The Music Banter Members' Journals Monthly Update Thread

[Trollheart]

Dateline: April 14 2013

Message begins....

Welcome to the first edition of the New Music Banter Members' Journals Update Thread. We've finally been given out very own thread, so no more piggybacking on the "What's going on" thread! Yay!

First let me apologise for the turn the posts took recently. Having injected some humour into the update I feel I let it take over and it became more a comedy slot than a serious update. I know some people liked it, and I appreciate your comments, but in fairness the first and really only aim of this post, now thread, should always be to inform people about the journals being kept in the Members' Journal section, and to advertise them and try to encourage people to visit them. In that I feel I failed you all, and I offer my apologies. It'll be a lot saner from now on. Who said boo?

Seriously: no more guest reviewers, no more lengthy comedy routines, no more "Jesus-you've-written-ten-paragraphs-and-still-not-mentioned-any-journals!" From now on, the focus is and will be detailing the content and status of the Journals Section.

With that in mind, let's get right to it!

And we have, for I think the first time in this update ever, a full page of entries! Right down to the end of page 1! Well done guys!

Antonio has not posted for nearly five months now, but he's making up for that this week. In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ng-ground.html you'll find "Songs I'm diggin" with Ghost BC (who he interestingly describes as "satanic disco rock" (!), Joey Bada$$ and Odyssey, as well as looking at the soundtrack to the game "Metroid Prime". Good to have ya back Antonio!

You can always rely on the Batlord to have something weird in his journals, and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...t-schemes.html he's helping us comedown easy from his True Metal Epic with as he says himself, "something completely different". That could be Mayhem, or Arcturus, take your pick. Oh, and he's pleading --- well, he don't plead: demanding, ramming it so far up your --- you get the idea --- for "General Hospital" to be taken seriously. Dunno man, never watched it, but I hate medical drama of all kinds. Now, now, put that big chainsaw dow----

Or you could delve into his other journal, where http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...lks-about.html Believe it or not, this hard-as-**** metal god is trying to get into Country! Hey, but some Country is good. Oh yeah, but the Batlord and Country? Sounds like a marriage made in Hell, no? Anyway, his journey has now taken him into the world of the Man in Black: no, not that one! Johnny Cash! Tune on in and see what he thinks. That wasn't a request...

Big Ears is back! In his journal he's http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html about Frumpy 2, from, er, Frumpy, a 70s prog rock band with a singer you will NOT believe is female!

And after a short absence CanwllCorfe, the man with less vowels in his name than you reckon there should be, is http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...an-corner.html and is ruminating about what it is that makes him love or hate certain songs. He calls it "the thing", and you can read about it by heading his way.

Another one taking up the pen/stylus/mouse/keyboard and writing again in their journal is Kayleigh, and she's looking at songs that make her feel a certain way. Always a good move. You can check what makes her tick, musically, and how, here in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html

Having changed the name of his journal to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-sessions.html Goofle11 is now trying a new way of discovering new music, by watching videos of people who display their record collections. Hmm.

Ki is back with notes on albums by Darkwater, Kokomo and, er, Bring me the Horizon? Erm, yes, quite. You'll find it all (and more) here http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...er-things.html

Great to see a couple write about music, and Ki's ladyfriend Ladyislingering has started her own journal, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ic-memory.html where she's looking at music that has a special meaning for her. Welcome and we'll look forward to more from you soon; any friend of Ki's....

If you haven't yet witnessed the superb art that Pedestrian creates, shame on you! Head to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sswalking.html right now, realise what you've been missing and beg her forgiveness for being so late to the party!

Another amazing new journal is from The Phantasio, who is giving us what look like excerpts from a novel she's writing? And it's seriously good. You will not want to miss http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html --- get in now, before she becomes a famous author and you have to buy her books!

Shameless Plug time! Plankton has very kindly asked me to review his album, which I am working on at the moment and will have posted in the next day or so in my journal, so watch out for it. Meanwhile, he's throwing some more material into http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...um-bucket.html, with the evolving story of his journey to guitar greatness, which I have no doubt he is a gnat's whisker away from achieving!

PoorOldPo has some more http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ychedelia.html for you to enjoy, including offerings from Gong, Syd Barrett, Gonjasufi and Broadcast and the Focus Group. Check them out, as he says, NOW! Seriously, you do not want to mess with this guy! He's been inside! I mean it...

