The Music Banter Members Journals Update Thread: Week ending February 1 2015
 

And so into a new month we plunge! Hasn't been exactly a hive of activity this week, and that suits me as I'm late getting this written. Hey, Star Trek Month won't compose itself you know! Let's get to it then.

Anteater gets us underway as he returns for another leg of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ravaganza.html, explaining all about the five variations of Yacht Rock (with examples!)

while Briks believes that http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html would be better off not taking part in “The Devil's Dancefloor” (didn't you get the memo, Briks? He's shelved it) and is instead reviewing an album by Orthelm while also knocking out some more haiku reviews. Pallbearers? Overrated? Sir, you jest, surely!

Speaking of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ancefloor.html, Justin is looking for a metal album to review. Some suggestions already heading his way

while Ki is listening to some morning music in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html: you know the kind of thing, The Black Keys, Iron Maiden --- sound of needle screeching across record in time-honoured film promotion fashion --- what? Hold the phone! Iron Maiden is good to wake up to? Check out his explanation. Oh, and he'll be looking back at some music from 2012, it would seem.

We all feel Pet_Sounds' pain over the loss of his Great-Aunt Patricia recently, and he's paying tribute to her in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html, as well as kind of fielding an argument over whether Springsteen is a god or not?

Sidewinder hits 2000 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ar-1965-a.html, with music from Ween, Clinic and Radiohead among his picks.

Again, I've been writing more than posting, so there aren't a slew of updates from me. But in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html there are two more Waits albums, while in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html there's a little more about Star Trek Month, including the now-decided coverage of “Voyager”, as well as no less than three episodes of Supernatural. More to come very soon.

W.A.S.P make an appearance for the first time at 22 in Unknown Soldier's list for 1984 with their self-titled debut and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html you'll also find Dokken's Tooth and nail at 21.

Closing us up for this week it's a somewhat rare but always welcome salvo from the man whose homeland's greatest claim to fame may be "Bergerac" :laughing:, and an answer to my mini-thread http://www.musicbanter.com/lounge/80...te-monger.html as http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-stuff.html tells us all about “The best 200 albums I have never heard according to NME”, with Clor and The Buff Medways? Ah, never disappoints, does Urban!

Ah, wait! I was wrong! Almost forgot about our old friend Wpnfire, and just as well I didn't, cos he's put a lot into his latest entries. First, he's listening to, liking, loving, then hating Iron Maiden, then kind of loving them again, though he has some sacrilegious things to say about Number of the Beast and Bruce! There may be a duel yet! He's also listening to Om, Asbestosdeath and the Ramones, plus a rather heated debate --- chaired by Batty – about viking metal. Hmm. You'll find it all going on in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html

Speaking of Wpnfire, his has to be the
http://www.trollheart.com/quill.jpg
How anyone can a) not have heard Maiden then b) like the debut, c) love “Killers” and then d) hate “Number of the Beast” is beyond me, but it certainly earned our friend this slot when he posted this:
And would you believe it, he's also the winner of the inaugural
http://www.trollheart.com/hotchair.jpg
This is a new award I'm giving for the busiest journal each week. That's not to say the most entries by the author, but the one that excites the most comment, gets the most interest, has people debating, arguing, levelling death threats at one another, and generally participating, thanks to something the author wrote. There can be no doubt that the current conversations going on in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html, from the meaning of viking metal to his exploration of Iron Maiden, make Wpnfire the easy choice for this award.

And so, having completed our trip through Unknown Soldier's journal, we begin an entirely new one of the
http://www.trollheart.com/classicj2.png
this week and as mentioned last week, it's this one:
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-obscure.html
Anteater has had about four journals over the years, one of which is currently going very strongly indeed, but back in 2009 he began what I think (though he'll correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure) was his first one, and it kicked off with an intro. This also contained an album index but I'm not going to include that, as Mister Max Character Count is looking over his shoulder at me, and I don't want to have to split this entry up...
The first album to fall under his microscope then was Not available by The Residents, followed by Lucifer's Friend's Banquet. That came at the end of January and so February saw Psychillis of a lunatic genius by Pazop, The Vampires of Dartmoore's Dracula's Music Cabinet, then Moon Safari's Blomljud and then the utterly not-obscure Level 42's World machine! Normal (!) service was then resumed with a review of Remedy Lane by Pain of Salvation, Sacrifice by Black Widow and The Tangent's The music that died alone.

This first journal of his is not huge, and I want to stretch it out over a week or two, so I'm going to do it month by month. Therefore this is where we wave goodbye to the insect-eating one for this week, but we'll have more from him in the next update.

That's it then for this week. Keep writing and keep listening, and Wpnfire, watch yer back man! :ar_15s:
Till next week,
Toodles!

Wrong island, dickhead :laughing:

I don't know whether I'm flattered or embarrassed from my first journal being dug up: my writing has come so many lightyears since I've joined MB all those years ago. Most of the music I initially reviewed, however, continues to stick with me. :)

One of the biggest differences between then and now is that I had so many false preconceptions about various genres back in my teens: instead of exploring stuff on my own, I'd rely sometimes on popular opinion of something in order to form a broad judgement. You'll notice on my Ambrosia post that I pretty much wrote all their other albums off besides the debut even though all their records have good stuff. I fell into the overall dismissal bias of 70's soft rock stuff without having given them a fair shake.

In any case, thanks for the spotlight amigo. :tramp:

Same group though.
Also, I can't edit my posts here, so would you mind changing the entry on Pet_Sounds' journal from "his grandmother" to his "Great-Aunt Patricia"? Appreciate it.

