours a day
It's time to cut loose you should express it in your own way

And edger's can still party too with X's on their hands
As long as you can rage hard with the drinkers of the land
No patrols going to stop doing our own thing tonight
No ****** crew's with attitudes to ruin our good time

But if you love to thrash you know we will supply
And we will keep the party going onward through the night
It doesn't matter how you look or how much you can yell
As long as you stay genuine and do things for yourself

:rock: guitar: :guitar: :rock:

Lunch Hall Food Brawl

Here at lunch hour at Municipal High
We'll see something over the edge
This school is about to see more things crash
Then when you first failed Drivers Ed

Everybody that's inside will be caught in the fight

First somebody screams
Then food begins to fly
Milk cartons raised forward toward the sky

The room quickly erupts
It cannot be controlled
The brawl suddenly begins to explode

Soldiers from all grades choose sides
Combat has begun. Who will survive?
Teachers run in fear fleeing the hall
No one can escape the food brawl

Refreshments become ammunition
The tables is your only cover
There's s:censored: all on your favorite shirt
Now somebody's gonna suffer

First somebody screams
Then food begins to fly
Milk cartons raised forward toward the sky

Soldiers from all grades choose sides
Combat has begun. Who will survive?
Teachers run in fear fleeing the hall
No one can escape the food brawl

It rains condiments and the floor runs slick
With Wednesdays special lunch dish
The jocks are cornered and the principal is a goner
As the faculty looks on in horror

Those who oppose will fall
The lunch hall food brawl!

Headbanger Face Rip

[Short Instrumental Intro]

He's going to he concert, he's full of thrashing rage
He's gonna rip his face off and throw it at the stage

Headbanger
Face Rip
Headbanger
Face Rip

She's putting on her makeup, she's teasing out her hair
She's gonna rip her face off and throw it down the stairs

It doesn't really matter who you came to see to play
All we want to see you do is rip your face away
Thumbs into your eyeballs, stick your fingers in
Rake your hand across your face and pull apart your skin

Blood and hair swirl everywhere
Your face is gone, but you don't care
Receiving thrills with every tear
Destroy it as fast you can
Now's your time to take a stand
Just rip your face off to the band

Headbanger
Face Rip
Headbanger
Face Rip

A sacrifice for metal, just throw it at the stage
Just raise your drinks and slice your face off while the music plays

Headbanger
Face Rip
Headbanger
Face Rip

Feel the rage control you; they'll never stop the shred
Just rip apart that ugly mug and bang it 'til you're dead

[Short Instrumental Break]

Blood and hair swirl everywhere
Your face is gone, but you don't care
Receiving thrills with every tear
Destroy it as fast you can
Now's your time to take a stand
Just rip your face off to the band

Feel the skin under your nails
Through the air your face will sail
It absolutely never fails
Now the crowd's a bloody mess
They're slamming harder then the rest
The band stomps all over their flesh

Headbanger
Face Rip
Headbanger
Face Rip

[Short Instrumental Break]

Go!

[Instrumental Break]

Destroy it as fast you can
Now's your time to take a stand
Just rip your face off to the band

Face Rip!

I was about to post the lyrics to "Headbanger Face Rip", but you already beat me to it!!! Thanks!!! :rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSXCogYvQlw

I was about to post the lyrics to "Headbanger Face Rip", but you already beat me to it!!! Thanks!!! :rock: :guitar: :guitar: :rock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSXCogYvQlw

You’re welcome! :lol:

Lunch Hall Food Brawl

Here at lunch hour at Municipal High
We'll see something over the edge
This school is about to see more things crash
Then when you first failed Drivers Ed

Everybody that's inside will be caught in the fight

First somebody screams
Then food begins to fly
Milk cartons raised forward toward the sky

The room quickly erupts
It cannot be controlled
The brawl suddenly begins to explode

Soldiers from all grades choose sides
Combat has begun. Who will survive?
Teachers run in fear fleeing the hall
No one can escape the food brawl

Refreshments become ammunition
The tables is your only cover
There's **** all on your favorite shirt
Now somebody's gonna suffer

First somebody screams
Then food begins to fly
Milk cartons raised forward toward the sky

Soldiers from all grades choose sides
Combat has begun. Who will survive?
Teachers run in fear fleeing the hall
No one can escape the food brawl

It rains condiments and the floor runs slick
With Wednesdays special lunch dish
The jocks are cornered and the principal is a goner
As the faculty looks on in horror

Those who oppose will fall
The lunch hall food brawl!

Forming in 2001, Municipal Waste went through a series of lineup changes over the course of their career, with the then-current lineup in 2007 consisting of current members Tony Foresta on lead vocals, Ryan Waste on guitars and backing vocals, Philip "Landphil" Hallon bass and backing vocals, and Dave Witte on drums and percussion.

Influenced by hardcore and thrash crossover bands as D.R.I., Corrosion Of Conformity, and Suicidal Tendencies, the band toured and recorded several split albums and singles on independent labels in the early 2000's. In 2005, the band signed with Earache Records to record their first full-length album, 'Hazardous Mutation'. The band played at Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany and other festivals in Britain.

'Hazardous Mutation' featured songs such as "Deathripper", "Unleash the Bastards", "The Thrashin' Of the Christ", and the title track.

