Movie Ticket Monday: X-Men

So this is the first time this is ever happened.  I went to see X-Men in the theater on three separate occasions, July 14, July 21, and July 23.  I am a big X-Men fan (check out my other posts on X-Men right here on this blog) and when the flick came out I went insane about X-Men, besides being a loyal weekly purchaser of Uncanny X-Men for over 20 years I went on to buy the toys based on the film and the comics available only at Toys R' US (you know, that kind of fanatic devotion that Nerds/Geeks have with all things Nerdy/Geeky), pins, button, crazy shit like that.  Bought the DVD that is probably on moratorium now since it's so old.  Good flick to say the least and not some cheesy production that has plagued comic book films since the 1970's.  I enjoyed it very much.  Dialogue was alright and the acting was great.  Big names came out to do this flick.  I loved it so much that I pulled a Titanic type deal with viewing it.

Rock Band Challenge: Back in the Day: Rock Band 1

A three song set list from Rock Band 1.  Rolling Stone's Gimme Shelter followed by Molly Hatchet's Fliritin' With Disaster and finishing up the pack is The Outlaws epic song Green Grass and High Tides.  Good stuff.

Rock Band Challenge: Back in the Day: Rock Band 1

Life: Short Blurb #18

So not too much blogging this week, and I'm sorry about that.  Been running around with doctor appointments and seeing friends and now I have this crazy large project that I have to have done by 9am Monday and its probably about 60 hrs. of work that I have to do and I got the assignment late Wednesday night, so in theory, I have 56 hrs. to get it done... this will be fun!  I am up to the challenge though and I'm going to do my darnedest to get it done and turned in.  I put in a twelve hour day yesterday and I'm sure that I will do that again today.  What the hell am I doing?  I should be working yet I'm writing on my blog.  Well that is the case isn't it.

This week has been busy and good.  Can't wait until we can get a few days to relax and go have fun in the city.  Today's sunshine is not helping either.  Erg. 

How about some pictures with snow in them?  Sure, here you go!


So this was the #snowmageddon where we were at.  The snow lasted for a few days and it was pretty.  Didn't really go out to far for pictures though now I wish I did.  Bummer.  Here's also a awesome picture of Miracle being Miracle.

This Week in Rock Band

So it's looks like the spell of awesome DLC is finally broken, though, I'll be picking up one track this coming Tuesday.  So here's what is coming down the pipe for next week.

Sum 41 – “Fat Lip” (X)
Sum 41 – “Still Waiting”
Tears for Fears – “Head Over Heels”

(X denotes PRO Guitar/Bass Upgrades)

I'll be picking up the Tears for Fears song for Symph, that way I can get her to play with me next week! MAHAHAHAHA!  Now we just need some more Depeche Mode and The Cure.  That would be cool.

Here's what's coming out from the Rock Band Network this past week.

Alternative

Edge - "Flesh and Blood"

Indie Rock

The Motion Sick - "Grace Kelly"

Metal

Atheist - "Second to Sun"
Deadlock - "The Brave / Agony Applause (RB3 version)"
Halcyon Way - "Building the Towers"

Nu-Metal

Powerman 5000 - Super Villain
Powerman 5000 - "Time Bomb"

Pop/Dance/Electronic

Askari Nari - "Generic Techno Song" 
Pop-Rock

Dance for the Dying - "Thug Love"

Rock

Quartered - "Half Cab"
SuperSeed - "Play Around" 

Nothing much coming out of the RBN this week that I'm gunning for, though I'll give everything a quick listen and then see...

Well there you have it.  Depending on how long I'm working today there may or may not be another blog post up from me today....  

Video Game Tuesday (in Bizarro Land!)

Nothing much coming out this week but a few Xbox Live Arcade games that don't really grab me by the controller.  Hm.  Maybe next week.

DVD Tuesdays (now with more Thursdays!)

So I'm a bit late on all my blogs this week.  It's been a pretty busy week and the next four days will be no exception so these will be fairly short and sweet, but you all probably have something better to do then read my blog...

Let's see what (if anything) is coming out that I have my little ol' tired eyeballs set upon:

Well not much this week.  Though I really want to see this flick, it'll probably get bumped up to the top spot on the Netflix queue.  Coming up in a few my belated Video Game Tuesday blog...

RBN Thursdays (A day late AND a dollar short) Or Now With A New Format: This Week in Rock Band

So this should have been posted yesterday but, whoops, forgot.  Don't hate the player, hate the game.  So much ado about nothing, man, there is a ton of music that came out this week!