And about as accurate as me saying to you that you live somewhere famed for the making of Taggart or Eastenders.
Same group of Islands right?

Yeah, if you wanna know all the important people from Guernsey, you should check this out.

List of people from Guernsey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

They've even got this guy, so this place is clearly happenin'...

Hey, we're all island monkeys under the skin, hermano! ;)

Sir Isaac Brock? Canada owes you an immeasurable debt, Urban.

The guy from Modest Mouse? I thought he was from Washington. And when did he get knighted?

Think I'm done with journaling for a while. Maybe I'll do it again, but I don't feel my writing is all that strong yet, and I don't want to be repeating myself a lot in band choices.

Hey man, I repeat myself constantly in my journal with album choices for different reasons. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

If you want to continue (and nobody's forcing you of course) then why not try something totally different? Everyone reviews albums; why not take a different tack? What else are you interested in? Sharks? Motor racing? Space? Football? You can literally write about anything, and yeah, constantly reviewing albums does get a little boring.

Or you could do "worst albums I ever heard" or something like that. Anyway, it's up to you. No point doing it if you're not enjoying it.

My interest in journal writing comes and goes. Sometimes I guess it's writer's block. I'm sure no one thinks that I have writers block, if anything it's just that it has not been recently updated. My guess is the people who read your journal wouldn't even notice the band choices you are worrying about, it just appears as what it should be when they read it. It could be you are putting more pressure on yourself thinking about how it should be to you. The best thing is not to worry, not to worry what people think you should do, not worry to put your journal aside for a time, not worry about repeating yourself etc.

I thought with my first journal I wouldn't do albums, but to tell you the truth I felt like it wasn't enough information. I thought if I mentioned one song it would pique the curiosity of the reader(s) and they would probably want to know more about the band & at least more about the album the song appears on, whether that is worth a listening. I guess (at least with music) there is a progression of what to cover in a journal: song, albums, discographies, & then a journal dedicate to one genre. I guess you have to find where your interest lie.

Of you could always write about comic books. Oh wait, I'm already doing that. Starting a comic book journal after I already have would be kind of unoriginal.

You're just never going to let that go are you? :shycouch:
Perhaps I should dust off the TARDIS and pop back in time to open my journal first. What'll you do then huh smart guy? ;)
Anyway my next journal is going to be based on this great book I'm reading. It's called hi-fidel ... oh, wait... :banghead:

No.

Thanks for the advice guys I'm just feeling like I haven't been coming on here enough lately to keep a daily journal so I might start it up again later or start something else new, but not for a good while.

I've learned that having a journal that's just there for you when you need to write something is better than focusing on a day to day basis sort of thing. It's a lot less stressful. I tried updating mine day to day but I got mentally drained pretty quickly. Doing it on a whenever I feel like basis is way easier.

The "writing whenever I damn please"-mentality is the one I support. So much less stressful.

The Music Banter Members Journals Update Thread: Week ending February 8 2015
 

Things are still a little slow down Journaltown way, but we're getting there. Again I use the excuse of writing Star Trek Month, but I am. Honestly! Right now, guys from MIT are sending me reasons why Captain Picard is better than Captain Kirk. Hah! They're out of their minds!

But enough Simpsons references. Let's see just who is updating this week.

Briks is looking into The Misfits in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html

and The Whitefield Brothers, Techno Animal, Nas and Aesop Rock are all part of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...63-2013-a.html

Ki is still wittering on about how great he thinks The endless river is. Not in a million years man, not in a million years. Read what he has to say in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html, and while you're there, check out his features on videogame music, to say nothing of Alesana and Linkin Park.

Mondo is continuing his look through the music of John Zorn and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...istortion.html he's taking a butcher's at Elegy

there's chapters four and five of Oriphiel's ongoing music/story of disco in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rgy-story.html

while Pet_Sounds is trying some “Polar Opposites” onhttp://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html with The Smiths vs Jimmy Buffett.

Now, should I say the original and best? Well I think Sidewinder was doing this before Goofle so that only seems a fair description. In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ar-1965-a.html there's music from Marmoset, Juno, The Shins and yes, Aesop Rock again.

The Tom Waits discography continues in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html with Swordfishtrombones and Rain dogs, and we finally get to the winner in the Scrooge Showdown over at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html, while http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ive-metal.html looks into Sgt Pepper and The piper at the gates of dawn. Now we're starting to move! Also slowly ticking along --- hey! I have Star Trek Month to write, you know! Yeah, we know: you said. You keep saying... And Metal Month III is coming up in a mere, um, eight months --- we have The Beta Band as another of the albums in which http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-you-die.html

There's, ahem, Trouble as into the top twenty we go in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html

and William the Bloody is back http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ta-coffin.html to finish us off this week with music from WASP and Circle Jerks.

Although this week is not what I'd call the busiest we've ever been in Journaltown --- myself included --- there is one guy who has been working like a Trojan (what does that mean, exactly? That he's being duped by Greeks with a bloody great wooden horse? Never understood that phrase. But I digress...) and deserves the award for
http://www.trollheart.com/workhorse.png
And after coming back from his short break, no doubt eager to retain his title of “Most worked-upon journal”, Ki takes this easily with all the entries he's put in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html this week. Show 'em how it's done Ki!

