Final Blog Entry

When I first started blogging I blogged only about music, as you can see below. When I first started blogging about my QU 201 class, I continued to do the same but soon realized that it didn’t completely apply to the class. An argument can be made that I do put a lot of my faith into music to get me through hard times, and to celebrate the good times. I soon learned how write about subjects that better pertain to the class.

I owe a lot of my growth in writing journal entries to the 2008 election, which I have tried to get heavily involved in. As the semester went on I started writing more about how different people’s faiths are impacted by government, and how the leaders of the country have faiths that impact our laws.

Sometimes it was challenging to write about how faith has affected my life, because I don’t have a strong faith in religion. I often talked about how I have faith in other things, and how they can affect me in the same manner religious faith affects someone. However writing in the journal did make me pay more attention to this election than I previously was and become more opinionated on subjects like abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty. These are all things that every person should look in to so they may establish a strong opinion on such controversial issues.

I think my journal was always honest and deep, since day one. That reflects who I am, which is an open and honest person. I’m always willing to share my thoughts, and I think that has made for an interesting journal. It must be an experience to know what another individual is thinking about life. In the beginning of my journal I did mess up some of my entires by not making them apply specifically to class, however this is a type of gradual learning experience that I think should be factored into the final grading. I also missed three journal entries and there is no excuse for that. Although I made them up, the fact that they were late is a problem and I’d probably use that as the reason I deserve an B+ on the journal. To end the journal, I’ll let someone speak about the meaning of faith in the community better than I ever could.

Give it uppp

 

Metallica will be premiering their newest single on the new game rock band.  This is certainly an interesting way to promote a song, especially since owners of the game can hear it whenever they want without paying for it.

Metallica’s song “One,” is currently featured on the latest Guitar Hero, so I’m beginning to think that they’re just fans of video games.

Regardless, this band hasn’t made a good song in the past decade and needs to just throw in the towel and give it up.

Finally a good halftime show

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will play this year’s Super Bowl halftime show. This will be a great break in between the onslaught The New England Patriots are going to put on whatever poor NFC team has to play them.

Last year I thought Prince put on a relatively entertaining show with the way he shredded guitar, but Petty should outdo him.  This may be an unfair judgment due to my hatred of this band, but The Rolling Stones sucked the year before that and so did one of my idles, Paul McCartney in 2005.

I don’t think we need to go over the disaster of 2004, because a picture speaks a thousand words.

All in all, I’m excited for this year’s Superbowl, not only for the game, but now for the halftime show.  Here’s an outline as to how I think the game will go, divided into thirds.

I hate the Pats, but I can’t deny their talents.

Getting into the Christmas spirit

 

The fun loving boys of Patent Pending have given us a holiday jam to rock out to.  Unfortunately I can’t embed the video in this post so i’m going to have to make things a little harder by making you click this link to listen to it.

The song is a rather humorous story of a “hoe hoe hoe merry Christmas” and the things she does to be with guys, icluding Santa.  It’s nice to see a band put a different spin on Christmas music rather than the typical Here Comes Santa Claus and the rather depressing songs about Jesus.

Patent Pending is a band from Long Island that has been known for their very energetic shows that would get even a hater of the genre to have a good time.  My favorite song, Cheer Up Emo Kid, can be seen below.

I hope this starts a trend

Jay-Z is doing a very admirable thing by making his new album, American Gangster, only available by buying a hard copy from the store.  He has refused to put his album on itunes, and for good reason. 

itunes allows a user to purchase singles if they don’t want to purchase an entire album. Music artists write songs, and place them in specific places on their album for a reason.  It makes the experience of an artist’s music better. 

All releases should be listened to as a whole.  If you want singles then put on KC101, even though you’re supposed to grow out of Top 40 radio stations by your high school graduation. 

Hopefully more artists will start doing this, especially with the growing trend of concept albums being released.  Ok.  End rant. 

Heaven is for lovers

 

According to the popular music website, AbsolutePunk, Casey Calvert of Hawthorne Heights, has passed away.  Jason Tate, the founder and owner of AbsolutePunk, has informed its community that he has been told by two reliable sources that this is true, and given the popularity of the website and the repercussions the site would face if it were untrue, I am led to believe it unfortunately is true.  Information regarding how he died has not been released as of right now.