Country

Jaron and the Long Road to Love - "Pray For You"

Indie Rock

Channel - "Dos Impar"
Oh My! - "Twenty One"
Silent House - "Nightfall"

Metal

A Plea for Purging - "Heart Of A Child"
Alestorm - "Shipwrecked"
Coldera - "Melodicus Counterpointus"
Devin Townsend - "Planet Smasher (2x Bass Pedal)"
Halcyon Way - "Inside Looking Out (The Icon & the Ghost)"
Halcyon Way - "The System"
Machinae Supremacy - "Indiscriminate Murder is Counter-Productive"
Morbid Angel - "Existo Vulgoré (2x Bass Pedal)"
Psychostick - "BEER!!"
Pythia - "Heartless"
Pythia - "Heartless (2x Bass Pedal)"
Solution .45 - "Gravitational Lensing"


Pop/Dance/Electronic

Gigakoops - "Night"

Pop-Rock

Miracle of Sound - "Gordon Freeman Saved My Life"

Rock

Bright Midnight - "Don't Eye Me Like a Child"
IDLEMINE - "Radio World"
Jonathan Coulton - "The Stache"
Los Noelia - "M.O.N.O.S"
The Asbestos - "Lights, Camera, and Action"
The Last Nova - "All In My Head" 

Well that is a pretty diverse catalog of music there. I'll check each sound byte of each song, though I will probably pick up the Pythia (even though I can only play it on Hard Guitar and there is no way in hell that I'd do the vocals, they are just to much).

I think I am going to switch up the format from now on.  Starting now, I'll post RBN Thursdays on Friday as well as the new DLC that is announced today for next Tuesday (on the 360 at least), so on with the new format.  Long live the Format!

Next week's release is a three pack from one of the greatest bands of the 1970s, it's Credence Clearwater Revival, and the songs are sorely overdue, and yet it's a day one purchase.  It's been so long since I've enjoyed four straight weeks of content from the song selections.  Damn.  Good tunes for sure, and here they are:

Credence Clearwater Revival Pack 02

-"Suzie Q"
-"Lodi"
-"Have You Ever Seen the Rain" X

(X denotes PRO Guitar/Bass Upgrade)

Next Tuesday can't come soon enough now.  I love me some CCR.  Here's a video, now can you dig that? 

 

Green Jelly's 3 Little Pig video

So this wasn't really working on Facebook, so I posted it here:

Rock Band Challenge: Girl Power Vol. 1

Vocal Battle: Girl Power Vol. 1

This classic three pack is all about the girl power!  Blondie, Pat Benatar, and No Doubt each bring a single to this vocal only battle.  Enjoy.  Don't forget to drink water between songs! :)

Video Game Tuesday

Nope.  Nothing coming out this week.  End of story.  Wow, that was a short post.

DVD Tuesdays

And apparently for me, this was the major winner of the week. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I dig wrestling.  I used to watch it when I was a kid and I played the old NES wrestling games.  I then sporadically watched wrestling in the mid-nineties when I caught it on the tube.  Then I didn't watch again until my friend, Loyd, asked if I wanted to come over and play this old N64 game, it was called No Mercy, and I haven't looked back. 

Granted I only really catch Friday Night Smackdown on the Hulu platform as well as the occasional Raw excerpts that they have on there.  I don't really watch NXT or Superstars all the much.  But I've learned to love wrestling all over again.  Anytime Netflix instant has new shows I am usually watching them all in one day much to my wife's chagrin.  I still have to finish the Shawn Michaels: Heartbreak & Triumph DVD, but I've pretty much seen everything that Netflix Instant has to offer for free already. 

When did DVD Tuesdays turned into a blog about wrestling?  Weird. 

See you all in a bit with my Video Games Tuesdays post. 

Rock Band Tuesdays

It's been a pretty awesome last couple of weeks with Rush's 2112 and a three-pack by Hall & Oates.  This week is no exception with two singles from two separate groups.  KoRn adds two more tracks to the already available single "Word Up" from LEGO: Rock Band and The Edgar Winter Group makes their first appearance in the game with two classic tracks.  Feast your eyes to the goodies.

The Edgar Winter Group – “Free Ride”

The Edgar Winter Group – “Frankenstein” X

KoRn – “Freak on a Leash”

KoRn – “Falling Away from Me”

(X denotes PRO Guitar/Bass upgrades)

I'm not a super duper fan of KoRn but both these songs are pretty awesome so they'll be in my library as well as The Edgar Winter Group tracks.  Frankenstein will be epic.  I'm pretty excited to play these tracks today.  The last three weeks for Rock Band DLC have been sweet, here's to hoping that the "leaked" Huey Lewis and the News 3 pack will be available next week.  DLC has been really good lately, keep up the good work Harmonix!