I would never have thought I'd feature him but there's just no way I can't award Norg this week's
http://www.trollheart.com/quill.jpg
for this gem. Not only does he reply to a journal that must have been buried on about page six, hasn't been updated since 2011 and in all likelihood whose author has departed so will never read, never mind answer his pearl of wisdom, he writes it the classic Norg way that makes it virtually impossible to know what in the hell he is saying, if indeed he is saying anything.
Take a bow, Norg! You've finally made it!
(Oh, and I'm leaving the YouTube there, as it would appear that Norg, after six years here still doesn't know how to embed a YouTube!) :laughing:

http://www.trollheart.com/backfrom.png
It's entirely appropriate that this should feature William the Bloody as his journal http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ta-coffin.html has not been updated since last June, leaving him again with the interesting situation of having his last entry 6-24-14 and his current one 2-6-15! Anyway, we all enjoyed your journal when it was going Spike, sorry I mean William, and hope this isn't just a brief visit, and that you'll get back to regular updating soon.

And so on to
http://www.trollheart.com/classicj2.png
as we continue our short jant (what? It's an Irish word: let's go for a jant in the car ... You people! Honestly! :rolleyes:) through Anteater's first ever journal here, with apologies to the eponymous insectivore, who seems embarrassed about his early work. Not sure why, because it's really good.

March dawned and Ant went looking at a psychedelic band called Algarnas Tradgad (sounds like something out of Norse mythology --- The heroes met at Algarnas Tradgard, where the god Baldur had once held a council...) --- an album name I'm not even going to try to spell, and then it was David “Fuze” Fiuczynski's Black Cherry Acid Lab followed by It'll all work out in Boomland by T2 and then Yes with Going for the one. Finishing up March then, Ant warned us all about mental damage that could result if we listened to Brainticket. I'm taking that to heart, but if you're braver than me (as about 99.5% of the planet is) then it could very well change you life.

An interesting thing about reviewing such an old journal is the people who comment in it who no longer post, or perhaps are no longer even around. Comus, Jacklovezhimself, TheCellarTapes, Sneer, tore, Terrible Lizard, Demonoid ... a lot of people there that guys'n'gals who are here longer than me will recognise, and perhaps miss.

Next week we'll be wrapping up this look at Ant's short journal. I've no idea who I'm doing after that so if you want your journal featured, shout. Criteria are:
1) Must have at least four pages (though preferably more), at least 80% of which must be your own writings. I need something to work with.
2) See (1) above.

That's it for another week. See you all next Sunday!
Till then,
Toodles!

Must not have been any other interesting posts this week since Norg was chosen for this post of the week. Oh well. Guess everyone deserves a win at some point.

The Music Banter Members Journals Update Thread: Week ending February 2015
 

Like an approaching tsunami, we've been waiting for something to hit and kick things into life down here in Journaltown. And this week it seems it did. Four new journals, the return of “The Showroom” and some serious work being done by certain members. Let's get to a safe height and observe the waves crashing in....

Anteater is going all Steely Dan in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ravaganza.html as he looks into the seminal “Aja”

then the first of those new journals almost pushes Ant off the top sspot alphabetically, though not quite, as Aux-in opens his journal, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...continuum.html wherein he explores --- anyone? --- yup: electronic music. Starting off with Skrux, Andy Moor, Namaste ... all names I have never heard, but that's not surprising as I am not the biggest electro fan. If you are --- or even if you're not --- check his journal out, but beware: as he says himself, it is going to be “video-intensive”. Don't forget those spoiler tags, man!

And while we're on the subject, what's with those pictures that extend the text off my page, Batty? (Looks at sig: Windows 98? There's a Windows 98? When did that happen?) If you want to read all about the adventures of, um, Squirrel Girl, and have a better PC than me, go http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-oblivion.html

Briks is getting into “Romeo and Juliet” (the film, so I guess “William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet”? Why did the makers feel it was necessary to put that part on? People aren't stupi --- oh, wait. These are the people for whom “The madness of King George III” had to be retitled without the numeral, lest they think it was the last of a trilogy! Carry on...) Anyway, he doesn't like it. There are also more Haiku reviews and he's waxing lyrical about moving to Mars. Maybe. He also has something to say about Valentine's Day.

It's 2002 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...63-2013-a.html and albums included are from Queens of the Stone Age, Bus Driver, EI-P and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, then on to 2003 where it's Dizzee Rascal, The Black Keys, Guided by Voices and Mew in the running

while another new journal opens, from the oddly named grtwhtgrvty (what? Does he hate vowels too?), eager to express http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-opinions.html, and the first is on Lana Del Rey.

Hard on his heels is another new member with his journal. Innerspaceboy has quickly made himself a home here and I don't think anyone who's read his material has a bad word to say about him. In fact, he's the sort of member we always hope to attract, and hopefully he will stay on. In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html he starts off asking what will the current generation's legacy be in terms of music and art, then veers completely left to check out some of his favourite choons from “Sesame Street”! Ah, memories!

I honestly don't know what to tell you about http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html this week. Ki has really been (ki)lling it with a boatload of entries, including words on Floyd, Jeff Bridges, more from Pg. Lost, as well as a visit to Seattle's EMP and word from below about Valentine's Day. Some worker!

Neapolitan hops onto the question posed in Innerspaceboy's journal and makes his case for Rachel Flowers in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-journal.html

Norg has a journal! No, you read that right. Norg has a journal. With typical Norg subtlety and finesse, it's called http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html and he's kicking it off with something called Phuture Doom (not sure if that's his spelling or if it really is spelled that way) as well as some latin music he likes. As my avatar says, fascinating. Perhaps.