Another budding author is Psychedub Dude, and while I haven't had a chance to read his story, it looks pretty damn good, so head to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ool-stuff.html and start reading!

Not content with starting one new journal this week, and no doubt thinking himself the Batlord or (perish the thought!) Trollheart of the Journal World --- we shall do battle Sir! --- Screen 13 has started two! In his first, the spookily-titled http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ies-other.html he's doing exactly what it says on the tin: looking back to the days when record shops, or malls, were king; before itunes and Youtube, when you had to actualy walk to a shop to buy your music .... you don't believe any of this, do you? Walk? Shop? Money? Bah, kids today, don't know they're born, wasn't like this in my time, Generic-Oldie-Rant-About-The-Youth-Of-Today # 1,590....

And then he's back! With http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...album-day.html, this time going even further back in time, to the sixties. Screen, your writing is excellent and once I have a moment I will read all your entries, but the amount of new journals and updates this week (though I'm certainly not complaining!) has made it necessary for me just to skim through them in order to make the deadline for the update. Your work looks great though.

All of this updating and new journals being started makes me feel a little guilty, because I haven't touched either of my other two journals this week (though that will change tomorrow) and so you'll have to be content with http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html, where I'm looking at the legacy of a-ha's runaway hit "Take on me", reviewing albums by The Dixie Chicks and the new one from Bowie, and presiding over another "Marriage made in..." Suppose that's not bad really. Still, expect more. Much more. And soon. And watch for the review of Plankton's album in the next few days.

Wrapping up 1974, Unknown Soldier has reviews of Granicus, The New York Dolls and a whole host of the usual albums that "didn't make the cut", as well as a feature on Queen! http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html now surely pounds its way to 1975. We wait in anticipation...

Normally that's it, unless Urban has some pearl of wisdom to shoot our way, and US is left sweeping up and locking the doors after everyone else has gone down the pub (ever think of changing your username? Sucks being last!) But this time he gets to scarper and join us at the bar, as the illustrious Zero makes a comeback, with http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-sound.html, where he's talking about the Chemical Brothers. Nice one, Z! Don't forget to turn out the lights: electricity ain't free ya know!

And that's usually where we leave it, but from today I want to open a special new section, in which I'll be taking an extract from a member's journal and posting it here, so that anyone who can't be bothered going to the section can see what they're missing. The extracts will usually be short and hopefully interesting, and with a bit of luck will encourage you to head in the direction of the journals if you're not already reading them.



And there really is nobody else we could start off with, is there? The Batlord takes comedy and an abiding love for True Metal, mixes in a generous amount of fantasy and comes up with one of the most enjoyable posts I've read in ages.

Disclaimer: the Batlord uses a lot of, ahem, colourful language in his posts, and you just need to go with the flow, so if you're offended by such language, I believe he would respond thus: **** YOU!

Originally Posted by The Batlord

The Lay of Sigurd: Remixed Part I

(YouTube video is: Iron Maiden "Caught somewhere in time")


It was a dark and stormy night. That's a lie. It was like 3 pm on a Tuesday, but that doesn't sound nearly as bad ass. So why the fuck did I even say anything? Fuck it. So, it was a bright and sunny afternoon, and I was bumpin' Somewhere In Time by Iron Maiden, when the most awesome fucking idea came to me. I should go time travelling. Hell yeah! First, I had to go tell my boss that I wasn't coming in to work today. I woulda called, but I had to throw my phone at some kid wearing a Slipknot hoodie. I went up to my job, and long story short, I hit him in the face with a brick. Now I just had to find a time machine. There was only one dude I could think of who might have one. Devin Townsend. What's that you say? Why would Devin Townsend have a time machine? Cause Devin Townsend is the mad scientist of metal, the mastermind behind Strapping Young Lad, and an uber genius who routinely kicks Stephen Hawking's ass at Scrabble. But a True Metalhead would know that. Which means that you're a fucking poseur. Don't let me catch you around here, bitch. I will fuck your mother in the ass and make her lick the shit off my dick while you watch. I guess I got kinda carried away there, but poseurs just get my goat. Anyways, now I just had to go to Antarctica and find Devin's secret laboratory.