Unleash the Bastards

Millions lay dead
Resistance is futile
Armies are crushed
Bodies thrown in piles
Rich white man's dream
Once gained through the machines
Brought pain to this world
Through bloodlust and greed
The new hounds of war
Mechanical Bastards
Ripping through flesh
Destroying their masters
Programmed to kill
Destroying at will
The brilliant turned fools
Now punished by their tools

The time has come
For all your leaders to die
Electrified hate
Your blood an their circuits will fry
Bring on the war
Unleash the bastards
Prisoners no more
Destroying their masters
Fleets take the night
Destroying mankind
Those that revolt
Will spill blood from their throats

Wise up and see your fate
Witness the mechanical advance
Rise up but it's too late
You should have stood up when you had the chance

But now the world's a living hell
The stench of death is all you smell
The ground is scorched
The air is black
The sound of your neck being snapped
What was an earth worth fighting for?
Now destroyed by the corporate whore
An over load of greed and wealth
Who's gonna save them from themselves?

Hazardous Mutation

He couldn't pay the bills so he moved his family
In a cheap apartment near a wast refinery
They didn't know their water was infected with the slime
That they dump into the water barrels at a time

A deadly reaction sets forth
A hazardous mutation to end all creation is born
Pitiless fluid corroding like acid
Flesh torn!
Whose skins unprotected will soon be infected
Be warned

Radiation is spreading
Human lives are ending
No one can stop this
Mutated race of the damned
Across infected lands

In a panic he ran screaming
From his wife and kids
The image burned into his mind
Of their corroded limbs
As the smell of rotting flesh
Begins to attract flies
They knew that they could never
Return to their normal lives

Forming in 2001, Municipal Waste went through a series of lineup changes over the course of their career, with the then-current lineup in 2007 consisting of current members Tony Foresta on lead vocals, Ryan Waste on guitars and backing vocals, Philip "Landphil" Hallon bass and backing vocals, and Dave Witte on drums and percussion.

Influenced by hardcore and thrash crossover bands as D.R.I., Corrosion Of Conformity, and Suicidal Tendencies, the band toured and recorded several split albums and singles on independent labels in the early 2000's. In 2005, the band signed with Earache Records to record their first full-length album, 'Hazardous Mutation'. The band played at Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany and other festivals in Britain.

'Hazardous Mutation' featured songs such as "Deathripper", "Unleash the Bastards", "The Thrashin' Of the Christ", and the title track.

Unleash the Bastards

Millions lay dead
Resistance is futile
Armies are crushed
Bodies thrown in piles
Rich white man's dream
Once gained through the machines
Brought pain to this world
Through bloodlust and greed
The new hounds of war
Mechanical Bastards
Ripping through flesh
Destroying their masters
Programmed to kill
Destroying at will
The brilliant turned fools
Now punished by their tools

The time has come
For all your leaders to die
Electrified hate
Your blood an their circuits will fry
Bring on the war
Unleash the bastards
Prisoners no more
Destroying their masters
Fleets take the night
Destroying mankind
Those that revolt
Will spill blood from their throats

Wise up and see your fate
Witness the mechanical advance
Rise up but it's too late
You should have stood up when you had the chance

But now the world's a living hell
The stench of death is all you smell
The ground is scorched
The air is black
The sound of your neck being snapped
What was an earth worth fighting for?
Now destroyed by the corporate whore
An over load of greed and wealth
Who's gonna save them from themselves?

This is actually their first album:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_%27Em_All

This is actually their first album:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_%27Em_All

I sit corrected!! Thanks!!!

I sit corrected!! Thanks!!!

Anytime! :D

As 2007 was turning out to be the year of the Metal Concept Album, there was no message more ominous and dire than the one offered by Devin Townsend and his album 'Ziltoid the Omniscient', The former Strapping Young Lad told, in a rock opera, a story about a fictional alien who came to Earth in search of "your universe's ultimate cup of coffee." :eek:

On this album Townsend played all the instruments and programmed drums. He had broken up Strapping Young Lad as he was tired of touring.

ZTO

Ziltoid!
Ziltoid, Ziltoid!
Ziltoid!
The Omniscient!
Ziltoid, Ziltoid!
Ziltoid!
The Omniscient!

[Ziltoid:]
Greetings humans, I am Ziltoid...the omniscient.
I have come from far across the omniverse.
You shall fetch me your universe's ultimate cup of coffee...
Black!
You have five Earth minutes,
Make it perfect!

By Your Command

My command!
My dominion!
Memory, heart and all opinion,
Hide me, guide me,
Dry my tears,
Slowly taking back the years,
By your command,
By your command,
BY YOUR COMMAND,
No, I know,
All I am and,
We are not,
We are not to blame,
For all I have learned now,
We are not to blame,
Over and over,
And over and over,
And over you live it again!
(Touch it, take it)
Make it your friend!

[Ziltoid:]
You have not convinced mighty Ziltoid,
I am so omniscient; if there were to be two omniscience's
I would be both!
Prepare yourselves for the subjugation!

Hide me, guide me,
Dry my tears,
By your command,
Slowly taking back the years,
Now I know,
All I ask is,
We are not,
We are not to blame,
For all I have learned now,
We are not to blame!
Over and over,
and over and over,
and over you live it again!
(Touch it, take it)
Make it your friend!
Oh.. the physical race
You're dying!
Oh with physical grace..

Gone too far from the universe,
Gone too far for the way on home,
Gone too far from the universe.. the universe.

I'm flying...
Over physical,
I'm flying,
Over physical waste,
I'll keep it light, and stay awake.

[Ziltoid:] Commander...
[Commander:] Yes Captain Ziltoid!
[Ziltoid:] Have the humans delivered their ultimate cup of coffee?
[Commander:] I have it right here, sir.
[Ziltoid:] Yes...
[Ziltoid drinks the coffee]
[Ziltoid:] FETID! How dare they present this to me! FOUL! They hide their finest bean! Prepare the attack!