More from http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rgy-story.html as Oriphiel gives us chapter six of his story while

on the http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html Pet_Sounds is checking out some of his favourite Bowie tracks

and Sidewinder has The Jazz June, Boards of Canada, Queens of the Stone Age and Sonic Youth among others in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ar-1965-a.html for 2002.

Which brings us back to me. Now, as I've been whining on about for several weeks, my journals are not getting updated as they should, because I'm currently writing material for Star Trek Month, due to warp into a journal near you (mine, basically) on March 1. It should be worth waiting for. But while I try to avoid neglecting my other journals, and my main one, I have only managed to throw the one Tom Waits album review into http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html, though http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html has been getting some attention, with the long-not-awaited opening of American Dad vs Family Guy, as well as a new section concentrating on surprising moments in movies.

Another journal I've been trying to resurrect is http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html, and with so many albums from this year already to get through I'm rolling a few reviews out, including albums from Funeris and Blush. Judge Dredd reaches the end of the “Robot wars” in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-2000-ad.html and as mentioned http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-showroom.html returns, with music from our friend Xurtio's band.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html continues into 1984 with Armored Saint and Great White

while Urban is firmly rooted nearly two centuries earlier, talking about Saint-Saens in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-stuff.html

Jumping http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ta-coffin.html William the Bloody finishes off his look at Circle Jerks, and puts in a handy index to his journal so far. Thinking of doing one for mine, but, you know, nearly 200 pages to catalogue? :eek:

Taking us out this week is Wpnfire, who's listening to Run DMC and Judas Priest (not at the same time presumably) in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html

This has to be the first week that one member won both awards (well, the “Workhorse” hasn't been around that long, to be fair) but I couldn't really see any other outcome. I did consider some of you, but in the end it had to be that man who won the
http://www.trollheart.com/workhorse.png
After all, he updated his journal with seven different entries (and they weren't short either) while also going out and about and having a life! That's what I call dedication. So, Ki, you're well on the way to being the hardest-working member here for 2015.

And you also win the
http://www.trollheart.com/quill.jpg
for having the courage (some might say temerity) to ask this question about this band:
So well done man! Now it's time for our final look into Anteater's first faltering pawsteps (do anteaters have paws?) as we check out his debut journal for the last time in
http://www.trollheart.com/classicj2.png
As April of 2009 prepared to give way to May, Ant got all proggy and checked out Gentle Giant's Acquiring the taste, then May saw Grobschnitt's Rockpommel's land, with Ambrosia's self-titled making a trio of seventies albums, taking us well into June where he decided to have some Lemon Jelly with Lost horizons. Things went quiet then till August when he reviewed Barren dream by Mr. Sirius and Friendship Time's s/t. September then made him all jazzy and he introduced us to Steve Cole with NY LA, Holderlin with Holderlin's traum, kicking off another trilogy of seventies reviews, with Vangelis and Jeremy Steig making up the other two, and in fact bringing to a close his first journal.

It's perhaps ironic that this is the last entry, posted almost four years after Ant had bowed out of this particular endeavour: But never fear! The insect-eating one was only getting started, as we all know, and he would return with the bigger and better Anthill 2.0, plus other journals which would all amaze and entertain us. Hey, a star had been born!

So that's it for the second classic journal. Next week I'll be slowly feeling my way through the darkness and entering http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html! See you then!

Before I go, a word on our latest member, Innerspaceboy again. I have no hesitation in awarding his new journal the newest of my accolades, the never-coveted
http://www.trollheart.com/hotchair.jpg
As this award is new, let me just reiterate its point: this is for the journal which receives the most attention, in terms of comments, has the best conversations, generates the best "buzz" each week.

Since he only started his journal a few days ago, it's been flooded by comments, all appreciative and admiring, and hopefully has shown him that, yes, after all, this is where the real music discussion is to be had. Long may he reign.

And that ties it up for another week. As the rain belts down outside my window and I slot in my fifth Star Trek movie DVD (I lie; I watch them on Netflix) it's time to get back to work on Star Trek Month. See you all next week. Did I mention about Star Trek Month? I'm sure I did. Well, if not, Star Trek month is only two weeks away.
http://www.trollheart.com/trekmthsml.jpg
And the next update is only half that time!
Till then,
Toodles!

Damn. As always I really appreciate the kind words about my journal. I get so many ideas in my head at once and having a journal is perfect for it.

The Music Banter Members Journals Update Thread: Week ending February 22 2015
 

I know February is a short month, but it only seems like last week I was talking about the first update of the month, and now here we are at the last. Must be getting old. What? Shut up....
I suppose you expect me to post this update now, huh? Not too old and senile for that, then? Yeah yeah, you and everyone else. Mutter mutter kids these days grumble wasn't like this in my time mutter....

Okay then, you want your update? Here's your precious update!
http://cdn.meme.am/instances/50018889.jpg

Anteater kicks us off as usual, hauling up the anchor and sailing off to the next port of call in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ravaganza.html, where we find him talking about Chris Rainbow (wasn't he with the Alan Parsons Project at one time?)

and http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...wnapilago.html we find Frownland looking at Gunther's Grass and The Pop Band.

grtwhtgrvty is looking for a fight (well, a heated debate will probably do) in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-opinions.html

One of our newer journals is among the busiest this week, as innerspaceboy reveals his Pete Namook Dark side of the Moog discs and also the latest additions to his Tom Waits collection. I'm jealous, man, I'm jealous. Catch it all in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html

After all the work he put in last week you'd forgive Ki for taking it easy this week, right? Well **** that, cos he's piling the pressure on all of us again! Take a look into http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html and you'll find that not only has he another “Worth the Hype?" Section, this time on The Doors, more “Morning music” and more videogame soundtracks (“Goat Simulator?” Really? Does JWB know about this game?), he's also reviewing an album from Hawthorne Heights and Soilwork, and some other stuff that doesn't really fit any of his categories. Man, slow down and let the rest of us catch you up!