Unfortunately, I couldn't take a plane, since I was on the no-fly list. Apparently you're not allowed to go on a plane with C4 in your underwear. Long story short, if you wanna get all the way down to the tip of South America without any money and you're not willing to suck trucker cock, your only real option is hijacking a mother of two and handcuffing her to radiators in sleazy motels at night to keep her from going to the cops until you get to Chile. But that's another story. After that, it was a simple matter to stow away in a ship going to Antarctica to resupply some science base. Most of the scientists were poseurs, but I'd found a contact on the UMU (Underground Metal Underground) who worked there who could take me to Devin's laboratory. Time machine, here I come!

Once I arrived at the laboratory, I rang the doorbell and waited for several minutes until Devin's face appeared on a monitor next to the entrance. "Who the fuck are you?! If you're the pizza guy, I called you guys like six months ago, so you can kiss my ass if you expect a tip!" "No", I said, "I just wanna use your time machine." "No one but a True Metalhead may step foot in the Devlab. If you would enter my sanctuary, then you must prove that you're not a poseur. After all, anyone can buy a Morbid Angel t-shirt." "I am a Defender of the Faith until the day I die. I can pass any test." "Then answer this question: who would win in a fight between Lemmy and God?" "Dude, Lemmy is God." Then, the screen went black and the door opened. I entered the Devlab and made my way into Devin's inner sanctuary, where I found him making the Millennium Falcon out of LEGOs. Sweet. When he saw me, he asked, "So, how did you know that I had a time machine?" I responded, "Dude, you wrote City. Of course you have a time machine. So can I use it or not?" "Any True Metalhead is more than welcome to use my time machine. Follow me." With that, we left his sanctuary and went into another room with a bunch of time machiney looking shit. Use your imagination. I'm fucking lazy. Long story short, there was a pod, and buttons, and a switch, and a midget named Miguel, and before I knew it, I was a time travelling motherfucker. Kick ass.

To Be Continued...

Admit it: you want more, don't you? You want to find out what happened, where the Batlord went, what he did. Well, you're in luck, because next week we'll feature the second part of this YOU MUST BE JOKING! You want to read his epic tale you drag your sorry ass to his journal. The guy has put serious work into this and you need to give his journal the attention and honour it deserves. Seriously. You will never regret it even for a second.

Next week, something else.

Don't forget, you may not be a Metal Hyper-God like the Batlord, but you too can create your own journal. Just go to the section and post your thread. The mods will okay it and you're on your way. What are you waiting for? Do it. Now.

Oh, and if anyone currently writing a journal would like an extract published here, drop me a PM. And a thousand Euro. Okay, just the PM then. Cheap shower of....

See you next week, same time, new place.
Toodles.

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Oh, and he's pleading --- well, he don't plead: demanding, ramming it so far up your --- you get the idea --- for "General Hospital" to be taken seriously. Dunno man, never watched it, but I hate medical drama of all kinds. Now, now, put that big chainsaw dow----

I'm not telling people to take it seriously. Just the opposite. It's so gloriously ludicrous that I can't help but be entertained. A chick got chriogenically frozen for ****'s sake! How is that not hilariously awesome? And the hospital is just a setting for cheeseball soap opera drama. Scrubs is more of a medical drama than General Hospital.

And thanks for the shout out. I love my epics, and they do take far more effort than a sane man is likely to put into something so stupid.

[Psychedub Dude]

Whoa sweet thanks for the mention Trollheart! I'll try to keep up the quality blog posts yo!

[Goofle]

This thread is gonna be awesome sauce.

[Screen13]

Thanks! I will try to make sure that the music in the journals is varied and kept interesting while my information is as accurate as possible. I'm also doing a lot of research on the business surrounding the "Golden Age of Cut Outs", so I hope I can get everything together for posts focusing on that soon.

[Trollheart]

Welcome to the second update of the Members' Journals here in our new home. Let's get right down to it then, shall we: there's a steak and onion pie in the oven as we speak with my name on it!

Batlord gets us going, and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...t-schemes.html he lets us into a little secret: there's a band he loves but has never heard any music from. Why does he love them? The name. What's the name? Shee! You think I'm going to do all your work for you? As he'd say himself, click the link, mutha! He's also looking at earlier incarnations of a favourite of many here, doom metal merchants Electirc Wizard. Over in his other journal, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...lks-about.html, the random *** he's currently listening to is ... yeah, still Country. But he's got taste. Jason and the Scorchers (whose "Thunder and fire" is a brilliant album by the way) and good ol' Townes Van Zandt are his picks. Sweet. We'll have ya wearin' a stetson and hopping on a rodeo bull yet man!