Rock Band Challenge: County Hits Vol.1 1970 to 1990

Country Hits. Vol. 1

A four song setlist from Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Reba McEntire.  Get to fingerpickin' through these classic country tracks.

Music Monday: "Weird Al" Yankovic

Gotta love "Weird Al".  I've been listening to Weird Al since I was a little kid.  The song I remember the most back then was this one:

My homie Loyd and Mitch both showed me some new "Weird Al" that I feel in love with.  One track that clearly stands out:

I hope that someday I get to see him live.  One nerd can dream.  Since I'm dreaming, hey Harmomix... where's the "Weird Al" Rock Band DLC?  Any day now would be nice.  Please and Thank You.

Movie Ticket Monday: The Perfect Storm

Funny story about this film.  I thought for some insane reason that this was a film by Stephen King.  I was wrong, so very, very wrong.  I went in expecting a horror flick and I guess in some ways it was.  I wouldn't want to be trapped out on the ocean in those conditions, shit man, there are sharks in them there hills!

I saw this film on July 7, 2000 and for the life of me I have no idea where I saw this film as the movie ticket stub doesn't have a theater name on it. 

All in all I actually enjoyed the film quite a bit.  I'm a stickler for dialogue in film so I can forgive quite a bit in all the other departments, though this film wasn't the case.  Shot well, light well, acting was right where it should have been for the type of film I was viewing.  I generally felt sorrow for the crew that found a perfect storm.  See what I did there.  Cheesy yes, but I'll take it.  I think I might slap this back on the Netflix queue and give it another viewing. 

See you all in a bit with Music Monday and I'll finally getting around to updating my previous post about American Beauty since I recently viewed it again.

Rock Band Challenge: KISS Dressed to Kill Tour 1975 (Live)

KISS Dressed to KIll 1975 Tour (Live)

Enjoy this classic tracks by Kiss, one of the most recognized bands in the world.  Sweet.  Just for the guitarists.

Random Photos from the other day.

 These shots were taken with a Canon PowerShot A630 using the Auto Setting (because I'm a noob) the other day while I was out.  I think I want to try and take more pictures.  It's pretty fun. 

New Series: RBN Thursdays

So I thought since I normally post Rock Band Tuesday, I'd try and post what has arrived on the Rock Band Network for the Xbox 360 and give you my thoughts on what I'd get or not.  Let's see what is coming out this week (and there's a lot of songs this week!):

There are a ton of songs hitting the Network this week, I was going all out and post videos and what not, but the candle is burning at both ends tonight so this bad boy will be short and sweet.  

Excited to see another track by Lemon Demon which I'll probably get at some point.  The Morbid Angel track might be sweet to check out, though for Metal I'm kind of particular about how the vocals are sung.  So on with the show.

RBN songs released on 1/12/12 for the Xbox 360

Elysian - Chaotrope (Metal)
Entropy/Extropy - Chaotrope (Metal)
The Hourglass Paroxysm - Chaotrope (Metal)

Inside - Cold Inside (Rock)

Console War - DRUOX (Metal)

Clawmaster - Ghost Brigade (Metal)

BRODYQUEST - Lemon Demon (Novelty)

Fairweather Stranger - Mafia Track Suit (Alternative)

The Carrion Call (2X Bass Pedal) - Misery Index (Metal)

Mow - Miss Crazy (Rock)

Existo Vulgor/u00e9 - Morbid Angel (Metal)

Beer, Metal, Trolls, and Vomit - Nordheim (Metal)

Too Little Too Late - Pan.a.ce.a (Rock)

Superject - Raggedy Angry (Pop/Dance/Electronic)

Keyhole in the Sky - Rishloo (Progressive)

Touch the Mic - The Break Down (Hip-Hop/Rap)

Wow, that is 16 tracks spanning a decent amount of different genres though there is a ton of Metal in this week's releases.  I'll have to give them a preview through the game.  There is a ton of stuff the hits the RBN that I've never heard of so it's a great way of finding new music.  I Heart Harmonix!  Thanks you guys for making such an enjoyable set of games. 