It had to happen! Pet_sounds finally reviews the album he took his username from, as well as throwing some more of his favourite Beatles songs http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html

while Plankton? Well if you check out http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...listening.html this week it'll certainly be worth your while, as he's featuring some of his own music, inspired by his daughter. Don't delay: hurry there now! Actually, hang around for the rest of the update, but do make a point of visiting his journal.

Powerstars is back! Yay! After losing impetus and interest in his previous journal, he's rejoined us and is trying out http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...o-reviews.html; nothing there yet, but watch this space!

That brings us to me. As http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html passes 200,000 views :tramp:, I celebrate by ... doing nothing. That's right: I have material written and ready for posting but have not yet got around to actually putting it up, and that's partially due to Star Trek Month going full steam and ready to hit next week in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html, but also in this journal there's another trip into the dark cinematic hell that is "Trollheart's Cinema Craptastique", in which I look at that classic movie, “Nazis at the center of the Earth”. Seriously. In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-you-die.html there's a look at NERD, and Captain Beefheart and The Moody Blues get the once-over in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ive-metal.html

That leaves http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html where there's music from Moonshine Avenue and Evergrey, plus the first of my looks into Anteater's Top 30 albums of 2014, starting with Ought's More than any other day. More to come soon.

Unknown Soldier has 220 Volt (who?) at 17 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html while Dio's The last in line is at 16

and Wpnfire is getting into some Doom Metal with Dream Death in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html, also discussing the relevance or lack of it of modern Celtic Frost.

http://www.trollheart.com/quill.jpg
has to go to Frownland, for this beautifully written and well set-out composition, which also ****s up the max image count, so I'm going to have to split this into two parts. Worth it though.

Well, Frownland's opus above actually hits us over the max image limit again, so stand by for part three...

while oddly enough,
http://www.trollheart.com/hotchair.jpg
goes to the informal framework journal I put together a few weeks ago. http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...l-authors.html Not even really a journal per se, more a sounding board, brainstorming, get-round-a-table-and-discuss-ideas-for-our-journals sort of thing, but there has been a lot of debate in it this week, mostly revolving around whether or not videos (YouTubes) are essential to an album review. Opinion is divided on the subject: I say they aren't, everyone else says they are. Feel free to have your say, if you care. But for discussion I think this one takes it.

http://www.trollheart.com/backfrom.jpg
As mentioned, our old mate Powerstars, he of the thought-filled barf and so on, has made a triumphant return and we look forward to his new video-based journal.


http://www.trollheart.com/workhorse.png
How about I just give this as a permanent award to Ki, eh? How would that be? Come on youse guys! Step your game up! Can't have him winning every week! As he does this week, again, for his Herculean efforts. Again.

So having finished off Ant's debut effort it's time to check out another of the
http://www.trollheart.com/classicj2.png
and as announced last week it's going to be
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html
which began at the end of October 2013. Briks began, after a scary spider picture, with a mention of Helloween's opus Keeper of the seven keys and then as October turned to November he nipped forward in time, stole my idea for comparing Black Sabbath albums and came back to match Paranoid against Master of Reality ... what? You don't think that will stand up in court? Do you know how much I pay my lawyers?? Next he actually reviewed KotSK and then the seminal debut album by Sabs, before turning onto Modest Mouse and then comparing Meat is Murder and The Queen is Dead, as November ran down into the Christmas month.

As I did with every other journal (or ones that have enough content) I will be doing two months each week. Admittedly, Briks's journal started at the end of November, but still, two months is all ya get! Also, as Urban registered his annoyance at posting extracts from people's journals here, I will in future only do that with the permission of the author. So Briks, let me know if you're okay to have parts posted from next week, OK?

And finally, a job opportunity not to be missed!
http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...ing_hg_clr.gif
Yes, Trollheart is hiring!
I am finding keeping up with all the updates, especially given all the extra sections I've added, a little difficult, and so I'm advertising for the position of assistant journal update thread editor. The job comes with no salary, no desk and no lunch break, but plenty of backbreaking and thankless work. You will be required to be on call 24/7/364 (you get Christmas Day off, as do I. If you intend to die, you must make your application thirty working days in advance in order to be allowed the day off) and will get little or no credit for your work.
Just kidding. I will credit you. A little.
No. Seriously.
A little.
If anyone's interested, I'm particularly looking for help with the upcoming (yes it's still happening) Year in Review, and also the Second Journey Awards, which is going to take some time to sort out. If anyone is suitably braindead enough to be interested, please PM me with your CV (Chocolate/Vanilla ice cream) and we can discuss it.

So as I clear out my inbox and await a flood of prospective applicants (:rolleyes:) it's time to say goodbye once again as we reach the end of the last update for February. Imagine: next week it will be March! Who mentioned Christmas??
Toodles!

I meant to add: I was thinking of seeing about doing some sort of index or table of contents for the section; tell you whose journal concentrates on what etc, so that people will know where to look. After all, if you're a death metal aficionado you're probably better staying away from my journal, whereas if you like comics, Batty's your man and so on.