Now, if Country ain't your thang and you're more into extended keyboard solos and lyrics about dragons and wizards (sorry) then check out http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html, where Big Ears is starting a whole new series dedicated to answering the age-old question that has plagued Man for, um, several years: what is progressive rock? This way, this way, folks: welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. Well, it's just beginning actually, and you're right on time. Step right up!

That takes us to K, where Ki is looking at Daft Punk in his "Flashback " series and also having a Rant (have to have the capital R!) in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...er-things.html about the things that, well, annoy him.

And all the way down to S we go, with a new journal from scleaves, where in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ic-career.html he promises to let us in on his musicanship and post some of his music. Looks interesting! Watch this space!

S is also for Screen13, who has as we know two journals on the go. In the first, the amazingly creative and fresh http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ies-other.html he's looking at the self-titled debut from The Firm. Remember them? No, not the Tom Cruise movie, idiot! Jimmy Page? Paul Rodgers? No? Oh, you need to head to his journal in a hurry! Also he keeps a link to this in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...album-day.html, where he's talking about, among other artistes, The Yardbirds. Now you KNOW they were the precursor to Led Zeppelin, don't you? Thank goodness for that! He's also throwing a shoutout to one of my favourite artistes, Bob Seger, as well as music from Ike and Tina Turner and MC5, among others. Great stuff!

And so back to me. Sorry but Bitesize is undergoing something of a lean period at the moment, as I concentrate more on my other two journals, but there's plenty happening there to keep you entertained. What? Don't leave. You'll like it here. Really. Please? Ahem.

So, in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html there are reviews of albums by Tom Waits, Steve Winwood, a triple review of Virgin Steele and most importantly of all, the one you've all been waiting for, the review of the first album from our own Plankton! And is it worth listening to, let me tell you! Over at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html there's another episode from Spooks, another New Statesman and an introduction to my favourite TV programme ever. What is it? You'll have to go to my journal to find out. Oh, all right then: it's "The Onedin Line". What do you mean, never heard of it?

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html reaches 1975, but not before Unknown Soldier hits us with a serious writeup on Hawkwind! He says '75 was " a lean time for hard rock", so it'll be interesting to see what examples he has for us from that year.

And once again he escapes without having to do the washing-up, nipping smartly out the door and leaving Zero with the task of locking up. In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-sound.html, he's revealing how talented he is in programming for the Android OS. Geeks and would-be geeks this way!

And now, the Showcase for this week. Already breaking my own rules, I want to focus on an entry from a journal that has not been updated this week, in fact has not been so for some time, but like many good journals it's one that when the author updates it's more than worth the wait.



A realtively recent resident in Journal Land, Mankycaant has been writing his journal http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...er-abroad.html since last November, but some of the entries in it have been pure gold. Not one to fill it out with YouTubes and album reviews, the man who was once Muttley the pigeon-chasing, snickering dog and is now both Bowie AND Jagger takes a more considered approach, both to what he writes and how he writes it, which is why waiting for his often infrequent updates is never disappointing. Here's an example.

Originally Posted by Mankycaaant

Alright, so I was at the casino last tonight. Now, the casino on a Friday night is a little different to the casino on a Tuesday afternoon.
During the days, and into the early hours of the morning; the casino is home to the diehards. Either those so masterful at their craft that they can make a living out of their winnings or those so disillusioned by the aura and magic held within its confines that they play for hours on ends, running up their credit card bills in the slim hope of one day breaking even.
The verdict's still out on which one of the two categories I fall into.

Ever since I first laid eyes on the game of roulette I've been hooked. There's something so alluring about a game which honours the brave and exposes peoples true characters.
I have literally seen a middle aged man, sporting a wedding ring drop to the floor in despair upon one simple spin of the wheel.
The responsibility that he holds in everyday life; diminished. He was broken by the wheel of fortune.
The fact that something so humble, so meagre as a coloured wheel and a tiny ball could evoke such strong emotions in people; ranging right from jovial ecstasy down to the most harrowing sorrow has always kept me fascinated.
Add to this; the bright lights, a range of fine spirits and the unmistakable big-win atmosphere that the casino environment always teases and it's enough to get sane, right-thinking people hopelessly addicted.