[Commander:] Captain Ziltoid! The humans are preparing themselves for the attack!
[Ziltoid:] Excellent! Have you prepared the planet smasher?
[Commander:] Yes, my lord.
[Ziltoid:] Indeed! On my word.
[Commander:] Yes, my lord...
[Human Commander:] Now listen here men! We represent the planet Earth! I want no heroes! He is gonna be unleashing a **** storm on us, we gotta be ready! They are coming over the horizon as we speak! We gotta be ready to take them down! Hold your position men! Do not fire until I tell you to fire! Have you got that?
[Troops:] YES SIR!
[Human Commander:] Right! Hold your position! Ziltoid, he comes!

Pound pound pound ye pushy push pound pound, pound pound pound ye pushy push pound, pound pound pound ye pushy push pound pound - Pound! Pound! Pound! Pound! Pound!

Spoiler Alert!! Things take a turn for the worse when Ziltoid is quite dissatisfied with the coffee that is delivered to him! The fact that we are here to read about this is a stretch of a miracle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtSnXU8DfCA

Ziltoidia Attaxx!!

ATTACK!
People of Earth!
We are the Ziltodian Warlords,
Resistance is futile!

Ziltoidia attaxx!
Ships are in the sky,
Everything goes rushing past,
And you know the reason why!
Woah! Down!
Woah! No!
You give us some coffee!
You give us some coffee!
Give it to what they do!
Ziltoidia Att-tack-tack-taxx
Ships are in the sky,
Colder than a robot mind,
And you know the reason why!
You better believe we'll destroy the Earth!
You get up, you get up, you get up, get down!
And you better, you better, you better believe it!
We're coming to your town,
We're coming to your town and you better, you better, you better, you better believe it!
Ziltoidia attaxx!
Ships are in the air
Everything goes rushing by,
There ain't no-one to stare!
Ziltoidia attaxx!
No conceit anywhere,
You better believe we come and sit,
We present to you, Ziltoid the Omniscient

[Ziltoid:]
Check this out!
I am the greatest guitar player ever to have lived! I am Ziltoid!

You better believe we'll destroy the Earth!
You get up, get up, get up and now!
And you better, you better, you better believe it!
We're coming to your town,
We're coming to your town and you better, you better, you better, you better believe it!
Ziltoidia attaxx!
Ships are in the air,
Everything goes rushing by,
There ain't no-one to stare!
Ziltoidia attaxx!
No conceit anywhere,
You better believe we come and sit,
We're in your planets air,
You better, you better, you better believe it!
You better believe it humans!
Do you know what?
You better, you better, you better believe it!
You better...

Spoiler Alert!! Things take a turn for the worse when Ziltoid is quite dissatisfied with the coffee that is delivered to him! The fact that we are here to read about this is a stretch of a miracle.

By Your Command

My command!
My dominion!
Memory, heart and all opinion,
Hide me, guide me,
Dry my tears,
Slowly taking back the years,
By your command,
By your command,
BY YOUR COMMAND,
No, I know,
All I am and,
We are not,
We are not to blame,
For all I have learned now,
We are not to blame,
Over and over,
And over and over,
And over you live it again!
(Touch it, take it)
Make it your friend!

[Ziltoid:]
You have not convinced mighty Ziltoid,
I am so omniscient; if there were to be two omniscience's
I would be both!
Prepare yourselves for the subjugation!

Hide me, guide me,
Dry my tears,
By your command,
Slowly taking back the years,
Now I know,
All I ask is,
We are not,
We are not to blame,
For all I have learned now,
We are not to blame!
Over and over,
and over and over,
and over you live it again!
(Touch it, take it)
Make it your friend!
Oh.. the physical race
You're dying!
Oh with physical grace..

Gone too far from the universe,
Gone too far for the way on home,
Gone too far from the universe.. the universe.

I'm flying...
Over physical,
I'm flying,
Over physical waste,
I'll keep it light, and stay awake.

[Ziltoid:] Commander...
[Commander:] Yes Captain Ziltoid!
[Ziltoid:] Have the humans delivered their ultimate cup of coffee?
[Commander:] I have it right here, sir.
[Ziltoid:] Yes...
[Ziltoid drinks the coffee]
[Ziltoid:] FETID! How dare they present this to me! FOUL! They hide their finest bean! Prepare the attack!

[Commander:] Captain Ziltoid! The humans are preparing themselves for the attack!
[Ziltoid:] Excellent! Have you prepared the planet smasher?
[Commander:] Yes, my lord.
[Ziltoid:] Indeed! On my word.
[Commander:] Yes, my lord...
[Human Commander:] Now listen here men! We represent the planet Earth! I want no heroes! He is gonna be unleashing a s:censored: storm on us, we gotta be ready! They are coming over the horizon as we speak! We gotta be ready to take them down! Hold your position men! Do not fire until I tell you to fire! Have you got that?
[Troops:] YES SIR!
[Human Commander:] Right! Hold your position! Ziltoid, he comes!

Pound pound pound ye pushy push pound pound, pound pound pound ye pushy push pound, pound pound pound ye pushy push pound pound - Pound! Pound! Pound! Pound! Pound!

I just posted those lyrics above.

Solar Winds

[Narrator:]
Now, being hailed as the ultimate 4th dimensional guitar hero, Ziltoid feels confident in his complete victory.
But, Captain Spectacular has seen through Ziltoid's façade and now sets out to expose Ziltoid for what he really is...a nerd.
A nerd...

We now join Captain Spectacular as he introspectively gazes out of his starship window, on his way to find the fifth dimensional nebulo 9.

