Just Buy It

You'd better believe on April 11, at the first free moment I had, I went to the music store and bought a copy of Garbage's latest album, Bleed Like Me.

I got my Garbage fix. That should last me the next three years. Though I wonder if there will ever be a fifth album. Mind you, at one time, I had my doubts that there would ever be a fourth album.

Do me a favor and just buy it. It is pure Garbage goodness.

Garbage albums aren't instantly likeable. They take a few listens before you realize the brilliance behind every release. I bought their debut album (in 1996) mainly for Stupid Girl, but over the course of that summer I began to love the equal mix of rock, punk, pop, industrial, and dance that Shirley, Butch, Steve and Duke managed to create. Watching the videos, I knew she was gorgeous, and she had a sexy voice. It wasn't long until I learned that Butch, Steve and Duke were some of the biggest producers that popular music had to offer. Garbage drummer Butch Vig produced Nirvana's Nevermind, Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream, Sonic Youth, and a myriad of others. That should say enough about the talent of this band.

By 1998, I was a die-hard Garbage fan, and I could not wait for their sophomore release. Within 2 days of Version 2.0's release, I bought my copy, only to be hugely disappointed. What I heard out of my speakers sounded like garbage (in it's literal sense), but it didn't sound like the Garbage I had come to love. The music was heavily-laden with drum loops, samples, and lost a lot of that guitar edge that made the initial Garbage release so tasty.

It took a couple weeks, but there was a definite turning point where I realized the true brilliance of the album. It quickly became one of my favorite albums of all time. I have probably listened to the album a thousand times since I bought it.

Needless to day, I was very, very hungry by the time of their 2001 release of Beautiful. And was I ever disappointed when I first popped it into my CD player. Their sound became even more poppy and mainstream. Hardly any distorted guitar was present in the final mix. There was next to no inkling of any teenage angst-driven music. I was hoping for some kick-ass rock; instead it was slow and depressive.

Beautiful took about 4 listens until I finally "got it". Sure, it was reminiscent of pop music circa 2001, but it did have many of the hooks and attitude that Garbage was so well-known for. I had to finally accept that I was listening to the Garbage for the 21st Century. And it was good.

It's no big secret that Beautiful didn't do so well in the sales department. After the tour, and the subsequent writing phase, Garbage nearly self-destructed. I imagine that the band did a lot of soul-searching, trying to decide if they had another groundbreaking album within their bones, or if they would be kicking a dead horse, and inevitably joining the ranks of countless has-beens.

I am so glad they decided to dig in their heels and have another shot at super-stardom.

Bleed Like Me is both old and new. It is a wonderfully-crafted merger of all their previous efforts. Best of all, the sexy, angry rock has returned. Much like other Garbage albums, this one is taking its' time to grow on me, but my initial few listens are telling me that we have a winner.

From what I gather, this album is doing well on the charts. Their debut track "Why Do You Love Me", debut at #7 on the UK charts. That's a good sign, as this has been their best debut since the release of Stupid Girl in 1996.

Holy crap, that was nine years ago. If I don't watch myself, I'm going to date myself.

Just buy it. Shirley's worth fifteen bucks.

Bleed Like Me

Bleed Like Me is Garbage's fourth major release in the band's history, and is slated for a worldwide release on April 11th. I listened to a sound byte of their new single "Why do you love me" on the iTunes music store, and I am blown away. I am a Garbage fanatic once again -- well, I never quit being one, but by the sound of this single, they have returned to their roots. This song sounds a lot like their debut album, full of raw, sexy rock energy.

Looks like I'd better book an appointment with Future Shop on April 11th.

Animal

I have a headache. It's the second one I have had this week. They are such a pain for me because they don't go away unless I smother it by taking a large dose of ibuprofen. These headaches start in my neck and then move into the back of my head where it throbs... And throbs. And they get worse as time goes on. They have gotten so bad that they have made me physically ill. I should be taking care of this throbbing head instead of writing.

I have modified this skin on the website. I have forgotten what a pain in the rear it is to code html. I added the picture of "me" at the top of the sidebar, as well as a link to email me. I really need to change the colors soon, but I don't understand all that color coding garbage in the html code.

Speaking of garbage, I added another link to the page. Garbage is one of my favorite recording artists. They have a formula that can't lose: a diva plus three producers. The music as well is a perfect bland of pop, rock, punk, industrial, and techno. It is certainly a sound that can please the masses as well as the freaks. I have loved them since their inception in 1995. If you don't like them, well that's your perogative.

Ok, so I'm a drummer. Hence, the photograph of Animal. He is a wild maniac, modeled after the Who's Keith Moon. Uncontrolled, manic, and instantly likeable. In my early musical days, I was as wild as animal on the drums. After playing half my life, I consider myself more controlled and refined. I no longer break equipment, which is good, since all that gear is rather expensive.

Animal is the epitome of raw musical emotion and energy.