Does anyone think this would be a runner? I understand I have to run it past the mod squad, as they'd need to approve both the index (sticky?) and any updates to it, but as a basic idea what d'yas think?

Damn, workhorse two weeks in a row? I didn't realize I was updating that often. :laughing:

Yup. Me and Trollheart. Of course, mine journal was first.

Thanks for the selection TH. I've been writing outside of MB for a while now and it's nice to see some affirmation. Btw I reviewed the new The Pop Group album, The Pop Band is a really ****ty name.

You're welcome man. You clearly put a lot of thought, effort and passion into that and it should be rewarded. Glad you're getting a chance to write outside of the forum too. Best of luck with it. I tried, but the lack of response plus the deadlines led to me giving it up. It's easier here, where you can more or less follow your own schedule.

I worked on a couple of papers but these days I just do freelance album reviews.

The Music Banter Members Journals Update Thread: Week ending March 1 2015
 

So here we are, at the beginning of a new month, and it’s full speed ahead for me as I launch into Star Trek month, of which more soon. First though, let me say response to both my announcements last week has been poor at best. In terms of my advertising for an assistant, I had one application, and that person withdrew it when I outlined the amount of work that was going to be entailed. Lightweights! Did I not specify “hard, back-breaking labour” in the ad? Anyway, seems like nobody’s interested so, as a boss of mine used to say, I’ll sail this ship alone and continue to bring you these updates, though whether or not I’ll get to do the Year in Review is another matter. As for the Journeys? Well, slightly more response there. Like, three members have voted. Honestly, guys, if you won’t even vote for yourselves how do you expect others to vote for you?

If this situation doesn’t change I will just cancel the whole idea. After all, why go to all that trouble if nobody is interested? Kiff! I’m asking you a question! Seriously, if nobody wants to get involved then just consider the Journeys dead, and leave it at that. So it’s up to you guys. Either get those votes in (thanks to those who have already voted, you know who you are) or accept there will be no awards this year. Or possibly any other year.

And on that somewhat sour note, let’s get into the update:

The honour of starting us off this week goes to Aux-in, who is giving us an insight into how he got into this electronic music of his. It’s all in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...continuum.html, where you’ll also find music from Nero, John O’Callaghan, Lily Wolf and Calverton, to mention but a few.

Batty is back after something of an extended absence, and he’s looking into Boris in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...lks-about.html and of course you can also http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-oblivion.html with moments of Batman awesomeness and also why he thinks Dexter is Batman...

while down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html Briks is getting his Sabaton, er, on.

There’s a lot happening at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html where innerspaceboy has had his first commercial article published (yay!) and is also talking about PSB (no, not the TV channel!), Airside and Lemon Jelly, as well as They Might Be Giants. Busy week!

Jade_City has started a journal this week, entitled http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ournal-yh.html (not sure what the “yh” is, but there you go…) in which he’s telling us about some of his rare grooves

and James is back, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ove-stuff.html. After a seven-month absence, he’s talking about The Wrens, The Smiths, Bowie and more.

Not to be outdone by innerspaceboy, Ki is hard at it as usual and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html you’ll find music from Alesana, Blackfield, Devin, Anathema and Moon Sailor, more videogame music, music from TV and films and he’s about to launch into Post Rock Month! Wow! Can see a battle royale going on here!

Machine has a new journal, with the self-deprecating and surely undeserved title http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-its-dumb.html, but do read it cos it’s not. He’s kicking off with his top five albums of 2015, some lyrics he wrote and more.

Mondo has some more “Impressions on home” in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...istortion.html

And that brings us all the way up to yours truly. While there is of course little happening in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html, just the one Waits album review, it’s http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html where it’s all happening, and will be, this month, as we kick off Star Trek Month with a review of the first ever Star Trek episode to be written, and get to know Mister Worf. Lots more planned of course, but in the meantime I’ve also managed to catch up on some http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ver-heard.html as I listen to Peter Tosh, AC/DC, Pulp, Arcade Fire and Pavement.

There’s more http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html with music from The Arc Light Sessions, Gerry Rafferty, Meat Loaf, Don Airey, Natalie Prass, more from Ant’s list with Teramaze and I begin a discographic review of The Eagles, with their debut self-titled. Not happy with all that work, I’ve also opened my tenth journal. Yeah, i said tenth! http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...gy-legend.html does what it says on the tin, and we start off this week relating the tales of Thor, Achilles and the Trojan War, among others.

We’re up to number 15 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html as Unknown Soldier renews his relationship with Venom, who are still At war with Satan, then Manowar are striding in at 14 with Hail to England

while Urban has resurrected his old journal, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sed-ideas.html, where he’s remembering Live Aid and also talking about weird bands, such as David Devant and his Spirit Wife. Um, yeah...

and Wpnfire is discovering free avant-garde jazz in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html with the Peter Brockmann Octet (no I will not copy/paste jsut to get the umlaut!) --- Frownland describes it as “sonic warfare”. Keep it away from me!

Closing us out this week is Zero with more http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ollection.html, featuring Eddie Vedder and The Canannes.

And so to
http://www.trollheart.com/quill.jpg
I want to award this to Urban, for his brilliant reminiscences on Live Aid, but as he gets huffy if I post anything outside his journal, I’ll just give you the intro here:
Sorry, that’s all ya get! If you want to read this excellent article (actually it’s more than one) --- and believe me, you do --- get down to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sed-ideas.html, and remember what it was like to be young, before you got all snarky and up yourself about your music. Well, I did anyway. Sort of. But this isn’t about me. Off ya go, you won’t regret it.

http://www.trollheart.com/backfrom.png
Shout out to James, who returns after almost half a year to try again http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ove-stuff.html. Welcome mate. Hope we see you around these here parts more in future!