As much hate as this band gets from people, including myself, they were great guys who actually helped get me into the music scene with their breakout single Ohio Is For Lovers.  And although I have grown out of their music, I still respect their members for being genuine people who give back to their community.  A recent post on the bands purevolume blog gave people of the community a chance to appear on stage with them.  That is something many bands are lacking, and I respect the band for the gratitude they show to their fans.  Casey will be missed by fans and the entire music industry. 

Here is the music video for Ohio Is For Lovers, Casey is the screamer/rhythm guitarist.

What a surprise

The world’s greatest mother, Britney Spears, actually lost her virginity at age 14.  This probably comes as no surprise to  anyone, but it is funny to know that it has actually come out as a truth.

The poor kid that took her virginity probably had that chalked down as his greatest achievement and told all his friends, but after the recent events of Ms. Spears, he probably does all he can to hide that it ever happened.  I mean, look at the difference.

The good news about all of this is that she isn’t the teenage role model she used to be.  I’ll leave you with an entertaining skit depicting this years VMA performance.

What do these bands have in common…

Angels and Airwaves, The Color Fred and Ace Enders will be embarking on a nationwide tour together.  To answer the question of my titled, the lead singers all left their former bands and started these bands.  Angels and Airwaves frontman Tom Delonge, left the illustrious Blink 182, who I have spoken about numerous times in this blog, The Color Fred’s frontman, Fred Mascherino, left Taking Back Sunday, and Ace Enders was the former singer and songwriter of The Early November. 

I am extremely interested in seeing this tour, as I am a fan of all of these bands, but I wish they were still with their former bands.  Angels and Airwaves doesn’t come close to living up to Blink 182.  Their live performances were unlike anything else.

So anyway I am excited for this show and will probably buy tickets when they go on sale, but I’m sure to get nostalgic about their former bands.  I’ll leave you with a video of the Early November’s last performance ever, which I attended in their hometown of New Jersey.

Spring Concert continued..

  

What band that the Quinnipiac students vote in will ruin the concert?  Jack’s Mannequin is a definite, which is great.  However, a survey was sent out with a ton of bands and r&b acts to fill in the remaining two spots.  Given the student population that is generally made up of toolbags, the wrong act is sure to play alongside Jack’s.

The survey included great supporting acts like Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day and innovators of the genre Third Eye Blind.  Those were my 4 votes.  The survey also included awful choices, who will probably win, such as Daughtry, Soulja Boy, and a number of other hip hop/rap acts. Nothing against the genre, but I don’t see Crank Dat mixing well with any Jack’s Mannequin songs. However, this video that spawned because of Crank Dat makes me laugh quite a bit.

I want you to compare performances from my favorite choice, Jimmy Eat World, with my least favorite choice, Daughtry.  First video is Jimmy, second is Daughtry.

The boy can sing, but his song writing abilities are quite limited.  I hope Jimmy Eat World or Third Eye Blind wins. 

They’re backkkk

Jack’s Mannequin couldn’t make our Fall Concert, but they’ll be here for our Spring Concert.  As I stated in a previous post, Jack’s Mannequin was orginally scheduled to play our Fall Concert with The Starting Line, but was forced to back out due to lead singer Andrew McMahon being too physically and mentally ill to perform after 14 months of constant touring after being released from treatment for his leukemia.

Personally, I couldn’t be happier with the news.  Andrew McMahon is arguably one of the most respectable names in the music scene, and someone I have an incredible amount of respect for.  For those who don’t know, Andrew was diagnosed with leukemia, and fought his way through it and went on to leave his original band, Something Corporate, and start Jack’s Mannequin. 

Jack’s and Something Corporate are both Piano Rock bands, but Jack’s Mannequin has a more Pop Rock vibe to their music with lyrics that reflect life rather than whining over a girl.  Here is a clip of the band playing their song “La La Lie”

Fans should expect one of the most energetic performances they’ll ever see, and I hope to see a ton of people there to enjoy it.