Did you know that time,
Is not a straight line?
Everything that you learn,
Now it's gone,
Gone away.
You take your time,
If you choose,
You'll burn...
Everything that you were,
Now it's gone,
Gone away.
Yeah it's gone,
Gone away,

Yeah it's gone,
Gone away,
Gone!
And the world is gone!
And we find theirs no-one that's,
Waiting for the light to come,
And we are on our own,
And we find theirs no-one that's,
Waiting for the light to call,
Now you're on your own,
And You we find theirs no-one that's,
Waiting for the light to call.

[Captain Spectacular:]
I must rise! I must find a way! For this...Ziltoid will surely pay!
My fellow humans! I, Captain Spectacular, hereby give my good word!

Yeah it's gone, gone away,
Yeah it's gone, gone away,
Yeah it's gone, gone.

Solar wind blows,
Through my eye and control mind,
Solar wind blows,
Through my eye and control my mind,
Say it again!
Say it again!
Words are used for weapons!
Say it again, and again and again and again and again and again!
Don't let her down,
You've led her into my world!
Hey, you'll never learn,
You've led her into my mind.
Through your soul,
Your solar winds blowing cold.
You've never learned,
You've led her into my world.
Solar workings of your door,
The solar wind,
The solar winds blowing cold.

[Ziltoidian:] Commander Ziltoid, Permission to speak!
[Ziltoid:] Granted...
[Ziltoidian:] It appears as if Captain Spectacular and the remaining humans have set a course to the benevolent hive mine 9!
[Ziltoid:] Indeed...

Comfort me; you know I'm right,
Come to me into the night,
Knowing we are right behind,
The solar wind the solar winds blowing cold!
(Solar winds, solar winds blowing cold)

[Ziltoidian:] Commander Ziltoid the humans are no longer on our radar!
[Ziltoid:] What! Curses they must have jumped into hyperdrive. Phooey! Indeed, phooey! Until we meet again commander...

I just posted those lyrics above.

Yeah, so I just changed them. You beat me to it!! :lol: :happyface

Yeah, so I just changed them. You beat me to it!! :lol: :happyface

:lol:

Hyperdrive

So cold, in the night,
Where the river flows,
Where the river flows,
So cold, in the night,
Where the river flows,
Where the river flows,
Sail away,
Hey, I'm sorry,
Everyday is a new day.
Hooray for love,
Hey, I'm lonely,
Trying to find a new way.
So cold, in the night,
Where the rivers slow,
Say the rivers slows,
So cold, in the night,
Where the rivers slow,
Say the rivers slows,
So cold...
Connect!
So cold, in the night,
Hold on...
Hold on...
So cold, in the night,
Hold on...
Hold on...
Sail away,
Hey I'm sorry,
Every day's a new day,
Hooray for love.
Hey I'm lonely
Try and be on your way,
On your way...
On your way...

She loves me not...

[Narrator:]
Having made their way through space, Captain Spectacular and his intrepid crew have arrived in nebulo 9.
Unbeknownst to the humans, Ziltoid has also arrived

[Ziltoid:] Haha! Surprise!

Infamous shock rocker Marilyn Manson released a change of pace album in 2007, 'Eat Me, Drink Me. The album, whose title was borrowed from 'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll, showed a more personal side of Manson, as he had undergone a divorce and shown a more sensitive part of his nature.

Heart Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Hand

he reminds me of the one in school
When I was cuttin'
She was dressed in white
And I couldn't take my eyes off her
But that's not what I took off that night

She'll never cover up what we did with her dress, no
She said kiss me
It'll heal
But it won't forget
Kiss me
It'll heal
But it won't forget

And I don't mind you keepin' me
On pins and needles
If I could stick to you
And you stick me too

Don't break
Don't break my heart
And I won't break your heart-shaped glasses
Little girl, little girl
You should close your eyes
That blue is getting me high

Don't break
Don't break my heart
And I won't break your heart-shaped glasses
Little girl, little girl
You should close your eyes
That blue is getting me high
And making me low
That blue is getting me high
And making me low

She reminds me of a one I knew
That cut up the negatives of my life
I couldn't take my hands off her
She wouldn't let me be anywhere but inside

And I don't mind you keepin' me
On pins and needles
If I could stick to you
And you stick me too

Just don't break
Don't break my heart
And I won't break your heart-shaped glasses
Little girl, little girl
You should close your eyes
That blue is getting me high

Don't break
Don't break my heart
And I won't break your heart-shaped glasses
Little girl, little girl
You should close your eyes
That blue is getting me high
And making me low

She'll never cover up what we did with her dress, no
She said kiss me
It'll heal
But it won't forget
Kiss me
It'll heal
But it won't forget

I don't mind you keepin' me
On pins and needles
If I could stick to you
And you stick me too

Don't break
Don't break my heart
And I won't break your heart-shaped glasses
Little girl, little girl
You should close your eyes
That blue is getting me high

Don't break
Don't break my heart
And I won't break your heart-shaped glasses
Little girl, little girl
You should close your eyes
That blue is getting me high
And making me low

If I Was Your Vampire

Six A.M., Christmas morning
No shadows, no reflections here
Lying cheek to cheek in your cold embrace
So soft and so tragic as a slaughterhouse
You press the knife against your heart
And say that, "I love you
So much you must kill me now."
I love you
So much you must kill me now
If I was your vampire, certain as the moon
Instead of killing time, we'll have each other till the sun
If I was your vampire, death waits for no one
Hold my hands across your face because I think our time has come
Digging your smile apart with my spade-tongue
And the hole is where the heart is
We built this tomb together; I will fill it alone
(Beyond the pale everything's black, no turning back)
If I was your vampire, certain as the moon
Instead of killing time, we'll have each other till the sun
If I was your vampire, death waits for no one
Hold my hands across your face because I think our time has come
Blood-stained sheets
In the shape of your heart
This is where it starts
Blood-stained sheets
In the shape of your heart
This is where it starts
This is where it will end
Here comes the moon again
Six-nineteen, and I know I'm ready
Drive me off the mountain; you'll burn, and I'll eat your ashes
Impossible wheels seducing our corpse
If I was your vampire, certain as the moon
Instead of killing time, we'll have each other till the sun
If I was your vampire, death waits for no one
Hold my hands across your face because I think our time has come
This is where it starts
This is where it will end
Here comes the moon again
Here comes the moon again
This is where it starts
This is where it will end
Here comes the moon again
Here comes the moon again
Here comes the moon again
Here comes the moon again