I almost didn’t award
http://www.trollheart.com/hotchair.jpg
to anyone this week, because there’s really only one journal that’s had an ongoing conversation, but you know, **** it: I can be as self-centred as the next guy, and after all, I deserve it!
http://troll.me/images/thumbs-up-jes...-bro-i-win.jpg
For the animated conversation going on in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ver-heard.html
it’s me, and I win the award. Keep your hands off it! It’s mine, you hear? My precious. Hsssss!
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...434-gollum.jpg
Um, sorry about that. Got a little carried away. Anyhoo, on to
http://www.trollheart.com/workhorse1.png
Now this is a hard one. I have one one side Ki, with his amazing volume of work this week, and one the other innerspaceboy, who has really ploughed himself into his journal. So who wins? You know what, I can’t decide so
http://eastpointpeace.org/wp-content...08/VoteNow.png
Yeah, I’ll leave it up to you guys. Post here and let me know who you think should win the award, based on how much work they’ve done this week, how much you know them, how much they’ll pay you or who’ll sleep with you, I don’t care. Just vote.
And if nobody votes, I’ll make a decision next week. Oh, the tension!

Let’s all calm down now with a good read, huh?
http://www.trollheart.com/classicj2.png
Back we go to Briks, and we’re up to December, as Briks looked for help in recommendations as to what to listen to for gothic rock, tried out Danzig and then opened January with a review of Elliot Smith’s self-titled. In a staggeringly serendipitous turn of events, he listened to The Wrens (whom, you may remember, also feature this week in James’s journal, which itself has not been updated for months! Spooky, or what?) --- and here it is.
He then began “Powerstars Rip-off Month” (itself a variant of “Trollheart Rip-off Month”) as he started reviewing classic albums he had never heard --- now does that not sound the tiniest bit familiar? --- with first on the menu Jimmy Eat World (see what I did there?) and Clarity, then Maiden’s classic The number of the Beast (oh, Briks!) while also fitting in recs from Taxman (remember him?), including Green Day and Big Star.

More classic albums before the month ended, with Sabbath’s Vol 4 and The Kinks’ Arthur (or the fall and decline of the British Empire), Bright Eyes' I’m wide awake, it’s morning and the Stones’ Let it bleed. Not content with ripping off one of my formats, he then tackled “Bitesize”, robbing my icons as he reviewed American by Mineral. That took January to a close and he seems to have skipped February, so next week we’ll start on March, which, I must warn those with a nervous disposition or any musical taste at all, was to be … Justin Bieber Week!

Yeah, exactly…

So that ties everything up for this week. Don’t forget to get those votes in for the Ki v innerspaceboy smackdown! I said, don’t forget … hey! Wake up!

Fine, fine! I’ll continue carrying this cross on my own, bunch of ingrates! But please get your votes in for the Journeys, if you want them to happen. If not, then **** yaz all.
Until we meet again, same time, same place,
Toodles!

Innerspaceboy has been putting a lot of work into his journal, so i'd personally give the Workhorse award to him this week. Plus, I like his writing style and his journal seems organized.

Aw think I just missed this week's update.

So you're happy enough to concede then? What a nice guy! :) Mind you, you have won it so often that at times I may as well just give it to you to keep...
Yeah, just by a few hours, sorry. I have to have a cutoff time and 6pm Irish is my deadline. You'll be in this week's one, never fear.

Hey, I didn't say that.
I said I didn't want the entire contents of it posted on a weekly basis like you did with U.S. journal. Like when you'd post all of his top 10s for each year which I felt kind of ruined any surprise for anyone who hadn't read it.
That was my only criticism.

Woah, so this is the update thread. I had no idea what Trollheart was talking about when he first mentioned it to me.

I'm pleased to announce that The Gospel of Joel will kick off (before it even gets halfway through) this weekend.

The Music Banter Members' Journals Update Thread, week ending March 8 2015
 

Ah, spring is in the air. The nights are getting shorter and warmer, the days brighter and some weird yellow disc is poking through the clouds and making me feel all warm. Soon be Easter Egg time! They say in springtime a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love, so let’s see what the thoughts of the young men down in Journaltown (hey ladies don’t blame me if it’s a male-dominated update! Write something! You know you want to…) are turning to…

Actually, let’s not. We could be in big trouble and have a lot of explaining to do, Your Honour. Let’s instead see what they’re writing about.

Anteater kicks us off once again with another port of call on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ravaganza.html; this time it’s to the many songs on which a certain Michael MacDonald has added backing vocals. Some of them may surprise you. Or not.

Music from Morgan Page, Nervo and others at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...continuum.html, as well as mixes and playlists. Be warned: one of the current one has twelve videos in a row, so those of you with less than Crays, be careful…

After two years almost, Bulldog is back! This is I guess what you’d call version 3.0 of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ouse-v-ii.html, and we hope Bulldog will stick around. He’s looking into an interesting mashup by the way,

Frownland sadly just missed last week’s update by a few hours, but then that’s what happens when you’re http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...wnapilago.html! However he has been talking about himself (didn’t know he had another side project: could Jesus the Carpenter possibly be something I might listen to I wonder?) and also going on about pornography and how it’s ruining the world of film. Huh? Maybe that’s meant to be the lack of pornography? Oh no wait: he’s slagging off “Fifty shades”. Fair enough.

