Revitalize and Revision

Hello Jon Kramer....

Well, I'm assuming Jon Kramer is still the only one who periodically checks this blog to see if i still sometimes update it.

Anyway, i was thinking yesterday about reformatting the subject matter of my blog so as to revitalize the darn thing. And what I mean by that is, once or twice a week, talk about the music that i am listening to. Cause at least that will give me subject matter, and we all know, once i have subject matter, all else flows randomly out of that like a flower in the concrete. So stay tuned, read about music, even if you don't like the music, and even if you think i am dumb for listening to it...but really you shouldn't because, the only person who may stumble upon this is Jon, and he doesn't really judge me very often...and i like that about him.

So here goes. The album of the day, that i have been listening to for three days is: Metallica's new record - "Death Magnetic" (or as i like to call it "Death Magenta").

So, you may be thinking, "Mike...what is the deal....you like David Ryan Adams, and Counting Crows, and U2, how can you be listening to the latest Metallica offering?" Well that is a valid question. But you see, before you knew me, i listened to Metallica. In fact, they were my all time favorite band. But then as i entered grade 12, i started rocking less hard, and starting being more of an emo kid, without even knowing it. I still rocked hard from time to time, but my metal-inspired rockouts were more and more infrequent. Anyway, out of loyalty to the band who once held the position of my favorite, i bought thier previous effort, "St. Anger". It was crap. It was worse then crap, it was a bigger piece of poo then the pile of triceratops crap in the first Jurassic Park film. Honestly, and what a letdown. It was so bad in fact i swore i would never like Metallica again. It has been five years since that mess came out, and it's taken that full five years to even slightly open my heart to the idea that i could like Metallica again. So, i went to HMV last weekend, and all the hype, all the posters, it was all about Metallica, so i went to a listening station and i listened. And strangly enough, i liked what i heard. So i bought the record. I was embarressed, but i bought it, and since Tuesday, i have been listening to it. And enjoying it. The lyrics aren't as strong as they have been in the past, or maybe they aren't as strong as i remember them being...because like my cousin says "sometimes memories tend to distort", but they are ok, the mix is good, and every song has a guitar solo, which is the exact opposite of it's awful predecsor or however you spell that word. So, yeah, I am rocking out...and driving faster, and even banging my head a little bit, which is unlike my normal self, but every once in a while, you need to return to your roots and embrace them...and as much as i don't want to admit it, these are my roots and for the moment at least....i am accepting and enjoying them.

Standout tracks: The Unforgiven III, The Day That Never Comes, and All Nightmare Long.

Ps. I was nearly killed by a maniac in a truck this afternoon. It was actually really truamatic. I wanted to go home, but instead i had to stay at work and work.