By mid-decade, Marilyn Manson was so seriously depressed that he strongly considered giving up his career in the music industry. He released a compilation album, 'Lest We Forget: The Best Of' in 2004 and recorded a duet with Shirley Manson of Garbage (interestingly both artists sharing the same last name) on the song "Don't You Want Me", but shelved it when both vocalists agreed it was not up to their standards.

Marilyn Manson's marriage to actress Dita van Teese deteriorated in recent years as he embarked on a relationship with actress Evan Rachael Wood. He became involved in his own film, "Phantasmagoria: The Visions Of Lewis Carroll" and his own art gallery, which postponed recording of the upcoming album.

Putting Holes In Happiness

The sky was blonde like her
It was a day to take the child
Out back and shoot it.
I could have buried all my dead
Up in her cemetery head
She had dirty word witchcraft
I was in the deep end of her skin.
Then, it seemed like a one car wreck
But I knew it was a horrid tragedy.
Ways to make the tiny satisfaction disappear.

Blow out the candles
On all my frankensteins.
At least my death wish will come true.
You taste like Valentine's and
We cry,
You're like a birthday.
I should have picked the photograph
It lasted longer than you.

Putting holes in happiness.
We'll paint the future black
If it needs a color.
My death sentence is now a story
Who'll be digging when you finally let me die?
The romance of our assassination
If you're Bonnie, I'll be your Clyde.
But the grass is greener here and
I can see all of your snakes.
You wear your ruins well
Please run away with me to hell.

Blow out the candles
On all my Frankensteins.
At least my death wish will come true.
You taste like Valentine's and
We cry,
You're like a birthday.
I should have picked the photograph
It lasted longer than you.

Just a Car Crash Away

Love is a fire
Burns down all that it sees
Burns down everything
Everything you think burnt down
Everything you say
She blew me her death-kiss and the mouth-marks bled down my eyes
Like her dying on my windshield, I can already feel her worms eating my spine
So how can it be this lonely?
Is this all we get for our lives? Is love only sweeter when one of us dies?
Then I knew that our love was just a car crash away
I knew that our love was just a car crash away
I knew that our love was just a car crash away
I knew that our love was just a car crash away
Love is a fire
Burns down all that it sees
Burns down everything
Everything you think burns down
Everything you say
Love is a fire
Burns down all that it sees
Burns down everything
Everything you think burns down
Everything you say
Love is a fire
Burns down all that it sees
Burns down everything
Everything you think burns down
Everything you say
I knew that our love was just a car crash away
Knew that our love was just a car crash away, just a car crash away
Everything you think
Everything you think
Everything you think burns down
Everything you say
Love is a fire
Burns down all that it sees
Burns down everything
Everything you think burns down
Everything you say

On this album, most of the album was recorded by Manson and musical collaborator and band member Tim Skold. The band lineup did not feature many members named after combinations of supermodels and serial killers, as before. Marilyn Manson had undergone quite a change. He was no longer the cause of outrage and controversy earlier in his career.

They Said That Hell's Not Hot

I kill myself in small amounts
In each relationship it's not
About love.
Just another funeral and
Just another girl left in tears.
And I'm waiting
With the sound turned off
I'm waiting
Like a glass balloon
And I'm fading
Into the void and then
I'm gone, I'm gone, I'm gone...
They said that hell's not hot
They said that hell's not hot
I gave my soul to someone else
She must have known that
It was already sold.
It was never about her,
It was about the hurt.
I'm waiting
Like a glass balloon
And I'm fading
Into the void and then
I'm gone, I'm gone, I'm gone...
They said that hell's not hot
They said that hell's not hot
I kill myself in small amounts
In each relationship it's not
About love.
Just another funeral and
Just another girl left in tears.
And I'm waiting
With the sound turned off
I'm waiting
Like a glass balloon
And I'm fading
Into the void and then
I'm gone, I'm gone, I'm gone...
They said that hell's not hot
They said that hell's not hot

Are these uploaded photos showing up? :confused:

Are You the Rabbit?

I'm a kickstand in your mouth
And I'm the tongue slamming on the brakes
Pull the choke in, pull the choke in
As hard as it will take
All your pictures are getting dirty
Don't want anyone else's hand on my gears
And I'll choke on all the diamonds
Like a vulture, on your face
So ask yourself before you get in
Know insurance won't cover this
Are you the rabbit or the headlight?
And is there room in your life
For one more breakdown?
You can't escape, can't escape
All your demons, all you demons
Watch out, watch out for your lovers
Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster
I'm late, I'm late
The hands I'm my clock are starting to shake
We're on the line between the devil's tits
We've been driving on E
I'm gonna to be wanted for this crime
Or at least "you're wanted, " she'll say
So ask yourself before you get in
Know insurance won't cover this
Are you the rabbit or the headlight?
And is there room in your life
For one more breakdown?
An unmarked car, can't remember where I parked you
But I love you, can't afford you; take a cab to funeral
Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster
I'm late, I'm late
The hands I'm my clock are starting to shake
You can't escape, can't escape
All your demons, all you demons
Watch out, watch out for your lovers
So ask yourself before you get in
Know insurance won't cover this
Are you the rabbit or the headlight?
And is there room in your life
For one more breakdown?