So, Friday night rolls round. For those who come to the casino most days, it holds no extra significance. Sure, the bouncers will be more vigilant, there'll be trophy wives dressing to the nines akin to the proverbial mutton dressed as lamb and the drink prices will take an astronomical rise, which I believe violates Bar Licencing Laws but alas for an industry that contributes little in corporation tax despite being one of the highest grossing, breaking simple regulations won't phase them.
Friday night seems to attract the moths like a massive light. By moths, I mean city-slicking high-rollers who swan around the casino in a flurry of affluence and ego.
In the 9-5 world of board meetings, video conferencing, stock holding and tailored suits these men are the pinnacle of their working environment.
In the casino, they are nothing. Little more than moths.

You see, the casino is like time itself. It will always win. No one can out last it, no one can ever truly defeat it.
As with time, the casino will change you. Sure, you may take minor victories from it on your way but ultimately at the end of the day, whom is the one standing tall preparing to do it all over again for eternity.
I see these 'business men' swan in with their fancy clothes, their wives who have escaped the pretension, finely cut lawns and personal trainers of Suburbia and their wallets full of various cards and pound notes.
I see these same people cashing their money in for towers of chips. Just like many of the companies these men represent, I see their towers falling, their empires crumbling as spin by spin, the House takes from them what the downturn in the economy took from their annual bonuses.
It's a great feeling of liberation and satisfaction seeing these men lose hundreds, even thousands of pounds and become just like everyone else. Losers. In the casino, their stature, their reputations mean nothing. The game of Roulette treats everyone as equals and is not discriminating in who it will rape.

There's almost a divinity to it. A God like presence, in that Roulette treats us all as equals and both rewards and punishes us more fairly than any God could.
Perhaps this is why the Bible and various other religious hyperbole scriptures warn off gambling. They try and paint it as evil.
The Bible the very same manifesto that promotes discrimination, that was written in blood and violence and has caused waves upon waves of mindless persecution and war has the audacity to claim something else as 'evil' is the greatest irony of all.
The Bible would have us believe that two men who are in love with each other, two men who follow the law, respect and treat others equally and are capable of raising children in a loving household are evil because of the way the feel about each other. The Bible would have its followers persecute these men. Their crime? They love one another.
The Bible believes that this is not natural and that is why we must condemn it. Well, Reverend, evolution is ****ing natural and you try to deny its existence!
Roulette is more divine than God. It treats everyone equally, be it a gay couple, a house-wife who spends her days ****ing the tennis coach whilst her husband ****s his secretary, or be it me a 19 year old, straight white male who is little more than an observer in all of this.
The Roulette wheel does not believe in 'karma' nor does it believe in racism, homophobia, xenophobia, sexism, ageism or any other form of hate that religion breeds.
It's impartial and unbending. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, what you did and it sure as Hell doesn't matter if you like the Backstreet Boys, Roulette will treat you as fairly as it does the next person.

Perhaps this is why my friends and I find solace in it. Now, by no means is this a cult movement. I do not worship the wheel of fortune. I find more truth in it than I do most things.
It's honest. Anyone who enters the casino does so on their own accord. Anyone who loses money at the Roulette table does so of their own choice.
In a life full of prejudice and unfair treatment, the casino is one of the few Mecca's where the laws of the concrete jungle don't apply.
Sure, the House has the edge. Look at the Roulette wheel. 36 standard numbers, 6 even chance columns; Red, Black, Even, Odd, High (19-36), Low (1-18), 3 sections; the first, second and third twelve numbers and three rows; top, middle and bottom. Then there is of course the House's great equaliser Zero.
The unknown quantity. The enigmatic anti-hero who always rears its head in the most inappropriate of times to ruin it for those who bet with probability in mind.
Zero is the Casino's secret weapon, the added feature that tilts the odds ever so slightly in their favour.
Zero is the Jesus Christ of the Roulette God.
However, what are the chances Zero will come up upon a spin of the wheel.
37/1. It doesn't take a betting man to realize that they have greater chances of winning on a row, on a section, or on an even chance column than Zero coming up.
However, when it does. You have not been tricked. You know Zero is a factor. It's painted a distinct green, it's given a sizeable part of the board to show itself. Everyone who plays knows it's there. So, when it comes up, you know that you have willingly bet against it.