Throwback Thursday/Location, Location, Location!: Goat Cheese Primo from Pagliacci Pizza

I miss pizza.  One of my fav foods but due to the dairy issues I've been having as of late I cannot have it.  But of all pizza I've ever had, I miss this one the most.  Pagliacci Pizza is a pizza chain up here in the PNW

Pagliacci Pizza website

The pizzas are a bit overpriced but all in all it's some of the best damn pizza I've had.  *Tear*  If you are in the Seattle area give em' a shot.  You'll be glad you did.

Location! Location! Location! Scarecrow Video

Picked up a few new DVD's recently.  Finally picked up the last two films in the Harry Potter series.Funny about the Potter is that the first Deathly Hallows film was more expensive than the second one. Not too many frills or special features on them, but the flick is on them and that is aces by me.  We also rolled over to a bookstore a few towns over and found Say Anything and Spirited Away on DVD for five bucks a piece, anywhere else you'd pay thirty bones for Spirited Away, hands down.  I strolled through a Blockbuster that was closing and found Suicide Club for less than five and the remake A Nightmare on Elm Street for under two clams.  Everything else was way too much especially for a store that is closing and their game selection was all but decimated and no price drops there.

I guess we can thank the economy and instant streaming for poor brick and mortar video stores and their subsequent closings.  I haven't rented a movie from a honest to God store about four years ago.  But it was this video store, so that is cool

These are just a few shots I found online and they really don't do the place justice.  It's huge and there are so many videos there it's insane.  If they don't have it, it probably doesn't exist.  They have videos there that you have to place a deposit on to rent out going up to five hundred dollars, which honestly, I don't need to see it that bad.

What is this wonderful place you say.  Well it's Scarecrow Video and it's in Seattle.  It's called the West Coast's largest video store.  It is awesome and glorious at the same time.  If you're ever in Seattle you need to check this place out and pick up a t-shirt or buy a DVD.  I damn near had a heart attack at the sheer size of this place when I stepped in.  I Heart Scarecrow Video!  Check out the handy map below:

Scarecrow Video

DVD Tuesdays

Looks like Universal is the big winner for me this week.  Three classics from when I was a kid.  Teen drama, raunchy late night comedy and good old natured comedy that takes places in Modesto.  Classic.

Rock Band Tuesdays

And the hits just keep on rolling this week.  Last week was RUSH's 2112 (Side 1) which I am totally enjoying.  Still need to play on vocals, bass, and drums.  This week its from one of the biggest band of the early 1980's.  Hall & Oates.  Awesome.  I already picked up the pack yet I haven't played it as I am waiting for Symphony to rock out on vocals while I rock the guitar on those bad boys.  Oh what songs you ask?  Check your eyeballs here:

• Hall & Oates – “Private Eyes” X
• Hall & Oates – “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)”
• Hall & Oates – “Maneater

(X denotes PRO Guitar/Bass upgrades)

I've been singing Maneater all day to myself.  Damn me this child of the 80's.

Music Monday: Classical Music

I thought I would change it up a little here and talk about a genre instead of just one band.  Classical music is something I truly love.  When I play it I feel a connection to the past and it harkens me back to time before my own.  You know the place where people used to get dressed up just ride across the country.  Before cell phones, iPads, and foursquare.  Where instead of Facebook people actually had to write letters and send it by post.  Crazy now thinking about it in this nano-second world.

Back to the task at hand.  I love the greats.  Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, etc.  I think in a way classical music is Satanic, in that sweeping grandouse sense.  It also seems to me very structured like doom or speed/thrash metal.  Some mornings I like to brew up the coffee and play some classical music while puttering around the house.

Rock Band Challenge: Maiden Rock Band

Who doesn't like Maiden?  If you don't you might just be a zombie.  Grab some brains, your bass, and attack this three song setlist from one of the Masters of Metal!

Iron Maiden (Live) 3 song Bass Battle

Websites I Dig!

DLCQuickplay is a great website!  I've been a member for a few years now.  It's a collective list of all DLC that you own across a ton of different music rhythm games, from Rock Band and Guitar Hero to DJ Hero, and even the new guitar game, Rocksmith is on there.  Truly a great little place to see what you're friends have for DLC.  If you own any rhythm game and you have a ton of DLC then this website is truly invaluable. 

Here's my own page there:

My RB DLC!

I try and post another one of these bad boys later today...

Rock Band Challenge: I love the 80's. (Metal Edition)

Today's challenge is from these awesome metal bands of the 80's.   A three pack attack with singles from Ozzy, Metallica, and Maiden.  Taste the Epic!

Rock Band Challenge for today. 