Are these uploaded photos showing up? :confused:

They don’t show up on my phone.

Supergroup Velvet Revolver announced plans that it, too, was going to record, wait for it, wait for it--a concept album in the time between now and their debut release. This did not pan out as well as they had hoped. However, their sophomore release 'Libertad' did come out in 2007.

The album was one of the few albums that vocalist Scott Weiland wrote while sober, according to an interview with Rolling Stone.

She Builds Quick Machines

Hold fast little love
Burn it strong, let it roam
Ice cold desert snow
She build a quick dream
Sister keep her motor clean
Sunday visits and a wet machine
She's always quick to fight
We'll break her through the night

[Chorus]
I can feel it when you pull straight down
I can feel it when they stood their ground
Roll over right
Keep it through the night
Right, Right
Keep it through the night
Right in my sight
Keep it through the night
I'll smash right through your spotlight

She ran away to Texas
To keep away the excess
Old ex in Vegas, dope, back Texas
She burn through inheritance
Danced across America
At the all night sex show so far from home

[Chorus]

What you give is what you take.
What you bleed is what you break.
I'd bleed for you.
I'd steal for you.
I'd take. [x8]

[Chorus]

They don’t show up on my phone.

I wonder if I need to repost.

I wonder if I need to repost.

Can you check on your computer to see if they show up?

Supergroup Velvet Revolver announced plans that it, too, was going to record, wait for it, wait for it--a concept album in the time between now and their debut release. This did not pan out as well as they had hoped. However, their sophomore release 'Libertad' did come out in 2007.

The album was one of the few albums that vocalist Scott Weiland wrote while sober, according to an interview with Rolling Stone.

She Builds Quick Machines

Hold fast little love
Burn it strong, let it roam
Ice cold desert snow
She build a quick dream
Sister keep her motor clean
Sunday visits and a wet machine
She's always quick to fight
We'll break her through the night

[Chorus]
I can feel it when you pull straight down
I can feel it when they stood their ground
Roll over right
Keep it through the night
Right, Right
Keep it through the night
Right in my sight
Keep it through the night
I'll smash right through your spotlight

She ran away to Texas
To keep away the excess
Old ex in Vegas, dope, back Texas
She burn through inheritance
Danced across America
At the all night sex show so far from home

[Chorus]

What you give is what you take.
What you bleed is what you break.
I'd bleed for you.
I'd steal for you.
I'd take. [x8]

[Chorus]

She Mine

Love songs keep pumpin' on my radio
You split on Monday
Took your machine that kept me afloat
Now you're back it's Tuesday

I call it love insanity
I call it my reality
She mine, mine all mine
She mine, mine all mine

Cool kids keep movin' as the car explodes
Roll around on Sunday
Dual diagnosis is the way to go
Poppin' pills like candy

I call it love insanity
I call it my reality
She mine, mine all mine
She mine, mine all mine

While away
Our old mistakes
Break the fray
Change
She mine, mine all mine
She mine, mine all mine
She mine, mine all mine
She mine, mine all mine

Can you check on your computer to see if they show up?
Interesting, I put a new picture and it shows up.

Interesting, I put a new picture and it shows up.

Huh. That’s strange.

Scott Weiland had made a name for himself while with Stone Temple Pilots as being one of the most notorious drug users of his era. By 2007 he had cleaned his slate and was drug-free. But was it still the same? One would be interested to see a collaboration between the former members of Guns 'N' Roses and the frontman of one of the biggest bands of the 90's. Yet the album did not live quite up to the hype. It stayed on the charts for a while before dropping off.

The Last Flight

Time feels like I've been back in jail
Like when I was doin' time in the can
Spend all night on a bended knee
Just to beg for something to believe

Left home with a pack of clothes
Without a family tree

This fight could be the last fight
No giving, no winning
One time, could be the only time
Should we decide to end the misery

Time heals all of the burned-out bridges
Filled with nothing more than misery
I wear the mask of the embattled son
Trying to beg for something to believe

I left home with a pack of clothes
Without a family tree

This fight could be the last fight
No giving, no winning
One time, could be the only time
Should we decide to end the misery

Break the chains of featherweights and giants
With disdain for everlasting liars
They'll refrain when we spit out the fire
And start living, living, living off prayer

[Solo]
(Who will answer my prayers?) x2

This fight could be the last fight
No giving, no winning
One time could be the only time
Should we decide to end the misery

This fight could be the last fight
No giving, no winning
One time could be the only time
Should we decide to end the misery

Just Sixteen

At school, the teacher saw
The talent in your eye
So pleased to meet you
So young, so pretty, so unsatisfied
Underneath the bleachers sat
The kid and Mrs. Jones
He's her favorite secret
Duly disconcerted lovers 101

We ain't go nothin' to hide, hide
We ain't go nothin' to hide, hide, hide
We ain't go nothin' to hide, hide
We ain't go nothin', nothin', nothin' to hide

Oh you say it's wrong, you say what you do, you do, you do
Oh you say we're wrong, you say what we do, we do, we do
Oh you say it's wrong, you say what you do, you do, you do
Oh you say we're wrong, you say what we do, we do, we do wrong

We do wrong, you do wrong

Rolling in the street lights
In his old man's ride
Head in his lap going, up and down
Up and down, oh no, cop lights
Standing in the courthouse
In front of God and every child
She said "Your Honor I plead to
The crime of being satisfied."
We ain't go nothin' to hide, hide
We ain't go nothin' to hide, hide, hide
We ain't go nothin' to hide, hide
We ain't go nothin', nothin', nothin' to hide