I enjoy soaking up the atmosphere of the casino. Sometimes I go only for a few Canadian Clubs as I watch the game of Roulette unmercifully tear through the bank accounts of those who think they can defeat it.
Will they ever learn? Will I?
Sure, I've lost more money there than I can ever begin to estimate, yet I am drawn back more than most. Does this make the contents of this entry somewhat hypocritical. Perhaps.
I do feel that I have come to appreciate the beauty of the game.
Despite what the old Asian guy with the notepad and pen may believe, there are no patterns in Roulette. How can there be. It's the randomisation of wheel and ball coming together.
It can humble even the most ego-maniacal and wealthy. Just as there is no 'karma' (sorry weed-smoking teens) in real life, if there were, explain to me how George W Bush remains rich and healthy, there is no 'karma' in the casino. No matter how nice you are, Roulette doesn't care.
No matter how much of a **** you are, Roulette equally could not care.
It will take from and reward you randomly.
It's a game of chance, nothing more, nothing less yet it holds more power than and can evoke greater emotions than any religion ever could.

Regards

MC

And that's why you should read these journals. Some of them --- most of them really --- are just places you could spend hours, grow old and wonder when you finish what those silver saucer-shaped things buzzing through the sky are, and why you feel suddenly so hungry? Yes, time can slip by but in the most pleasant way possible, and who knows, you may get the bug yourself. If you do, if you think you can do as well as or better than us, come and have a go if you think you're hard enough! You know what to do.

Until next Sunday,
Toodles!

[scleaves]

Thanks for the mention. I posted two songs I wrote to be approved and I will be singing them soon for people here to hear.

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

But he's got taste. Jason and the Scorchers (whose "Thunder and fire" is a brilliant album by the way)

I sort of lost interest in them after hearing their next album, Lost and Found. Seems they lost their original bassist before that album who was sort of the punk half of the band with Jason Ringenburg being the more rock'n'roll side. After he left the band went more rock'n'roll on Lost and Found and lost a lot of their energy and became dull.

[PoorOldPo]

Woah look! I'm famous! Awesome!

[Trollheart]

Apologies for the lateness of the update, but as some of you may have heard, I was without internet access for most of last week, so am way behind in just about every way. I had intended to read everyone's journals more thoroughly, to be able to give a better flavour of what everyone is writing about, but last week put the kibosh on that. However from this week I will do my best to keep up with everyone's writing. If anyone is planning anything special they would like to advertise, let me know and I'll include it in the update. If it becomes popular I may make a regular "Watch this space" or "Coming soon" feature out of it. Not surprisingly, I'll be pushing my own journal in this capacity, so don't miss the chance to let your readers know what you're planning --- provided you know, of course! I know some people just get drunk, stick on a funny hat and trust to luck (what do you mean, why am I wearing that funny hat --- hic!?) but anyone who is planning out sections or features can preview them here at their discretion.

Anyway, enough waffle (mmm... waffles!) from me, let's see what you've all been up to while I was staring at my monitor with "connection not found" blinking at me and screaming NO INTERNET! NO LIFE! NO HOPE! Okay, okay, I wasn't screaming, as such: it was more a high-pitched shriek...

The (one and only, accept no cheap imitations!) Batlord has been continuing his look at Electric Wizard's early incarnations, and also had a visit from Madball's lead singer, where they had, ah, a difference of opinion. He's still recovering. Read all about what happens in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...t-schemes.html and while you're there, don't forget to check out his other journal http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...lks-about.html where he's wrapping up his first foray into the world of Country with Steve Earle and moving on to the Pixies.

Continuing his dissection of prog rock, you really have to read http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html, where Big Ears shows us all (yeah, me too!) how it's done with an almost scholarly appreciation of my favourite genre. I'll be reading this one avidly! He also throws in a review of a Budgie album, presumably just for fun!

Goofle11 is enthusing over Death Grips in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-sessions.html --- and it's NOT "The money store"!!

There's a welcome return for Ki's lady after a brief absence, and in her jounral http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ic-memory.html Ladyislingering is looking at those overlooked genius, Sparks. Personally I only know the one song, well, two, but if you're like me then she'll soon set you straight with an eclectic selection and some very funny videos!