...And I Feel Fine

Well it's the end.  A three way showdown between Microsoft, Playstation, and Nintendo.  Here's the article posted by the IGN website

Doom. Doom. Doom.

I've played on all three consoles in some form or another, though I've had the least experience with the PS3.  I did like the lightweight feel to the controllers and it does have the game Heavy Rain on it, so I might have to check it out someday.

We will see it all play out either this May or June.

Life: Short Blurb #17

Little short blurb here.  Haven't posted in a few days and I skipped this week's Tuesday's posts.  Mainly because there was nothing on DVD or being released on the Xbox 360/LIVE Arcade that caught my fancy.  Though I did pick up the last two Potter films for Symphony.  I also ran over to the local comic store and picked up half of about three months of comics.  The last issue of the Uncanny X-Men was in that stack and I must say it was bittersweet.  I'm not sure if I liked it, sure the story was well put together yet at the same time it left me hanging and I decided that I'm not going to continue with the new two series pictured below:

I love the Uncanny X-Men comics as my collection will attest.  But after the cluster &*^% that was the multiple spanning series that sprung up pre and post Age of Apocalypse (or the AoA) crossover series.  I am not going to give Marvel ten bucks a month for only two comics.  I can always still look for cheap back issues online and abroad in the world.  I think I'm going to give two new series from DC Comics a try.  Swamp Thing (which I loved as a kid and still get giddy about) and Justice League Dark (which has Constantine and Zatanna in it, whom both I adore).  We'll see if I keep them running or not.  I think I'm also going to drop Uncanny X-Force, though not that I am hating on the series, I just can't afford more than ten bucks a month on comics now.  Plain and simple.

This blurb is starting to get a little bigger than I expected, so I'm going to cut out for a bit and watch some wrasslin' on the Netflix instant queue and then rock some Rush 2112 on Rock Band 3 w/ some rawkers off of Rock Band 30+ on Facebook.  Taste the social media.  Hm.  Taste like chicken, or people, whatever.

Rock Band Challenge: Rush 2112

Rush 2112 Challenge

Today's challenge is Rush 2112 album in it's entirety.  How high can your score go!

Rock Band Challenge: 1970's

Long Song Guitar Challenge 1970's

A three song setlist from some of the great from the 1970's.  Starting off the set list is the scourge of Rock Band 1, The Outlaws Green Grass and High Tides epic song that clocks in close to ten minutes.  Next up is CCR's I Heard it through the Grapevine which is somewhere around the nineteen minute mark.  Last but not least Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama (Live), one of the ultimate songs from the 1970's. 

Enjoy.

Rock Band Challenges

So I thought I would try and post some random Rock Band Battles.  Usually I post non-competitive band battles, but I am going to try something different every day, yes, I said every day.  You've been warned.  Also I only post to the Xbox 360.

Music Monday: Fisherspooner

I thought I'd start this blog with a official video from the band, Fisherspooner.  P. turned me on to this band, it was like on endless rotation in her room one summer.  It was like the fucking siege of Panama in there.  It played over and over for days, endless Fisherspooner.  The Great Deluge had come and we were going to be swept out in it's pop/electronic embrace, dancing all the way there by maddening broken robots of ourselves.  Thanks Pais Ley, this band is a keeper and why it's this weeks Music Monday!

Movie Ticket Monday: Road Trip

What is up my Dear Readers?  Hoping that the New Year was all well and good to you.  This last week was a mixture of good and bad times, be careful, blink and you miss them.  Just drink the fucking water and be done with it.  Third eye growing out of your shoulder?  No worries, there's corrective surgery for all that now.  Delightful.

Enough with the pleasentries and ramblings, onto today's first of at least two blogs to ring in the new (and possibly last) year ever.



Today awesome movie is Road Trip.  I love stupid comedies.  Love, love, love them.  This one wasn't all that funny if I remember.  Sure there were funny parts like with Tom Green and the snake, Mitch.  But all in all it could have been a renter.  I saw this and the Modesto 18 again with some homies.  I think they were film buddies.  The date was June 3, 2000 and it was at the 10:00PM showing, (back when I could stay up late!).

If anyone is curious as to why I only talk about where and who I was with and not the film itself is because I am a big believer of not SPOILING the film if anyone cares to see it.  You know, just throwing that out there for the curious reader... well except for one film... "IT"S FUCKING ROSEBUD!" There saved two boring hours.  If you get the quote then either you've seen the film or you've watched Family Guy in the last six years, either way you've wasted your time instead of the pursuit of finer things... like drinking or destroying the establishment.  Well, I've rambled on long enough about this.