Oh you say it's wrong, you say what you do, you do, you do
Oh you say we're wrong, you say what we do, we do, we do
Oh you say it's wrong, you say what you do, you do, you do
Oh you say we're wrong you say what we do, we do, we do wrong

I'm kinda feeling in love
I'm kinda feeling in love
I'm kinda feeling in love
I'm kinda feeling in love
I'm kinda feeling in love
I'm kinda feeling in love
I'm kinda feeling in love
I'm kinda feeling in love

Oh you say it's wrong, you say what you do, you do, you do
Oh you say we're wrong, you say what we do, we do, we do
Oh you say it's wrong, you say what you do, you do, you do
Oh you say we're wrong, you say what we do, we do, we do wrong

We do wrong
We do wrong
We do wrong
We do wrong
We do wrong
We do wrong
We do wrong
We do wrong

The album's title and cover image was a reference to the overthrow of Chilean socialist president Salvadore Allende in 1973 and the installation of the Pinochet regime. The band denied having any implications with political intentions or loyalties to the event.

Let It Roll

She's the one with lips like candy, candy
Like a dog well I'm a coming running
She got eyes that burn right through me, through me
She told me her name calls herself candy, candy

Can't burn her out of my head
Drink her off of my mind
Let it roll
Let it roll

She got a head that makes you think more of her
She got hairs that makes you want more of it
Lipstick smile that tastes of cherry brandy
She's more than quite insane that makes you want her badly

Can't burn her out of my head
Drink her off of my mind
Can't burn her out of my head
Drink her off of my mind
Let it roll
Candy-o
Candy, candy, candy, candy, candy-o

Can't burn her out of my head
Drink her off of my mind
Candy, candy, candy, candy, candy-o
Let it roll
Candy-o
Let it roll
Candy-o
Let it roll
Candy-o

American Man

Freedom: the naked power
Weakened by the ages
Raped, but not forgotten
All it's supple secrets
Gods and liberations
Those that try to use it
Are those that try to sheath it
Wide awake
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Free man
Haunted by the music
Ghosts of generations
Beat the drums for freedom
Those that toiled and suffered
And those they try to smother
Wide awake
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Where to begin?
Bred to win
Where do I go?
The sole worn off my skin
So, I take the skewers
I cut out the hole
In my soul I know is you
So are we ready
Ready to lose?
I know I feel, feel, feel
Inside the walls
Inside the walls
The iron walls protect the soles
Of my old boots
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man
Yes, I am the American man

True to form, the band released a number of songs touching on controversial topics and themes, such as the self-explanitory "Pills, Demons & Etc." and the single "Get Out the Door", about a transgender woman the band may or may not have encountered. Over time, such lyrics would be considered on par with the anti-social nature of Guns 'N' Roses' "One In a Million".

Unfortunately, this would be the last we would hear of Velvet Revolver, for the most part. In the spring of the coming year, Scott Weiland would exit the band and rejoin the reunited Stone Temple Pilots. Velvet Revolver would remain on indefinite hiatus as they sought to find a new lead singer.

Pills, Demons, & Etc.

You, you got the skills
You got the pills, you're gettin' older
You got the weight of all that's left you on your shoulder
But the world still waits for you, throw yourself right through it

You got your demons
And your wasted life
You could pull the trigger
And you'll end the strife, you could
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Yeah, I got the news, you had the blues
You bought a ticket to the one place that I won't be goin' to visit
What the f:censored: were you thinking of?
Now I stare right through you

Get Out the Door

Come on closer, won't you tell me what you got?
Wait a minute girl, you're something that you're not
Big cities screaming, driving feathers to and fro
Brass in pocket, thought you hit it when you walked up to my door

I've been down this road so long
Been miles and miles of freaks before

Aww, get out the door, get out the door
Gonna kick you when I saw what you were packing
Gonna kick it out the door

Get out the door
Gonna kick you when I saw what you were packing
Gonna kick it out the door

Like transformers, girl, there's more than meets the eye
Another beer and then I might end up buyin'
The city screams it's full of Angelos and Toms
Never underestimate the danger of Sunset Boulevard

Also in 2007, Dream Theater released 'Systematic Chaos', their highest charting album at that point. The band had considered making it a concept album, but drummer Mike Portnoy wanted to have a "cutting-edge sound", "with balls"; it "had to be cool."

In typical Dream Theater fashion, the band recorded a series of lengthy stories on the album, such as the album opener, "In the Presence Of Enemies", described by Petrucci as the "epitome of a Dream Theater creation". It was twenty-six minutes long, similar to songs by Yes and Rush in their heyday. The song was inspired by a Korean manhwa, or comic strip, named Priest which dealt with the personal struggles one has with the darkness in one's life. The song was split into two parts to open and close the album.

In the Presence Of Enemies, Pt. 1

[I Prelude]

[Instrumental]

[II Resurrection]

I saw a white light
Shining there before me
And walking to it
I waited for the end
A final vision
Promising salvation
A resurrection
For a fallen man

Do you still wait for your God
And the symbol of your faith?

I can free you from this Hell and misery
You should never be ashamed my son
I can give you power beyond anything
Trust me you will be the chosen one

I was forgotten
A body scorned and broken
My soul rejected
Tainted by his blood

Beyond redemption
A sinner not worth saving
Forever taken
From the one I loved

Do I still wait for my God
And a symbol of my faith?