Having found the pressure of reviewing albums he wasn't really interested in (we can't all be Jackhammer!) too much, Powerstars has ditched his original journal and in his new one http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sicalness.html, he's going to review the albums that he wants to. Good idea, man! Great to see his first review is one of my favourite bands, Bon Jovi's new one which, I must admit, I have yet to listen to. He seems to like it though, so the signs are good... nice review, Powerstars.

Looking back at some serious http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ychedelia.html, PoorOldPo features Gong and the late great Syd Barret, definitely worth a look.

I may have missed his previous entry but Psychedub Dude is talking about his favourite funniest music videos and his top video game heroes this week, and http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ool-stuff.html is where you'll find his work.

I haven't listened to any of scleaves' music, but in his journal http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ic-career.html it's certainly provoking debate! Whether it's good or bad you can judge for yourself by checking it out...

There's some pretty psychedlic stuff being laid down in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...album-day.html, and an interesting little side-discussion on Bob Seger, which I really must read once I get a chance. Screen13 seems to certainly have an eclectic and interesting varied musical taste, so he's fitting right in here.

Now, like I say I'm using the excuse that I was offline most of the week to explain why my journals have been so poorly updated, but though I've plenty of stuff written in advance and ready for publication, once I got back online I didn't want to bombard the friendly mods with fistfuls of entries, so this is the best I could do. In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html there's another section to my piece on Rory Gallagher, on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html there's another part to season one of Babylon 5, and I've managed to crowbar in an entry on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html too, where I'm reviewing another album by a band who are rapidly becoming my favourite Spanish metal band, Saratoga. Much more to come this week, I promise!

And once again Unknown Soldier leads us out, where http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html takes us deep into 1975, with reviews of albums by Deep Purple, Sabbath, Montrose and Rainbow! NOW we're cookin' with gas!

And so on to our Showcase for this week.


It would seem only appropriate that, as he won the award for best journal 2012 (fume, fume!) I should point you in the direction of Janszoon's wonderful and creative http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-all-die.html, which has sadly slipped to the second page now, where it has no right to be, but it's finished now and journals that are no longer updated sadly slide down the pecking order. I'd like to propose a motion though that this be stickied either in the journals section, or, more appropriately, Editors Pick? Anyway, it's a stunning journal and well deserved its award (fume, fume!) so here I present just a small snippet from it, for those of you who have not yet read it, and for those who have, and want to re-read it. THIS is how it's done!

Originally Posted by Janszoon

25. Land of the Loops—Bundle of Joy (1996)

When you first hear the news that the Earth-Moon collision is imminent this will be a good album for you to turn to for solace. Its warm cocoon of somewhat trippy lo-fi beats will be a comforting thing to wrap yourself up in as you await your impending doom.

Released in 1996 by Boston-area loop dude Alan Sutherland, this little gem of an album has never really received the recognition it deserves in my personal opinion. This is great rainy day music, something fairly uncommon among turntablists and beatmakers in the mid-90s. That's not to say it's a downer by any means—it's actually pretty happy and upbeat—it's just that it's filled with that reassuring nesting feeling you get sitting inside with a cup of hot chocolate when it's crappy outside. And there's something so incredibly innocent about it, that's one of the album's big draws for me. It always seems to conjure up vague childhood memories of summer storms and coloring books.

It's appropriate that the one single released from this album was entitled "Multi-Family Garage Sale" because there's something about the aesthetic of this album that is very garage sale like. A sizable chunk of the samples, for example, seem to be from old children's records or in some cases maybe even actual old toys. And when Sutherland isn't kicking it pre-school he's grabbing some pretty random samples from all over the place—retro sci-fi sound effects, a snippet of Motorhead, wobbly old answering machine messages, you name it. All of this is mixed together with a decidedly indie sensibility that was very much at odds with other beat-oriented music of the same era.

While I was writing this review, what started off as sunny late spring morning has gotten dark and cloudy, threatening rain. I think that's my cue to put on Bundle of Joy and get out the coloring books.

(Video is "Multi family garage sale" by Land of the Loops)

And so, later than intended, that's the update for this week. Again, apologies for the lateness of the hour, but sometimes your path is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd, and there's nothing you can do about it. See you next Sunday at the proper time for the next update. Till then, keep writing (if you are) and don't feel shy about starting up if you feel you would like to.

Toodles!