There’s some interesting reads (yeah I said reads) at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html

while Ki is kicking off Post Rock Month with I hear Sirens, Maybeshewill and --- anybody? --- Uh-huh! Pg.lost. Sure why not? Also something called The Angel Room, songs that make him cry and live stuff. Basically, just check it all out at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html

Machine is judging your music in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-its-dumb.html (really should change that title; it’s so depressing and downbeat) with a contribution from Frownland. He’s also writing more poetry. Lyrics? Poetry? Not sure, but it’s pretty darn good stuff.

Another who just missed the deadline last week is Oriphiel, and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rgy-story.html he’s now up to chapter seven. Check it out if you haven’t already; it’s a really good read with some decent music. He’s also back to being http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ck-garage.html after something of a prolonged absence, with music from Melanie Safka.

Back on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html, Pet_Sounds is telling us about another of his favourite Beatles tracks, and also climbing up into the pulpit to spread “The Gospel of Joel”. Interesting…

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...listening.html has Taimane, news about bands he’s in, knows or knows people in, and also a newscast. Yeah, really. Check it out.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...o-reviews.html gets under way this week, with a review of Everclear. We wish him well in his new endeavour. He’s also taking requests and offers of collaboration. Who wants to see him and Batty do Cannibal Corpse or Fleshgrind’s latest? ;)

Other than the time of my sabbatical from Music Banter, I think this may be the first time I’ve not updated my main journal, but I’m having so much fun with others that I just can’t knuckle down to it. I will, though. More Tom Waits on the way soon. Meanwhile, as probably everybody knows by now and nobody cares, Star Trek Month has begun in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html and there’s plenty there for the first week, including reviews of the first episode from both the original series and Nextgen, aliens and characters and planets, and of course a tribute to the recently deceased and already bitterly missed Leonard Nimoy.

Back at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html there are reviews from Shattered Skies, Kim Wilde and Boduf Songs, while we close out 1967 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ive-metal.html with a look at the debut from The Nice and some final words. 1968 here I come! There’s even time to read about Irish hero Cuchulainn in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...gy-legend.html

Van Halen are unlucky for some at number 13 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html and Jag Panzer take the number 12 slot as we head towards 1984’s top ten...

Always one with the funny story, Urban does not disappoint in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sed-ideas.html, where he relates the tale of when he saw Kiss. But not Kiss. Really. Sort of. You ever see that episode of “The Simpsons” where Krusty is going to licence imitators that can stand in for him all over America? No? Then just read what he has to say. Trust me, it’s good.

Finally, Zero brings the curtain down with two journals this week. In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-sound.html, he’s looking at Alcest and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ollection.html there’s Aztec Camera and Sleigh Bells.

So to
http://www.trollheart.com/quill.jpg
I really wanted to give this to Urban again, as his anecdote really deserves it, but I tend to shy from awarding to the same member if I can. And then I saw this. For sheer delusion it has to win. Needless to say, I completely disagree with its sentiment in every way.
http://www.trollheart.com/backfrom.png
Of course I have to mention the mighty Bulldog, who after a two year absnce almost has returned to us, hopefully for good this time. Welcome back man!

http://www.trollheart.com/classicj2.png
February began, as he warned us, with Briks looking into the music (ahem!) of one Justin Bieber, starting off with Believe and, uh, ending there. Surprised he got through one album. Then there was his reaffirming his love for Coldplay, more Modest Mouse, this time Music for people who hate good news, and another slight rip-off of yours truly when he opened “Essential emo albums I have never heard”. Yeah. Kicking off this with Jawbreaker’s Unfun and Bivouac, Tell all your friends from Taking Back Sunday and then Cap’n Jazz, with a title way too long for me to reproduce it here, but you know the one.

As March broke he was “In the mood for some metal”, and so chewed an iron bar. No, really, he took a listen to Metallica’s Master of Puppets and Ride the lightning, Death’s Scream bloody gore and Venom’s Black Metal, also Helloween’s The time of the oath and Van Halen’s s/t. And Motley Crue’s Too fast for love, Mercyful Fate’s Don’t break the oath, Pantera’s Far beyond driven. Also Candlemass’ Epicus Doomicus metallicus, Witchfinder General’s Death Penalty and Bon Jo --- hold on a sec! Bon Jovi? Look, I’m the biggest Bon Jovi fanboy here but they are in no way, shape or form metal of any kind! The very idea! Hard rock? Maybe. AOR? Almost certainly. Metal? Never!

Continuing with what was becoming the premier source of metal in a journal outside of Pounding Decibels or Batty’s journals, he listened to Ozzy’s Blizzard of Ozz and Amon Amarth’s Twilight of the thunder god, Bathory’s Blood fire death, Relentless by Pentagram and then he spoiled it all by bringing Dragonforce into it. :rolleyes: Realised his mistake though, but that was after he had listened to the album.

Among all this he also managed to squeeze in some Beatles and Greenday. Busy two months! And his metal phase was not done yet, but that’s another month and to be covered next week. I’m an old man and I need my sleep, goddangit!
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/old-m...g-19034465.jpg
That marathon session at the Poseur Cave then takes us to the end of this week’s update. I should mention that Ki graciously agreed to allow innerspaceboy to take the Workhorse award, so isb it’s yours. Back with another update next Sunday.
Till then,
Toodles!