I can lead you down the path and back to life
All I ask is that you worship me
I can help you seek revenge and save yourself
Give you life for all eternity

Servants of the fallen
Fight to pave the way
For their saviour's calling
Of this wicked day

Through a veil of madness
With a vicious blade
One man rises up
Standing in their way

Redemption
Redemption for humanity

One of the most popular tracks on the album was "Forsaken", about a man seduced by a vampiress who steals his blood before he is aware.

Forsaken

For a while I thought I fell asleep
Lying motionless inside a dream

Then rising suddenly
I felt a chilling breath upon me
She softly whispered in my ear
(Forsaken)

Forsaken
I have come for you tonight
Awaken
Look in my eyes and take my hand
Give yourself up to me

I waited painfully
For night to fall again
Trying to silence the fear within me

Out of an ivory mist
I felt a stinging kiss
And saw a crimson stain on her lips

I have to know your name
Where have I seen your face before?
My dear one don't you be afraid

Forsaken
I have come for you tonight
Awaken
Look in my eyes and take my hand
Give yourself up to me

Take me far away
Close your eyes
And hold your breath
To the ends of the earth

Forsaken
I have come for you tonight
Awaken
Look in my eyes and take my hand

Forsaken
Fly away with me tonight
Awaken
Renew my life
Now you are mine
Give yourself up to me

This is the standout track on the album:

Constant Motion

Tunnel vision at blinding speed
Controlling my thoughts, obsessing me
Void of any uncertainty
Throughout my very soul

Lost illusions of mind control
Resisting all hope of letting go
Racing impulse of dark desire
Drives me through the night

I try to shut it down
It leaves me in the dust
No matter what I've found
I can never get enough

Frantic actions of insanity
Impulsive laced profanity
Long for elusive serenity
Way out of my control

Traveling through both space and time
(Out of body, out of mind)
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
(I can't let up, I can't let go)
Can't stop this flame from burning
Forever more
Into the night
Blistering

Focus here, focus there
Cannot see the light
(Falling down through the night)
Sprawling everywhere

Searching left, searching right
(Panic setting in, I can no longer fight)
When will this end?

Accelerate, dislocate
(Set to crash and burn, haven't got time to waste)
Not planning to return

Aggravate, agitate
(When will I ever learn?)
There's no way out of here
Nowhere to turn

Obsessive yearning
Compulsive burning
Still never learning
Insane random thoughts
Of neat disorder

Scattered wasteland surrounding me
Tattered memories of what used to be
Apocalyptic mind debris
Until we meet again

Traveling through both space and time
(Out of body, out of mind)
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
(I can't let up, I can't let go)
Can't stop this flame from burning
Forever more
Into the night
Blistering

Traveling through both space and time
(Out of body, out of mind)
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
(I can't let up, I can't let go)
Can't stop this flame from burning
Can't stop the wheels from turning

Traveling through both space and time
(You get yours, and I got mine)
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
(I can't let up, I can't let go)
Can't stop this flame from burning
Forever more
Into the night
Blistering

In the Presence Of Enemies, Pt. 2

[III. Heretic]

Welcome tired pilgrim
Into the circle
We have been waiting

Everyone's gathered
for your arrival
All the believers

Angels fall
all for you
heretic
Demon heart
bleed for us

I've been waiting for you,
Weary preacher man
You have been expected
Now we can begin
Let this hallowed Day of Judgment reign

I have known you father
And your sacred quest
Blessed soldier fighting
You shall never rest
I have known you but do you know me?

Angels fall
all for you
heretic
Demon heart
bleed for us

(My soul is yours Dark Master, I will fight for you)

Dark Master within, I will fight for you
Dark Master of sin, now my soul is yours
Dark Master, my guide, I will die for you
Dark Master inside�

I cannot see his face
But I could feel his spite
A presence from the dead
Abandoned by the light
This shadow will consume him
from within

This power that I sense
The rage behind those eyes
Is just a shrouded ghost
A spirit sealed inside
The body and the soul both threats
For they are one

Angels fall
all for you
heretic
Demon heart
bleed for us

(My soul is yours Dark Master, I will fight for you)

Dark Master within, I will fight for you
Dark Master of sin, now my soul is yours
Dark Master, my guide, I will die for you
Dark Master inside�
Dark Master, amen, I belong to you
Dark Master within�

Heil! Heil! Heil! Heil!
Heil! Heil! Heil! Heil!

[IV. The Slaughter of The Damned]

Don't
Bother trying to find them
They will be coming to you
Fight,
Fight and destroy until you can't take anymore

Slay
Spill the blood of the rebels
They are the children of hell
Flesh,
Of the undead
Stopping at nothing to kill

Sin,
Caught in a moment of weakness
Committed the greatest of all
Sold,
Half of my soul
And now it's too late for you

I judge us
my eyes see
I judge and I am just
For I speak of the beast
That lives in all of us

Unwelcome ones
your time has come

Lord,
You are my god and my shepherd
Nothing more shall I want
Walk,
Through the abyss
Into the shadow of death

Fear,
There is no evil to fear now
For I know you are with me
My,
Cup overflows
With my enemy's blood

I,
Decay in the house of the lord
Forever, amen
Death,
Will follow me
All the days of my life

I judge us
my eyes see
I judge and I am just
For I speak of the beast
That lives in all of us
Unwelcome ones
your time has come

Servants of the fallen
Fight to pave the way
For their savior's calling
On this wicked day

Through a veil of madness
With a vicious play
One man rises up
Standing in their way

It's time for your reckoning

[V. The Reckoning ]

[Instrumental]

[VI. Salvation]

My soul grows weaker
He knows and he waits
He watches over me
Standing at the infernal gates
In the hour of darkness
The moment I feared has passed
The moment I lost my faith
Promising salvation
My soul is my own now
I do not fight for you
Dark Master